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While every family needs a support system, we also have seen too often that parents wait until collapse to reach out.
Did you know that partners of birthing people are as vulnerable if not more so to mood disorders?
Or that sleep deprivation can trigger bi-polar illness?
Mental health is just one of the many recovery journeys we’ve walked with families. We’ve cared for parents for whom the stress of early parenting triggered inflammatory conditions and pulled them out of remission and we’ve taken urgent calls for parents who have health concerns unrelated to the stress of early parenting but whose ill-timed chronic or acute health conditions left them unable to be an active partner in their mate’s postpartum recovery.
Annie Lamott once said “The whole system works because we’re not all falling apart at the same time.”
If you’ve been in partnership long enough, you learn that you will be falling apart at the same time as a couple but that’s why there is more than our small family units to get us by!
Recognize that this time is going to put a strain on everyone, even as it is joyful, and be compassionate about your needs and challenges as they arise, and they will.
Mom’s need support AND so do their support systems, including their primary partner! Too often the primary caregiver’s support (i.e. dad) does not have support in place for them during this critical time of transition. Non-birthing partners have a different mix of neuro-chemicals flowing, and less of an oxytocin buffer from the stress response as the birthing parent. This can cause the normal stressors of family life to feel too much, and the challenges become unmanageable. Recovery from normal stress levels is more difficult and dis-ease can build up- physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically.
Thanks to the science telling of the resiliency of the brain and body, we can set ourselves up for wellbeing or course correct and recover from accumulated stressors that the journey into parenting can bring. The experience becoming and making our way as new parents offers you the opportunity to:
STEP 1: Connect with yourself and your felt experience
Get curious about your direct experience and what you are wanting to create. As challenging as it may be to take space from the daily needs of everyone else, you get permission to feel through what you are actually experiencing. This is important for both partners in a family unit to practice independent of one another. You can leverage other close friends or family, professional therapists or practitioners, mindfulness coaches or embodiment practices that promote quiet space to “just be”. This can take 5 minutes in your day to build a habit of connecting with yourself.
STEP 2: Connect with each other
Partners are a team. Teams communicate for everyone to optimize in their role and feel seen, heard and valued. As both partners grow aware of their individual thoughts, feelings and experiences (step 1) then both can practice giving space (think date night when the baby naps!) to share and be present with one another’s felt experience (steps 2). Even if it is a 20 second hug, research shows the benefits of decreased cortisol (stress hormone) and increased oxytocin (love hormone) levels both parties experience.
STEP 3: Recruit support where you need it
This is where your non-judgemental village comes in. Extended family, local community and trusted resources are all helpful for families not feeling alone in their experience learning all the things in this new, exciting time. Doulas are your outsourced village of support when other resources are unable or unavailable to fill your needs. We skillfully fill the gap in maternal and infant care space, identifying and meeting the right need at the right time for the primary parent, and all they care for- including the partner and relationship root of the household.
Birthways has been supporting families for 3 decades, and we are a resource for all the nuances of your care needs. We are flexible in meeting you if planning ahead or with more urgent care needs and deliver a wonderful care experience time and again. Our goal is for you to feel valued, empowered and supported wherever you are on your parenting journey. If you are heading into or in the weeds of the entire first year of parenthood, we look forward to getting to know you and your family. It is an honor to hold space and provide resource for right where you are during this important time.
Schedule a best day and time to connect about your care needs today!
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Who are they and what do they do?
In ancient Greek the word Doula is translated as “servant to women”, interpreted as “mothering the mother” in modern culture. A doula is a non medical professional who has a calling to support mothers and families before, during and the year after birth in all birth and postpartum circumstances. Training and certification is encouraged, but not mandatory. Some are specialists in other areas i.e infant care specialists, sleep consultants, midwives, trauma informed practitioners, mindfulness coaches, etc. Doulas provide practical and emotional support for the full spectrum of the transition to parenting. This includes support for the mind-body experience of the primary parent and their relationship with their partner, birth team, postpartum village, newborn baby and entire household.
Clients that love them are …?
