Matrescence: Identity-Shifting Transformation

Matrescence (pronounced ma tres ens) refers to a transformative period of identity-shifting experienced by a woman during her transition into motherhood. “The psychological birth of a mother, similar to adolescence, involves hormonal and identity shifting.” 

The definition of Transformation is simple: a change from which there is no going back. This simplicity is the origin of the Transformational birth support coaching approach, which invites doulas and all other birth workers to gain transformative power and integrate it into their practice.

There is no going back from becoming a parent. It means transforming from being someone’s child to someone’s parent.
Becoming the designated adult accountable for someone else’s life. For birth givers, it means transforming from someone who has been given life to someone who is giving life, which involves a physical transformation of the body, which is well described by the term “Matrescence.”

Continue reading

Empowering Black Birthgivers!

Throughout history, black women have suffered from medical exploitation, neglect, and mistreatment during childbirth. This has left a long-lasting impact on contemporary healthcare disparities, resulting in higher rates of maternal and newborn mortality and complications among black birthing individuals. Educational initiatives have been taken to address this situation within birth support. These initiatives rely on two primary strategies – acknowledgment and education. With this article, you’ll discover the power of transformational prenatal coaching in empowering black birthgivers and tackling the root cause of the situation – authoritative relationships.

Continue reading

Let’s Get Clients in 2024!

As a pioneer doula, I had to get clients while initiating and engaging in PR campaigns and giving many interviews to spread the concept of hiring a doula. Over the past 24 years, I have overcome my reluctance to engage in enrollment conversations to enroll potential clients, and now I have a thriving doula practice. I gained confidence by consistently showing up for my potential clients. Over the past seven years, I have been working as a doula trainer and have founded a new approach to birth support known as Transformational Birth and Postpartum Coaching. I am deeply committed to helping my students acquire clients and build successful practices. Although ‘doula’ is a term in the dictionary and a well-known support figure, the most asked question in the Facebook group I lead, “The Aspiring and Thriving Doula” is “How do I find Clients?  I gathered a few strategies to get clients which I teach at my doula training  and transformational birth support coaching course. And you’re invited to join my mentoring sessions. Find how at the bottom of this blog post. 

Continue reading

Birth Support Coaching in Times of Political Unrest

Birth Support professionals are committed to providing essential care and support to pregnant individuals and new parents, helping them navigate the challenges of bringing new life into the world. Pregnancy and postpartum are times of heightened emotions and vulnerability. Amid the current political unrest, the transparent fabric of hope and optimism that subconsciously led our clients to conceive has been interrupted. Staying hopeful and optimistic is less intuitive and demands intentional practice and awareness. At this time, birth support pros must help their clients to repair it.  We must expand our skills to facilitate something beyond proper maternal care; we need to coach to evoke hopefulness and optimism. Transformational Birth Support Coaching Strategies are the path to this type of support.

Continue reading

Beating the Spooky Thought: Overcoming Fear of Labor Pain

Halloween always makes me think about the spooky creatures individuals are troubled by, such as labor pain, cesarean, irreversible body changes, and dying at birth. The fear of labor pain is a common challenge among expectant persons. After all, the process of childbirth has been for centuries described as one of the most intense, physically demanding, and painful experiences a woman can go through. This perspective overshadows the excitement and joy of bringing a new life into the world. In this blog post, we’ll explore the fear of labor pain as a spooky thought and discuss ways to conquer it, ensuring a more positive and empowered birthing experience.

Continue reading

Five Key Differences Between Informative and Transformative Birth Support

Have you considered leading a prenatal or postpartum support process through questioning instead of providing information?
Are you ready to consider making a difference in your clients’ lives by facilitating a transformation rather than delivering information? The post-pandemic era gave way to a profound transformation, reshaping every feature of our lives and society. Shouldn’t new practices for birth support be ushered in? Let me show you five key differences between informative and Transformative birth support.

Continue reading

Decreasing Labor Induction Rates with Transformational Prenatal Coaching

Birth support pros have been led for decades to believe that informational and emotional support can reduce induction rates. This notion has been supported by certifying organizations, including Lamaze and DONA, and many others. Yet, induction rates have been on the rise since the ARRIVE study. So why are couples educated and informed about inductions, and the rates keep increasing? The common understanding is that decreasing labor induction rates belong to the broader discussion about couples’ informed consent. However, decreasing labor induction rates can be achieved only when we address expectant couples’ beliefs and ongoing need for reassurance of their and their babies health. Addressing the mindset and predetermined beliefs is achieved by Transformational Prenatal Coaching and not by informational and emotional support as previously thought by birth support pros.

Continue reading

Can Prenatal Coaching Prevent Birth Trauma?

Preventing birth trauma is a much-desired goal, no less than preventing maternal death and reducing cesarean rates. As we have known for many years, birth trauma doesn’t necessarily tie to the unfolding of childbirth but instead relates to how birth givers were treated and how they feel they performed during their birth. Prenatal coaching can increase individuals’ performance levels and empower them to expect patient-centered and respectful care, reducing exposure to birth trauma.

Continue reading

Sneak Peek at My Virtual Workshop: Rock Your Virtual Birth and Postpartum Coaching

My FREE virtual workshop, Rock Your Virtual Birth and Postpartum Coaching, will take place in just a week, on  April 11, at 11:00 am Pacific. I plan to go LIVE  for an hour and 15 minutes daily and lay down the pathway for birth support professionals to achieve great results with virtual or in-person coaching conversations while gaining impact and income.

If you’ve ever been in a push-pull relationship with your doula practice, this training is not to be missed. It took me years to realize that doula support can be expansive, easy, aligned with my values and wish for work-life balance, and lucrative! And I can show you virtual birth and postpartum coaching strategies with which you gain impact and income, especially during times of broad change on the planet. 

Continue reading

Navigating the Epidural Dilemma

What’s the Epidural Dilemma?

Pregnancy and childbirth are incredibly transformative experiences. Unfortunately, our culture has reduced the conversation about this utmost transformation to one topic: labor pain. Whether on social media, in moms’ groups, or on the playground, individuals undergoing their childbearing years’ discussions focus solely on fear and coping with labor pain. This narrow focus can make them preoccupied with deciding whether to take an epidural. It doesn’t help much that their guides, birth support professionals, also tend to distinguish between “Natural/Unmedicated Birth” and “Medicated Birth.” The first option is often idealized, whereas the latter is viewed less favorably. This can result in birth givers feeling negative emotions such as disappointment or failure if they choose to take an epidural. Since the decision to use pain relief during labor is a personal choice that has emotional and social implications, I suggest helping expectant individuals to navigate this “Epidural Dilemma” with transformational prenatal coaching,

Continue reading