Womb Revolution Blog | Doula in Olympia WA - WOMB REVOLUTION

THESE ARE MY HOURS: A NEW MOVIE ABOUT BIRTH

8/4/2018

These Are My Hours is a new movie about birth, and it's completely different from any other movie about birth that has ever been done.

Although it is technically a documentary, it feels a lot more like a fiction film because it tells a single story of a single mother birthing her child. This movie is not about statistics, evidence-based information or public policies.

Instead, watching These Are My Hours is a lot more like actually being at a birth. And not any birth, but one in which a woman takes matters into her own hands and fearlessly rocks her experience, even though at times it seems impossible to do.

I had the honor to chat with Emily Graham, the subject of this film, who shares with us how she got involved in this project, why it is important for her, and what she hopes for the film to do in our crazy world.

THESE ARE MY HOURS from Peripheral Productions on Vimeo.

M: Tell us, how did you get involved in the birth world?
E: I had my first baby at home almost 10 years ago and I found that after I gave birth I still wanted to read all the books and talk about it and I realized that I was interested in learning about it and working in birth more than just as a mother. So I asked my midwife if I could work with her. Despite me having never trained in anything related to health or birth, she said yes.

“My birth work is all about women finding their truth and expressing their autonomy through their birth experience.”

When my baby was nine months old, I started attending prenatal appointments and births with her. I worked with her for a few years. I had another baby with her and then I moved to South Carolina, where I live now. I studied with Whapio for two years, doing her holistic midwifery program. My plan at the beginning was to become a licensed midwife. But as I got more experience and of course as I trained with Whapio and heard of her philosophy, I decided that I didn't want to be licensed by the state and I didn't want to practice midwifery the way it is in our culture.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NATURAL BIRTH IN THE HOSPITAL

6/7/2018

Having a natural birth in the hospital is something that rarely just happens to people, especially first-time parents. Did you know that more than 80% of women who give birth in St. Peter's Hospital have an epidural? That's a big number! Of course, many of these people were never planning to have a natural birth (which can mean different things to different people, but for the purpose of this article it means no pain meds).

What this means is that if you're flirting with the idea of a natural birth, just hoping for it to happen most likely won't get you there. Trying to have a natural birth in the hospital can sometimes be like being on a diet and spending all day in a candy store. A natural part of labor is getting to that point of feeling like you can't do it anymore like you need to "give up." Birthing from Within mentors call it "the gate of great doubt." So when pain relief is so readily available, you really need great tools and even greater support to get through the hard parts without drugs.

“If you're flirting with the idea of a natural birth, just hoping for it to happen most likely won't get you there.”

So what can you do if you're hoping for a natural birth in the hospital? Here are some ideas for you!

4 awesome things I love about charting my menstrual cycles

4/20/2018

-By Michele Drake

I have spent the last few years passionately listening to women talk about their health, and a few trends have become apparent. One of the most startling, but also most common, stories I hear is about people being invalidated by their doctors or healthcare providers (see my blog post about informed consent). This is infuriating for many reasons, but mostly because no one knows your body better than you. You should be your #1 resource in your own healthcare. For me, this means being observant and curious about my own body.

“You should be your #1 resource in your own healthcare. For me, this means being observant and curious about my own body.”

The symptothermal method is a Fertility Awareness Method which requires tracking cycle days, basal body temperature (BBT), and cervical fluid observations. When you learn to observe and record these fertility signs, you will be able to clearly see how long your cycles are, if and when you ovulate, and determine whether or not you are fertile. To clarify, fertility is a measure of health- whether or not you are trying to conceive. Healthy bodies are fertile bodies, so even if you choose not to reproduce, you should still be working toward a healthy, ovulating body.

Below are my top 4 reasons for charting menstrual cycles (and none of them are for conception or contraception).

4 powerful steps to make life as a parent easier

3/12/2018

Guest Blog Post By Fehlya Ehrlander
Are you interested on blogging for Womb Revolution? Contact us!
(Much of this post is taken from materials provided by the Simplicity Parenting training, led by Kim John Payne and Davina Muse.)

