http://www.acog.org/from_home/publications/press_releases/nr07-21-10-1.cfm
http://blog.ican-online.org/2010/07/21/ican-responds-to-new-acog-guidelines-on-vbac/
If you are looking to have a VBAC in the hospital take a look at this..
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
What a Father had to say about Doula Love Services!!
October 25th, 2008
The bumper sticker on our doulas car reads "Doulas, Don’t Give Birth without One!" Being married to a doula I thought I knew what doulas were all about. My preconception and reality turned out to be a little different.
As far as fathers go I consider myself pretty hip. In the know and down with the "In" crowd. I eat organic food, I have long hair and a beard. I try to buy local and build "Green". I even like bluegrass music. When my wife and I decided to try for a baby last winter we naturally decided we wanted a home birth.
After we conceived the ball really got rolling. We interviewed Midwives (there are many local, excellent and capable people to choose from), read books, took classes, did prenatal yoga and rearranged the house to accommodate one more person.
Being a small business owner (and male for that matter) I thought things were well in hand. The decision to hire a doula in addition to our two wonderful midwives, Amy Hendrickson and Sudy Storm, came as a surprise to me. I assumed that being a doula herself my wife wouldn't need the "birth support" that a doula provides she would be her own doula and I would help. I am very glad she insisted on hiring one. It turned out that "birth support" included helping me!
The day before the birth turned out very differently than I intended it to. I had been working very hard for weeks to get my home building project in a spot where I could leave it for a little while to have time to bond with my new baby. The frantic pace I set actually wore me out and I caught a cold. For the first time in years I called in sick, but my number one guy at work assured me that things were in hand and I should get some rest, that I wouldn't want to be sick when the baby came. At 12:30 p.m. my wife's water broke.
The midwives came to our house immediately to check on baby and mother. Things looked good and I found out that it could still take some time for my wife to go into labor. Feeling sick and tired I was relieved to hear that. At 2 a.m. Saturday morning my wife woke me up. She had had a very painful and long lasting contraction and wanted me to fill up the birth tub. I was flabbergasted. Emily called Wendy Scharp (our doula) and I called Sudy (our midwife). I didn't know what else to do. Emily's contractions were 5 minutes apart and lasting for 2 and a half minutes each. I thought she could have the baby at any minute. Sudy re-assured me that this was just the beginning, but offered to come over if we wanted. At that time Emily told me that our doula was coming over and we could call Sudy back later if we needed her.
When Wendy arrived at around 3am I was completely wiped out. She told me to go to bed and she would stay with Emily until it was time to call the midwives over. I got up at 7 a.m. and the labor was progressing just fine. Emily's mother had arrived from out of town to help out and Wendy was coaching her through the contractions. At 9:30 the mid wives came over and the baby was delivered at 5:44 p.m. that evening a healthy 7 lb 6oz baby girl with no complications for the mother or child. During the 25+ hour labor I found myself reminded to eat.I was given medicines for my cold, was made to take a nap, I was reassured that Emily's symptoms were normal and appropriate and was able to spend time with Emily as she labored as her partner and not as a coach or boss.
"Birth Support" does not begin to describe what our Doula did for us. Wendy was there to answer questions I couldn't have anticipated having before the birth. The midwives are completely appreciative of Wendy's help and hard work. She has even helped us with breast feeding as part of her professional service.
A doula is intimately aware of the birth process and its stages. If you have never had a baby or been to a birth, that knowledge can be really comforting. Even if you plan on having your baby in a hospital your doula can come along and be there to support you when no nurse or doctor can attend to you.
Doulas: Don't Give Birth Without One!
-Shastan Shannon
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Intro by Lisa
Greetings! My name is Lisa Fiala and I completed my doula training in March of 2010 and I am working towards my DONA (Doulas of North America) certification. Currently I have attended one (vaginal) birth. I am looking forward to working with Wendy as one of her apprentices; being able to support more families as they prepare for this exciting time of their lives. Working with Wendy Scharp will give me the opportunity to strengthen my skills to become a more supportive, nurturing and knowledgeable doula. I look forward to sharing those experiences here!
What a past client has to say about Wendy
We can't say enough good things about Wendy Scharp, Our Doula! Wendy approached us at our Birthing Preparation class at St. Mary's Hospital and we feel so fortunate that she did. She is big on generosity and love. She showered both upon us as we prepared our first child's labor and delivery.
I was very, very anxious about the birth process. Wendy's experience, combined with her unfailing support, and positive outlook infused me with the confidence I needed to plan and labor through a natural birth. She helped make our baby's birth an immensely positive and joyful event.
