Family Fall Fun in Northern Colorado

Orange, red, yellow, oh my! Grab your scarves, gloves, and coats and head out to enjoy the fall time! Northern Colorado has much to offer to families this time of year. You can find pumpkin patches, hay rides, haunted houses, corn mazes, and many Halloween events. Want something fun to do with your kids? Loveland Family Doula can help!

Osborn Farms - Loveland

Pumpkin patch, gourds, hay rides, and more! Parking and admission is free! Dogs are welcome on a leash.

Miller Farm Fall Harvest Festival - Plattville

Join the fun with your family! They have a petting zoo, corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayride to pick your own vegetables, and kid play areas! Admission to the farm is $2.00.

Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch - Longmont

You don't want to miss this farm! They offer so much to do with the kids. Pumpkins everywhere, bouncy castles, kiddie rides, pony rides, petting zoo, painting pumpkins, and food vendors.

Jack Lantern's Corn Maze - Fort Collins

This farm has activities day and night depending on all your Harvest or Halloween needs. During the day, they have a corn maze, bouncy houses, corn chuckers, farm animals, and pedal cars. At night, they have a Haunted Corn Maze and a Haunted Hay Ride.

River Ranch Farms - Loveland

Enjoy a walk along the Thompson River and pick pumpkins of your choice!

So many fun things to do! We hope you enjoy the colorful fall time in Colorado! 

Happy Fall, From Loveland Family Doula!

www.lovelandfamilydoula.com

The Birds and The Bees

As parents, we all want to keep our kids sweet and innocent as long as possible. The reality is, it doesn't last forever. This sweet girl has a lot to learn about babies and where they come from. If you don't know already, she is copying what she saw the home birth midwife do with her new baby brother after he was born. She is weighing her stuffed bear with a hanging scale. Even though she was able to witness the birth of her brother, this little 4 year old girl will need to know about the birds and the bees, and the choices she will make and have as a young woman. It's cute and funny to tell young children babies come from a special delivery from a stork but it won't equip them for the real world or help them make good decisions when they are older. We want to teach our kids about the important things about a committed relationship and we want them to learn all about what really takes place when babies are made and born.  This is a very private and intimate topic for families for sure. We realize what is taught depends on the morals and values of the family and we also know parents only tell their kids what they are comfortable with and at the age appropriate time they believe is right. It might be too late if a teen girl comes to her parents to tell them she is pregnant, wonders how on earth that happened and why didn't anyone tell her. For the record, there is no wrong or right way to do this. I'm just here to share what worked in our family. This is very much a personal choice.

As a doula, childbirth is a regular topic in our house. It's like normal everyday life; it's also something we celebrate. Our philosophy is "knowledge is power" and if our kids ask questions about puberty, the reproductive system, sex, and birth control, we will be completely honest with them.  Open communication is important to us. Our kids have done a lot of asking. We've always made an effort to create an environment in our home where our kids can ask us anything. We also taught them to always ask lots questions about topics that are new to them and we taught them there is no such thing as a dumb question. Phil and I choose to inform and educate our kids so that there is no surprise information they learn from the school playground. Real info verses playground info? It's not even a toss up.

My husband and I taught our girls about where babies came from starting at ages of 3 and 5 because they started to ask questions when I was pregnant with our son. They learned about human anatomy, how the baby grows, and where the baby will be born from. At this age, they thought it was all very cool, exciting, and matter of fact.  They weren't in shock and they didn't think of all the details of childbirth as gross, funny, or embarrassing like tweens start to do. At ages 6 and 8, our girls learned about the changes of the body during puberty, they learned about the monthly cycle of the female body, and they learned that a baby will grow when a sperm and egg join. They learned these things because they asked simple questions like "How did the baby get in your belly?"  "How do the sperm and egg join?" "How can the baby breathe in there?" "How do babies eat when they are in the belly?" These questions make for an interesting conversation at the dinner table.

As their mom, it's a privilege to me to be the first to tell our kids about how they were created. They find it so fascinating and amazing. I love telling them about the intricate and delicate stages they went through as they were woven together in my womb. In the end, our kids have come to appreciate and treasure the miracle of life and look forward to when they get to experience bringing a baby into this world and become new parents!

