The Welcoming Hour, sometimes called the Golden Hour, begins as soon as your baby is born. Read our newest blog post to find out what to expect and what you can do to get maxium benefits for you and your new baby during this first hour of your baby’s life.
Read MoreIt’s that time of year for me - my most favorite holiday of the year! I know some people hold on to Halloween with all of their gothic might and others can barely wait until the clock strikes midnight on November 1 to pull out all the Christmas decorations. But not me. I’m one of those odd birds who loves and savors this beautiful season and what it means to me.
And today, I am reflecting on some of the most important people in my life and offering my thanks up to them.
Read MorePostivie pregnancy test..check. Secured an amazing midwife…check. Hire an amazing doula? Ch..wait…now why do I need one if I already have a midwife? This is a common question and we answer it today in our blog!
Read MoreIf you thought learning how to use your breastpump was the only issue you would face as a pumping parent, surprise! You’ve probably realized that there are just as many questions when it comes to storing and handling expressed breastmilk. But never fear! Today’s blog will tackle those questions. Read on to learn best practices and some handy tips surrounding pumped breastmilk.
Read MoreOctober is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Unfortunately, there seems to be a stigma and maybe a shroud of secrecy surrounding loss. Everyone deserves support but it seems as though no one knows how to support others through their loss. This is unfortunate as 1 in 4 people experience this kind of loss at least once in their life time. We’ve gathered some ways to show support.
Read MoreBaby number two is on the way! This time you don’t have those same new parent jitters. No, this time around the anxiety creeps in when you begin to think about how you are going to parent TWO children?! How are you going to survive the newborn phase with an older child already at home? How could you possibly love another human being as much as you love your firstborn? (Spoiler Alert - you will!) And how in the world is your first baby going to react to the new baby??? Check out today’s blog for our best tips to help you prepare your older child to take on the role of big sibling.
Read MoreIf you are going to be visibly pregnant this year for Halloween, you have the opportunity to incorporate your baby belly into an amazing costume! In fact, your belly can even just BE the costume. Check out some costume ideas in this post.
Read MoreWhether you’ve found yourself in the role of an exclusive pumper by choice or by circumstance, here you are. You want to provide breastmilk to your baby, but you will not be bringing your baby directly to your body to get that milk. Instead you will be using a breast pump to express breast milk, as well as build and maintain a milk supply. No matter what the journey to get here, today’s blog has our best tips for the exclusively pumping parent.
Read MoreIf you know Doulas of Raleigh Co-Owners, Kelly and Heather, then you know know how much we love coffee. We jokingly (kinda) refer to coffee as our love language. Rest assured, any time we get together to discuss business, coffee is going to be involved. This means we have become experts on knowing where to find the caffeinated good good here in the Triangle. Take a look at what we think are some of the best coffee shops in the area.
Read MoreAt last, the temperature is dropping. The night air has a chill to it and some leaves are starting to change color. The pumpkin patches are open, the jeans and boots are at the ready, and the PSLs are in hand! That’s right, it’s Fall! There’s no shortage of fun fall activities to do with your family. Take a look at some of the ideas below and see if you can incorporate a few of them over the next couple of months.
Read MoreHang on to your oversized, mesh undies because this blog is going to get real when it comes to everything you need to know about your postpartum physical recovery. Babies are cute but childbirth is messy and that is true for the immediate postpartum period too. You’re leaking from just about every imaginable place on your body, you’re hurting in places you didn’t know you could hurt, and your hormones are taking you on a wild ride you didn’t sign up for. This is the truth about those first two weeks after having a baby.
Read MoreThere comes a point in adulthood when you realize that you are now responsible for feeding yourself every night for the rest of your life, and takeout gets expensive, so what this really means is you have to figure out what to eat and then cook it too. Ugh. Who allowed this to happen? If you’re pregnant or a parent, you’re probably also realizing that you have to feed these little people you created as well. Whhhyyyy??? Okay, I’ll stop being so dramatic and instead let you know that Doulas of Raleigh now offers Meal Prep Services. Hooray!!!
Read MoreLabor Day weekend is here and some folks have been preparing to travel to squeeze in one last beach or lake trip, preparing to host a cookout for family and friends, or just preparing to have a nice long weekend at home. We thought Labor Day weekend was a great time to talk about preparing for your very own Labor and Birthing Day!
Whether you’ve labored for a few hours or a few days, there’s nothing like finally getting to meet your baby. Here’s what to expect from the moment your baby is born until the first hour after their birth.
Read MoreIn many cases labor progresses just fine on its own but sometimes there is a reason to augment, or enhance, labor. Augmentation of labor is different than induction of labor. Augmentation would happen after spontatneous labor is already underway. Take a look at this post to read about different ways to enhance labor.
Read MoreWhen we think about what we need to prepare for life with a new baby, often times we focus on things. The stuff we should add to a our baby registry. Strollers, baby monitors, diaper bags - those kinds of things. But the truth is you and your baby will probably be fine without a lot of stuff in the early days (other than diapers, food, some clothes, and a safe place to sleep). So what do you really need to feel prepared for postpartum? Pro tip - it’s not stuff. If I could share just a few things that actually help new parents feel better prepared for their postpartum journey, it would be the following….
Read MoreIt’s World Breastfeeding Week, so we’re talking about lactation on this week’s blog. There’s so much to say about breast and chest feeding. Where to begin? As a seasoned Postpartum & Infant Care Doula and Infant Feeding Educator/Specialist, if I could only impart to you THREE things that would help you meet your breastfeeding goals they would be….
Read MoreThe Witching Hour. The Period of Purple Crying. A Total Living Nightmare. Okay, we made that last one up, but there are several names for the time of day (usually the evening) when newborns seem to just totally lose it and cry and cry and cry. And no matter what you call it, boy is that time rough! So what exactly is the Witching Hour? Today’s blog breaks it down and offers some helpful tips to survive this not-so-fun time.
Read MoreCan you take your newborn outside, even in the summer heat? The answer to that is YES! No one wants to stay locked inside all summer long. Get out there with your baby and get some fresh air. Just take a peek at our tips for keeping your newborn cool before you do.
Read MoreCheck out this blog post to see what you can expect during labor if your Group Beta Strep (GBS) screening is positive.
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