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Choosing the Perfect Care Provider for your Pregnancy

10/1/2014

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Pregnancy and childbirth
Congratulations! You peed on the stick and you got a positive result! You are expecting a beautiful new baby and you and your partner are over the moon. The next ten months will be filled with choices. You will plan and prepare and practically live in the baby section of Target and in Babys'R'Us. You will decorate your nursery and throw parties. You will read every baby name book you can find, but perhaps the most important choice you will make is the first one you make: The one choice that will impact your birth more than any other is choosing your care provider.
Now you may ask, "What's so important about what care provider I choose? They all went to medical school, didn't they?" Well your care provider determines a lot about how your pregnancy and your birth will go. They determine your birth location, setting and environment. They determine what types of testing and procedures will be recommended during your pregnancy and birth. They determine how involved you will or will not be in decisions made regarding your pregnancy, birth, and baby. They will determine who will be with you when you labor and birth. They will determine what you do and don't have access to while you labor and birth. Really the care provider sets the entire tone and environment of your pregnancy and birth! It seems like an easy choice to make, but really it should be one that is very well thought out and intentional. You are hiring someone to provide you with care while you grow and birth a new addition to your family. Giving birth is a life altering experience and how you birth has lasting effects on you and your baby. Following some simple advice when choosing this person can make a profound impact on your pregnancy and birth.

When considering a care provider, ask yourself what your perfect birth looks like. Where do you want to give birth? If you are choosing a hospital birth, research hospitals FIRST. Certain doctors practice at certain hospitals (for example, if you notice a specific hospital has a 44% C-section rate, you may want to avoid doctors who deliver there). Once your decide which birth center or hospital you want to give birth at, you have narrowed down your search exponentially. Find out which providers practice at your birth location and ask around for opinions from those you trust - friends, church members, family, mom groups, etc. Ask other women who have birthed with these providers what they're experience was. Look online to see if you can find reviews of these providers. Once you have the list even more narrowed down, call and schedule a consultation, NOT an appointment. Explain that you're pregnant and you would like to meet with the doctor or midwife to see if they are the right fit for your family. This should be at no cost to you. These providers want your business and should be willing to meet with you before they are officially hired. When you go to see these providers, bring pen and paper (or a tablet) so that you can ask open ended and effective questions to find out early in the game if this provider is a good fit for you and your birth. You will find a list of suggested questions to ask your providers here.

This may seem like a lot of work to put in to make a seemingly simple choice, but do this work early on and your pregnancy and birth will benefit greatly from it. You will experience less stress and frustration and the process will go much more smoothly as a result.

Now, you may be reading this late in the game. You may be well into your pregnancy (heck you may in the final weeks or days of your pregnancy!) and you've only recently realized your care provider is not on the same page as your. Trust me when I say it is never too late to switch care providers! Your doctor or midwife is YOUR employee. They work for you and it is their job to offer you evidence based care that sets you and your baby up for the best birth possible. If you have found yourself at odds with your care provider I urge you to reach out to other providers in the area and find someone who is going to give you the care you are paying them for.

To help you in your search for your perfect care provider, below you will find a list of facilities and providers in the area. Facilities and providers I personally recommend can be found in bold print.

Hospitals

Orange Park Medical Center / 2001 Kingsley Ave. Orange Park, Fl 32073 / (904) 276-8500 
Shands-UF Health Jacksonville / 655 w. 8th St. Jacksonville, Fl 32209 / (904) 244-0411
Naval Hospital Jacksonville / 2080 Child. St. Jacksonville, Fl 32214 / (904) 542-7300
Memorial Hospital / 3625 University Blvd. S. Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 399-6111
St. Vincent's Hospital Riverside / 2627 Riverside Ave. Jacksonville, Fl 32204 / (904) 308-7372
St. Lukes Family Birth Place / 4201 Belfort Rd. Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 296-4345
Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville / 800 Prudential Dr. Jacksonville, Fl 32207 / (904) 202-2000
Baptist Medical Center Beaches / 1350 13th Ave. S. Jacksonville Beach, Fl 32250 / (904) 627-2900
Baptist Medical Center South / 14550 Old St. Augustine Rd. Jacksonville, Fl 32258 / (904) 271-6000


Birth Centers

Birth Center of Jacksonville / 804 Margaret St. Jacksonville, Fl 32204 / (904) 633-3333
Growing Families Birth Center / 3750 US 1 South Ste. A, St. Augustine, Fl 32086 / (904) 460-2771

Fruitful Vine Midwifery Services / 1539 Parental Home rd. Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 855-4211

OBGYN Offices Recommended by Full Spectrum Birth Services
Dy. Hyler OBGYN / 1560 Kingsley Ave. Suite 4, Orange Park, Fl 32073 / (904) 264-1628
Full Circle Women's Care / 6817 Southpoint Pkwy Suite 2204, Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 674-0022



I hope you have found this information very helpful and I hope that it assists you in choosing the perfect provider for your perfect birthing experience.

