January Events at Doulas of Orange County

Now that the holidays are over, you may be feeling ready to tackle your birth classes and postpartum planning. Well, don't fret, Doulas of OC has all the best classes that are sure to bring you out of your holiday hangover and get you excited for the arrival of your baby. 

In addition to the popular classics like our 4-week Confident Birth series, Baby Care Basics, and Milk Mama 101, we have added a few new unique offerings to our 2018 calendar. With these new classes we seek to include the whole family in preparing for birth and postpartum. 

The Greatest Grandparents

Becoming a Grandparent is an exciting time! It's been a long time since you've had a child and we know you want to be the best grandparent you can be. This private workshop will give a refresher on all the baby care basics - from diapering to swaddling to bottle-feeding and nap time.  We'll share up-to-date information regarding health and safety standards, along with the latest gear and gadgets.  You will learn all about today's birth choices, modern parenting and ways to support your child in their choices and bond with your grandchild.

Launching January 10th and held at our office in Irvine or the comfort of your own home!

Confident Birth Weekend Intensive   

Added to our 2018 calendar by popular demand! You requested a weekend option for our popular Confident Birth childbirth education series and we answered!

This monthly class covers the same information as our 4-week series in a fun, engaging environment. Preparation is crucial for a positive, confident birth experience and this uncensored, unbiased class will do just that! 

Held every month, 9am-5pm in Irvine. Launches February 11th!

REGISTER ONLINE FOR A GROUP CLASS OR A PRIVATE CLASS!

VBAC Preparation & Support

Planning a Vaginal Birth After a Cesarean requires lots of support, education, and preparation. Our team has put together two options to cheer you on in your VBAC birth choices with our private VBAC preparation consult. 

This workshop is designed to assist you in creating a strong vision for your birth as well as to educate you on your options, finding a supportive care provider, creating a strong birth support team, and more. The curriculum in this class will help you to build a plan to physically, mentally and emotionally prepare for your VBAC. We provide education and discussion on local and national resources, VBAC friendly care providers, and other wellness practitioners who can contribute to a positive pregnancy no matter how you choose to birth. Hosted by women with personal experience with VBACs as well as Doulas who are well-versed in supporting all births, we welcome you!

DOC Open House

Join us on Saturday, January 20th as we celebrate the new year and our grand re-opening in Irvine! 

Refreshments, Raffles, Swag Bags, and Community. What more could you want?

Expecting parents, new parents, current clients, past clients, friends, and family are all welcome! We encourage you to pre-register online as well as pre-purchasing raffle tickets to save! Additional tickets are available for purchase at the event and 50% of the raffle proceeds benefit Postpartum Support International. 

We're still accepting sponsors, food vendors, & product giveaways to partner with us in making this an amazing event for OC families. If you're interested in collaborating with us, please visit our sponsorship page. 

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A full list of all of our January & February events is listed on our website. Pre-registration for classes is always required. We look forward to seeing you at one of our classes or support groups soon!

Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018!

Is it totally cliche to say that we can't believe the holidays are over and the New Year has begun?! Well, it's the truth! This year has flown by and we are so grateful for all that has transpired. 

We'd like to take a moment to give thanks for the path which has led us here. To all the wonderful, memorable, and challenging moments in 2017 which have pushed us to expand beyond our comfort zone. We survived and so did you!

It has been a year of big change for Doulas of Orange County. Earlier this year we said goodbye to one of the founding partners of OC Doula Collective, Jessica Bougie, and welcomed new Co-Owner, Lauren Jacobs. Shortly after, owners Chelsea & Lauren embarked on a branding overhaul and revealed the newly designed and freshly named Doulas of Orange County to our clients, friends, and colleagues. 

This summer we said a fond farewell to our original office in Costa Mesa and moved into our new and improved digs in Irvine! What a ride it has been. Our event calendar grew adding more classes, gatherings, & support groups for Orange County families. We added additional professionals to our team: birth doulas, postpartum doulas, educators, & lactation professionals; all who have been eager and committed to serve our growing clientele. 

