The Smart Doula| Virtual Doula Blog

Planning a hospital birth? So you've made an informed choice that you feel safest giving birth in a hospital? (Yes, this should be an informed choice, it has both benefits and risks just like any other place of birth!) You have made your birth plan, maybe you even have plans a, b and c. You have your hospital bag (or three!) packed. You've done your group antenatal course, perhaps a hypnobirthing course, and hopefully you've also done some evidence-based research, listening t

Benefits for Baby, Benefits for Mama, and Overcoming the Challenges What Is Skin-to-Skin? Skin-to-skin simply means placing your baby directly onto your bare chest, with no clothing between you (apart from a nappy if needed), often covered with a blanket to keep yourself and baby warm. Your body becomes your baby’s first environment outside the womb. Your warmth regulates their temperature. Your breathing regulates their breathing. Your heartbeat reminds them of home. For a n

How to reduce risks and optimise your experience But I'm not planning on having an epidural If you are planning to give birth in hospital, it is worth taking time to understand epidurals, even if you currently feel certain that you will not want one. Labour is more vulnerable to the cascade of interventions in hospital and decisions are often made at moments of intensity, fatigue, or vulnerability. You are also more likely to be offered interventions such as artificially brea

Pain relief in labour Before you start reading this blog, I would recommend you hop over to my other blog about non-medical pain relief in labour. Not because I want to discourage you from using medical pain relief in labour, but all of the things in the first blog can be used alongside medication - layering up is a great strategy for labour and one you need to get in on! Paracetamol for pain relief in labour What is Paracetamol You most likely already know about this one! Pa