Wednesday the 15th of March, Elinor and I went to our first Nederlandse Reanimatie Raad (Dutch Resuscitation council) congress in Nieuwegein. As recently certified (paediatric) basic life support instructors, this was our first time at the congress which has been held in the Netherlands annually for 14 years. As midwives we have been to […]
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Take a tour of a midwife’s kitbag So home birth can be a new, strange concept for many internationals living in the Netherlands, where midwifery is designed around the concept that birth in a natural process and medical intervention is needed only when it is needed! Coming from a more medicalised country, this approach can […]
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It’s 20.00pm on a Thursday evening and I’m ready to go on call. My colleague will arrive shortly to hand-over, unless she calls me first to take over from her if she’s busy. A bit later and no phone call and no colleague yet. Not unusual though – it’s a very relaxed team and this […]
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Many of my clients use the TENS machine. See here for an explanation of how the TENS works. The use of the TENS is hugely under-rated for early labour, during active labour and I discovered recently that it is also awesome for post birth contractions! Many insurance companies will cover the cost of the TENS machine […]
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The benefits of water for pain are huge! You don’t have to birth the baby in water it is also great just for the pain relief! Placing a pool of water in a birth room changes the atmosphere immediately. Voices get softer, the mother stays calmer and everyone becomes less stressed. The effect of buoyancy, that […]
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When you discovered you were pregnant and you started thinking about the birth of your baby did you think about water as an option for pain management? You would not be alone if your answer was NO! So whats so amazing about water? The benefits are huge! Placing a pool of water in a birth […]
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“Why would I need a doula, I am giving birth in the hospital” is a statement I often hear when talking to women expecting their first baby. The truth of the matter is that if you really knew how much time you and your partner will be alone in that labouring room, you may […]
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You might think that because you have a midwife you will have continual support during the whole birth proces. Someone who stays with you, encourages you and helps you through the process. And if you are lucky that will be the case. BUT usually this is only from very active labour, and sometimes even then, […]
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Two repeat clients in one day! It’s a weird life, this doula-ing. Generally my workdays are filled with driving to an intake, a birth preparation meeting, giving an occasional massage or giving a private yoga course. But the rest of my workdays are actually not typical workdays. I live my life with my family while […]
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