Author: erinswart

Fair warning. This blog was born out of the frustration of the effect that Covid-19 is having on our maternal system. Let me start by saying that I do believe that drs. and midwives are trying. I imagine that this is hard for them. However, this is much harder on the women that are having babies in the midst of a pandemic. That is where my heart is right now. With each of you that is hurting, afraid, and full of axiety.

Let’s talk a bit about the limitations that our hospitals are placing on the L&D units in Middle GA. You are allowed 1 person with you for the entirety of your stay. That person cannot change. They can leave and do whatever they need to do, but they cannot swap out. You can’t have 1 person for your birth and 1 to help you postpartum. This is putting an incredible amount of stress on our birthing mothers and their families. What if the partner is unable to be there for the birth? What if they have other children and no family around? What is the mother needs her doula for the birth, but her husband for postpartum? They are being put in a position of being alone and vulnerable in the hospital (I will be sharing a story that proves this point next week).

I know that the hospital would say that they are not alone, they have a nurse and their provider. That is just not true. The nurses have more than 1 patient and the provider may pop in a time or two, but they won’t be a consistent presence until the time to welcome your little one has come. As a doula, I hear time and time again from women about how they felt lonely and afraid. They left their birth feeling unheard and traumatized. They are happy that their baby is here, but they are deeply hurt about their labor and the care they received. These stories have only increased since Covid-19.

Let me put you into the shoes of a woman giving birth today.

Today is the day. It is finally time to meet your little one. Maybe you’re already in labor. Maybe you’re being induced. You walk into the hospital and find your way to assessment. There you meet a nurse, probably someone you’ve never met. She immediately tells you to get undressed, put on the gown she gives you, and prepare to get checked. Once she calls your provider and they decide to admit you, you go to the L & D room that you will give birth in (this could take 30 min to 2 hours). There, you meet another nurse, again one you’ve most likely never met. She hooks you up to monitors and asks you for your medical history (also known as asking you tons of questions). She will probably check you again. If you are already laboring, you will have done all of this while working through contractions. If you are being induced, this will all happen before the inductions has started. Once she is done with your intake, she will most likely leave and let you labor. You won’t see her for a while, unless there is something she needs to talk to you about, she needs to check you, or you need something from her (like an epidural). You will build a bit of a rapport with her. Over the course of her shift, she learns what your birth plan is, how you labor, and gets to know you and your partner. Then shift change happens, and you start fresh. New nurse, new personality. Another person checking you. During all this time, there can be many different medical personnel coming in and out. You will have spent a fair amount of time alone with your 1 person you’re allowed to have with you. This can all be overwhelming. New people, feeling vulnerable, strangers putting their hands in private places, the feeling of being alone and a lack of support from people that you love and who know you. Add that to the exhaustion that you both feel. Now it’s time to push. Maybe you have an epidural, maybe not. You could be given a choice of what position to push in, but usually it’s a reclined position with your legs spread and in the air. You may push for a short time, or for a long time. Then you meet your baby. If all is well, he/she will be put on your chest and you will get to spend some much deserved time with your sweet baby. Your provider will inspect your vagina to make sure that you haven’t torn. If you have, they will repair the tear. Then everyone will leave and the room gets quiet. A little while later, they come in to do all the “newborn” things like weight, shots, and such. Two hours after your baby is born, you will be moved to the mom and baby unit. New nurse again, and a pediatric nurse, as well. If all went well, you will get to go home 24 hours after your baby is born.

This is a typical birth, where everything goes as planned. Many times, things don’t go as planned. What’s different about this birth is that with Covid-19, Evidence Based Birth reports that in a survey done of pregnant women, more than half (53%) of the survey respondents rated the psychological impact of COVID-19 as severe.  Two-thirds of women reported higher than normal levels of anxiety.

We are asking women to deal with higher anxiety and stress, while having less support from their loved ones or their doula. While I completely understand the position the hospital and providers are put in, I also know that the mother’s mental health is so important. This is a brand new experience for them. What happens to a mom while in labor

-Interactions with the hospital staff (do they listen to her concerns, do they explain procedures before they are done, do they listen to what she is feeling and believe her?)

