Doula/birth Coaches in Portland, OR

Okay. I am going to try not to write a novel but I could talk about this for hours. I will make it very brief. Sarah was a hospital birth with midwives and a doula. She was also a VBAC which I fought long and hard for. Her birth was beautiful but she a lso at some point (no one knows how or why) lost oxygen. Some parts of her brain died. We spent a week at the children's hospital getting MRIs and 18 months giving her very powerful seizure meds. My worries went from cloth diapers and breastfeeding to will my child walk or talk on her own. It was a very dark time in my life and a lot of feelings around the fact that I had fought for a vaginal birth and, in effect, made my child disabled. But here is what I have learned. I made the best decision with the information I had at the time. It wasn't my fault. It wasn't the midwives fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. I am part of an amazing community of moms who's kids lost oxygen during birth. They are incredible people (and their children are amazing) and they all have different birth experiences. Some had home births, most had hospital births. Some had elective c-sections (yes. Brain damage and death can happen from C-sections too). Everyone blames themselves for a while, wishing they made different choices. But the sad truth is that shit happens. No one asks for their kids to be in danger. Everyone just does the best they can. I know some moms who had their second child at home after a traumatic birth at the hospital. Everyone gets to make their own choices. I love my friend Karissa's blog which talks about her decision to have another home birth after her first (which ended at the hospital). http://amazingjoshua.blogspot.com.au/.../birth-choices.html

To Amanda Graham 's point, regardless of method, there is no such thing as risk free in anything. And considering that the human race managed to drag itself into the 20 th century, mainly arriving with midwives and little else, I think its a little too e asily dismissed. For our kids, the medical interventions were needed. Abby was known a couple weeks out. We had a doula for James but Janet called an audible when the due date slipped past which in the end was the right call.

http://midwifethinking.com/.../feel-the-fear-and-birth.../

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/.../j.1523-536X.../abstract

http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/6-7/377.full.pdf+html

Julia Irene!! She is amazing and the funniest lady I have met. You won't be disappointed.

Check out Mother Tree Doula Services, Jesse Henderson. She was my doula trainer!

Martha Ann Santi!

Sherilee is amazing! her child birth class is so awesome and fun! http://www.bradleybirth.com/sherileevalenta?Page=3 let me know if you need anything!

Keisar-Permanente has a great nurse midwife program at Sunnyside Hospital.

Check Sistamidwife site for a listing and the ictcmidwives.org. There are ICTC Full Circle Doulas trained in Ohio. Email doulas@ictcmidwives.org for the request.

Echo Zielinski is great!

Beth Johnson was my Doula! You can't get any better! !!

Mal Warning!

Karlye McNeely with Innerpeace Birthing. She does wonderful birthing classes!

Yolanda Visser is an amazing midwife. She guided us through the home birth of our son about a year ago. She's amazing:)

Birth Song Midwifery, her office is in GR but she does a lot in Holland.

Gracias Mamasita!♡