On Demand Doulas

08/25/2026

Being a part of the oxytocin love fest is always a privilege. Welcome to the world, beautiful girl 💕

08/25/2026

When baby’s heart rate dips during labor, one of the first things you may see us do is MOVE you. And there’s a reason.

Not every deceleration means baby is in distress. The pattern matters. Variable decelerations are commonly associated with umbilical cord compression, while late decelerations can be related to decreased blood flow and oxygen exchange through the placenta. (AAFP)

Changing your position, especially from your back to your side, can sometimes improve blood flow or relieve pressure on the cord. ACOG specifically lists maternal position changes as one of the measures that may be used when an abnormal fetal heart rate pattern occurs. (ACOG)

Depending on what the tracing shows, the medical team may also decrease or stop Pitocin, give IV fluids, address low maternal blood pressure, or use other interventions. And if a concerning tracing doesn’t improve, sometimes delivery needs to happen quickly. (AAFP)

This is why you might see your nurse, provider and doula suddenly moving FAST around that hospital bed. We’re responding to what baby is telling us in real time.

08/24/2026

This beautiful mama’s story is one I will never forget. 🤍

She had her first baby 18 years ago in England with a midwife and remembers a completely different birth experience. Two years ago, she welcomed her son by planned C-section. The recovery was incredibly difficult, and looking back, she had regrets and wondered whether she could have birthed him vaginally.

This time, at 46, she knew she wanted the opportunity to try for a VBAC.

After her doctor at Lenox Hill recommended she consider hiring a doula, she provided her my number, and we got to work. This wasn’t just showing up when labor started. I went to her home three times during her pregnancy to prepare together. We talked through VBAC, induction, what to expect at the hospital and how we could keep her moving and comfortable. I also sent her to one of our favorite acupuncturists as we got closer to her due date.
Her due date was August 22, with an induction scheduled for August 20. We were really hoping her body would get things started before then.

And it did.

Monday morning she woke up with discomfort that started coming and going. At the hospital she was 2 cm and contracting, so they admitted her and decided to begin the induction process early. There was also concern that baby might be on the bigger side.
When they went to place the balloon, her water broke on its own. From there we LABORED. Movement, peanut ball, position changes, massage and hands on support until around 5 cm, when she decided she was ready for her epidural.

After about 16 hours of ruptured membranes, a high fever and some concerns with baby’s heart rate, it was time to meet her girl.

She pushed for LESS THAN 30 MINUTES. A beautiful, successful VBAC at 46. 🥹

This is why preparation matters. Doula support starts long before labor with education, movement, understanding your options and having the tools to navigate whatever birth brings.

VBAC is never guaranteed, but watching her prepare, advocate for herself, stay flexible and DO IT was incredible. Forever inspired by the women who trust me with these moments. 🤍

08/24/2026

Your baby doesn’t just move straight down and out during birth. There is an entire sequence of movements happening as baby navigates the pelvis.

In a typical head down vaginal birth, these are often taught as the 7 cardinal movements of labor: engagement, descent, flexion, internal rotation, extension, external rotation and expulsion. Baby tucks their chin to present a smaller diameter of the head, rotates while descending through the pelvis, extends under the p***c bone for the head to be born, and then rotates again as the shoulders prepare to come through. (NCBI)

This is also why I’m looking at more than just centimeters during labor. Dilation tells us what the cervix is doing, but fetal station and position give us more information about where baby is and how they’re navigating the pelvis. Fetal position can absolutely affect how labor progresses. (Merck Manuals)

Birth is so much more than getting from 1 to 10 cm. Your baby is doing some serious work in there too.

08/24/2026

Nothing gets a doula’s attention faster than hearing “let’s speed things up a little” when spontaneous labor is already doing its thing 😂

To be clear, augmentation absolutely has a place in labor and Pitocin can be an incredibly useful tool when it’s indicated. But if baby looks good, mom is doing well and labor is progressing, you’re allowed to ask why an intervention is being recommended right now.

