Ambrosia Birth Services

My EBB Interview is up today and it goes over a little bit of all things me.

If my last post made you uncomfortable then you need to be listening more. This hospital bracelet sits on my dresser. I received it after interjecting a nurse who was berating one of my clients because she didn’t have a partner. This healthcare provider kept asking my client over and over again who she was going to give her second band to. I will never forget the stoic look on that mothers face as she laid in a hospital bed with her newborn son on her chest.

Black Lives Matter. Black Mothers and black babies must equally matter and be safely and respectfully supported.

Happy Mother’s Day to those of who are Mothers, long to be Mothers, grieve their Mothers, and support Mothers. Wherever you are in your journey today, may you feel love.

A little over a month ago when the Doula world switched over to virtual support, I was a little concerned about what that might look like. It turns out what I first thought might pose a disconnect between me and my clients has actually proven to be a deeper understanding of what connection means. My clients invite me into the most intimate moments of their lives when they choose me as their Doula. Opening up my home to my clients (although virtually) has possibly been one of ...the most intimate ways I can connect with them. I find myself FaceTiming from my kitchen table, my couch and even my bedroom and it’s all good!! For now we are all safer at home but the physical distance has provided many of us safety to connect on a deeper level. I’m hoping that’s a practice I will continue when this is over. #southbaydoula #birthdoula #virtualdoula #childbirtheducation See more

During these times we must remember that birth is wildly powerful and does not take direction from policy. If you are expecting to birth during the next few months I invite you to a webinar this Friday evening with myself and Dr. Koba. We will discuss your options during the reality of the current birth climate and provide tools for cultivating positive outcomes. Link in comments! See you Friday!!

Going over birth plans with my clients is one of the ways I sit back, listen and envision their birth prenatally with them. You can actually hear what the laboring person intends to and will do if in the presence of love, support and trust. Sometimes my only job in labor is to be the keeper of the plan and to honor the intention and transformation (and maybe apply some counter pressure).

2019 was such a sweet year personally and professionally. My kiddos are growing in incredible ways and are so very supportive of my work as a #doula. I was invited to support 16 families as a #birthdoula and spent over 180 nights awake caring for Mother’s in their homes as a #postpartumdoula. I am in my fourth year teaching childbirth education to pregnant teens and am constantly inspired by the Doulas who support me. I was awarded a favorite for the third consecutive year with #southbaysbest and continued my education with @ebbirth and am now an #evidencebasedbirth instructor! Thank you to all the families that have chosen me as their Doula. I’m looking forward to growing and learning so much more in 2020.

I am in my fourth year of volunteering and teaching #childbirtheducation aka #whatsadoula to pregnant teens in the Watts, Los Angeles community. Every time I show up I am inspired by the powerful young women I have the opportunity to support. Today we discussed the fear and safety cycles and how we can make decisions and enlist support to obtain a better birth and it was equally enlightening for me. #SouthBayDoula #losangelesdoula #childbirtheducator #doula

It’s Doula Meetup Friday! Today I got to love on TWO of my Doula babies while setting my intentions for my growth in the New Year. #thankful #SouthBayDoula #doulalove #birthdoula #postpartumdoula @ Providence Little Company Of Mary Torrance Medical Center

a moment of gratitude with @_mtbdoula_ Community support is at the core of Doula work. Community can be as simple as answering or sending a text message. Today I’m grateful for my ever growing and always supportive Doula community. #SouthBayDoula #doulasupport

My favorite on call ritual is definitely nesting. I love knowing that if I am to leave at any moment for any duration of time that my home is clean and in order. My favorite post birth ritual is touching the earth. I love reflecting on births while planting new life and making room for continual growth. #birthdoula #southbaydoula #oneluckydoula @ Kaiser Permanente South Bay

I was in labor all day and in absolute denial. I carried on with my day, and at one point, I even called the hospital to ask what I should do. Of course, they asked me to come in right away. I declined. Eventually, I didn’t have a choice. I walked into labor and delivery squeezing my legs together. I was told to sit down, but I couldn’t. She was coming. I still remember the gasp of the nurse who did my vaginal exam. I recall having my legs in the stirrups, staring up at the c...eiling, and just letting out a deep sigh. My face was calm; my shoulders were relaxed. I can still hear the doctor ask, Are you okay? Are you ready? And I replied to her, I’m okay; I’m just letting go. I’m going to open up now. Her name is Ines. ‘Baby A’. The twin who kicked and kicked all day and night. The one I always had my hand on. She was wrapped up in a blanket, and my husband and doctor guided her to my chest. He told me not to look. I didn’t. I just held the lifeless blanket on my chest and told her how brave she was, how much she was loved and so deeply wanted, and I thanked her for waiting long enough for her sister to be born safely. See more