5 Reasons You Want a CrossFit Doula

“I’m a doula and I do CrossFit, meaning, I like squats and snatches” Grace Burnham L.M.T.

When interviewing potential doulas, there may be one question you have forgotten. Did you ask your doula what WOD* she did last? Your doula has attended trainings in labor support. She knows birth like the back of her hand. She has hundreds of tricks for labor support from home birth to planed c-section. She knows how to use a peanut ball to support you with an epidural. She is grounded and 100% focuses on YOUR Birth. So, what makes your CrossFit doula extra special?

1. Stamina, She can be your rock during a 90 hour labor, after all she has done Angie* and Filthy Fifty* 
2. She really knows her squats. Squatting to push, what hospitals office squat bars for the bed, squatting with a robozo , reading Squat magazine or setting a PR* on her back squat. She’s kind of obsessed with squats. 
3. Strength, whether it’s carrying a birth pool up a flight of stairs, holding pelvic squeezes, hanging on tight to that robozo or moving a barbell, she’s been training for this, 4 births a month and in the Box* 5 days a week. 
4. She sees blood, sweat, and tears inside and outside the birth room. Don’t worry if you pee on your doula she has done double unders, and blood, whatever ask her how many callouses she's ripped open. 
5. She has a proven method for stress relief. She’s a professional and won’t go off on that L and D nurse that makes wise cracks about your birth plan. She will stay strong and support YOU then burn off that rage next time she does Fran*

CrossFit is what made your great doula into the bad ass birth supporting machine that she is, after all its functional training for the unknown and unknowable and I can’t think of anything more unpredictable than Birth.


*Official CrossFit to English translator

WOD: Work out of the day.

Angie: 100 reps each of pull ups, pushups, sit ups, and squats.

Filthy 50: 50 box jumps, 50 jumping pull ups, 50 kettlebell swings, 50 walking lunges, 50 knees to elbows, 50 push press , 50 back extensions, 50 wall ball shots , 50 burpees, 50 double unders.

PR: Personal record. AKA, I rocked today a little more then Yesterday.

Box: A room, a garage, warehouse or whatever in which people do CrossFit. It’s not a gym. Did I just hear your call it a gym? It’s not a gym.

Fran: 21-15-9 reps of pull ups and thrusters

CrossFitters reading this may be asking if they can hire a Doula for emotional support next time a hero WOD pops up on the board and the answer is YES!  Enchanted Desert Doula is happy to support you and both Amanda and Grace have set aside Memorial Day 2016 to provide emotional and physical support to those doing Murpf.

Above : Doula extraordinaire Amanda, who really knows squat, and Massage Therapist/Doula Grace, who uses her CrossFit induced arms of steel for some killer deep tissue treatments at their new favorite CrossFit box Made in CrossFit

Binding After Birth

Wrapping the belly is an effective and important part of a woman’s recovery that aids the body to shrink and recover in a shorter time period, normally six to eight weeks. A sacred belly wrap provides a woman’s postpartum body with 360 support to assist the abdominal wall muscle retraction, improve posture, stabilize loosened ligaments, and provide support to the torso while vital organs return to their pre-pregnancy position.

During pregnancy your body retains water, fat, and air which causes your body to swell and expand, including the organs in the womb area such as the cervix and vagina. The water retained by cells supported the amniotic fluid; and the purpose of the air was to cushion the baby, your internal organs and bones, as your center of gravity shifted and the baby grew larger and larger. This is why a woman gets more swollen during the last months of pregnancy. When a baby is born the excess water, fat and flatulence are no longer needed and the cells will naturally release and shrink. However, the purpose of a belly wrap is to speed up this process with constant pressure on the abdomen and torso area. The design of the belly wrap provides holistic support to all of the abdominal and pelvic organs, including the muscles, in the pelvic area. Support to the pelvic area is very important in the immediate weeks after birth as your cervix dilated to 10cm(or more) to make way for the birth of your baby. Therefore the pressure of a longer wrap on the hip area helps the cervix shrink and allows the pelvic muscles to heal without being further stretched.

Steady, pressure and support on the hips allows the body to “close” more easily than if just left in its expanded state. The bengkung style of binding is known to help heal diastasis recti with the constant supportive pressure on the abdomen area. During pregnancy, musculoskeletal changes are stimulated by hormone secretions and the continuous expansion of the uterus. Some of these changes include:

1. Abdominal Wall Expansion and Separation
The growing fetus and the increasing weight of the baby puts pressure on the muscles and can stretch
the abdomen as much as 50%. The abdominal muscles on either side are joined by a narrow fibrous strip that thins as it stretches. Hormonal changes which happen during pregnancy also cause connective tissue to soften. When the muscles separate, their strength is reduced and this can lead to back pain. The condition is more likely to occur where the abdominal muscles were weak prior to pregnancy. It is vital that the abdominal wall returns to its normal location to protect internal organs and properly support the torso.

