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Doula Mentoring or Birth Class Series?

Private Perinatal Doula Mentoring is the Future of Birth Education

Is doula mentoring or taking a birth class series more beneficial for birth education?  Obtaining information about the birth industry, the physiology of birth, and your options for a happy healthy birth is a well known step during pregnancy.  But, are birth class series a thing of the past?  Lamaze was so popular it is a household name for birth classes and taught in numerous hospitals across the world.  Bradley Method came in strong for empowering families to make choices that supported the birth they want.  Now birth education and doula organizations are around every corner and parents are wondering if they should take a class or hire a doula.  What differences are really being made here when we're seeing decreases in perinatal health, rises in cesareans, and more moms experience breastfeeding and postpartum difficulties despite the increase in big organization one-size-fits all approaches, even to natural childbirth.  I want to present you with the new holistic approach to perinatal care.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is a one-on-one approach to the modern family.  Researching the plethora of options available to you as an expecting mother, or father, can be overwhelming to say the least.  Fitting in a sit-down class of information being thrown at you after you've worked an 8+ hour day, went to the gym, spent time with your family, and tried to get an hour of down time can be exhausting.  You know there are professionals out there trying to blog all the must-knows, but you just don't have the time or energy to read through every little detail and double check the studies.  You want to make your time count and you want to find the person that specializes in having well-rounded information and resources.  Perinatal Doula Mentoring is right for you, and geared towards millennials, meme-driven social media fans, and your typical modern family.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is Individualized

Well of course I would love for you to sit through 20+ hours of birth classes and learn everything there is to learn about the basics of birth and all the remedies to labor variations and every single thing the modern birth industry might throw at you.  The truth is, psychology makes your brain lose interest on just about anything pretty quickly.  Your brain gets hyperfocused, though, on a few certain things you're experiencing right now or have been planted in your head in the past.  Perinatal Doula Mentoring means finding answers and support for those very specific questions when you need it.  After a prenatal appointment.  In the evening when a thought comes to you.  Not an hour into a birth series with five (or more) other couples, but whenever you want to ask.  Get your questions answered for your specific birth with #MOVdoula of Esali Birth.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is Modern

Many birth series don't update their material after their initial "method" is developed.  Moreso, most birth series are focused on a standard set of information over a standard number of days and because most classes are group classes, deviating from the standard is difficult.  Perinatal doula mentoring with Esali Birth allows your one on one time with your doula to maximize on all the questions you have, and still have access to all the perinatal education series stuff in a virtual format available 24/7 so you can research and learn to your hearts content whenever and wherever you want.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is Full Service

Many birth professionals only focus on one area of the childbearing years.  Antenatal doulas, birth doulas, birth education, postpartum doulas, lactation.  While there is a time for specific focuses, the childbearing years throughout history have been best experienced with the wise people of the culture passing down knowledge from generation to generation.  With Esali Birth perinatal doula mentoring, you're taken care of from questions and emotional care from TTC and pregnancy through labor discomfort and informed decisions as well as the postpartum stages and breastfeeding.  You have someone that you create a relationship with through the childbearing years.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring Creates Happy Healthy Births

Full Service Perinatal Doula Mentoring builds trust.  Trust builds oxytocin.  Oxytocin creates comfortable progressing labor.  Oxytocin balances the risks during labor and postpartum and breastfeeding.  Oxytocin is the key to Happy Healthy Birth.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring Avoids Awkward Conversations with Strangers

Perinatal Doula Mentoring can feel more relaxed as you communicate with one person well versed in the industry that knows the ins and outs of the good bad and in between of the childbearing years through a non-judgemental approach.  While traditional group birth classes create the opportunity for you to meet other families experiencing the same event and you can learn from the questions they have, they're not the right fit for everyone.  Many communities, Mid-Ohio Valley included, have great regular meetups for pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding making an amazing opportunity to meet other people with questions just like you in the same stage of life (and beyond).

