Chatham-Kent Birth Services
15 grand avenue W N7L 1B4 Chatham, ON, Canada

This is so disheartening ...

"'The COVID-19 pandemic and all the things that we need to be doing around physical distancing are going to make the risk of maternal mental health complication...s greater. One of the primary reasons is that social support is so vital,' Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, director of the University of North Carolina Center for Women’s Mood Disorders, told TODAY Parents. 'In addition, high levels of stress can have an adverse outcome on a woman's ability to navigate this time.'" https://www.today.com//covid-19-pandemic-leads-more-postpa

This is not what you had planned. This is not what you'd envisioned. There are no visits from friends, no loving doula bringing you soup, no "mommy and me" yoga... classes, no coffee dates, no stroller walks through the park. There is empty space where you had planned comfort and company. There are long days with no one but your little one to talk to and this big transition to navigate all alone. I know it's lonely, mama. I know the walls of your house feel tight and the days feel so long, and you crave a warm hand on your knee and the soft embrace of a friend. You wish for someone by your side to marvel at this beautiful baby of yours and to wrap an arm around you when the feelings get too big and scary. We were never meant to do this alone. Motherhood has never been a solitary sport. And yet here we are, in this odd chapter of isolation and distance, with no choice but to do it by ourselves. But mama, know this- We are alone. Together. You are surrounded by all the other mothers who are navigating this tender time in isolation. You are held by all of us who have walked the path before you and who know how much you must be hurting. You are wrapped in the warm embrace of mama earth, as she too settles into this time of slowness and healing. This too shall pass. And when it does, hugs and coffee dates and visits from friends will taste so much sweeter. Soft kisses on your cheek and arms around your waist and gentle laughter in your ear will be the joyful medicine after this trying time. Until then, hunker down mama. Find the coziest, warmest spot on your couch, sink into the pile of unfolded laundry, and sleep the Spring away, with that sweet warm babe on your chest. #repost @spiritysol

Welcome to the world Kehzlin!!!! Congratulations to his amazing parents Krystal Hember & Shad (big brothers Kyree & Kingsley). You are so loved already

To all of my beautiful clients out there that are struggling with all of the uncertainties right now and to all of the other beautiful expecting partners out there ... you’ve got this.

Please be safe!

No toilet paper? No problem! You saw it here first #aubreeoriginal

Ever thought about how giving birth lying down is kinda...counterproductive? The birth canal curves upwards when you lie down, so you're going against gravity. ...Birthing on your back can make labor last longer because the body has to work much harder to eject the baby. It constricts blood vessels, meaning baby and mother won't receive the optimum levels of blood & oxygen. It also makes you more prone to tearing, and is typically more painful than birthing in an intuitive position. Your pelvis isn’t given the opportunity to open to its fullest capacity, and makes it harder for babies in non-optimal birthing positions to rotate or switch to better positions - which can lead to a need for medical intervention. There are a number of positions to give birth in that are better for both mommy and baby. Unfortunately, hospitals sometimes have a habit of telling birthers that they can’t deliver a baby in any position besides on their backs. DON’T LISTEN. Request the squat bar. Adjust the bed to your liking. Switch to a side-lying position. Do what feels COMFORTABLE and - most importantly - follow your body’s lead. #CMBSdoulas #DMVdoulas #BlackDoulas #LaborAndDelivery #BirthingPositions #BirthingWithoutFear #PositiveBirthExperiences #MDdoulas #DCdoulas #VAdoulas See more

YOU matter too. YOUR experience and how you're treated matters. via @themotherdoctor