Pregnancy, birth Kelli Blinn Pregnancy, birth Kelli Blinn

Prenatal Appointments Are Not Childbirth Education: Understanding the Difference

When you’re expecting a baby, there’s a lot of information to take in. You might assume that the prenatal appointments with your medical provider—or the meetings with your doula—are enough to prepare you for birth. While these appointments are incredibly valuable, they are not a substitute for a comprehensive childbirth education course. Understanding the differences can help you make informed decisions about your birth experience.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

Labor Aid: Electrolyte Drink Recipe

This an all-natural, old-world electrolyte drink can help revitalize a laboring woman through the labor, giving her the energy she needs to make it through birth.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

Trust the Process of Birth

Natural processes like pregnancy and birth are dependant upon a woman’s ability to trust in her inner knowing. This wisdom leads women to support and trust the process rather than work against it. In this way, nature is allowed to take its course.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

Why Has the Hospital System Turned Childbirth into a Medical Emergency?

Time and time again, I see birth treated as a medical emergency, something inherently dangerous, or even an unpredictable crisis waiting to happen. Yet, this could not be further from the truth of what birth really is: a natural, physiological event that has happened since the dawn of time.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

What Procedures Are Mandatory in Labor and Childbirth?

When it comes to labor and childbirth, many people assume they must follow hospital protocols without question. However, not all procedures are necessary or mandatory for every birth, and you have the right to make informed choices about your care.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

4 More Things to Know About Pushing in Childbirth

Pushing during childbirth is an essential part of the birth process, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Knowing your options and listening to your body can make the experience smoother and more empowering.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

4 Things to Know About Pushing in Childbirth

The pushing stage is when you help move your baby down the birth canal and out into the world. Whether it’s your first birth or not, understanding how pushing works can help you feel more prepared and confident.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

We Give Birth How We Live - Part 2

When we understand that “we give birth how we live,” we realize that our birth experiences are shaped long before labor begins. The choices we make in life—whether physical, emotional, or relational—are all connected to how we give birth.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

We Give Birth How We Live - Part 1

Birth is often viewed as a singular, extraordinary event, separated from the everyday. The way we approach life—our values, beliefs, habits, and responses to stress—echo in our birth experiences.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

What Is a Doula?

Every birthing person deserves support, guidance, and comfort throughout the process of bringing a new human into the world. In my role as a labor doula, I have the honor of providing all of that (and lots more) and this work never gets old.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

The Fear-Tension-Pain Cycle in Childbirth

Childbirth can also be a source of anxiety and fear for many expectant parents. Understanding the fear-tension-pain cycle and learning how to break it can empower people to have a more positive, potentially less painful birthing experience.

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Pregnancy Kelli Blinn Pregnancy Kelli Blinn

Will You Share Your Due Date?

One of the first questions that expectant parents face is whether or not to share their due date with others. While it might seem like a straightforward choice, there are several factors to consider before making this decision.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

Julie Leonard’s Cesarean Birth Story

Julie’s first-time birth story is an all too common one laced with trauma, fear, regret and to say the very least, a less-than-ideal experience. In the years since her child’s birth, she’s worked through her emotions related to how things went and has had two other birth stories that have been redemptive in some way.

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Kelli Blinn Kelli Blinn

Rebecca’s Cesarean Birth Story

Rebecca experienced three cesarean births 45+ years ago. There are lots of things about cesareans that have changed since then and yet, still many things that could stand some evolving.

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