The Virtual Doula Birth Right Program

I am officially your virtual doula!

Let's get things started with a little bit about me and how this program came to exist. In this lecture I'll tell you all about the sharp contrast between my first and second birth. The main difference was in how I prepared. If at any point during the course you have any questions feel free to reach out to me via email at herholisticpath@gmail.com with the email subject line: VIRTUAL DOULA STUDENT (this way you can receive a quick response).

Before we continue...

I want to make something extremely clear. I absolutely love to share information about holistic health. I am a huge advocate for natural birth, but this in no ways means that I am against the use of epidurals. I believe that every woman should be supported with the way that she wants to birth. I also believe that all mothers should be given unbiased, evidence-based information. For me, it's not about being for or against any particular type of medical intervention. For me, this is about educating moms so that they are empowered to birth the way they see fit. I truly believe in my heart that it is your birth right to birth the way you want. This program focuses on preparing for an unmedicated birth but in the event that you might truly need medical intervention please don't feel ashamed or that you have failed.

-Olivyah

In a nutshell you will be receiving information that I learned as a doula and also within my own experiences as a natural-birthing mom. Here in this program you will receive:

• video lectures

• pdf's created by me

• outside resources that helped me so much!

  • podcasts

  • youtube videos

  • blog articles

Each section will also contain a birth story. By listening, reading or watching these birth stories you will become more comfortable with birth and the idea of having a positive, peaceful and painless experience.

Please keep in mind that the program is for you and you only. Feel free to go through the lectures with your birthing partner (friend, doula, husband, boyfriend etc.) But do not re-post the content in this program to social media or any other digital outlet, thank you.

In this lecture we are going over some common MISCONCEPTIONS about birth.

In your resources you will find outside articles from various sources that further explain these misconceptions. After watching the video please go through the resources to better understand the various aspects of these misconceptions. Quite often, women go into birth with a lack of accurate information. This section was created to help you avoid pitfalls that occur when there is a lack of understanding.   

Anatomy?

It's super important to understand the anatomy of your own body. This will be helpful in processing certain information further along in the program but also will aid you in your visualizations. A technique that I used while in labor was to imagine my cervix opening with every birthing wave (contraction). By having a clear understanding of where my cervix is located and how it works I was able to better visualize it. I attribute a large part of my success in having a low-pain birth in utilizing this tool.

In this lecture we will explore the benefits of natural birth. In this context we are using the term "natural birth" to mean an unmedicated vaginal delivery. Understanding this is important because it give you more reasons to stay committed to your natural birth (as much as possible). There are many people and even medical professionals who tell expecting moms that natural birth is pointless. That besides having bragging rights there are no real benefits. Yet, this is not true. This lecture is meant to inform you but also to encourage you to stay committed to your goals even if others discourage you.

I encourage you to talk to other moms that have had a positive natural birth experience and ask them how they felt afterward.

When labor + birth is depicted in movies it looks like one long string of painful contractions, but this is not exactly accurate. Labor has an eb and flow. With each stage comes different nuances. Understanding each stage can be helpful for when you are using different comfort measures. Understanding the stages of labor helped me tremendously in moving through my own labor.

How does birth work?

In this lecture we will discuss birth at it's core. What is the physiological process of having a baby. This is so important because it puts you in a position of being empowered. Many women tend to feel lost and out of control during birth. Some of this feeling comes from not understanding what is happening within your own body. Also, understanding birth can facilitate better communication with your care providers, which can lead to a better birth experience.

A natural birth story that took an unexpected turn.