Peacefulsong Doula & Lactation

My last overnight shift of the summer.🌝
I've been with this family every Friday night since mid May.
I will miss my Friday snuggles with baby R. 💜

Not everyone feels this way. For some it takes time to get there. Either way our bodies are capable of amazing things !!

If this resonates with you, please take a bow 🩷 and if it doesn't, we feel that too! (via )

🧁🧁

⚠️ LIMITED RESTOCK

After over a YEAR of asking for them, the 2oz Evenflo Balance+ Standard Neck Bottles ARE BACK 😍

These 2oz bottles are PERFECT for early pumping, feeding, and supplementation!

The 2oz Bottle is also compatible with most standard neck manual and electric pumps! Pump directly into the bottle and then feed baby from there, less dishes to clean is always a HUGE win!

Shop here: https://lactationhub.com/evenflo-balance-standard-bottles-2oz-with-slow-flow-nipple/

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

We are kicking off World Breastfeeding Week this today and this year's theme is Closing the Gap and addressing the inequities within lactation care.

In the US, we are all too familiar with the inequities in care- insurance, transportation, early return to work for most familes, and the list goes on!

Tell us how your support or lack of in the early days affected your breastfeeding intentions in the comments! What things/support did you find most helpful so others can learn from you as well! What do you wish you had implemented more or less of and would recommend from others?

If I have a baby doll it must be class time!

Newborn Care class at Birth Roots Maine happens monthly and often has a waiting list! If you're looking for an in person, hands on class covering the basics of newborn care you've got to add this class to your to-do list!

See you in class 🤓

We are sooo bummed! We need to postpone until the fall. Here is a message from the pumpspotting team. Please spread the word!

Beep beep: bump in the road!

Barb is having a bad day and getting some care from her community. She’s feeling a little leaky. Frankly, we are, too, as we love meeting moms around every corner. Today, we need to give Barb a little TLC to get her back on the road, so we unfortunately have to postpone the following events: The Eastern Prom Food Truck Pull Up and Maine Mother and Company.

Barb will be back on the road on Monday so stay tuned.

PS: A cross-country bus tour is much like a breastfeeding journey, it’s not always planned, but the it’s the love from an amazing community that keeps you going. 💕 Thanks for being part of our journey.

Free Download! This 10 page PDF explains the various ways LGBTQ+ folks create their families. I outline the differences between ICI, IUI, IVF, and RIVF, as well as surrogacy, egg and s***m storage, and anonymous vs known donors.
I made a video that goes a bit deeper into each option, and gives it some life (as the free guide is very basic). If you want the video too, it’s available for $15, and you can find all the links in my bio!
Tell your friends. Cheers to the Qu**rs!

It happens 💜

LOVE 😘

Credit: First Time Momics

The struggle is real friends!

The constant struggle of working through summer without consistent or regular childcare.

Allyson Felix holds a record 20 World Championship medals and 11 Olympic medals, including seven golds. She is acutely aware of what it takes to be an elite athlete, and an elite athlete mom.

She is teaming up with Pampers to create the first-ever Pampers Nursery in the Athletes Village at the Paris Olympics. The nursery will offer a space for moms to bond with, nurse and play with their babies, helping to alleviate some of the pressures of competition.

“I just knew how difficult it was to compete at the top level after I had my daughter, and some practical things were really hard. And so when I joined the Athletes Commission of the IOC, I really wanted to be that voice for athlete moms, and just take away one less thing for them to worry about in the pressure of competition,” said Felix. Bravo 👏

Helping families prepare for late summer,
early fall babies tonight!
Newborn Care Class is a fun, hands on prenatal class to learn and ask questions about newborn behavior, feeding, sleep, and everything in between!

Come check out a class soon!

LIVE IN-PERSON workshop coming your way this month! ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
It will be MONDAY, JULY 22nd from 12:30pm-2:30pm. Check out my event page to sign up - registration required! ⁣⁣⁣⁣Babes in arms and partners welcome. Looking forward to seeing you there!⁣ Read more for details.⁣
⁣⁣
Do you have a baby who is gearing up to try solid foods for the first time? OR have you already started and are overwhelmed by all the information about it out there and wonder if you're doing it right?⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣
In this workshop you will learn:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦The different ways that people go about starting solids with their babies, specifically, responsive feeding techniques and baby-led weaning⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓How to tell if your baby is ready to start trying solid foods rather than just looking at age⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦What are the appropriate nutrients and foods to focus on⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓The difference between gagging and choking, and how to prevent choking⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦How to navigate introducing allergenic foods to baby⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓How to talk about this with family and daycare providers⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦How to navigate feeding your baby solids in restaurants and social events⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓The division of responsibility technique for more peaceful mealtimes⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦Tricks of the trade, proper utensils, feeding gear and recipes!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
And you'll have me, a registered dietitian and mom, as a resource for any questions as we go along! Trust me, you will leave this workshop feeling confident about feeding your baby! $50/family. If you can’t make it live but still want in, message me for options! ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Where is the setting for "make me a sandwich at midnight when I'm nursing my baby and famished" ? 😅😅😅

