Florida AWHONN Section Conference

The last few days I have spent with my Florida AWHONN Section family.  I have been a part of the conference committee for the last few years.  It is a terrific group of women who work hard to put this show on every year.  It may look seamless to the attendees, but we have been working via conference calls over the last year since we left Sanibel last year to put this year's conference together.  The committee does everything from finding a venue to have the conference to finding topics and speakers to speak to arranging every little thing that happens during the four days of the conference.  I can tell you my friends did a fabulous job with this conference!  So much fun!  So much energy!   I am also happy that some of the great people I get to work with every day also made their way here to the conference!

AWHONN Lee Collier County Chapter Members

If you ever want to help with any AWHONN Florida committee, just ask!  We are all volunteers.  Volunteers with a passion for what we do and we would be glad to have you! Oh and conference committee..... nice job!   It has been a fantastic conference!

Creating a Sacred Space for Birth in the Hospital

It is important for the birthing space for women to be a safe and private place, as some will call it, a sacred space.  When the woman comes into the birthing place, she should be encouraged to make the birthing space her own.  That is why I encourage women to come on hospital tours during pregnancy and look at the spaces available for birthing.  In this space, she will be doing incredible work, that of bringing her baby into the world.

Here are some things to think about:

• What is in the room?  Is there the ability to have music? Nature sounds? Sounds of ocean waves? TV? DVD?
• Can the room be full of light? or dark as night, even in the day?  
• Are there signs that can be put on the door to keep the room private?  Can you bring your own signs?
• Is there room to walk around in the room?
• Is there room in the bathroom for you and your partner to be in there comfortably?
• What kind of seating is available in the room?
• Any availability to have aromatherapy?   Diffusers?
• Are birth balls available?
• Make notes of the things not there.  If you are going to birth there, you will need to put them on your list.

After the tour, make your list!  What will you bring with you in your birth bag?  Here are some things that women find helpful:

• CD Player or your phone with your favorite play list
• Flameless candles, battery operated tea-lights are great around the tub and around the room  (remember, candles with lighted flame are not allowed)

  

  Flameless candles

• Make your own door sign!  Have fun with this! 

Door Signs for Your Labor Room

• Affirmations for birth.  Signs in the room to look at and give you strength
• Aromatherapy diffuser OR cotton balls with some pure essential oils.  Some favorites peppermint (for nausea), lavender or your favorite (for relaxation), a citrus flavor (to perk you up for the pushing stage)
• Snacks available for you and your partner
• Your own pillows and perhaps a favorite blanket

When you get there:

• Keep the door to your room closed.  Put your door sign up!
• Everyone who comes into your birthing space should knock on the door prior to coming in.
• If there is also a curtain in the room by the door, pull it.  This will set up a double barrier so that others will not walk right in on you while you are laboring.
• Do you have something special you want to wear during labor?  Most of the time, this is ok too!
• Turn on your music.
• Set the lights to how you like them.  Ask if the lights can be turned down.
• Remember, if everything is going great, you do not have to stay in the bed!  Get up, walk around, be comfortable

This is your space while you are birthing.  Make it your own!  Feel comfortable!  
This is your own sacred birthing space!

A Nurse-Doula's Bag of Tricks

My first exposure to doulas came when I was working in Atlanta almost 20 years ago.  My office was in the middle of a long hallway that led to the Labor and Delivery unit.  Everyone going to Labor and Delivery had to walk by my office.  I am not one who keeps the door of my office shut (except when it needs to be of course) on this day, I saw a lady walking by my office with a large ball and a big bag heading to Labor and Delivery.  I was curious so I followed her there.  We introduced ourselves and I found out her name was Teresa Howard and she was a doula coming to be with one of the women in labor.  Teresa is the founder of Labor of Love Doula Services in Atlanta.  This is her logo for her doula business and I still LOVE it! 

I was curious so I went in to watch her do her magic with this mother.  The ball she had was a birth ball.  It was magic.  The mother was able to be upright on the ball and it promoted movement of her hips.  I was so impressed that I asked Theresa to come back and talk to my staff at a staff meeting after this birth.  (I think it may have been Theresa's first speaking experience with a nursing staff, but it was certainly not her last!)  I watched as she was able to work her magic and help the mother through her labor.  Massage and oils were involved.  One to help the mother relax (lavender) and when it was time to push, one to help her wake up (citrus) and get in the groove with pushing!  

I moved to Florida in 2000, but Theresa and I stayed in touch.  I also kept a thought in the back of my mind that some day, I wanted to take doula training and learn all the skills to help mothers in labor.  Labor Support Skills.   I had moved to SW Florida and found myself at a hospital where Birth Balls were the norm.  They are used every day.  This hospital also had nice tubs that mothers labored in and they work like a charm.   I met Polly Perez who was writing a book on Birth Balls and she asked if I would write a quote for her book.  

By 2004, I was ready.  I attended a doula training course and I became a labor doula.  Kind of strange I know:  A nursing director who is also a doula, definitely not the norm.   I  learned all I could on labor support and began collecting things for my own labor bag of tricks.  My bag of tricks includes massagers, stress balls, birth balls including the peanut balls, rice socks, essential oils, and the rebozo.  Over the next few weeks, I will be posting about the use of these tools for labor support. 

It has been great incorporating all these tools into the care of women in labor.  The best part is that I work in a hospital that encourages this for all women.  It is part of our Optimal Healing Environment.  Nurses need to have their own tool kit to use for providing Labor Support for all women and know when to use each tool.  This is a gift we give to laboring mothers.