What is ICAN?

ICAN do it! The International Cesarean Awareness Network is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by reducing preventable cesareans through education, supporting cesarean recovery, and advocating for vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). I found out about ICAN in 2007 when I was pregnant with our second daughter and planning to have a VBAC. I was searching for all the information I could find on VBACs and also for support from other moms who have had a successful VBAC. I was drawn to ICAN's friendly feel and abundant resources. I am very excited about educating and supporting women who have questions about planning their VBAC or CBAC because I've been there. I know what it feels like to not want to be alone when trying to reach a birthing goal. I had no one to talk to who would understand. I had so many questions during my pregnancy and with planning my VBAC. The nearest ICAN to me at the time, was an hour away and that just didn't work for me with a toddler in tow. Now, after my experience and training, I am happy to provide those things as a Co-Leader for ICAN of Loveland, CO.

I am ready to make an impact in Northern Colorado, to be a part of guiding women to reach their birthing goals, empowering them, and hearing their stories. I am passionate about improving the overall birthing community in our area and helping to create cesarean awareness. My hope is that women know that ICAN is a safe place where they can come be themselves, be heard, and not judged, and find the information they need to make decisions that are right for them and their family. I also hope that women know we are not anti-cesarean, but we are here to support and inform.There is no one right answer to how women should birth. Women each have their own unique situations, and we are here to support them in any way we can no matter what their choices may be. We empower women to make their own choices they feel confident about.

Someone might describe me as passionate, sensitive, and considerate of others. My husband and I have three children. I have a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and I am a Certified Labor Doula. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, camping, reading, and spending time with my husband and kids.

A New Pregnancy and A Past Grief

Phil and I were over the moon to be pregnant again. A big part of me was scared out of my mind because we had just gone through the painful experience of losing a baby.  Every part of being pregnant again took me back to the old memories. I'll never forget when a good friend said to me, "God won't let it happen again." I held on tight to those words every day during this pregnancy. I wanted to believe it so badly. Those words quickly became my rock that got me through each day, especially when doubt would creep in my mond. They helped me feel reassured that everything was going to be okay.

The heartbreaking experience of losing our baby, made our oldest daughter, Taryn, very apprehensive about the new pregnancy. She was 5 years old at the time we lost Savannah. She was old enough to know what was going on, old enough to be a little more emotionally in tuned with the intense grief occurring in our home. More so than our 3 year old daughter, Avery, who was happy as a bug that mom had a baby in her belly.  Taryn had been deeply distraught and confused by seeing me cry the days, weeks, and months following our loss and knowing she would never get to meet her new little sister, ever. As her mom, it broke my heart to pieces seeing her upset. She always let me be, simply because she didn't know what else to do. 

Taryn wasn’t too sure what to think of all the new hype about mom being pregnant again. When we got to the stage where we could feel the baby kick in my belly, Phil and Avery would get excited and want to feel my belly right away. She, on the other hand, never wanted to feel the kicks and did everything she could to avoid it. She said it scared her. She associated a baby being in my belly with death and sadness. I was sad she didn't want to feel her new baby brother but I also didn't want to force her. I hoped she would come around. It was so hard when she'd ask me, "Is the baby dead?" I'd say, "No," and invite her to feel how alive he was, doing karate kicks in my womb. She never became interested. My sweet loving girl has always had a sensitive soul. It's who she is. I knew her wounds were deep and only time and love would heal her.

My husband and I had age-appropriately prepared the girls for what birth was like. We had discussions about birth, showed them videos online of babies being born, and talked about what a big celebration it was. They loved watching birth videos. Of course, being their mom, I guarded them from the scary stuff. I was careful not to show them things like too much blood, lots of intense screaming, or doctors running a muck. I showed them the beautiful side of natural birth. The way birth should be; intimate, quiet, sacred. The way wild animals give birth. I felt there was no need to portray the ways the media shows birth because we all know it creates unnecessary fear about a natural process.  

When it came time for our new baby to be born, we invited Taryn and Avery to be a part of the birth if they wanted.  Avery was curious and wanted to be there to watch. She wandered in and out of our bedroom throughout my labor. Taryn, wanted no part of it, which was fine. I knew we'd call her up to our room as soon as he arrived. And we did. She was happy see him and meet him and know he was alive and healthy. Today, he is a loud, energetic, and annoying little brother to her. I always wonder how she'll view birth when she is an adult. My hope is that she'll view it as a natural and exciting part of life. I know she'll always have a unique view because of our past experience. 

