The beginning of the labor process can bring a range of emotions. Relief, fear, anxiety, excitement, nervousness... all while wondering if you've done everything you can to prepare. Maybe you're the type of person to double check your hospital bag to make sure you have all you need. Or perhaps you get so overwhelmed with the excitement that you exhaust yourself and need a nap. Rest easy, knowing that all of these responses are normal and to be expected.
The DOC Privacy Pledge
In a digital age where "likes" on Instagram are coveted and scrolling through Facebook is a daily hobby, maintaining healthy boundaries with social media can be difficult. It's a conversation we bring up with all of our birth and postpartum doula clients as well as our childbirth education students. It's always a fun topic that gets people thinking.
Have you thought about what you'd like to share on social media when it comes to pregnancy, birth, and beyond? Have you talked to your family about how and when they can share the news of your baby's birth, photos, etc.? Will you be sharing every milestone with friends & family as your baby grows?
Every family is unique in their approach to social media and we believe it's a relevant discussion to have prior to your birth to establish boundaries with those closest to you. And the beauty is, there is no right or wrong answer! It's all about what you and your partner are comfortable sharing about your journey and experience. Some of the families we work with want to talk about their births or share about the care we provide publicly. They talk about the glorious sleep thanks to their overnight doula or post pictures of the entire birth team. We, of course, love this. Other families choose to keep everything private and off social media entirely. We, of course, respect this. We trust that you know what is best for you and your family.
This is the main reason why Doulas of Orange County maintains strict confidentiality for all of our clients. In order to honor all of your choices and the varying degrees of involvement with social media, we chose to establish a policy that fully supports your confidentiality and privacy. We strive to maintain the highest levels of professionalism in the doula industry and our discreet care is why many choose us over the rest.
So, what does privacy, confidentiality, and discretion mean to us?
It means that we will not post pictures of you or your baby on our social media pages. We won't share vague details or snippets of information about your birth, your baby, or your family. We won't even tell someone that you are our client, if that is your desire. If a time arises where we'd like to share more information such as a picture from your birth, a testimonial quote, a parenting success story or anything else, we will always get your permission first. And we fully respect your right to say no. Each member of our team agrees to uphold this same level of privacy, whether they are your birth doula, postpartum doula, lactation counselor, or placenta specialist.
We love sharing about our business via social media and engaging our clients and our community. It is an incredible tool that we choose to use with integrity. Our agency is built on supporting your choices and your best vision of pregnancy, birth and parenting. It is with this in mind that we leave it up to you to decide how you'd like to share about your experience with your doulas, your baby's birth and your journey as a whole. It is your story to tell, not ours. We celebrate with you when you want to share, and we understand when you want to keep things private.
The work we do is raw, real, and intimate. We are there for some of the most incredibly vulnerable moments of your life and it is an honor to be invited into this sacred space to support your family. You put your trust in us and that is not something we take lightly. We vow to uphold that trust with our heartfelt privacy pledge.
Holiday Cheer and Holiday Sales!
Our tummies are full of delicious food and we're gearing up for the excitement and joy of the holiday season. You could say that we're full of holiday cheer and we're in the mood to spread it around. What does Buddy the Elf say? "The best way to spread holiday cheer is singing loud for all to hear!"
Well, we aren't going to sing for you, but we're definitely going to shout!!
shop small and save BIG this weekend
with Doulas of Orange County!
Postpartum Doula or Baby Nurse? What You Need to Know
Have you every wondered what the difference is between a night nanny, a baby nurse, a newborn care specialist, and a postpartum doula? Yeah, so have we!
The commonality in all of these professions is that we are all here to provide support to new families throughout the months and first year following birth. And while our goals are similar, the scope of practice within each role, along with the training & professionalism required is quite different.
Let me be straight with you - there are no specific credentials or training associated with a night nanny or a baby nurse. In fact, baby nurses or night nurses are typically not nurses at all, let alone trained to provide any type of medical care. I personally don't know many night nurses or baby nurses that utilize a contract or have many professional systems in place, which can be another red flag for some families. I honestly don't know where these terms came from but they can be confusing and misleading to parents seeking trusted support.
Decision Making & Using Your BRAIN
You've taken the classes, you've read the books and you have created a birth plan complete with your personal preferences for your baby's birth. But as we all know, things don't always go as planned. And while we are big proponents of doing your research to establish some expectations, we also recognize that birth can be unpredictable.
Because of this unpredictability, we believe in the importance of being aware of your options as well as your right to informed consent and refusal.