BIRTH #8- A Throwback blogpost from MySpace! 2/11/2009

Chula Doula BIRTH #8- A Throwback blogpost from MySpace! 2/11/2009

Current mood: catalyzed

Yesterday I had the pleasure of Doula-ing again. This was a first time single mama who's
main goal in hiring a doula was to avoid an unnecessary caesarean. Mission
accomplished.

The first call was around 1am. She called to let me know that her bag of waters had
begun to break. Water was clear, no foul scent, so she was in the clear to labor at home.
No surges as of yet, so she decided to go back to sleep and wait for the surges to come
on.

I was definitely on call at this point. I happened to be at the 24hr Korean Spa. Something
in me had lead me there, to replenish, refresh, and rest. Maybe it was the full moon on
the 9th. I was definitely in the space to gear up for a day of doula-ing.
At 6am she called to let me know that she was beginning to feel labor. No set pattern of
surges just yet, but at least they were not stopping. They were lasting about 30 to 40 seconds,
and were 6/5/4 minutes apart. I assured her that she was in early labor and to let me
know when they got longer and closer together and I'd come to join her.

I went home, packed my doula supplies, and took a nap. At 9am I called to check in and
she was feeling ready to go to the hospital and wanted me to meet her at her home.
I drove to her home and met her in her bedroom. She shared that she had gone on a
long walk with her mother the day before and felt that this is what brought on her labor.
Wise move! So we began to talk about her surges, she showed me how she kept track
on a wesbite called http://www.contractionmaster.com/ It's such a handy tool! I could
see right off the bat that she was still in early labor, so I shared with her the pro's and
cons of heading to the hospital at that very moment. She thought of her options and
decided to stay home until her surges were at least 60 seconds and within 5 minutes of
each other.

To cope with each surge we used different positions. One leg on the bed, like a lunge,
then on her hands and knees to relieve the back, slow dancing with pressure on her
low-back from her mother. We focused on using the surge to allow opening, I asked her
to visualize herself opening with each in breath, taking the breath down to her crotch.
Lots of crotch opening visualization!

She handled each surge earnestly, with fear, with peace, with calmness, with disbelief.
It's amazing the range of emotions and varying degrees of faith in oneself- all a woman
goes through in this intense process. My role is to reassure her strength, never giving
up on her power.

Towards the end of laboring at home I suggested that she squat during her next surge.
She felt an extreme amount of pressure in her crotch, she expressed that she felt like
her pelvic floor was being smashed. She went through about 2 or 3 surges this way.
When she got up her surges were stronger than ever. We went back to the computer to
track the next 6 surges. BAM! Out of 8 surges six were well over a minute, and ocurring
between every 3-5 minutes. She was beginning to give in to the idea that she couldn't
do it anymore, that she wanted medication. So we would focus on just getting through
the next one.

We grabbed our things and headed out to the hospital. On the way there her surges were
so strong she would tense up and yell out. Limp and Loose became the mantra. Pretty
soon she got the hang of her breathing and began to use the energy of yelling out,
inward. She began to focus on making deeper sounds and allowing her jaw to open.
We arrived at the hospital at 12:30p and she was at 7cm. The nurses offered medication
(epidural) and she definitely considered it. I just reminded her that she was almost done,
and when she's done, she's completely done. I guess it sounded okay for her to
continue, and she passed on the drugs. By 1:30p she was 9.5cm with an anterior lip. I
suggested she wiggle her hips around and around to get the cervical lip moved out of the
way. At 2pm she was 10cm and ready to push. She pushed until 2:21p and her lovely
daughter was born. A healthy girl. 7lbs 8oz, 19 3/4 in. 2/10/09.

Afterwards, mama was elated that she had accomplished such a challenging feat. She
was amazed that she got through it. She was glowing with pride and astonishment. I
was so happy to have been able to assist and be a witness to a woman's natural power.

ISO Apprentice in Los Angeles

Dear readers,

The time has come to share what I've been learning and developing for over ten years. Many folks have been asking to apprentice with me, or for me to mentor them. I've resisted this arrangement for many years because I didn't feel the time was right or that I had gained enough experience. And now after so much time and spiritual growth, I feel called to accept this request. Especially when my own community proclaims that I am ready. Thank you so much for saying these positive affirmations to me.

I've been posting on my facebook business page, the call out for interested people, and now I'm posting it here to see who else comes through.

Interviews are being held for Chula Doula Bodywork and Womb Services. If you are interested please e-mail me at ChulaDoula at Gmail. com ♥

Apprenticing would include: meeting twice a week for 4-6 hours, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Please message me the following: Name, phone number, e-mail, how did you hear about Chula Doula Bodywork and Womb Services- hobbies, work experiences, languages, skills, cultural background, trainings, specific healing practices.