2. Spine and Posture Realignment
Posture is greatly affected as a baby grows larger in the womb. The pelvis tips forward to counterbalance the baby’s weight, which causes the pubic bones and tailbone to move backward, increasing the arch in the lower spine and creating a lordotic posture.

The upper spine simultaneously responds to this structural change by increasing its curvature, which rounds the shoulders forward, collapses the chest inward, and slides the head forward, creating a kyphotic posture. The combination of the kyphotic/lordotic posture results in the classic “S” shaped spine of a pregnant woman and is a direct result of a shifting center of gravity. This shifting of a woman’s center of gravity and spine can affect the nervous system and cause aching, weakness, and numbness in the body from poor circulation which can also cause swelling.

3. Pelvic Floor Relaxation
The pelvic floor provides balance, body stabilization, and vital organ support. The pelvic floor is the base of the core muscle system, attaching to the abdominal muscles and the sacroiliac joints. During pregnancy, hormones cause ligaments to stretch, which loosens the pelvic floor structure. This natural realignment allows the pelvic bones to open for the baby’s birth and makes a woman feel a bit wobbly on her feet. After birth the pelvic floor can remain loose and unstable for up to five months. Because the pelvic floor acts as the support system for the lower intestines, colon and bladder, these vital organs may be less supported for a few months immediately postpartum. This lack of organ support is the primary reason why women suffer incontinence when coughing, sneezing, or laughing after giving birth.

4.Back Support
Due to the design of the wrap, binding supports a woman’s back and so relieves the back pain associated with the immediate postpartum period. This also helps to reduce the strain involved in lifting and carrying a baby as well as provides back support when breastfeeding as most women don’t realize they are slouching and develop what's commonly referred to as "nursing back".

Sacred Cesarean Incision Support
One of the major benefits of a self-wrapping belly wrap is that it supports the muscles around the incision site, protecting the incision and therefore helps to reduce pain. The garment also props-up the stretched skin above the incision so it doesn't lie against the incision allowing the body to be able to heal better. This garment allows a woman to be more mobile and active while recovering during the first few weeks.

For the best results begin tummy binding as soon as you can after giving birth, ideally around day 5 but we have loosely bound a woman a few hours after delivery at her request, and then continue to wear it each day for at least 40 days and even longer if you are not satisfied with your healing. For the most benefits we recommend wearing your bind for 6-12 hours per day or even overnight.

I'm honored to be your Doula, but..

Isn't it everyone's goal in life to be happy in their career as well as be successful and earn a living off of the job that makes us happy?

This week is World Doula Week, it runs from the 22nd to the 28th of March every year. The purpose of World Doula Week is to empower all doulas all over the world to improve the health of birthing and postpartum women and newborns through support! As well as to me it's a bringing together of doulas to empower each other in their businesses. In honor of that I'm writing about the value of the doula.

When I attend a birth it is always an honor for me to be there, for a family to choose me to be part of this intimate moment. I always say thank you for letting me be there and tell them how great it is to have been a part of that moment with them. There have been times where I have provided my information to someone searching for a doula and told them I'd be honored to serve them. Later down the road I've had families ask, and heard from other doulas that they've been asked the same thing in some way, "If it's such an honor and a privilege I am giving you, why am I paying you?"

As a doula I am an extensively trained professional with a set of valuable skills that are helpful to you. Take any profession where one person has a set of skills you don't have yourself, you're going to pay that professional to do or use those skills for you whether they hate their job or love it. Just because I am passionate about what I do, doesn't mean I don't deserve to get paid.

