Vital Pregnancy

Exciting news! Our next training session is officially on the calendar, and we couldn’t be more thrilled! This October, we’re bringing in some incredible special guests to share their mastery in supporting new mothers and families.

Meaghan and I are passionate about passing on these essential skills—rooted in ancient and ancestral traditions—to those eager to support new parents during the postpartum journey. Becoming a parent is no easy feat, and our training with The Nourished Mother School of Ancestral Traditions offers timeless wisdom passed down through generations, alongside midwifery skills tailored for the postpartum period.

Join us this October to learn, grow, and empower others. Financial assistance and payment plans are available to ensure everyone can take part in this transformative experience!

There is something of magic when women come together with intention and purpose. To hang the facades at the door and let go of the semblance of “I have my s**t together” with the willingness of just BEing… and then suddenly safety and connection breeds.
We crave this connection.
We need it.
I am so grateful to the community who came together yesterday for our first birth story sharing and bones closing ceremony. I am especially grateful to my partner in creativity and birth for including us all in this teaching from her ancestral line of Mexican parteras… to know this thread is being woven into a new generation of mothers and doulas feels healing and welcoming.
Incredibly grateful to for bringing us into her birth story and allowing us to hold her in this ancient way.
And to , the home you’ve opened to the community is so special. We are so lucky to have a place to gather together. I see many seeds planted in your garden that are going to reap a beautiful harvest.
To those not mentioned or tagged here because I am not that savvy yet with this platform(!!!) Please know your presence yesterday was and is everything.

We hope to see you all again in a few weeks for our next circle where we will share food, drink tea and come together to build a tribe of strong women holding each other in this sacred way.

Let’s normalize strep B and stop all this va**na sterilizing business. In the US, we test pregnant women at 35-36 weeks for Group Beta Strep. GBS (for short) is a bacteria that typically lives in your colon that has no smell, no unusual discharge and no symptoms because it is a NORMAL bacteria that lives within our bodies. If pregnant folk test positive for GBS, the obstetric model in our country recommends that all women will receive antibiotic treatment at the start of labor so to protect the fetus from getting a GBS infection. Most labors being between 12-24 hours, pregnant folks in the US are getting between 3-6 doses of antibiotics intravenously during a delivery. These antibiotics don’t know one species of bacteria from another and wipe out ALL of the beneficial microflora as well as GBS. Most healthy full term babies of moms that are untreated will be exposed to GBS and nwill not develop symptoms of an infection, in fact only 1% of babies will get sick and most have risk factors such as a prolonged rupture of membranes (over 24 hours), prematurity, or a GBS colonization in maternal urine. Some babies will get sick and infected and die from a GBS infection, there is no denying that reality. It is relevant to note, research shows that even babies whose mothers get antibiotics can still die from a GBS related infection. Pressuring every pregnant person to take antibiotics at a critical time in the biome implantation of babe ALSO has some pretty impactful side effects and deserves consideration. Also relevant: the UK, Germany, Sweden, France, Australia and Canada do not test pregnant women for GBS. They simply follow a risk-based approach. And all of these countries have far better maternal and neonatal outcomes than the US.

Babies whose mothers received antibiotics in labor at also experience risks. These include, higher incidence of an immune system issues such as asthma, antibiotic resistance, food allergies, eczema, candida, inflammation and injury to the intestines and as a result can lead to higher likelihood of childhood obesity.

Do I HAVE TO TAKE Rhogam when pregnant if I’m Rh-?

Believe it or not, you do have a choice! One of my mentors Stuart Fischbein from used to say “the long habit of doing something over and over again doesn’t make it right.” And to be clear, I’m not suggesting RhoGAM is bad or wrong. I am merely suggesting it may be a bit overused and unnecessary for a large majority of those who recieve it.

For starters, RhoGAM is a blood product and as such, it carries a risk of transmitting blood-born pathogens and infections. Do we want to be injecting ourselves with blood products routinely if its not necessary?

