Doula with Mom

I feel this picture captures everything that a Doula does to support a woman through her birth. I scanned this photo from "Birth Reborn" and am in love with the surrendering of both women to the power of childbirth.

PPD Tip Sheet

Baby Blues

• 80% of women experience what is called “baby blues” which occurs around day 3 postpartum and lasts less than 2 weeks.
  
• You may feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, fatigued, or have no appetite.
  
• Thoughts like “I don’t even want this baby” or “What was I thinking?” are normal. They don’t mean you’re a bad mother or will have them forever.
  
• If you experience these thoughts after 2 weeks, you may have Postpartum Depression.
  

Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

• About 10-15% of all postpartum women experience more serious depression and anxiety and can begin at any time during the first year after birth.
  
• Risk factors include previous depression/anxiety or PPD, social isolation or poor support, abrupt weaning, history of premenstrual syndrome, mood changes while taking birth control pills and prenatal loss.
  
• You may feel a sense of despair, want to sleep all the time or have insomnia, have frightening thoughts about your baby or yourself, feel constantly fearful about your baby’s health or be unable to get through your day to day activities.
  
• Thoughts like “I’ll never be myself again”, “I’m a terrible mother”, “I just don’t care anymore” or “No one understands” are symptoms of PPD.
  

Coping With Postpartum Depression 

• Talk to family or friends who can support you through this time. You want to ensure you are not alone and isolated. Access local support groups.
  
• Express all your anger or sadness, keeping those feelings inside you won’t help you recover.
  
• Look to the Internet and books to educate yourself on PPD.
  
• Get as much sleep as you can. Rest when your baby does and don’t worry about keeping the house clean or friends entertained.
  
• Ensure you are taking as much time for yourself as possible. Take a walk, a bath, get a manicure or read a book. Allowing yourself to reconnect with your spirit will help.
  
• Consider talking to your health care provider, general wellness practitioner or therapist.
  
• Pay attention to the good times and try to remain present in your day rather than worrying about the future or stressing over the past.
  

Your Postpartum Year

• Baby Blues Connection is a local organization created to help mothers through PPD. They are available 24/7 by calling 503.797.2843. You can also find them at www.babybluesconnection.org
  
• If you need additional referrals for therapists, psychiatrist, support groups, please let me know, I can help.
  
• I am also available as a Postpartum Doula and can help you through this time by taking care of your baby while you spend time with yourself, helping around the house or just chatting.
  

Portland Birth Collective

Portland Birth Collective is a gathering of birth practitioners who have come together through the cooperation and community of supporting women through the natural process of birth. Through this collective we are able to guide and support one another as we each work with families in the Portland Metro area.

We offer grief support, labor doula and postpartum services, as well as education and resources during the childbearing year.

If you are interested in learning more, you can contact us at portland-birth-collective@googlegroups.com.

Role Playing Dad

During my Doula training at Birthingway one of our activites was to role play a hospital birth. I was the husband of a laboring mother who wanted a natural birth. Another student was the head nurse, who took notes, came in and out of the room and periodically asked if we wanted medication.

My wife was insistent on no interventions and she did most of the talking. I took the persona of a shy husband who supported my wife when we were alone and noticed that I became embarresed at my wife's "demands" that she wanted to stay in the tub and didn't want an epidural.

Getting into the role, I wondered if her behavior would negatively affect how this nurse treated us and if we were causing her too much trouble. As I kept these worries to myself, I felt my emotional support withdraw ever so slightly and my fear rise.

Never, ever, ever would I have imagined that it would be so easy to fall into that submissive role. Had we not been role playing, I wouldn't have thought that our simple requests to be left alone to allow birth to happen naturally would lead me to question the quality of care we would receive because of our beliefs.

This simple exercise drives home the point that all families could benefit from Labor Doula support. The Labor Doula acts as a educated companion and your advocate during the birth process.