Kristin Rahn, Birth Services

11/24/2024

I’ve still got it. A bit of that doula magic.

This is baby #5 for me with this family. ❤️

10/11/2024

A privilege I have never, and WILL never, take for granted is bearing witness to others’ stories.

I may not post here or attend too many births as a doula anymore (though I still do, on occasion!), but I’m shifting into my next phase of supporting folks. Stay tuned!

When people allow you to know about their pain and talk about it, take your shoes off. It’s a holy place.
Be humble, be kind when someone shows you vulnerability.
- Amani Albair

art | Sandra Bierman

12/20/2023

Did you know that the MommyMeds app has a 'Time-to-Zero' function, so that you can easily track when your breast milk is alcohol-free? Our research-based calculator considers your weight and choice of beverage(s), offering you peace of mind and the freedom to decide when to nurse your baby. The general rule is that if you're safe to drive, you're safe to nurse (the two hour rule isn’t right for everyone!). If you’re looking for a specific recommendation, let us do the math for you! Cheers and Happy Holidays!

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03/26/2023

12/18/2022

State Medicaid programs are increasingly turning to doula services to help tackle the maternal health crisis, but low reimbursement rates may risk undercutting tangible progress.

09/26/2022

Supporting NICU parents is so important!

08/11/2022

Powerful. ❤️

Posted • What did I need after my baby died?

I needed people to let me grieve.

I needed it to be okay to talk about my baby.

I needed to be seen as their parent.

I needed space to figure out the new life I was being forced to live.

I needed grace as I stumbled through a world where nothing made sense.

I needed it to be okay that I was sad.

I needed people who were willing to squeeze into uncomfortable spaces with me.

I needed people who would let my grief fill the room.

I needed others to love me when I wasn’t easy to love.

And to those who gave me what I needed, I want to say thank you.

Because you’re the ones who let me become the person I am today.

The person I needed to become so that I could live life after my baby died.

06/17/2022

Why doulas exist.

Alternately titled: Why doulas burn out.

Of course circumstances can arise in labor that call for c-section, episiotomy, and other procedures that a laboring patient may feel strongly about avoiding. But a letter like this one does not foster a sense of trust that such procedures would be done judiciously and sensitively. Choose your pregnancy care provider(s) carefully. Ask questions, including stats and numbers rather than vague answers like "only when necessary." If a birth without pain meds and induction drugs is your goal, ask them to tell you about the last unmedicated birth they attended. Pay attention to their answer. Read between the lines.

There, Weill Cornell Medicine, we fixed it for you.

Thanks to Ashe Birthing Services and The Taproot Doula Project for bringing this letter to our attention.

This is not informed consent. This is obstetric violence.

03/11/2022

Lovely. ❤️

These emotional pictures display how dads feel as their spouse is in birth, delivering their baby and a child comes into the world.

02/07/2022

Love this visual!

01/04/2022

LC's: You asked, we delivered! We now have a downloadable handout to counsel moms on the while . Find it on www.infantrisk.com/infantrisk-center-resources

Find a collection of references here:https://www.infantrisk.com/sites/default/files/2022-01/References_COVID-19_Vaccine_Breastfeeding_Flyer.pdf

12/30/2021

YES. And the pandemic has only exacerbated this, unfortunately. 😞

It’s not you, mama. It’s the absence of the village.