It's World Doula Week (March 22-28) and that seems like a great time to talk about why I love my Doula. You might be asking yourself, what's a Doula? I'll be honest, for most of my life I didn't know. Put simply: she's a birth coach. But that hardly does the profession justice.
I'm going to tell you about my Doula (catching the theme of this blog yet? I pretty much just tell you what I'm thinking). We were pregnant with Ethan, our first, and were in search of a Bradley Child Birth class (picture Lamaze without the hyperventilating - then add empowering information and fun...Voila! That's Bradley - link it http://bradleybirth.com/). Anyway, google lead us to Jody (link it again http://jodysbirthjoy.blogspot.com/ fantastic birthing blog). Interestingly enough, Jody lead us to our midwife Ellen who is also amazing, but that's a whole separate post I'm betting. During our classes, Jody explained that she was also a Doula.
At the time, I didn't think I wanted a Doula. Don't get me wrong - they sounded awesome in theory. Someone who looks out for what you want and need during the birth; someone who can give your hubby a break after he's been supportive for hours and just needs a sandwich; generally just extra hands and heart in the room. The downside? One more person watching me in the unattractive, naked process of giving birth. Now, after it's all said and done, during labor the last thing I was was shy. But leading up to that point, I thought I'd be a bit more modest. The key was to find someone I was comfortable with - strike that, extremely comfortable with. That person was Jody.
So, now that you've got the background, here they are - The 5 reasons I love my Doula:
#1 She knew what I needed before I needed it
This was key. During the actual birth, when Ethan (then just Baby, we didn't know the sex or the name until he made his world-debut) was making his push to freedom, I was in the zone. But childbirth is a marathon, not a spirit. I'd say that sometimes it's a triathlon, depending on who you're talking to. Anyway, before I realized I was thirsty, Jody was there with ice chips. She suggested warm compresses that were the best thing in the world between pushes. And she took pictures - lots of pictures. They were something I didn't know I wanted (again, not the most attractive I've ever been). Now I can look at them with a 6 month old in my lap and marvel at the miracle. I don't pass around the album at Christmas, but they are something special for me and my husband.
#2 She taught me what I didn't know I didn't know
Ladies - your body knows how to grow and have a baby naturally, without any drugs or interventions. I knew that. But to make sure that you are ready to go when the time comes, you need to prep. Not just physically, mentally too. Visualization was key to staying calm and making it through what I will lovingly call the "get-out-of-me-now-baby" moments. More than that, do you have any idea how many positions you can labor and give birth in? A lot. My Doula was a wealth of information for any random question I had (or didn't have but should have had). She still answers my questions when I ask 6 months post-baby.The thing is, she's been there before herself and attended so many births that she has a list of ideas and tips to try. Super handy!
#3 She was honest
She never lied about the birth process. She never said a natural birth would be easy, fun, or pain-free. She did say it would be rewarding, and that I could do it. Both turned out to be quite true. I did transfer to the hospital with Ethan and the staff was great. But there was one nurse...She was younger and I know she meant well. She kept telling me that I was "almost done" and it would be "just one more push". Two hours later...She was lucky I was trying to be serene and at peace for the baby, because she was headed for "just one more push" out the window. Honestly, I had a great birth, but pretending it was almost over made it seem so long. Give it to me straight, I can take it.
#4 She's really loves what she does
You can tell when someone is passionate about their occupation. It is so clear that Jody loves to teach moms and dads how beautiful childbirth can be and that she really appreciates each birth she attends. You can't fake that. And you don't want someone who's going to try. The truth about Doulas I've met: They love it and they want you to love the experience, too. They are there to help.
#5 She still tells me what a champ I was
This one probably sounds a little self-serving (maybe it is - sue me) but any time Jody talks about my experience, she says how great of a job I did. You know what? That makes a mama feel good. Not to mention, it makes me think I could do it again with gusto. That's empowering. Men, be jealous - Women are made to do some extraordinary things. Peeing standing up is handy, but I think we have you beat, hands down.
To sum it up, I loved my birth experience and my Doula helped to make it amazing. Do I recommend having a Doula? I did and it was wonderful. But like everything in your birth plan, you have to decide what's right for you. I can say without hesitation that I will have a Doula present for any and all of my future births. And I'll have the pictures to prove it.