Looking for a calming knowledgeable presence, “an advocate”, and an extra layer of support for their physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual needs into and through early parenthood. Doulas are appreciated for their flexible, non-judgemental, compassionate and informed approach. They empower and resource the individual client experience and hold space as they walk beside their clients navigating this major life transition.
Who are they and what do they do?
They are a licensed healthcare professional who provides medical care to pregnant women, assists in childbirth and offers postpartum health care for female bodies. A CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) or CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife) offers an alternative approach or tools to support women’s health than an Obstetrician, who is a trained surgeon and supports a high-risk midwifery patient.
Clients that love them are …?
Typically looking for an alternative to the western medical model of physiological birth. Many midwifery patients experience more personal attention at regular visits, and are not just treated as a number in a system.
Who are they and what do they do?
They are providers who support newborns overnight, allowing parents to rest and recover from birth. Some have experience as certified nurses, doulas or infant care specialists. They specialize in caring for newborns and infants’ needs, assisting with sleep training, feeding routines and other newborn care tasks.
Clients that love them are …?
Looking for sleep short term after the baby is born. These clients are looking for a trusted professional who can offer them expertise and immediate relief from their concerns about sleep.
Who are they and what do they do?
Part time or full time, regular, long-term childcare providers who help to raise and care for a child or children in a home. Varying in experience and training, they are responsible for feeding, entertaining and supervising children and supporting with light household related tasks as it relates to the children.
Clients that love them are …?
Grateful for the additional hired and trusted support raising their child(ren).
It takes a village and every family’s needs are different as this transition into parenthood looks all different ways. The role of the doula includes the scope of the nanny and night nurse plus an incredible amount more! Birthways Doulas have the training, certification and professional mentorship within our community to provide wonderful support for the primary caregiver (aka mom) and the entire household.
Connect with us to learn about the Birthways care experience, rooted in evidence based, holistic and a mindfulness based approach to care!
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]]>The post The Science of Hormones in Labor and Postpartum appeared first on Birthways, Inc. Chicago Doula Services.
]]>The key hormones responsible for facilitating childbirth and postpartum recovery, lactation, and even influencing our parenting behaviors include oxytocin, prostaglandins, relaxin and endorphins. Here’s a window into what each of these neurotransmitters, how they function and practical ways to make them work to your advantage as a birthing person or new parent to naturally stimulate the production of them:
Oxytocin is referred to as the “love hormone”. It is crucial for initiating and sustaining labor. It stimulates uterine contractions, helping to dilate the cervix and bring the baby down and through. During labor, oxytocin is released in waves, increasing the strength and frequency of contractions. We want to build this up in the body!
After childbirth, oxytocin continues to be important. It helps contract the uterus to prevent excess bleeding and aids in the delivery of the placenta. Many hospitals will offer to administer pitocin, a form of synthetic oxytocin, to support this process. Additionally, oxytocin promotes bonding between the mother and baby. It also stimulates milk ejection during breastfeeding.
Prostaglandins are lipid compounds that have a hormone-like effect. They are involved in ripening (softening and thinning) of the cervix in preparing for the early stage of labor. They also enhance uterine contractions.
They continue to support uterine contractions after delivery, helping the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and reduce postpartum bleeding.
Role in Labor
Relaxin is produced by the ovaries and placenta during pregnancy. It helps to relax the ligaments in the pelvis and soften and widen the cervix in preparation for childbirth. This increases the flexibility of the birth canal, facilitating labor and delivery.
Postpartum, relaxin levels gradually decrease, which helps the body’s ligaments and joints return to their pre-pregnancy state.
Endorphins are natural pain-relieving hormones produced by the body in response to stress and pain. During labor, high levels of endorphins can help manage the pain and stress of childbirth, creating a sense of well-being even as labor intensifies.
One approach to making pharmaceutical pain management decisions is to wait at least 30 minutes before making a decision or concluding that it’s more than you can handle. Generally endorphins kick in AFTER labor ramps up, and following the initial internal resistance we may feel to the new level of sensation.
