Hearts to Hands

Welcome to Hearts To Hands! 

Congratulations on your Pregnancy!  I hope you can enjoy every minute.  I am here to help you in every way I can.

I hope that you enjoy looking around.  If you have any questions at all please feel free to use the contact us section and I can get back to you as soon as possible.

Also remember to keep scrolling down.  My most recent posts will be at the bottom of the page.  Hopefully I can keep up with your visits!

I know that quite a few people coming across this site might be wondering, what is a doula?  Well this information has been copied from the CAPPA site (see the links page for their website information).

A Doula is a person who attends the birthing family before, during, and just after the birth of the baby. The certified doula is trained to deliver emotional support from home to hospital, ease the transition into the hospital environment and be there through changing hospital shifts and alternating provider schedules. The doula serves as an advocate, labour coach, and information source to give the mother and her partner the added comfort of additional support throughout the entire labour. There are a variety of titles used by women offering these kinds of services such as “birth assistant,” “labour support specialist”,  “labour assistant” and “doula” .

What does a Doula DO?

The following is a general description of what you might expect from a CAPPA Canada certified labour doula. Typically, doulas meet with the mom and her spouse/support person/partner in the second or third trimester of pregnancy to get acquainted, to learn about prior birth experiences and the history of this pregnancy. She may help you develop a birth plan, teach relaxation, comfort measures, position changes, visualization and breathing skills useful during labour.  Most importantly, the doula will provide comfort, support, and information about birth options, including the risks, benefits and alternatives of medical interventions.

A doula can help the woman to determine prelabor from true labour and early labour from active labour. At a point determined by the woman in labour, the doula will come to her and assist her by:

·        Helping her to rest and relax

·        Providing support for the woman’s spouse/support person/partner

·        Encouraging nutrition and fluids in early labour.

·        Assisting her in using a variety of helpful positions and comfort measures.

·        Constantly focus on the comfort of both the woman and her partner.

·        Helping the environment to be one in which the woman feels secure and confident.

·        Providing her with information on birth options.

A doula works cooperatively with the healthcare team.  In the event of a complication, a doula can be a great help in understanding what is happening and what options the family may have. The doula may also help with initial breastfeeding and in preserving the privacy of the new family during the first 1-2 hour(s) after birth.

** Information was obtained from Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter Easier and Healthier Birth, Klaus, Kennell, and Klaus (1993).

Hello Everyone!

I am taking the summer off of being a Labour Doula.  I am going to be finishing my exam and preparing to take the Postpartum Doula classes with CAPPA Canada.  I will also be living in a tent trailer for the summer, another reason it’s a bit harder to take on clients is I don’t have a steady house for the summer.  Hopefully it will be fun!

I will be taking clients due in October and on.  I can’t wait to hear from you.  If you do have any questions please feel free to contact me.  My information is in the Contact section.

It has been a pleasure taking care of my clients this past year.  Thank you all for a wonderful experience.

Miranda

Hi all!

I do realize it is not September but I am slowly getting up and rolling.  We have now moved into a new house and I have begun to get things ready for Hearts to Hands to be up and running again.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  I am looking forward to taking on some new clients soon.

And Happy Birthday to all of last years clients!

Miranda

Hello, again, to all my visitors.

I’m getting back into this.  Since updating my website last (in late 2009) my family and I have had a lot of changes in our lives.  We have moved 3 times and have loved almost every minute of it.  My family has seen what incredible friends we have and are so blessed by this.

Since moving into our newest and hopefully our longest stay in Toronto, I have begun to get my feet back under me for my Labour Doula work.  I have been slowly working on finishing my Labour Doula exam and becoming a certified Labour Doula.

One of the last things on my to-do list is to find a Childbirth Education Class.  I am looking around and I think I may have found a class.  Now to wait until it starts.  I can’t wait to see all those first time parents!  It is such an exciting time in their lives.

Hopefully, a few births won’t be too far behind.

~~Miranda

I’m finally up on the “blogging” and have one for this company!  I’m very excited to introduce it to you.  Hopefully you have noticed the RSS feed on the side.  It shows some of the last posts from here.  I am trusting you will take a few moments to say hi over there.  In the near future (I’m aiming for September) I hope to have some free ‘giveaways’ and some great chances for you to have some fun!

I’m currently working on getting up some book reviews, in the news and tips for those who are pregnant and have new little ones.  If there is anything else you want me to keep up with just let me know and I’ll do my best to post that for you.

Have a wonderful day!

It’s now July and I’m hoping to get just a few more births in this year.  Are you expecting this year?  Know someone who is?  Think they would benefit from a Doula?  Let them know I’m here!  I’m planning on offering 2 discounted births this year.  I do take December off so please keep this in mind.  Let me know if you are interested and we can talk!

Happy and Healthy 9 Months and beyond!

~Miranda

It’s now that season… the season to be sick.  PLEASE remember to keep yourself healthy.  If you are a new mom, expecting mom, hoping to expect mom or a seasoned mom remember to keep healthy, and keep your family healthy.

As always this comes after having a spurt of bad luck of illnesses at my house.  The family is finally getting back to normal.  Arnold, my husband, went to work for the first time this week.  Kyler, my oldest son, *had* to go for pizza day.  That boy won’t miss anything that has to do with school if he can help it.  And Quinton, my youngest son, is hanging out with me.  He is colouring in a Christmas colouring book and I am disinfecting the house.  Got to love sick families.

So from my family to yours, please try to stay healthy this winter season!