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is Flexible

Learn about birth and allay your fears on your own schedule with a perinatal doula mentor that is focused on meeting your personal needs.  Day jobs can be long stressful intense hours, shift work means one person isn't available at a regular time every week, and real modern life means a lot of activities on the schedule.  Perinatal Doula Mentoring with Esali Birth is flexible, meeting you when it fits in your schedule even virtually.  Topics can be completely customized to this pregnancy, this moment in time, and the questions you want answered at this stage.  Doula mentoring can happen in the morning, afternoon, evening, weekends, randomly, and spaced out through each trimester.  Mentoring can also happen routinely, even part of the time, and we can start with a set standard and veer off the path any time a thought pops in your head.  This emergent style approach is known to be more thorough and remembered because it follows your lead for the desires you have now, creates a lower stress environment because now the Perinatal Doula Mentor is meeting your needs instead of you trying to cram everything in to meet the needs of a standard birth class.  This is how we reach more families, make bigger impacts, and improve happy healthy birth for more modern parents.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is #StackYourLife

This flexible, emergent-style, approach can be easily blended in a Walking Birth Class approach.  No more having to sit on the floor labor breathing (but we can do that if you'd like), we can meet at the park or at the mall, over dinner, or while putting together your nursery and postpartum care pack.  We can learn relaxation, positions, and comfort measures anywhere... your own special space or normal daily life, which is more the reality you'll find yourself in during labor anyway.  You don't have to fit this extra activity in,  because perinatal doula mentoring can happen anywhere it is convenient for you during any activity you already need to do.  Then you reduce your schedule, you get your movement in, you get your social time, and you learn about birth options - #stackyourlife.  An Esali Birth Perinatal Doula Mentor can help you finish up your nesting, make dinner for your family, go shopping, walk at the park, stretch and move, take care of your kids, and do all the things you have to do during normal life WHILE answering your questions and providing you with the information you need to make informed decisions for birth.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is Affordable

With the traditional birth class approach, couples are spending money on a birth class, then they are spending money on a doula, then they are spending money on breastfeeding consultants, then they are spending money and time to get away from other must-do activities.  Having an Esali Birth Perinatal Doula Mentor provides you with birth education, emotional support, labor doula care, postpartum care, breastfeeding guidance and birth counseling all in one package.  You improve your opportunity for a happy healthy birth by creating more trust and a stronger relationship with your birth team, and you can invest in this holistic approach without needing to research and negotiate with multiple different professionals.  Many insurances, even some medicaid, and FSA/HSA and other health spending accounts cover doula care which, with a perinatal mentor, includes birth classes and breastfeeding counseling.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring Improves Birth Team Relationships

When you meet someone that can provide you with all the aspects of perinatal care including TTC counseling, birth classes, researching, emotional support, labor doula care, postpartum care, breastfeeding counseling, and birth counseling, the trust that is created is strong.  You're more likely to reach out to someone that knows your story.  You're more likely to reach out to a perinatal doula mentor that understands multiple aspects of the perinatal stages.  You're more likely to provide details that improve the way the doula can support you through labor and all the childbearing stages.  Trust increases oxytocin.  Oxytocin increases spontaneous labor and labor progression.  Oxytocin balances the risks during labor and postpartum and breastfeeding.  Oxytocin is the key to Happy Healthy Birth.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is for Dads Too

While many dads are highly involved in the childbearing stages in our modern life, traditional birth classes don't always meet their individual needs.  Many dads are hesitant to open up in a traditional group birth class.  Many dads really need information that caters specifically to their emotional needs during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.  Perinatal Doula Mentoring guides dads to support mom through these stages with to the point information, but also provides them with guidance on the reality that this can be a difficult experience for dads as well and they can't just be told to be strong and suck it up for mom.  Esali Birth Perinatal Doula Mentoring helps them find resources, supports them through the labor with guidance of support techniques, shows them how to help mom, and teaches them to care for themselves as well and reach out to outside support instead of trying to manage everything.  Dad is often the main one that will be supporting in the postpartum stages, and they are susceptible to depression and PTSD as well.  In addition to this same individualized support for dads, a Perinatal Doula Mentor with Esali Birth provides Man 2 Man classes that are specific for, and only for, dads.  Whether that is one on one with a dad that has been there before, or over a beer at the bar with the guys, a Man 2 Man class gives dads the opportunity to talk about the real questions they want to ask without judgement.

