Why is a postpartum doula valuable?

What is a postpartum doula?

A postpartum doula is usually hired to help the family adjust to life with a new baby, to help siblings adjust and make sure the family are coping well.

The last thing new parents want to do is the grocery shopping or cooking meals. A postpartum doula can do your errands and chores for you.

We can also provide breastfeeding support (I am also a breastfeeding counsellor), occupy siblings as you feed baby or bond with baby or even take a shower or a nap.

It is hard to say exactly what a postpartum doula does because it changes with every families needs.

What qualifications do I have to help your family?

I have a number of qualifications to assist with helping families.

I am a birth doula, breastfeeding counsellor, placenta encapsulation specialist, bereavement doula and also a trainee postpartum doula (with current working with children's check) and am only 1 client away from qualifying and I am also a trainee childbirth educator.

What can I offer your family?

I provide meals for families with new babies, I also do light housework and laundry.

I can run errands such as go the post office, pick up groceries and organise referrals to other health care providers.

I have knowledge on breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth nappies, multiples, circumcision, extended rear facing of car seats, natural parenting and remedies and much more.

Why do I believe a postpartum doula is important?

A postpartum doula is there to mother the mother, make sure she is well fed, relaxed and enjoying being a mother. It is also my job to make sure dad is not overwhelmed and feels involved and comfortable in his role. My job is also to educate families about things such as breastfeeding, baby care, helping a sibling cope with a new addition. Instead of mothering the mother however I like to refer to it as nurturing the family, I believe it is very important to include all family members.

I am there to look out for signs that mum may not be coping and help to make things easier and refer to a GP or health nurse is postpartum depression is suspected.

An entire difference to a families day can be made by knowing a healthy meal is made or prepared, mum has showered and rested and baby is fed and relaxed.

A postpartum doula is also fantastic because we provide in home care and one on one support.

Who might use a postpartum doula?

Absolutely ANY family with a new baby can use a postpartum doula, many people assume since I am also a breastfeeding counsellor and often mention breastfeeding support that only breastfeeding families can use my services, this is NOT true at all. Our services are more common with:

First time parents

Parents with other small children

Families with little or no other support

Families who have just had or expecting multiples (twins, triplets etc)

Families prone to depression

Families who want to learn more

Why dads love postpartum doulas

Dads have mentioned that they love postpartum doulas because:

• The pressure is taken off of them to do everything while mum recovers and bonds
• They too have time to bond with someone there to help out
• They can return to work guilt free knowing they aren't leaving mum alone to cope of with a family member she maybe uncomfortable with
  
  There are many more reasons but these are the most frequent responses.

So what are you waiting for? Book a postpartum doula for yourself or a friend today!




Uses for breast milk other than breastfeeding

We all know liquid gold, mommy milk, boob juice or whatever your family calls it is precious and has so many benefits for your baby. But did you know it has other uses too?
The list of things breast milk can be used for gets longer as time goes by and people learn more and more about how truly magical breast milk is.
Breast milk can be healing because it contains immunologic agents which help to fight various parasites and viruses and because breast milk is sterile and anti-bacterial it can even help to heal wounds!

What else can breast milk do?
Do you or a family member have a cold or sinus problems?
Stuffy noses – Squirt a few drops or breast milk up the nose instead of saline to clear up a blocked nose.
Puffy eyes – dab breast milk onto the puffy area using a cotton ball.
Sore throat – rinse and gargle with breast milk to soothe a sore throat.

Other common complaints
Pink eye/Conjunctivitis – A few drops of breast milk in the affected family members eye will start cleaning and healing the eye, since breast milk is natural you can do this as often as needed unlike many eye drops.
Eczema/Dry skin – Apply a layer of breast milk on the affected area and allow it to air dry.
Ear infections – Squirt a few drops of breast milk into the ear to relieve pain and begin the healing process.
Nappy/diaper rash – Use breast milk to prevent and heal the rash.
Cradle cap – Apply to baby’s head a few times a day to reduce cradle cap.
Cracked/sore nipples – Applying breast milk to sore and cracked nipples is the best thing to heal them quickly and safely, it is also great to use when nipples aren’t cracked to keep them supple.

This one is just for the parents *wink, wink* for the nights parenthood gives you a break and you feel the need for a bit of passion breast milk makes a wonderful sexual lubricant!

