I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately on stimulating change in the birth world. I’m extremely involved in the birth community, and actively promote the creation of a more gentle and informed birth culture. With induction rates of up to 25% and cesarean rates of up to 35% here in British Columbia, it is clear that our interventions in… Read more →
Category: Shifting Birth Culture
Are You Scared of Birth?
Many women fear birth, and it’s not surprising. Our culture has taught us to be scared of birth. In TV shows and movies, birth is portrayed as a terrifying medical emergency. Women in the media are shown being rushed to hospitals in a panic, screaming pain, and threatening their husbands lives for “doing this to them.” You may also have… Read more →
Vancouver Doula Network: Building Community!
If you get my newsletter regularly, you might have already picked up on the fact that I’m more of a grassroots movement lover than someone who’s likely to buy into gigantic organizations. This is why I chose not to certify with DONA International, and why I am not a member of the Doula Services Association (DSA). Both of these organizations… Read more →
Men and Birth: a Vancouver Doula’s Perspective.
Feeling supported, safe, and taken care of is key to having a positive birth experience. The biggest enemies of birth are fear and anxiety, which decrease mom’s ability to cope with the pain or discomfort of contractions, and can actually slow or halt the birth process altogether. You can read more about why birth support is important in my article, How… Read more →
Does Birth Take A Wealthy Village?
I had a response to my recent blog post, Bringing Midwives, Doulas and Birth Conversation to the Mainstream from a friend: “…the problem I foresee in todays society, is that until you wrest control from the ‘establishment’, your services will be enjoyed only by those who can afford to do so. So more to the point, it seems to me… Read more →