Perinatal Doula Mentoring is More than Education

Moms need more than just information on the birth industry and knowledge of how to make informed decisions.  Perinatal Doula Mentoring can support you with the information you've been given at prenatal appointments, and through symptoms you may be experiencing.  An Esali Birth Perinatal Doula Mentor can help you with stretching, movements, and active techniques that prevent labor discomfort as well as remedy these individual circumstances.  More than a basic prenatal yoga class or a standard set of exercises, perinatal doula mentoring can help baby get into a good position through abdominal massage, belly mapping, Spinning Babies techniques, and knowledge gained through experience of many mothers that have come before you.

#MOVdoula Perinatal Doula Mentoring

While group birth classes in a traditional, yet more comprehensive than other birth classes, will always be an option, Perinatal Doula Mentoring is the way most birth education is happening now with Esali Birth.  (Although, this same exact approach can be used with group classes, too, especially when it is a group of people that already know each other and want to receive care together for even just a few sessions).  Moms don't have time, and are often overwhelmed, with mom group variety answers, their friends' and family's advice, and all the blog posts and books thrown at them every time they have a twinge or fear.  Let's move past all the overwhelm and meet you where you are now with all the information and resources when they are needed.  With 10 years of experience, let me answer your questions without telling you to do more work than you already are.  You know you need to research, that's why you're asking the questions.  With the knowledge of traditional birth classes vs. the real support I can provide through Perinatal Doula Mentoring, let me give you all the same information on a schedule and in a location that caters to you.  Think of it as pampering, or just a super educated best friend.  Let #MOVdoula do the work so you can just breathe and just enjoy your Happy Healthy Birth.

Ask About Perinatal Doula Mentoring

Choice to Make Birth Choices

You ALWAYS have a choice in birth, in pregnancy, as a parent.  Always.  Even when it appears that there are no choices available for your birth, you still get to make the choice to make a choice, or not.  You get to decide if you want to learn something new, try something untried, travel, be at home, just say No Thanks, or learn a new perspective on your situation.

Birth choices can sometimes be hard.  Birth Choices can challenge our views.  Birth Choices can challenge our beliefs.  Birth Choices can sometimes not feel like choices at all.  But the fact remains, you will be making choices that support your birth everyday.  Let's look at what these choices might be:

Birth Choices for Optimal Nutrition

Adequate nutrients allows your hormones to function adequately (including oxytocin), your body to digest what it eats (avoiding toxin overload and even hemorrhoids), and nourish your growing baby.  You get to choose what you eat, drink, don't eat, and don't drink.  Some of these choices you make may include:

  • Reducing or eliminating added sugar
  • Reducing or eliminating unnecessary caffeine drinks - switching to herbal coffee - switching to nourishing tea
  • Drinking enough
  • Eating hydrating foods
  • Eating donuts and cookies
  • Eating enough greens
  • Eating all the colors of the rainbow
  • Reducing processed foods
  • Making your own processed foods
  • Reading labels
  • Learning about balanced nutrition
  • Getting healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates
  • Eating whole foods
  • Eating fast food
  • Trying a new dinner
  • Learning to cook
  • Leading the family with healthy habits
  • Explaining to your family the necessity for healthy eating
  • Reducing or eliminating dairy and other allergens
  • Eating enough
  • Eating small meals throughout the day
  • Getting support for healthy eating habits
  • Taking it one food at a time - one meal at a time - one step at a time

What can you add here?  What questions do you have about nutrition that you feel like you're stuck in a choice?

Birth Choices for Optimal Alignment

Aligned movement throughout the day provides you with optimal comfort, supports your growing baby (avoiding pregnancy "symptoms"), and improves the birth process due to fetal positioning.  Aligned movement also improves healing postpartum and helps avoid common breastfeeding concerns like painful nursing and "tongue tie."  Birth choices for alignment that you can make may include:

  • Seeing a physical therapist & receiving body work
  • Moving more
  • Moving better
  • Checking your body and pelvis alignment
  • Stretching often
  • Walking more
  • Getting rid of the positive rise shoes (yes, including sneakers and many "flats" and men's shoes)
  • Developing butt muscles
  • Using your whole body for movement
  • Joining a movement group like Esali Birth's MOV for Birth walks or hosting one yourself
  • Creating a dynamic work station where you sit, stand, stretch your legs, squat, lie down...etc.
  • Balance your movement to keep all movement and sedentary positions at equal amounts
  • Squat to eliminate, like with a Squatty Potty.