The doula profession sometimes gets undervalued because people don't see the behind the scenes work.  When I am contacted by a client I then have to, if I haven't already, make up a folder for our consultation with all my information, contracts and helpful tidbits and referrals. I get a babysitter and plan a consultation and drive out to meet them. They hire me, insert little internal yay moment, I go home and make a schedule based on mom's needs and desires and what we discussed. I have to plan babysitters, contact my back up doula, inform my family and all that jazz. Informing my family is the hard part, especially when we discuss my on call period. I go officially on call for a mom 2 weeks before her due date and stay on call until she delivers. This includes holidays and birthdays, oh the pouts I get when I miss those times or they hear I'm on call over their birthday or certain holidays. In reality as soon as I have a client I make sure my birth bug out bag is packed and I am prepared to be called, which basically means 24/7 365. When I am officially on call every time we go out to dinner, the movies, the grocery store even, I have a plan of OK I have a mom due soon if he were to call and say she needs me what is the most efficient way for me to get to her in a timely manner. This, at times, means two vehicles, if I go to a play date relying on my great friend to watch my little one until daddy can come get her(no lie, it's happened!) I also take time out to go have a birth plan discussion and get to know the families needs, prepare them for their birth with however many prenatal appointments they've decided they want. Constantly updating myself on new techniques, I devote time and money every year into taking new training and continuing my education to be a better doula, taking the time to get to know the local care providers, hospital policies, state laws etc. Child care during all of this, gas, mileage and maintenance because of how brutal my profession is on my poor car. It's hard work!

Doulas have a high burnout rate, especially in areas where they're undervalued and they think as a new doula the only way I'm going to get work is to work for free, and that just isn't fair when they've paid for their training and have so many other expenses along the way even before they get their first client.

Their is a mutual honor and respect. We, as in the doula and the family, need to be honored to be together. It's a privilege for the doula to choose the family just as much as the family to choose the doula. I am proud to be a doula and I an proud of the families I've served.

How did I get so lucky to be the successful doula I am today and be doing what I love? I'm not lucky, I worked hard. I am a professional doula.

Is this labor that I'm feeling?

Yep I totally did that! Now while you're reading this blog post you can also get Whitesnake stuck in your head!



So now down to business! The biggest question I get is "How do I know when I am in labor?" The answer "Oh you'll know!" doesn't always work very well so I'm going to try and give a little more depth into a summary of labor and what sensations happen during labor.

Pre-Labor aka Braxton Hicks(BH) Contractions

BH Contractions are usually irregular when they come and you'll generally notice them and be a little uncomfortable and feel a tightening in your stomach. These contractions will be random in how long they last and in how much time passes between each one. BH contractions are preparing your body, uterus, and baby for active labor. While good for a warm up, these contractions don't make changes to your cervix and can sometimes be brought on by thirst, hunger or stress. So when you feel contractions come on, grab a drink and a snack and try to relax and if all else fails, take a nap!

Right now you may feel excited to feel these contractions and then possibly discouraged when they go away but don't worry the real deal will come soon, your body is still prepping you. Take this time to be in the moment enjoying your pregnancy and the amazing things your body does!

Early Labor (First Stage)

Remember when we told you to eat, drink, and rest? Well if you are having early labor contractions they won't subside with any of these. These will also come more regularly, anywhere from 5-10 minutes but consecutively the same amount of time and about 30-45 seconds in duration. You'll feel a lot more cramp like sensations in your stomach and during the contractions your stomach will be hard to the touch.

When timing contractions you want to start your count from the beginning of the contraction to the beginning of the next contraction for the frequency, from the beginning of the contraction to the end of the contraction for duration. While you may feel the urge to constantly time the contractions it isn't entirely necessary. You'll want to time some contractions when the first start to come regularly or if there is a dramatic change in the frequency of contractions or if you're due to call and check in with your care provider in the next 30 minutes or so.

Again during this stage you're still going to want to be listening to your body and eating, drinking and resting when you can. Check in with your care provider, give your doula a heads up even if you're not ready for her to come help you.

Right now you may still feel happy and excited about being so close to meeting your baby. You'll be getting the "This is it!" thoughts and feeling confident and prepared. Be patient with this part of labor those first 6 centimeters of dilation take time!



Active Labor (First Stage)

Now your contractions are picking up. These will also be consistent and in the 3-5 minutes apart range and lasting about 45-60 seconds, they're definitely stronger. You're contractions at this point should be strong enough that you're unable to do anything during them because you're body is working that hard to produce the necessary changes for the delivery of your baby. You're probably not hungry at this point but remember to stay hydrated!

During this time you really are going to want to work on establishing a routine for coping with these contractions. It's a good time to make sure you've made contact with your provider and if you didn't have your doula already now is definitely a good time to welcome her to your birth space so she can help you get a good routine going and encourage your partner to support you.

Emotionally, this can be a rough time. Sudden noises and bright lights can be disruptive to you as your senses are heightening. Try to stay relaxed as possible and change positions frequently until you find what works best for you.



