Category: postpartum
-
How to Prepare for Breastfeeding (It’s Not What You Expect)
If you’re expecting a baby and wondering how to prepare for breastfeeding, you’re not alone. It’s a common question—and the answer might surprise you. Your Body Already Has the Blueprint If you’re wondering how to prepare your body to make milk, take a deep breath. The good news? There’s nothing special you need to do…
-
What Do You Really Need to Prepare for a Baby? (Part 2)
Previously, I posted about the top three things that a family with a newborn needs: strong support, food for the baby, and food for the grown-ups. Today, I want to complete my list of baby essentials, and you will see it is a lot simpler than many people imagine. I want to help you resist…
-
Introducing Matushka Olga Michael
Yesterday, after my husband had finished sharing information about end-of-life doulas at a senior center wellness fair, we were enjoying a rare lunch together and my phone pinged with a text message from an old college friend: “OCA synod of bishops just announced approval for the glorification of Blessed Olga of Alaska!!!” While this message…
-
The Knowledge You Pray You’ll Never Need
I just completed my Basic Life Support (BLS) refresher course to keep my certification up-to-date. According to the American Heart Association, more than 7,ooo children suffer from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year, and they are even more likely to need rescue breathing or treatment for choking. Time is critical, so having a parent or…
-
What Do You Really Need to Prepare for a Baby?
This weekend I got to participate in Birmingham’s Babypalooza Expo, including taking part in a doula panel with a wonderful team of doulas and providing some information about why and how a person might go about hiring a doula. Making the rounds at the exhibition was exhausting, with over 800 pregnant and new parents and…
-
New treatment for postpartum depression
There was big news coming out of the FDA yesterday. For the first time, the FDA approved a pill named Zuranolone ;to be prescribed specifically for the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD). Here are some important things to consider about this development. Overall, this seems to be really good news for 1 in 7 people…
-
Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
Here is a tremendous hats-off to everyone taking care of a new baby, and especially those who are also navigating additional responsibilities such as returning to work while breastfeeding! I am so proud of what you are doing, and I hope that you are able to take some time out for yourself also, maybe drinking…
-
Honoring National Cheer Up the Lonely Day
Did you know that today is National Cheer Up the Lonely Day? It’s true! And you know what else is true? Motherhood can feel LONELY. Even with that beautiful new baby cooing in your lap and maybe even starting to offer a sweet grin (or was it a gas pang?), the days of adult conversations,…
-
Co-Sleeping with Baby: A Compassionate, Evidence-Based Guide for New Parents
Co-sleeping with baby is one of the most talked-about—and often misunderstood—choices new parents face. As a doula in Birmingham, I’ve seen firsthand how sleep decisions weigh heavily on families in those tender early weeks. When I asked moms in several Facebook groups about postpartum sleep challenges, I was overwhelmed by the response. It’s clear this…
-
How a Postpartum Doula Can Help You Get More Sleep
Ah, sleep…. If you are in the postpartum phase, getting a decent night’s sleep may feel like a distant memory. You love your baby so much, but the nights stretch on and on, and you may feel desperate for this little one to just fall asleep for a few hours. What is a new parent…