When Marissa invited me to do a guest post with tips for simplifying with a young child, I thought “Hmm, that could be great! …but hmm.“

As a Waldorf teacher I can think of tips that I used in the classroom, and some that I developed to work with specific children’s needs. Just the other day a friend and I laughed about one that we’ve heard can also work with adults: let’s call it the doubly-exaggerated story. When someone has a habit of telling tall tales, but isn’t ready to acknowledge it, try responding with an embellishment that’s twice as silly as the first. A sense of humor can help break the ice and show that having the “best" story isn’t to be taken too seriously.

But as a Simplicity Parenting coach, the truth is I am used to thinking more about the fundamentals. If Simplicity Parenting is getting back to basics, then it makes sense that the thought process behind it is basic too. It’s really about parents connecting to their own inner wisdom about what brings family joy. It offers a pathway to simplifying in four realms at home, which reduces stress on children and their caregivers, and allows room for connection, creativity, and relaxation, all of which lead to an easier day to day life!

“Simplicity Parenting is really about parents connecting to their own inner wisdom about what brings family joy.”

The True Cost Of Trying To Be A Perfect Mom

2/14/2018

“Realize that some moms won’t ask for help because they don’t want to seem less than the supermom they hope to be.”
-Dr. Sears

“Why did nobody tell me about this?” was the question I often asked myself when I woke up in the middle of the night to nurse my firstborn, wondering if I had peed the bed and realizing my breasts were leaking all over. I wish I had a clean shirt right next to bed. I wish I had a water bottler within reach. I wish I had a waterproof cover on my mattress. I wish I knew why my baby was crying. And all of the sudden I was furiously hungry at 3 am and the weight of it all was quite overwhelming.

Why didn’t I know these things?
We just don’t know what we don’t know.

HOW HARD CAN IT REALLY BE?
When I talk to pregnant people about postpartum and they look at me with disbelief at the thought of asking friends and family for help, I totally get it.
I was there too. It wasn’t until AFTER the birth of my first baby that I picked up a book about postpartum and I found myself thinking, “Darn, I should have read this BEFORE the baby was born.” Well, too late. I wasn’t prepared at all.

You might be wondering, what kind of preparation do people actually need? Does this really apply to me? A pregnant woman asked me recently: “Will I really not be able to get up from bed and make myself a sandwich? Is it really that bad?”

Honestly, if you don’t have any major complications during birth the answer is: most likely, yes. You will probably be able to physically get up from bed and make yourself a sandwich. You might even be able to make yourself a fancy sandwich or a more complex meal. I have seen people do very difficult things in the first few weeks after birth. But the real question here is… At what cost? And why?

From Birth Choices To Amber Necklaces: When Everyone Has An Opinion

1/27/2018

Guest post by Jenn Sanders.
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When I found I was pregnant, I was so excited to tell everyone I knew. My husband and I had been trying for a year, and I was starting to believe there was a problem. I even started wondering if I would ever have a baby. I went to my doctor with my concerns, had an ultrasound during ovulation, and then scheduled my husband to be tested. It was the very next month that I found out I was pregnant.
To go from fearing the worst of being infertile to finding out I was pregnant led to an amazing high. The relief was extraordinary.

THE DOES AND DON'TS BEGAN
Something happened after about a month. People started telling me what to do or what not to do. This came from family, friends, and co-workers. One day, I was sitting at my desk at work enjoying a nice beefy hamburger, and my co-worker said, “You shouldn’t eat that because you’ll be so devastated when you can't fit into your old jeans again.” I was shocked.

As I was developing my birth plan, I researched doulas and realized how awesome giving birth would be with one. My husband was onboard with it, and I was happy that I would have the support, encouragement and advice of someone who truly knew me, and cared about me and my baby. I also researched some other ways to have a baby, such as in water. What a magical experience to have your baby go from amniotic fluid inside the womb to warm water outside of it. What could be a more perfect transition? So, once I had my birth plan all laid out, I started telling people who asked.

Of course, I was met with opposition. Most of the people didn’t know how a doula helps, but they had their opinions about one. It infuriated me. I spoke to a mom friend who said that this is completely normal and will happen often in motherhood.
She was so right. As soon as I had McKayla, people were throwing advice at me left and right. Some of it was okay, but some of it seemed more like they were trying to tell me what I was doing was wrong.

