Birth Matters

It is such an honor to be part of this organization of spectacular and dedicated women!!

Meet another one of our members - a Certified Childbirth Educator and owner of Birth Matters!

𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐑

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟?

I wanted to help all families have the opportunity to be fully educated about the breadth of their choices when it came to labor and birth. I felt called to develop and teach curriculum that helped them understand and feel confident moving forward on their own paths towards having their babies.

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠?

The moments that inspire me the most are when I see mothers and fathers understand and internalize not only how labor works physiologically but internally and emotionally as well. The greatest gift is helping them begin to see themselves confidently moving through their own labor and birth experiences. I love helping them undo the myths our culture has placed on these experiences and begin to see their own realities!

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑒?

Our team has worked tirelessly to create a comprehensive relevant curriculum for every class we teach. We intentionally present and layer information in ways that connect with our families with the goal of not only informing them (giving them content) but preparing them (ensuring they know how to use that content)! I cannot say enough about the passionate educational team at Birth Matters. Each one of us feels called to provide our families with everything we possibly can to help them understand their choices and options and begin to help them on their journey towards having a positive and empowering labor and birth experience.

Want to learn more about Hallie? Visit https://www.doulanetworkfortwayne.com/hallie-ancillary for next steps!

Winter and Spring 2025 class schedule!!

YYEEESSSSSSS!!!!

Even if it it’s a good guess, it’s still a guesstimate. And how many of us can attest to significant inaccuracies in this guesstimate?

The only way to truly know the weight of your baby is to give birth and put them in the scale.

Ultrasound in late pregnancy is highly inaccurate for determining your baby’s weight. In fact, it is only about 60% accurate in determining if your baby is “big,” meaning over 4000 grams.

There is a tremendous amount of fear around big babies yet once they are born, everyone just laughs and rejoices, celebrating how healthy and big he or she is.

Big babies are not the problem. Fear of a big baby is the “big” problem.

AH-MEN!
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We DON’T care whether the families we work with have an epidural, or gas and air or an abdominal birth... ⁠
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We DO care that they have options. ⁠
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We DO care that they are supported. ⁠
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We DO care that their choices are respected. ⁠
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We DO care that they are respected. ⁠

A fantastic read from someone who supports families and photographs birth.
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I often see (and share!) the most beautiful birth photography and videos on this platform. I share the images because I want so badly to undo the decades of falsehood that society has put into the heads of women that birth is inherently scary or dangerous. I want to show the world the beauty and strength I get to see in women every single day. BUT I have had women apologize…. APOLOGIZE that they did not “handle labor like the peaceful women on Instagram”, they’ve apologized because their home wasn’t “aesthetic enough” and I fear we’ve put unrealistic expectations upon women. Maybe you will be someone who breathes through every contraction like a yoga goddess, but maybe you’re someone who needs to lose their s**t at some point in labor, we hold space for both. In my opinion, the beauty in birth doesn’t come from the camera clicks or the like counts, or if your background matched your birth tub, the beauty in birth comes from living through the human experience. It comes from witnessing first hand some of the most raw human emotions on the planet.

If you’re prepping for a birth right now just know that you are enough, your home is enough, your experience will be enough. Your birth will be your own unique experience and we are birth workers are happy to support you however it unfolds ♥️ .

Stay in the moment!!!
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These words are a gentle reminder to all the expecting moms out there as you journey through labor and birth. It’s easy to get caught up in thoughts of what’s to come, but remember, the power lies in the present moment.

Take each contraction one at a time. Breathe through it, focus on your body, and trust in your strength. You’ve got this!

You are strong, resilient, and capable. Trust in yourself, trust in your body, and know that with each contraction, you’re one step closer to meeting your precious little one.

Embrace the journey, stay present, and take it one beautiful contraction at a time. You’ve got a whole community cheering you on every step of the way!

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I love every word of this!
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Let’s discuss the reality of childbirth. While there’s a misconception of a “pain-free” delivery, the truth is, it’s named labor for a reason—IT’S HARD WORK.

There are many birth accounts on social media claiming that you can have a pain free birth experience, posting photos and videos of women calmly smiling and laughing their way through labor. While it’s possible to have an experience like that, I think it causes a lot of women to feel embarrassed or ashamed when their experience is different. I would not recommend going into your birth expecting to feel no pain. There will be moments that rock you to your core. Moments that make you question if you’re strong enough. Moments that will make you wish you could escape your body and run away. Birth is full of intense emotions and sensations.

That being said, YOU have the power to REFRAME your perception of the pain. By educating yourself about childbirth, processing past trauma and practicing fear release, learning breathing techniques, and practicing relaxation exercises, you gain more control over how you experience the intensity of labor. Practicing these techniques will help you find your center when birth feels like too much to handle.

Through perseverance in labor, we emerge transformed as mothers, resolute and unyielding. Remember, you are strong, capable, and supported. Embrace the journey, prepare as best you can, and trust in your body’s amazing ability to bring new life into the world. You’ve got this!

Spring and summer class schedule!

We love educating families and helping them feel this way!

Hearing this from our families brings us such joy!

Ahhhh-MEN!!

This is utter insanity. He has no education in this field whatsoever and uses his platform to spread this repulsive “recommendation”… encouraging the HEAVY use of cesarean deliveries.