Happy Birthday, Baby G.

A beautiful girl was born at 5:00am August 18th. Her parents wished for a natural birth and it went as they desired. I arrived at the hospital at 1am, she went from 2-3.5 cm by 3:30, her bag of water broke at 4:30, checked again at 4:35 and was 5cm. We worked very hard on finding comfortable positions, and resting as much as possible between contractions. Lots of breath work and focusing. The tub was full - but her water broke before we could try it! Several strong contractions and the urge to push later she was 9.5cm at 4:58 and was complete and ready to push at 5:00. Baby G was born a few seconds after her first push!

Mama was a star and Dad was very sweet taking care of her. By 6am Baby G had nursed on both sides and was content wrapped up like a burrito, being held by Dad.

I also got to share this birth with my doula mentor and friend. I feel so blessed to be a part of these families' lives. What a beautiful morning!

Why use a doula?

What is a doula, you ask? Check out the info from http://www.dona.org/ or below.

What is a doula?

Giving birth to a baby is so much more than a physical phenomenon; it engages parents-to-be in a transformational experience, a key life event full of emotion and meaning. A doula who accompanies a woman in labor mothers the mother, taking care of her emotional needs throughout childbirth. A doula also provides support and suggestions for partners that can enhance their experiences of birth. A postpartum doula continues that valuable emotional support and guidance, helping a family make a smooth transition into new family dynamics.

DONA International doulas make the difference

Our doulas are educated and knowledgeable about childbirth and the postpartum experience. They are advocates and a listening ear for birthing mothers, as well as facilitators to her partner. When a family goes home with a new baby, a postpartum doula supports every member and the family unit as a whole.DONA International doulas are educated to work within evidence-based standards of practice. The skills that they develop are medically proven to make a true difference in the experience of birth. A DONA International doula’s presence at birth improves outcomes for mother and baby. In the postpartum period, a doula’s guidance can empower and encourage new parents, inspiring self-confidence in parenting.

Why use a doula?

DONA International doulas mother the mother

Women have complex needs during childbirth and the weeks that follow. In addition to medical care and the love and companionship provided by their partners, women need consistent, continuous reassurance, comfort, encouragement and respect. They need individualized care based on their circumstances and preferences.

DONA International doulas are educated and experienced in childbirth and the postpartum period. We are prepared to provide physical (non-medical), emotional and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth, as well as to families in the weeks following childbirth. We offer a loving touch; positioning and comfort measures that make childbearing women and families feel nurtured and cared for.

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:

• Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications


• Reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience


• Reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans


• Reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals

Research shows parents who receive support can:

• Feel more secure and cared for


• Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics


• Have greater success with breastfeedingHave greater self-confidence


• Have less postpartum depression

Why Mamatoto?

Mamatoto is Swahili for Mother Baby. I picked this name as the name of my doula business because of a book I bought when I was seventeen - also called Mamatoto. This was a beautiful book put out by The Body Shop, celebrating birth, mothers and babies all over the globe. It's full of history, culture, stories and amazing pictures of women and their babies.

When I was in high school I had planned on going into medicine, become a doctor and work with mothers and babies. Then college came, as a double premed and music major. The coursework was brutal and I chose what I was good at: music. Fast forward several years of college, teaching high school vocal music for three years, burning out and quitting and working in a hospital as a secretary. In a hospital setting I felt that call into medicine and decided to become a Physician Assistant. Once again the road was long and hard. I was married, had one child and realized even as a PA I wasn't going to have the personal attentiveness I wanted to give to my patients. Questioning my path again, I read about doulas in Paths to Becoming a Midwife. It's possible a lightbulb flashed above my head!

A month later I met a doula, grilled her senseless (she became a great friend and mentor), found a local DONA postpartum class, and had my first client (which quickly turned into three!) in a week! I asked our DONA certified teacher when the next birth doula class was held and she asked me when I wanted it! So I picked her first opening in January of 2008. I finished the class on January 25th and my first birth client had her baby on the 30th.

This has been a long journey. When I turned away from music, teaching, and becoming a pre-PA student and opened myself up to working and living as a doula, doors opened for me. Yet, the empathetic and emotional threads I carry as a musician weave effortlessly into my doula self. All of those classroom hours in biology, chemistry, A&P, psychology, my EMT-B certification and my job as a nursing assistant add another rich layer. Nothing was wasted - I finally feel I am where I need to be.