Have we ever mentioned that Doulas of Raleigh has the best clients? It’s true. We do. Recently one of our clients, Claire Caffarel, offered to share her best tips for pumping while traveling away from her baby. And we know firsthand how organized and efficient Claire is, so we jumped at the opportunity to share her best tips and tricks with you. If you find yourself having to pump breastmilk while away from your baby for an extended period of time, you’ll want to pay attention to what Claire has to say.
February 14th is fast approaching so maybe you’ve got love and romance on the brain. Or maybe (like me) you’re still in denial that it’s even 2023 and you have no idea what month it is, but a date night still sounds nice. Either way, we’ve got you covered with this week’s blog. So get that babysitter lined up (or reach out to your favorite postpartum doulas wink wink) and check out this week’s blog to see our favorite date night restaurants around the Triangle.
Why would anyone looking for a doula choose a doula agency to support them? Well, I’m glad you asked! As we celebrate Doulas of Raleigh’s SIXTH birthday this month, I’ve done quite a bit of reflecting on the agency model of care. Our doula agency has grown by leaps and bounds and with it so has the number of families all over the Triangle that we have had the honor to support. I think those families chose us for a number of reasons and I’m here today to share them with you.
Breathing well is one of the best ways you can can help yourself cope with your labor contractions. There are many different ways to help you or your support team guide your breath. Take a look at our blog post for more details.
You may have heard that you are totally numb if you have an epidural. You may have heard that you can only push on your back with an epidural. The good news is that is no longer the case! Most epidural placements now offer good pain control without confining you to being on your back. This means that you are able to push in different positions within your hospital bed. Take a look at some of your options!
Baby it’s cold outside! (Well, sort of, sometimes. You know what weather in North Carolina is like.) So what does that mean for your newborn baby? Can you take them outside? How should you dress them inside? Are there other things parents of winter babies should know? Check out the blog today for all of our winter weather tips.
It’s January again. Of 2023. How in the world did that happen?! Anyway, this time of year always feels a little dark and dreary to me. The holidays are over, the days are short, and it’s cold outside. Not my favorite. But one thing I do love about these winter months is the food. This is soup season for me - time to eat big bowls of warm, delicious comfort food (preferably in front of a glowing fireplace with a chunk of bread for dipping. Yum!). So today is the perfect day to share one of my favorite soup recipes - easy slow cooker navy bean soup.
** The sound of jingle bells and Mariah Carey vocalizing **
All I want for Christmas is….healthy boundaries with my familyyyyyy
Okay, so it doesn’t quite have the same catchy vibe as the classic All I Want for Christmas is You. But trust me, this is still a pretty popular request this time of year, especially for families who are navigating the holidays as first-time parents. If you are struggling with boundary setting around the holidays, this blog is for you.
You need sleep after your baby is born. While we wish this was easy as telling you to “sleep when the baby sleeps”, we all know that there are some days and some nights where your baby just won’t sleep. Instead, we urge you to have a sleep plan in place for yourself before your baby arrives. Of course, if your baby has already been born you can still implement a new sleep plan. Read our newest blog to find out more.
One of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions is cookie baking. We look forward to it every year. The kitchen transforms into a cookie assembly line, with the most delicious smells and a dusting of flour seemingly everywhere. Each year, we try out a couple of new recipes, but no matter what we always have one tried and true that we never deviate from. That’s my Sugar Cookie recipe.
According to data from a 2018 study, nearly 42% of first time mothers were scheduled for an induction. Sometimes those inductions were medically necessary and sometimes the birthing person chose to schedule an elective induction. You may find yourself discussing and scheduling induction with your care provider for a number of reasons. Regardless of the reason, we have some tips to help your induction be a better experience for you and your partner.
The Welcoming Hour, sometimes called the Golden Hour, begins as soon as your baby is born. Read our newest blog post to find out what to expect and what you can do to get maxium benefits for you and your new baby during this first hour of your baby’s life.
It’s that time of year for me - my most favorite holiday of the year! I know some people hold on to Halloween with all of their gothic might and others can barely wait until the clock strikes midnight on November 1 to pull out all the Christmas decorations. But not me. I’m one of those odd birds who loves and savors this beautiful season and what it means to me.
And today, I am reflecting on some of the most important people in my life and offering my thanks up to them.
Postivie pregnancy test..check. Secured an amazing midwife…check. Hire an amazing doula? Ch..wait…now why do I need one if I already have a midwife? This is a common question and we answer it today in our blog!
If you thought learning how to use your breastpump was the only issue you would face as a pumping parent, surprise! You’ve probably realized that there are just as many questions when it comes to storing and handling expressed breastmilk. But never fear! Today’s blog will tackle those questions. Read on to learn best practices and some handy tips surrounding pumped breastmilk.
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Unfortunately, there seems to be a stigma and maybe a shroud of secrecy surrounding loss. Everyone deserves support but it seems as though no one knows how to support others through their loss. This is unfortunate as 1 in 4 people experience this kind of loss at least once in their life time. We’ve gathered some ways to show support.
Baby number two is on the way! This time you don’t have those same new parent jitters. No, this time around the anxiety creeps in when you begin to think about how you are going to parent TWO children?! How are you going to survive the newborn phase with an older child already at home? How could you possibly love another human being as much as you love your firstborn? (Spoiler Alert - you will!) And how in the world is your first baby going to react to the new baby??? Check out today’s blog for our best tips to help you prepare your older child to take on the role of big sibling.
If you are going to be visibly pregnant this year for Halloween, you have the opportunity to incorporate your baby belly into an amazing costume! In fact, your belly can even just BE the costume. Check out some costume ideas in this post.
Whether you’ve found yourself in the role of an exclusive pumper by choice or by circumstance, here you are. You want to provide breastmilk to your baby, but you will not be bringing your baby directly to your body to get that milk. Instead you will be using a breast pump to express breast milk, as well as build and maintain a milk supply. No matter what the journey to get here, today’s blog has our best tips for the exclusively pumping parent.
