​It’s time for another Pro Tip!

It’s normal to feel afraid when thinking about what lies ahead of you…..what will labor be like? Can I do it? What if something goes wrong? Will I be a good mom?
These feelings will affect you, your baby, and your birth. But, I have good news! There is a way to keep them under control! Having a provider that you trust is a good start. Taking a quality, independent childbirth education class is another big step in the right direction as is hiring a doula to support you. Having a team around you to support and educate you will help relieve some of your anxieties of what labor and birth will look and feel like. Staying active and eating well is good insurance that you will have a healthy and satisfying birth with a healthy mom and baby at the end. Spending time practicing self care and nourishing and preparing your soul for motherhood is also important. Pray, meditate, talk to friends and family, create art, journal….find whatever it is that works for you and do it regularly.
 

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Oh friends! Don’t keep all this information to yourself! I made a little graphic below for you to share on your social media and let all your friends and family in on these pro tips! And be sure to check out the other tips in this series! 

Welcome back for my latest edition of my blog series: Pro Tips! This will be a series of short, simple, but incredibly helpful tips from a birth pro….me.
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Cesarean rates can vary greatly by hospital. I’m still learning about the hospitals here in Houston, but I can tell you that one large teaching hospital with a maternal-fetal-medicine (high risk OB) department, and level NICU has an overall cesarean rate of 22%. And just a few miles away, another large hospital also with a MFM department and high-level NICU has an overall cesarean rate of 35%. Wow. And that’s not just Omaha. It’s everywhere. Do your research, mamas. Learning the cesarean rate of your birth place will tell you so much about how the providers within that system practice and the policies that hospital holds that may hinder normal birth.


Ppssssssssssstt!
Don’t keep all this great information to yourself! I made a nifty graphic for you to share on your facebook, Instagram, twitter, and whatever else you’d like so you can let all your friends and family in on these awesome pro tips!

Welcome to my new blog series: Pro Tips! This will be a series of short, simple, but incredibly helpful tips from a birth pro….me.

Today’s topic is that of your physical health. Moms, I’m going to level with you here. Pregnancy is not an excuse to put your feet up and eat whatever, whenever you want. Absolutely listen to your body, eat when you’re hungry and even give into those cravings sometimes. But, you need good, nourishing food while your body is working hard to grow and nourish your baby. Get plenty of good protein, fruits and veggies. You also need lots of water; at least one ounce for every two pounds of your body weight. And remember, that as your pregnancy goes on, you will gain weight, therefore you will need to increase your water intake. Lastly, keep moving your body. It doesn’t have to be super strenuous or intense. Take a walk while enjoying the company of your husband, go for a swim, try out a yoga class with a friend. The act of labor and giving birth is often likened to running a marathon. Would you stand on the starting line of a marathon without having done any training at all and after having eaten nothing but junk food for the last 9 months? Not likely. Take care of yourself, mama. You deserve it. Learning and practicing self-care now will be a valuable skill for the rest of your life. You will not be able to take care of your family well if you are not also taking care of yourself.
 
 
Psssssssttt........
​Don’t keep all this great information to yourself! I made a nifty graphic for you to share on your facebook, Instagram, pinterest, twitter, and whatever else you’d like so you can let all your friends and family in on these awesome pro tips!