First, a confession...I was the biggest skeptic of HypnoBirthing before I tried it myself. I knew about HypnoBirthing when I was pregnant with my first child in 2009, but I thought it was something my type A personality just couldn't accomplish. I also didn't really believe it worked for anyone and figured they were just embellishing their experience. Simply put, I was a bit of a hater. Looking back, I can see this came from a place of insecurity and intimidation. I was worried if I tried it, I would fail. 

Myth #1: HypnoBirthing only works for certain personality types.

FALSE! HypnoBirthing works for anyone that is open minded to it. If you think it will work for you, you're right. If you think it won't, you're right. Self-fulfilling prophecy. 

HypnoBirthing is a five-class series that dives deep into all things birth. This is a comprehensive childbirth class that also teaches how to achieve self-hypnosis to make labor and birth more comfortable. This is NOT just for people that are already meditating, practicing relaxation, and have more of a creative mind. This can absolutely be a class for the more Type A personalities (ME!), and everyone can benefit from these classes.

Myth #2: HypnoBirthing makes it so you don't feel any pain in childbirth. If you feel pain, you did it wrong.

FALSE! HypnoBirthing does not promise to give you a "Pain-Free" birth. It DOES help you with tools to have a more comfortable birth experience. HypnoBirthing also has the benefit of reducing the likelihood of receiving unnecessary interventions. Does birth sometimes need medical intervention? Yes, but not anywhere near as often as interventions are occurring. It does not make it so medical interventions will not be needed, but it makes it so non-medically necessary interventions won't needlessly be imposed. The education you receive helps you know the difference between these scenarios. Education empowers people, reduces fear/anxiety, and therefore reduces the fear-tension-pain cycle. All of these benefits reduce the need for medical pain management and prepare you for a comfortable, easy birth experience. 

Myth #3: Taking HypnoBirthing classes is enough to help me have the birth I desire.

FALSE! Simply showing up to 5 classes is not all it takes. I can't possibly give you enough practice in 5-2.5-hour classes to help you master these techniques. The information you receive in class will be comprehensive, but you have to practice the techniques on your own time, outside of class. Practice conditions the body to achieve this deep level of relaxation so achieving this state in labor becomes second nature. Daily practice of the different breathing techniques helps prepare you for riding each wave you experience in labor. I give you the tools. It's your job to put them into practice outside of class to prepare for the calm birth you desire. Having a birth partner, doula, and OB/Midwife that support your birth goals is another integral part to having the birth you desire. 

Myth # 4: Someone else can hypnotize you.

FALSE! ALL hypnosis is self-hypnosis. Your HypnoBirthing educator will teach you about hypnosis and guide you into it, but the only person that can hypnotize you is yourself. Some people are fearful of hypnosis because they think someone else will have control or power over them. No one has any control over you while you're in hypnosis. You have full control and will never do something you don't want to do while in hypnosis. You will also remember everything and will not be unconscious in any way. When the pandemic hit and we were forced to take classes online, I was nervous people wouldn't have the same experience as they did in person. I have been pleasantly surprised and proven wrong. One of the huge perks to online classes these days is that people aren't even in the same room as me when they're experiencing hypnosis. This is a huge convincer for people so they can see everything is happening within their own body without outside assistance. 

I didn't have the birth I wanted with my first child. She was born healthy, and I was physically healthy, but so much more goes into it! The first misstep in my birth with her was rushing to the hospital when my waters released at 3:15am. If I had taken a childbirth education class that focused on instinctive, natural birth, it would have changed my trajectory from that first moment. Now, I'm a childbirth educator and doula that helps people know there is no reason to rush to their birthing place just because their waters released. By rushing to the hospital and not having the education as to what's normal and what's not, I invited intervention from the start. I basically ran to the hospital to be hooked up to Pitocin so my body would be rushed into having waves (translation: contractions). If I had waiting at home until my waves started on their own, my body would have had time to acclimated to being in labor and I would have tolerated them much more easily. 

