Childbirth Connect

06/02/2026

05/26/2026

📣 Babies come when they're ready, you don't need to trigger labor

What if we just encoruaged people to enjoy the end of their pregnancy? Or to just rest in knowing baby comes when baby comes?

We get it, the end of pregnancy is uncomfortable sometimes. But the pressure to "trigger" labor has gotten a bit out of control.

You don't need to drink tea, bounce, do five miles circuits, eat dates, and hang upside down by your toes 😉 Baby WILL come.

Unless there's an underlying medical reason, baby and mom work really well together. When baby's lungs are mature with adequate surfactant, chemical changes in the amniotic fluid trigger labor.

Dates don't mature baby's lungs. Tea doesn't mature baby's lungs.

If you LIKE red raspberry leaf tea, dates make you happy, and miles circuit relieves pelvic discomfort, go for it.

But if you just want to hydrate, go about your days, simply exist, your baby will still be born.

With the increase in popularity of elective inductions, so many feel pressured to "trigger" labor to "avoid an induction."

But here's the thing, outside of medical indication, we don't *need* to trigger labor at home or even with an induction.

Induction can be a great tool when we need it. Triggering labor as you near 42 weeks, we get it.

But 37, 38, even 40.5 weeks, just relax. Baby WILL be born whether you bounce on a ball or not.

👇🏽 Did you feel pressured to trigger labor?

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

How do you doula a parent who is estranged from their parents?

Some surverys show around 11% of adults are estranged from a parent.

As doulas, it isn't our business why someone is estranged from a parent. We aren't owed stories. We aren't owed explanations. And if someone wants to share, we hold space and bear witness to their pain.

Most lived experiences and some research suggests children who have a healthy attachment to a safe and loving caregiver are unlikely to become estranged. For most adults who choose low or no contact, it is an extremely painful and difficult decision.

Whether there are religious conflicts, past abuse, judgement against who an adult simply is, disagreement with the adult child's partner choice etc., we aren't there to judge, we're there to support.

Maybe we have great relationships with our moms and we can't understand choosing no contact. Maybe we lost our mom and we think they're missing out on precious time. But the reality is we can never truly know someone else's life.

When someone becomes a parent, if they're low contact, no contact, or strugglint in interactions, these wounds can reopen as they step into the role of parent. As doulas, we hold space for that. And if they're struggling, we can encourage therapy.

Everyone oohs and ahhs over baby. Everyone wants to hold baby. But who wants to hold mom?

In passed generations, it might have been her mom. But when that can't be, we are there. We are there to meet her needs. To check in on how she's feeling. We nourish her so she can nourish baby.

Whatever the reason. Whatever the story. We are simply there to hold space. To hold hands. To hold the new mother.

👇🏽 How do you support new parents who don't have parent support?

05/19/2026

11/07/2024

Patient with a new baby? Download this handout for a breastfeeding survival guide for the first two weeks!