Many people are drawn to becoming doulas after experiencing pregnancy, birth, and postpartum as a parent or birthing person themselves. The care they received, or in some cases, the lack of care, can inspire them to be part of the change they want to see. While it’s not necessary to be a parent to be a great caregiver, these experiences can shape a doula’s approach and bring a unique perspective.
Looking for a prenatal class in Vancouver Lower Mainland that isn’t boring, way too long or full of gendered language? Don’t want to spend a whole weekend sitting on terrible plastic chairs, in a cold unfriendly environment? We don’t either so we created a class just for you!
A cesarean or c-section (also known as a belly birth), is a surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through incisions in your abdomen and uterus. Scheduled c-sections may be suggested if your baby is breech, you have placenta previa, you are expecting multiples, or you need a guaranteed delivery before you reach full-term gestation. Unscheduled cesarean sections are when there is a reason for imminent birth and it is necessary to have a surgical birth within the next few minutes to hours.
While c-sections can be life-saving for parents and babies in certain situations, they are also associated with higher risks of complications compared to vaginal birth. Additionally, c-sections and its ensuing healing can have long-term health consequences for both the parent and baby. In saying this, belly births continue to be one of the most stigmatized journeys to birth a family can take.
This actually happened BEFORE I officially knew I was pregnant, that in a matter of days, my chest grew exponentially. I thought I was either pregnant or finally hitting puberty at age 30. If I was pregnant I had imagined this would happen over time, but it seemed to happen overnight, and was painful! So painful that I couldn’t even sleep on my stomach for a few weeks. The pain is no longer there – but they are still growing – and don’t show signs of slowing down!
As our friend, LC and doula Allie Mennie says, “A doula is someone who is there for you. The medicine is out of our scope, so we are there as someone supporting you and your partner. We make sure you’re fed and hydrated, you’re remembering to pee, your room/environment is calm and supportive for the birth process
I don’t know about you, but I would rather save lives than complain about how difficult it is to make a switch in language. If gender affirming language means I have to go through mental shifts in order to learn how to be more of a respectful person who is rooted in community care – then count me right in.
Sexual health is an integral part of our physical, mental, emotional, and social health. It’s about pleasure, identity, and intimacy. It’s always influenced by gender norms, expectations, and power dynamics and it changes and evolves throughout our lifetime.
You may have heard this word swirling around your OB or Midwive’s office, dotting your friend’s birth story or on your social feeds, and it may have you going “Doula-what?”, “Doula-who?”. Before reading ahead, make sure you peek at this blog post to get all of your questions answered on what the heck a doula is! Now that you know what we are all about, let me break down some of the ways doulas can support you and your family.
Investing in your birth and postpartum care can set you and your family up for the first year of parenthood, and beyond. Many of our families are receiving support from their friends and family to book Brood services – adding them to their Baby Registries. And we’ve made it easier than ever for your community to give you the gift of Brood. Some call it Doula Care Funds, or Crowdfunding, and here, we call it Community Gifting.
We work and live on the unceded and occupied territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Since time immemorial, the original peoples of these lands have cared for their families and communities. We are committed to honouring their teachings, legacy and their sovereignty.
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