And, today, I am reminded of my own wise words.

When I woke up this morning I caught myself wondering if the wetness I felt was my bag of waters leaking or the evening primrose oil (used to soften the cervix) that had seeped out throughout the night. Two days ago when I woke up, I felt a subtle tremor of disappointment as that day was actually the day I had devoted all of my thinking to over the last nine months as the day I would meet my baby. When it didn’t happen, I needed some time to process the disappointment.

I fall asleep knowing that the waves of emotion will hit – and hit hard – over the next several days, maybe even weeks, each morning I don’t wake with my little one next to me.

IF, and only IF, I let it and allow these expectations to overwhelm me.

After realizing that it wasn’t my waters that were leaking, I decided to make a smoothie (drink half to avoid heart burn) and then  head to the YMCA pool for a swim with my amazing doula! She’s a member also and has been a great motivation to keep me going in the water (and relaxing in the hot tub – legs only, of course).  So, I swam for about 25 minutes all the while talking to Cricket (my baby’s nickname) and convincing her/him that I trust in it’s wisdom and timing abilities.

I then went for some acupuncture. I’ve been going for the last 5 weeks or so to prepare my body for labor and, even today, I asked for some labor prep work and tipped the scales a bit by asking that she give a little encouragement to help the baby come down a bit more. I really don’t want to rush things. I really do want to be patient. I really do want to TRUST in this process. And, so I let go and slept in the chair for an hour and a half.

Next was grocery shopping. I found myself slowly meandering the aisles (of course, everything is slow these days) considering what I might want to eat during labor and what I’ve suggested to mamas in the past. I picked up a LOT of fruit – delicious organic strawberries, ripe papayas and pineapples, and juicy dates – and also some bananas for potassium. Two cartons of coconut water found their way into my cart as did some cheese, yogurt, eggs, and chicken.  All good sources of protein and not too heavy for eating during birth.

Oddly enough, when I finally finished and came home I found a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Cookie ice cream in one of the bags. Well, a mama has to treat herself with something on this magical “due date” … even if it’s NOT a baby!

Here’s to all of the other mamas waiting to meet their little ones….what will you do for YOU today?

Today was a SUPERB day! We just finished our second “eat, drink, DOULA” event in Austin and are thrilled to be connecting doulas  – both labor support and postpartum doulas – with expecting families of Austin!

As the Executive Director I couldn’t be more thrilled to know that as I enter into my 38th week of pregnancy and my maternity leave I know that this doula practice is in the very capable hands of Caitlin Vestal, our Director of Doula Services!

Stay tuned for our next “eat, drink, DOULA” event. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a fantastic doula to join your team as you prepare for the birth of your little one please reach out and allow us to arrange for a complimentary private meet and greet for you!

Happy Spring!

**Elizabeth is currently on maternity leave as she prepares for the home birth of her first baby due in May**

Elizabeth Mangum-Sarach moved to Austin in August 2012 from New York City and is grateful to offer labor doula support, private childbirth education services, and Birthing Warrior and Yoga Nidra workshops.

Elizabeth holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan (her home state), is a Childbirth Educator,  and a Birth Doula Trainer through Dona International.  Elizabeth has been certified through Lamaze as a Childbirth Educator and has been trained in two other forms of childbirth preparation -Karen Brody’s Rock Your Birth (summer 2011) and Hypnobirthing (August 2008).  In 2004 she trained with Ilana Stein, BirthFocus founder, to become a DONA certified labor support doula and joined BirthFocus immediately.  In 2007 Ilana took Elizabeth under her wing and taught her about running the practice and mentoring doulas.  In 2008, when Ilana passed away, Elizabeth became the full-time Director of BirthFocus and the Executive Director/Owner in 2011.

Elizabeth is the former Director of Maternal Health and Parenting Services at Inwood House in NYC, a non-profit that offers services to pregnant and parenting teens, and was responsible for developing their doula and childbirth education programs.

Since 2004, Elizabeth has attended 130+ births of all varieties (ranging from catching a baby at an unexpected home birth to attending to a single mom in the operating room as she birthed her son via a cesarean section) in NYC, Austin, and around the world.  Elizabeth prides herself in her ability to offer a calming presence, listen to the needs of expecting women (and their partners), and to hold the space for women to make informed choices to have the birth of THEIR choice. She offers relaxation/visualization techniques for women before, during, and after birth; comforting touch for management of the sensations of labor; and believes that birth can actually be FUN and a very positive experience.

In April 2011 Elizabeth returned from a year-long sabbatical during which she and her husband rode their BMW R80GS motorcycle from London, England to Capetown, South Africa. She spearheaded a project studying childbirth practices – via interviews with midwives, doulas, doctors, and pregnant women in 30 countries – and is in the process of writing “Nomadic Birth”. Through a collaborative effort with Village Birth International she led a training for 12 midwives in Gulu, Uganda and attended to laboring women in Uganda and South Africa.

When not attending births, you might find Elizabeth preparing for the homebirth of her first baby in May 2013, walking her chocolate lab, Franny, or practicing yoga.

Sarah Jones is a loving mother of three with 14 years of experience in providing child care for infants to teenagers and fostering enlightening and informative relationships with the families.  She attended the DONA Doula Training Program in May of 2012, where she was further inspired to continue her journey to become a labor support doula.  She immediately became involved in volunteering with GALS (Giving Austin Labor Support), an organization in Austin that supports birthing services for low income women.  It was with GALS that she attended her first birth which allowed her to develop the skills learned in her initial training and moved her to pursue further educational opportunities.  In December of 2012, she enrolled in the Doula Training International program, and she is currently working toward her labor doula certification.  She is excited to be a part of Birth Focus and is looking forward to supporting women in their birthing journeys and gaining invaluable experience.

In April 2013, Sarah completed the postpartum doula training through DTI and is thrilled to now be able to offer postpartum doula care to the families of Austin, as well!

In April 2013, Jessica completed the postpartum doula training through DTI and is thrilled to now be able to offer postpartum doula care to the families of Austin, as well!

Stephanie brings a calming and encouraging presence to all births. She has passionately served mother and baby in a wide variety of births ranging from hospital births to home water births. The breadth of her experience equips her with a unique combination of comfort and strength. Stephanie is a certified birth doula through DONA International.  She worked for over a year and a half at a breastfeeding support center and audited the Empowered Birth Class. Stephanie believes knowledge is the key to confidence and, ultimately, a peaceful birth for Mother, Baby and Partner. Stephanie holds the conviction that a supportive environment is vital to empowering the mother to make the best decisions to achieve her ideal birth. Stephanie also finds much joy in making handicrafts, cooking good eats for sharing, and the perennial arts of sewing and gardening.