Category Archives for Uncategorized

Will Sleep Training Harm My Baby?
Mar 20, 2024 , , ,
Will sleep training harm my baby?

Many parents find themselves in an unsustainable sleep situation due to lack of sleep from nighttime parenting. Unfortunately, there is no cry-free solution that yields effective, quick results (if there was, someone would be very, very wealthy!). No parent likes to hear their baby cry. It feels counter-intuitive to willingly allow your baby to cry and many parents worry that the crying involved in many sleep training methods will harm their baby. With buzzing social media feeds, endless google searches, and conflicting…

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How to Write A Birth Plan
Mar 11, 2024 , ,
How to write a birth plan, birth plan template, birth plan ideas

The golden rule of writing an effective birth plan is to to include only non-routine preferences or those that are of great importance to you. This is your opportunity to get educated on your options, determine the path to a positive birth experience, and to communicate your wishes with your medical care team.  Topics this article will cover: What to include in your birth plan Understanding your options for birth How to best communicate your preferences How to ensure your birth plan is…

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How to Get a Newborn to Sleep
Aug 26, 2022 , , ,
How to get a newborn to sleep

Sleep can be tough to come by during the first 3 months of a baby’s life. These tips will help to establish a healthy foundation to optimize your baby’s sleep (and yours!) during this sensitive time. Topics in this article: How to maximize your newborn’s sleep How to establish the optimal conditions for newborn sleep How to set a healthy foundation of good sleep for the future I get asked all the time about what you can do to get better nights…

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My Unexpected Doula
Jun 11, 2022 ,

I felt the pressure of his 9-year-old hands on my lower back as I tried to surrender to the power of my birthing body. I had applied the “sacrum press” thousands of times myself in my career as a birth doula. Thanks to Pax, the surge immediately felt easier.  “Just relax, Mama,” he said as he continued to hold space for me in the most loving, patient, and devoted way.  My firstborn child: Pax, my 9-year-old son. My unexpected doula.  After my…

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Newborn Sleep Tips (for a 1-month-old baby)
Dec 29, 2021 , ,
Newborn Sleep Tips

Your brand-new baby needs a lot of sleep but does not know the difference between daytime and nighttime and will likely need help falling (and staying!) asleep. Below are three tips to help optimize your 1-month-old’s sleep! Topics this article will cover:  What is normal for newborn sleep/what to expect  How to make sure your newborn is sleeping their best  Tips to establish a healthy foundation for your newborn’s sleep A newborn’s sleep cycle interacts with their need to be fed (babies…

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Must Have Baby Items
Oct 08, 2021 , ,
Must Have Baby Items

As a birth and baby worker, I often get asked about the best baby items to have on hand. Prior to having my third baby (she is currently 4 weeks old), I would often come up blank as my older children are 7 and 9 years old and so much has changed in the baby industry since then. Now that I am a mother to a newborn once again, I can pass along my recommendations for my top 15 must-have baby items…

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When Teething Disrupts Sleep
Mar 26, 2021

When does teething impact sleep? While teething can occasionally disrupt sleep… it’s far less the cause of sleep a disturbance than most people think. For babies who follow an age-appropriate schedule, meet their daily sleep needs, and are able to put themselves to sleep, teething will likely go unnoticed or may cause a minor sleep disruption. We tend to see teething have a more dramatic impact for those children who are overtired and/or don’t know how to put themselves to sleep. Most…

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The Silent Hours
Oct 29, 2020

There is a magic in the dark silent hours of the night Somehow it is an honor to be one of the few awake The rest of the world slumbers as we witness the minutes become hours, the moon tracing across the sky Hands pulsate with vibrations of love Release. Relax. Open. Find the softness. Trust. Few words are spoken but they all brim with love We work to create the space for life to move in The key that only she…

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How to Select Your Prenatal Provider
Oct 11, 2019 , ,

One of the most important factors in determining how your birth goes (particularly in regards to medical interventions, procedures, and medications) depends upon whom you choose to be your prenatal provider. Of course, there are many providers out there, often with differing views of childbirth, regardless if they are a midwife or doctor (for example, some providers take a very medical view of birth, seeing it as so unpredictable that it is safest and best to use many medical procedures during birth…

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A Birth Story
May 26, 2019

Positive birth stories can be hard to come by but are essential in preparing for an empowering birthing experience. We must end the cycle of perpetuating the myth that birth is a horrible experience that we need to endure and survive. With the right preparation, support, and mindset, every woman can have a positive experience that she can hold sacred, as my dear client, Lucia, shares below.  Giving birth felt like traveling to the door of eternity or another world to me to receive the…

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