The beauty of HypnoBirthing is it teaches you what normal, physiological labor and birth look like. Most providers and birth settings do not base their practices on this type of labor and birth. So many OBGYNs treat every pregnant person like the 1%. If you're the 99%, why are you receiving care using the guidelines that are applicable to the 1%? Individualized care is hard to find these days. Choosing a provider that fits the experience you desire and the goals you have is INFINITELY IMPORTANT. Just because you have a midwife doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get the care you want. Have you ever heard the term "med-wife"? Some midwives are guided by instinctive and physiological birth, while others are more medicalized. Neither of those options are wrong, but you need to know which one you're getting because it needs to match the experience you're wanting to have. This should be the first thing you figure out when you find out you're pregnant, so you start off on the right foot. You can do your own research on providers in your area, but you can also find a birth doula that can help guide you and help you know which providers fit your specific needs. 

I hope this breakdown helped you sort out some of the questions or misconceptions you had about HypnoBirthing. Reach out if you have any other questions and I'd be happy to help!

Ciarra Morgan, TLCD, HBCE, CSC

https://empoweredbeginningsatx.com/blog/f/myth-busting---hypnobirthing-edition

Sleep training is a bad word in some circles. Many people have myths/misconceptions that I want to help break down. 

Misconception #1: Sleep training means your child crying it out. 

FALSE. "Cry it out" is only one method of sleep training, and parents that are comfortable with this method don't hire sleep consultants. This is not a method I suggest in any of my personalized sleep plans. 

Misconception #2: Parents neglect their children and tune them out when sleep training.

FALSE: When I am your sleep consultant, I coach you and encourage you to tune IN to your child. You listen to the baby monitor. You learn their cries and hear how their fussiness changes. You access their level of need. You respond to your child and intervals you feel comfortable with. You never TUNE OUT. You TUNE IN.

Misconception #3: You're letting your child cry when sleep training.

FALSE: You're not LETTING your child cry. Your child is crying, but you're not letting them cry. You're giving your child space (whatever that looks like depending on the sleep training method we choose together) to learn to self soothe. Sometimes that means they have spurts of crying, but it's not level 10 crying for hours on end like people think. Just like you're not letting your child cry when you put them in the car seat and drive. Many children do cry when put in the car seat, but you're not letting them cry. It's important to differentiate the two. This is not neglectful or mean. It's setting boundaries around sleep just like you set boundaries around car safety, limiting screen time, healthy choices for meals rather than candy for dinner, etc. 

Misconception #4: You have to night wean to sleep train.

FALSE: Babies who developmentally need to eat through the night can absolutely do so! I help families teach their children to fall asleep independently. I do not encourage parents to skip necessary feeds or ignore their child's hunger signs. Many of the small babies I've helped families sleep train still eat once or twice at night (the number of feedings depends on the child's development). These babies also fall back asleep on their own and only wake when they're hungry, not just to be soothed back to sleep. 

Misconception #5: Sleep training is only successful if you put your child to sleep at night and they don't wake until morning.

FALSE: Do you sleep through the night every night? It's normal for people to wake randomly throughout the night. Maybe you need to use the restroom, but maybe you just had a light moment between sleep cycles and woke. Many of us wake in the night but don't even remember it. Children might still wake up and even make noise for a couple of minutes during the night. Waking at night is not abnormal or something we need to work to stop. The goal of many parents is to have the child be able to sleep independently. Babies that fall asleep independently can get themselves back to sleep at these little middle of the night wake ups without parent involvement. This is because those children have the skills to do so and feel safe and confident in their beds.

And this last part might surprise you coming from a sleep consultant. ANYONE can sleep train their own child. "Umm..Ciarra...why are you telling people they don't need to hire you?" I'm not. Think of it this way: Some people go to the gym and never get a personal trainer. They research exercises, best ways to train certain muscle groups, and they're self-motivated. Other people find they don't connect with it and need the motivation and support a personal trainer can provide. This is the same with sleep training. Anyone can sleep train their child, but some people don't have the time/energy/attention span to research the exact way to do it and implement it. These people need the accountability and guidance of a sleep consultant. These are the families I support. 

