Baby it’s cold outside! (Well, sort of, sometimes. You know what weather in North Carolina is like.) So what does that mean for your newborn baby? Can you take them outside? How should you dress them inside? Are there other things parents of winter babies should know? Check out the blog today for all of our winter weather tips.
Read MoreIt’s January again. Of 2023. How in the world did that happen?! Anyway, this time of year always feels a little dark and dreary to me. The holidays are over, the days are short, and it’s cold outside. Not my favorite. But one thing I do love about these winter months is the food. This is soup season for me - time to eat big bowls of warm, delicious comfort food (preferably in front of a glowing fireplace with a chunk of bread for dipping. Yum!). So today is the perfect day to share one of my favorite soup recipes - easy slow cooker navy bean soup.
Read More** The sound of jingle bells and Mariah Carey vocalizing **
All I want for Christmas is….healthy boundaries with my familyyyyyy
Okay, so it doesn’t quite have the same catchy vibe as the classic All I Want for Christmas is You. But trust me, this is still a pretty popular request this time of year, especially for families who are navigating the holidays as first-time parents. If you are struggling with boundary setting around the holidays, this blog is for you.
Read MoreYou need sleep after your baby is born. While we wish this was easy as telling you to “sleep when the baby sleeps”, we all know that there are some days and some nights where your baby just won’t sleep. Instead, we urge you to have a sleep plan in place for yourself before your baby arrives. Of course, if your baby has already been born you can still implement a new sleep plan. Read our newest blog to find out more.
Read MoreOne of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions is cookie baking. We look forward to it every year. The kitchen transforms into a cookie assembly line, with the most delicious smells and a dusting of flour seemingly everywhere. Each year, we try out a couple of new recipes, but no matter what we always have one tried and true that we never deviate from. That’s my Sugar Cookie recipe.
Read MoreAccording to data from a 2018 study, nearly 42% of first time mothers were scheduled for an induction. Sometimes those inductions were medically necessary and sometimes the birthing person chose to schedule an elective induction. You may find yourself discussing and scheduling induction with your care provider for a number of reasons. Regardless of the reason, we have some tips to help your induction be a better experience for you and your partner.
Read MoreThe 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.
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