I have a passion for helping women during one of, if not, the most important experiences in their life: giving birth. This help doesn’t start on the day she goes into labour and calls me to her side. It starts the moment she decides she wants a doula by her side. The moment she meets me and decides I am the right fit. The doula she wants by her side, because she has found out after our free consultation that I can support her birth wishes. She knows I am the birth support person she wants to join the rest of her birth team. And from that moment on, one of my goals is to educate her in all aspects of childbirth.

I want her to know about the different birth options available to her. I want her to know about the pros and cons of having a drug free labour vs. a medicated one, and learn different labour coping techniques, so that when the time comes, she can use the ones that best work for her. I want her to explore her fears, doubts and concerns, so that I can help her to overcome them. I want to make sure she believes in her body, and realizes that her body was not only designed to do this most wonderful task. Therefore, her body knows how to give birth. I want her to understand that birth is hard, but it is not something she cannot do.

I want her to have the best support in order to have the best birth experience possible; I want to work alongside the rest of her birth team in order to make sure she will be labouring in a safe, calming and loving environment and that each of us will treat her like the goddess she is. This is why, I strongly believe that in order for a new mother to have the best birth experience, it is important to take a few things into consideration:

1- It is crucial to be fully aware of the mother-to-be’s desires and respect them. Know what she wants and acknowledge the fact that she knows her body and she has made a birth plan, and she expect her birth team to support it all the way. Consequently, respecting her wishes is very important to me.

2- It is also vital that she prepares as much as she can for the task ahead. Birth is like running a marathon. In the same way an athlete prepares to run, so should she.  Reading all the related literature that is suggested to her, so she can educate herself about the childbirth process, taking prenatal classes, writing a birth plan, learning different labour coping techniques: relaxation, meditation, breathing techniques, hipnobirthing affirmations all of which I teach her during my prenatal visits, doing yoga and so on, she will be better prepare for whatever comes her way.

3-During labour, a woman should be able to focus on what she is doing without being distracted. Distractions slow down the labour process. Therefore, I try to make sure she is able to concentrate without being disturbed. I remind her during my prenatal visits, she just needs by her side those people who will be helping her, and who understand how important it is for her to focus on getting the work done. The least she is bothered with medical procedures and interventions, the better she is able to cope, and the faster the labour will progress.

4- Unique support
Offering authentic and honest guidance and supporting her by sharing my knowledge rather than imposing my point of view, the more likely she is to find the right way to cope. I make sure, she knows, I strongly believe in her ability to give birth, and understand, I am by her side to hold her, so in moments she feels she can’t go on anymore I can encourage her to move forward. Since I believe in her ability to give birth, I remind her she is strong and she can go on, because her body has been designed to do this most wonderful work, and I am there to support her all the way.

This is how I look forward to helping a new mother-to-be every time, she chooses me as her birth doula. And every time I am chosen, I know it is a privilege and an honour which has been given to me and for that I am always thankful to her and to the Almighty.

I recently read a quote by Barbara Katz Rothman that read, “Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.”  This resonated with me deeply as I have lived and seen the power of birthing! I remember the strength I felt after giving birth to my children naturally and without the use of pain medication.  It was truly empowering.  My daughter, now a mother of three, had longed to experience this for herself in all her labours.  The birth of her third baby, a handsome boy we call Jason, filled the void she had in her heart from her previous birth experiences.  She gave birth on a cold November day the way she had always wanted; completely drug free!  I was there for each of her labours, but there was something a little extra special about this one.  The moment she pushed out Jason she was overwhelmed with emotions. “I did it, mom! I did it!”  My heart filled with joy! My daughter had done it!  She was proud of herself and had never felt so empowered.  I was proud of her as well.  As her emotions settled and we spoke about her experience she told me she couldn’t have done it without me.  As a doula, there is no greater joy and sense of accomplishment than knowing I helped a woman fulfill her birth wish.  Doing this for my daughter simply makes it a little more special!