Instead of registering for expensive baby gear with a lot of buttons, settings, and that take up a lot of space- register for support professionals who will make your postpartum experience feel wayyyy better.

Find and fund your care team at BeHerVillage.com

Happy Solstice Lovelies!

May we be like sunflowers today and always, continually seeking the light!
🌞🌻

While today we celebrate the emancipation of enslaved peoples, it's important to remember that there is still much work to be done.
To improve maternal health outcome in the US, the issue of systemic racism in healthcare needs to be addressed.

"Systemic racism impacts every aspect of healthcare. It begins before birth and continues until death. Black babies are more than twice as likely as white babies to die at birth or in the first year of life. And life expectancy is shorter for Black women compared to white women.
Race is a social construct with significant impact on the health and well-being of Black people. At every stage of life, generations of structural racism impact Black people disproportionately in the form of social and health disparities, such as segregated housing, the digital divide, educational barriers, economic suppression and access to quality healthcare."

Written By Jana J. Richards, MD

The more we know the better we can do.

Went to the beach today and scanned the crowd for how people with non mobile babies were navigating the day.
These were the two most common options I saw.

1. The play pen style seemed to be the best in terms of sun protection AND air flow.

2. The bassinet was smaller but seemed like it would hold the heat more and therefore required larger canopy above it.

I added the links in the comments just in case!

Brought in lilacs from the garden for the classroom at Birth Roots Maine! Smells delicious!

Grateful for kind reviews from wonderful clients!

We honor the legacy of Penny Simkin, a true pioneer in the world of childbirth education and doula support. Penny’s dedication and passion touched countless lives, empowering families with knowledge and compassion through her work. Her legacy will forever live on in the countless births she guided and the generations of birth workers she inspired. Thank you, Penny

I came across this photo of my father my youngest daughter (now 5)
this morning.

I just love how my dad, who by outward appearances is the tough, construction worker, is such a gentle presence for his granddaughters (and me!)

He embraced this new contraption and skill so that I could have a break from carrying her and so that he could snuggle her!

Supportive grandparents are so important to both their children and their grandchildren.
🩷

Last night at the Perinatal Professionals Networking Night we heard from four wonderful non-profits serving the perinatal community in Maine. Check them out and give them a follow!
Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition
Community Doulas
Maine Boys to Men
SAD DADS CLUB

Spring perinatal professionals networking night, panel of organizations, super inspiring group!

Being an overnight doula is a little like being a fairy godmother I think 🧚🏻‍♀️

You show up and everyone is sleepy and while the house is still and resting you make magical things happen ✨
When the family wakes in the morning they are feeling stronger and more capable. And yummy treats await them in the kitchen with baskets of magically folded laundry...✨

LIVE IN-PERSON workshop coming your way in April! ⁣
⁣
It will be THURSDAY, APRIL 11th from 12:30pm-2:30pm. Link in bio to sign up - registration required! ⁣⁣⁣⁣Babes in arms and partners welcome. Looking forward to seeing you there!⁣
⁣
Do you have a baby who is gearing up to try solid foods for the first time? OR have you already started and are overwhelmed by all the information about it out there and wonder if you're doing it right?⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
In this workshop you will learn:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦The different ways that people go about starting solids with their babies, specifically, responsive feeding techniques and baby-led weaning⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓How to tell if your baby is ready to start trying solid foods rather than just looking at age⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦What are the appropriate nutrients and foods to focus on⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓The difference between gagging and choking, and how to prevent choking⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦How to navigate introducing allergenic foods to baby⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓How to talk about this with family and daycare providers⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦How to navigate feeding your baby solids in restaurants and social events⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🍓The division of responsibility technique for more peaceful mealtimes⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
🥦Tricks of the trade, proper utensils, feeding gear and recipes!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
And you'll have me, a registered dietitian and mom, as a resource for any questions as we go along! Trust me, you will leave this workshop feeling confident about feeding your baby! $50/family. If you can’t make it live but still want in, DM me for options! ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
Any questions at all? DM me!⁣