Babylove Doula Services

8/4/2020 0 Comments

10 things you can do in pregnancy to support your breastfeeding journey

🔑 Learn how often babies nurse, and find a way to track it. I give my clients a 12 day guide, beyond that you can download an app to help you keep track.⁣
⁣
🔑 Explore your breastfeeding preferences (pacifiers, supplementing, donor milk).⁣
⁣
🔑 Learn hand compressions - this technique can be helpful throughout your entire nursing journey. ⁣
⁣
🔑 Source a silicone breast pump like the haakaa - I recommend that everyone get one of these! They are affordable (only ~$20) and useful whether you plan on exclusively breastfeeding (EBF), pumping occasionally, pumping for the short term, or even pumping exclusively. ⁣
⁣
🔑 Learn about establishing your milk supply - it takes about 2-3 weeks and there are lots of things you can do to boost it. ⁣
⁣
🔑 Learn breastfeeding positions - even practice with a doll.⁣
⁣
🔑 Find resources (a doula, IBCLC, La Leche League leader etc.) that offer enthusiastic and non-judgmental support. ⁣
⁣
🔑 Get more familiar with your chest. Are your nipples protruding, flat or inverted?⁣
⁣
🔑 Learn from others who have been successful (family/friends, podcasts, etc.)⁣
⁣
🔑 Source a nursing pillow or some throw cushions, and put together a couple ‘nursing stations’ in your home⁣
⁣
Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it will ‘just come naturally’. ⁣
⁣
Surely there are more than ten things you can do...feel free to add tips in the comments section 👇🏾⁣

0 Comments

7/15/2020 0 Comments

Pregnancy does not make your body public property.

Well duh! Seriously - you may have an extra heartbeat, but your body is still your own. ⁣
⁣
From conception to cradle, you'll be touched a lot...Belly rubs, ultrasounds, blood tests, massages, cervical checks, breastfeeding assistance...the list goes on. Some are good touches, others feel invasive. ⁣
⁣
I want you to know that you can (and should) set boundaries. ⁣
⁣
I want you to know that consent is a double edged sword. You can refuse consent. ⁣
⁣
Being touched without permission is at the root of assault, and all too often people enter into motherhood with birth trauma. ⁣
⁣
It sucks, and we shouldn't have to feel like we’re defending ourselves, but sometimes we do. There are questions you can ask your care provider ahead of time. Red flags to look out for. Phrases that can give you time to make informed decisions. ⁣
⁣
If you need help finding your voice, I can help. I can be your doula - 💌

0 Comments

3/9/2020 0 Comments

Culturally sensitive prenatal and birth support...

I pride myself on offering culturally sensitive doula care.

I come from a diverse family 🗺 We are: west-Indian, Caribbean, Christian, west-African, Latino, Muslim, White, Indigenous, and Southeast Asian.

Protecting the wellness of mothers and newborns is my goal for all clients. I focus on cultivating trust so I can understand what makes you unique and see how your background (might) influence how you navigate motherhood.

Maternal and infant mortality are never topics that I want to highlight, but American studies show that birth outcomes are disproportionately worse for Black mothers.

Risk factors (like poverty and socioeconomic status) cannot fully explain the higher mortality rates. Unfortunately, racial discrimination from healthcare providers in hospitals (institutional racism) is at the root of this issue.

Thankfully, prenatal support and continuous birth support can help women become better advocates of their health, and help avoid the cascade of interventions.

0 Comments

YOUR CART

My meditations

10 things you can do in pregnancy to support your breastfeeding journey

Pregnancy does not make your body public property.

Culturally sensitive prenatal and birth support...

Categories