Articles and Handouts
about pregnancy & doulas
The following documents are in printer-friendly portable document format (pdf). You’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these files. If you don’t have this program, get it for free on the Adobe website.
Healthy Pregnancy
- What Women Aren’t Told About Birth
- Hints for Health
- Reading List
- The Lie of the Estimated Due Date
- Bed Rest in Pregnancy
- More Women Skip Some Prenatal Tests After Learning About Risks
- More Squats And Fewer Kegels: What Your Pelvic Floor Really Wants
- Human Studies Condemn Ultrasound
- Length of pregnancy can vary by up to five weeks, scientists discover
- 50 CAUSAL Human Studies Identify High Risks of Prenatal Ultrasound
Choosing A Care Provider
- Pregnant Patient Bill of Rights
- What Does a Doula Cost?
- Questions for Your Doctor
- Your Birth Experience
- Outcomes of Home Versus Hospital Births
- What Does Good Maternity Care Look Like?
- A Doula’s Fees
- Choosing a Pediatrician
- Home birth with midwife just as safe as hospital, McMaster study finds
- Why I Had My Babies With a Midwife Instead of a Doctor
Birth Plans and Preferences
- Birth Preference/Plan Tips
- Birth Preference/Plan SAMPLE
- Birth Preparedness List
- Membrane Stripping, Membrane Sweeping–just say NO
- Childbirth: What to Reject When You’re Expecting
- Microbirth: Why ‘Seeding Baby’s Microbiome’ Needs to Be on Every Birth Plan
- Nurturing a Baby’s Microbiome, Before and After Birth
- What to Pack
Induction
- The Lie of the Estimated Due Date
- Induction Prevention (Natural Induction Methods)
- Is Cytotec Safe?
- Hospitals Cracking Down on Inductions
- What ACOG Says About Induction
- Non-Pharmaceutical Induction
- Foley Balloon and Saline Infusion
- Risk of Inductions
- Why Every Week Counts
- Low Amniotic Fluid
- Big Babies
- Induced Labor Linked to Raised Risk of Autism
- Optimal Dose of Oxytocin for Labor Induction
- Bishop’s Score
- Study Raises Concerns That Pitocin May Harm Babies
Twins and Multiples
Cesarean Section
- Majority of C-Sections Precede Labor
- Higher Insurance After C-Section
- Why the C-Section Rate Is So High
- Preventing Uterine Rupture
- Best Cesarean Ever
- California C-Section Rates by Hospital
- Early Cesarean Risks
- Elective Cesareans
- Elective Cesarean Consequences
- 5 Ways to Avoid C-Section
- C-Section Risk to Baby
- C-Section Risks
- Why Babies Benefit from Labor
- Chewing Gum May Be Handy for C-Section Patients
- New cesarean method could revolutionize birth
Other Pregnancy Topics
- Boy or Girl – Chinese Reckoning
- Perineal Massage
- Baby Pool
- Fetal Lungs Protein Release Triggers Labor to Begin
- Cannabinoids, like those found in marijuana, occur naturally in human breast milk
- 5 Reasons Why Your Birth Can Affect Your Baby and Your Parenting
- Prenatal Marijuana Exposure and Neonatal Outcomes
Pregnancy Services and Online Tools
- Meyers & O’Hara: Third party reproduction and family formation law, including: surrogacy, egg donation, sperm donation and embryo donation.
- A La Mode Photography: Pregnancy photos in natural settings
- AAFP: American Academy of Family Physicians
- Due Date Calculator: Calculate your estimated due date, conception date, and approximate fetal age.
- Shoots & Giggles Photography: Truly amazing birth photography — most of the labor photos on this site were taken by Briana at Shoots & Giggles (ALL of the really good photos!) I can’t say enough good things about this amazing group of birth photographers!
- Latisha O’Connor Therapy: Offering Pre-and Postpartum Mental Health Services
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
Thanks Goodness tracy was there. All I can say, I couldn’t have done it without her help, support and guidance. She was a guiding light for me, someone I trusted and could turn to when I found myself freaking out. She is very cool, calm and collected and puts you at ease, even in the throws of labor. She does her absolute best to make you feel comfortable and knows her way around a hospital setting. Worth every penny.
Tracy is super supportive and comforting. Having Tracy next to me during my daughter’s labor gave me the strength and confidence I needed during L&D. With the expansive knowledge Tracy has she was able to provide me with guidance to make my labor more relaxed and enjoyable! Beautiful Soul!!!
Want tips on pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum?
I offer virtual childbirth classes – so you can attend no matter where you live!
The more you know, the less fear you’ll have – and the more confident you & your partner will be in your decisions during labor. Enroll together and I’ll walk you through everything from caring for your newborn to how to advocate for yourself in a hospital setting.