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Client Privacy
I am a smart woman. I can put two and two together. And many times, I’ve been able to tell who a doula’s client is by what she posts on Facebook, even if she is careful not to use the clients name. And...
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1st Thoughts on Listening To Mothers 3
Is it geeky that I get excited about things like the new Listening to Mothers III survey? Childbirth Connection released 2 previous versions of the survey in 2002 and 2006 and I found both of them very...
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Doulas, privacy and HIPAA
There’s a myth out there. A myth many doulas believe. A myth perpetuated bu those who do not understand the law. The myth is that doulas need to be careful of client privacy to comply with HIPAA....
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Be smart with research!
New study came out this week and made lots of headlines: The only problem is….you can’t quite say that! There are a couple reasons why the study should not be applied broadly: The study size was very...
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The Watched Pot Syndrome
I recently got over a bad cold. It was miserable. I had headaches, dry irritated eyes, and trouble breathing, and lots of other not-so-fun symptoms. But what really started annoying me was my daughter....
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What does it mean to be a professional?
Like it or not, if you take money for your doula services, you are a professional. What does it mean to be a professional? 1. You deliver what you promise. This is pretty basic stuff. You show up and...
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Packing for labor
I know there are LOTS of lists out there for what to pack for labor, but I wanted to post my own. If you’re planning a hospital birth or a birth center birth, this list is for you! (One nice thing...
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Understanding Cesareans
Came across this fantastic infographic from Lamaze International. I really feel that it is imperative for all women to really understand the cesarean epidemic. Cesareans have benefits, no doubt, but...
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5 Ways Parenting Teens = Doula Work
My girls, who are 20, 16 and 11 as I write this. Earlier today, I mentioned to a friend on Facebook that parenting teens was a lot like doula work, and she wanted to hear more. I have so much more to...
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Are the nurses nice?
I get this question pretty often. I wish there was a solid answer. But the truth is (wait for it….blockbuster truth coming!) Nurses are people, just like you and I. And just as with ANY group of...
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What do you really need for baby?
I’ll admit it, I am a total minimalist when it comes to baby gear. I hate the massive consumerism and all the STUFF they try to convince new moms they NEED. Phooey. So here I present to you, Andrea’s...
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Surfing the Labor Waves
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf” This quote (attributed most commonly to Jon Kabat-Zinn but occasionally to others as well) has been commonly used to apply to labor. It is a good...
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If you don’t want it, just say no!
Warning: Rant ahead! I wrote this months ago – the original version was a little more, um…passionate. I’ve just now toned it down to where I feel comfortable posting it. Still pretty opinionated. This...
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Is Insurance Coverage for Doulas Wise?
image credit: Flickr user Alan Cleaver, used under creative commons license.It seems tantalizing. If insurance companies covered doulas, everyone could have a doula and all the doulas would have...
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The Fallacy of False Labor
It is a very common theme: Women in my classes want to know “how do I know if it is false labor?” Posts on Social Media “Is this real labor? I’ll be embarrassed to go in if it is false labor!”...
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There’s more than 1 kind of birth doula?
It’s been at least a decade since I first heard of the concept of birth doulas with different ways of looking at the job, and it has been an interesting concept to consider as I’ve come to know other...
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Dr. Facebook Will (NOT) See You Now
Monday, 4:30 am. A new mom posts to Facebook that she is struggling with her baby being fussy at nighttime feedings. Within 2 hours, she has received four different diagnoses from fellow Facebookers:...
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27 Smartest Things Partners Say in the Labor Room
I’ll admit it. This is a VERY reactionary post. I saw this list: 27 Dumbest Things Dads Have Said in the Delivery Room and it bugged me. Because in the many births I’ve attended, the amazing,...
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How to have a fast birth
A few days ago, the question came up on Facebook: “What can I do to have a fast birth?” It got me thinking… So here are 10 tips to have a faster birth: 1. Avoid induction. Even so called natural...
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My favorite moment at births
There are many things I love about births. I love seeing women be strong and powerful. I love seeing the relationships between partners and the way partners step up and provide just what is needed, or...
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