Category: pregnancy
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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…
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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…
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Joy on the Feast of the Annunciation
I’m sorry you’ve heard so little from me lately! It’s been a busy season and now I am holed up in bed with Covid. It’s hard to be tired, but I am grateful I didn’t get it until now when it seems to be generally milder and we have treatments available. This will need to…
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Setting up doula support – where do you start?
I know there are lots of folks out there who like the sound of support for their birth or postpartum time, but for one reason or another haven’t started making arrangements to get that support. While it is never too late to hire a doula, there are definitely some real advantages to establishing a relationship…
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Pregnancy and Postpartum Holiday Frazzles
I am excited that this afternoon I will be baking Christmas cookies with three of my children, my mom, and my brother, planning our Thanksgiving meal, and confirming plans for my fourth child to come home for Christmas. (He goes to school in Scotland so Thanksgiving break isn’t a thing for him.) It’s a full…
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Count the Kicks!
Pregnancy can be a time of excitement and joy, but it can also feel like a time of constant worry: is my baby going to be ok? Fortunately, there is a practice that you can adopt during your third trimester that is easy and fun, and most importantly, saves lives!