She went out of her way to meet with us many times before our due date to answer any questions we had. She reviewed laboring positions, pushing techniques, and things to include in our birth plan. Wendy provided us with resources on topics , such as perineum massage. She prepared a binder full of useful information on these subjects and more. Once we had our baby, we had questions early on about breastfeeding. Wendy lent us a book that answered many of our questions. In those first hazy weeks, that resource was essential.
On our baby's birth day, Wendy met us very early in the morning at the hospital. She kindly carried our many, many bags from the car up to our room. She and my husband coached me through a breathing pattern I do not think I could do right now. Having her there allowed my husband to maintain the level of presence and companionship he wanted to throughout my labor. Wendy kept us all hydrated by making multiple runs to the kitchen to get fluids for everyone and reminded everyone to drink. She repeatedly brought apple juice and popsicles to my lips so that i could sip and keep up my strength. And when the nurse announced that the room was messy and needed to be cleaned up(!). Wendy stepped up to the plate.
When I finally got to hold our baby in my arms, she shared our joy and amazement with us. Wendy took pictures that I will treasure for the rest of my days. If you are fortunate enough to have crossed Wendy's path, Then grab hold and allow her to comfort, coach, counsel, and accompany you through some of the best days of your life.
Anne & Doug
Sebastien's Mommy & Daddy
Monday, July 12, 2010
What Past Clients have to say about DOULA LOVE Services!
Windy Walker Said...
I'm so grateful to have had Wendy be part of my birth preperation and birthing experience. I come from a family with few positive or reassuring stories of birth, and hardly half of my aunts, uncles, and none of my friends had children of their own or uplifting stories to share. My partner's mother shared her birth stores with me, and though she birthed all four of her children naturally, all of her stories included pain medication and days in the hospital. I was joyfull about being pregnant and the coming experiences of raising as child but I was incredibly nervous and tense about birth.
I knew from the begining that I wanted to have a natural birth and to breastfeed my son. I didn't want medications that might influence my son in his first moments, and I didn't want to spend days laid up in the hospital in observation. I had a really hard time acknowleding my fears and feeling confidant in my ability as a woman to birth naturally and in a hospital setting. I had decided to have a waterbirth in a hospital early in my pregnancy. I craved a minimally clinical experience but was afraid to give birth at home because of all the complications in my own entry into the world and all the "what-ifs" that coursed through my head. I really just wanted to do what would most benefit my child during his entry to the world.
Wendy was such a wonderful person to have in our lives before the birth of our son. I always felt like a guest as a patient in my doctor's office, but even the first time Wendy came to our home I felt more confidant in claming the birth of my son as my own experience. She seemed honored to be a guest in our experience. The discussions we had, the information and resources she was able to share with us, and the art therapy she guided me and my partner (David) in were all absolutely priceless to us. I found Wendy's confidance to be contaigous. She doesn't hide or avoid the truth, and can talk about all aspects and potentials of birth without getting uncomfortable. Her comfortablility with talking about all parts of birth made me more comfortabe with talking about my own fear, and accepting of whatever the experience might bring. I think this relaxing in my conscious thoughts made my body more relaxed, and helped me carry the pregnancy to term.
It helped me relax so much to have Wendy with me during the delivery of my son. My partner and mother were with me as well but they couldn't offer me the same degree of reassurance. My partner, being a man with an old fashioned view of the delivery experience being a holy experience for women to share, was reassuring in his presence but didn't feel comfortable being there, let alone be a guide for carrying through contractions. My mother, with all the love she has in her heart, gives her love and encouragement through hugs and sympathic smiles much better then she can through words. Wendy's ability to stay present even when I was struggling to stay present while drifting in and out of estatic pain was the presence that I really needed then. She reminded me to keep breathing and keep making deep sounds at times when my lungs were balls of fire and ice. Even with all the knowledge I had gleaned, and as prepared as I felt for when the time came, I think it was quite likely that I would have caved into the temptation for medication during the delivery that in my normal state I didn't want anything to do with. She really understood what we wanted for our son and helped guide me through the experience.
After having birthed my son with no medications, no complications, and really with little to no experiences with nurses or even my doctor during the delivery that were memorable as being personal or helpful, I will not give birth to another child in a hospital unless the moment absolutely requires it. I found the presence of another woman who had been there as a mother and as a doula to be the most comforting and reassuring part of the whole experience. I have a whole new faith in myself and in women as a whole as intuitive, intelligent, powerful people. My partner and I really looking forward to when the time to invite a midwife and doula into our lives and our home for the welcoming of another child into our family.
