Shauncee Lewis

What Is an Induction? When most people imagine labor beginning, they picture contractions starting naturally at home or their water suddenly breaking. However, labor doesn’t always begin on its own. In some situations, healthcare providers may recommend an induction of labor. An induction is the process of medically encouraging labor to begin when it hasn’t started naturally or when continuing the pregnancy may pose risks to the mother or baby. While hearing the words “We’re going to induce...

When most people hear the word “doula,” they often picture someone simply holding a laboring mother’s hand during contractions. While emotional support is absolutely part of the experience, a doula’s role during labor goes much deeper than that. Birth can be beautiful, emotional, intense, unpredictable, exhausting, empowering — and sometimes all of those things within the same hour. During those moments, having continuous support can make a major difference in how a mother feels physically,...

Every mom hears about contractions, pushing, and water breaking… But there are so many parts of labor nobody really talks about until you’re experiencing them in real time. As a doula, one of the biggest things I hear after birth is: “Nobody told me THAT would happen.” So let’s talk honestly about some of the things first-time moms may experience during labor — because preparation can help birth feel less scary and more empowering. 1. Labor Doesn’t Always Start Dramatically Movies have...