What is your favorite way to move?  Have you checked your alignment?  Are you feeling "symptoms" of pregnancy that are actually "symptoms" of ill-health and poor alignment?  Make the connections and feel better!

Birth Choices for Optimal Oxytocin

Oxytocin, among many other hormones, is vital for a happy healthy birth.  Oxytocin allows spontaneous labor, allows labor progression (with proper alignment), prevents postpartum hemorrhage, helps us to bond with our baby, creates the breastfeeding experience, and brings us closer as a family.  There are many moments throughout your day to improve oxytocin which may include:

  • Relationship building activities
  • Relationship therapy
  • General or trauma therapy
  • Birth counseling & perinatal mentoring
  • Eye gazing
  • Touching
  • Tea with a friend
  • Petting your dog
  • Back rubs and massages
  • Saying "Three Nice Things"
  • Learning about the birth industry and birth physiology to reduce fear

Do you feel at ease with birth?  Are you fearful of something in the birth process?

Birth Choices for Care Provider & Birth Team

The people you have with you during birth from friends and family to the doula, the nurses, the midwives and the obstetricians, all influence your options for birth and how you feel.  Care provider and birth team options available (though sometimes you have to be savvy about finding them) include:

  • Choosing unassisted birth
  • Selecting a doula
  • Midwifery Care
  • Family Practitioner Care
  • Obstetric Care
  • A combination of midwives and doctors
  • Licensed providers & unlicensed providers
  • Adding people to your birth space
  • Removing people from your birth space
  • Telling one of the staff to leave your birth space or "firing" your provider
  • Knowing your birth rights

Does the relationship with your birth team feel connected?  Do you feel trust between those you've

Birth Choices for Birth Location

Where you birth goes hand in hand with who you allow in your birth space.  Where you birth not only dictates the routines that are common, but also the amount of control and comfort you have for making decisions.  Birth location choices may include:

  • Home birth
  • Birthing in the woods
  • Birthing at a friend's house
  • Birthing at a hotel
  • Birth Center Birth
  • Hospital Birth
  • Birthing at your midwife's house
  • Changing your mind about your birth location, for any reason, during pregnancy
  • Changing your mind about your birth location, for any reason, during birth or postpartum

Your birth location isn't set in stone.  You can decide to change anything about your birth location and care provider at any point in time.

Birth Choices for Healing & Support

Knowing what you have available for support helps you reach out in times of need.  Healing and support options for birth may include:

  • Researching care providers, therapists, breastfeeding supporters, postpartum care, mom groups, family groups, loss groups, play groups
  • Writing down contact information for people and keeping it handy
  • Actually calling the people available for support
  • Paying for support
  • Asking your insurance if they will cover support
  • Resting
  • Journaling
  • Reducing the activities on the schedule
  • Taking off extra time from work
  • Quitting your job
  • Changing jobs
  • Changing work schedules
  • Telling your family how to help
  • Expecting your family to help
  • Prepping meals and snacks and routines when extra hands are available
  • Asking for meals (at any time)
  • Finding a mother helper
  • Not asking for support
  • Doing it all or not doing it all

You don't have to do it all.  Period.

Birth Choices to Speak Up

You get to decide if you speak up about what you need.  It can be hard to do that, but you get that choice.  Finding the group that supports your desires is easier - it means less arguing and adrenaline in your birth space (or during pregnancy or postpartum). Some options for speaking up include:

  • Saying, "No Thanks."
  • Saying, "Not Right Now."
  • Asking for privacy
  • Getting a new nurse, provider, asking someone to please leave your home
  • Being respectful and being forward
  • Refusing an induction
  • Refusing vaginal exams
  • Refusing a cesarean
  • Finding a lawyer
  • Standing up and signing yourself out
  • Keeping your baby with you
  • Telling people thank you for their care
  • Changing your mind

It may take time to have the confidence to speak up, but THIS is the most important choice because YOU get to decide if you remain silent.  Sometimes there are so many routines in our world others don't think automatically about what each individual person wants.  It is OK to ask for what you want.  You do not have to do what someone else says simply because they recommend it (or are disrespectful).

