Are you considering a home birth or birthing at a free standing birth center? In our current culture, it seems that delivering your baby at a hospital is the default - but out of hospital birth can be a really great option for many people. There is a lot of misconception out there about home birth and midwives and I would love to go over some of the most common questions that people have.

The reality is that the person you will choose for your maternity care (and where you choose to birth your baby) can make a huge impact on the type of care you receive, your labor and birth experience (including the choices and options you are offered), and your overall satisfaction with your birth.

We know you want to do what you can to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby! Eating right is one piece we have some control over in the process. I recently sat down with Judy Simon, MS, RDN, CD, CHES, FAND to talk about nutrition in pregnancy.

This empathy link is the secret weapon of an otherwise somewhat helpless newborn. They cannot feed themselves, or care for their needs except to compel another to do so. That loving bond, and desire to care for your child is reinforced every time they cry and are comforted by your response.

Many partners feel uncertain about how to help, feeling that if they can’t take the pain away, there’s nothing they can do to help. So doulas can help give direction as to HOW to emotionally support the person in labor, since labor itself is often intensely emotionally trying.