The Due Date is Quickly Approaching

You may be at a point in your pregnancy when the morning sickness is gone and you seem to have more vibrant energy. Some women feel like they are coasting along in the second trimester, feeling great, finding out the gender of the baby, planning the nursery, picking out nursery colors and a cute theme. But, those thoughts keep popping up in your head about the big day, the BIRTH. 

When planning the birth of your first baby, it's all new territory. There are many decisions to be made and planning to be done. Many first time moms ask themselves these questions about the birth:

How will I know when it's time to head to the hospital?
What all happens at the hospital?
What's it going to be like to go through labor and then to deliver a baby out of "there"?
How do I know if labor is going normally?
What are my rights as a patient?
What are my options?
How do I stay calm and relaxed?
Will it hurt?
Will I be a good mom?

I'm here to tell you, women who hire a doula, hire them to get the answers to these questions and much much more. Studies show when a doula is present at births, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier, and breastfeed more easily. Doulas provide emotional, informational, and physiological support to families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. A doula's job is to help you feel confident and prepared for your birth and after, and to be with you continuously during your labor. She will educate you about childbirth so that you can make decisions that are right for you. During your prenatal appointments with your doula, you will discuss the birthing process, stages of labor, comfort measures to use during labor, how to breastfeed, and you will come up with a thorough list of your birth preferences.  An important aspect about these prenatal appointments is a doula will help you know what questions to ask your provider and help you build a strong and supportive birth team.

With all the planning and pregnancy hormones, there may be times when you become super emotional. When doubt starts to creep in during your pregnancy, you can call your doula. That is what she is there for, to give you non-judgmental open ears and encourage you. When you spend lots of time with a doula, you will start to believe in yourself and trust that you can do it. After all, we women, were made to grow a baby and give birth. A doula will help you find your inner strength. She will be your biggest cheer leader and give you a wealth of support and education. Give Naya a call at 970-744-9200 and schedule a time to sit down with her and ask your questions.

What I do...

Having a doula at your birth is empowerment at its finest! While eagerly awaiting the arrival of your new baby, a ride of emotions may surface. It's such an amazing privilege as a woman to be able to grow and give birth to new life. Women should be treated with great respect during this time. It's important to honor a woman's innate knowledge of her own pregnancy and birth. It is equally important for women to feel capable and competent during this time of immense transformation. Support from a birth doula does just that every step of the way!

I offer professional and individualized support throughout your pregnancy and birth. Your partner knows you and I know birth; together we can stand alongside you and assist you with what ever needs you have.  We will work together to identify your needs and birth preferences during your pregnancy. I will teach you about the physiological processes of childbirth, answer your questions, and support you along the way via phone, text, and/or email. When it is time for your baby to be born, you will feel prepared, calm, and confident. I will equip you with ways to feel comfortable and relaxed as your baby makes his or her debut. I use many different comfort measures such as message, breathing, focused concentration, sound, visualization, hydrotherapy, positions/movement, backache relief, and partner support, to name a few. I will teach and empower you to advocate for yourself so that you can work toward your birth goals with your entire birth team. I will help you navigate through all your birthing options as procedures and interventions can be confusing at times. I will help protect your sacred space during your birth. After the baby arrives, I will spend time helping you begin the breastfeeding process and encouraging bonding between your new baby and the family members. 

Studies show when a doula is present at births, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier, and breastfeed more easily.

It's important to note that every family who hires a doula, hires for different reasons. I support any type of birth within my scope as a certified labor doula.

I can help your partner experience this special time with confidence and reassurance. The partner specifically benefits from the presence of a doula because he is relieved of the expectation of mastering birth support with no prior experience. Feel free to contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment. Happy Birthing!

Naya Daily CLD (CBI)

(970) 744-9200

daily.naya@gmail.com

 www.facebook.com/lovelandfamilydoula
Serving Loveland, CO and surrounding areas.

Calm and professional support you can count on.

Babies matter and moms matter too.