The end of this year brought the launch of our sister agency Doulas of Long Beach and we are proud to provide the same professional and compassionate care to families north of Orange County. 

In 2017 we served over 200 families offering Birth & Postpartum Doula support, Childbirth & Parenting Education, and Placenta Encapsulation. It has been an incredible honor to walk beside so many new and growing families during these special moments. We adore each and every one of our clients and are eternally grateful for your patronage and support. This work is a true delight for our entire team. 

Doulas of Orange County has some exciting plans for 2018, starting with our Open House on January 20th. We welcome you to join us in celebration of our new offices & education center. We're collaborating with some incredible national & local businesses to make this event truly amazing. RSVP today!

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We wish you and yours a very happy new year and hope that the joy and prosperity of 2017 continue in abundance well into 2018!

Questions to Ask Your Placenta Specialist

So you're on the fence about placenta encapsulation. To help get your questions answered, we've compiled a list of our most common questions about placenta preparation and consumption as well as offered our recommendations on what to look for when hiring a placenta specialist or encapsulator.

1. What methods of preparation do you offer?

Many placenta specialists not only offer placenta benefits in pill form, but in the form of tinctures and salves, smoothies, as well as keepsakes if desired. Encapsulation is the most popular request and involves placing dried placenta powder in gelatin or vegan capsules. Tinctures offer a longer term use of your placenta in liquid form. Salves include dried placenta powder mixed with the healing properties of beeswax and oil to use for skin conditions for mom & baby. 

The basis of most placenta preparation methods is TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) inspired, which involves steaming and dehydrating the placenta prior to consumption. You can also opt for the raw method which eliminates the steaming and goes straight from rinsing/cleaning the placenta to dehydrating. It is believed by some that steaming discourages bacteria growth, while others believe that steaming destroys nutrients. We recommend researching and speaking with a certified placenta professional to find the best option for you.

2. What are the benefits I can expect?

Our clients attest to the many benefits of using their placenta capsules and tincture to support their body and mind during postpartum recovery. Clients report mood & hormone balancing, help with boosting their milk supply, decrease in the amount of postpartum bleeding they experience, and increased energy. As every body and every person is different, each experience may vary, but these are the most common. 

3. Where did you complete your training and what does your training entail?

In our experience, in-person trainings offer the most comprehensive option available while effectively teaching the highest safety standards. In addition to having a professional training, it is recommended that all placenta specialists or encapsulators are fully certified to uphold blood borne pathogen standards as set forth by OSHA as well as certified Food Handlers. All trainings and certifications should be kept up-to-date to ensure the safest handling and preparation of your placenta. 

4. What are your sanitation and safety protocols?

The safest placenta encapsulation includes up-to-date Bloodborne Pathogens Certification which as we already mentioned.

When it comes to sanitization the only acceptable method is soaking in bleach solution or commercial sanitizer. All other methods are inferior. Equipment should be monitored for normal wear and tear and replaced as needed. Following processing each placenta, your specialist should soak all re-useable equipment in a bleach solution as set forth by OSHA to adequately kill all bacteria and prevent cross contamination. We recommend that all placenta specialists wear personal protective equipment including a mask, plastic apron, gloves, and a hair covering. 

5. How do you ensure that I'm receiving my placenta and not someone elses?

This is the beauty of opting for in-home encapsulation. By transporting your own placenta and witnessing the process in your own home, there will be no doubt. For those that choose to have their placentas processed in their specialists home, rest assured that we only process one placenta at time. Your specialist confirms that your placenta is properly labeled prior to receiving your it from the hospital and keeps everything labeled throughout the entire process. 

6. Do you have a contract?

This is essential for any professional placenta encapsulator. At Doulas of Orange County, our services are always contracted. A contract should state your responsibilities as the client (such as ensuring proper storage at the hospital) as well as the encapsulator’s responsibilities. Reviewing the contract prior to hiring is always an option!

