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VBAC stats: Apples and Oranges
Every single time I work with a mom planning a VBAC, they are told over and over that VBAC births have TWICE* the increased chance of rupture. And it drives me insane. Because it is NOT APPLICABLE. It...
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Don’t plan your wedding!!!
I’ve really gotten tired of it. Pregnant women who are planning for a specific kind of birth are told things like: “You know what is so cute? You – when you’re pregnant and think you actually control...
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Can we have a little chat about averages?
I see so many women worrying because they are not “average” or trying to figure out if some small variation from average holds meaning. It takes several forms, among them: New mom wants to know how she...
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Busting Birth Myths: Dels of Pain
I see it all the time. Friends and family share it with me, fellow birth professionals share it on their pages, people text it to my clients who ask me about it. And it drives me crazy! Here’s what I’m...
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Lessons learned from April the Giraffe
Not April, just a giraffe at my local zoo. It’s been over a month now since the Animal Adventure Park started streaming the live cam of April the Giraffe‘s “imminent birth” and…..still no baby. Some...
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Top 10 Things New Parents Should Know
This started as a letter to a new mom I know, and I decided I wanted to share it more widely. Dear new parents – Starting out on this journey is scary, really scary sometimes. And you feel like there’s...
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20 things I have learned in 20 years as a doula
It’s not about me. I am not the lead in this play. I’m not even a supporting lead. I’m a bit part in the ensemble, and I need to remember to play my role and not try to hog the spotlight. My goals...
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Handling Unwanted Advice
Everyone LOOOOOOOVES to give advice to pregnant people and new parents. They’ll even do it without being asked! And not just family and friends, either. Complete strangers in the grocery store,...
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Sleep When the Baby Sleeps – Sick of It?
People just love to tell exhausted new moms “It’s simple, all you have to do is sleep when the baby sleeps!” Only…it’s not so simple! As all new parents know, baby sleep comes in short, irregular...
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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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The Birth Plan of ACTION!!
You can find boatloads of information out there on birth plans. But most of them miss what I consider to be the most important part: Putting The Plan Into ACTION! I consider there to be 4 steps in...
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To tweet, or not to tweet? Social media during labor
Most people would not dream of streaming their birth live on the internet or inviting strangers to be there as a piece of performance art. But just how public and immediate should your birth story be?...
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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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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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When birth does not go as you’d hoped…
Can you think of anything worse to say to a mom who is opening up about feelings of disappointment or pain after a difficult birth? I can’t. The unsaid subtext mom hears goes something like this:...
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If you don’t want it, just say no!
Warning: Rant ahead! I wrote this years 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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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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