Events and Posts

Keeping balance in the time of COVID-19

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment

We are three weeks into the Physical Distancing in Milwaukee required to flatten the curve from COVID-19. This is hard. We are social beings and being isolated goes against our nature. At first, I was excited about having some (unknown amount) of time in front of me to stay home, clean a few closets, read some of the stack of books on my nightstand, and slow life down a bit. But then, it hit me, the realization that this Physical Distancing wasn’t going to be just a week or two but some much longer unknown amount of time where we are not going to be going about the life we knew.

My coping methods to find and keep balance during uncertain times includes list making. Trying to feel in control of something in an out of control time. Lists of what to clean, which new parks to hike, what business systems and paperwork to revise, which clients to follow up with. But my higher self knows that is not the best use of this time, going inward and finding meaning and mourning for our world is where I need to be.

Today, I walked a different route out to the lighthouse on Lake Michigan. My husband took this picture of me and my pup and I think it is a good representation for how I’m feeling – a bit off kilter. The funny thing is, this lighthouse is actually very tall and straight. It is just the angle of the photo that makes it look like it’s leaning. And so it is with the world. The earth still spins and the sun still rises, just with a world-wide pandemic novel virus spreading through it; a bit off kilter too.

Be gentle with yourselves. Take the time you need to mourn and grieve the many losses we are experiencing. Hold in prayer those who are keeping our society running and caring for the most vulnerable. And those who have lost their loved ones or employment completely.

Pregnant families are among the most stressed at this time. Their birth plans are being impacted in countless ways including not knowing if their partner or husband will be allowed in the hospital with them, adjusting to virtual support from their doula, not having their family visit after returning home with a newborn. I can help with this. I have been and am supporting births virtually and working extra hard to prepare families to manage during the 4th trimester. Help is available, please don’t feel like you have to go this alone. We’re in this together and we’ll help each other find balance once again.

Virtual Doula Support

Doula support in the time of social distancing

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment

Babies continue to be born despite the happenings in the world around us including a worldwide pandemic. The social distancing requirements to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 impacts our ability to be physically close to one another. This however, does not mean that we cannot be virtually close and continue to be connected and share conversation, information and support. With creativity and flexibility, you can still have the invaluable support of a professional certified doula near you.

As a birth doula, I know now, more than ever, it is critical to have the continuous support of a qualified and experienced birth doula beside you. Anxiety levels are heightened right now because of the uncertainty around us. The added concerns over the new regulations and fear from the unknown from the COVID-19 create higher stress levels in the mother. Most hospitals have limited the number of people who can be present in labor and delivery to one which is most often the husband or partner of the laboring woman. But as your doula, I can still be present to you via the excellent technology available to us today. I will work harder than ever to keep you empowered and feeling safe throughout the process of labor and birth.

We develop a plan together of how we will communicate when you are laboring at home and at the hospital; this may be FaceTime or Google Hangout. Having a long extension cord and charging cord for your device will give you flexibility in where you place your phone or iPad. A stand or means to prop your phone or iPad is also helpful. I can still be near you, see you and give suggestions on position changes and comfort measures. We can discuss any options presented to you during labor and make sure you are using informed consent and have the information you need. I can still coach the partner in ways to comfort and support you. Postpartum, I will encourage you to do skin-to-skin with your newborn and give advice on baby latching and nursing. The information you desired and wanted will still be there for you. You are not alone in this. Your doula can help you and support you despite not being physically in the room. We’ll get through this together.

New York City

A Doula’s Weekend Getaway

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment
Always an emotional site. Especially knowing my father and grandparents were welcomed by this view on their arrival to the United States.

So how does one who is hired to be a continuous support during labor and delivery ever get away? Good question. As a Birth Doula, finding pockets of time between scheduled births to leave town becomes a challenge. Even though I have a backup doula for every client, I’m committed to being there for each client and have yet to call on the services of a backup doula. I found a few days recently when there were no births for a while and no postpartum visits scheduled so I took advantage and did a short getaway to NYC with my husband as a tag-along to his business trip.

No Day Shall Erase You from the Memory of Time
The first thing I see walking down the terminal at Mitchell Field in Milwaukee reminds me of nursing mammas. Yea! Yea! Yea!

A few days in NYC always feels like a whirlwind – so much to do and see. We took in Hades Town on Broadway and were so happy to see a familiar face of a friend from Milwaukee in the cast.