There are many more myths/misconceptions surrounding sleep training, but we'll leave it here. I might come back and add to these over time. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about these topics. My goal is to help families feel confident in their sleep training journeys. Parents are better parents, partners, and employees when they are well rested. They are also healthier physically and mentally. Children need sleep to reach their developmental milestones and be happy, healthy children. For some families, sleep training is a matter of mental health and is not something that should be shamed or judged. 

I'm here to help if you find yourself identifying with any of the descriptions above, or if you just want more information about sleep training to decide if it's a good fit for you.

Ciarra Morgan, TLCD, HBCE, CSC

https://empoweredbeginningsatx.com/blog/f/myth-busting---sleep-training-edition

There are many models a doula company can have, and it can be confusing for the consumer, so let's break it down!

Solo Doulas

A "solo" doula is a one person show. They are the sole support person through your pregnancy, in labor, and postpartum. If they need a backup doula for some reason, they likely have a few doulas they have chatted with about covering birth if they're unavailable when your birthing time comes (i.e.they're sick, they're at another birth occurring at the same time as yours, they just came off of a long birth and need to rest before it's safe for them to drive).

On Call Rotation for a team of doulas

Some companies have a team of doulas, and they have a rotation. There might be ten doulas, and they will all rotate schedule. Doula A might be Monday, Doula B Tuesday, etc. and they go to the birth of whoever goes into labor in their on-call window. 

Partnered Doulas or Co-Doulas

Some doulas have a partnership between themselves and share clients. They tend to run one week on, one week off, and cover each other for things like their children's birthday dinners and anniversary celebrations with their spouse. You meet both doulas in this type of partnership and have a familiarity with each of them before your birthing day. The doula on call when you go into labor attends your birth. In case of backup being needed, the other co-doula is there for you. 

Austin, Texas and the surrounding area (the service area Empowered Beginnings serves) has doulas that fit into each of these categories. There is also a group called the Central Texas Doula Association that doulas can join, and you can send in a request to have doulas reach out to you. Not all doulas in Austin are part of the Central Texas Doula Association, but many are! The group has both birth and postpartum doulas.

What model does Empowered Beginnings fit into?

We have two types of models within Empowered Beginnings. Ciarra and Samantha are partnered or co-doulas. The other Empowered Doulas are solo doulas and back each other up. Ciarra and Samantha used to both be solo doulas but decided to join forces in 2022. 

Why did Ciarra and Samantha decide to become co-doulas?

Birth work is incredibly rewarding and equally taxing (on the birth worker and their family). Birth workers tend to burn out long before they intended to retire. Many people do not realize how much goes into being on call 24/7/365. Birth doulas are generally on call for each client for the window of 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy, meaning they are promising to not be out of town or have something planned during those 5 weeks that would get in the way of them attending your birth. That means they are not going on weekend camping trips with their families, getting concert tickets to their favorite band, etc. Even something as simple as going to church has more go into it than you might imagine. If I am within a client's "on-call" window, my husband and I drive separately to church so I can leave if I need to since our house is the opposite direction as any of the local birth centers or hospitals. It is not often I would have to hit the road and go immediately, but there's always the chance (especially if the client is a second timer with a history of fast births). Think about planning a 5-year old's birthday party. I either must take off 5 weeks (so I don't have anyone in that 37–42-week window) to plan a birthday party OR I have to risk missing the party if someone is in labor. Sometimes doula families understand if you have a day or two where you are going to have a backup be on call, but for some people that stresses them out too much and they'd choose another doula because of it. 

Samantha and I have worked together since the beginning of 2021 and decided in 2022 to join forces. When you hire one of us, you hire both of us. Here is what that looks like when you hire us...

