Sojourning Birth: Birth Doula, Photos & Film

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Sojourning Birth: Birth Doula, Photos & Film Norma Hess is a birth photographer and doula.

She's an internationally published professional photographer/videographer who has been documenting births and families in the RGV since 2015.

10/03/2026

🍁 HOLY MOLY MARKET & YARD SALE IS COMING! 🍁

Mark your calendars! 🛍️✨
Join us for a fun fall day of shopping, browsing, and finding great treasures!

📅 Saturday, October 10, 2026
⏰ 9 AM – 2 PM
📍 5819 N. FM 88, Weslaco, TX

✨ Shop local
🛍️ Find great treasures
❤️ Support our community

FREE ADMISSION!
Bring your family and friends—we’ll see you there! 🍂🎃

As a fellow migraine sufferer, I loved this being addressed by EBB 🫶🏽
10/03/2026

As a fellow migraine sufferer, I loved this being addressed by EBB 🫶🏽

10/03/2026

You need to rest postpartum. Even if you feel AMAZING after your VBAC.

Sometimes the difference between recovering from a cesarean and recovering from a vaginal birth can make you feel like you could do just about anything.

You can walk! You can bend over! Getting out of bed doesn’t feel like an Olympic event! Maybe you’re even thinking that you feel incredible compared to your cesarean recovery. And we love that for you. 🥹

But feeling good doesn’t mean your body isn’t recovering.

You still grew a whole human.
You still birthed a baby.
Your uterus is still healing.
Your pelvic floor just did some serious work.
Your hormones are shifting.
You’re bleeding, feeding a baby, sleeping in tiny increments, and adjusting to an entirely new version of life.

A VBAC can be incredibly healing — but it doesn’t mean YOU need less healing. We love the 5-5-5 rule. 5 days in bed, 5 days on your bed, and 5 days around your bed...at a minimum.

So take the help. Stay in bed a little longer. Let someone else bring dinner. Say no to the outing. Don’t use feeling good as proof that you should be doing more.

You don’t have to earn your postpartum rest by feeling terrible first.

10/03/2026

🎀✨ OCTOBER RAFFLE! ✨🎀

We’re excited to bring you another amazing raffle this month! 💕 And this prize package is one you won’t want to miss! 😍

🎟️ Tickets: $10 each
📅 Drawing: October 30th

🎁 PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES:

👶 Oh Baby 4D Studio
• 4D ultrasound session
• Video of baby’s session
• Keepsake ultrasound pictures
• Heartbeat plush of the winner’s choice

✨ Southern Grace Wellness
• Signature Hydrofacial with Jelly Mask
💎 $190 Value!

💖 Aura Esthetics by Delicia
• Eyebrow wax with mapping
• Upper lip wax

That’s a whole lot of pampering & memories in ONE amazing package! 🥰

🎟️ Get your $10 raffle ticket today for your chance to WIN!

📅 Winner will be drawn October 30th!

10/03/2026

It’s rare when you can round up all the doulas… however, we are working together to meet you soon!

Get ready for Donuts with Doulas!

🫶🏽Meet your local doulas of the RGV

🍩Enjoy a yummy treat

🙋🏽‍♀️Ask questions

🧑‍🧒‍🧒Meet other families

🥳Or come join our doula crew just for fun!

We’d love to meet you!

Want to host the next event with all of us? Reach out to us and we can come up with a time & place to welcome families and birth workers all under one roof 🥰

Shout out to 956 Coffee Co. for
Hosting our Brownsville event on October 10th from 10am - 12pm!

Mujeres Poderosas Birth Services Empowering Birth Services Sojourning Birth: Birth Doula, Photos & Film Jen Gabler Heart of Gaia Midwifery Services Julaina Davila 3 Lunas Doula R Marisol Mendez Blissful Baby

10/02/2026

Progress in labor isn’t always something you can measure with a number.

Baby moving lower, deeper focus, changes in sound, needing new positions, or emotional shifts can all be signs that important work is happenin.

Yes, even if dilation hasn’t changed yet.

Labor doesn’t move in a straight line, and progress isn’t always visible on a chart.

10/01/2026

A 2025 study published in AJOG adds powerful, up-to-date data showing associations between doula care and improved maternal and newborn outcomes.

Key Maternal Outcomes:

More vaginal births after cesarean (VBAC): For every 100 patients who received doula care, there were 15 to 34 additional VBACs compared with those without doula care.

Higher postpartum follow-up attendance: 5 to 6 more per 100 received postpartum office visits.

Key Neonatal / Infant Outcomes

Increased exclusive breastfeeding rates: Babies whose families had doula support were more likely to breastfeed exclusively.

Fewer preterm births (and early preterm births): Doula-supported births showed a reduction in preterm birth rates.

In short, the study links doula care with improvements in birth outcomes — across birth mode (more VBACs), infant health (less prematurity), and early infant care (breastfeeding, postpartum follow-up).

Read more: https://internationaldoulainstitute.com/2025/11/evidence-for-doulas-new-ajog-study-finds-doulas-improve-outcomes/

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McAllen, TX

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