Childbirth

Watch the “All about homebirth” webinar moderated by boober founder, Jada Shapiro in conversation with Certified Midwife, Shawna King, CM, LM. They shared what expecting families needed to know about homebirth. COVID-19 has caused expectant parents to think differently about what options they have when giving birth, in light of concerns about birthing in a hospital in the presence of a pandemic. While homebirth has always been specifically sought out by some parents, and while homebirth is a safe, viable, and supported option in many countries, only 1% of US births are currently planned at home. We have seen a huge uptick in interest in the possibility of homebirth during this time and want to give our community an opportunity to learn more about whether homebirth is available or even a possible option for them. We honor the homebirth midwives who provide their expert services to our communities. Recorded May 2020....

My name is Jada Shapiro and I’m the founder of boober, a platform that connects expectant parents and new families to maternal care providers, like birth doulas, lactation consultants, postpartum doulas, and mental health therapists. Until March, we were known for matching clients with expert care providers for in-person visits. I have always maintained that there are a time and place for virtual care, but there are certain aspects of support that can only happen in the same place. Pregnant, birthing and postpartum parents benefit from empathetic in-person connections, and we stand strong as one of the few companies that focuses on the face-to-face experience. ...

While there have been virtual doulas for a while now, the appearance of the novel coronavirus has transformed this once largely in-person role into a remote and critical one. We are living in unprecedented times, and many of us have been ordered to stay at home unless absolutely necessary. As hospitals work hard to reduce the possibility of transmission, extra people, including doulas and, in some cases, partners, are currently not allowed in several hospitals to support laboring people. We must protect healthcare workers and flatten the curve, and we empathize with how challenging it will be for partners to not be there physically....

Concern about how to prepare for the coronavirus has certainly reached new heights this week. But if you’re pregnant, you probably have some unique worries about how this virus might affect your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. Now is a good time to think through your game plan in the event that the coronavirus strikes close to home....

Both doulas and midwives support people during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, so it’s unsurprising that many think their jobs are similar. But the truth is that doulas and midwives actually have entirely different skillsets and training. Here’s what you should know about the differences between these types of professionals:...

A doula is a professional trained in childbirth who provides emotional, physical, and informational support to a birthing person (and, if applicable, their partner). Similar to hiring a broker to help you buy a home, a hiking guide to help you find your way up a mountain, or a consultant to help you plan your dream wedding, a doula helps an expectant family navigate its way through the often-intense, physically and emotionally challenging birthing process. ...

As an acupuncturist who often works with pregnant patients, I have at times been amazed by the significant physical and emotional shifts acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities can make. The positive impact of acupuncture during the third trimester and labor can be truly remarkable.I’ve seen a case of severe sciatic pain that resolved after only one session; a tense, anxious mom who walked out relaxed and laughing. So many breech or transverse babies who ended up turning into the vertex (head down position), that I’ve lost count! ...

Here at boober we can think of a million reasons why they improve the birthing experience for many. No matter what your plan is—a home water birth, a hospital birth with an epidural, an unmedicated hospital birth, a planned cesarean, or otherwise—a professional doula can provide you with one-on-one personalized care during this transformative experience. ...

Did you read the latest news on preventing the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth? Back up…do you know what the most common complication actually IS? Diabetes? Nope. Preeclampsia? Try again. Believe it or not, perinatal (loosely defined as the time from pregnancy to postpartum) depression and anxiety are actually the most common ailments that women face during this time. Between 11 and 17% of pregnant and new moms suffer from depression and/or anxiety. The good news is that perinatal depression and anxiety are treatable AND, as we now know, preventable....

November 17 is World Prematurity Day—part of an entire month devoted to Prematurity Awareness. In recognition, we’ve compiled some critical tips and information about NICUs. More babies than ever are spending time in NICU—up to 15 percent—potentially due to higher rates of cesarean birth, more screening for things like gestational diabetes and Group B Strep infection (meaning more mothers will test positive for these conditions), and more epidurals (which may lead to more fevers in mothers). ...