There are a lot of people that care about you and your birth and respect that mothers and families are capable of making informed decisions.  Know this about yourself, and you now know that the choice is yours.

 

 

Audible Books for Doulas Esali Birth

Listen to these Audible Books for Doulas

Audible books for doulas are a great way to add depth to professional doula training, continuing education, and pleasure reading for birth pros including midwives and birth educators.  I'm a fan of Kindle books, digital books, and other ebook options and we use our local digital library regularly for homeschooling and general reading.  However, it isn't often I want a digital reference book for herbalism, midwifery, or birth wisdom where I can't hold it in my hand, easily share, and have when the batteries run out.  I have on many occassion chosen to have both digital and physical copies for a sort of the best of both worlds for bookmarking content or sharing with clients, but Audible books for doulas and birth professionals brings a whole new level to these busy callings.

One amazing thing Audible books for doulas can do is free up our time and get us moving.  Having a job where you do a lot of bending over and sometimes driving can be taxing on the alignment of the body.  Driving many miles and hours to reach clients for prenatals, postpartum appointments, and start and stop births can give you a lot of listening time for not only educational literature, but motivational and entertainment reading as well that you may otherwise not make the time for during your down days.

Here are Audible books for doulas you can start listening to on the way to your next birth.

Audible Books for Doulas, Midwives, Childbirth Educators and Birth Pros

Call the Midwife Trilogy

If you've enjoyed watching the highly popular BBC series, Call the Midwife, you'll really love listening to the memoir trilogy as it was originally written (plus an additional fourth book not yet available on Audible as Jennifer Worth recounts her post-midwifery days, doulaing those at the end of their earthly life as many birthworkers go on to hold space full circle and other paperback gems).

Book 1 - Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times

Book 2 - Shadows of the Workhouse

Book 3 - Farewell to the East End

Book 4 - In the Midst of Life (paperback)

Correspondance Letters to the Midwife (paperback)

The Midwife's Sister (paperback) - by Christine Lee, Jennifer Worth's sister

The Midwife of Hope River

Patricia Harman, West Virginia author and former midwife, takes you on a relatable journey as you travel to your birth clients with real life inspired stories and a series of books enjoyable by all birth professionals.

Other Audible Books by Patricia Harman:

The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife

The Reluctant Midwife: A Hope River Novel

The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir

Beautiful Birth Meditation Guide

This one is for the audio device during a prenatal or birth.  When you or the rest of the birth team need a little break, or mom is simply relaxed in the birth tub - play this softly in the background if it feels desireable to her.  This is also a good guide to listen to on the way to a birth to remind you of the meditative guidance you can use for your clients.

Supernatural Childbirth

Author Jackie Mize writes to inspire families to trust God in their body's design for pregnancy and birth.  This positively motivational and scripture-supported audible book is a great option for doulas and parents to inspire and encouraging for the perinatal stages.

If you're traveling near and far you may be running low on time spent cozying up by the fire for your next down-time-book.  Audible books for doulas are great when you don't have extra time, but drive a lot or as movement motivators to anticipate your daily walking habits, or while you're prepping snack bags for the littles when you're on call.  So, whether you're taking your doula agency to the next workshop or soaking up the personal time on your way to a birth, you'll love these audible books for doulas.

Looking for other book shelf items?  Take a look at this book list for your birth book shelf.

What books have you enjoyed listening to as a birth mentor?

Birth Isn’t Amazing… it’s normal

Birth isn't amazing.

Birth is normal.

Birth is a biological function that in some ways we've glorified beyond necessity.  Or maybe it is necessary right now, but what will it do to future generations?  What is it already doing right now?  Being positive and believing in your body is important - and our culture has taken that away due to the fear we've instilled in children for oh so many reasons.  Humans simply grow up in fear.  However, in some ways, we have tried to make women so unafraid of biology that we've told them to trick their mind into believing birth has made them superhuman.  But, that's not true.