RhoGAM is given to almost all Rh- pregnant folks at 28 weeks and within 72 hours after birth. This is intended to protect against blood mixing between maternal/fetal blood and works to protect future pregnancies. If Rh+ blood enters the bloodstream and a future fetus is Rh+, the mothers body may see the future Rh+ baby as an invader and potentially attack the future fetus. But the real liklihood of blood mixing is extremely low. This typically happens during invasive obstetric procedures like anmiocentesis, CVS, abortions and miscarriages or if there is maternal bleeding from an accident or placental injury. These mothers are typically given RhoGAM during these instances as a prophylactic measure. This is a reasonable cause to receive RhoGAM.

But did you know that there is a blood test that pregnant folks who are Rh- can take during pregnancy to determine the blood type of the fetus BEFORE birth? It’s called UNITY. It’s a wonder that we would rather inject mothers with $300 medications (twice!!) over taking a simple blood test to rule out the need.

For my personal clients, we offer RhoGAM after checking for antibodies at 28 weeks. Most decline RhoGAM at that time and prefer to wait until after birth and then test the fetal blood with two Eldon cards. We do two to rule out a false results. So far, in 23 years of practice, no mama has ever had antibodies to Rh+ blood and we’ve given RhoGAM only as necessity or with client preference.

📸

Posted • Here is some inspiration for you all 🌱🙌✨

“I honor and respect my personal limits, understanding that my well-being is essential for sustained growth and success. I recognize that rest is just as important as the grind, and I allow myself the space and time to recharge, both physically and mentally. I am aware of my body and mind, ensuring that I am able to show up fully in all areas of my life” - photo inspo repost

This film changed birth in this country 15 years ago. And, it’s content has never been more relevant than it is today. Everyday I hear stories from pregnant folks not feeling heard, not being cared for in the way that they desire and deserve. Obstetric abuse is frequently occurring and it’s insidious- it happens in simple questions asked by the pregnant person and their partner. It occurs with providers skewing the informed consent to pressure inductions. And it happens when symptoms are brushed off as “overreacting.”
When this film came out, we midwives and doulas took a sign of relief. Finally the world could see what birth really looked like in the hospital vs home birth. There is power in birthing your child with sovereignty and agency. For sure, the hospital can be the right place for some. But for MOST pregnant folks, if you are low risk, the studies indicate that home birth is AS SAFE OR SAFER than a hospital birth. And no, age is not a risk factor. We have portrayed women as if they are spoiled meat and that their bodies can no longer function after 35. Way to go ACOG. As if ageism in society wasn’t already a problem, now we are viewed as geriatric once we hit the age of 35. We are just getting good in our mid 30’s!
If you know someone who is pregnant, wants to be pregnant or identifies as human, share this offering with them. This film changed birth 15 years ago and it can do that again now!

This gal. She deserves all that she is birthing, all that she is calling forth. Her heart is made from solid matter and beats true, but even the breeze had found a way to flutter through its nooks and crannies. She is a tender bud, extending a hand to those who call forth her guidance. Wispy, but with a side of calm to carry you over the threshold. Spirit talks to her and through her, if you resonate with the beauty way, you won’t be able to help but love her.
Congrats to you - your effort and commitment to this work are reaching a new climax. I see you there on top the mountain; the one you have worked so hard to climb. You are glowing, radiant and about to take flight. You are a wonderful birth keeper, keeping tradition with the old ways while integrating science and intuition, not an easy task. I bow to you sister. It has been an honor to mentor you. Thank you for coming back after I sent you away!!! I can’t wait to see what the future brings!

