What is your birth philosophy?

Resolute Birth believes that a birthing woman’s body works efficiently and naturally to bring forth life when she feels safe and supported. A physiological labor and birth process that is undisturbed by unnecessary interventions will generally yield the most positive outcomes for both mothers and babies.

We recognize the power of the mind-body connection that is often dismissed by Western medicine. As humans, our thoughts and feelings matter to our physical well-being and physiological functions. This is why anxiety or fear has been known to stall - or can actually stop - a woman’s labor. A mother’s mindset about birth is what may ultimately determine how she experiences it.

Every woman has the right to a beautiful and resolute birth through truly informed consent and a devoted support system.

WHAT IS A doula?

The word doula is of Greek origin and translates to “a female servant.” A doula is a trained, nonmedical professional who provides continuous emotional, physical, and educational support to their client before, during and shortly after childbirth. A doula’s purpose is to help families have a safe, healthy, and positive labor and birth experience. Your doula will inform, advise, and coach you through the amazing - yet, sometimes overwhelming - experience of becoming a mother.

what are the benefits of hiring a doula?

Doulas help create a physical and emotional space where the hormones of labor can work optimally. A doula’s continuous encouragement, hands-on comfort measures and positioning ideas for their client have been shown to progress labor and reduce anxiety during childbirth.

A recent Cochrane Review, Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, showed a very high number of positive birth outcomes when a doula was present. With their support, women were less likely to have pain-relief medications administered and less likely to have a cesarean birth. Women also reported having a more positive childbirth experience.

Other studies have shown that having a doula as a member of the birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labor by 25%, the use of pitocin by 40%, and requests for an epidural by 60%.

Will a doula take the place of my partner?

The role of the doula is never to take the place of husbands or partners in labor, but rather to complement and enhance their experience. Today, more husbands play an active role in the birth process. However, some partners prefer to enjoy the delivery without having to stand in as the labor coach.

By having a doula as a part of the birth team, a father is free to do whatever he chooses. They can encourage the father to use comfort techniques and can step in if he wants a break. Having a doula allows the father to support his partner emotionally during labor and birth and to also enjoy the experience without the added pressure of trying to remember everything he learned in childbirth class!

are doulas only for home births?

The presence of a doula can be beneficial no matter what type of birth you are planning. Many women report needing fewer interventions when they have a doula present at a hospital or birth center. The primary role of the doula is to help mothers have a safe and pleasant birth–not to help them choose their type of birth.

For women who have decided to have a medicated birth, the doula will provide emotional, informational, and physical support through labor and the administration of medications and interventions. Doulas will ensure informed consent by working alongside medicated mothers as a resource and an advocate. They also help laboring mothers cope with potential side effects and other needs where medication may be inadequate because even with medication, there is likely to be some degree of discomfort.

For a mother facing a cesarean, a doula can be helpful by providing constant support and encouragement. Often a cesarean results from an unexpected situation leaving a mother feeling unprepared, disappointed, and lonely. A doula can be attentive to the mother at all times throughout the cesarean, letting her know what is going on throughout the procedure. This can free the partner to attend to the baby and accompany the newborn to the nursery if there are complications.

how does placenta encapsulation work?

Ideally, a woman will contact a placenta encapsulation specialist prenatally to give notice of the estimated time frame that their services are needed. The client will also need to give notice to her provider and/or birth team that she would like to keep her placenta after birth. This is a great item to add to a birth plan!

As soon as possible after birth, the client (or someone on her behalf) will contact the placenta encapsulation specialist to come pick up the placenta to begin the encapsulation process.

Resolute Birth Services encapsulates a placenta by first steaming it with lemon, ginger and chili pepper, then dehydrating it in a food-grade dehydrator, grinding it into a powder, and encapsulating it for ingestion. Your placenta in capsule form will be delivered back to you within 48-72 hours so you can start your postpartum supplement immediately.

what are the benefits of ingesting my placenta?

The vast majority of mammal species consume their placenta after giving birth, likely because of the nutritional benefit. The custom of consuming the placenta is centuries old and is a tradition that has been gaining popularity in the United States.

While there is little evidence-based information available regarding placenta encapsulation, anecdotal reports suggest that it has many health benefits. The possible benefits of placentophagy include an increased production of oxytocin, a decrease in postpartum mood disorders and stress hormones, restoration of iron levels following bleeding after birth, and increased milk supply.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, placentophagy has been shown to assist with mood stabilization through supplementing oxytocin levels. This suggests that it has a potential regulatory effect on postpartum hormones, which can affect both postpartum mood and milk supply.