Hear that? It's women...changing the world!

So... 1 o'clock in the morning might not be the best time to relaunch a blog, but when you have a job with hours like mine, you kind of have to seize the moments as they come!

The last few weeks have been very inspiring to me. I think my cup (you know, the one women have and we are constantly depleting to serve others?) , yeah, that cup: I do believe it is overflowing! I have seen the some things that have been long in the works come to fruition, others that are still simmering get some great new ingredients and I'm pretty sure I have seen the future as well.

On the list of things long in works, at the top of that list is always the births...the births of beautiful boys and girls whose mothers' waited patiently as they grew in the womb and worked tirelessly to bring them earthside. But along with those daily miracles, I saw a few more things that brought me hope and joy:

On September 20th, I attended the local screening of "Freedom for Birth" that was sponsored by our local Birth Network chapter and it was awesome! Not only did I get to see the results of the dedication of birth advocates around to world to publicize the story of Ágnes Geréb, (as well as to bring attention to the plight of birth freedom across the globe) but I also got to witness what word of mouth and education can do for a local birth community, MY community. The theater was packed with moms, doulas, childbirth educators, nurses, nursing instructors, lactation consultants, midwives and even one great OB who are all working toward the same goal: helping women take back birth! I know for a fact that theater probably wouldn't have been half as full even just a decade ago, because, young lass that I am, I have been part of the local birth community in one way or another since 2000 and at that time it was a small movement just beginning to create ripples in the pond.

In the simmering category, of course the mommas take top billing again: those wonderful pregnant bellies that I get to see each week. I watch them go from a tiny bump with only a hint of the potential that lies within to a beautiful ripe tummy straining to contain the new life soon to arrive. However, there was another event that made me smile as I saw it grow from a few people to an amazing crowd of women and families over the course of an afternoon:

I helped (wo)man the Breastfeeding Tent at the First Annual Hot Mamas Run in Edmond, OK. This event, a women's only 5k run, had 1,000 participants in it's first year...that's right, ONE THOUSAND wives, moms, daughters, grandmothers, granddaughters, aunts, nieces, sisters, sisters-in-law, cousins, best friends all got together to meet the challenge of completing a 5k and to benefit 2 great local organizations. If that's what women can manage in the first year, can you imagine what it will look like in just 5 years??

Last but not least, I am pretty sure I have seen the future. I not only spend my days working with newborn babies (how's that for seeing the future?), but I also am privileged to work with the "next generation" of birth workers in this great state. I love seeing new doulas and childbirth educators, fresh from their trainings and ready to make a difference in the lives and births of as many women as they can touch. And especially dear to my heart are the fine ladies I sat down to study with today...Taryn, Chelsey, and Jessi, whom I work with closely in our jobs as assistants for Community Midwifery. I just have to say, look out world. We are a passionate group of future midwives determined to make an impact on the quality of women's lives in Oklahoma and around the world!

So, I guess all that to say, keep an eye on this blog....this life of mine, following my calling, is bound to be full of great material! ;-)

The Purpose and Value of Labor Support

Below is the essay I submitted to DONA last year, as part of my certification. Enjoy!

The Purpose and Value of Labor Support

by Nicole Imes

As I thought about how to address the question of this essay, many things ran through my head. I pondered deeply and really reflected on the meaning of the word “support”. As I did, the thought struck me. How often in our lives do we need the support of others? In my mind, at any great undertaking we attempt in our lives, we need so much support.

When we first try to walk, we have our parents' hands to support us. As we climb on our bikes for our first ride, they are there to keep us from falling. All through the years of childhood and school, they are with us each step of the way. Our coach pushes us on to great triumphs and our best friend is there when our first crush ends in heartbreak. When we finally find “the one”, who is there but our maid of honor (or best man) to get us through cold feet and stand by our side as we say our vows. Once we have melded our life with that special someone, they are our biggest support & constant cheerleader. Sometimes the person who stands by us has been through the very same thing we are experiencing, sometimes they haven’t and can only say “I know it is hard, but I am here for you!”

I believe in the unlimited potential of the human spirit. Mankind as a whole has achieved great things and often, it was done in the face of disbelief and discouragement. However, any time that a person was encouraged, cheered on and believed in, they seemed to do better, work harder and reach their dreams more quickly.

The purpose of labor support is to stand by a laboring woman as she embarks upon one of the greatest tasks of her life. We, as doulas, are there to compliment the physical care she is receiving with continuous emotional and informational support, along with non-medical comfort measures, to help facilitate the best birth possible.

Our responsibility, as a doula, is three-fold:

One, we are to help our client educate herself, so that she can make informed decisions about her body & her baby.

