Finding — A-Z Series

It seems to me that becoming a parent is a lot about Finding.

Finding out you’re pregnant. Finding a childbirth provider. Finding a childbirth education model that appeals to you. Finding how overwhelming the choices are when it comes to breast pumps, pacifiers, bottles, even swaddling blankets– and then making choices. Finding out where every bathroom is when your bladder is full, or if you have to vomit (thanks, “morning” sickness). Finding you cry at the drop of a hat. Finding out every bit of it was worth it when you saw your baby for the first time. Finding out you can go with less sleep than you imagined possible. Finding your village. Finding your rhythm through those first nights, weeks, months.

The Free Dictionary defines the word “finding” as “something that has been found” —

You have been found as a mother, a new experience but something that was already in you waiting to come forth. What a beautiful thought.

Underneath it though is this description for the word “findings”:

“Small tools and materials used by an artisan”

You, my dear, are an artisan. You have the tools and materials to create works of art. And as any artist, your skills grow as you use them. Believe in your abilities and capabilities.

Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula 2020
All Rights Reserved
www.knoxvilledoula.com

Expectations – A-Z Series

Expectations — we have many months to build up in our heads the “perfect” birth scenario, the “perfect” baby, the “perfect” postpartum experience. Some of us try to conceive for some time, too, and imagine/long for a “perfect” pregnancy as well. And really there is a benefit to visualizing things going in a positive way. Imagining worst case scenarios isn’t the best way to spend our time or energy while growing our babies and preparing to add to our family.

So how do we balance optimistic expectations with reality?

• Education — whether that be by experience, classes, reading books or online material, etc. Seek reputable sources.
• Set yourself up for success for your desires — if you are wanting a natural unmedicated birth, for instance, seek out a provider and birthing facility in line with that goal. Consider hiring a doula. Take a natural childbirth class. Practice any techniques you learn and are taught.
• Realize that pregnancy, birth, and postpartum are times of great changes and can be unpredictable. Some flexibility may be required. A change in your plans does not equate to failure. Take the time to acknowledge there may be some disappointment at the change without attaching judgment. *
• All babies are good babies. Some are low key and some are more needing of attention. Some come out with perfect scores and take to feeding immediately and others have multiple doctor visits and require more of a learning curve in their transition to the outside world. All of this falls into a spectrum and you will get the swing of things very soon!
• Having a new baby, juggling your own healing, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, a different body, can all make us feel like a different person.  This is ok! This is a period of adjustment. Perhaps you aren’t feeling the rush of love for This is othe baby you thought you were or you are just really tired. Again, all of this is new to your new family and give yourself some time and grace.
• Having flexibility, a plan for some help after baby comes, giving yourself grace/being non judgmental, and injecting some humor when possible are all ways to balance those first few weeks. You’re a new parent! That’s amazing! You’re doing hard work– pat yourself on the back, give yourself some time — oh and take a nap if you can.

 

*If you find yourself traumatized by an experience, please reach out to someone to talk to, such as an experienced counselor or physician, or even a friend if you are unable to speak to a professional in a timely manner.

 

Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula 2020
All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

Q&A With A Mentee

For over a year I have been offering a mentorship program for newer doulas. Please enjoy this Q&A with one of them, Emily Gentry.

Q:  Can you tell us a little about yourself and your services?

A: I have two great kids, an amazing husband, and tons of support to chase my dreams of being a doula from our family. I had two really amazing, empowering births which was a huge factor in becoming a doula. The services I provide are birth and postpartum planning assistance, labor support, postpartum doula services, babywearing education, mother’s blessing celebrations, and cloth diapering education. I also work with a local photographer to offer discounted rates for maternity, birth, and newborn pictures.

Q:  What made you want to be a doula?