 

No other milk comes close to the milk that has been created and designed to suit a baby’s needs as human milk does.  A mother’s milk has every vitamin, mineral and all the nutrients a baby’s body needs.  Not only this, but living cells that are unique to human milk restrain the growth of harmful bacteria and viruses protecting in this way, the baby’s still-maturing system.  It is therefore, the most wonderful gift a mother can give to her baby.

According to the World Health Organization, breastfeeding is the normal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.  The WHO also recommends that babies are exclusively  breastfed for the first six months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.  The benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond basic nutrition and are numerous, both for the baby and the mother.

For instance, breastfeeding lowers your baby’s risk of having asthma or allergies.  Also, babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, without any formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses and gastrointestinal infections like diarrhea, which can be devastating, especially in developing countries. According to infant-nutrition expert Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D., a professor of pediatrics, the incidences of pneumonia, colds and viruses are reduced among breastfed babies too.   Breastfeeding lowers your baby’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome by about half.  Breastfeeding can also decrease your baby’s risk of some childhood cancers.

The list goes on and on, and benefits for the mother are equally numerous.  A mother who breastfeeds her babies, reduces her risk of developing chronic conditions, such as type I diabetes, celiac disease and Crohn’s disease.  Faster postpartum healing is also another benefit as the oxytocin released when your baby nurses helps your uterus contract, reducing postpartum blood loss. Plus, breastfeeding will help your uterus return to its normal size more quickly, about six weeks postpartum compared with 10 weeks if you don’t breastfeed.  A nursing mom will have a lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer, an often deadly disease that is on the rise.

This is why, unless there is a medical condition or a physical impediment, a mother should make every effort to breastfeed her baby.  It is an effort well worth making that will bring a very special and rewarding experience to the mother that she will never regret.

Breastfeeding should be initiated right after birth.  Getting started during the first hour after birth is of the utmost importance, because the baby is no longer protected as he was inside his mother’s womb.  He needs immediate protection against harmful bacteria and germs.  Colostrum, which is the first yellowish, sticky milk produced by the mother by the end of pregnancy and during the first couple of days after birth, can give the baby the protection he needs.  Not only does it immunize his body, it also helps that newborn’s body to adapt to a world of germs he is suddenly exposed to. Your breast milk will morph throughout time to meet your baby’s changing needs.  During the first hour, the newborn is very active and alert, and he also has a very strong sucking reflex that helps the uterus contract. This is one more reason why breastfeeding should be initiated right after birth.

In the end, the best thing you can do is trust that mother nature have given you all that is necessary to take care of your baby.

The time has come to start fulfilling my promise. The promise I made to myself to raise awareness about the risks of using formula feeding and the importance of breastfeeding. About two months ago, I attended a breastfeeding conference. It was a very powerful learning experience. I learned about the risks of formula feeding. I then, made a promise to myself to spread out the word and reach out to those mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. Unfortunately, they have been misled to believe that formula can somehow offer the same benefits that her breast milk does. That is incorrect. Please check the following study: “Higher versus lower protein intake in formula-fed low birth weight infants.” The study shows that controlling the amount of protein given to low birth weight babies (less than 2.5 Kg) fed with formula is important because too much protein can raise blood urea and amino acid levels, which may harm neurodevelopment. On the other hand, too low protein intake may limit the growth of these infants. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/cochrane_data/premjis_02/premjis_02.html
I respect the decision every mother takes about the way in which she wants to feed her baby. However, my goal is to provide new mothers with enough information, so they can make an informed decision. Before giving up on breastfeeding, supplementing with formula or switching to it, make sure you have read and tried everything and therefore have been left with no other choice but to formula feed.
Furthermore, in the first few months, it is hard for the baby’s gut to absorb anything other than breastmilk. Even one feeding of formula or other foods can cause injuries to the gut, taking weeks for the baby to recover. So what is it on formula that causes a baby’s gut to be upset?
Do you know what formula is made of? Do you know the ingredients in it?
• Partially hydrolized whey protein, (or skim milk powder, or soy protein isolate), lactose, corn syrup, corn maltodextrose, palm olein, soybean oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, minerals, vitamins.
• Optional ingredients: various amino acids, nucleotides, lactobacilli (probiotics), galacto-and fructo-oligosaccharides (prebiotics). Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids-DHA and ARA, rice starch.
Now, would you give a baby all the above ingredients when there is a superior food that can offer him not only everything he needs to get the healthiest start in life, but a food that would not cause any harm to his stomach?
So, is formula a good substitute for breastmilk? Is it a good idea to give your baby all of the above ingredients? According to UNICEF formula is not an acceptable substitute for breastmilk because formula, at its best, only replaces most of the nutritional components of breast milk: it is just a food, whereas breast milk is a complex living nutritional fluid containing anti-bodies, enzymes, long chain fatty acids and hormones, many of which simply cannot be included in formula.
Is mixed feeding, or giving other liquids and/or foods together with breast milk, especially to infants under 6 months old? Is this also a good idea? According to studies, this practice poses risks to an infant’s health because it can increase the chance of diarrhea and other infectious diseases. Plus mixed feeding, especially giving water or other liquids can also causes the supply of breast milk to decrease as the baby sucks less at the breast. Breast milk contains all the water a baby needs, even in very hot climates, so there is no need to give the baby anything other than breastmilk for the first 6 months.
I hope I have provided you with some useful information. I hope you will make the right choice when it comes to deciding how to nurse your baby. My goal is not to enforce a philosophy rather to contribute to gain back a lost art: “the beautiful art of breastfeeding.”

