Mother | Denton Birth Photography
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Beautiful Boy | Denton Birth Photography
Last night I was there as this couple welcomed their fourth baby into the world. The smiles on their faces say it all!
The journey to bring this little boy into the world was so neat to witness - I was honored to be there.
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Breastfeeding – Tongue Tie
The above link is an excellent PDF showing the various types of tongue ties (including the maxillary frenulum, which most of my children had/have!) and explains how these issues can impact breastfeeding. While diagnosing a tongue tie is outside my scope as a doula, it's something I've learned about in the Managing Breastfeeding Complications course and through personal experience - our fourth child had significant nursing issues. A lactation consultant and pediatrician both checked her and determined she had the maxillary frenulum but not the tongue tie. Her latching issues cause both of us a great deal of stress & tears (and caused me a lot of pain, bleeding, and recurring mastitis!) Tongue ties can be clipped (or lasered) and in most cases moms report an almost immediate difference in how nursing feels - the baby is able to latch better, drain the breast more effectively, and fill up their tummy! A doctor can help determine if treatment is necessary or not depending on the severity of the tie and the baby's nursing ability.
As a doula it's important that we be aware of potential nursing complications such as this so we can help connect parents to help. I have a resource list to include local lactation consultants and pediatricians who can diagnose and treat issues like tongue tie. Viewing the PDF above can also help us know better when we need to make those referrals!
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Someone Needs Her Momma
I have a sick little one and this morning has been full of doctor visits and labs and much weeping and wailing. That's why things have been (and will be) quite for a bit as I get this little one snuggled and prep my home for my absence - I've got six births in six weeks! Woo-hoo! 🙂 In the meantime if you've not been there yet come say hi on my Facebook page where I share doula and photography stuff. And you have checked out my Pinterest Boards, right? There are tons of ideas there for you pregnant ladies and for you doulas! Between now and the end of May I'll be getting in lots of practice with my new camera so there will be sweet newborn photos coming soon. Now, back to snuggling my littlest cutie.
Maternity, Birth, & Newborn Photography | Denton Birth Photography
(Please forgive the wonky formatting - I was typing and discovered my one year old had bathed herself in syrup so I was otherwise distracted and I'm leaving it alone so as to not further leave this wild one unsupervised.) 🙂
My sister had taken my maternity photos in my preemie pregnancy, coming to my home where I was on bedrest - shortly after these photos were taken (me laying in bed) I was admitted to the hospital and our son arrived less than three days later. Then during our time in the NICU and immediately after our son came home my sister was there capturing the moments for us: Continue reading
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Dad’s Pre-Baby To Do List
In the last month of pregnancy your wife may be nesting, which can manifest itself in a variety of ways. She may be sorting and organizing the nursery, cleaning random things, or tackling any number of projects that may or may not make any sense to you at all. (My nesting including scrubbing the top of the fridge while standing on a barstool at nine months pregnant.)
It's best at this stage of the game to just roll with it, and try to make sure your wife isn't doing anything potentially dangerous (like balancing precariously on a barstool when her equilibrium is off!) Jump in whenever possible and tackle the heavier tasks or anything involving heights - my husband made me promise I would wait until he got home from work so he could dust all of the ceiling fans himself, something I suddenly decided was crucial before I gave birth even though we were having a winter baby and the fans weren't going to be used anytime soon. But still, I needed the fans dusted! (Nesting is not always rational.)
The primary goal is to make sure your wife doesn't overtax herself physically, while also helping her accomplish the tasks that make her feel better prepared for the birth. Here are some tips from Kit and me to assist in these goals: Continue reading
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Tips For New Dads From a Father of Six
So you're going to be a father!
Here's a quick primer of tips and tricks for new dads.
day zero
Today was an amazing day. Your beautiful wife just delivered your baby! It was incredible. She was incredible. And while mom's resting take a good look at the little bundle of joy you're holding in your arms. So helpless. So fragile. So completely dependent. And you're the primary caregiver for this new life. Soak that in. Has it struck you yet? Don't worry. It will.
Probably around the time you're buckling your new baby in the car seat. Your wife will be ready to go, but she's tired. You're going to have to carry your baby out to the car, get them all secured, and drive your new, larger family home. And get this: nobody will be racing out from the building to stop you. Nobody will follow you home to make sure you arrive safely. They're actually going to trust you with a baby. You. There it is. Now you're getting it.
So what now? Continue reading
Interview Questions – What to Ask Potential Doulas
I'm now on the receiving end of questions during a consultation, but I also interviewed doulas when we hired someone for our fifth birth. You may be wondering what questions you should even ask a doula, and unsure of what matters most. First, google your doula! Check out their profiles on the various doula sites, read through their website and Facebook page, and see what you can learn about their philosophy of birth, reviews from other clients, etc. Sometimes you can even see their availability with online calendars. (Warning - those may not be accurate, sometimes I forget to update my calendars on the various sites so it's worth contacting the doula to check!) Then when you find some doulas you're interested in working with give them a call or email to ask more. Before you even set up the consultation it's good to talk with the doula over the phone to cover some basics: Continue reading
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Postpartum Depression
When we hear "depression" we often assume that means lethargic, apathetic, tired, and detached. In reality postpartum depression can manifest itself in a variety of ways - aggression, irritability, anger, confusion, etc. This can be directed towards a spouse, the baby, older children, or the mom herself. Postpartum depression is a very REAL problem, and one that needs to be addressed for the benefit of the entire family.
This is the Edinburgh Scale to assess postpartum depression. Please discuss this with your partner, care provider, and doula - Edinburgh Scale
This is the Postpartum Promise, another way that moms can let their care team know in advance that she's aware of PPD and would like their help in assessing her after birth - PPD Promise
In addition to postpartum depression there are other mood disorders - the less severe "baby blues", postpartum anxiety, and the very serious postpartum psychosis. Every mother should be screened during her pregnancy for a history of depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns. Care providers should also be checking on moms during postpartum visits, but often an OB doesn't seem a mom again until six weeks after the birth. (Midwives generally see the mom sooner - 3 days, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks postpartum.) Partners must be aware of these concerns as they are the closest to mom and will be the first to notice something is amiss. This is an important discussion to start DURING pregnancy - I include questions in my intake paperwork and ask about it further during prenatal visits, then follow up in postpartum visits. As a mom who experienced severe postpartum depression I want to ensure that no mom feels alone in this struggle. As doulas it's important that we also be checking on moms to make sure they receive the care they need.
Here are two excellent books to learn more about it.
This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression
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Reflections on my Work
*****TRIGGER WARNING***** This post references violence so if you're a survivor of violence or a mom gestating in peace (GIP!) then please proceed with caution.
This morning I had an early prenatal visit and I woke up late due to self entertaining kids being strangely quiet and not waking me up earlier. 🙂 I hit the ground running and was out the door in minutes (and I only forgot one thing, go me!) But as I was doing the super speed shower and brushing my teeth it made me reflect on some of my prior work. Continue reading
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