What Doulas Know

This is a beautiful birth story. Carolyn welcomes back RN and doula Jennifer from the previous episode and her client Ashley to tell the story of the birth of Ashley’s son, Colton. She talks about the benefits she experienced from practicing hypnobirthing techniques and remaining calm throughout the process.

How is being a nurse different from being a doula? Carolyn and her guest Jennifer discuss their transitions from being a Registered Nurse during labor and delivery to serving as a doula. Jennifer also explains what she calls the “sales pitch” to women in labor.

Did you know you may have a glass of wine and not have to “pump and dump?” Learn why breastfeeding is so important as Carolyn talks once again with lactation consultant and childbirth educator Linda Smith as they examine evidence-based breastfeeding practices and also debunk some breastfeeding myths.

As the amount of technology and interventions used in pregnancy and birth have increased, at the same time, breastfeeding rates have decreased. Carolyn welcomes back lactation consultant and childbirth educator Linda Smith to discuss the science of breastfeeding and human lactation.

In this episode, Carolyn speaks with educator, writer, doula, and mom of 5, Bethany Dykman, about home birth. (Yes, she had all 5 of her children at home!) They answer questions surrounding the home birth experience and compare and contrast the hospital-based biomedical model of childbirth and home birth.

After delivery, immediate and sustained skin-to-skin is important! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, “Delay weighing, measuring, bathing, needle-sticks and eye prophylaxis until after the first feeding is completed.” Carolyn speaks again with childbirth educator and pregnancy consultant Linda Smith to review all the benefits of skin to skin contact, not only for the mother and baby, but for the father/partner and baby, too.

How will you know when to go to birthing center? Do you need to time your contractions? In this episode Carolyn talks again to April Kline, founder of Birth With Spirit Doulas, about trusting your body to experience the amazing journey of labor and embracing each unique stage with its own lessons and rewards.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Global Criteria, which all U.S. hospitals have read and signed off on, states: “Mother-friendly care includes allowing women to drink and eat light foods during labor if desired.” In this episode Carolyn once again speaks with childbirth educator and pregnancy consultant Linda Smith about the physicality of labor and how it affects the body.

Carolyn and yoga instructor, Certified Human Potential Coach, and student of midwifery Teresa J Helm discuss how a strong mind-body connection is one of the most powerful tools available in a positive birth experience. Learn how to take your pregnancy and labor breath by breath and connect to the present using affirmations, breathing, and touch.

Our society likes predictability and we love to schedule things, so why not birth? Carolyn welcomes back childbirth educator and pregnancy consultant Linda Smith to talk about the seduction of induction; The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

In an earlier episode, Carolyn spoke with mother-to-be Hallie. Now it’s time to have a conversation with her partner Matt to see how pregnancy has affected his life and their partnership. Being aware is a large part of participating in the journey and Matt urges us to take it one step at a time.

In this episode, Carolyn welcomes back April Kline, founder of Birth With Spirit Doulas, to talk about what happens after your baby is born and how to advocate for this precious being! Research, educate, and use your resources to make the best decisions for your baby. They discuss cord cutting, Lotus birth, the baby crawl, baby interventions, and first time breast feeding choices.

Were you ever told about labor and delivery? Why does the medical profession try to fix everything instead of understand it? Come inside a conversation as Carolyn talks with her daughter, Ruth as well as Ruth’s friend and mother-to-be, Hallie as she tells us about being a pregnant millennial and her pre-pregnancy journey with polycystic ovary disease to her 3rd trimester.

What is your birth vision? Make a plan to help guide you through your journey. Carolyn and her guest April Kline, founder of Birth With Spirit Doulas, discuss the process of making a birth plan, and why it’s important to determine your priorities ahead of time. It’s crucial for you to feel empowered and remember that all choices are yours.

In this episode, Carolyn is joined by Linda Smith, who’s a lactation consultant, childbirth educator, author, and internationally-known consultant on breastfeeding and birthing issues. She takes us on a time travel journey; unraveling the model of obstetric care and how it has changed. We’ve gone from home birth surrounded by women to institutional care surrounded by machines and men. Now we’re on our way back home surrounded by an amazing support system.

In this episode, Carolyn talks to yoga teacher Purna Devi and learns the benefits of doing yoga during pregnancy. Can you say better sleep?? She shares her knowledge and discusses the sense of community a mother-to-be can get from a class.

Let’s “due” some calculations! Or shall we say re-calculations or mis-calculations? When will you have your baby? Everyone wants to know! Do we confer with the stars, moons, or the Bible?  Who is Naegele and why do his calculations matter? Just how did a due dates come about? This week Carolyn talks once again to April Kline, founder of Birth With Spirit Doulas, about due dates and learning how to trust the process of pregnancy.

What is a doula? Why do you need one? In this episode, learn about the role of the doula as Carolyn talks with her guest April Kline, founder of Birth With Spirit Doulas.

What Doulas Know is a podcast to educate, support and empower women: before, during and after pregnancy, especially during labor and childbirth.