Your placenta and postpartum deserve the best support offered. We encourage you to take the time to discuss relevant policies with placenta encapsulators and asking the hard questions. If you would like our personal recommendations for placenta professionals in the Orange County and Long Beach areas, please reach out to us!

 

Surviving Prodromal Labor

Start. Stop. Start. Stop.

Contractions come consistently for 4 hours. Then nothing. You fall into a sleepy abyss of nothingness for a few hours before the contractions start up again. And again, they stop.

The next morning you have random and mild contractions. There's no pattern, no consistency, just annoying pain that lasts all day long. Sometime in the mid afternoon you nap and they go away.

Night time falls, the moon rises... they're back. Coming every 3 minutes. Your back and hips ache beyond belief. You're convinced this is it.

You call your doula. She comes to your home to support you but hours later, the contractions slow and eventually stop.

This is prodromal labor. And it is, (pardon my French), a total mind fuck. 

Some people call prodromal "false labor" but the reality is, there's nothing false about it. The contractions are real. What you're feeling is real. The mind games are real. Calling it false labor discounts what the laboring woman is feeling and can make her feel as if her body is broken or unable to dilate. This is simply not the case. 

The biggest challenge with prodromal labor is that while the contractions are real, they typically aren't strong enough or consistent enough to dilate your cervix, thus prolonging your labor and wearing you out in the process... physically, mentally and emotionally.

So how do you avoid wearing yourself out?

Surviving prodromal labor requires a lot of support, so before you reach the end of your pregnancy, I recommend having a system in place in the event this is a part of your birth journey. 

Call Your Doula

This is why you hired her. She will provide emotional support to help you stay present and encouraged. Her expertise will help you determine if this is prodromal or early labor. She'll be able to give you tips on various positions or comfort measures that can help you stay relaxed. Don't be afraid to call her or ask for help. She is always there for you.

Re-Program Your Brain

So much of the labor game is mental. As you can imagine, days or weeks of start and stop contractions would discourage anyone. Build yourself up and get your mind right with affirmations. Print some out and put them all over your house, in every room. Repeat them out loud to reinforce their meaning and strength. 

Further, reframe your thoughts around prodromal labor by looking at it as a warm up or a rehearsal for the big day. Use this time to practice your breathing, relaxation and comfort measure techniques that you learned in childbirth class. Get your partner involved with some hands-on support to provide physical relief. 

Rest When You Can

Don't hate me. I know rest is what you crave and I know it can be hard to come by with prodromal labor. Find respite in the breaks and sleep when your body allows you to. If you can't sleep, keep the nighttime restful with gentle yoga, warm baths, meditation or something equally relaxing. Can't find a comfortable position? Check out Spinning Babies for supportive positions that encourage relaxation and more optimal positioning of your baby. 

Another option for rest is called "therapeutic rest." If your prodromal labor has prevented you from getting quality sleep for days or weeks, talk to your care provider about this option. Therapeutic rest involves medication such as Ambien or Nubain to relax your body and mind to get you to sleep. Often times therapeutic rest is the catalyst for kick starting your labor. 

Nourish Yourself

It's easy to be distracted by this annoying labor pattern, not to mention the discomfort or exhaustion may limit your appetite. But nutrition is just as important now as it is in active labor. Eat smaller, high protein meals to keep you fuller longer or try hydrating soups that will nourish your tired soul as well as your hard-working body. Stay hydrated with coconut water, fresh juice, electrolyte drinks or tea. 

Dig deeper into self-care and go get a relaxing massage or a pedicure. Not only do these promote relaxation, but certain acupressure points might move labor along. 

Be Gentle With Yourself

Ignore your contractions for a long as you can. Alternate rest and activity. Do normal things for as long as you feel comfortable and when your energy is tapped out, give yourself space to rest. Remember, your body is warming up and working hard, so give yourself grace and compassion. Know that you will not be pregnant forever and that in time this prodromal labor pattern will shift and your baby will come. 

Prodromal labor can be incredibly challenging and disheartening. But with the right frame of mind and the right support, you will get through it. Did you experience prodromal labor? Share about your experience below and tips on what worked!