Hey Mom, Ask for and Accept the Help
Let’s normalize moms being called superheroes because we ask for and accept the help we need. Not because we handle so much on our own. Let’s go back to the village because here’s the thing, most of us aren’t handling it. I had my first baby when I was 15 years old. I was no…
Baby Blues or Postpartum Depression?
You waited 9 long months, with friends and loved ones around you. As your belly grew, and clothes needed to be replaced, your joy and anticipation climbed each day. You allowed yourself an extra treat once in a while (the cravings hit often) and the nursery purchases were so much fun. How could this get…
How Not To Make Mom Friends
This story goes out to any new parents struggling to make connections and feel like themselves again. Lonely and isolated at home with an eight week old baby, I desperately longed for companionship with people in the same season of life. Instead of continuing to perfect my cyberstalker skills on Facebook, I convinced myself I…
Postpartum Sleep Deprivation
Four days and one unexpected c-section later we were discharged and on our way home at last. I could no longer lean on the quiet protection of the hospital. Nurses would not be checking on me periodically. Meals would not be brought to me on a schedule. Ready or not I was now a Mom…
Building Confidence in Ourselves as Mothers
I was invited by Kylie Kelly of the “This Mama Means Business” podcast, to talk about building confidence in ourselves as mothers. It was a great experience, and I hope you’ll take a listen here. Building Confidence In Ourselves As Mothers Podcast The ideas I share below are based on my own experiences as mother…
Bethenny’s Baby Nurse
Believe it or not, I first learned what a baby nurse does on a Bravo TV show. Long before I became a doula, I was a “Real Housewives of NYC” fan. Oh, the gloriously trashy and mindless entertainment! When I watched this faux-reality series, the characters included Countess Luann de Lesseps and Bethenny Frankel. At…
Looking for a Baby Nurse?
Looking for a baby nurse to help you after the baby is born? I recently spoke to a grandmother-to-be. She called in looking for a “baby nurse” to help her expecting daughter after her baby arrives. “When I was a young woman in New York city” she told me, “people with newborns would hire a…
Healing Damaged Nipples
Breastfeeding should never hurt. Breastfeeding should never hurt, but that doesn’t mean it actually never does. How can you heal damaged, cracked and bleeding nipples? Fix That Latch! First, you’ll need to take corrective measures to stop the damage from reoccurring. This almost always means encouraging your baby to latch more deeply. In a shallow…
Overnight Postpartum Doula Care: A Night With Our Doulas (updated July 2022)
Overnight Newborn Care is sometimes a new concept. Tired parents often approach us and ask: “what does a postpartum doula do overnight to care for their family while they sleep?” It almost sounds too good to be true! Rest assured, this exists and works beautifully. The role of a postpartum doula is so varied from…
Caring for Baby After a C-Section
Healing from a c-section can sometimes be overwhelming. You, a warrior, just had major surgery. Now you not only have to care for yourself, you have to care for your baby! This is a challenge that is sometimes forgotten. Once you’ve left the hospital, how can you easily care for your newborn? First of all,…
Why Is Postpartum Support Important?
Photo: My mom, Liz, with my newborn baby, Shane, in January 2007 “All you need is one person, just one person who trusts and believes in you, and then you feel you can do anything.” Esther Wojcicki Here is a little story about how postpartum support was important for me. My first son was born…
Newborn Care Options: Postpartum Doulas
Newborn care options are often on the minds of parents all over the Tampa area. Buddha Belly isn’t just for birth, we offer a full range of options for bringing home baby! Postpartum Doulas are incredible sources of support and knowledge for both brand new and veteran parents. Bringing together knowledge of safety standards, real-world…