Birth doesn't make you superhuman.  Birth is normal.

Do we tell our best friends, "WOW, that is amazing!  I could not have a bowel movement at home! You're so brave!"?

Do we say, "You did so well feeding yourself today!"?  Not to most adults, no.

Do we pride ourselves for the deep full breath we take in the afternoon as the sun warms our face?  Do we applaud our heart for every beat it makes?  We can feel blessed for these things.  We can give thanks for these things.  We can be amazed by these things - but these thing are our design.

Biology works when it is nourished with physical, emotional, and spiritual means.  Birth is normal biology.

The ability to hike Mt. Everest is through determination and preparation and is a feat above what we were intended for - accomplishing this is great for those that desire it, but for those that don't or can't, no big deal.  Birth is normal - it is something that happens with normal healthy living; no practice necessary.  Healthy choices and healthy lifestyles, yes - but not anything above normal biologically living (you know, before screens and grocery stores ruled our lives).

The ability to slam dunk a basketball might be encouraged by physical stature, but is created by practice, interest, and learning techniques to do so.  Birth is normal; no techniques need to be learned.

Digesting your food well is determined by your nutrient balance, hydration, and movement.  Digestion is normal - environment changes the function.  Though we may realize our body's abilities when we nourish it well, each function is a normal part of its intended biology.  Birth is normal - the environment changes the function.

Sometimes, when we glorify the biological function of the body, instead of the nature of what truly is amazing, women start to doubt themselves more or believe they have failed at some certain part of birth if it didn't go perfectly as planned (especially if they didn't learn healthy habits until late in the pregnancy or if their birth team wasn't conducive to a biological birth).  Of course, you can't plan birth.  You can create the conditions that allow the ability of birth to go as biologically intended - just as you can create the conditions for all parts of biology to function smoothly.  But you can't plan birth.

Conception is fascinating.  The fact that humans can create other humans is incredible and evenso, conception is normal.

The moment of birth can be empowering.  And yet, the rise in hormones that should occur after birth is designed for survival - for a mother to desire to care for this child and the child to be able to be soothed and nourished by their mother.  Birth is normal.

Birth may feel amazing.  Birth may feel empowering.  Birth may feel superhuman.  But birth isn't amazing - not in the way that it is perceived that it takes a unique woman to be able to do it in a certain way.  Birth is normal. Your body can feel amazing in birth.  That's normal.  Your body may feel empowered through birth.  That is normal.  Your body may feel superhuman.  That is normal.  Your body may also feel tired and intense and disappointed and unsure.  That is normal.

The fact that our body is designed to experience normal biology in such a profound, empowering, and spiritual way - that is amazing.

Normal is relative to the conditions, including the culture, that a person lives in.  Birth experience is not wholly something we can create, only influence - but something we are intended to experience however that experience plays out.  Biological intention is present in all humans and we must support that intention physically, emotionally, and spiritually the best way we are able to do at that time.  We are neither successes nor failures at biology - there are too many factors at play.  However, we can be amazed at that biology as a whole and its intended design and find that the journey of every birth story is amazing.

Our whole body's existence is amazing.

prenatal self care

Self Care – Birth Prep Challenge – Week 10

Self Care is the foundation of The Oxytocin Method.  10 weeks closer to meeting your precious one on this side of the belly.  Wow - I wish I could hug you.  I wish I could tell you how much you joining in this challenge means to me!  I wish I could tell you how important loving your progress is for you and your birth.

Journey with me one more time for a very special challenge of Esali Birth Prep.

To read the full post, you must be a member of the FREE Esali Birth Community.  JOIN Esali Birth.

To receive weekly notifications, and supportive student-only tips, for the 10-Week Esali Birth Prep lessons, ENROLL in the FREE Esali Birth Prep Course.

