4 Lessons from Childbirth Education that Helped Us Get Through COVID

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At the very beginning of our Complete Childbirth Education classes in Baltimore, we ask you to fill in sentences about how you feel about birth. While “I am nervous about…” is definitely not the same for everyone, over the last year, COVID-19 has made expecting parents nervous. And it brings up lots of questions for new moms: What does coronavirus mean for a hospital stay? Could baby meet grandma and grandpa? Who will be able to help me after delivery? 

Although 2020 was totally unexpected, at Doulas of Baltimore, we’ve tried to keep the safe, nurturing, and smart perspective we’ve had serving you for the last 7 years. As things are slowly getting back to normal, we wanted to share how 4 lessons from our CBE classes helped us get through this past year. 

Need to Make a Decision? Use Your B.R.A.I.N.!

Use your B.R.A.I.N is a philosophy we use in class. When making a decision, think about benefits, risks, alternatives, intuition, and what would happen if you did nothing. At the very beginning of the pandemic, we used this philosophy to think about what services we could safely offer to you all. While we’ve always known the benefits of comprehensive support, there were many risks involved in continuing in-person classes and doula support. Our intuition (and clients and friends who work in medicine) helped us make the call to move all of our support to an alternative – virtual classes and support – until it was safe to be in person again. 

Confidence and Support Help Get Us Through

Doulas are experts who provide steadfast and nonjudgemental support to you and your family during pregnancy, labor, and after baby arrives. While our classes continued with all of the regular topics, we also dealt with the most pressing issue: navigating the obstacles of COVID. What is the absolute need-to-know information? How can we help make this a less stressful situation in a very stressful climate? Like in all of our classes, we focused on evidence-based information and provided straight talk about birth and postpartum care in the pandemic. We also used that same evidence-based information to make decisions about how to run our business and what we could safely offer to clients. 

Take a Deep Breath 

Was that a contraction? A real contraction? Or just pre-labor? In our classes, we always go over the stages of labor  and how to tell the difference. Over this past year, each time a wave of infections started coming down and businesses started opening up, it was almost like Braxton Hicks contractions. They are stressful, because you are trying to figure out if they are real or not, but ultimately, they are not the real thing. 

When we went virtual, we wanted to wait until it was safe and realistic to provide in person support again, and we wanted to know the difference between pre-labor and real labor. The last thing we wanted to do was tell a client, “Yes, we can be with you in the hospital,” and then back out. Now, as vaccinations are available for everyone, case numbers remain low, and hospitals have permanently re-opened for professional doula support, we can offer in-person support again. 

Adapting is Key

If you’ve been in one of our classes or been pregnant, you know: labor takes many paths. And what you want to do is know the unexpected situations and what to do about them. No one knew what 2020 would bring us or when, and adapting to the ever-changing scenarios has become key to keeping our support going. We were able to bring classes to a virtual space, and some aspects of online meeting and learning are great (including no commutes on weeknights!). This is one reason we plan to continue to offer some classes online in the future. However, some things such as comfort measures, are hard to teach over Zoom. And, a big part of what we do is supporting you during and after birth, in person. So, we are adapting again. This fall, we will be offering a few classes in person in addition to our online Complete Childbirth Education class, and we have begun working one-on-one with families in person again for both birth doula support and in-home postpartum and newborn care

You can find out more about our classes here and contact us to find out more about in person doula support this summer and fall. 

Everything and the kitchen sink? Packing your hospital bag.

What do I NEED to bring to the hospital?

You’ve probably pondered this exact question many times the closer you get to your due month. You’re getting great prenatal care, you’ve decked out the nursery in the perfect theme. You’ve attended your childbirth education classes (right?), you’ve installed the car seat. You’re prepared in every way – and yet the hospital bag still stymies even the most well-read first time parents. What do you really need to bring?

The answer is – “It varies.” Clear as mud right? The truth is, what you choose to bring with you to a hospital birth can differ as widely as the personalities of those becoming parents to begin with. What could be a must-have item for one mom, may make absolutely no sense to another. So what to do, right?

First, assess what your goals are for this birth experience. Do you know you’ll be having a scheduled induction or cesarean? Are you planning an unmedicated birth? Are you leaving an epidural on the table? Once you’ve processed what your hopes are for this birth, you will better be able to plan what you’ll want to bring to make that a reality. Limit yourself to items you can comfortably fit into an overnight bag.

After supporting thousands of Baltimore parents over the last decade, we’ve narrowed down our favorite must-haves for the hospital bag – plus a few things to leave at home!

