Newborn Jaundice and How to Provide Support as a Doula
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Newborn jaundice is when a baby has a high level of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow substance that the body creates when it replaces old red blood cells. The liver helps break down the substance so it … Read More

Doulas, HIPAA, and Client Confidentiality
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Client Confidentiality and New Beginnings Confidentiality is an important part of the standards of a New Beginnings Doula.  It is imperative that clients’ information be kept private and out of the public realm, (unless permission has been given to share.)  … Read More

Doulas as a Part of Birth Team
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The morning when my client’s water broke, her midwife called me to let me know some basic information, including when she had gotten there and what the plan was.  We discussed the emotional and labor support needs. Then I came … Read More

Misconceptions about Doulas
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Nowadays, most people have at least heard about doulas. But there are still many misunderstandings about what they actually do when serving a laboring family. Here are some of the top misconceptions we have heard. Misconception about doulas #1: Laboring … Read More

Eating and Drinking in Labor-the Midwifery Model of Care
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Is it safe to eat and drink in labor?  Current research says yes, it is!  Nourishing mothers during labor is very important. However, the medical model of care and the midwifery model of care differ greatly in their practices on … Read More

Birth Trauma and the Five Stages of Grief
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A VBAC (vaginal birth after cesaran) I attended a number of years ago ended up in c-section.  While there are so many what-ifs in these kinds of scenarios, it is not my place to tell the mother what she should … Read More

What is the difference between a doula and other healthcare providers?
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Often people feel like the role a doula plays can or should be done by other healthcare workers. While this would be nice, in reality it is very difficult for healthcare workers to provide good medical care and good labor … Read More

Understanding Research on Waterbirth
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I just finished watching Rebecca Dekkan’s (from evidencebasedbirth.com) webinar on “How to Debunk the ACOG/AAP Statement on Waterbirth.”  For those who are not familiar with it, you can find the full text here.  Having just had a waterbirth, this has … Read More

Facebook Group Snapshot: Working with Medical Professionals
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In case you missed it, we wanted to highlight a post from the Facebook group for alumni and students of New Beginnings Doula Training. This particular post illustrated one of our core objectives at New Beginnings – to bridge the … Read More