Navigating the Price Range for Doulas in Kansas City
In Kansas City, the wide range of prices for doula support can often be perplexing for expecting parents. As a doula deeply rooted in the Kansas City birthing community, I'd like to shed light on the factors contributing to this price disparity and help families make informed decisions.
Do Doulas Work With Epidurals?
There is a misconception out there, and it just won't go away. And it's this: if you hire a doula to be at your birth, they won't let you get an epidural. And it's just not true. As your doula, it is my job to help you feel comfortable and informed. Since 70% of births in the US choose to include an epidural, supporting clients with epidurals is a big part of what I do.
Postpartum Anxiety
I didn't take my baby to a restaurant until he wasn't a baby, technically, any longer. About 14 months after he was born, I was starving, forgot to bring a snack for myself while out running household errands, and it would still be hours before I would be back home with the rush hour traffic. My child was happy, and seemingly unbothered by the fast-paced world, the tedious safety straps of his car seat, or of any logistical conundrums of needing to change a diaper in a place with no changing station. Thankfully, he is a relatively go-with-the-flow sort of kid.
Best Snacks For Breastfeeding
As a doula, one of the most important topics I talk to expecting parents about while helping them prepare for their postpartum period is snacks. That’s right snacks. I promise, when you bring your sweet little baby home from the hospital you will be so tired, that once your little one is sleeping your entire life will come down to three things: eat, shower, or sleep. And spoiler alert, sleep usually wins. So how do you maintain enough of a calorie intake to nourish your healing body and establish a milk supply for your baby? Snacks yo!
Labor Induction
As a doula, I typically support hospital births. It is never my goal to tell you what type of birth is best, it is to give you information so that YOU can choose the right birth for you. Recently, I have been getting a lot of questions from my clients about inductions. I found that even clients who have chosen to take Childbirth Education classes to prepare for their birth are still unsure about what an induction is, or how it could affect their birth plan.
What’s in My Doula Bag
What is in your Doula bag? As a birth doula, I get asked this question A LOT! I have a feeling expecting parents like to think my bag is similar to Mary Poppin’s bag (which would be so dope!!) but the truth is, it is way less magical. New Doulas always ask this question of me too, so I thought I would simply make a post about it!
Is Your Doula an Advocate or Ally?
Is your doula your advocate or your ally? I rarely hear the word ally used in doula circles, however, I hear the word advocate being tossed around frequently. Here in Kansas City, I get asked often by potential clients if I will be their advocate. As a doula I know that the words we use are important, so please allow me to share my perspective on this with you.
What to Pack for your Hospital Birth
If you are anything like me, then you like to be prepared. I have always been the type of person who finds comfort in knowing that I have some control over my life, especially when preparing for something as uncontrollable as birth. I am totally “that mom” who always has a bottle of water, Aleve, Carmex, peppermint oil, and honey sticks in my purse… at all times… just in case.
My Journey to Became a Doula
Aloha, I am Charity, the Birth Doula and Photographer at Mahina Birth Support in Kansas City. Birth work is the destination that so many aspects of my life have led me to. As September nears, I feel it is appropriate to share my journey into the birth world by starting at the beginning. I was a young mother when I had my first child 22 years ago this September.