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Research and Resources
Services and Pricing

Research and Resources

There's much to see here. So, take your time, look around, and find some topics that interest you. The descriptions with the purple lines underneath are links to various resources.

Birth can be a time with so much conflicting information it can make your head spin! We prefer to reference Evidence Based Birth and research papers to provide you with the most current, accurate and accessible information possible so you can plan the birth of your dreams.

Questions?

Websites and Resources to Check Out

Books and E-Books

Each of these books and e-books have helped guide me in the way that I choose to practice and support families. Feel free to look through this list to see if any of them may resonate with you too. The links to the books will direct you towards a sample that you can read to see if it may be a resource that you would like to dive into more.

Pain Management During Labor and Delivery

Our society has conditioned us to view birth as a painful event, but have you heard of orgasmic births? Through mindset, education, and preparation, my goal is to help you re frame your view of what birth and labor is and to see it as a spiritual transformation and powerful, exciting process rather than a medical event. At times, medical intervention is necessary or desired, and that's okay! These resources will help you to feel empowered about your decisions for your birth and your story.

How to Have a Big O Birth

Have you heard of orgasmic births? Some mothers report a truly pain-free and even pleasurable birth experience. While it doesn't necessarily require or even result in orgasm, this e-book may help you to re frame the way that you view the birthing process.

Benefits of Yoga on Pregnancy and Labor

Here is a study from the National Library of Medicine that discusses how yoga may be effective in improving pregnancy, labor and birth outcomes.

Kelly is currently working on completing certification in prenatal and postpartum yoga and will be uploading free videos soon too, so keep checking back!

TENS Unit for Pain Relief During Labor

Learn how what a TENS unit is and how it works through the gate control theory to trick our brain into believing that the sensations we are experiencing are less intense.

Kelly is certified in TENS unit use during labor.

Hypnosis for Pain Relief During Labor

Have you heard of self-hypnosis? Using specific breathing, visualization and meditation techniques, this tool helps birthing persons to take back control of their body, mind and sensations during labor.

Kelly has studied Hypnobirthing and recommends this book by Marie Mongan for further study.

Here is a Hypnobirthing playlist on Spotify with guided meditations. These are most effective if practiced daily, especially in the tub as you're relaxing.

Overview of Pain Management During Labor

Learn different pain management strategies, how to work with pain and the difference between pain and suffering.

Positions During Labor and their Effects on Pain Relief

Optimal positioning during labor can shorten labor, provide pain relief and make birth more enjoyable.

Water Immersion During Labor for Pain Relief

Did you know that water immersion during labor can reduce pain by up to 80%? Learn what hydrotherapy is, why its recommended and what the studies say.

Acupuncture or Acupressure for Pain Relief During Labor

Learn what acupuncture and acupressure are, how they may work to provide pain relief and what the evidence says.

Aromatherapy During Labor for Pain Relief

Learn what aromatherapy is, how it may work to provide pain relief and what the evidence says.

Childbirth Education for Pain Relief during Labor

Learn more about how education can help you to understand the process and may help to provide pain relief during labor.

Free Online Childbirth Education

Now that you've learned how Childbirth Education may help to reduce pain during labor, here is a 3 series prenatal class on YouTube to get you started. In person classes are a great place to connect with other families and build your tribe and are certainly recommended, but these resources are a great option if you're unable to attend classes in person.

Childbirth Class 1 - Prenatal

Childbirth Class 2 - Labor and Birth

Childbirth Class 3 - Postpartum

Nitrous Oxide Information

Learn about the safety and efficacy of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas during labor, as well as it's pros and cons. Nitrous is considered a relatively safe form of pain relief that's been shown to have little to no effects on the health of the baby.

IV Opioids During Labor

IV Opioids during labor are short-lasting option that some birthing persons choose to use instead of an epidural to manage pain during labor. Click here to learn more on the pros and cons of IV opioids during labor.

Epidurals During Labor

Epidurals are widely used in hospitals today to provide pain relief during labor. Epidurals are placed low in the back, near the spine to provide a block to the lower extremities, and frequently combine a nerve blocking agent along with low doses of opioids, including fentanyl. They are very effective in providing pain relief, but do have some risks as well.

Here is a second article regarding the effects of epidurals on breastfeeding success.

Medical Interventions

Medical interventions may become necessary during birth if the safety of the mother or baby becomes a concern. These articles will let you learn more about what they are, their benefits and risks and help you to make an informed decision regarding your care if interventions are suggested or required.