Postpartum, endorphins continue to help manage pain and promote a sense of well-being. They also play a role in the emotional bonding process between you and baby. Sometimes, however, because we have a high level of production in pregnancy and birth, it can feel as if our pain thresholds are diminished in the postpartum recovery period. Be kind to yourself and don’t hesitate to take steps to manage pain, including prescribed or over-the-counter pain medications suggested by your doctor or midwife.
What feels best and good to you in your body? That’s what our doulas want to know so that we can help facilitate a productive hormone-rich environment for a healthy, happy pregnancy, birth, baby and family during this special time! At Birthways we are here for you and the diverse needs of the families we serve, supporting comfort and ease. It is that simple.
If you want to get started today discussing what tailored support can look like for your needs, please schedule a free initial consultation with our team!
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We can plan some of our life milestones, our careers, our homes, our families. Sometimes we anticipate where we’ll need support. A mentor or coach. A moving company. A realtor or a contractor.
We know when we’re pregnant that we’ll need a midwife or doctor to provide care, and we have learned how important a labor doula can be. We know to sign up for birth classes.
When it comes to the postpartum time and early parenting, which for many of us feels like the most important milestone in our lives, we often underestimate our own needs along the way or just don’t know where to begin.
For nearly 3 decades, Birthways has been supporting families as they prepare for pregnancy, birth and the first year of parenting.
Here are the top questions expectant parents want to know:
We hear this question A LOT! It is true, we do not know what we don’t know yet. Through our thorough intake, matching and scheduling processes our care coordination team works with you to align care that best fits your needs. Whether you are electing for Birthways childbirth classes or private education, labor support or postpartum doula care and lactation support, our entire administrative team is in touch step by step before your baby is born and throughout your entire postpartum care journey, ensuring you are having a wonderful care experience. We provide services for the full year around childbirth.
Sign up to book a free initial 1:1 conversation with one of our intake specialists and/or complete the Care Request Form.
We look forward to learning more about your care needs and supporting you throughout this important time!
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What we know if true from the data:
What Birthways does to support mothers and partners:
Birthways has been the leading specialist in supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of parents, with psychologists involved in our model of care from day 1. Our team is trained to recognize, to respond and to make referrals, but also, to provide the emotional and practical support that reduces stress, fatigue, and calms our overactive minds as well as our tired bodies.
In our experience, the ‘hits’ against our mental health are cumulative. A night up with our fussy babies changes our brain chemistry, and impacts our thinking. Pain from our cesarean incision adds to our body and mind’s stress load. Our negativity bias kicks in. “I’m not good at this” is a thought that starts to color our day. Maybe we start to reflect on the feelings that surfaced during the long hours of labor, and the helplessness we felt when things didn’t go as we planned. Diminished coping leads to diminished positive moments with our babies and with our partners.
A postpartum doula can be a support by providing overnight care, addressing the root of fatigue and supporting restorative sleep. During the day, affirmative guidance from an expert experienced with newborn ways of communicating, can help a new parent to understand fussy baby behaviors, depersonalizing the fussiness and either getting to the root of it, or normalizing what can be expected of newborn behaviors. Breakfast and nutritious snacks throughout the day prepared by the doula ensures that no parent gets so off balance nutritionally that it exacerbates mood and hormonal imbalances. Our care strategies and our skilled listening provides relief from discomforts and support with pain management, as well as offer a compassionate space where families can begin to make sense of the birth, early steps towards the healing and self-acceptance that many parents may need after unexpected complications. Having an experienced and compassionate guide, as well as a practical set of hands to help new parents conserve their energy and resources, means that folding laundry doesn’t consume the time that could be spent napping. It means more space for observing and valuing all the emotions of this time. It means more physical rest and recovery. It means less power to the internal narratives that erode our confidence and mental well-being.
This is just a snapshot of how a day with a doula supports emotional wellbeing and can prevent or lessen the impacts of perinatal mood disorders. We don’t replace the care of a trained mental health professional or appropriate treatment. But the doula can play a key role in supporting our wellbeing in a particular way.
98% of our clients report that their doula had a positive or significantly positive impact on their confidence and emotional wellbeing.
