What is a Doula?

 

 

 

What is the VFDC?

The Valley Foothill Doula Collective (VFDC) is a group of local women who are committed to helping women realize their own power and ability during their childbearing experience. Though we vary in skills, personality, experience, and services that we offer, we hold in common the belief that women should have the birth they want.

 

 

NEW DIRECTION FOR VFDC

Get ready to see some major changes for the Valley Foothill Doula Collective!  We have elected a new Board of Directors and have many other enthusiastic members working on new projects.  The new Board has great fervor, big ideas and high hopes to take the collective to new heights.  What changes can you expect to see?  Some of the proposed ideas are a new logo, new more user friendly website, more educational events and

membership building opportunities.  Soon we will start having monthly Meet the Doulas Night; a night where the community can come learn more about doulas and meet some of the doulas in the collective.  We hope you enjoy the new changes in the collective and we look forward to seeing you in the community!

 

Our New Elected Officers are:

 

President: Jackie Belau

Vice President: Danielle O’Keefe

Treasurer: Cyndi Whitwell

Secretary: Michelle Gaymon

 

Congratulations to all!

EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR BLOOD TYPE

Eat Right for Your Baby: The Individulized Guide to Fertility and Maximum health during Pregnancy by Peter D’Adamo and Catherine Whitney is an important resource to have for our clients. The premise of the book is the same as the first Eat Right for your Blood Type guide, but with a tilt on what can show up during each trimester of gestation and the first year of baby’s life.

What I love about this book is it gives meal plans and supplements to enhance the whole pregnancy experience. In addition, there is discussion on what imbalances might look like and how to resolve them.  Nutrition is a key to a healthy mom and baby, what a great way to support the experience with an individualized look through blood type. 

The birth ball is a fabulous tool to use during labor and beyond, but why does it actually help? The following information is from a DONA training handout in 2002 on the benefits and indications.

 

The birth ball eases labor pain and enhances progress.  The ball is used primarily in these three positions:

1)Sitting, 2) kneeling and leaning forward, and 3) standing and leaning forward.

 

Benefits of the Birth Ball from all Positions:

• Facilitates physiological positions for labor
• Allows for pelvic rocking and body movements.
• Can be used with both internal and external electronic monitoring.
• Takes advantage of gravity during and between surges.
• Allows freedom to shift weight for comfort.
• Is beneficial with techniques for slow to progress labors.
• Encourages pelvic relaxation when sitting on ball.

Kneeling and/or Standing while leaning forward:

• Encourages fetal decent.
• May enhance rotation.
• Support decent of shoulders duringa posterior should presentation.
• Gives good access to back rub or back pressure.

In addition, the ball may be used during the postpartum period for:

• Sitting and bouncing on the ball soothes baby.
• Ball becomes a prop to restore strength and flexibility.