Medical Inductions

Studies have shown that inductions to start labor can double the cesarean rates in birthing persons. Further studies have disputed this research touting slightly lower rates (22% vs 19%), meaning almost 1/4 birthing persons who were induced ended up giving birth by cesarean, and some studies still show a 30-60% rate of cesarean following medical inductions. Is an induction right for you? Click here to learn more.

Cervical Checks

Cervical checks are when a care provider uses their fingers to determine how effaced (thin), and dilated (open) the cervix is, and what the baby's station is (position in the pelvis). Cervical checks may help determine how labor is progressing, but do have slight risks of introducing infection, and can be subjective, and potentially discouraging for some birthing persons. Are cervical checks right for you?

Here is another article regarding details about cervical checks during labor.

IV Fluids During Labor

Part of my job as your doula is to ensure that you are staying properly hydrated and are eating as much as you're comfortable doing during labor. It is an incredibly taxing event and proper hydration can even help to shorten labors. Learn more about IV fluids during labor here.

Pitocin Augmentation, Epidurals and Cesarean

You may have heard before of the 'cascade of interventions' theory. This is the belief that one intervention often leads to another, and another. There is some evidence to support this theory is true. Learn more about Pitocin, Epidurals and Cesarean births here and how the three can go hand in hand.

Breaking Water, Assisted Delivery and Internal Monitoring

When labor has been deemed a 'failure to progress' or there are difficulties during birth, additional interventions may be suggested. As a doula, I will help you to focus on movement, breath and relaxation in an effort to avoid these interventions unless absolutely necessary. Learn more about them here.

Postpartum and Newborn Care

Your baby is finally here!! In a hospital setting, many procedures may be offered by care providers. Learn more about them here.

Skin to Skin after a Cesarean, and the Benefits of Skin to Skin

Skin to skin is the process of placing the baby directly on the birthing person's bare stomach, even before cutting the cord immediately after birth. Skin to skin has been shown to help babies regulate their body temperature and blood sugar levels.

In situations after a cesarean that the mother may need further medical treatment, partners can provide skin to skin for the newborn as well to provide the same benefits.

Here is another article on skin to skin benefits.

Vaginal Seeding after Cesarean

Vaginal Seeding is the process of wiping a baby's mouth, face and skin with a mother's vaginal fluids after a C-section to help the baby establish their microbiome to protect from disease. There is not much research on this topic yet so it is not widely practiced or recommended, however many birthing persons are pushing for more research on this topic as a baby would pass through these fluids after a vaginal birth.

Delayed Cord Clamping and Cord Blood Banking

Delayed cord clamping is the process of waiting to cut the cord until it has stopped pulsing, typically 2-5 minutes after birth. This provides the baby with blood from the placenta to boost their blood levels in their body.

Some families even opt for a lotus birth, where the placenta is delivered while the cord is still intact. Click here to learn more about this process.

Cord blood banking is the process of saving the blood from the umbilical cord to preserve the stem cells that are present.

Eye Ointment, Vitamin K and Hepatitis B Vaccines

These are the most commonly offered options for your newborn immediately following birth.

Click here for erythromycin eye ointment information.

Click here for Vitamin K information.

Click here for information on Hepatitis B Vaccines.

Newborn Baths

Some parents choose to postpone baths for their newborn to allow the vernix to soak into their skin. Vernix is the protective coating that babies are born with that helps their skin to retain moisture and fight off bacterial infections. There has also been research conducted that leaving this scent on the baby's hands, helps them to find the breast as the areola emits a similar scent and aids in breastfeeding.

Keeping the Placenta and Placenta Encapsulation

During pregnancy, the placenta provides the baby with nutrients and aids in elimination of waste. In some cultures it is common to bury it, honoring it's place in the creation of life. Other birthing persons choose to encapsulate their placenta to benefit from the hormones that remain to assist in decreasing postpartum mood disorders. While more research needs to be done, the anecdotal evidence from birthing persons strongly supports this practice.

Kelly is certified in Placenta Encapsulation.

Sitz Baths for Postpartum Healing

Taking a Sitz bath is the process of sitting in a basin or bath tub with a small amount of warm water that has typically been infused with herbs and/or epsom salts to aid in the healing and recovery process after birth.

Here is a recipe for a Sitz bath.

Here is a Sitz bath basin if you do not have or would prefer not to use your bathtub.

Yoga for Postpartum Healing

Yoga is beneficial during pregnancy to help the birthing person to connect with their bodies and baby, open the pelvis to encourage shorter labors, and helps postpartum in recovery in a gentle, compassionate way, also helping to reduce postpartum mood disorders.