You can also cook with breast milk, where you would usually add formula or cow’s milk add some breast milk to the family meals or just your child’s if you’d prefer! It can also be used to thin a puree you have frozen.
Another great use when consuming breast milk is breast milk ice lollies/icy poles.

A recipe example that my babies love to this day even is:
Popsicle moulds
Expressed breast milk
Simply pour breast milk into the moulds and freeze, these are GREAT for teething babies

Relaxation
You can make soaps and shampoos from breast milk too!
You can make body lotions and creams.
Breast milk can also be poured into a bath to smooth and soften the skin.

These are just a small handful of alternate uses for breast milk. Maybe you’d like to comment with some of the things you have used breast milk for.

What Placenta Encapsulation Can Do For You

Placenta Encapsulation – What is it and how can it help you?
Nicole Seamons CLD(CBI), PBI

Placenta has been consumed by women for centuries. Some cultures even hold rituals. Most western cultures now however frown upon it or consider the placenta medical waste. A lot of birthing women won’t even look at the placenta after birth let alone consume it. Should you reconsider that? I believe so!

Let me tell you how the placenta can benefit you AFTER you have had your baby.
s Helps rebalance your hormones & increase energy ~ If you’ve had a baby before you may remember around day 3-5 what is known as the baby blues, those periods of crying or being angry at everyone around you. There are 8 hormones said to impact a woman during the postpartum period (Thyriod T3 & T4, Prolactin, Cortisol, CRH, Oxytocin, Vasopressin, Progesterone and Estrogen) because the levels of these hormones drop significantly after the delivery of the placenta. By consuming the placenta you are adding these hormones back to your body reducing the risks of negative feeling and even postpartum depression which is linked to these hormones.

sReduce postpartum bleeding & shrinking of the uterus ~ The shrinking of the uterus is stimulated by a high level of Prostaglandins which are a group of biologically active compounds, it also helps slow down postpartum bleeding and reduces the risk of postpartum anemia.

sPostpartum anemia ~ During childbirth (vaginal or caesarean) we lose blood and continue to lose blood for a few weeks after, the placenta is filled with iron being a blood filled organ by consuming the placenta the iron levels won’t drop so dramatically if at all.

sPain relief ~ The placenta is filled with natural opioid enhancing factors which act as a natural pain reliever, amniotic fluid is even greater and can provide more of a pain relief than the placenta. The advantage to a natural pain reliever like amniotic fluid and the placenta is that the mother isn’t effected by any side effects that many synthetic pain relievers have.

sIncreases milk supply ~ In a study conducted by Soykova 210 women who were struggling with milk supply were given dried placenta in test conditions and an amazing 86% noticed fast improvements in the amounts of milk they were producing, some results were so great that they had increased production of up to 70g per feed!

The placenta doesn’t stop benefiting you after the postpartum period, the capsules can be frozen and taken during hard time or leading up to and during menstruation when hormones are raging.

So now you know the benefits how is the placenta encapsulated? A placenta encapsulation specialist will do this either in your home or a special workspace of their own. If you birth in a hospital it is most likely it will be encapsulated at the specialists house or workplace so you can have the capsules before you are discharged (based on the average 3 day stay) where as a homebirth is entirely up to you where you’d prefer the specialist to encapsulate the placenta.
Once the placenta is in the hands of the specialist they will rinse and remove membranes and the cord (this is after doing placenta prints if you’d like them) what happens now depends on which method you choose;

Traditional Chinese Medicine Method - The oldest method and also the most commonly used. Labour is considered to be Yin which means cold, it is believed the process of labour and birth leaves a lot of open and empty space. The TCM of encapsulation is Yang which means warm because of the spices, herbs and steaming involved in the encapsulation process. By adding warm energy it is believed to help postpartum healing even further and for longer since some believe that since the raw method is considered cold it isn't suitable for longer term use (when period returns, menopause etc)
Traditionally used ingredients such as lemongrass (or lemon when this is not available), ginger and peppers all add a warm energy then the placenta is steamed, the steamed placenta is then dehydrated, ground and placed into capsules, the result is an energy balanced placenta remedy that is nourishing and warm.
Raw Method - This method is based on the more modern beliefs that heat destroys vital enzymes. When using this method most specialists will not go above 50°C as many believe that the heat would kill lots of nutrients and the hormones we are trying to add back to the body. The placenta is then sliced and dehydrated then ground and put in capsules.