As part of recognizing the extraordinary women in my life for , I get the absolute HONOR of highlighting my friend, mentor and partner in birth . This gorgeous being is one of my favorite beings. She is true gold: I have never met another woman who holds others up as much as she does. She has taken the birth world like a storm rider and brought the truth to those who seek to know, empowering families to own what is theirs in their birth experience. She is funny, honest, and masterfully skilled in navigating the birth portal. To get to birth with this beauty is such a dream as I know our clients will be prepared and held so safe- she is a fierce advocate for her clients and will not back down when their autonomy is challenged. Lori is an author, a teacher, a body worker, a trainer of doulas and she gives so much more then she takes in this world. I get to call her my friend and collaborator in keeping the magic sacred in birth. Lori will be launching her new mama portal soon! Keep your eyes and ears out for this as it’s going to radiate great content into the lives of so many! Suuuuper excited for her contribution at the Ma Tri Arch retreat in Topanga June 9-11th. Link in Bio! ⬆️

Today I would like to take a moment and acknowledge
She is one of the finest people I have had the privilege to work alongside with in the realm of birth and in our podcast . She greets every situation with a level of composure and grace, like a master of conflict, seeing the truth and speaking the truth with love.
Patti channels as she teaches, any who have meditated with her or sat on the mat with her would agree. She has an infamous hip squeeze and the ability to shepherd a laboring woman to the seat of her own power. Midwife blood runs in her veins and her hands but no matter how hard I try to convince her to come to midwifery, her commitment to teaching meditation, doula work and her baby, the platform have her first. Patti is an amazing mother and I am honored to call her my friend. I am so excited for her to be teaching meditation and yoga at the Ma Tri Arch Event!

Ma Tri Arch Pregnancy Retreat

Dates: June 9-11, 2023
Location: Topanga, CA

Registration and more info via link in bio ☝🏽

Today we highlight the sweet and gentle Carmen Thomas Paris from
To be touched by her is to transcend. To eat her food and drinketh her libations are to consume love incarnate. Carmen meanders gently into your field and reflects only what is divine and true within. In truth, her words reach the seat of your soul like a gentle caress, even as they distill the heavy and dross residue of trauma and pain. Carmen is a teacher, a body worker, a graduate of ‘s STREAM program, she is infamous for her touch and care as a birth and postpartum doula. Carmen will bring you to healing from wherever you stand and you will not ever tire of basking in her wisdom. Carmen has brought many gifts to the birth workers in Los Angeles: she has created a safe haven and community of support with the while importing ancient healing traditions in women’s health from various teachers and cultures.
We are so lucky to have her bringing her ability to hold space to this pregnancy retreat. The Ma Tri Arch would not be complete without her there.

Ma Tri Arch Pregnancy Retreat

Dates: June 9-11, 2023
Location: Topanga, CA

Registration and more info via link in bio ☝🏽
.vibe.retreats

In celebration of I am taking this week to highlight the outstanding teachers at our upcoming retreat. This is my friend, my colleague, my mentor and my once upon a student Today our paths crossed along with our spirits- in a field of magic and play as we plan for a shared client’s birth. Haize was the first person I thought of when the idea of The Matriarch Retreat rooted into my consciousness. While we have a shared love of ritual and birth, it was her priestess presence that danced in my mind as a keeper of a lineage many lifetimes deep. Haize is a master teacher of the birth process, she keeps it real, going deeper deeper and deeper even more. She is a dancer, a mother, a daughter and a midwife and doula. She is now the Matriarch in her own family line. If you are pregnant this June, I invite you to come sip from her cacao concoctions and taste the wisdom of her lineage. This is an opportunity to take a ride into your own depths and discover what power lies within.

✨RETREAT ANNOUNCEMENT✨

Calling all Pregnant People🌺

Join us for a very special 3-day retreat in the beautiful mountains of Topanga.

We’ve curated this retreat especially for YOU, a fully immersive experience where we’ll spend each day dropping into our deep subconscious in a container of ritual - Working through fears, moving our body through yoga and dance, meditation, journaling, sitting and learning from some of the most powerful and legendary birth workers, doulas, midwives, and birth educators that work in and around LA.









This Retreat is for people who **will be pregnant during the time of the retreat**

DATES: Friday, June 9 - Sunday, Jun 11, 2023
LOCATION: Topanga, CA

Each day has been carefully designed to take you on a journey of Ritual & Exploration. We will drop in through the elements and use tools of our lineage to honor the three arches of the Ma*Tri*Arch Retreat... 🌺

Register Via Link In Bio 👆🏼👆🏽👆🏾👆🏿