THE BIRTH OF DEMITRI ON CHRISTMAS EVE

1/8/2018

All photos by Marissa Bolaños, Womb Revolution Photography
Marissa's note: Today I have the honor of sharing with you Ember's birth story. When I was pregnant with my first, positive birth stories were a huge part of my birth preparation. Ember also read many positive birth stories during their pregnancy and now they want to share theirs with you. Enjoy!

On Friday afternoon, December 22, I had a phone conversation with Gretchen the astrologist. She predicted I would go into labor that night or within a day or two and told me to stay home, don't go anywhere. I started to feel rushes of energy in my body, which felt so foreign compared to the exhaustion of late pregnancy. My senses heightened and I started to feel like I was on acid.

I went for a walk with Usnea and talked with my mom on the phone. She reminded me that my body knows exactly what to do. The air was cold and dry and refreshing, the moon a waxing crescent. I had experienced a couple contractions throughout the day, but they were so gentle I wasn't sure exactly what they were.

I made some dinner and then Ari came home from work. As soon as I saw him I felt full of overwhelming desire, our bodies melted together all at once. For most of my pregnancy, sex felt awkward and uncomfortable. I was usually in too much discomfort to feel completely present. But that night I was able to surrender to our bodies and just be present to all of our love and desire for each other. I could feel that our lives were about to change forever.

Should your parents be invited to the delivery room?

12/31/2017

After three years of attending births, one of the things I see pregnant people commonly stress out about is deciding whether or not they should have their parents or parents-in-law at the birth.

For some, the answer is clear: Either they would love to have their relatives at the birth or they feel absolutely confident on not having them around.

But for the ones who feel hesitant, how do you decide?
Here are 6 questions to consider when making a choice.

1. WHY?
Ask yourself why you are considering asking your relatives to join: Is it because their presence brings you comfort? Do you feel obligated? Do you want to be polite? Do you think they have “the right to be there”? Do they think they have the right to be there? Do you want to avoid confrontation? Are you afraid of hurting someone’s feelings? If their presence is not going to bring you comfort and you answered yes to any of the other questions, you might want to look into this issue a little deeper.

2. ARE THEY BRINGING FEARS OR NERVOUSNESS?
Childbirth is a deeply intimate experience and you need to be surrounded by people who trust the process wholeheartedly and who support your decisions 100%. If your relatives are bringing nervousness or fear into your space, their presence is not going to benefit you and therefore, not going to benefit your baby.

This is what you deserve to know when choosing birth control

12/9/2017

Guest blog post by Michele Drake.
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Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to dissuade anyone from using hormonal birth control (as each person’s needs are unique), but rather to empower all people to make the best possible decisions they can for themselves.

My name is Michele Drake, and I am a reproductive health educator and advocate. I am particularly focused on female fertility and the menstrual cycle. I also work as a facilitator for an organization called The Fifth Vital Sign whose mission is to empower women with unbiased information about their bodies so that individuals can make the best possible choices about their health.

Photo by Kristen Renee Photography

One of my greatest concerns is a trend that I have observed in the stories that many women have shared with me: a lack of information and explanation that patients receive from their healthcare providers about their bodies, symptoms, medications, and procedures. I’ve heard countless stories of a woman’s pain being normalized, of concerns being mocked, and of women discovering, after the fact, that they truly didn’t understand the potential consequences of the medical intervention they consented to.

I was surprised to learn--at twenty-five-years-old--that my birth control implant works, in part, by suppressing ovulation. This may not seem significant, so let me elaborate. I had been using hormonal birth control for ten years, five of which were with the use of an implant. I am college educated and went to public school in New York State since kindergarten. Why did it take a decade of hormonal contraceptive use before I learned how and why it works? How had I missed this?

This is how my babywearing passion started

10/3/2017

INTERNATIONAL BABYWEARING WEEK
It’s International Babywearing Week, which has me thinking about how grateful I am for babywearing and the many ways it has made my life as a mother so much better. In our dear Olympia babywearing is quite popular, but it’s not so common in other places. When I was growing up in Mexico the only people I saw babywearing were the local indigenous tribe: Rarámuris. Nowadays the global ancient wisdom of carrying our babies is being popularized again and for a good reason: it’s a game-changer! So today I’m going to share with you my babywearing love story.

Young rarámuri girls wearing her sibling in my home state, Chihuahua, MX