Comfort Tips for Pumping and Breastfeeding, From a Doula
Recently, I was working with a mom who told me I had to write this blog for other postpartum mothers because my suggestions helped her when she was trying to figure out the art of pumping. She practically begged me to write this for you, because my comfort tips for breastfeeding and pumping have been so…
Read MoreThe Process of Bereavement Doula Support – Part 2
Nine years ago, I sat with my sister as she delivered her first baby, who had died. I watched her grieve and change from her experience. I also changed. It goes without saying how much I wish I had known then what I know now. Read more about my experience in Part 1 of my…
Read MorePregnancy Loss Facts and Why I Became A Bereavement Doula – Part 1
**Trigger warning** The topics of stillbirth, pregnancy loss, bereavement doula, and miscarriage are discussed in this post. Please read cautiously or don’t read this post at all if these topics are a trigger for you. This post has been written and shared with permission.** Over the last two decades, I’ve attended many baby deliveries. In…
Read MoreHoliday Survival Guide in Ten Manageable Steps
Holidays can range from an enthusiastic yay to a hard nay, depending mainly on who your family is and how you get along. For many, the holidays are super exciting. But others actually dread this time of year. Our lives are filled with stress and sometimes a lot of pain. Family can sometimes exacerbate…
Read MoreDo You Need A Doula For The Second Baby?
We’ve heard all the ways and seen all the memes describing how the second kid gets screwed. The first kid got a scrapbook with all the trimmings. While the second’s images have never been removed from the cloud (if the photos were ever taken in the first place!) He or she had a perfectly decorated…
Read MorePlanning The Fourth Trimester – Your Babymoon
Many of my clients are preparing for the births of their new babies. Parents spend months and months anticipating and planning for childbirth, and while doing so is important, it’s easy to forget to prepare for your “babymoon” – the time when baby actually gets here. Postpartum – or as I like to call it “The…
Read More15 Steps To Becoming The Perfect Mom
Whether you have been a mom for one day or forty years I would bet my first born you can relate to the pressure of wanting to be the perfect mom. If you have spent any portion of your parenting career feeling mommy guilt then this post is for you. My daughter is grown and…
Read MoreAre You Surviving Or Thriving?
Are you surviving or thriving? Once we become an “adult” it’s far too easy to get stuck in the mundane routines of life. You may wonder if you are just surviving, or are you thriving. Whether good or bad, the humdrum of waking up, going to work, running errands, making meals, and Netflix before…
Read MoreI Shall Be Called Grammy
Over the last couple years my life has changed drastically. My daughter, who I call “The Child,” left the nest. I got married. I became an aunt—twice. I had a major unplanned surgery which was hard emotionally and physically. Bought a house. Sold a house. Changed jobs. Had other health issues. Started a business. And most…
Read MoreNo Joy? Feel, Deal and Heal
Upon first glance this photo made me laugh in hysterics. I mean, all parents probably feel the frustration of trying to get active kids to pose for the yearly family photo without the necessary cooperation needed to look like the perfect happy unit. As my laughter subsided, I looked at this photo a little closer and…
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