The Rooted Womb

As doulas, most of us are very familiar with the ARRIVE Study. In fact, many of us have found it difficult to support clients desiring a natural birth since the ARRIVE study was published. Anecdotally, many of us felt induction of labor increases risk of c-section. However, it was difficult to navigate our anecdotal experience with the study.

Well, a new retrospective cohort study published in the journal Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care found a correlation between an induction of labor and increased risk of c-section birth.

Induction of labor and cesarean birth in lower-risk nulliparous women at term: A retrospective cohort study was published in January 2024.

Read the full study here: https://internationaldoulainstitute.com/2024/01/new-study-induction-of-labor-increases-risk-of-c-section-might-contradict-arrive-study/

Most opinions surrounding home birth or midwives may be shaped by fear, misinformation, a traumatic story, or a video they watched online.

And yet, somehow, they can feel very certain about what your birth should look like.

Here's the thing:
No two births are the same.

What feels safe, supported, and right for one woman may not feel that way for another.

A hospital may be the right place for one woman.
Home may be the right place for another.
And you do not have to convince anyone that your choice is the right one for them.

Because it isn't their birth.
It's yours.

You do not need everyone's agreement to feel confident in your choices.

You do not need to carry their fears, assumptions, or worst-case scenarios into your birth space.

Their assumptions are theirs.
Let them stay there.

Your birth needs confidence, trust, and people who understand that your experience does not need to look like anyone else's to be valid.

You don't have to convince anyone.
You just have to make the choice that is right for you.

—

Guided by wisdom. Rooted in grace.
Midwifery Care and Home Birth in North Texas.
kharismidwifery.com

🏷️ physiological birth | midwifery model of care | evidence-based birth | holistic maternity care | low-intervention labor | undisturbed birth | informed consent | water birth | personalized prenatal care | birth autonomy | vbac moms | north texas home birth | dallas

Repeat after me - Night feedings are normal, night feedings are NORMAL, NIGHT FEEDINGS ARE NORMAL!
We know now that you can not “sleep train” a baby that NEEDS you! Babies and children don't have sleep problems.⠀
⠀Society has expectation problems.⠀



“Training"⠀
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“Night waking is biologically normal. Night weaning does not ensure no wake ups. Sleep training does NOT ensure a good sleeper.⠀
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Sleep is a biological function, it cannot be forced. Just as if someone sat you on the toilet and demanded you p*e right then.⠀
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"Just give him rice cereal before bed. He's almost 3 month's, he'll be fine."⠀
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"Put them in bed, close the door, don't go back in until morning."⠀
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"If they are so upset they throw up, go in and change the sheets. Don't make eye contact or speak to them."⠀
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"She's getting too used to being comforted every time she wakes."⠀
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"Get out of the house when you put him in his crib, this way you won't hear his cries."⠀
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"Let them cry, they're just manipulating you."⠀
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Complete. And. Utter. BS.⠀
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Not to mention, DANGEROUS.⠀
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And many women believe that their baby, that only wakes a few times a night for nourishment and/or comfort, has a problem that needs to be solved.⠀
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Waking frequently is a protective measure against SIDS, and also helps to maintain breastfeeding. ⠀
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It's expected that they need feeds throughout the night. (Have you ever doubled your weight within a few months before? Or had rapid brain development and growth, so much so that you can't even rest?)⠀
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It's unrealistic to expect babies to sleep BETTER than adults. ⠀
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How it is or is not ok to hold your baby to sleep, nurse your baby to sleep, rock your baby to sleep.⠀
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What happened to following our instincts? What happened to parenting from and following what you feel is right and good in your heart?⠀
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If you need to p*e, do you wake? If you need to adjust the covers, do you wake? Do you wake when you're thirsty, had a bad dream, need to roll over?⠀
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Let's normalize normal behaviors.⠀
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Babies and children don't have sleep problems.⠀
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Society has expectation problems.⠀
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Needing comfort isn't a problem that needs to be fixed. It's part of being human.”