Doula Blog
All about Pregnancy, Birth, & Postpartum
![]() Many women (including myself) were taught (minimally at best) about our menstrual cycles and reproductive systems as we hit puberty. We gathered some information from our friends about how long periods usually are and we started to notice how our moods change throughout the month (not to mention the cramps!). This post is not about how to ease PMS and regulate hormones for better cycles (although that topic is coming up in a few months!). This post is about something that was never explained to me nor many friends and doula clients I’ve talked with: cervical mucus! Where is my cervix and what does it do? Your cervix is the end point of your uterus and keeps your womb closed. It looks and feels like a small, squishy, wet, pink, donut. The opening is called the cervical os. It is also the top end of your vaginal canal and where sperm go through (they are very tiny) to create babies (if I went through all of those details this would be too long of a post haha). The cervix is also what softens, thins (effaces), and stretches (dilates) during labor to allow your baby to be born through your vagina. Many women believe in the connection between your throat and your cervix. When you moan or breathe deeply (during sex or while relaxing in childbirth), your cervix then also softens and opens. This article The Wisdom of the Cervix explains this connection (with images) in more detail. Is vaginal discharge normal? Cervical mucus changes throughout your cycle and can indicate when you may expect your period or when you are nearing ovulation. It is a completely normal, healthy and important part of our reproductive lives. It can be dry/scant (before & sometimes just after your period), thin/watery or thick/creamy (between period and ovulation), then it becomes VERY slippery/wet resembling egg whites near and during ovulation (usually 1-3 days), and then dry again until your period. There is a WIDE range of normal and everyone is different. You can notice cervical discharge on your underwear, on a tissue as you wipe after peeing, or you can feel your cervix for mucus. Cervical mucus is usually clear to white depending on its consistency. If you notice discharge that is green, yellow, other funky colors, has a strong odor or just seems different to you it could be a sign of a yeast infection, vaginal infection or STI/STD and it would be recommended to see your OBGYN, Nurse Practitioner, Midwife (whoever you see for your yearly visits. Can I check my cervix to learn more about my body & cycle? If you have never felt your cervix I highly recommend it! Your cervix is usually high up in your vagina during ovulation and remains high when pregnant. After ovulation, if not pregnant, it will move down slowly and just before your period it will be very low in your vagina and easily felt. In the shower (recommended because you have very clean hands and privacy), you can lean over slightly as you would to insert a tampon or menstrual cup, stick your middle finger inside your vagina until you feel your cervix. It is usually doughy and feels like you are touching the tip of your nose. (The feeling of your cervix also changes from softer to more firm throughout your cycle). Cervical Checks During Labor: During labor Doctors/Midwives usually recommend cervical checks to feel for progress of labor. Keep in mind that is tells you how effaced and dilated you are right then but not necessarily how much longer labor will be. You can dilate from 6 to 9 in a matter of minutes or it can take hours. The benefits of cervical checks during labor are to check for progress, if you feel like pushing but are maybe not far along in labor yet it can be important to wait to push if not fully dilated to 10cm. The risks of cervical checks during labor is that is can be discouraging to be working really hard and be told “you are only 3cm dilated.” That mental discouragement can really derail your mental focus, concentration and stamina. Each cervical check also increases risk of infection. You can always decline cervical checks or ask your provider what they are checking for and to give you more information on the pros/cons in your situation. Tracking Your Cycle I honestly didn’t know this was a normal, healthy part of our cycles until I studied nursing in college. I hope this post educated you a little more on the role of your cervix and maybe even sparked an interest in you to learn more about tracking your cycles! I have been using the OVIA fertility app to track my periods and cycles for a year and I definitely recommend it. The app includes a lot of encouragement and educational tips throughout your cycle. It is especially useful for TTC (trying-to-concieve) but I’ve found it very empowering as I learn more about how my body was beautifully and wonderfully created (hormones and all!). It teaches you about the different phases of your menstrual cycle, when to expect your period, ovulation signs as well as tips on tracking cervical mucus. Here are some resources if you’d like to learn more! Cervical Mucus: Chart, Stages, Tracking & Fertility (clevelandclinic.org) Cervical Mucus Chart: Know When You're Fertile - Mama Natural Cervical Mucus Gallery (fertilitycharting.com.au) Definition of reproductive system - NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms - NCI The Connection Between the Cervix and Throat and What You Need to Know About Your Cervical Health (goddessceremony.com) Vaginal Discharge: What's Normal, What's Not (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth
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Many people in the United States are curious about the difference between doulas and midwives. The simple answer is that a midwife is a medical professional who helps women deliver babies (in this definition it is most similar to an obstetrician) and a doula is a non-medical support person who helps women and their partners (emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually and informationally) prepare for birth and postpartum during pregnancy and helps them know and understand their choices. Doulas are there to educate you on all your choices and support you no matter what you choose. It is your body, birth and baby and we are there to support you to have an empowered birth experience. To learn more about doulas feel free to read my welcome & doula research page on my website! If you are desiring a low stress, peaceful, safe, empowered pregnancy and birth experience then a midwife might be a good choice for you. Midwives typically take a holistic approach to pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Midwives have extensive training and experience in normal pregnancy and birth and can care for you throughout your whole journey, from routine yearly women’s health visits through pregnancy, birth and beyond! Midwives are sometimes registered nurses who go for several years of schooling to become Certified Nurse Midwives. Other midwives are highly trained alongside community midwives. Midwives take the time to talk through nutrition, exercise, postpartum planning and so much more. They can help women in birth centers, hospitals and at home. Some midwives choose to work in one of those places and others have a combination of experience in various birth settings. You can choose to see a midwife for women’s health care too! I made the switch to seeing a midwife at the local birthing center instead of a gynecologist and have appreciated the calm, comfortable conversations and the time they take to educate me on my choices. They care about my holistic health, not just physical but also emotional and mental. When I saw a gynecologist, it was in a typical doctor’s office with bright fluorescent lights and a hurried pace of keeping on schedule. I was thrilled when I learned women’s health care can look different. I can receive care in a peaceful, comfortable room with soft lighting and calming colors. I feel more confident in that setting, asking questions, knowing that she can and will take the time to listen. There are birthing centers in many cities throughout the US that do well-woman visits as well as prenatal care. Remember, you can always make a switch in provider and place of birth. In the US most women go to see a gynecologist for yearly visits, pap smears, birth control, education and then when they become pregnant, they get matched with an obstetrician who will be their prenatal and labor doctor. However, in other countries such as Germany, UK, Canada, Australia, Denmark etc midwives not obstetricians are often the primary medical professional for women's health including pregnancy and birth. Women’s health care and prenatal care should always make you feel comfortable, informed, safe and empowered to make confident choices. It should be a partnership and not make you feel rushed and uncomfortable asking questions. If you want a low intervention, peaceful birth, consider having a midwife as your women’s health care provider and continue to have her support you through pregnancy and birth and postpartum. Midwives are holistic and believe that birth is a normal physiologic process and is safer when not intervened in unless needed. If you’re interested in learning more about midwifery care, I encourage all my clients and friends to read Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. It is a warm, inviting, honest and beautifully written collection of birth stories as well as research-based chapters on tips for decreasing chances of tearing, how to choose a care provider and place of birth, and tips for comfort measures during labor and ways to prepare your body during pregnancy and labor for birthing your baby. I will continue to re-read this book! Blessings, Michaela Resources for learning more about the safety and prevalence of midwifery care! • Chart: U.S. Midwife Workforce Far Behind Globally | Statista Nursing and midwifery (who.int) The U.S. Needs More Midwives for Better Maternity Care - Scientific American Our Philosophy of Care | Our Philosophy of Care (midwife.org) |
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