An obligatory purchase of roasted chestnuts is an integral part of a winter visit on the streets of New York. A solemn visit to the 911 Memorial and Museum was very moving. It brought back the overwhelming emotions of that tragic day. The architecture of the building along with the exhibits create a visceral experience. Spencer Finch created this amazing installation titled: Trying To Remember the Color of the Sky on That September Morning. Each of the 2,983 blue squares represents one of the victims of the 2001 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. No two squares are the same color blue. Eight children died that day.

Ute Cradleboard combining basketry, hide and beadwork.
Kootenai baby carrier made from wood, deer hide, wool, glass beads, conch shells.

My first visit to the National Museum of the American Indian was excellent. Of course I was drawn to the various baby carriers on display from the many tribes across the American continents. Many cultures understand the benefits of keeping baby close – the regulation of the baby’s heartbeat, temperature and breathing all are impacted by being worn on the mother.

No matter where I turned, there was something to remind me of the birth work I do at home in Milwaukee of supporting people during the most sacred time of their lives. I carry my clients in my heart wherever I go. On a personal note, there was also a little time to do some shopping for my first grandchild arriving soon. Shh, don’t tell baby’s parents. I want that all to be a surprise.

New offering! Mother’s Blessing

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment

I’ve learned that so many of my clients in the Milwaukee area seek to find deeper meaning in what bringing a new life into the world is all about. Some have religious traditions that help them with this. Many wish they had a way to go deeper and gather their female tribe around them to support them during this special time. A Mother’s Blessing is a way to be surrounded by the special friends and family to affirm and empower the mother-to-be as she prepares for the transition from pregnancy to childbirth to motherhood. 

Our western tradition of preparing for a baby includes baby showers – which are super helpful to the new family in assembling the physical objects to set up a household to bring baby home. We also focus on the physical and medical aspect of childbirth with preparation classes at a hospital or birth center and in prenatal meetings with the Doula. The spiritual and emotional piece often gets neglected. 

A Mother’s Blessing is an intimate gathering of closest female friends and family to create a loving circle around the mother-to-be helping her to prepare for her upcoming birth. It is a beautiful pre-birth ceremony borrowed from an old Native American tradition (Blessingway) celebrating a woman’s rite of passage into motherhood. The goal is to have her feel loved, recognize her strength, believe in her body and its ability to birth her baby, feel confident for labor, birth and motherhood. It’s a time where the focus is not on gifts, but instead on nurturing and supporting the soon-to-be mom. She should feel empowered, loved and strong after experiencing a Mother Blessing.

If you are a mother-to-be and this resonates with you, share this idea with your best-ies. If it feels too overwhelming for them to take on planning such an event, contact me, 414-301-7729, for facilitating this powerful gathering for you. I provide a menu of rituals to choose from to be customized to what would speak most to the mother-to-be. The host provides the venue, food, and invites guests. 

Becoming a mother is a life changing, transformative experience. “Showering” the mother-to-be with the affirmation and support of a Mother’s Blessing is a true gift of love.

Staying Cool While Pregnant

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment
Background photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com

Being pregnant during a Wisconsin Summer can be a challenge to staying comfortable. In the Milwaukee area, even though we are now officially in the Summer season, temperatures have still been cool and wet. However, because we live in Wisconsin, we know the hot, humid, sticky weather of Summer will arrive soon. When you are carrying another human inside you, the effects of the heat can be felt even more intensely. 

If you are pregnant, how will you stay comfortable and safe during the hot summer days? Let ‘s think about these things now.  

  • Hyperthermia – Abnormally high body temperature can be dangerous for pregnant women.  During the Heat Advisories, stay cool in the shade or inside and avoid hot tubs. Applying a cool washcloth to the nape of the neck and forehead can feel refreshing. Carry around a personal hand held fan for those times you are feeling the heat Maybe hang out at one of Southeastern Wisconsin’s beautiful lakes in the shade and feel the breeze.
  • Exercise safely – Swimming is a great exercise for pregnant women, feeling the freedom of movement in all directions can be lovely when you are feeling a bit encumbered by the weight gain.
  • Hydrate – Pregnant women are more likely to show signs of dehydration such as lightheadedness or dizziness which would cause them to fall. Also, low levels of hydration can affect your hormones which, in late pregnancy, could stimulate intermittent uterine contractions. The Cleveland Clinic recommends pregnant women drink 10-12 glasses of water a day.