If you would like to talk to me about choosing a provider, crafting a birth or postpartum plan, or get information on the best way to prepare for birth at your chosen facility, contact me today at fullspectrumbirth@gmail.com. I will gladly set up a pregnancy planning session to get you the information you need.


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Do I Need a Doula for my C-section?

8/10/2014

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C-section | Birth Doula | Jacksonville, Florida
The short answer ? Yes! Popular opinion is that doulas are for natural births only, but doulas offer such incredibly vital support and information while planning/experiencing  a C-section!

If you are planning a c-section, or have been given news that you must have a c-section, I encourage you to read the numerous benefits a doula brings to your birth experience!
Prenatal Support

If you know ahead of time that you will be having a C-section, you can do a lot of things to prepare. During your pregnancy, your doula will:

  • Create a birth plan. Even during a C-section, you have a lot of options to review. Your doula will help you and your partner by giving you the information you need to make choices about your birth. You then will be able to discuss these preferences with your care provider so everyone is on the same page. Later this week, I will talk about the options that you have to consider when planning a c-section. 

  • Prepare for your C-section. Your doula will spend at least two prenatal during your pregnancy. During these visits, a doula will direct you to information outlining what to expect before, during, and after your C-section. 

  • Create a Postpartum Plan. Your doula will help you put a plan in motion for when your baby arrives. She will help you set up meal trains, help in the home, and any postpartum doula services you may need.

  • Practice Relaxation Techniques. Your doula will help you learn and practice different relaxation techniques to use during your C-section. This will help maintain a calm and peaceful environment while you’re being prepped for the OR.

  • Process any Fear or Anxiety. For some women, planning a C-section can be scary or disappointing. Your doula will work with you to help you process and confront any of these feelings before your C-section (if it’s planned)

Pre-Op Support

When you arrive to the hospital to be prepped for your C-section, your doula can:

  • Help you and your partner navigate fears. If you are having a hard time with fear and anxiety, your doula can help you relax using various methods such as focusing on breathing, visualization, and massage. She will also be there to help your partner with any fear or anxiety before heading into the OR.

  • Take photos. Your doula can take photos of the pre-op process so that your partner can focus all their attention on you and your impending birth. Documenting the whole process can be incredibly important for remembering and celebrating the birth of your baby. 

  • Hand out Birth Plans. Your doula can ensure that everyone who will be in the room during your C-section has your birth plan so that they all know what your wishes are. 

  • Keep Family Updated. Naturally, many family members may be at the hospital with you. Your doula can give them updates on your status during pre-op so that you and your partner can relax and focus on preparing for the OR.

Inside the Operating Room

Sometimes, a doula is not allowed to be in the operating room with you, but this is not always the case. Ultimately this decision lays with your anesthesiologist so discuss this with your care provider ahead of time. During your C-section, your doula can:

  • Take photos. Just like pre-op, your doula can take beautiful photos of the entire process so that you are able to remember/celebrate the birth of your baby. This way your partner can focus on you. 

  • Explain what is happening. Your doula can also regularly update you and what is happening as surgeons don’t usually do this. This way you know what your surgeon is doing and when your baby is being born. 

  • Remind staff of birth preferences. While your doula cannot speak for you, she can gently remind staff/your partner of birth preferences. Surgeons and staff can be so used to normal hospital protocol that preferences can be forgotten during the birth. 

  • Be by Your Side. If you do not want any photographs or information during the surgery, your doula can simply be at your side to physically support you during the birth. 

  • If Your Doula Cannot be in the OR. She can coach your partner on how to comfort you and suggestions for photographs. She can remain with your family and encourage and support them while they wait for updates on you and baby. 

After Birth:

After the birth of your baby, your husband will likely accompany your baby to the nursery. Before surgery, you can discuss the possibility of your doula joining you for the remainder of your surgery/during recovery. This will need to be discussed during pre-op as your doula will need to scrub up. Other options of support after the birth include:

  • Assistance feeding your baby. Your doula will help you with comfortable nursing positions if breastfeeding or she can help you with formula feeding guidelines for a newborn. Nursing can be especially difficult postpartum because of pain so comfortable positioning is key.

  • Comfort Measures. Your doula can help with different techniques to be as comfortable as possible during your recovery.

  • Postpartum Visits. Typically, because a doula spends much less time with you during your C-section than she would during a typical birth, she will likely come to your home at least twice for postpartum visits. During these visits, your doula will help you process any feelings or thoughts you have regarding your birth. She will help with feeding concerns. She may even help you with any chores or housekeeping tasks you can’t do during recovery. 

As a mom who has had an emergency C-section and a vaginal birth, I can say I needed a doula much more for my C-section. There are so many different demands and challenges that go with a C-section birth and I encourage any woman who is preparing for one to reach out to a doula. She will be an invaluable resource to you during your pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period.

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    Kira Warren

    I am a professionally trained Placenta Encapsulation Specialist and a Birth Doula living in Orange Park, Florida

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