Transition

This is the moment where everything comes to a peak, the most intense part of labor. Contractions will be one on top of the other and there is a definite increase in the amount of pressure that you're feeling and may even feel like your going to have a bowel movement and you may actually do that and that's OK. Generally this is where you'll feel hottest and may be shaking and nauseous.

You'll feel overwhelmed, a sense of "I can't do this" but in reality you ARE doing it and you are strong. If you really feel stressed, remember to breathe, be in the moment and be willing to feel and work through your contractions. If you feel you can't do it then don't, just let the contractions happen. Pushing is right around the corner!



Second Stage Labor

I sometimes see two parts to second stage and sometimes they roll into one. Here is where the calm before delivery happens. Your contractions will space out a little and you may find yourself sleeping in between them. you'll definitely still feel the pressure and tightening during the contractions and maybe feel the urge to push right away and maybe not.

Sometimes you get this break before the actual urge to push comes and sometimes as soon as you come out of transition you'll feel the urge to push. This is the time where I like to remind women you don't have to push just because you're fully dilated. Wait for the sensations to come and tell your care provider when you're ready to push.

Some women feel relief that the urge to push has come and some are afraid that it's getting to be time to push. Again, I say be willing to feel it, be in that moment. You're doing great and an amazing little baby will be in your arms soon!

Third Stage Labor

Congratulations! You just birthed an incredible little life into this world! While this is an amazing time, you're not quite done yet. Your placenta is delivered next but this generally does not require as much effort. You will still be having contractions but not nearly as intense and you may have an urge to push to birth your placenta but not all women do. Nursing your newborn will help stimulate these contractions to bring out your placenta and then you're done! You will still have some cramps when breastfeeding for a few days as your uterus returns to it's normal state but you made it through labor and delivery. Your job now is to enjoy your new little family.

Each pregnancy and labor is unique. I've seen slow and steady transitions through the stages, stop and go transitions and some women race through each stage so fast I couldn't believe my eyes and maybe missed when each stage happened but every one is beautiful.

I'm Pregnant! Now What?

First of all, your Enchanted Desert Doulas want to congratulate you on beginning this sacred journey!!

Now, the first step for you is to answer "Where do I want to give birth?" Your choices generally are at home, at a birth center, or at a hospital. Once you have decided that, then the question becomes "Who do I want to hire to deliver my baby at this location?"

If you have chosen a hospital birth we would highly recommend Valley Women for Women, MomDoc Midwives, and The Center for True Harmony. We have personal experience working with each of these offices and they have fantastic care providers. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center is a fantastic hospital to give birth and we love assisting here, we can't recommend this place enough!

If you have chosen a birth center we recommend The Birth Haven at LifeSpring Midwifery having personal experience working with them and using them as a care provider. There are a few other birth centers in the area including, Blossom Birth Center we know a few of the providers there and they are really wonderful, and Babymoon Inn,

If you have chosen a home birth we'd highly recommend Moxie Midwifery, we work closely with Moxie Midwifery and a Mother Roaster package of ours is now included with her Midwifery package! We also have personal experience with using Moxie Midwifery as a care provider. She is an amazingly spirited woman. Pam White is an extremely talented and experienced midwife. She is a really great midwife to work with and has 30 years of experience to pull from, we highly recommend taking n interview with her she has a very mothering presence and becomes part of the family. Freedom and the Seed I've had the pleasure of working with and teaching classes for her clients, she is very active advocating for the rights for homebirthing in Arizona and loves what she does, Beyond Conception Midwifery I've had the pleasure of working with, lots of experience and really knows what she's doing. Also recommended is Arizona Midwife, a great woman I've met,

Another question you could ask after choosing you primary care provider is "Do I want a Doula?" Sometimes you may hear the suggestion and wonder "What is a Doula?" and you can read our brief description of a doula HERE. Many women think that when they're choosing a hospital birth that a doula doesn't serve them when in fact in 2014 75% of Enchanted Desert Doula's clients were planned hospital births! Yes we go to hospitals, birth centers and home births! We do it all. Of course here is our shameless plug for Enchanted Desert Doula and our service menu. You can also go to Doula Match and search there for your perfect doula.

No matter where you choose to give birth, please remember, you are the consumer! Interviewing OBs and Midwives is the same process. Choose a few you'd like to interview because this is one of the most important decisions in your journey and you want the right people who share your goals, and always have you and your well-being in mind and not just the clock. There are many others around the valley these are just the ones we have used and worked with and know the most about. Do your research, be an informed consumer and have your best birth!

*This is an ever evolving list of care professionals we've worked with and had good experiences with. Check back often and share with friends and family for updated information!