A: When I first started, it was because I had a very strong desire to see women be empowered by their births. I had two amazing experiences with my births and I really wanted to help other women feel like I did. I believe that child birth is a crucial part of becoming a mother and how you feel about your birth can have either a positive effect or negative effect on the first few days, weeks, months, or even years of motherhood. For me, being empowered by birth meant achieving a completely natural childbirth. As a brand new doula, it was my opinion that the worst that could happen was that a mother would end in a C-section. That opinion quickly changed when the very first birth I attended as a doula ended in an emergency C-section. The mother understood that having a cesarean was the safest option for her and her baby. She was still empowered with her birth even after MY worst fear came true. Today, I still want women to view their birth as an empowering event in their journey into motherhood. But empowerment for women varies as much as favorite flavors of ice cream. Each woman is different, each birth is different, but each desired outcome is the same. Each woman deserves to be empowered by their birth, and that is why I want to be a doula.

Q: Who did you train through?

A: I trained through DONA International.

Q:  What inspired you to become an apprentice versus striking out on your own?

A: I actually tried striking out on my own when I was young and naïve and thought that I knew all the secrets to being an amazing doula. Like I said in an earlier answer, that perspective changed rather quickly after my first few births. I realized real fast that being a successful doula meant more than having achieved a natural child birth or two on your own. My experience with child birth is not the same as what everyone else experiences. I can still draw from my own experiences and help my clients. But using that alone really limits how I can connect with my clients. Even after training I still felt that I had a lot to learn and who better to learn from than someone who has been doing it for 16 years! I wanted to see first hand what it looks like to be a veteran doula and learn as much as I could so that I could better serve my clients.

Q:  What would describe as your birth philosophy and main area of interest?

A: My birth philosophy is that every woman deserves an empowering birth as defined by her. Some women are empowered by having a cesarean. Some women are empowered by achieving a natural child birth. Some women are completely happy not knowing what they want. My philosophy can be summed up by my business motto: “Supporting Women, Supporting Labor”. I support women in what they want out of their labor and child birth. My main area of interest is definitely hospital births. I feel like that is where women need the most support for their child birth choices.

Q: What has been your favorite thing so far about being a birth professional?

A: Honestly, my favorite thing so far is the look and feeling of a mother and her partner after birth while they are getting those first precious snuggles with their baby. The way she smiles as she is looking into her baby’s eyes, smelling their sweet little head, nursing or feeding her baby for the first time and just soaking in her perfect prize. It’s a feeling that is contagious. No matter how tired I might be from supporting a laboring mom, after that baby is born there is rush of adrenaline and suddenly I’m very awake!

Q:  Where can people find out more info or contact you?

A: The best way to contact me is by email or Facebook. My email address is blessedassurancebirthdoula@gmail.com and my busness page www.facebook.com/blessedassurancebirthdoula

Thanks, Emily! We know you are going to help so many women and families with all of your services and your desire to become a CNM (certified nurse midwife). I look forward to watching this journey unfold.

All Rights Reserved, Kimberly Sebeck AKA Knoxville Doula, 2016

New Class — Your Fourth Trimester

Find Tickets Here

By: Kimberly Sebeck and Autumn Synowiez

Event Description

The Fourth Trimester — this class will cover transitioning your baby from the womb to the world, caring for your postpartum self, therapeutic exercises to help heal after birth, developmental milestones, and much more.

Through my training and experience in the NICU and pediatric population as an OT, I have gathered different techniques and knowledge I cannot wait to share with you and your growing family!

Wear something comfortable! Bring any snacks and water for yourself. There’s a kitchen you can use as well.

There will be hands on practice and
exercises!

$75/couple
$60 early bird special if registered before February 6th.

Donate a ticket to a couple that would love to go!

Taught by Autumn Synowiez, OTR/L

WHEN

Saturday, February 20, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM (EST) – Add to Calendar

WHERE

Knoxville Doula – 1400 N 6th Ave, Ste D5 Knoxville, Tennessee 37917 Knoxville, Tn 37917 –View Map

Breastfeeding Brunch

More details to come but it will be a fun and informative event with samples and goody bags available first come, first serve. Hosted by myself and Candy Scarborough, IBCLC.