-The support from those around her and

-Having autonomy in regards to her body and her baby

will stay with a woman long after she leaves the hospital. I will be posting a blog to help women know what choices they have, because knowledge is power. It is so important the the woman has a positive and empowering birth.

I wrote this blog because I have heard so many stories from women who feel unheard, like no one believed them, or that they were talked down to. How is woman is treated in her birth is so very important. She and her partner deserve to have the support they need for this very important day in their life.

Birth stories matter.

My doula bag has been sitting in this spot for months.  As a doula, it breaks my heart to be unable to support my clients in the hospital.   I know that this is a difficult time to be expecting a baby.  I know that women are nervous and apprehensive about going to the hospital to welcome their new baby. Let’s talk about it.

If you are expecting your little one right now, it probably doesn’t look anything like what you thought it would look like. You thought you would be able to have your family in the waiting room, waiting to meet your baby. You thought your mom, sister, or friend would be able to come in and check in on you. If you hired a doula, you and your husband were looking forward to the extra support you would have.

First, let me say that I am sorry that this is happening to you. Bringing a baby into the world is overwhelming in the best of circumstances, let alone when the world is tipped off it’s axis. So, let yourself mourn what your expectations were for this birth. It’s ok to be sad. It’s ok to be excited for your baby and nervous about how it that will play out. Feel the emotions you need to feel. Talk to family and friends. Call your doula. Call me if you need to. Surround yourself with support.

Next, know that changes are happening daily. What the hospital says today could change tomorrow. So, if your due date isn’t for a couple of months, try to not worry yet. I have heard many conflicting stories about the policies in the Middle GA area. The best thing to do is to call the Labor and Delivery unit directly and see what the current policies are. Hopefully, we will have some restrictions lifted soon.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be writing more blogs on giving birth during Covid-19 in Middle GA. If you have questions you would like answered, send me an email and let me know. I will do my best to answer them. Maybe I’ll even do an Q & A blog.

As I finish up, please remember that your birth story matters. Your experience matters. If you have had a traumatic birth experience in the middle of all this, please know that I am here to listen. You can call, email, or message me and I will listen to your story.

Today is my sweet girl’s birthday.  So, in honor of her, here is the story of her arrival.

It was Aug 21, 2003.  I had waited so long, 42 weeks.   I thought for sure that you would never make your appearance.  After a couple of false alarms and trying everything in the book, I was tired.  So, I told my mom that we should just go into the hospital and let them induce me.  So that’s what we did.  We dropped Thomas off with Mandy and Grammy, your dad, and I went to the hospital.  Once we got all checked in, the midwife came in and checked me.

I was 3 1/2 cm.  She looked at me and said “Let’s just break your water and see how it goes”.  I was so grateful, because I didn’t want  a whole bunch of drugs.  After that, we went down to the cafeteria for some food.  Labor started quickly and soon I wanted to go back  to the room.  I rotated between sitting on the birth ball, sitting on the bed, and being in the shower.  It was getting harder.  The contractions were getting unbearable, so I asked to be checked.  I honestly don’t remember what they told me.  What I do remember is that when I thought it was time to push, I was only 6 cm.  I couldn’t believe it! 

Everything in me wanted to push, but it wasn’t time yet.  So, I continued rotating between the ball and the bed.  I fought the urge to push.  I wanted so badly for you to be here.  The only way I could manage was if I was sitting straight up.  At one point, I couldn’t do it anymore (so I thought:)), so the midwife said she could give me something to take the edge off.  It didn’t work and, to this day, I’m pretty sure it was a placebo.  Finally, it was time to push.  Dad and I have talked lots of times about how long I pushed.