Once paperwork is signed and a deposit is made, we start a group text message between the birthing person, their partner, and ourselves. You can use this group chat to ask your random questions that come up, update us on something you want us to know, or just to feel supported and connected throughout your pregnancy. If you need to chat with us, just shoot us a text and we can schedule it. Our basics package has two prenatal meetings. You will have one of these with me and one of them with Samantha. We go over different things at each of these and we keep notes that we share with each other, so both of us will always be up to date on what is going on with you. When you go into labor you will be sending us text updates about what is going on. Whichever of us is on call will likely be the one replying to these messages and will join you once you feel you need in person, physical support. For your postpartum follow up meeting (sometime around the one-week mark from your birth), the doula that attended your birth will be the one to come. 

What are the benefits of a co-doula model for the clients we serve?

- Our prenatal and postpartum follow up meetings are scheduled on weeks we are "off call". This means we are unlikely to have to reschedule these meetings last minute because we have been called to a birth. This was something we encountered often as solo doulas. We know your lives are busy and we make every effort to be able to keep these appointments, so it does not mess up your schedule. 

- Sometimes there are situations when a backup doula is needed. Maybe a doula is sick, has a sick child, or has had an accident that makes it impossible for them to attend your birth. Or maybe a doula has two people in labor at once. If any of these situations arise, you know who your "backup" doula is! If it is my week on call, Samantha goes. If it is Samantha's week on call, I go. The only exception to this is if Samantha or I have a vacation or event scheduled during our off-call time. In that situation, we would have another doula we know and trust attend your birth. We limit the number of births we take each month to minimize the risk of needing a backup doula for a situation where three people were in labor at once. This has never happened, and we do not anticipate it, but we've learned to never say never when it comes to babies. They have their own plans!

- Sometimes birth is loooonnngggg. Occasionally someone will have an extended labor where they need continuous labor support for longer than one doula can safely attend while still being safe to drive home. If this happens, we back each other up and either come labor sit while the other doula takes a nap, or we take over for the remainder of the birth. There are also situations where a doula gets off a long birth only to get a text from another client saying labor kicked into high gear and they need us. Again, if one of us just got off a birth and can't possibly serve you in the capacity you deserve without rest, the other doula will go to that birth. 

Samantha and I value all the benefits this co-doula model has for both ourselves, our families, and the doula families we serve. Work - Life balance is something we feel is important to be able to serve our doula families for the long term and we are excited to be a team. You get two doulas that have a comprehensive range of experience, coordinate care seamlessly for their doula families, and pour their hearts and souls into this "work". We recognize that this model is not for every doula and it's not appealing to every pregnant family, and that's okay! There is someone for everyone, and we look forward to serving the families that find this model the best for their journey. 

Welcome To Parenthood

Congratulations! After 9 long months, your new and precious baby has arrived! As you stare lovingly into your new bundle of joy's sparkling eyes, everything around you fades away and your only thought is that you vow to do everything that you can for this new life in your arms. You may have replayed this scenario in your mind a thousand times. Maybe it was during childhood as you cared for your baby dolls, wheeling them around in their little toy stroller. Perhaps it was more recently, as you received the wonderful and exciting news that you were expecting a new baby! Whenever these new thoughts began, you had to decide how to feed your baby.

Breastfeeding Is Hard!

If you have decided to breastfeed your baby, chances are that soon after your baby is born – almost immediately in fact – you will be given the opportunity to breastfeed your new baby. A postpartum nurse or an in-hospital lactation consultant, doula, or midwife will assist you in latching your baby onto your breast.

Sometimes moms learn while still in the hospital or birthing center. Others find out once they are discharged and sent home with their sweet new baby. Breastfeeding can be hard.

It can be very difficult to learn the proper way to position your baby, how to latch your baby to elicit successful milk transfer, how to choose the correct flange size – the list goes on.

Where Do You Begin?

But where does a new parent begin? There are so many opinions when it comes to breastfeeding or pumping for your baby. But how do you know what information to trust?

The truth about breastfeeding is that a breastfeeding parent will benefit from the support of their partner, family, and other breastfeeding families.

These support systems can help you give your baby the best start in life. Breastfeeding is natural and babies are born to breastfeed. It is the biological norm for mammals all over the globe, and humans are mammals.

