The word “perineum” conjures up a feeling of uneasiness in me. What exactly is a “perineum? It sounds icky. Will it hurt before, during, and after childbirth? As a pregnancy and postpartum physical therapist and a mom of three, I’d like to share my professional knowledge and personal experience with childbirth preparation and healing. The perineum is the tissue (meaning skin, fascia, and muscle) between the vulva and the anus. During childbirth the perineum (as well as all th

You’ve found out you’re pregnant (Congratulations!) and you’re getting all of the important things in place in preparation to welcome your baby to the world. Many expecting parents find that one vital decision to make is who should be invited to share in their birthing space. Does it matter? YES! For one-on-one, non-judgemental support to help you reach your birth goals, a professional doula is the way to go. Research shows that continuous doula support positively influences

I've had a lot of questions about my "unconventional" birth, so I thought I would share ALL of the details with you. Disclaimer: I think that all births are beautiful. I'm sharing this because I am passionate about changing the negative perception that encompasses pregnancy + childbirth. I want every woman to feel empowered when making informed decisions regarding her birth plan. That being said, the best birth for me was completely natural (zero medications, no IVs) and not

I'll start off by saying that I've always been passionate about natural birth, so I knew exactly what I wanted and I was SO willing to prepare for it. I believe that if more women planned their birth like they prepared for their weddings, that an "unconventional" birth like mine may become the new normal! During my pregnancy, I worked hard to take care of myself and prepped for my dream birth by doing these four things: 1. I stayed active. I have always been a very active per