Posts by Christie Rinder
Code Red Baby Preps (updated May 2021)
I remember the urgent feeling of needing to have a crib before my first son was born. It felt so important. For some reason we left it til the very end of my pregnancy. The feeling of relief and preparedness that crib provided once it was sitting in our bedroom set-up and ready with the…
Read MoreA blessing for me and my family – Crystal, St. Petersburg
The second half of my pregnancy began with my search for support in attempting a vaginal birth after 2 c sections, one being a classical incision. If anyone has experienced this, you know that you constantly hear “you can die” from medical professionals or “your uterus will rupture.” Even after hearing this, I was determined…
Read MoreLightning Crotch – What Is Effacement?
Recently, a laboring mother had us, her birth team, laughing and giggling with the words she used to describe the sensations she was having. A particularly funny phrase she kept using was “Lightning Crotch.” This is a stinging, burning, pins and needles type of feeling right in the crotch, not during a contraction but in between or…
Read MoreMade me feel so calm and at peace – Jenn, Land O Lakes
Christie and I were connected very late in my pregnancy due to some issues that came up with my prior doula. At 38 weeks I was super stressed to be having to meet with and find a new doula to attend my home birth, but Christie made me feel so calm and at peace with…
Read MoreMy Pregnancy Loss
This is my personal story about pregnancy loss and it may be triggering for some. After my first son was born via emergency cesarean with a special scar, I longed for a VBAC and peaceful happy birth experience. Four and a half years later I was pregnant again. Soon after discovering I was pregnant the morning…
Read MoreI could not have asked for a better birth experience – Christina, Tampa
I was honored to provide doula services for this lovely family. This was the birth of their second child, Selah Grace. Christina and John hired me to be their doula very early in her pregnancy and we had a lot of time to get prepared. In addition to the doula care that I provided and when I was not involved…
Read MoreShane’s Birth Story
Eight years ago today I gave birth to my first son, Shane. I have never published his birth story and it seemed appropriate today to share it. (*This story may be triggering for some.) “Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that…
Read MoreHow Are You Choosing Your Hospital & Care Provider?
You will remember giving birth for the rest of your life. It is a sacred event that should be a loving and happy experience. There are many factors that will determine the outcome of your birth, including your health, genetics, any previous births, where you choose to give birth and who your care provider is.…
Read MoreWelcome To Buddha Belly
Welcome to Buddha Belly Birth! We are very excited to have finally given birth to this new brand for the business and are looking forward to what the future holds. Having been a doula and a birth advocate in the Tampa area for years (without a blog! just a website) I have many blog posts…
Read MoreWhy Buddha Belly?
You may be wondering how I came to give this name to my birth business. It might not be as generic as some names I could have chosen, but when something feels right sometimes you just gotta go with it! A brand is just an emblem that reflects who you are on the inside, and…
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