Winter Prenatal Classes at Nurturing Health in Cobourg

 

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There will be a January-February childbirth education series at Nurturing Health Naturopathic Clinic, beginning January 14th. This series is perfect for anyone expecting to give birth in March or April.

This six-week course is designed to help you feel confident, calm and prepared as you approach your birth and new parenthood. It will also provide your partner with skills and knowledge that will aid them in supporting you during labour and birth, as well as postpartum. Continue reading for details!

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May-June Childbirth Education at Quinte Midwives

There will be a May-June childbirth education series at Quinte Midwives, beginning May 20th.  This course is designed to help you feel confident, calm and prepared as you approach your birth and new parenthood. It will also provide your partner with skills and knowledge that will aid them in supporting you during labour and birth, as well as postpartum. Continue reading for details! Continue reading

But, WHY not? Dietary Restrictions in Pregnancy. Part Two: Foods That May Pose Developmental Risks for Babies.

photo credit: jessica_wimer via photopin cc

photo credit: jessica_wimer via photopin cc

Finally! Here I am, ready with the long-awaited part two of my post on dietary restrictions in pregnancy. As discussed last time, it can be frustrating to face so many “don’ts” when pregnant, especially when that list doesn’t give any actual indication of what the rationales behind those warnings are. In this series, I’m exploring different foods and beverages that are typically not recommended for pregnant women including the reasons they are considered unsafe or unwise to consume. Part one was concerned with contamination and the increased risks associated with food poisoning in pregnancy. Today, in part two, I’ll be talking about food and drink items that are associated with developmental problems in babies.

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But, WHY not? Dietary Restrictions During Pregnancy. Part One: Contamination

photo credit: Dan Zen via photopin cc

photo credit: Dan Zen via photopin cc

As most of us are all too aware, pregnancy brings with it some pretty big lifestyle changes, especially in the realm of food and drink. Women are told to cut out alcohol and sushi, soft cheeses and coffee, but less often are they told the reasons behind those recommendations. You wind up following rules (or not) blindly, because no one ever bothers to answer the simple question, “why shouldn’t I eat _____ while I’m pregnant?”. As with all things birth, I feel that people are in the best position to make decisions for themselves when they have all of the relevant information available, rather than simply acquiescing or refusing based on what their friends did, what their doctor says or simply what feels right. Don’t get me wrong, friendly advice, medical recommendations and intuition are all super important, but they’re all also greatly improved by awareness of evidence gained from credible sources.

In this series of posts I will go over the main categories of food and drink restrictions and include common examples from each. First up: contamination.

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A new home…

I am thrilled to announce that as of yesterday, my doula and childbirth education practice has found a new home in Cobourg. I couldn’t be happier to have joined the team at House of Wellness!

Beginning next week I’ll have office hours there on Tuesdays and Fridays and I will be teaching both prenatal education and pregnancy fitness classes there too. I couldn’t be more excited! I’ll be working alongside some amazing health professionals, including Kristi Prince, ND; Marissa Wopereis, RMT; April Boyd, MSW, RSW and one of the midwife teams from New Life Midwives!

Keep your eye on my class schedules page and on the House of Wellness website for more info on upcoming courses.

Exercise in Pregnancy Part Two: Body Trust

Last month I posted about the many physiological benefits for moms and babies that can be reaped by exercising during pregnancy. As promised, this post is a (somewhat delayed!) follow-up to that one, in which I’ll be exploring the concept of ‘body trust’. What does that mean? How does exercise help us get it? And why does it matter? Read on to learn more! Continue reading

MamaViews: How to Get the Most From Your Relationship With Your Doula

While I’m working on part two of my post about prenatal exercise, I thought I’d share something with you to tide you over! The lovely folks over at MamaViews recently asked me to contribute to their article, How To Get The Most From Your Relationship With Your Doula. Check it out by clicking on the badge below!


Exercise in Pregnancy Part One: It Does Your (and Your Baby’s) Body Good!

As a fun addition to my doula and childbirth education work, I have recently been training to become a pregnancy fitness educator. Pretty soon I’m going to start offering classes for moms who want to stay fit and limber during their pregnancies, and who want a little guidance, as well as a group to join, in order to do it. All of the reading that I’ve been doing as part of this training has made one thing abundantly clear – exercise during pregnancy is (for the vast majority of women) a good thing. Today I’ll be talking about the physical benefits of exercise for mom and baby (mom may be doing the exercise, but everybody wins!) and then in part two of this post I’ll delve into the less well-known, but equally important concept of body trust and why it matters for pregnancy, birth and the postpartum. Continue reading

Late Summer Weekend Prenatal Classes

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I am offering another weekend prenatal course in Toronto in August. This is a two-day intensive course designed to help you feel confident, calm and prepared as you approach your birth and new parenthood. It will also provide your partner with skills and knowledge that will aid them in supporting you during labour and birth, as well as postpartum.

Join me on Saturday, August 17th and Sunday, August 18th, 2013 from 10am to 5pm at the Centre for Social Innovation (Annex – 720 Bathurst St.).

To register, email register@labourdoula.com with the following information:

  • your name and your partner’s name (if applicable)
  • your phone number and email address
  • your expected delivery date and expected place of birth

This course is ideal for those expecting a baby between September and November. The course is $240 per couple. Discounts are available for doula clients.

Topics for the course will include (but are not limited to):

  • natural pain management and coping strategies for labour
  • the physiology of labour and birth
  • positions for labour and birth
  • risks and benefits of common interventions (including pain medications)
  • self-advocacy/informed decision-making skills
  • breastfeeding
  • postpartum care
  • newborn care and characteristics

Wondering why you should take an independent class instead of one offered by your local hospital? 9 great reasons here.

photo credit: peasap via photopin cc

New testimonial!

Another heartwarming client testimonial. I feel so honoured to have been a part of this birth.

Hiring Heather was one of the best decisions I made during my pregnancy. I had thought about a Doula early in my pregnancy, but hesitated because I didn’t know much about what she did and I didn’t know where to find one. About two weeks before I was due, a friend suggested I consider a Doula and gave me Heather’s number. After a brief conversation on the phone with Heather, I knew I had made the right decision. She made me think about things I hadn’t previously thought of and encouraged me to ask questions at my next doctor’s appointment.

I was very impressed with her prenatal knowledge as well as her experience with delivery. She always made me feel like I was in control over what would happen to me during delivery, but I was confident that she’d be the advocate I needed in the delivery room. Her calm demeanour and soft voice carried me through every contraction and provided the encouragement I needed to have a natural, drug-free birth. Even though I had only met her twice before the birth (baby decided to come early) I felt like I’d known her for years. Her presence at the birth offered a great deal of relief to my husband, allowing him to take care of logistics, all the while knowing that I was in good hands.

One of the things I appreciate most about Heather is that she goes out of her way to find resources to support us, whether it be how to deal with baby’s first infection or community groups for mom and baby. She is a wealth of information! Thank you for everything, Heather.