What else can be done with your placenta? Yes there is more! A placenta balm can be made (HIGHLY recommended for c-section mothers) simply open up a capsule and mix with a natural oil such as coconut oil and rub on nappy rash, eczema, c-section scars *should not be used on viral or bacterial infections*
A tincture can also be made which is where a slice or raw placenta is placed into alcohol and steeped for 6 weeks it is very beneficial during PMS and menopause as it is used for emotional, mental and physiological instability but should not be used instead of seeking medical advice with signs of depression or mental illness.



It is time the world saw what a beautiful organ the placenta is and the amazing thing it can do for women all around the world.

Sources: My own learnings from studying with PBi (Placenta Benefits info)
A rainbow doula
www.arainbowdoula.com.au
www.arainbowdoula.blogspot.com.au
www.facebook.com/arainbowdoula

Certification

It is with great pleasure I can show you this certificate.

I completed my course with very high marks (majority of exams were completed with a 96% mark or above a number even 100%) and I did my qualifying birth some time ago. My certificate arrived in the mail last week and I am so very proud of it.

Why Placenta Encapsulation is becoming so popular

Gone are the days where you have to eat a raw placenta or placenta pie to gain the benefits this wonderful organ offers, unless of course that is what you want to do, the raw placenta has much stronger benefits than anything, although everything I do I make sure the temperature is as low as possible to not kill many of the nutrients. 

What benefits does Placenta Encapsulation have?
~ reduced postpartum bleeding
~ increased energy
~ hormones rebalanced
~ increase in milk supply
~ uterus returns quicker to pre pregnancy state
~ reduces postpartum pain and discomfort
~ reduces risks of postpartum depression

These are just some of the wonderful things the placenta does after the birth of a child.

What is the difference between the raw method and the TCM method?
Traditional Chinese Medicine Method - The oldest method there is and also the most commonly used. The process of labour is considered Yin which means cold, it is believed the process of labour and birth leaves a lot of open, empty space. This process is Yang which means warm because of the spices, herbs and steaming involved in the encapsulation process. By adding this warm energy it is thought to aid postpartum healing further and for longer since some believe that since the raw method is considered cold it isn't suitable for longer term use (when period return, menopause etc)
We use ingredients such as lemongrass (or lemon when this is not available), ginger and peppers to add warm energy then steam the placenta, the steamed placenta is then dehydrated, ground and placed into capsules, the result is an energetically balanced placenta remedy that is nourishing, warming and tonifying.
Raw Method - This method is based on the more modern beliefs that heat destroys vital enzymes. When using this method I do not go above 50°C as many believe that the heat would kill lots of nutrients and the hormones we are trying to add back to the body. The placenta is then sliced and dehydrated (after being washed and vessels and membranes removed) then ground and put in capsules.

How would you like the placenta to be ground?
I can also do two different methods for this depending on your beliefs. Most commonly I use an electric grinder, however some people believe that this can add a bad energy to the pills a metal, frantic or anxious energy so to avoid this for those clients a mortar and pestle is used.

What is a tincture?
Placenta Tincture is made from a piece of the mother’s own raw placenta after birth, steeping in alcohol making a strong remedy over 6 weeks. It is said that placenta tincture is used for emotional, mental and psychological instability and may also be very beneficial for treating PMS and menopause. - IPEN

What is placenta balm??
Encapsulated placenta has many benefits including topical use. A placenta capsule can be opened and mixed with a natural oil to be applied directly to the skin. It is great for nappy/diaper rash, eczema, dry skin, bruises and many other skin problems. As with placenta capsule ingestion, placenta should not be used topically on any virus or bacterial infections. - Placenta Peace

How long does it take?
The absolute latest you will have your placenta capsules will be the 3rd day postpartum though I aim to have them back by the 2nd day, it is important I am notified as soon as possible after the birth so I can pick it up and return it sooner.

See our fees for Placenta Encapsulation

Breastfeeding a premature baby

I've just started volunteering my time to an amazing Facebook page and have been writing articles for them so I thought why not share them here too. If you'd like to join the Facebook page you can find it here - Bumps, Boobs & Beyond

We always picture our pregnancy going to 40 weeks but what happens when you deliver at 25 weeks, 35 weeks or any other earlier than expected gestation, can you still breastfeed?

