Have you ever heard of a rebozo? Even if you haven't, chances are that you've seen one in use before. It is basically a piece of  cloth that is usually around 4-5 feet long and  2-3 feet wide. They are usually made of cotton, linen, or another sturdy natural fiber. The word 'rebozo' translates into a long scarf. The word originated in Mexico. Traditionally mothers would use a rebozo throughout pregnancy, and after the baby arrived as well. It is considered a piece of a traditional Mexican garment, and although it is widely used in the perinatal period, many women wear one outside of this time as well. The infamous painter Frieda Kahlo can be seen wearing a rebozo in many of her pictures and self-portraits.

In pregnancy, the rebozo can be used to support a growing belly. When your belly gets big, it can really feel good to support it with the fabric spread out wide and tied in the back. You want it fully around your middle not too tight, but snug enough to feel your belly being supported. Try it out and see if you like how this feels-many women do. Also, with the assistance of a partner, you can use the rebozo to gently sway your belly. Get on all fours, and drape your rebozo underneath your belly, being careful to encompass the whole thing. Your partner stands up over you and holds onto the ends of the rebozo and gently pulls one end up, then the other, in a rhythmic manner. Here's a great link that goes into more detail on this technique, called "sifting".

I had never heard of a rebozo until I took my doula training. We learned how to do the previously mentioned position with the rebozo tucked snugly around the mama's belly while she's on all fours. This position can be very relaxing prenatally as it gently moves that little babe around, and in labor it can be an awesome position to have in your tool belt. You never know what positions are going to feel good for your labor, so the more options you have, the better.

A suitable substitute if you don't have a dedicated rebozo is a hospital sheet. The only downside to using a sheet is it sometimes is too wide but not long enough, and the fabric may not be as nice and soft as a rebozo.

After baby arrives, your rebozo can come in handy as a baby carrier. Simply tie it into a sturdy loop shape and put that little munchkin in there. You can experiment with different ways of tying it, and I have also seen it be used to support older kids on hips. Although babywearing is gaining in popularity in America, it is far from a new idea. Like previously mentioned, the rebozo comes to us from Mexico, where women there have been using the rebozo to carry their babies on them for a long time.

Does the idea of having a nice, beautiful, soft, and functional rebozo sound appealing to you? If so, you may want to invest in your own rebozo. Here's a great shop where you can buy one online. It will serve you throughout your pregnancy, labor, and postpartum as well. You can also use it as a cover up for breastfeeding or a swimsuit cover-up after baby's bigger.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Most doulas have some sort of bag we bring with us when we go to support a laboring family. Pay attention, and I bet you will notice the big tote bag, purse, or backpack which your doula will bring to your birth. The contents of this magical bag vary with each doula, but there are some common items which many of us bring to help make your labor and birth easier. Some of the things in this bag are specifically for you, the laboring mama working so hard, and some are for the doula, so she can be the best support for you that she can.

1. Food

The importance of food while at a birth can not be overemphasized. . When we head out to a birth, we may be gone for a long time, so it is absolutely essential to bring snacks with us. Perfect snacks for doulas are ones that won't make our breath bad, or that a laboring mama won't be able to smell. Laboring women's' senses are heightened, and so bad breath or smelly food are definitely faux-pas. Trail mix and granola bars are good, onion-flavored potato chips are bad. And chocolate? Chocolate almost always makes things better.

2. Massage Tools

There are all sorts of different tools we like to use to help a mama relax during or in between her contractions. Massage tools in all shapes and sizes, tennis balls, and our hands are what I find myself using time and time again. Many doulas bring massage oil or cornstarch as well, to help give good massages with our hands. Your doula will probably bring scented and unscented oils, just in case you can't stand the smell of the fragrant one. A scent that you usually love can quickly become unbearable when you're in labor. Your doula knows this, hence she comes prepared for whatever will help you best.

3. Heat/cool Packs

It has long been known that heat or cold can greatly help reduce aches and pains. Just think about when you're sore and you get in a nice hot bath. The same concepts apply in labor and birth. Your doula probably has a rice sock that can be popped in the microwave, along with a freezable pack to deliver cold to sore muscles. I've also found that a cool washcloth does just as good as a job of delivering relief.

4. Kneeling Pad

By far, this is the one tool that I use most often. It's a small portable gardening kneeling pad. I will often find myself kneeling behind a mom to rub her back or doing counter pressure when she's having a contraction, and this kneeling pad is a knee saver! I know some people just use a pillow for the same thing, but it comes nowhere near comparing to having a nice piece of foam under your knees especially if you're in that position for a long time. It is essential for your doula that she takes care of her body as she is taking care of you, and this tool does a great job of that.

5. Heart and Hands- or Leaving your Bag in the Car

After many births where I lugged my doula bag out of my car, into the birthing area, never to touch it the whole time, I've learned that sometimes the best tools are the ones I always have and don't need to remember to put in my doula bag- my heart and my hands. These are the tools that can be brought out at a moment's notice, and time and time again, I find myself using these tools solely at a birth.

As a doula gains more experience, she may also find that the tools that she used to lug around to every birth are not as paramount. Often the simplest things lead to the best results.

So ask your doula, what's in your doula bag?

1.      Comfy clothes and shoes- Doulas work long hard hours. We stay with you for the duration of your labor, whether it is 4 hours or 40 hours. We get into uncomfortable positions to help get you more comfortable. We squat, stand, bend over, and are on our feet a lot. Comfy clothes and shoes to wear to a labor are an absolute must. Seasoned doulas know sweatpants and sneakers go a long way to keeping your doula comfy. A comfortable doula is more focusing on helping you have your best birth.  

2.      Taking off comfy clothes- Just as wonderful as it is to wear said comfy clothes, I love coming home from a birth and ripping off my shoes and bra, and collapsing on my bed. There's nothing like it after a long birth.

