You're approaching your due date and everyone is asking you, texting you, asking your partner - Is there a baby yet? Depending on your pregnancy, where you're planning to give birth and your provider, the word induction may come up. Let us walk you through exactly what inductions are, when they come up in your talks with your provider and how to be prepared! Inducing labor (aka labor induction) is when your provider begins the labor process before your body spontaneously goes

Happy Summer Break! Or maybe you’re reading this over the winter as you prepare for a big trip with your newborn! Either way, we know it can feel daunting to pack for vacation with a baby in tow. The idea of bringing everything but the kitchen sink feels good in some ways, and suuuuper stressful in others! We’ve had our share of trips with baby’s and we’re happy to share some things we learned (the hard way...) Whether you’re mapping your road trip or booking your flight, the

"When is your due date?" "Any baby yet?" "Still pregnant?" (no I just like to leave my baby at home and walk around with a watermelon under my shirt.......) "Walking that baby out?" "Have lots of sex!" "Eat dates!" "Have a glass of wine." And the list goes on and on. Anyone else getting or have gotten the Due Date texts, phone calls, random person at the grocery store chats??? It all comes with love, I know. Every person who has checked in, asked when the due date is, given t

You’re 38, 39, 40, dare we even say 41 weeks pregnant. You feel you may as well be 52 weeks pregnant at this point... or what is 10 years in weeks...?! Regardless, we KNOW the feeling- all too well. You get to the point of desperation where you’re willing to try *almost* anything to get that baby O U T. Spicy Thai for dinner? Check. Eggplant Parm? Check. Ordered bulk pineapple and dates? Check, check. Forget our own experiences being pregnant- as doulas we really see it all.

It’s all fun and games until the weather hits 80... suddenly your fingers and toes have doubled in size, your thighs are velcroed together, and you can’t tell if your underwear is soaked from sweat, discharge, or your own urine. GOOD TIMES! The upside is you no longer need the extra weight of a big coat or chunky sweater but my oh my the heat can be a real killer. So what do you do? Turn to your trusty Doula for support! Here are a list of our favorite ways to beat the heat:

Are you ready for one of our top tips for Labor?! There is so much information out there to prepare for this new little babe to come into your world. From first trimester coping techniques to sleeping positions as your belly and baby grow! There is so much to consider!!! Now you've come to the point in your pregnancy where you are starting to think about the "big day". SO EXCITING! And also maybe really scary? We understand all the feelings on the spectrum when it comes to th

Congratulations! You found out you’re pregnant and now you’re feeling like....$hit.... You can be honest with us. :) There’s quite a bit of feelings that circulate our system when we find out we’re pregnant. Some of us feel excitement or dread, joy or fear, energized or sick as a dog- or any combo of of it! Nausea during Pregnancy is quite common during the First Trimester and often naturally subsides between 13-16 weeks*. If you have some “morning sickness” morning, noon, or

Doesn't matter if you had as we call it "quickie rickie" "easy" vaginal birth where you were in labor for 2 hours and here baby is, or if you labored for hours and hours and then pushed for hours and hours, your Vulva and Vagina went through some trauma and needs ample TLC. Also side note...even if you had a Belly Birth your pelvic floor, vagina, vulva and anus held a lot of weight for 10 months so these tips and tricks will feel nice no matter what route your baby decided to

So often we get asked if we have experience working at a specific hospital in the area. (The short answer is: heck yes we do!) And we believe our clients are asking because they feel worried, anxious, and/or concerned that they won’t be listened to or cared for the way they want in the hospital or by their provider. That is so understandable!! By asking if we have a lot of experience in the hospital they plan to use, they are asking, in a way, if we have relationships or conn

I don't know. Should you?! You could! You also could not! As more and more states are making pregnancy a part of the list of priority groups eligible for the vaccine, you may be googling this very question. Ooooooooof talk about a heavy hitter question. Or maybe it's not for you! Maybe you know exactly what side of the line you stand on. I commend you for your stability and unwavering stance. For those of us who are completely unsure, I wanted to give everyone some resources