We think about 45 min.  What I remember most about pushing is that I could actually feel you moving through me.  At one point another midwife offered to hold my leg for dad.  I kicked her across the room with my next contraction.  He did warn her.  I was using every ounce of strength I had.  After what seemed like forever, they could see your head.  Almost, you were almost here.  Then, out came your little head….and your hand.  One more push and you were in my arms.  I lifted your leg and realized that you were a GIRL!  I got the baby girl I had always dreamed of since I was a little girl.

I have loved being her mom through it all.  She is such a blessing to me.  Always remember that every birth story matters.

Childbirth education.  Several of you might ask,  “What’s the big deal?  I’ll just take the class that the hospital offers.  It’s cheap and easy.” Or “It will all work out, women have been having babies for centuries.”  I’m a big believer in knowledge is power and the more knowledge, the better.  What I find when preparing for the arrival of your baby is that not all childbirth education is equal and sometimes you get what you pay for.   So, I thought that I would break down some of the differences between some of the classes offered in the Macon, Warner Robins, Perry, Georgia area.  You will probably have different options in your area, so make sure to find the one that is best for you.

First, let’s talk a bit about the hospital class. In this area, we have Navicent and Houston Medical.  This is the class that most of my clients take (if they take one at all).  You will cover most of the basics like, the birth process, some comfort techniques, all the drugs and interventions that the hospital offers, cesareans, and a bit of postpartum.  This class may include a hospital tour.  You should leave feeling like you understand the ABC’s of birth.  What the hospital class won’t do is help you with the natural side of childbirth.  It mostly assumes that every woman will get an epidural.  They may talk a bit about having an unmedicated birth, but they will do very little to help you prepare for it.  This can leave someone feeling less than empowered and lacking confidence in their ability to give birth.

Next, I’d like to take a minute and talk about method based classes.  We don’t really have these in the Middle GA area, but I wanted to over them.  These classes include things like Hypnobabies and the Bradley Method.  These classes are super strong on the natural (or unmedicated)  side of things.   Although they cover interventions, like epidurals and cesareans, they don’t really help you with what to do if birth doesn’t go the way you planned it.  Nor do they help you to plan for the unexpected.  This can leave you feeling like a failure or at a loss if things don’t go as planned.

Now, I’d like to introduce you to Preparing for Birth.  This class is a great mix of both sides.  Not only will you learn the ABC’s of birth, but you will learn the pros and cons of each of them.  We will not only cover what unmedicated birth looks like, but we will also talk about what happens when birth takes an unexpected turn.  There is information for both parents in this class. This is wonderful because it helps the partner get ready and know how to support their loved one in labor and birth.  We also include things like a beautiful Preparing for Birth journal, Prepared Feeding (breastfeeding taught by Amanda Devereaux, doula and IBLC), and postpartum and newborn care.  These subjects are normally taught in a whole different class, if they are offered at all.  This class covers it all, in one class.  You will leave this class feeling prepared and empowered.

I know that I am biased.  After all,  I teach Preparing for Birth.  But, as a doula, I hear from my clients (and many others) what they felt like was missing in the classes they took.  I genuinely feel this class covers all the bases.  It is thoughtful and informative.  It treats birth with the honor and respect it deserves.  It helps couples to see the big picture and make the best decisions for themselves.  I love teaching this class and hope that you will love taking it.  Every birth story matters.

   Next class is Saturday, June 9 & Saturday June 16 from 9 am – 1 pm.  Call me at 910-578-7629 for more information!

41 years ago today I was born in the mountains of Washington state.  It has been a long journey to becoming a doula in Middle Georgia.  I asked my mom if she would please write my birth story, so that it could be shared.  She said yes and here it is!

“I was only 19 the night you were born. It was early spring in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. We lived near Baring, a tiny dot of a town. My dog had recently had puppies and my ducks, chickens and geese hatched eggs. New life filled the air with excitement and anticipation. Crocus pushed their purple buds up through the moist earth. I was big and pregnant and eagerly waiting for you to come. Your due date was March 1 , 1977. I had prenatal care 40 miles away with a friendly old doctor. I’d visited the maternity ward at the hospital where he worked  and was rather alarmed that I might deliver there. About half way through pregnancy I’d wished for a home birth. Our dentists wife had a home birth and that planted the seed of possibility for me. My Grandmother had my mom and aunt at home in the 1920’s.She felt it was safer to stay home, and she loved and trusted her midwife.   A public health nurse gave me private child birth classes at my house once a month when she came to the mountains for the WIC program. She said that she didn’t know of any midwives that would come so far out to assist a birth. It never occurred to me to consider delivering in Seattle.