Yes you can! Not directly at first as many prems have what is called a Nasal Gastric Tube which is inserted  into the nose or mouth and your pumped colostrum and then breastmilk is fed via this tube until baby is stable enough and strong enough to learn to suck.

I read a lot of articles about breastfeeding prems written by people who have never had prems and some of the information is so incorrect that many parents maybe misinformed.

Feeding my son expressed breastmilk through his NGT

The photos in this post are of my own children and our experiences with breastfeeding premature babies. Above my son is being fed my expressed milk via his NGT.

Normally with a term baby you would hold off on expressing and pumping to let baby establish your supply for you, here you can't so it is important to start expressing as soon as you can, a nurse will usually help you hand express into a syringe and take the colostrum to your baby or babies.

Having to pump can often leave you feel very deflated (I know that's how I felt!) you're using this machine to feed your baby not holding them and nursing them as you had always pictured, not to mention constantly looking at how many oz or ml your are pumping and worrying about that. Many women myself included found it hard at first to establish a relationship with the pump and struggled with my letdown. Ways of overcoming this are:

♥ Pumping with a photo of your baby or whilst touching your baby

♥ If baby is able to wear clothes holding and smelling some he/she has worn

♥ Closing your eyes, forgetting the pump and imagining your baby feeding from your breast

♥ Nipple stimulation before pumping

♥ Hand express to get your milk flowing first (some women respond to human touch better than a pump)

♥Massage your breasts with your hand as you pump

My premature son (twin A) on CPAP to help him breathe. An example of a NGT inserted via the mouth instead of nose

It is never easy leaving the hospital without your babies, I have left without 4 so far and no matter the circumstance neither was easier than the other.

I strongly recommend finding a good hospital grade breastpump (I found the double electric by Medela amazing), many places hire out breastpumps so you don't have to worry about spending hundreds on a pump that doesn't suit you,  spend the time to find one that does work for you.

Many lactation consultants will recommend pumping every 2 hours  including overnight (overnight can be spaced out to 3-4 hours if you wish) whilst you are in NICU or until your milk is established for 20 minutes at a time to a) establish your supply and b) build a good stockpile for your baby.

Kangaroo Care

If baby is stable enough for Kangaroo Care this is something that is beneficial to you, your milk supply and your baby. Kangaroo care is where your baby is undressed down to his/her diaper and placed on your bare chest with a blanket over the baby to keep them warm. It is great for bonding and has also been proven to help babies breathe better independently, gain weight and regulate temperatures better. Having this skin to skin contact will also be great for increasing milk supply because of the hormones released as you hold your baby.

Breastfeeding a prem baby is no easy road, babies do not even have a suck reflex until around 32 weeks and many will be fed via a NGT for quite some time before you can even attempt breastfeeding but when you do attempt it for the first time and baby latches you will have the most overwhelming sense of joy fill your whole body.

One of our first breastfeeds in Special Care Nursery

The main thing is to relax! Nobody plans a prem baby but it does happen and that does not mean you cannot breastfeed. With support and determination you can give your baby the best start to life possible.

Before long you will be counting how many suck feeds per 24 hours and shortly after that counting how many days you haven't had to use the nasal gastric tube.

One thing to make note of with a premature baby is that they are very sleepy babies which can also make breastfeeding harder but again not impossible baby will eventually become more awake and willing to feed.

Having 3 premature babies myself and still here to tell the tale and share my premature twins breastfeeding photos is amazing and proof it can be done, these boys were on ventilators and at one point Twin A was on life support yet when we left the hospital as a family we were fully breastfed and loving it!

If you have any questions please do ask me. We will have more posts coming about premature babies and feeding and care so your questions will help me know what you want to know.

Our first 24 hours with no feeds from the NGT just breast

The working mother and pumping for baby - your questions answered

Recently I have become an admin for a breastfeeding and parenting help page on Facebook to further extend my skills and help those in need find the page here
One of the questions that comes up the most is how a mum is going to cope when she goes back to work, also how much is so supposed to pump, how to pump and so on, so here are a few helpful hints for those going back to work.

It's not an easy decision to leave your young, breastfed (or bottlefed) baby and head back to the workforce but a mortgage/rent, bills and reality often forces us back well before we would like to.

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO PUMP?