Musts:

+Have own vehicle and independent source of income

+Live in a 20 mile radius of Echo Park or Hyde Park

+Being accessible by cell phone (24/7) and e-mail (business hours).

+Assisting with interviews, prenatal visits, and postpartum visits with clients.

+ Assist with booking bodywork clients and intake forms.

+ Attending workshops and reproductive health classes, as well as additional trainings in full-spectrum doula support.

+Assisting with outreach, print and e-mail advertisements/press releases.

+Keeping track of conference abstracts, submissions, travel arrangements.

+Meeting with Pati on a weekly basis in addition to doula meetings/births.

This is a work-exchange program, when possible there will be meals and gasoline stipends. I am looking for a commitment from February 2013- July 2013.

Happy Spring Equinox! Chula Doula in the NEWS!! Love from NEW YORK!

As we move into a new season, one of wetness, blossoms, from darkness to light, light is shining down on me so BRIGHT!

I turned 32 years old on the 16th of March and found myself emerging from the subway in Manhattan, New York. Proof that my Mayan Vaginal Steam Bath is manifesting all my intentions of traveling, doing what I love, and have it be paid for. WOW.

Carol Downer, my colleague and friend passed the torch to me when she was invited to present self-exam (self-help) at the URGENT! 40 Years of Radical Feminist Action Conference.  It was just a few days before my birthday and suddenly I was being catapulted to the big city to share my love for facilitating self-exam, see your cervix opportunities!  Six women attended the workshop and were able to see their cervix, including author Jennifer Baumgardner.

http://www.examiner.com/progressive-arts-entertainment-in-national/powerful-p-ssies-an-interview-with-feminist-writer-birth-advocate-chula-doula-1

The Community Birth Center in Los Angeles

I'm ecstatic to announce that Chula Doula has found a solid landing pad to work from; The Community Birth Center in Los Angeles.  Please take your time to peruse the website
http://lacommunitybirth.com/
I am honored to be serving the community from a place of consciousness and intentional collaboration amongst truly loving people.
I will be holding office hours 9:30a- 6p every Tuesday from now through May 2012. 

THE COMMUNITY BIRTH CENTER is located at 2422 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043 [MAP] Phone: (323) 541-9100

Services offered:

• Sexological Bodywork-Vaginal Mapping, Scar Tissue Remediation with Castor Oil Packs ($80-$175)
• Self-Exam Guidance /Check out your cervix! ($50-$80)
• Birth/pregnancy/abortion/sexual vitality consultations ($50-$120)
• Crystal Healing ($40-60)

http://lacommunitybirth.com/

What's Crystal Healing?

Crystal healing/Chakra balancing gives us tools to connect with our ancestral power and wisdom; embodying our full potential. The sessions will begin with an Agua de Florida cleansing of the head, ears, and neck. Then you will lay down on the massage table, set intention, and crystals will be laid onto the chakras, (hips/belly/heart/throat/forehead/top of head), then tapped according to your pulse and the primordial sound of the universe. If needed, breathing techniques will be introduced to take the healing further.

Testimonial:

"My experience with Pati's crystal healing session was exactly what I hoped it would be. During a period of transition in my life, I felt the need to re-center with the help of healing energy and Pati facilitated that process of rejuvenation with the help of her crystals and guided visualizations. Pati has a natural depth of intuition and sensitivity to energies that is rare and beautiful. I walked away feeling deeply at peace and excited for what lay ahead and would highly recommend her healing sessions to all."
~Sarah Marie

Folks usually donate anywhere between $40-$80 for this beautiful experience.  I also accept $33, $54, $81 $108..... Just get your DNA re-set already. The world is waiting for it. Contact me if you'd like to give this as a holiday gift to someone.  I book sessions in Los Angeles, San Diego and Oakland.

My First Mayan Vaginal Steam Bath

A healing practice to harness my power to manifest. It reminded my ancient self of all the ways our people healed themselves forward 7 generations and backward 7 generations. Visceral knowing of power, ReClaiming. 
 Guided by Sara Flores,
I picked my herbs with clear intention and thankfulness. Rosemary, Lavender and Sage.
I placed them in water with intentions named 9 times. I am water.
I remembered the New Moon energy, it was during her extra potent medicine. I made ten wishes.

She brought me a little bowl of dried herbs, Chamomile, Calendula, more I don't remember. She said to choose how much I need, 2 big pinches. She chose rose petals and the piston of a hibiscus for me.

