My Journey to Become a Midwife

Hi! I’m Alejandra Lozano, a Midwife in continuous learning and development. My history has been long and will continue, today I want to share a little bit of it…

The love for midwifery started when I got pregnant and I meet the midwives who would attend the birth of my son Mariano, who is 8 years old today. As soon as I met the first midwife I had ever seen in my entire life, I felt a deep admiration and inspiration inside me that led me to forget about my birth for a few moments and strongly desire to be a Midwife, I wanted it so much so much that I said it out loud without thinking, that was the beginning of everything…

I accompanied the first birth as a doula, I quickly realized that my place was not in hospitals. I love being a Doula and it’s a job that I deeply honor, yet my heart has always belonged to midwifery and home births. Then my Midwife became my teacher, and when my son was 2 years old she started teaching me.

Acupressure and Acupuncture during Birth: An Integrative Guide for Acupuncturists and Birth Professionals

Over long years teaching acupuncturists and students at a busy L&D unit in New York, and listening carefully to other birth professionals such as Debra, I have come to rely on needles less and less. Instead I focus mainly on understanding what is happening in birth from the perspective of Yin or Yang abundance or deficiency, and the free or obstructed flow of Qi. From that understanding, I teach a mixture of approaches for helping out before, during and after birth, using Chinese home care methods such as foot soaks, exercises and simple dietary modifications, as well as acupressure and Chinese bodywork (Tuina). Few acupuncturists are allowed to needle in hospitals, but most of them have friends, family and beloved patients who can benefit from their insight and touch throughout the birth journey. I therefore proposed to the publisher that the book should be a resource of primarily non-needling approaches for acupuncturists, and they agreed.

Doula Dance Party at Midwifery Today

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I didn’t know that it could get better… And then it did! Midwifery Today is a special home for me and so many of my colleagues. I always meet new doulas, midwives, nurses, educators, and doctors who often feel alone … Continued

6 Strategies for Safer Birth

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The United States is failing women and infants. Maternal and newborn health outcomes are worse than in other high-income nations, costs are high and many women cannot access safe, evidence-based maternity care that truly reflects their needs and preferences. The … Continued

Birth of a doula

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There is something magical about watching participants arrive into a doula workshop and slowly blossom and open like a lotus flower as they become part of the special circle of doulas supporting one another in birth and life.   As … Continued

Doulas: The Keepers of Pleasure

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New research is strong that doulas reduce the chance of cesarean birth (or vacuum/forcep assisted birth, shorten length of labor, reduced use of pain medication, and a more positive birth experience. The newest review from the Cochrane Collective states that … Continued

Kangaroo Care after Cesarean

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From “The Mindful Cesarean”: “Jill Bergman on How to do Kangaroo Mother Care Following a Cesarean” By Mary Esther Malloy “When a baby must be born by cesarean, what can families do to optimize healthy birth hormones to best ensure … Continued

The Doula Movement: A 31 Year Journey

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31 Years ago a doula movement began. Today I share my story of becoming a doula, the doula history – transformations that have begun, and the reality that so much more needs to be done. By Debra Pascali-Bonaro World Doula … Continued

The Mindful Cesarean

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Introducing “The Mindful Cesarean” by Mary Esther Malloy, MA While most placentas move as the uterus grows, this one didn’t. It was covering Renee’s cervix, obstructing her baby’s exit. Her doctor was certain that a cesarean would be the best … Continued

The First Doula: Wendy Freed

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  Interview taken May 28th 2003 Seattle, WA – Penny Simkin’s home [Tweet “Wendy Freed the first “doula” shares how she couldn’t just observe women in labor.”] In 1973, Wendy Freed, an undergraduate student at UC Irving, spent the summer … Continued

7 weeks and 7 countries…

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As my journey continues… I arrived to Barcelona, Spain after 2 incredible weeks in Japan teaching and sharing about doulas – it was truly special and memorable – but I also fully ready for a holiday! I am often asked how I … Continued

Japan

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More than 2 years ago, my dream of travelling to Japan began when I met Kiyoe, an amazing nurse during a birth doula workshop I was teaching in NYC.  I had always been interested in Japanese culture, enjoyed the food, … Continued

Fiji Midwifery Today

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June 2016 Conference  When I imagine travelling to Fiji, I envision the beautiful images that fill the internet – beaches, boats, scuba diving and snorkeling among coral reefs, colorful fish, manta rays and reef sharks, and the smiling faces of the … Continued

Dolphin Doula Brings Playful Peace

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Dolphins are another of nature’s treasures that provide me with an opportunity to connect with the magic of the seas. Dolphins intuitively know when women are pregnant and circle around them. I call them the doulas of the sea- they … Continued

Remembering Marsden Wagner, MD

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We were honored to have Marsden Wagner as an Orgasmic Birth expert and thought we’d share with you an excerpt from his transcript, mostly unpublished until now. Marsden began his career in public health as a neonatologist and epidemiologist, firstly … Continued

2006 US Cesarean Rates

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2006 US Cesarean Rates We are getting close to finishing Orgasmic Birth.  It is an exciting time for us.  We so appreciate all the emails asking when you can see our documentary.  Please keep checking the web site as we … Continued