Doula In Reno

This class from is amazing! Join tomorrow in Reno!

This is how I looked when my husband got home today so that he would ask me if I had anything to share…

Oh yes, my love… Pull up a chair…

“Pay attention to your baby’s movements” is good advice—but often poorly explained.

One of the most common concerns in pregnancy is:

“Is my baby moving enough?”

Here’s what matters:

Babies develop patterns.
And you learn those patterns over time.

It’s not about counting perfectly.
It’s about noticing change.

A decrease in movement can be an early sign that something needs to be checked.

Research shows that awareness of fetal movement is associated with earlier detection of potential complications.
(ACOG)

So no—you’re not “being dramatic” for paying attention.

You’re being aware.

If something feels off:
Call. Get checked. Go in.

Reassurance is never a waste of time.

Birth is not a competition.

Unmedicated doesn’t equal better.
Epidural doesn’t equal failure.
Cesarean doesn’t equal “you didn’t try hard enough.”

In the U.S.:

• ~70% of women use epidural analgesia
• ~30–32% of births are cesarean

Interventions exist because birth can be unpredictable.

The goal isn’t perfection.
It’s informed decision-making.

When women understand options, risks, and benefits—
birth becomes something they participate in, not something that happens to them.

That’s the shift that matters.



Citation:
CDC National Vital Statistics Reports

Women’s health advice is wild sometimes.

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard:

“Just relax, and it will happen.”
“Sleep when the baby sleeps.”
“Your body knows what to do.”

…we could probably fund postpartum care properly.

Here’s the reality:

Relaxing doesn’t fix infertility.
Sleeping isn’t that simple.
And bodies sometimes need support.

Women don’t need clichés.
They need information, support, and honesty.

Also maybe snacks. Definitely snacks.

Postpartum recovery was never meant to be done alone.

In the U.S., we normalize a 6-week “clearance” as if recovery is complete.

It’s not.

Up to 1 in 5 women experience postpartum depression or anxiety.
(CDC)

Sleep deprivation impacts cognition, mood, and healing.

Hormonal shifts affect everything from metabolism to emotional regulation.

And yet—support is often minimal.

Postpartum isn’t a quick return to normal.
It’s a full-body, full-life transition.

The more we understand that, the better we support women through it.

Postpartum recovery is not a 6-week timeline.

The standard “6-week check” was never designed to represent full recovery.

Postpartum healing includes:

• Uterine involution (weeks)
• Hormonal shifts (months)
• Pelvic floor recovery (months to longer)
• Mental health adjustment (varies widely)

Up to 1 in 5 women experience postpartum depression or anxiety.
(Source: CDC)

And many more experience:
Sleep deprivation
Identity shifts
Relationship changes
Feeding challenges

Recovery is not a single appointment.

It’s a transition that deserves ongoing support.

That’s one of the biggest gaps in U.S. maternal care.

Honestly… this tracks.

One of the things birthwork teaches you fast:

Kids ask real questions.
Adults should ask real questions.
… but sometimes avoid them entirely.

And yet—when it comes to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, hormones…

We need more real conversations.
Not less.

Curiosity is underrated.
And honestly—so is honesty.

Miscarriage is common. And still rarely talked about honestly.

An estimated 10-25% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage.
The actual number is likely higher due to losses before confirmation.

(Source: ACOG)

Most occur in the first trimester and are often related to chromosomal abnormalities—not something a woman caused.

Not stress.
Not exercise.
Not lifting something “too heavy.”

And yet—many women carry quiet guilt.

What’s also true:

Miscarriage is common.
Grief is individual.
And both deserve space.

We can normalize the data
without minimizing the loss.