Labor

I’m Dr. Sneha Gazi. I’m a physical therapist and owner of Sneha Physical Therapy, a NY-based in-home and telehealth practice. I’m the founder and Executive Director of Physical Therapy International Service Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that brings free PT to underserved communities globally. I am also the host and creator of “Fit As A Fiddle” – a health and wellness podcast featuring guest speakers from various fields and available in all major podcast platforms....

Watch Jada Shapiro, doula & boober founder, in conversation with Jill Blakeway, a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, a licensed and board-certified acupuncturist, and clinical herbalist and founder of the Yinova Center. New York Times described her as a “fertility goddess” and named her as one of Manhattan’s top acupuncturists. They cover various pain perception and management techniques during pregnancy and labor including breathwork (including tips for coping with required mask use), acupressure points, and positions that can help. Acupuncture, visualization, and doula care (both in-person and virtual) are discussed. Pain-coping skills are life skills, not just labor skills. The more they are practiced, the more easily they can be accessed and used during labor. Acupressure requires physical pressure to be applied to points that run along the body’s meridian system. A number of recent studies have shown the ancient medicine’s effectiveness for making labor a little shorter and reducing pain....

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....

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. ...

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. ...