Five years ago I injured my right shoulder.  I spent four years and three surgeries getting it fixed.  So, when my left shoulder starting hurting almost a year ago, I was afraid.  Afraid that I was starting down the same path.  It was for that very reason that I didn’t go to the Dr. for more than six months.

Fast forward….I have now been in physical therapy for about 3 months.  I had to change therapy practices and now I am very happy with my therapist, Greg.  He pushes me and is trying his hardest to get my shoulder into the best shape it can be.

On Friday I was having an especially hard day.  Pain is hard and my fear of the pain was making it so much worse.  It all came to a head when he was moving my arm and I started to cry.  It hurt so bad.  He believed me.  He knew it hurt, but he also knew that my head was getting in the way of my progress.  He knew that my fear from what had happened to my right shoulder was paralyzing me.  He told me that he understood how afraid I was.  I was crying the whole time.  Then he said the words that would make it all make sense to me.

“You are doing great, Erin.  I believe that you will get better. I just need you to believe it, too.”

How many times have I said that during someone’s labor?  How many times have I looked someone in the eye and said that I believed in them? They could do this.  I just needed them to believe it!

There have been so many times that I’ve been with a client that had a traumatic birth experience and they have fear about what will happen during their next birth.  We spend time talking about those fears.  I tell them that every birth is different.  I tell them that I believe in them.  I will be right by their side the whole time.  But they need to be the one that believes it!

Honestly, I was reminded last week how hard it is to get rid of our fears.  It takes hard work and letting our bodies heal.  Each story matters and each story is different.  Little did I know that it would take a PT appointment to remind me of that.  And I’m pretty sure that Greg has no idea that he is actually a doula.

So many of us have been there.  So many of us are still in the journey.  Pregnancy comes with lots of joys and challenges.  One challenge is the people who feel the need to say things we would rather not hear.   This blog is for them.

1.  “Are you sure you’re not having twins?”  That is just what every mom needs to hear…NOT.  She already feels fat and uncomfortable.  The last thing she wants is to know that someone else thinks she’s huge too.  What she really needs to hear is that she looks good.  A great thing to say instead is “WOW!  You look amazing!”
2. “You haven’t had that baby yet?!”  I guarantee that she is very much aware that she is still pregnant.  She is so excited to meet her baby and the day can’t get here fast enough.  You are not the first person to say this to her, and you won’t be the last.  A much better comment would be “I bet you are so excited to meet your new little one!”
3. “You look like you are ready to pop!”  This is even worse if she is only 6 months pregnant. And it goes along with #1.  Every woman wants to feel beautiful.  That gets harder the bigger she gets.  She would love to hear “You are beautiful.  Growing a baby is hard work.  Good job, mama!”
4. “Birth is awful!  You’ll never guess what happened to me!”  No one goes to a bridal shower and tells their terrible divorce stories, so why do we hear so many scary birth stories at a baby shower?  Moms are already nervous about childbirth, this can make it so much worse.  Keep it positive. A great thing to say is “I’m sure you’ll have a beautiful birth!”
5. “You’ll never be able to have your baby without an epidural, it’s just too painful!”  This actually can have several different versions, depending on how the mom is choosing to labor and give birth.  However she has decided to give birth, the best thing that we can do is be supportive of her and her choices.  A good thing for her to hear is “I hope you have the birth you want.  I believe in you!”

Pregnancy can be an overwhelming experience.  Even if you have done it before.  Their body is changing daily.  Their life life will never be the same after this experience.  SO, let’s let them know how amazing they are.  Let’s support them during this time in their life, because their pregnancy (and birth) story matters.