Show me how you #selfcareforbirth with the #esalibirthprep challenge on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

 

Thank you so much for joining in this 10-week challenge!  Did you miss a week of the challenge or need a recap?  Check out the previous challenges by becoming a member of the Esali Birth Online Community (for FREE) and join the Esali Birth Prep Challenge course:

Week 1 - Make Tea for Birth

Week 2 - Just Breathe for Birth

Week 3 - Move for Birth

Week 4 - Hydrate for Birth

Week 5 - Sunshine for Birth

Week 6 - Healthy Fats for Birth

Week 7 - Poop for Birth

Week 8 - Detox for Birth

Week 9 - Sleep for Birth

TCM Organ Clock

Sleep – Birth Prep Challenge – Week 9

Sleep is a given, right?  If you don't sleep, you don't feel rested and your day can kind of go downhill from there.  If you wake up in the middle of your sleep cycle, you tend to feel groggy throughout the day and may stress your adrenals with the adrenalin boost caused by unnatural waking.

But, what else is happening when we sleep?  During the most common sleep hours, some of our most important body-support functions are happening.

To read the full post, you must be a member of the FREE Esali Birth Community.  JOIN Esali Birth.

To receive weekly notifications, and supportive student-only tips, for the 10-Week Esali Birth Prep lessons, ENROLL in the FREE Esali Birth Prep Course.

Show me how you #sleepforbirth with the #esalibirthprep on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

dandelion detox support

Detox – Birth Prep Challenge – Week 8

Every week we've been building healthy habits and reducing toxin overload.  You're moving well, eating well, and releasing toxins.  The body, every day, is eliminating toxins [detoxing] to improve the function of the body... or at least it should be.

To read the full post, you must be a member of the FREE Esali Birth Community.  JOIN Esali Birth.

To receive weekly notifications, and supportive student-only tips, for the 10-Week Esali Birth Prep lessons, ENROLL in the FREE Esali Birth Prep Course.

Show me how you #detoxforbirth by supporting your body's ability to do so with the #esalibirthprep on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

healthy bowel function

Poop – Birth Prep Challenge – Week 7

Constipation in pregnancy seems to be an expected symptom.  The first thing wrong with this picture is that someone expects to experience a "symptom"  - Hello!  Pregnancy isn't a disease!  The second problem is that constipation is a symptom of less than ideal body function either through food intake means or other.  On the contrary, now that you're eating healthier fats, staying hydrated, moving your body, and getting most of the nutrients you need every day - bowel movements should be taking care of themselves.

To read the full post, you must be a member of the FREE Esali Birth Community.  JOIN Esali Birth.

To receive weekly notifications, and supportive student-only tips, for the 10-Week Esali Birth Prep lessons, ENROLL in the FREE Esali Birth Prep Course.

Share the way your lifestyles supports #healthybowelsforbirth with #esalibirthprep on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

pregnant outside

Get Sunshine – Birth Prep Challenge – Week 5

Get sunshine - it is imperative to your immune system function, sleep function, and overall happiness.  Not only is sunshine the easiest way for your body to be able to make vitamin D, you are storing up vitamin D for breastfeeding (for your baby) and for the winter/lower sun months.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, and supplements just don't cut it.  SunshineVitamin.org tells us, "humans make 90% of their vitamin D from sunlight."  While "fortified" foods might have synthetic forms of vitamin D added (of D2, which is not the same as the D3 your body makes from sunlight exposure), the "fortification" means this vitamin isn't naturally occurring in this substance (like milk, for instance).

To read the full post, you must be a member of the FREE Esali Birth Community.  JOIN Esali Birth.

To receive weekly notifications, and supportive student-only tips, for the 10-Week Esali Birth Prep lessons, ENROLL in the FREE Esali Birth Prep Course.

Show me those gorgeous #sunshineforbirth photos with #esalibirthprep on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter and tell me how you're incorporating 15 minutes to 1 hour of outdoor time (a minimum daily average) into your schedule.

move for birth

Move for Birth – Birth Prep Challenge – Week 3

Move for birth in multiple ways every day.  Movement is vital to whole body wellness.  Moving for birth strengthens muscles and enables ligaments to flex to create proper alignment (which means better alignment for the baby and a smoother birth).

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Share your #moveforbirth moments of the #esalibirthprep with me on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter and tell me how you're incorporating this into your new routine.

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