During the early days after birth, some babies and breastfeeding parents need time to learn and get it right. What other people say may affect your breastfeeding experience. You may feel inclined, especially in the early days of your lactation journey, to compare yourself to other mothers that you see in mommy groups online.

Is Google The Answer?

As soon as you find yourself in need of lactation support, you may instinctively grab your phone or laptop and navigate to the internet. It may be easy to just Google your question and allow a search engine to decide what may be best for you and your baby when it comes to lactation. There are so many websites, blog posts, forums, and mommy groups that offer expert (as well as not-so-expert) advice. This advice may not always be the best because everyone is unique and a search engine will not match the needs of each individual person. The same goes for your baby and their individual needs.

Some babies are born premature, while others may be born with oral issues and dysfunction that may require a thorough assessment and treatment plan to address such as tongue, lip, or buccal ties.

How To Get The Best Support

The truth is that the best course of action, even though at first breastfeeding may be difficult, is to reach out for support from an IBCLC, also known as an International Board Certified lactation consultant.

An IBCLC is licensed and trained in the field and study of lactation and breast anatomy. An IBCLC undergoes a rigorous educational path to ensure that we are knowledgeable and competent to provide evidence-based care and education to parents. Unlike breastfeeding counselors, specialists, or volunteers, IBCLCs must have completed:

90 Hours of Lactation Education

1000 Hours Supervised Clinical Experience with Breastfeeding Mothers and Babies

Required College/University Courses

Biology

Human Anatomy

Human Physiology

Infant and Child Growth and Development

Nutrition

Psychology or Counseling or Communication Skills

Introduction to Research

Sociology or Cultural Sensitivity or Cultural Anthropology

Continuing Education

Basic life support (for example, CPR)

Medical documentation

Medical terminology

Occupational safety and security for health professionals

Professional ethics for health professionals

Universal safety precautions and infection control

Take and pass a rigorous and extensive 4 hour proctored exam

Meet continued education requirements to maintain licensure every 5 years

Breastfeeding support is available and highly encouraged to help all families learn the necessary tools and education to ensure that they are set up for maximum success and support in breastfeeding early on in their lactation journey.

If you find yourself in need of support, I encourage you to reach out to myself or another qualified IBCLC. Learn more about my online breastfeeding support services or contact me to learn more.

Summer is here! Or it’s almost here! It’s so exciting! But wait- what am I supposed to do with these kids all summer long? How will I keep them entertained and keep the peace?

If you are staring down some long days, weeks, or MONTHS of summer with your kids and wondering how the heck you can make this a wonderful time…you are not alone! I’ve got some simple behavior tools to help make things smoother in your home.

Try all of these and more on your own, or join us for the Summer Behavior Reset where I’ll make it as easy as possible for you!

Structure your days

For days at home, decide how much structure you want/ need for yourself and for your kids. I encourage you to have a loose schedule to structure your days, not tied to a clock. 

Must do/ can do list

Create a list with 2 columns: Must Do and Can Do. Under the “Must Do” include just a few simple things that you want to see happen each day. Must Do’s might include reading for 20 minutes, doing a simple household chore or 2, getting outside, doing something creative, and doing something kind for someone else. Can Do’s might include specific ideas of things your kids like to play with: Lego, Play Doh, coloring, call Grandma, etc.

Before Screen Time list

Before your child can hop on Netflix, iPad, or Nintendo, have a list of Must Do’s. These are required every single day so keep the list short and focused on what’s really important. This list may include some of the Must Do’s from above and also things like brushing your teeth that an be easy for our kids to “forget” to do on summer days. 

Loose Schedule Blocks

Have some anchors in your schedule that you do at about the same time each day- lunch time, rest time, dinner, bedtime. Then loosely build in some typical day activities as before lunch or after lunch. Before lunch may include- going to the gym, library, park, etc. and after lunch may be quiet play time or doing chores or whatever! Make it fit your daily needs.