Erin Turo is a wife, mom, health enthusiast and the office manager at Turo Family Chiropractic. Visit Erin, her husband Dr. Dan and their son Ethan at their North Hills Pittsburgh office or their website.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
3 Myths About Chiropractic Care You Should Read Before Lunch
Chiropractic care changed my life. Seriously. No, I wasn't in a car accident, I didn't have a terrible fall; I didn't even have a sore neck or back. What I had was poor balance, knee pain, chronic headaches, and debilitating "lady problems" (sorry to the male readers - I don't get any more graphic, I promise). I took medicine, I had knee surgery - nothing helped. I decided I'd live with it. Thankfully, I married a guy headed to chiropractic school and found out I didn't have to.
Myth #1: Chiropractic is for Neck and Back Pain
The fact is, chiropractic is very good for neck and back pain, but that's not all. I didn't think I needed a chiropractor - my neck and back were fine. Oh, and I'm stubborn...maybe I should have mentioned that in the intro. Luckily, so is my husband, and off I went to the student clinic at Life University just to shut him up (sorry Hun, I promised to be truthful here). Under care and after time, my issues started to fade away. My balance has gotten much better (and my living room furniture probably thanks me for it). I've been under care for 3 years and I honestly don't remember what a real headache feels like. Is it magic? No. It's common sense, something we all understand but have somehow forgotten. Don't worry, I'm going to let you in on the secret that you know.
Myth #2: Chiropractors "Crack" Your Back
No. Chiropractors adjust your spine. And they get rather annoyed when you say they "crack" you. So what's the difference? An adjustment is a correction at the specific point that needs to be realigned. Truthfully, I have no idea what a "crack" is - sorry. And here's that secret I mentioned before, the one we all already know but have misplaced somewhere in that mess of information we have jumbled in our heads at any given second. Here's the "why" - why it's common sense that a misalignment can be so bad and an adjustment so good.
Your brain controls your whole body - we learn that in, what, 4th grade? Well, it controls everything that happens in your body whether you think about it or not. It tells your heart to beat (important, yes?) and so they must be connected somehow...enter the spinal cord. It's the freeway between your house (brain) and the mall (heart). Your car (the message between the heart and brain) has to get to the mall and back again to get anything done. Well, if there's a traffic jam (read: misalignment in the spine, or what chiros call subluxation), you're not getting there on time, and well, nobody likes a traffic jam. And it's not just that you can't get through - there are side effects to traffic: road rage, stress, maybe you have to pee. All things that can be corrected by moving that jam and getting you to the mall before you wet your pants.
Leaving my metaphor, when you have a subluxation, you just aren't functioning as well somewhere - could be your back, could be your heart, in my case it was my head and hips. I got adjusted. The chiropractor removed my subluxations. My body healed and now I feel and, more importantly, function great.
Myth #3: If I Start Going to a Chiropractor, I have to Keep Going for the Rest of my Life
Almost correct - change the words "have to" to "want to" and you've got it. The truth is, after you start heading towards a better functioning you, it's hard to want to change directions.
A chiropractor is part of my wellness team for two major reasons:
1) Drugs and surgery aren't for me.
I am careful about what I put in my body because I'm 98% sure that I only get one. Chiropractic is safe and natural, and the least invasive place to start for health challenges. Can drugs and surgery save lives? You bet. I go to my chiro in the hopes that I never need them to save mine.
2) Getting healthy was the BEST decision of my life - I'd like to stay here, thanks!
I hurt my knee playing soccer (enter pain killers and surgery - both of which were less than helpful in my case). After that, I couldn't exercise without pain, sometimes couldn't walk much at all without being sore. I was 20 at the time - that sucks. I mean, that really really sucks. I gained a lot of weight and a bad attitude. Did getting adjusted change everything all at once? No (remember, I said it's not magic), but it was one healthy choice that lead to others.
Now that I've made health a priority in my life, I really love living. Sometimes obnoxiously so. And I like to help others make it a priority in their lives too - if they want to make that choice.
