Posts tagged hospital birth
Cesarean Birth Awareness
Cesarean Birth Awareness

Whenever we talk about cesarean birth, you'll find a common theme in our language: Cesarean birth is birth. We believe this value is important to acknowledge in order to promote and protect the dignity and respect of each and every person who experiences a cesarean birth, whether elective, emergency, or anything otherwise. We envision a world where birth institutions honor informed choice, birth values, and promoting gentle, family-centered cesarean births. Read along with us as we delve deeper into cesarean awareness & share beautiful images of belly births!

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Preparing for BirthShay Gabrielcesarean birth plan, cesarean birth, cesarean awareness, cesarean, c-section, cesarean birth photography, belly birth, Birth Photography, birth doula, grand rapids birth doula, grand rapids birth, grand rapids birth photography, Grand Rapids Birth Photographer, doula love, birth rights, informational support, informed consent, informed choice, childbirth education, childbirth, gentle birth, gentle cesarean, hospital birth Comment
Hello, Labor Hormones! How Can I Help You?
Hello, Labor Hormones! How Can I Help You?

Did you know that you have the power to influence your hormones and to help them better serve you and baby in childbirth? Yes, we can impact the flow of hormones throughout labor, and in such a way that helps us labor more gently and with manageable pain. So let’s talk about which hormones we want to boost, which we want to minimize, and how!

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Preparing for BirthShay GabrielSprout and Blossom Birthhormones, birth, birth prep, labor, labor prep, labor hormones, childbirth, childbirth hormones, oxytocin, endorphins, adrenaline, prolactin, breastfeeding, physiologic birth, natural birth, homebirth, hospital birth, doula care, doula support, doula love, birth doula, birth plan, birth preferences, birth values, birth wishes, mind, body, mindfulness, mindful birth Comment
Brianna's Birth Story: The Birth of a Mother and Doula
Brianna's Birth Story: The Birth of a Mother and Doula

To say that I felt empowered from Harmony’s birth is an understatement. I was able to trust my body to do something that it had never done before. It was beautiful to see that my body already knew what my mind did not. It was my journey, and the journeys of so many others, that made me want to become a doula. To help give families an incredible story of how their family grew.

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Birth StoriesShay Gabrielbirth story, birth love, Birth Photography, birth, hospital birth, natural birth, physiologic birth, doula support, doula, doula love, doula care, birth team, birth workerComment
Shay's Empowered Birth Story
Shay's Empowered Birth Story

It wasn’t until the afternoon of Monday, February 17 — 9 days after my “guess date” — that the strong, persistent contractions stuck around. It was the real deal this time! (My midwives knew what they were talking about when they revealed that most first-time birthers don’t go into labor naturally until closer to 10 days after their “due date.”)

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Birth StoriesShay GabrielSprout and Blossom, LLChomebirth, hospital birth, homebirth transfer, empowered birth, water birth, long labor, midwifery, doula support, doula, grand rapids doula, birth photographer, grand rapids birth photographer, ShayComment
Your Birth Team Matters | Grand Rapids Doula + Birth Photographer
Your Birth Team Matters | Grand Rapids Doula + Birth Photographer

Don’t get me wrong, I do think that the process of making a birth plan is valuable. But your birth team matters more.

Find a doula who you trust…and then trust her knowledge of local providers.

With a doula and a clinical provider that you are really confident will support you, you will be set up the best you can be for the unknowns of your individual birth experience. Your birth team matters more than your birth plan.

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Preparing for BirthAnnica Quakenbushdoula, doula support, doula care, birth team, birth, birth photographer, birth photography, west michigan birth, grand rapids birth, grand rapids doula, birth doula, labor, delivery, OB, midwife, midwifery, hospital birth, homebirth, Grand Rapids doula, natural birth, physiologic birth, birth plan, birth preferences, plan, cesarean birth plan, cesarean birth Comment