Doula Chats: But What About the Vitamin K?

After your baby is born, there are three what I call "baby interventions" that all parents need to consider beforehand and decide if they want them. The Hep B Vaccine, Eye Ointment, and Vitamin K shot.

As I began my research on these interventions, it was clear to me early on that Hep B, and the eye ointment weren't necessary for my babies or my clients babies. Both were really only necessary for babies who are at risk of contracting Gonorrhea or Chlamydia from their mother (eye ointment), or some kind of STD (Hep B). On top of that, eye ointment hinders mother-child bonding and, aesthetically speaking, make for poor photos of baby.

But what about the Vitamin K? If it's just a vitamin, it shouldn't hurt, right?

The Hospital Birth Story of Warner

I met Miranda at a park. I was there with a group of my friends, and she was there with a group of hers. The children had all kind of mingled at the beach volleyball court and the two of us began talking. We became fast friends and about a year later, she told me that she was pregnant with her second child and wanted me to be her doula and birth photographer. I was overjoyed. I knew that her journey to pregnancy hadn't been easy, and that her first birth experience wasn't what she had wanted it to be. I was determined to help her to have a different experience this time.

Doula Chats | Second Prenatal Positions

Somewhere around 37 or 38 weeks, we will have our second prenatal visit. At this visit, we talk a little more in-depth about your birth, what your provider is saying, and what we can expect/prepare for. This is also when I teach you and your husband a few positions to try during labor that can help you relax, stretch, and/or help your baby to re-engage if we notice contraction patterns are inconsistent.

Doula Chats: Emotional Signposts

 

How do we predict your exact due date? Dilation? Effacement? Baby’s station? Contraction patterns? Unfortunately, none of these can tell us exactly what day your baby will come. What about how long your birthing time will be?

Just like we can’t predict what day you’ll have your baby, we can’t predict how long your birthing time will be, but we can observe and pick up on different clues throughout your birthing time that can give us an idea of how things are going. How? Dilation, effacement, baby’s station, and contraction patterns can be helpful clues, but these numbers can change rapidly or very slowly. I’ve personally been one of those mothers who went from 7cm dilated to delivery in 15 minutes! I’ve also seen mothers sit at 8cm dilated for hours. A better clue is what we call emotional signposts.

Doula Chats: 4 Positions for Body Birth Prep

Over the past couple of months I have been intrigued with learning about what can be done during pregnancy that will lead to better birth outcomes beyond taking your prenatal vitamins. We know that birth is a physical event and is often compared to running a marathon, so it only makes sense that just as training for a marathon will help you successfully complete all 26.2 miles with better recovery, training for childbirth will result in the same.

Doula Chats: Epidural Alternatives

 

In my previous post having to do with epidurals, I gave a few different suggestions on how to prepare to birth without one. To take it a step further, here is a list of discomfort measures that may be available to you instead of the epidural.

Doula Chats: How to have an Unmedicated Birth

 

“I don’t know how women do it without the epidural. They must have super-powers.”

“I don’t think I could do it without one. My pain-tolerance is super low.”

I'm sure you've heard this before. Maybe you've even said this yourself. But having a baby unmedicated has much less to do with your pain-tolerance and much more to do with your preparation. Mothers who *purposefully* birth their babies unmedicated spend time reading books, taking classes, listening to podcasts, following birth education instagram accounts, and often-times hire a doula because research shows that women who hire a one are 10% more likely to successfully birth unmedicated. Reference