BRING IT:
  • Your own clothes. Dress how you want to feel in labor. You are not required to wear a hospital gown if you don’t want to. So wear what you want! Make sure to have extra clothes on hand for any messes, as well as a going home outfit in a comfortable style and size. You will still be about the size you were at 20-24 weeks pregnant when heading home. A robe you won’t mind ditching if it gets stained is a welcome help and flip flops for shower use are always a great idea!
  • A phone charging cord and/or charge bank. We’ve noticed often there aren’t outlets in hospitals within easy reach of your bed, so having an extra-long charging cord or a portable cord bank is a great idea. You’ll want your phone charged up to take family photos and videos, update your loved ones, or even listen to your favorite playlists in labor.
  • Toiletries. Yes, the hospital may provide some. There’s nothing like having your own toothbrush and the comforting scent of your own bath products right? You will likely have the opportunity to shower at some point before discharge and having your own things along can make this a really refreshing experience. Don’t forget a hairbrush and if needed, a styling agent and some cosmetics. Again, this is YOUR birth- if you don’t want makeup, don’t wear it. Some families feel more confident to receive guests and have pictures taken if they are able to do a light touch up now and then.
  • Hair ties or headbands. There’s nothing quite like trying to focus during contractions and being distracted by hair you can’t keep out of your face!
  • Chapstick and mints. Labor means lots of intense breathing, and lots of intense breathing can mean cracked lips and bad breath – for you OR your birth partner.
  • Snacks. All area hospitals and providers have different policies on eating and drinking in labor, but one thing is certain. You’ll want something to eat as soon as you feel up to it after delivery! So bring those snacks. While you may not want a pastrami sandwich smelling up your delivery room, having a variety of small treats can be great. Granola bars, fruit cups, honey sticks, fruit leather, crackers, etc. An electrolyte beverage like coconut water is also a great idea! These can tide you over until you can order a real meal from the kitchen or have someone bring one to you.
CONSIDER IT:
  • A swim top for you and suit or trunks for birthing partner. If you plan to labor in water at any point, these are a must.
  • Massage oil. We recommend something unscented. Smells you love now may be unappealing when you’re in labor.
  • A picture from home. If you have a meaningful vacation or nature picture, you might want to bring this along as a point of focus and to make the room more your own.
  • A strand of Christmas lights or some battery candles. Dim, dark rooms are great for labor but can make it difficult to navigate around, such as to and from the bathroom. A few battery candles or a strand of lights hung behind your bed or near the bathroom can fix this and create a great atmosphere!
  • Comfort tools. If you’ve taken our Comfort & Communication class, you probably already have some great ideas! If you’ve got a favorite massage roller, etc, toss it in!
  • Eye mask & ear plugs. It can be hard to drown out the sounds of a busy hospital when trying to rest or focus.
FOR BABY:
  • A going home outfit (or two!). Especially if you’re unsure of baby’s size, consider two options – a newborn and a 0-3m. 
  • A car seat to take baby home in. Be sure to have your car seat securely installed by 37 weeks.
LEAVE IT:
  • Your skinny jeans. It’s all about comfort right now, we promise!
  • Advanced hair styling tools.  Keep it simple and don’t worry about the flat irons and curlers for a couple days.
  • Your breast pump. If you need a pump for the limited time you’re in the hospital, the lactation staff will be able to provide you with a hospital grade pump.
  • Jewelry & valuables. It’s better to leave these treasures at home than find you need to take them off for one reason or another and worrying about theft or loss.

In the end, don’t cause yourself undue emotional stress over making sure you have everything. You already HAVE what your baby needs – YOU! Everything else is replaceable or able to be snagged at a local store without much trouble.

Still need more advice? Take one of our fantastic childbirth education classes where we cover this topic (and so many others!) in great detail, or schedule a private, one-on-one consultation with one of our pregnancy & newborn experts.

 

Furbabies and New Babies

If you are a pet owner, chances are you know what a furbaby is: dogs and cats that hold a special place in your heart. Maybe they are cuddly, or maybe they just get you. But as much as we don’t intend for a new baby to change the relationship between you and your pets, it happens. There is a hierarchy, and the baby goes above furbaby. Read more

Kon Mari With Your Postpartum Doula

Have you done it?  Have you watched the Marie Kondo show on Netflix?

I watched it.  It was a glorious binge over two days.  In my personal life, it resulted in finally enjoying my closet and a birthday gift that made me feel seen and heard for the first time in a very long time.  I’d say that’s pretty good for a tv show.

Read more

Fall Maternity Session – 3 Tips for Success

This week, local DOB fave photographer and guest blogger, Shayna Hardy, shares her fall maternity session tips!

1. Location, location, location.

Select a fall location for either it’s beautiful scenery or the meaning it has to your family. There are many beautiful foliage locations around Baltimore area to enjoy! But, there are only about 3-4 weeks of which you can enjoy the fall foliage, so it is best to schedule early!

I love getting to know clients during our consultation so we can decide the best location for them. If there are places that are meaningful to them, then I work to make that happen so the portraits we create will have a greater impact for them.

Studio maternity photoshoot in Owings MillsBaltimore’s weather can be challenging. When the weather threatens, indoor options are great too. At my studio, we can incorporate fall colors, like a red maternity dress into a studio session. These are wonderful because we can create some dramatic lighting images that show off the beauty of a pregnant woman in different ways.

2. Clothing.

 

Selecting what to wear can make or break the look and feel of the maternity session. The fall season is perfect for layering and cozy sweaters. Although I recommend a tight fit shirt to show off the belly bump, you can always layer with a beautiful fall sweater.

 

You may also elect to wear a beautiful maternity gown. Many can be found on Etsy for purchase, but I have several colors available in the studio. I usually suggest colors to complement the style of the nursery or home décor. I’m careful to select colors that will also coordinate or accent the fall foliage & location.

 

3. Don’t forget the details to make it personal.

While I’m getting to know my clients before the session, I find out through our discussion details about their lives. I suggest they bring any mementos, heirlooms or meaningful pieces they want to incorporate into their session.

Many times I will use the location as inspiration for incorporating something special into the session. For example, in the photo to the left, the mom was pregnant with twins so I simply plucked two beautiful leaves from the trees to symbolize the two babies growing inside her. They also got engaged THAT day so of course I included her engagement ring into the image.

These are the details that may get lost in our homes, but when photos are created of these pieces, they will never be lost in our memories.

While the changing leaves make a beautiful backdrop for a fall maternity session, all seasons offer wonderful opportunities to create beautiful portraits of you and your family. The ideal time for a maternity session is between weeks 30-36, but I suggest contacting me by week 20 to reserve your spot on the calendar.

I love creating beautiful heirloom quality portraits for families to enjoy for years to come. They can be enjoyed in wall portraiture or gorgeous albums. Digital images are nice to share, but the printed piece will last through your child’s lifetime and beyond! You are worth the investment.

 

your life in art. | www.shaynahardy.com | 443-686-9569