Visual schedule

For daily routines- make it visual! Break down your routines into the simplest steps and then put pictures to it. Hang this where the routine happens- morning routine visual schedule goes in the bedroom or bathroom where those tasks take place. For learning new chores- hang the visual schedule where that task takes place as a quick reference- unloading the dishwasher visuals go next to the dishwasher. 

I’m bored list

Make an “I’m bored list” (or download my free template). Give options in each category: Chores, Learning, By Yourself, With Others. Then when those precious kids utter those words “I’m booooooreeeed”, you hand them the list. Again- use visuals for your kids, especially non-readers.

With all of these- be flexible! Make changes as the days go on. Switch it up entirely- go from a Must Do/ Can Do list to a loose schedule. Go with the flow. A loose structure will help your child know what to expect next but it IS summer time. Model that flexibility and help your child learn to go with the flow.

And the most important tip of all?! Don’t do any of this FOR your children. Do it WITH them. Involve your kids in every single possible step of summer planning.

 Ask your kids:

“What do you think needs to go on the Must Do list for every day?” 

“Do you have any ideas for ways we can show kindness to each other each day?”

“What small chore do you want to put on your list this week?”

“What fun ideas would you like to see happen in our before lunch time slots this week?”

No matter what format or method you choose, plan WITH your kids!! Let them share ideas, let them take the lead, let them have as much independence and decision making as possible within the boundaries that you set. This will prevent so many power struggles while teaching your child so many important skills like self-management, self-advocacy, and independence.

Summer is here. Let’s make it a wonderful time together! Add some loose, flexible structure to your days. Plan WITH your kids, not FOR them. And join me in the Summer Behavior Reset to get your summer started off on the best foot possible! 

From 0-6 weeks

What does a newborn to 6 week old routine look like?

Babies in the first 7-10 days sleep a lot, but many mums will tell you that by the time your baby is 14 days old, their little personalities start to shine and they are a bit more awake.

This is a great time to start implementing some consistency with your feeding and sleep routine. The routine starts from the time your baby wakes until it’s bedtime.

A 0-6 week old awake window is 45-60 minutes

This includes:

• Feeding
• Burping
• Nappy Change
• Play Time

Then back to bed.

To get all these in within the 45-60 min time frame can be very challenging.

The reason why many babies are unsettled, hard to get to sleep and only cat nap is because they are over tired.

It’s also very important to know how to recognise and differentiate between your baby’s cues. Baby cues are signs and signals to let you know if your baby is hungry, tired or in discomfort. You can read more about your baby’s cue in this Ebook

Feeding

I recommend not timing your feeds but rather know the difference between hunger and comfort feeding. Babies feed differently. Some babies are more efficient than others. When babies are feeding for a long time, they are often comfort sucking. When you are satisfied your baby is full, then you can proceed to the next step.

Burping
Keep burping to a maximum of 10 min especially if your baby is already tired. Babies who are crying are unlikely to burp well. Burping between sides is recommended.

Nappy Change 
Change nappy after you have finished feeding. I don’t recommend changing nappies between sides when you are breastfeeding. You can also give your baby opportunity to kick around without a nappy as part of floor time.

Play Time (Floor Time)

Offering play time is important even for newborns. Giving them time and space to explore. It’s also a to easier to recognise your baby’s cues when they are awake. This is also a great time to introduce tummy time even if it’s only for a few minutes.

Bed

Once your baby is starts to grizzle, and is showing tired signs, then it’s time for bed. You can place baby in bed awake and see if they can sooth themselves to sleep. If they need help to settle then it’s important to understand what will work for you especially long term. Feeding, rocking and holding your baby too sleep are all ok but if you do this consistently, it may create challenges that are not sustainable. 

This routine is best from time your baby wakes in the morning ( 6-7am) until around 10 pm. If your baby is feeding well and healthy then you can leave them however long they want to sleep during the night from 10 pm. You can also introduce a dream feed to help them sleep longer during the night. Learn about dream feeds.  
The evening and/or night routine does not include play time and only change nappy if needed. 

Quick note- Cuddles are awesome, babies love cuddles, so it’s important to have flexibility.