Here is a quick 15 minute postpartum yoga workout.

Kelly is completing certification in prenatal and postpartum yoga and will be posting videos on our YouTube for free viewing here.

Breastfeeding Benefits and Resources

Breastfeeding is recommended by the World Health Organization for children exclusively during the first six months and up to age 2 in order to promote immune development, brain development and prevent obesity and diabetes later in life. Breastfeeding is very demanding on birthing persons and may not be right for everyone's mental health. Use the resources below to see if it may be right for you and your baby.

Benefits of Colostrum

Colostrum is a thick yellow early milk that is produced starting around 20 weeks. It provides baby with their first dose of antibodies to fight off infections and all of the nutrients that they need in the early days of life before the birthing person's milk comes in, typically within 3-5 days after birth.

Allowing Babies to Self-Latch for Successful Breastfeeding

Our babies are born with an innate ability to find their way to the breast and begin breastfeeding. With good intentions, some nurses may try to force the baby to latch soon after birth to begin establishing breastfeeding, but research shows this is not necessary and may interfere with the breastfeeding success for mother and baby.

Click here to watch a video illustrating what's known as the breast crawl, which shows a newborn making their way to the breast on their own after birth.

The Benefits of Breastfeeding, Positions and Resources

This article includes many of the resources that I recommend to my clients for breastfeeding support and will help to review the benefits of breastfeeding.

Remember, fed is best. While breastfeeding has tremendous benefits to mother and baby it is a physically and emotionally demanding process which may not resonate with some families. We are here to support you, no matter your choices.

Infant Stomach Size

One of the big concerns for new parents is if they will be able to produce enough milk for their babies. The human body is truly amazing, and is designed to produce what our babies need based on supply and demand. As the infant nurses more, the body will produce more milk to provide what they're asking for.

A newborn's stomach is the size of a marble, and in the early days they need only one ounce per day of colostrum. As they grow, they will drink up to 4-5oz per feeding.

Breast Pumps

Breast pumps are used to collect breast milk, typically for feeding when the lactating parent is away, or as an aid to help them rest when the newborn needs to be fed. The most effective way to establish milk supply is for the newborn to nurse as they will pull more milk from the breast more efficiently than a pump, but a pump is a valuable tool.

Breast pumps can be acquired free of charge through insurance. Aeroflow is a great resource, linked here.

Nursing Carts

Another incredibly beneficial tool when breastfeeding is a small mobile cart where you can store your pump, snacks, water, diapers, burp rags and a cooler with an ice pack to store pumped milk to prevent having to get up and store it in the fridge after each pumping session, especially at night. Breast milk can be stored in a cooler with an ice pack for up to 12 hours, depending on the insulation in the cooler.

Here is a link to a mobile cart.

Donor Milk

Many hospitals have access to donor milk that has been tested for various diseases and medications and pasteurized for use. This can be a great resource for families who want to supplement with breast milk, but can be quite expensive, and pasturization can kill off some of the beneficial bacteria.

Human Milk 4 Human Babies is a facebook group of local mothers providing oversupply of breast milk free of charge. This milk has not been tested or pasteurized, so use at your own risk.

Breastfeeding Vs Formula

While research says breastfeeding is the preferred way to feed a baby and has many health benefits for mothers and babies alike, formula provides balanced nutrition and is convenient, but may come with side effects.

Formula Resources

Maybe you desire to return to work early or found that breastfeeding was too demanding for you physically and emotionally. Even if you breastfeed for one feeding, one week, one month, or one feeding per day, your baby has still gotten and will continue to receive benefits from breastfeeding. Or, maybe you choose to not breastfeed and that's okay too! It's our story, our bodies and our babies and there is no one size fits all approach.

Formula Ingredients

What is formula? Human breast milk is individually tailored to each baby and is changing constantly due to the communication between the baby's saliva and the mother's areola. Formula is designed to as closely replicate breast milk as possible to help babies grow and thrive.

Finding Quality Formula

Much of the formulas produced in the United States contain sugars, corn syrups and hormones that are outlawed in other countries, and many parents find their infants are also lactose intolerant which can lead to colicky, fussy babies.

Through countless hours of research, I found Formuland, a UK-based company who provides quality formulas to families, and the ability to try cans and return them if they do not work for your baby.

Even during the formula shortage, acquiring formula was seamless.

Please contact us today with any questions regarding any of these topics, or more that you would like to learn about!

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