So, grab a towel, pick up your favorite book on pregnancy or parenting, head to the beach, put an umbrella in that tall, chilled glass of water and enjoy the albeit brief Summer of Wisconsin.

Supporting Military Families in Birth

I Support Military Families for Birth

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment
Supporting Military Families in Birth
Supporting Military Families in Birth

As we celebrate the birth of our country on the Fourth of July, we remember all those serving in our military who put themselves at risk to protect and defend us every day. When families are separated because a partner or spouse is on active duty, the anxiety of facing labor and delivery for a pregnant woman can be great. As a member of the Military Birth Resource Network, I support military families through this difficult time. Having a Birth Doula’s support can help moms feel safe and more comfortable during pregnancy and allow her to achieve the birth she desires. We are a continuous presence during labor and delivery.

Postpartum care is also important for a mom and newborn when a partner is absent. Protecting mom’s time to rest and bond with baby is critical to establishing the loving bond between them. A Postpartum Doula provides non-medical physical, emotional and informational support to a new mother. That support may include: newborn care, support with breast or bottle feeding, meal preparation, maternal care or light household tasks.

Discounts provided for doula support services to military families. Contact me to find out how I can help you.

It’s all about the food

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment

Anyone who knows me, even a little bit, can probably tell you that I’m all about the food. As an Italian, cooking and being around the table with family and friends are at the center of my joy and happiness. I grew up in a house where we grew, cooked, canned and preserved most of the food we ate. Today, from my condo’s tiny garden, I grow a bit of what ends up on my table in addition to what I get from my vegetable and meat CSAs.

When you are pregnant, food becomes even more paramount in your life as you are literally “eating for two.” And making decisions about how to get the right nutrients for mom and baby can be challenging. Eating whole foods and skipping the processed foods is a great start to a healthy diet. If cooking is hard to fit in your schedule when you are feeling extra tired, try doing some batch cooking on a weekend. You can have a few meals prepped and ready to go for those busy weeknights. And, being aware of salt. That is important for all of us but especially pregnant women according to Dr. Rahul Gupta, chief medical officer at the March of Dimes.

Hypertension during pregnancy can lead to preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication resulting in high blood pressure and damage to liver or kidneys. This can result in premature birth.

Dr. Rahul Gupta

Check with your medical provider if you have questions about what to eat and your nutrient intake. Be sure to disclose any herbal supplements you are taking as they may affect the absorption of some vitamins and nutrients. And, stop by your local farmer’s market, support a local farmer and buy some delicious in season produce. Your family and baby will thank you!

This article speaks to concerns about nutrients and sodium for pregnant women. https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sc-health-pregnant-women-nutrients-0703-20190625-cqavbpwx4ragvighaong67dw4m-story.html

Is caffeine safe during pregnancy?

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment
Variety of coffee filled cups

Some moms struggle with figuring out what amount, if any, of caffeine is safe during pregnancy. Because caffeine can increase blood pressure and heart rate, this may be an issue for the fetus. The World Health Organization recommends limiting caffeine because of increased risks of having a low weight baby and increased pregnancy loss. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists come down on the side of saying that keeping coffee intake to about 8 ounces per day “doesn’t appear to be” a risk factor in regards to miscarriage or preterm birth. 

But, if you are like me, your caffeine does not come only in the form of coffee; it comes from other foods like tea, chocolate or soda. So, if you are concerned about what amount of caffeine is safe for you, talk to your medical provider and find other ways to get that energy boost throughout your day. At least for these nine months. 

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a28120850/can-pregnant-women-drink-coffee/

Inspirational Intentional Yoni Opening

Published on by joannbishopdoulaLeave a comment
Inspiring yoni opening
Yoni Banner Inspiration to Open

This beautiful hand painted silk banner inspires yoni opening! I don’t order much online, however, I couldn’t resist ordering this hand painted silk yoni banner which arrived today. I’ll offer it to the birthing mammas I work with to gaze upon during labor! It will surely inspire the mothers I support to relax and let her body do what it knows how to do – open to birth the baby.

Mammas are welcome to bring items such as favorite pillows or blankets to the hospital or birthing center to make for a comfortable space. Familiar items ease fear and allow a mamma to leave her neocortex brain and enter her limbic brain system. That’s when the opening really happens. So, what better to inspire her but to hang open yonis around the room. 

Call me to talk about ways we can make your birth experience more beautiful and create a comfortable surrounding.