I don’t often share my birth stories because I’m a Doula. I’m a Doula down to my bones. I eat, sleep (what is sleep?), and breathe Doula. And part of that means keeping my own experiences as just that- mine. Your births will be yours and I will never allow my own personal experience to cloud, inform, or take away from yours. I hold a unique role at your birth and I take that responsibility and honor seriously. A piece of my ability to hold space for you is to keep my own “ish

There are so many parts of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum that no one talks about. Sometimes, you’ll meet someone who tells it to you straight- but even then we tend to think, “oh, miz for them- that won’t be me...” It’s only after we experience it ourselves, and likely feel isolated, surprised, and frankly, shocked, that we WISH more people would speak honestly about their experiences so it didn’t feel like cautionary tales, but more like common knowledge. One topic,

Have you ever heard the phrase, “What got the baby in will help get it out!”? Aside from it being heteronormative-centric and devoid of any sensitivity or awareness to the countless methods of conception and various options in childbirth, it bears some truth. Let’s break it down: That phrase, “What got the baby in will help get it out” is referring to Intercourse. Plain and simple. Kind of... Often the popular phrase gets used as a wink, wink suggestion to get intimate with y

Birth Art in this context, is any art that you create as part of, or a way to, process your pregnancy and/or childbirth experience and feelings. Of course there is Art whose subject is Birth, however here we’re focusing on the type of Birth Art YOU create during your pregnancy or postpartum period! Art has always been used as a tool for communication- and is now a prominent modality for self-expression, unlocking the psyche, and healing trauma. Creating Art during pregnancy c

As you progress along in your pregnancy you may be wondering and / or hearing about a Childbirth Education Class. Perhaps your OB or Midwife tells you about one affiliated with your hospital or home birth practice? Maybe your Doula teaches Childbirth Ed? Maybe your new parent friend told you about the one they took? Childbirth Education classes are a great way to help ease anxieties for the pregnant person and their partners and help you feel prepared like an Eagle Scout. As

This time has us thinking about the responsibility we have as white Birth Workers to decolonize Birth Work, support BIPOC clients, and uplift Black Birth Workers. Maybe you're familiar with the stats: Black parents are 3x more likely to die in childbirth, 50% more likely to have complications in pregnancy + birth, and Black babies are twice as likely to die in childbirth. These are harrowing numbers and a direct result of Systemic and Institutionalized Oppression and Racism.

Being pregnant during a pandemic is f*cking hard. I found out I was pregnant in September (due in May) and just hit my 24 week mark! While there is SO much excitement inside me, I feel life literally moving in my body, there is also a huge part of me that is anxious, scared, worried (all the time), and lonely. While I know so many people who are pregnant right now, including one of my best friends, it still feels unbelievably lonely and isolating. A main part of that is this

It can be challenging for any pregnant person to make friends with their ever-evolving pregnant body. For many, in the beginning, it's a struggle to cope with the constant bloat. Feeling like you no longer fit into your clothes and also not yet fitting into your Maternity Clothes. Then there's a feeling like maybe your bump is not big enough to showcase in skintight clothes and people will simply assume you've gained weight for no reason (also, is that so bad? Discussion for

You could... We like to reframe 'Should' to 'Could'... :) There's no one way, or one right way. Ultimately, you do what feels right to you and your family. Hiring a doula is a big decision! Bringing someone into your intimate family circle to witness a life changing moment is no light decision. And, a good doula doesn't take it lightly either. We know the privilege we're receiving when we're invited to join you at the birth of your children, and the birth of you, as a parent.

We are almost a year into this pandemic and while we are all getting used to “new normals”, wearing masks, Zoom meetings and hangouts, getting tested, keeping our circle extremely small - something that hasn’t changed is Doula Support. Sure it may “look” a little different, but the unwavering support has not changed. Maybe your friend had a Doula, or your care provider spoke to you about the benefits of a Doula? (Check out our blog Do Doulas Do That to get a better idea of wh