I am happy and willing to talk with anybody who's considering inviting Wendy or any other doula into their birthing experience. I shared much more here then I thought I would have to say, but it would be hard for me to ever say enough how much of a gift Wendy's experiences and her presence were to our little family.
I knew from the begining that I wanted to have a natural birth and to breastfeed my son. I didn't want medications that might influence my son in his first moments, and I didn't want to spend days laid up in the hospital in observation. I had a really hard time acknowleding my fears and feeling confidant in my ability as a woman to birth naturally and in a hospital setting. I had decided to have a waterbirth in a hospital early in my pregnancy. I craved a minimally clinical experience but was afraid to give birth at home because of all the complications in my own entry into the world and all the "what-ifs" that coursed through my head. I really just wanted to do what would most benefit my child during his entry to the world.
Wendy was such a wonderful person to have in our lives before the birth of our son. I always felt like a guest as a patient in my doctor's office, but even the first time Wendy came to our home I felt more confidant in claming the birth of my son as my own experience. She seemed honored to be a guest in our experience. The discussions we had, the information and resources she was able to share with us, and the art therapy she guided me and my partner (David) in were all absolutely priceless to us. I found Wendy's confidance to be contaigous. She doesn't hide or avoid the truth, and can talk about all aspects and potentials of birth without getting uncomfortable. Her comfortablility with talking about all parts of birth made me more comfortabe with talking about my own fear, and accepting of whatever the experience might bring. I think this relaxing in my conscious thoughts made my body more relaxed, and helped me carry the pregnancy to term.
It helped me relax so much to have Wendy with me during the delivery of my son. My partner and mother were with me as well but they couldn't offer me the same degree of reassurance. My partner, being a man with an old fashioned view of the delivery experience being a holy experience for women to share, was reassuring in his presence but didn't feel comfortable being there, let alone be a guide for carrying through contractions. My mother, with all the love she has in her heart, gives her love and encouragement through hugs and sympathic smiles much better then she can through words. Wendy's ability to stay present even when I was struggling to stay present while drifting in and out of estatic pain was the presence that I really needed then. She reminded me to keep breathing and keep making deep sounds at times when my lungs were balls of fire and ice. Even with all the knowledge I had gleaned, and as prepared as I felt for when the time came, I think it was quite likely that I would have caved into the temptation for medication during the delivery that in my normal state I didn't want anything to do with. She really understood what we wanted for our son and helped guide me through the experience.
After having birthed my son with no medications, no complications, and really with little to no experiences with nurses or even my doctor during the delivery that were memorable as being personal or helpful, I will not give birth to another child in a hospital unless the moment absolutely requires it. I found the presence of another woman who had been there as a mother and as a doula to be the most comforting and reassuring part of the whole experience. I have a whole new faith in myself and in women as a whole as intuitive, intelligent, powerful people. My partner and I really looking forward to when the time to invite a midwife and doula into our lives and our home for the welcoming of another child into our family.
I am happy and willing to talk with anybody who's considering inviting Wendy or any other doula into their birthing experience. I shared much more here then I thought I would have to say, but it would be hard for me to ever say enough how much of a gift Wendy's experiences and her presence were to our little family.
Intro by Katie
Hello! I am so excited to be working with Wendy as an apprentice! I completed my Basic Doula Training in March 2010. I am working towards certification as a labor doula and childbirth educator. I have three of my own children, I have been a doula at one birth (planned c-section), and I have observed birth in rural Africa. I am thrilled to work with families during such a beautiful and intimate time in their lives! I also really appreciate the opportunity to be an apprentice and I already have learned and seen so much that will help me to be the best doula I can be! I look forward to sharing my experiences here as I continue in this journey!
Katie Casey
Katie Casey
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Introductions!!
Hello all my name is Wendy!! I have been a doula for about 5 years and have had the pleasure to serve families as a birth doula, postpartum doula, childbirth educator, and lactation counselor during this time. I love everything and anything that involves pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and the postpartum time. I love working with families and supporting them during such an amazing time in their lives. I fell it is a great honor to be invited into a families sacred space during this time in there lives.
What you are going to find on this blog is a few different things. You are going to hear birth stories from mine as well as my apprentices point of view. I will be sharing doula tips, book recommendations as well as the latest news in the birth community. I hope you enjoy what you read and you get everything you are looking for out of this blog.
In the doula spirit
Wendy
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