So do you have to keep going to a chiropractor once you start? Of course not. No one's holding a gun to your head. Do people keep coming back because they love getting adjusted, getting healthy, and getting the life they want? Hell yeah they do! Can you blame them?
So that's it. The 3 myths. You can have lunch now.
Erin Turo is a wife, mom, health enthusiast and the office manager at Turo Family Chiropractic. Visit Erin, her husband Dr. Dan and their son Ethan at their North Hills Pittsburgh office or their website.
Myth #1: Chiropractic is for Neck and Back Pain
The fact is, chiropractic is very good for neck and back pain, but that's not all. I didn't think I needed a chiropractor - my neck and back were fine. Oh, and I'm stubborn...maybe I should have mentioned that in the intro. Luckily, so is my husband, and off I went to the student clinic at Life University just to shut him up (sorry Hun, I promised to be truthful here). Under care and after time, my issues started to fade away. My balance has gotten much better (and my living room furniture probably thanks me for it). I've been under care for 3 years and I honestly don't remember what a real headache feels like. Is it magic? No. It's common sense, something we all understand but have somehow forgotten. Don't worry, I'm going to let you in on the secret that you know.
Myth #2: Chiropractors "Crack" Your Back
No. Chiropractors adjust your spine. And they get rather annoyed when you say they "crack" you. So what's the difference? An adjustment is a correction at the specific point that needs to be realigned. Truthfully, I have no idea what a "crack" is - sorry. And here's that secret I mentioned before, the one we all already know but have misplaced somewhere in that mess of information we have jumbled in our heads at any given second. Here's the "why" - why it's common sense that a misalignment can be so bad and an adjustment so good.
Your brain controls your whole body - we learn that in, what, 4th grade? Well, it controls everything that happens in your body whether you think about it or not. It tells your heart to beat (important, yes?) and so they must be connected somehow...enter the spinal cord. It's the freeway between your house (brain) and the mall (heart). Your car (the message between the heart and brain) has to get to the mall and back again to get anything done. Well, if there's a traffic jam (read: misalignment in the spine, or what chiros call subluxation), you're not getting there on time, and well, nobody likes a traffic jam. And it's not just that you can't get through - there are side effects to traffic: road rage, stress, maybe you have to pee. All things that can be corrected by moving that jam and getting you to the mall before you wet your pants.
Leaving my metaphor, when you have a subluxation, you just aren't functioning as well somewhere - could be your back, could be your heart, in my case it was my head and hips. I got adjusted. The chiropractor removed my subluxations. My body healed and now I feel and, more importantly, function great.
Myth #3: If I Start Going to a Chiropractor, I have to Keep Going for the Rest of my Life
Almost correct - change the words "have to" to "want to" and you've got it. The truth is, after you start heading towards a better functioning you, it's hard to want to change directions.
A chiropractor is part of my wellness team for two major reasons:
1) Drugs and surgery aren't for me.
I am careful about what I put in my body because I'm 98% sure that I only get one. Chiropractic is safe and natural, and the least invasive place to start for health challenges. Can drugs and surgery save lives? You bet. I go to my chiro in the hopes that I never need them to save mine.
2) Getting healthy was the BEST decision of my life - I'd like to stay here, thanks!
I hurt my knee playing soccer (enter pain killers and surgery - both of which were less than helpful in my case). After that, I couldn't exercise without pain, sometimes couldn't walk much at all without being sore. I was 20 at the time - that sucks. I mean, that really really sucks. I gained a lot of weight and a bad attitude. Did getting adjusted change everything all at once? No (remember, I said it's not magic), but it was one healthy choice that lead to others.
Now that I've made health a priority in my life, I really love living. Sometimes obnoxiously so. And I like to help others make it a priority in their lives too - if they want to make that choice.
So do you have to keep going to a chiropractor once you start? Of course not. No one's holding a gun to your head. Do people keep coming back because they love getting adjusted, getting healthy, and getting the life they want? Hell yeah they do! Can you blame them?
So that's it. The 3 myths. You can have lunch now.
Erin Turo is a wife, mom, health enthusiast and the office manager at Turo Family Chiropractic. Visit Erin, her husband Dr. Dan and their son Ethan at their North Hills Pittsburgh office or their website.
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