As a doula organization of 27 years, we are in service to both the primary parent and the entire family unit for both practical, emotional and mental health needs. We have been a trusted referral from perinatal mental health specialists, doctors, midwives, and have worked collaboratively with mental health experts. We currently work with our clients in a whole-person model within a HIPAA-compliant practice platform, so that all our clients have their personal information secured, and we can be collaborators as appropriate.
Birthways recognizes the gravity of this time and values all parts of your experience. There is no one right way and no wrong way. There is only the way you are moving through your parenting journey. Our community is here for you if you or someone you know is in need of additional layers of support for well-being.
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]]>The post Doulas are the Difference! appeared first on Birthways, Inc. Chicago Doula Services.
]]>The word ‘doula’ in Ancient Greek means ‘servant to women.’ In modern culture, we interpret that as ‘mothering the mother.’ A doula is a non-medical professional who supports women and families throughout the rite of passage into and through early parenthood.
At Birthways, we define doula care as ‘filling the gap in maternal and infant care. The skill of the doula is in meeting the right need at the right time.’ Our doulas provide continuous support to hopeful, expectant, birthing, and parenting people as they navigate the twists and turns, joys and challenges, hopes and realities throughout this exciting time of change.
Doulas share knowledge and bring non-judgmental, continuous care to the entire family unit by supporting practical needs of the body, home, partnership, siblings and baby. Doulas also hold space for, and resource the more subtle emotional and mental overwhelm that this transition into parenthood often brings.
As a premier doula agency in the Chicago area, Birthways has a unique evidence-based model of care with deep roots in mindfulness and relationship-centered caregiving, supporting the entire transition into parenthood. Our Founder is committed to building models that improve systems for greater equity and access to care that supports both the caregiver and careseeker.
Our village-like approach offers tailored options to meet families’ various needs, including but not limited to group and private childbirth education, prenatal and birth support, daytime and overnight postpartum doula care, and lactation services.
We hire employees, not just contractors, who are not only fully vetted, but also committed to the professional and holistic approach to care which has been our standard since 1997. We believe in supporting our caregivers who support our families, offering them employee benefits, full training and on-boarding experience, scholarship for the first mindfulness based First Year Specialist Postpartum Doula training and certification program, in house 1:1 and group mentorship, community events and ongoing educational opportunities.
In a recent study, Birthways surveyed over 100 care seekers. The themes show the importance of having care.
Our Birthways doulas and community partners specialize in areas to support physical, mental, emotional and energetic well-being. Historically through today, we have doulas on staff who are also nurses, sleep consultants, massage therapists, reiki practitioners, midwives, trauma informed providers, mindfulness coaches and meditation teachers etc. We are often working in community with one another to ensure families are receiving the best care for their individual needs. We also have an entire team of IBCLC’s (International Board Certified Lactation Consultants) on staff who team with our doulas to ensure consistency and quality of care for the feeding journey.
At Birthways, we believe there is no one way to conceive, birth, welcome or raise a baby- except the way each family uniquely experiences it! It is an honor to be a part of a family’s journey into parenthood!
It is normal to not know what we don’t know, and many families contact Birthways unsure when to hire a doula. The truth is that families come to us when exploring care options prior to conception, at the end of the first trimester, throughout the second trimester, days and weeks before their estimated due date and with urgent needs postpartum. We recommend booking care by 27 weeks so we can align families with the best provider.
We want families to feel like they have the best care for all of their needs.
We had a wonderful experience working with Sonrisa as our postpartum doula. She was reliable, trustworthy, kind, patient, flexible, and knowledgeable. It was so helpful having someone with experience to ask questions and learn about how to care for an infant. She has a warm & gentle presence which is perfect for the tender and vulnerable first months of being with a new baby. I highly recommend Birthways and Sonrisa! -Nicole T.
If you are looking for a doula, Birthways is the best choice! We had our first son in September 2023 and the experience we had with our doula pair (Megan and Brit) was absolutely incredible. My husband and I would have been lost without these two! They were super responsive prior to labor and still help out even after our service ended! During labor, there wasn’t a moment that they left my side, and my labor was very long! They helped ensure I was taken care of when we were at the hospital when there was confusion or I started to get anxious. Also, they are so knowledgeable about labor and ways to get baby into the right position to move things along! Logistically, they could not have been better and truly exceeded all expectations, but they also were just such wonderful people. My husband and I were so grateful we decided to go with Birthways as it truly made our experience incredible and empowering!! Thank you Megan and Brit! We will certainly be coming back for baby #2!