3.      A long hot shower- No matter how quick or long and difficult the birth was, a long hot shower after coming home from a birth always makes me feel refreshed. Especially if the birth was long, I feel so grimy and love to wash my hair and brush my teeth before passing out in bed.

4.      Food! Your doula probably made sure that you ate before heading to the hospital, and she knows it's just as important for her to eat too. I try to eat something before heading to a birth- I never know how long I will be gone! Snacks in my doula bag are also essential. A granola bar at 4am can sometimes be a life-saver when I'm hitting a wall.

5.      A long nap- After coming home from a long birth,  I usually pick up food on the way home, scarf it down when I walk in the door, peel off my clothes, and then I nap. A long luxurious nap is often needed to reset my sleep-wake cycle if I've been up all hours of the night with parents. If I could have nothing else after a birth, a nap would be my first priority.

6.      Loving family members- Doula work is demanding on families. If often entails wife or mom to be gone for long stretches of time, with no idea when she will return. Coming home to a husband or partner who is supportive of doula work and values what we are doing is priceless. A little wine and chocolate waiting for us never hurts either ;)

7.      Water- When I'm at a birth I try to remember to bring a water bottle with me, but sometimes I forget. It seems the nurse is always very good at making sure the laboring mama has plenty of water, but sometimes the support people get left out of that. When the nurse does ask the partner and I if we want some water, I always enthusiastically say 'yes please!' Even though staying hydrated is such a simple thing, it can really help me stay energized and on top of my doula game. And we're constantly reminding that laboring mama to drink, so it's great if we are treating our own need for hydration just as important.

  The word 'pain' is a funny one. It's kind of like the word 'love' in that everyone's definition of it may be different, and that people might not be able to outwardly tell when you are experiencing it. There is actually a textbook definition of pain, which is caused by chemicals that are released when there is tissue or organ damage in your body. These chemicals travel to your nervous system, and they are then transmitted to your brain to send your body the signal that you are in pain. This can easily be seen as an evolutionary mechanism. If we held our hand in the fire, and it hurt, our body would very quickly transmit the message to move your hand.

When we think about pain with this definition, it makes sense why many women say that childbirth is painful. During labor, your cervix is opening, and while this is a normal and wanted action of labor, the tissues of your cervix are being pulled and stretched by the muscle of your uterus, hence causing you 'pain.' Do you ever experience pain when you exercise? Like when you go on a really good nice long run and your muscles hurt but you also feel exhilarated and happy? Our body has a built-in pain relief system of endorphin release  that happens when you exercise, and when you are in labor. When you're in labor, the oxytocin flowing in your blood causes endorphins to deliver some natural pain relief. Unfortunately, synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) has not been shown to share the ability to trigger endorphin release.

  Suffering, on the other hand is different from pain. While pain is a physical sensation, suffering is psychological. When a loved one dies and you are sad, you are suffering even though you haven't physically gotten hurt. During labor, if you are scared, nervous, or don't feel supported, you may experience suffering in addition to pain. On the other hand, if you are relaxed, trusting, and do feel supported, it is likely that you will not suffer and your endorphins will kick in to help combat the physical sensations you are feeling.

  One way to explain this complex relationship between your emotions and the physical sensations is called the Gate Theory. This is a concept that is taught in most doula training programs, so if it sounds interesting, ask you doula about it. It basically supposes that pain signals can be blocked from traveling up to your brain if a 'gate' along your spinal cord has input from another non-painful source.

  Every woman will describe what she felt while going through labor and birth in a different way. Some women say it was excruciatingly painful, but please realize being in pain is not always a bad thing. See pain for what it is- a physiological response to stimuli. Being in pain does not necessarily mean you are suffering too.

 Bringing a new baby home is filled with excitement, and it has the potential to be one of your most cherished times with your little one. The time you spend with your newborn only happens once, and they will go from being your newborn to being your baby much too quickly. Read on for some tips of how to make your postpartum time the best it can be.

Be realistic

Know that your whole life will change, and there will be sleepless nights and crying episodes. If this is your first baby, know that your routine will change completely. Life with a newborn can be tough, but it is also the sweetest time. Prepare for the challenges that will come with a new baby, and you won't be as frazzled.

Ask for help

Hopefully you have some friends and family who want to help. When people offer you help, take it! Tell them some specific ways they can help like bringing dinner over or washing some dishes. Most people are more than happy to help. But i if you don't have a strong support network, having family over will cause more stress than help, you have another option. Consider asking for postpartum doula care at your baby shower. Postpartum doulas provide emotional and practical support to you and your family. They are also experts at breastfeeding assistance.

Prepare as much as you can

Make some healthy freezer meals you can take out later, and set up a phone list of people you can call for specific things. Like, who can you call if you just need a good cry, or who can you call for last minute babysitting, or who would be happy to bring you Chinese take out food? We all have these people in our lives. Take the time to write down who would be great at what now, before  you have to do too much legwork when baby comes.

Protect and heal yourself

Know that there might be some people who think they know a better way to parent than you do. It's okay to decline visits from people who are negative in this way. Maybe assign your partner or another friend to be a go-between if people want to visit. Don't feel like you have to say yes to every visit, especially if your guests make you stressed. It is also important to take it easy for the first month or so. Many cultures forbid a new mom from doing housework etc. for the first 40 days after a baby is born. Imagine how different our newborn care would be if we recognized this custom!

Sleep and self care

It's okay to stay in your pj's all day, and not brush your teeth until noon. We've all heard sleep when baby sleeps, and there's a reason this old adage is still around. The first few weeks with your newborn are precious, and you owe it to yourself to make self care and breastfeeding your highest priorities.

 

Moms, what else have you done to rock your postpartum time?