Sincerely Rih

08/18/2026

EPIDURAL DOESN’T MEAN YOUR DOULA SUPPORT STOPS. 🤎

One thing I want every mama to know before she gets to the hospital:

Being restricted to the bed does NOT mean you have to stay in one position.

If you have an epidural, you may have less mobility, but there are still SO many ways your doula and care team can work with the hospital bed to help you stay comfortable, create space in the pelvis, encourage baby to rotate, and support descent. 👏🏽

USE THAT BED, SIS! 😂🤎

✨ THRONE POSITION
Raise the back of the bed and sit upright. This can keep you elevated and working with gravity while giving your body a chance to rest.

✨ HANDS & KNEES
With the bed adjusted appropriately, you can kneel and lean forward over the raised back of the bed. Your doula can help you get positioned safely and support your legs, hips, and upper body.

✨ LATERAL / SIDE-LYING WITH A STIRRUP
One leg can be supported while you’re lying on your side. Switch sides as appropriate. This creates an asymmetrical position and can give baby different space to navigate the pelvis.

✨ SQUAT BAR
If your hospital bed has one and your care team says it’s appropriate, the squat bar can give you something sturdy to hold onto while getting into a supported squat or supported position.

✨ PEANUT BALL POSITIONS 🥜
Side-lying, semi-reclined, exaggerated side-lying, and different leg positions with a peanut ball can all be used while you’re in bed.

✨ POSITION CHANGES
Don’t forget about simple changes! Raise the head of the bed. Lower it. Turn to your side. Bring one leg forward. Open your knees. Alternate sides. Change the angle of your hips.

THIS is where your doula can be a game changer. 👏🏽

Your doula can help with positioning, pillows, peanut balls, hip support, counterpressure, comfort measures, reminders to change positions, and communicating your needs to your support team.

Because an epidural may limit your mobility, but it doesn’t have to limit your options for support.

And mama, don’t be afraid to ask your nurse:

“What positions can I safely do with my epidural and this bed?”

Every hospital, epidural, monitoring setup, and patient is different, so your nurse/provider should help determine what’s safe for you and baby.

BED RESTRICTION ≠ POSITION RESTRICTION. 🤎

Sometimes we just have to get creative with the tools we have!

📸 Image credit: — original image/source shown in the graphic.

Save this for your hospital birth and send it to a mama planning an epidural! 🫶🏽

08/18/2026

POSITIONS THAT CAN HELP BABY DESCEND 👶🏽⬇️

One thing I’m BIG on during labor is position changes! Sometimes baby just needs a little help finding their way down into the pelvis. 🤎

If mom and baby are doing well and you’re cleared to move, try switching it up instead of staying in one position the entire time.

✨ Hands & knees — helps take pressure off the back and can give baby room to adjust.

✨ Side-lying — especially with a peanut ball between the legs. This is one of my favorites when mama needs to rest but we still want to keep that pelvis open.

✨ Supported squat — opens the pelvis and allows gravity to help baby move down.

✨ Lunges — especially an asymmetrical lunge. Sometimes creating a little more space on one side can help baby navigate through the pelvis.

✨ Birth ball + hip circles — sit upright, move those hips, sway side to side, or make big circles. We’re trying to keep that pelvis MOVING. 👏🏽

✨ Toilet position 🚽 — YES, the toilet! Sitting there can naturally encourage relaxation of the pelvic floor while keeping mama upright.

✨ Exaggerated side-lying — one leg supported higher or forward can create more room in the pelvis and may help baby rotate or descend.

✨ Upright positions — standing, walking, swaying, slow dancing with your partner… anything that keeps you moving and working WITH gravity.

And remember… there is no one magic position. What works for one mama may not work for another. Sometimes we try a position for a while, see how baby responds, and then switch it up. 🔄

Labor isn’t always about doing MORE. Sometimes it’s about finding the right position, creating space, relaxing the pelvic floor, and letting baby do what baby needs to do. 🤎

Save this for labor. Send it to your pregnant friend. And if you have a doula, ask them about different position changes you can practice BEFORE labor starts. 🫶🏽

Let’s get baby DOWN! 👶🏽⬇️

Always follow your provider’s guidance, especially if you have an epidural, are being continuously monitored, or have any pregnancy complications.

08/18/2026

05/22/2026

This week I was called in as a backup doula, and honestly, I doubted myself. I was nervous. I kept thinking, “This is such an intimate moment… I’m a stranger. Is mama really going to want me at her birth?” There were experienced midwives and nurses there, and I found myself questioning what my role would even look like. Imposter syndrome is truly real!!

Mama was in labor for 3 days, and I alternated shifts with a more experienced doula to make sure she always had support. At one point, I sent a message saying I would really love to attend the birth if she wouldn’t mind. The response I got back was, “She’s already vocalized twice that she wants you here.”

That moment brought so much relief. It reminded me that even in my doubts, I was making an impact. I was exactly where I needed to be.

This birth reassured me that this is truly the work I was called to do. The energy, the connection, the support, the strength it all confirmed something deep in my spirit. This is an experience I will never forget, and I’m beyond grateful to have been part of such a sacred moment.

A huge thank you to Birth In Color for giving me this opportunity, and to my cohort sisters for the encouragement, guidance, and support throughout this experience. Having a community that pours into you while you’re learning and growing means more than words can explain.

With that being said, I am currently accepting 1 new client. If you know a mama in the Salem or Roanoke area searching for a doula, have them reach out ✨✨