What are we trying to fix? What are the benefits? What are the risks? What happens if we give it more time?

Sometimes the best next step is an intervention. Sometimes it’s movement, position changes, rest, hydration, privacy and time.

Your doula when she hears “just a little Pitocin” from across the room: 🤡😂

08/23/2026

08/23/2026

Advocating for yourself and your baby starts in pregnancy, and a huge part of that is getting comfortable with open communication and consent.

I’ve had a few moments recently where clients were surprised by an exam beginning before they fully understood what was about to happen. This isn’t about creating fear or making providers the enemy. It’s about remembering that communication matters, especially during something as vulnerable as birth.

ACOG is very clear that informed consent is a process, not just a form you sign. You should be given understandable information, have the opportunity to ask questions, and be able to voluntarily accept or refuse care. ACOG also states that physical exams should be explained and performed with the patient’s consent. (ACOG)

So get comfortable saying, “Can you tell me what you’re about to do?” or “Can you explain why you’re recommending this?” You can also ask for an exam to stop. (ACOG)

Being informed doesn’t mean being difficult. Asking questions doesn’t mean you don’t trust your provider. It means you’re participating in your own care, and that advocacy starts before your baby is even here.

08/22/2026

Birth was never meant to be something you just get through.

Someone should be reminding you to breathe, helping you move, applying counter pressure, changing positions with you, keeping you grounded when things get intense and making sure you understand what is happening around you.

Sometimes support looks like education and advocacy. Sometimes it looks like getting on the floor and putting your whole body into helping someone through the next contraction.

You’ll never convince me we were meant to give birth without this kind of support. 🤎

08/22/2026

I don’t want the first time you learn how to push to be when you’re 10 centimeters and someone is telling you, “Okay, push!”

Pushing is something I actually teach and practice with my clients before labor.

We talk about where the pressure should go, how to avoid wasting energy by tensing your face, shoulders and upper body, and different ways to use your breath and abdominal pressure while allowing the pelvic floor to lengthen. We practice different positions like side lying, supported squatting, hands and knees and using the squat bar. And yes, you can still use different positions with an epidural as long as they’re safe for you, baby and your level of mobility.

We also talk about spontaneous pushing versus coached pushing. There isn’t one pushing technique proven to be best for everyone. ACOG says people should be encouraged to use their preferred and most effective pushing technique, and frequent position changes during labor should be supported when medically appropriate. (ACOG)

One thing I would change from the reel: I would NOT teach “laboring down” as something everyone should automatically do. Current ACOG guidance recommends beginning pushing once the cervix is completely dilated because routinely delaying pushing, particularly with an epidural, has not been shown to improve vaginal birth rates and may carry risks. (ACOG)

The goal isn’t to teach you one “perfect” way to push. It’s to make sure you understand your body, your options and the different tools we can use BEFORE you’re in the moment.

This is what birth preparation with a doula can actually look like. 🤍

08/22/2026

Your nurse and your doula are not interchangeable, and that’s exactly why having both can make such a difference.

Your nurse is responsible for your medical care, monitoring you and baby, medications, charting, communicating with your provider and often caring for other patients at the same time.

Your doula’s job is different. We’re there continuously for YOU.

That can look like changing positions throughout labor, using a peanut ball strategically, counterpressure, breathing and relaxation techniques, helping you understand what’s happening, talking through your options, keeping your partner involved, creating a calmer environment and reminding you of everything you learned before labor when it suddenly feels impossible to remember any of it.

And support doesn’t stop because you get an epidural. Some of my busiest work happens after an epidural because positioning, movement in bed, rest and helping baby continue to descend still matter.

A doula doesn’t replace your nurse, your partner or your provider. We fill a completely different role on your birth team.

Want to learn more about what doula support actually looks like before, during AND after birth? Send us a message at [email protected] or speak to a certified doula today at 914.414.1115 🤍