 

Doula & Lactation Consultant Available for YOU

Office Opening Announcement

Doula services, pre-pregnancy consultations, childbirth education provided by me.

Lactation Consultant services provided by Candy Scarborough, IBCLC.

Kimberly Sebeck, CLD, CCCE, HCHD, 2015

New Postpartum “Baby Basics” Classes offered at Knoxville Birth Resource Center!

One of a kind postpartum classes now offered by Delighted Doula!
Proudly announcing Knoxville’s one of a kind postpartum class “Baby Basics”!
Baby Basics is a fun, interactive, hands-on class that will help to prepare and educate expectant parents. Taught by Delighted Doula’s owner and CAPPA certified postpartum doula Amber Chamblee, this will be a class that any and all expectant parents won’t want to miss! Follow the link below to learn more and pre-register. http://www.delighteddoula.com/baby-basics/

There are currently 2 dates available in July — click the link for more info and to pre-register!

 

Knoxville Birth Resource Center is at 428 E. Scott Avenue, Suite 100, Knoxville, TN 37917

 

 

Birth in Knoxville and East Tennessee — Exciting!

I’m writing a quick blog out of the gratitude in my heart for all of the amazing things that have happened recently in Knoxville for birth and options involving pregnancy and birth. I say recently because I started professionally being a doula and childbirth educator in 2000 — and things were very different then. There were a handful of amazing doulas, some childbirth educators, Lisa Coomer, CPM, and of course the Lisa Ross Birth and Women’s Center. We were here, but sometimes our time and resources were limited.

What’s changed?

Now in Knoxville and East TN we have a lot more doulas and childbirth educators! There are placenta encapsulation services offered by East TN Placenta Medicine. There is a re-opening of Cutie Tooties Cloth Diaper store this weekend — and the owner, Emelie, is opening up her classroom to many birth professionals. Some of the offerings are regular Breastfeeding and Newborn Care Classes, Meet the Doula events, Comfort Measures Classes, a Breastfeeding Circle with regular meetings… just so many events so that any mother and family in the area can explore their options. Carry Me Close is a business by a mom and midwifery student — she offers hand made baby-wearing carriers and custom makes them and meets with you to show you how to wear them. Another mama sews cloth sanitary pads and much more. ICAN of Knoxville and Knoxville Birth Network are fairly recent (in the last 2 years) but more people are becoming aware of the regular meetings and support offered through these networks and local volunteers.

Some people have made remarks about how there is more “competition” for doulas. I do not ever feel that way — years ago if my schedule was too full or I was not available for a birth due to travel, it truly hurt me to turn someone down, and I worried about those who were not aware of the then available resources.  Now I firmly believe that any woman who wants a doula has not only the option of having one, but finding the very best fit for her and her family. Now there are so many  more options for classes! Today’s schedule is hectic enough without having to worry about taking time off for classes, or missing the only one offered in a month, or before a due date. It’s nice for me, too — getting to network with birth professionals, help one another, provide and receive support and bounce ideas off of one another.

Grateful is how I would sum it up. Go get the pregnancy and birth experience you want and deserve!

p.s. I apologize for not putting links in to the great resources I mentioned, but I’m out the door for an event — I will try to add these later, or simply search on Google or Facebook.

 

All Rights Reserved, 2011, Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula

Breastfeeding Class for August

Date: Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 at 5:30 p.m.

Location: Upper Cervical Health Centers of Knoxville — 1508 Coleman Rd, Knoxville, TN 37909

Topics: Basic physiology of breastfeeding, benefits and savings, partner support, getting started, overcoming obstacles. A currently breastfeeding mother will also come to share her experience and answer any real life questions.

Cost: $20 per couple, partners strongly encouraged to attend. Pre-registration is required, please email beautifulbirths2003@yahoo.com to register.

Class will last approximately two hours. Come learn about the benefits of breastfeeding, find support, ask questions– all for  less than the price of one can of infant formula.

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All Rights Reserved, 2011, Kimberly Sebeck, Knoxville Doula