Doula Wisdom Blog

Humans have been breastfeeding for millennia but for many people, it doesn’t come easily. Some research has shown that only one in three mothers are meeting their breastfeeding goals. Too many women find themselves struggling and end up weaning their babies sooner than they had hoped to.

So how come something that is natural, doesn’t come easily?

Today many people enter motherhood without havin...

This may come as a surprise to you but you’re most likely wearing the wrong size bra! Due to outdated measurement techniques, up to 80% of women are walking around with ill-fitting bras.

Back in the 1930’s, bra sizes only went up to a D cup (and that was considered BIG). Now cup size measurements can go as high as N (which is equivalent to a British JJ). There tends to be a big variation between...

Even though your mother or grandmother probably birthed in a hospital, did you know there are other options of where you can give birth?

Where you choose to give birth will have a big impact on your experience so it’s important to make an informed choice. Labour is usually shorter and flows more smoothly when women feel safe and undisturbed. The best environment for labour is private, warm, dark ...

Pregnancy and new parenthood is a time of huge transition and massive adjustments. No one comes out ‘the other side’ unchanged. The unusual thing is, is that people want this adjustment to be ‘quick’ and there’s a weird phenomenon of wanting to ‘bounce back’ and ‘get on with things’ much sooner than anyone is ready.

This goes for the new mother and also the people around her. Society as a whole g...

Welcome to the final part of 'The birth alphabet' series! Today you can learn more about umbilical cords, vernix, water birth and pregnancy yoga. Did you know your baby might be covered in a creamy white substance when it's born? Do you know why it's good to wait to cut the cord? Are you aware of the benefits of practicing yoga in pregnancy and birthing in water?

What is the umbilical cord?

Duri...

It’s VERY natural to seek pleasure and avoid pain. In everyday life, feeling pain is a signal that something needs to change. In fact, it’s essential to our survival to fix a pain that is life-threatening.

HOWEVER… in normal labour, strong sensations are to be expected and don’t necessarily need to be ‘fixed’ or numbed.

Many people hope to have a natural birth and there are many advantages to c...

This week we continue with the birth alphabet (Q-R-S-T) to help you feel more knowledgeable about what questions to ask during birth, why rainbow babies are so special, how swaddling can soothe your baby and why the TENS machine is a great option for pain relief.

Q is for Question Asking

There are a lot of decisions to make during pregnancy, birth and into postpartum. Knowing what your options a...

There are a many options for who can help you through pregnancy, birth and beyond.

Why would you consider hiring a midwife?

Many healthy women choose to have a midwife support them during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal time.

Midwives are specialists in natural birth. They understand what helps birth flow more easily and can also diagnose if something isn’t progressing normally and can int...

If you’re pregnant, you have probably thought a lot about the birth of your little one. But what about postpartum, the time after your baby arrives?

Hopefully you realise that planning your postpartum is just as important as planning your birth.

Some postpartum professionals say that the transformation a woman needs to make to become a mother is actually more intense than birthing her baby.

Th...

Many babies develop jaundice in the early days after birth. It is caused by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. A baby with jaundice develops a yellow tinge to their their skin or eyes.

In newborns, jaundice will most likely clear up on its own with regular feeds (every 2-3 hours). If your baby seems extra tired, isn’t feeding well or develops a fever please call your doctor or midwife.

Treat...