Not only were our doulas fantastic, but the other staff were amazing as well! Trying to get this claim submitted through insurance was challenging given they kept coming back with different things they needed. The team has been troopers collecting everything I needed and staying on top of things so that I could get this submitted! Thank you both! – Chelsea C.
As evidence shows and a growing number of families in Chicago and globally experience, Doulas really do make the difference in well-being for the diverse needs of mothers and families in all circumstances. We at Birthways, along with the families we support, are so grateful for the entire team of skillful, dedicated doula providers we work with!
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And yes! Birthways has you covered! We would love to get you introduced to a qualifying provider.
To get started, sign up for a 1:1 with Birthways’ intake specialist, and complete the Care Request Form. We have a place within the form where you can specify that you will be using Carrot or other benefits. You may have more than one payer. We’ll work with you to optimize your benefits.
Once we have gotten to know you and your care needs, we match you with a doula to interview and take care of the documentation you’ll need for reimbursement.
Birthways’ care model is rooted in mindfulness, non-judgement, and compassion. We would love to support you throughout your birthing and parenting journey!
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]]>The post How to Get a Good Latch While Breastfeeding appeared first on Birthways, Inc. Chicago Doula Services.
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I feel like I have to wait for my baby to cry before I try to latch, what can I do?
This is a common question! We have learned a lot of exciting things about the reflexive and learned behaviors of newborns. In response to this new research, even lactation consultants have changed the way we support baby’s latch.
Breast Health During Lactation Course
Ten years ago: We may have been quicker to ‘stuff’ the breast into the mouth, even tug on chins to pull mouths more open. We understood that babies needed to open wide, but we didn’t understand the importance of EVERYTHING leading up to the moment of latching and into feeding.
Today: We now know that effective feeding ‘involves the toes to the nose’ and that your baby is designed to go through a sequence of events that ends in a satisfied feeding.
One of the amazing things we have learned more about is the breast-crawl:
What we see happening in these feeds is:
Swaddling and feeding?
If a swaddled infant is placed near mom’s nipple, none of these steps can occur because baby’s hands and feet are wrapped inside. Your baby may or may not latch productively.
We may think it’s helpful when the nurse at the hospital grabs your baby and your breast and then pushes the breast into the open mouth. In reality, it’s the PROCESS that your baby needs, especially early on.
I suggest observing your baby. Watch them do their ‘baby thing’. Let your newborn decide when to latch rather than feeling like you’ve got to find that right moment to “put” your breast in their mouth, or “pull” them closer to you.
Always go for the earliest feeding cues: lip smacking, tongue motions, hands up at their mouth, head turning to side as though looking for something (they are!), sucking. Try not to wait for later cues such as crying. Babies lose their ability to organize if they progress to crying. It’s ok—we can’t always get to them so quickly! Just soothe them and then try for nursing.
You don’t always need to lie back to feed, but this position allows for the best unfolding of baby’s reflexive behaviors. It can be a helpful position to encourage a baby to open wide, almost like a resetting of this movement into nursing. When we listen to babies, we find we can become more flexible. You can explore different positions such as “cradle”, “football” or “sidelying”. Your comfort and baby’s behavior will tell you how it’s working!
Suzanne Colson researched and introduced this approach of Laid-Back breastfeeding:
Another great video showing the approach into getting back onto mom:
Your baby learns to run by first learning to walk; to walk by first crawling; to crawl by first learning to roll over, sit up, then pull themselves up. Nursing is learned through movement in their little bodies and lays the foundation for all the movements to come. A sound foundation for healthy development—neurological and physical—is laid in these early feeding relationships.
It is recommended that you see a Lactation Consultant if:
A Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) has the expertise to support and investigate underlying causes to ensure successful breastfeeding and ongoing oral development. Other lactation professionals and health care providers will be able to offer advice/support, and an IBCLC can collaborate with your health care team. This information does not replace the advice of your Lactation Consultant or other health care providers.
