I just screamed, “SHUT UP!!!!” to my 17 month old toddler. Dear lord, what is wrong with me? How could a loving, attentive mother yell so loudly at her child? And for what? For saying “Mama” again and again and again while I tried to change his newborn sister’s diaper. WHO does something like that?
Me. I did that. And I did it more than once. I screamed at my toddler. I flew off the handle with my husband. I slammed doors. I screamed. I cried. I felt completely out of control of my emotions.
Over 13 years ago, I didn’t understand why. I was left to puzzle, alone and in shame, the question - Why am I so angry?
Did anyone prepare you for feeling so completely blindsided by how your birth went? Yeah, you’re not alone. It is hard to be happy with your experience when your birth plan gets thrown out the window. Read our latest blog for some empathy and validation.
What happens when breastfeeding straight up sucks?
And I don’t mean literally. I mean, what happens when you discover that the feeding goal you had - the one that is held up to be the ideal way to feed your baby - makes you feel absolutely horrible?
Are you even allowed to hate breastfeeding? Of course you are… And you’re not alone!
When my midwife placed my baby on my chest after each of my births, I felt….nothing. Well, I definitely felt relief that labor was over. But that moment of instantly falling head over heels in love with my new baby.. I didn’t have that... What was wrong with me???
Pre-eclampsia is diagnosed when you have high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy combined with protein in your urine. Pre-eclampsia is very serious and needs to be treated by your care provider. Read our latest blog to find out more about what to expect when you receive this diagnosis.
Pssst….we have a secret and we want to share it with you! You may have questions about how to best prepate yourself for labor and birth. While there are certainly books to read, podcasts to listen to, stretches to do, etc…we are going to tell you the top way to prepare for birth.
There is something that we don’t talk about when it comes to postpartum. For those parents that have experienced it, they probably know. Yet, they’re hesitant to drop this not so pleasant truth on any pregnant person they come into contact with. For those expecting parents, waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) to meet their new baby, they might suspect and fear this about postpartum. But they don’t know who to ask, fearful of confirming what they already know is likely true. There is something about postpartum that we don’t talk about: Postpartum is lonely.
First, know that it is OK and sometimes perfectly normal for folks to hang out in the same place in labor for awhile. It’s also normal for you to want to get the show on the road. Here are a few things to try if your labor has stalled.
New Year, New You? If you roll your eyes every time you hear that phrase, then this blog is for you, my friend. I always cringe a bit when each year people ask me what my New Year’s Resolutions are. There’s just something about them - maybe it’s the pressure? - that makes me sweat a little bit. I don’t need a new version of me! I like me! In fact, I have a different approach to the whole “resolution” thing. Check it out.
Who said breastfeeding would come naturally? I’d like to have a few words with that person. But seriously, just because breastfeeding is “natural,” doesn’t mean establishing it happens easily. In fact, the first week can be the toughest for some people. That’s why we’re sharing some of our best tips to ease those first week challenges on today’s blog.
Tired of hearing the same Christmas songs over and over? We took matters into our own hands and wrote a little “Joy to the World“ parody all about labor and birth. Sing the words to the tune of the original song!
This special time of year can be one of the best times to create family traditions with your little ones. But it can also feel overwhelming when it seems like this is the time of year that is so hectic. Trying to make magic on top of everything else can be too much. So we’re here with some ideas for special holiday traditions that you can incorporate into your family, without breaking the bank or stretching your sanity to the breaking point.
Your baby’s first Christmas is almost here! You may be wondering what gifts to get for your baby. Take a look at our list for ideas (spoilers: it’s easier than you think to give your baby what they want).
It is the end of the day and now you are the one who is stuffed instead of the turkey. You’ve passed the plate all around the Thanksgiving table. It’s been a great day filled with family, laughter, and delicious foods. Somehow, you still have gobs of leftovers. Before you panic about hearing your family complain for the next week about eating turkey casserole, read our blog for a few fun ideas that will help you use up those leftovers.
November has been proclaimed “Adoption Awareness Month” by our governor here in NC. We have the privilege and honor of supporting many new families as they bring home their adopted babies. One of our former clients, Liz Ohrberg, has graciously shared her story on today’s blog.
If you’ve never stood in the baby gear section of Target, surrounded by countless bottles and pacifiers and blankets and diapers and bibs and burp clothes, and wanted to pull your hair out due to the sheer overwhelm…then count yourself lucky. Because for most expecting parents, a trip down the baby section aisle can be daunting, to say the least. And one product that I receive numerous questions about from clients is: What is the best baby bottle? So today on the blog we’re sharing some insight into how to pick a bottle for your baby.
One thing I know for a fact, having worked as a doula for nearly a decade, is that babies never bother to look at the calendar. Due dates don’t mean much to babies, but normally they still arrive fairly close to that guess date and all is well. But for 1 in 10 babies born in the United States, their arrival date will be more cause for concern. This is the number, according to the March of Dimes, of babies born premature, meaning they were born at 36 weeks gestation or earlier. So what exactly does this mean, for both parents and baby? Since November is Prematurity Awareness Month, let’s talk about what you need to know when it comes to premature babies.
We hear a lot about birth plans, or as we like to call them birth preferences, because sometimes the baby doesn’t know the plan. Chances are, if you’re pregnant right now, you’ve probably started to put some thought into your birth plan. But what about your postpartum plan? How much thinking have you put into that? Here at Doulas of Raleigh, we believe that your postpartum plan is just as important - if not more so - than your birth plan. So take a look at today’s blog to see how you can create yours.
There are so many great children’s books about Fall and Fall holidays. You may have a child who is more sensitive to the scary parts of Halloween. Here are some of our favorite non-spooky Fall board books!