A lot of mothers (myself included once upon a time) worry when they first leave their baby, will he or she have enough milk? What if the sitter runs out? Should I buy formula just in case?
Here is a simple way to calculate how much milk you need to pump (some babies will drink more or less than this, it won't take long to work out your individual baby and his/her needs)
Lets say your baby feeds 9 times per day divide that by 740ml or 25oz (depending which you go by)
740/9 = 82.22ml or 25/8 = 3.13oz
So baby will need approx 80ml or 3oz per feed whilst you are away
This is based on babies 1-6 months old some babies 6 months old can drink 100mls per feed though so it is about getting to know your baby.

Based on the above calculations lets say 7 of the 9 feeds are during the day to make sure you have enough stashed if you have to work over or are running late so can't breastfeed in the morning.
80ml x 7 = 560ml or 21oz is needed for the day.

To get an idea on how much your baby needs via another method visit this hand Milk Calculator which uses your babies weight and how often they feed.



HOW DO I KNOW WHICH PUMP TO USE?
Another common and perfectly valid question there are so many different pumps and sometimes our budget is tight which is why we must return to work so that effects our choices too but we need something that will still work the best for our body.
Even though budgets are tight consider this for a moment, even the top of the market pumps are cheaper than formula feeding for a year.

What do you need to look for?
Pump cycles - A baby sucks roughly 45-55 times per minute so for a pump to be really effective you need are the same pump cycles, something considerably lower isn't going to be that good at expressing milk and will leave you feeling stressed and deflated.
Single or double? A single pump will only pump one breast at a time, not a fast pumping option more suited to a mum only occasionally pumping
Double well now you get another option - Double alternating or double simultaneous - a double alternating will pump as the opposite breast releases, a double simultaneous pump pumps and releases the breasts at the same time, this is the most effective pump and will give you a better output and cut your pumping time in half.
Comfort - Not many mums know that the shield that come with your pump are a one size fits most however you can buy different sizes having a shield too small or too large for your breasts and/or nipple can severely effect how well you can pump
Noise level - if you plan to pump at work who wants a really loud pump?  It can also be a distraction effecting how well you can relax during pumping which will in turn effect your supply
There are a few other things that you may have to consider but these are the most important things when making your decision.

If you want to try before you buy and have a little time to choose the right pump for you there are lots of places that hire breast pumps out - we are one of those - A Rainbow Doula Pump Hire 

WILL BABY GET NIPPLE CONFUSION OR START REFUSING THE BREAST?Nipple confusion will generally only happen if baby is going back and forth from the breast to bottle at a very young age and may not happen at all. Nipple confusion generally happens because the milk from a bottle flows faster and easier and baby then doesn't want to work to get his/her milk as they do from the breast.
Medela came out with these great bottles called calma bottles where baby has to suck as they would at the breast to get any milk which are a great idea if you are worried about nipple confusion.
When a baby refuses the breast we refer to this as a nursing strike at some point all mothers working or stay at home will experience this, it lasts a few days and this is where frustrated, tired mums fall into the bottle/formula trap, don't give up your baby will come back to the breast if you presist.
Offer baby the breast as much as possible but do not force baby to the breast.
Spend lots of time topless with your baby topless, the skin to skin will do wonders for you both.

WILL I NEED TO PUMP AT WORK?
Ideally, yes. To maintain a supply and not have such a big pumping job to do once you finish work to make sure you have tomorrows supply ready it is a good idea to be able to pump at work. This is where your double pump comes in handy, especially if you've gotten your hands on one that is battery operated as well as power unless you are lucky enough to have private access to a power point. All you'll need is 15 minutes to pump, if you're lucky enough to get 2 breaks take the opportunity to pump at both of these (I have eaten many lunches and pumped at the same time!)
Just think if you can manage to pump twice what a relief it will be to know there is about 400ml of your babies milk for tomorrow already pumped when you walk in the door at home. If you're lucky and respond well to pumps as I was fortunate enough to you can fill a 200ml bottle from each breast at each session. Even if you only get the chance to pump once thats still milk you dont have to worry about tomorrow no matter how much or how little you get.
Will your boss let you pump at work? In most places (all states in Australia and the majority in the US plus many other countries) it is illegal for a boss to not allow you a break to express in Australia this comes  under the  federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 it is illegal in Australia to discriminate against a person either directly or indirectly on the grounds of breastfeeding