Birthways’ IBCLCs offer Warmline phone support, home and telehealth consultations available to support mothers breastfeeding, pumping, combination feeding, through weaning.
Ready to talk with an IBCLC? Book a 30-minute Warmline call (for just $35) through our LactationNOW services.
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]]>A good night’s sleep may feel like it’s a long way away when you bring home your new baby. Your overnight doula can help with feedings,help your baby resettle and meet any physical needs such as diaper changes. She is skilled with a “fussy baby.” She can help establish an effective bedtime routine and organize the nursery to optimize your infant’s sleep environment. She can observe your baby’s sleep cues and patterns and work with you to develop solutions designed to make the most of your baby’s rhythms.
Are you sorting out sleep theories—do you Ferberize or are you an attachment parent? A trained doula will work with you to support your philosophy.
A lack of sleep can also contribute to baby blues and postpartum depression.
AND a good night’s rest means that new parents can have some quality time together!
For those first few months, your baby will need to be regularly fed day and night. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, your overnight doula can help by bringing your baby to you. After your baby has been fed, she can soothe and settle them so you can relax and get right back to sleep. If you’re pumping, she can feed the baby while you pump. She can take care of storing the pumped milk, cleaning and sanitizing pump parts, and bottles, so you can pump and then get back to sleep more quickly. And if you’re formula-feeding, she will follow your preferences about preparing bottles, feedingyour baby and sterilizing bottles.
Questions about how feeding is going? Ask your doula! She can provide evidence-based education, guidance and support. She can also point you in the right direction if you need more expert care such as a lactation visit from a Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).
A postpartum doula is also there to “mother the mother” and she can provide expert support during your recovery. Your body is recovering from the experience of birth and hormones are fluctuating. If you’ve had a c-section, there will be more restrictions about what you can do in the first few weeks. Your doula will be a research-based resource and a stable presence in your home while you recover. She is tuned in to the physical and emotional changes of the postpartum time. She can assist with feeds to help prevent discomfort, help you get the rest you need to heal, perform household tasks that won’t wake you or your baby, have breakfast ready for you in the morning and be a listening ear and a resource for processing your birth experience.
Calming middle of the night nerves that come up at 2am, answering questions and knowing you can relax because your overnight doula is there to help.
The baby blues can affect up to 80% of new moms within the first two weeks following the birth. Your overnight doula can help you get a good night’s rest knowing that your baby is being cared for by an expert. She can be a trusted source to talk with about how you are feeling. She can also help with referrals if you think you may be experiencing a postpartum mood disorder.
Your doula can fold laundry, sterilize and prepare bottles and pump parts,pack the diaper bag, address birth announcements…anything that doesn’t make too much noise! And she can get you breakfast in the morning to start your day with feeling nourished.
Complications from birth, a preterm or ill baby returning home from the NICU, twins, triplets…your doula is a skilled provider and a valuable resource for you and your little one(s).
Your overnight postpartum doula cantruly be a blessing during your back-to-work transition. She can answer questions about pumping and milk storage, prep the baby’s bag for daycare, take care of light housework and make sure you get a good night’s sleep. You’ll feel rested and be ready to be productive from your first day back at work.
If you are a single parent or your partner travels frequently, or you don’t have any family in the area, an overnight doula can be that expert and friendly extra set of hands.
Here at Birthways Chicago, we are “postpartum doulas” who provide any of the services that a night nurse, newborn nanny, baby nurse or newborn specialist provides but our training, depth of experience and expertise is much more expansive. Whatever our clients might call us, we are their invaluable support with the adjustment that a new baby brings to their lives!
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]]>The post 2023 Women To Watch – Karen Laing: The Caregiving Changemaker appeared first on Birthways, Inc. Chicago Doula Services.
]]>“Mindfulness roots me and informs all of the work I’ve done, from bringing babies into the world as a home-birth midwife to being with people in their homes at the end of life,” she says…Read Full Article
By Jessica Steinhoff | Photography by Hillary Schave
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