The water brewed. It steamed and was brought to the toilet and the handles of the pot held it up. Toilet seat down over the pot handles, a towel around the bowl, a towel for my backside and lap, to cover and hold the steam in.
Sara said she prepared it for me the way she likes it, STRONG, because intuitively she knew its how I would want and need it.
Sara lit 3 candles with a red hue, and the blatant meditative message "self-love".  At first I hovered over the steam, felt tension in my thighs and ass, a little afraid of what steam might feel like on my vulva.  It was warm, welcoming, nothing difficult to endure. I lowered my self and relaxed into it.  The steam enveloped my vulva.  I found myself reflecting at the very act of spending time with my self, alone, with candles, and the scent and energy of the herbs.  It felt ancient, my cells absorbing the droplets of water into my mucus membranes, my cells carrying on the intentions throughout my system. I felt my vagina willingly letting go of what she no longer needed, felt the sweat drip right off of and out of me, my cellular intelligence perked up, taking in the intentions, and the same time on a conscious anatomical/physiological level noticing:

- circulation increasing in my back/heat flourishing up to my shoulders, tension melting in my back
- movement in my cheeks and entire face, like  release tightness and warmth filling my face/rosy cheeks
- i could feel stagnation in my arms, specifically in my right arm where i have an ulnar nerve injury and being able to stretch my hand better.
- I remember feeling the back of my head light up. In the occiput I could feel movement-like cerebro-spinal fluid flowing.
- The most SIGNIFICANT increase in circulation was in my vulva and clitoris, I could feel blood rushing down and around and flooding.  I felt my vulva shed numbness, fear, tension and shame.  I sensed that I was becoming engorged.
- The next night I had sex and was able to feel the slightest sensation, allowing me to savor every moment, exquisitely feeling pressure, caressing, and energy of love. My tissues were open to RECEIVE love and pleasure, and it was the least scary it's been, this vulnerability.

On a sexual level, it made me aware of all my interactions with this part of my body, sharing it my partner, lovers, myself, my last painful cycle, self-exam groups, not sharing it with predators yet having it be invaded, etc.  I took time to forgive myself for ways in which I hadn't honored myself, and in the same breath I thanked myself for pursuing my pleasure and delving into exploring every aspect of owning it all. I welcomed nothing but love and pleasure in my vagina from now on.  I thanked her for sending me messages along our wild journey together. I thanked Pachamama for allowing me to re-enter my birthright of self-healing, and healing with community. 

I thought about how I had first heard of Sara in January 2010 after a long medicine journey I took along the California Coast.  A sister of the African diaspora said, You MUST meet Sara.  I took it to heart, her emphasis on how I would connect with Sara and that it was a connection that had to be made, for the sake of humanity.  I know this sounds  over the top in some ways, like really, come on.  But for reals, that message kept coming at me for the next 22 months, every where I went; conferences, meetings, events, dear people would say, you HAVE to meet Sara.  Entonces, the time came when we connected on Facebook, interchanged via messages so succinctly and met pretty quickly in real life. I gave myself the gift of visiting her in Oakland during my thanksgiving trip with my honey Diem.  Little by little, I'm collecting my chosen family.

After my session, I took my bath to the earth and offered it back. Sara stood there with me. We laughed like the brujas we are, relentlessly reclaiming.
http://www.reclaimmidwife.com/

Pati Garcia aka Chula Doula with Erykah Badu aka e.badoula in the Huffington Post

So, back in the day 2008, I was invited to teach a 3 part series workshop called Panochas Poderosas at Tia Chucha's Cultural by the wonderfully motivated and eager youth, Karina Ceja.  One of the dates was called "Doulas and Midwives, Oh My! Birth Choices"  I basically shared about what doulas do, the midwifery model of care, and the potential to have an informed birth where you are actively involved in the decision making of your birth experience. I distinctly remember, loving to share the info with the women who showed up because I was told there hadn't been much outreach or awareness building brought to this particular community.  Luckily I had a full-time as a social worker of sorts, so I was able to do this on a donation basis. I just wanted to get the info out there and make solid connection with the community.

My point being- I remember seeing Kamren Curiel's handwriting on the sign-in sheet.  Little did I know that the workshop had affected her so profoundly that 3 years later she'd be inspired to write this article. I'm truly honored to be a catalyst for this young woman's personal birth reflection and be  recognized in the context of one of my long-time inspiration Ms. Erykah Badu, now known as  e. badoula.

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/voto-latino/amp-the-business-of-being_b_1092762.html?ref=fb&ir=Black+Voices&src=sp&comm_ref=false