700 BABIES: Your Guide to a Safe, Empowering Hospital Birth
This hospital birth preparation book, written by an award-winning doula who supported the births of over 700 babies in her 28 year career, is your essential companion on your journey to parenthood. It empowers you to identify and avoid potentially harmful interventions while guiding you toward a safe and positive hospital birth experience that honors your personal choices and values, without judgment.
In this book you will discover:
Communication Skills
How to get what you want in a hospital setting without feeling intimidated or pushy. Easy to remember phrases and questions to get the answers you need.
Practical, Step-by-Step Preparation Guide
Know your options and learn how to prepare for unanticipated interventions. Easily create the birth plans for your partner or doula, nurse, doctor, babyโs care providers, and a surgical birth, just in case.
Policies, Procedures, and Protocols, Oh My
Understand what policies, procedures, and protocols are most likely to affect your labor and birth while you have time and brain capacity to understand and plan for them.
Reduce or Eliminate Your Fear
By understanding what a hospital birth is like and making your plans accordingly, you will feel empowered and in control of your options. Itโs hard to make good decisions when youโre tired, confused, and scared.
About the Author: tracy hartley
This book is based on 28 years of experience as a birth doula who has attended more than 700 births, most of which took place in a variety of hospitals. Living and working in the Los Angeles area since 1996, tracy understands how hospital policies, procedures, and protocols often interfere with the process of giving birth.
What People Are Saying:
- Katherine G.Preparing for my first child, I went to Tracy's childbirth class and received the most caring, attentive, comforting, and reassuring guidance I could imagine. Tracy's reputation as the best doula around preceded her, so I knew I was in good hands. But I left the class feeling more confident and prepared than I would've thought possible in a one-day program. She covered everything from preparing for the birth to breastfeeding, diapering, and soothing my little newborn. I can't recommend her highly enough!!
- Meii M.I'm a registered nurse, I am familiar with labor and delivery and how the unit and nurses work with patients. I always believe that having a nurse and a doctor on standby is not always enough for the expectant mother, especially if its the first time.Read more
- Latisha O.I can't say enough about how valuable it was to have Tracy be part of my pregnancy and birth experience. I'm a planner. I need to know what I'm getting into and all the possible outcomes. Since this was my first pregnancy--uncharted territory for my husband and myself--we wanted a doula to provide education, support, and advocacy. We needed more info than what was provided in the routine OB/GYN appointments.
- Ammy D.I highly recommend having a doula to elevate your birthing experience. Tracy has helped me give birth to 2 children. We LOVE Tracy Hartley from BEST Doula. After interviewing half a dozen doulas, we chose her because of her high level of experience, and calming disposition. She made sure my husband and I received proper birthing education.Read more
- Ruby Y.Hiring Tracy to be my doula for my 2nd pregnancy was the best decision I made. Without her I wouldn't be able to deliver my baby girl naturally. With my 1st pregnancy I didn't have a doula and the whole hospital experience during my labor was very intimidating. I didn't know my options and it was difficult to communicate with the hospital staff with my needs and asked them questions while having contractions.Read more
- Margot M.We are so thankful for Tracy. She educated and helped us so much. She trusted our choice and empowered us even if we didn't have the birth we planned at first. She taught us to have no expectations and be present. We love her!!Read more
- Andy D.My wife and I are expecting our first child and we took tracy's Introductory Class and Virtual Childbirth Preparation Classes. We could not be happier with our choice to take these important classes with her. My wife is really nervous about giving birth and tracy made us feel so well-informed, prepared, and at ease. She did a great job of explaining the medical reason behind every critical area of the experience. She is incredibly knowledgeable, not only about birth, but also about infant care and lactation. She's a wonderful human and we've really enjoyed getting to know her through this process. We took these courses over a few weekends and we were very sad when our last class was over. Take the opportunity to learn from tracy, you won't regret it!Read more
- Lorainne F
"Tracy has an innate sense of confidence, empathy and justice. She supported my birth experiences in ways that I had not previously realized were crucial to holistic, healing births."
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