 

The word “doula” comes from the ancient Greek, meaning “a woman who serves”.  A birth doula is someone who has been trained to provide physical, emotional and informational support to another woman before, during, and after labour.  A doula is not a doctor, nurse or midwife; she is a birth companion.  She does not provide medical advice, but rather assists the labouring woman with comfort measures for childbirth.  These measures and techniques allow the woman to cope with the intensity of labour.

A doula’s training helps her explain to the pregnant woman and her partner the entire labour process, reducing in this way their anxieties and helping them cope with their fears.  “Human support relieves pain, reduces fear of the unknown, and makes labour manageable in a way that isn’t possible when that support is removed.  In fact, throughout most of history, human support was entirely what women relied on to ease the way through childbearing (pain drugs simply were not available)” (Amanda Lowe and Rachel Zimmerman)

The ongoing support from a doula during labour can help a woman get through it.  That support has been proven to be beneficial for the mother, the baby and the family in general.

One of my goals, is to help women be fully informed about the different birth choices, and to teach them different techniques that can help them prepare for the marathon of labour, so they can have a fulfilling birth experience.

They need to know that it is their right to choose how and where they want to give birth.  I want to help women overcome their fears.  I want them to stop doubting in their ability to give birth naturally, given that there are no complications during pregnancy.  There is no reason why a healthy woman with a low risk pregnancy cannot give birth naturally and without the use of any medication and or medical interventions.

Women need to know that birth has been beautifully designed.  It is nature`s most natural process.  The more we interfere with that natural process, the more we are likely to alter the result of having a happy and healthy mother and baby.  Medical interventions, when used routinely, just set the stage for a cascade of further interventions that could easily be avoided if the right approach and support are available.

I want to get the word out about my services simply because having the support of a labour doula has been proven to be beneficial not only for the mother and baby, but for the whole family.  I know that a happy mother and baby can only make the world a better place. I also want to learn from others that have more information than I do, so that I can enrich my soul. I want to create a voice that stretches out across the world.

Hi! My name is Daysi and I am a labour doula.  Throughout the years I`ve assisted in many births, including the birth of my 3 granddaughters.  Helping women in their labour journey is not only my occupation, it is my passion.  I hope to fill your minds and hearts with information that will help you make the best decision for your pregnancies.  I also hope the knowledge I will share with you, can help you plan your births.

It is important to me to reach out to women, so they can acquire all the necessary knowledge that will empower them and allow them to be in control of their bodies.  It is vital that they realize that birth is intended to happen simply and easily.  That it is the continuous physical and emotional support during labour that can make it an easier and healthier experience for both mother and baby.  A unique and memorable experience the mother will want to cherish forever, not a traumatic one she may not want to remember at all.  There are many pregnant women whom I feel I can help by providing them with information about the labour process as well as the different birthing options available to them.