Two, we are with her continuously while she labors, using our training, intuition and inborn “mothering” instinct to encourage her and ease her discomfort. We cheer her on, give her advice, and are on her team no matter what! At times, we must even remind her what her labor vision was and why she is there, because labor can be so intense & overwhelming that she no longer see the goal. We cannot labor for our client or make decisions for her, but we can be a guide through the ever-surprising realm of labor & birth.

Three, after her baby is born, we promote to a sense of accomplishment in her labor, no matter how it all played out, and help her bond with her baby, so their relationship can start off as healthy as possible.

We are also there to assist other members of her family, especially her partner, in being an active part of her birthing team. Sometimes loved ones want desperately to help, but they either don’t know how to help or their efforts are inadvertently counter-productive. We can provide gentle direction on how they can best support the laboring mom.

Also, the birth of a new baby not only changes the woman who is in labor, but it changes the people in her life. It is the birth of a new family, no matter if it is the first child, the tenth child or a child that will be adopted. The family changes and is new again. It is our job to help ease that transition as much as possible.

The value of labor support is almost impossible to measure. I believe that the value is defined by each client. The “purpose” and the “value” of labor support really are 2 sides of the same coin. The first tends to be more concrete, with the ability to put boundaries and guidelines on it. The second is more ethereal, ever shifting in its definition birth by birth.

How does a birthing woman view the value of her doula? How does she see the person who has stood by her side for hours of tiring labor or the few crazy moments of precipitous labor, the person who has held a pan as she puked through transition or held her hand as her baby is born caesarean section, the person who has been her constant companion when her soldier husband cannot be there or who is the only person there when she is a single mom with no one else? If she has had the support of a doula who is 100% there for her, I believe she values her doula as a person who helped her unlocked the power she already possessed, empowering her to first, birth and then later, mother her child.

This empowerment was traditionally passed down from one generation of women to the next, for centuries. Sadly, it was something that seemed to be lost in the past 100 years. However, slowly but surely women are taking back their power.

I hope myself and my fellow doulas, along with the doctors, midwives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts and friends of this new era of women, assist them every way we can, on this long, yet crucial journey. Labor support is just one piece in a collage of people who should surround a laboring woman each time she transitions into motherhood.

Why A Doula is Better Than Your Best Friend

This woman has written an excellent article on why EVERY woman should have a doula!

Why a Doula is Better Than Your Best Friend

Pit to distress part 2

This is a great follow-up to the article I posted yesterday. The last sentence says it all!


Pit to Distress 2

Pit to distress??? What the heck?

Any man or woman who has any contact with pregnant women should read this blog. I could rant for pages about what I just read, but this author does a much better job:

Pit to Distress? Your ticket to an "Emergency Cesarean?"

Attention, please!

Ok, I do not understand how some adults can not pay attention to what is going on in a group of kids.

I was at work yesterday (watching the 2 munchkins I nanny) and a friend had come over to play. Now, the kids I watch are a 5 year old girl and a 2 year old boy, and this friend was a 9 year old girl, so I thought "Cool, this kid is older, watching her should be a breeze". Wrong! This little girl needed to be instructed just a tad...on not provoking other kids, on telling the truth, and on not back-talking adults. :-O Of course, it wasn't my job to do that, but I sure would have liked to film her actions and play it back for her parents!

Do parents just not pay attention any more?? When I was a kid, if I went to a friend's house, I was always on my best behavior...at the least, when the adults were around! I knew if their parents or my parents saw me misbehaving, I was in serious trouble. However, this little girl seemed oblivious to the fact that I was within 20 feet of her at all times and could see/hear everything she did with the other kids. It's as if she didn't expect to be reprimanded for bad actions! Well, I think I surprised her a little. :-) I was my usual calm, poised nanny self, but I made it very clear lying to me and intentionally aggravating the other kids was not acceptable behavior.

So my plea is: Adults! Please pay attention! In this age of multi-tasking, I would think we are all skilled to do at least 2 things at once. Yes, have that conversation with your friend, but keep one ear open to the little tots fighting over the toy. Often the loudest kid is NOT the culprit. Sure, read that book you can't put down, but at least peek over the pages occasionally to see WHY the kids are yelling at each other, not just tell them to quiet down...or worse, (this is my personal pet peeve), IGNORE THEM COMPLETELY! ??? Trust me, it's not going to get any quieter just because you pretend it isn't happening. Plus, you are probably going to over-react once your "noisy kid" tolerance level has been breached!

We are raising the next generation here! Children are not just fashionable accessories...you know, "I have to have one, just like all my friends". They are a glimpse of our future. Let's treat them accordingly!

Great page with a ton of pregnancy links

My mom just sent me this link and I am amazed at all the great links that are on here:

http://www.heartofwisdom.com/heartathome/2008/06/26/pregnancy-and-childbirth-links/

I am also going to add this to my links >