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Birth and Baby LLC

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Albany, NY
Birth and Baby LLC

My name is Lawren Masters, SBD, PCD(DONA) and I’m a Doula supporting parents across the Capital Region on their journeys to and through parenthood.

11/05/2025

Grow Your Village – Postpartum Peer Support Group 💛

➡️Join postpartum doulas Lawren Flynn and Meghan Cheek every Wednesday from 10 AM–12 PM at Upstate Lactation Collective (1820 Western Ave, Albany) for Grow Your Village — a welcoming space for new parents to find support, connection, and encouragement during the postpartum journey.

🗓️Each week we gather to share experiences, build community, and remind one another that none of us are meant to do this alone. Attendance is donation-based — always appreciated, never required. Come as you are, get here late, leave here early, we’re just happy you stopped by :)

🍁November Schedule Update:
We’ll meet every Wednesday this month except November 26th (we’ll be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday).
🥧On November 19th, join us for a special potluck gathering — bring a dish, snack, or beverage to share as we celebrate the season of gratitude together. 🥰 We’re grateful for each other 🫶🏻

We can’t wait to grow our village with you. 💛

10/08/2025

Sometimes we get in our own way — not because we’re doing anything “wrong,” but because we’re constantly surrounded by noise.

Birth stories, baby milestones, postpartum “must-haves,” and highlight reels of moms who seem to be doing it all. It’s no wonder we start to feel anxious, disconnected, or like we’re falling short.

But the truth is…
✨ “You’re not anxious about birth for no reason… your screen time is too high.”
✨ “You’re not out of touch with your intuition… your screen time is too high.”
✨ “You’re not overwhelmed by information… you’re overconsuming it.”
✨ “You’re not failing at birth prep… your screen time is too high.”
✨ “You’re not a bad mom… your screen time is too high.”
✨ “You don’t hate motherhood… your screen time is too high.”
✨ “You’re not behind on postpartum healing… your screen time is too high.”
✨ “You’re not behind on laundry… okay, maybe a little — but your screen time is still too high.”

Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do for ourselves is to close the app, look at our babies, breathe, and remember—this season doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be real. 💜

09/25/2025

✨ Exciting news ✨ I’m officially a Certified Lactation Educator™ (CLE®) through CAPPA! 💜

I am so grateful for this opportunity to deepen my knowledge and expand the ways I can support families on their feeding journeys. This certification has not only given me more tools, but also connected me to a community of compassionate professionals who share the same heart for families. 💚

What resonates most with me is CAPPA’s vision of “a world where each perinatal journey is supported with care and compassion.” That’s exactly the kind of space I hope to create for every family I work with — one rooted in empathy, trust, and evidence-based education. 🤱💫

Stay tuned — I’ll be rolling out new educational offerings soon to help families feel more confident and supported every step of the way. 💕

💭 I’d love to hear from you: What’s something you wish you knew during your breastfeeding journey, or what do you hope to learn before it begins? Share your thoughts in the comments ⬇️

09/17/2025

🚨Controversial Topic Alert: Safe Sleep🚨

One of the most common things I hear from new parents is how their babies seem to wake up the moment they are placed on their backs in a crib—even if they were deeply asleep in arms. The cultural script is clear: pediatricians and nurses emphasize the ABCs of “Alone, on your Back, in a Crib.” While this is the standard recommendation, it often leaves parents exhausted and struggling.

⚠️There is an alternative that research shows can be comparably safe when practiced intentionally: the Safe Sleep Seven 7️⃣. These seven conditions together create a low-risk environment for bedsharing and can help families actually get the rest they need.

The Safe Sleep Seven are:
1. 🚬Non-smoking caregiver – no exposure during pregnancy or in the home.
2. 🍷Sober caregiver – no substances such as alcohol, drugs, or medications that cause drowsiness.
3. 🤱🏻Breastfeeding (nursing) parent – provides a unique arousal pattern and sleep safety.
4. 👶🏻Healthy, full-term baby – no prematurity or major health concerns.
5. 🛏️Baby sleeps on back – never on the stomach or side.
6. 🧸Clear sleep surface – firm mattress, no pillows, blankets, or toys near baby.
7. 🧑‍🧑‍🧒Baby next to parent, not between adults – safe positioning at the chest level.

When all seven are in place, the evidence shows the risks are very similar to crib sleep—while allowing parents to meet their babies’ biological need for closeness and improve their own rest.

➡️Did you bedshare? If yes, did you initially plan on it or did plans change postpartum? Tell me in the comments!👇🏻

09/09/2025

🤝 You don’t have to do the postpartum journey alone. 🫂🤗🥰

Grow Your Village group was created to be a welcoming, supportive space where every parent and baby feel seen, understood, and connected. 💛

Each week, we gather together—co-led by postpartum doulas and —to share stories, learn from each other, and remind ourselves that we’re not in this alone. 🫶

💡 Details:
📅 Weekly gatherings (Wednesdays 10-12 at the )
💰 Donation-based (always appreciated, never required)
🍎 Bring a snack to share if you’d like—or simply come as you are
👶 Everyone is welcome

Because it truly takes a village, and you deserve one. 🌿

08/23/2025

✨ Postpartum is filled with moments of magic—like taking your first deep breath, seeing the swelling fade, savoring the foods you missed, and soaking in sweet newborn snuggles. These small joys are powerful reminders of relief after the intensity of pregnancy and birth.

But let’s be honest—postpartum isn’t easy. It can feel raw, overwhelming, and at times even excruciating. The truth? It doesn’t have to be that way.

When we center postpartum in gratitude and surround ourselves with a supportive village, it becomes less about just surviving and more about truly being held and thriving as you step into motherhood.

I know this deeply, because my own postpartum was incredibly difficult. That experience is what fuels me now—as a doula, I’m dedicated to being part of the change I wish I had, helping families feel seen, supported, and strengthened in their first chapters together.

🤍 Postpartum is not always easy—but with the right care, it can be tender, grounding, and transformative.

08/20/2025

✨ First day of nursing school orientation ✨
Nervous? A little. Excited? Absolutely. But most of all—hopeful. 💚✨

I never expected birthwork to lead me here, yet being a doula has been the perfect foundation. Supporting families through pregnancy and birth has taught me advocacy, presence, and trust in the process—skills that translate beautifully into nursing. 🌿

Today feels like the next step in a journey I was meant to take. Here’s to becoming the nurse (and someday midwife) I’ve been dreaming of. 👩🏻‍⚕️✨

07/29/2025

Things I’d tell you about postpartum if I wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings 🤫🤐🤯

I don’t say this to scare you—I say it so you don’t feel blindsided. This might feel like a lot, but it comes from years of seeing how these patterns play out — and wanting better for you.

1 - Your partner should be doing more. This matters more than you think.

2 - You aren’t planning for postpartum enough.

3 - You aren’t planning for breastfeeding enough. Education is one of the biggest predictors for successful breastfeeding. Taking a hands-on class to learn a hands-on skill is crucial.

4 - That super pricey bassinet won’t help as much as you’re hoping & has the potential to make you less attuned to your baby.

5 - You may not be depressed, you’re probably isolated (& hungry, overstimulated, and under supported). When was the last time you had a good squeeze hug and a nutrient-dense meal? You won’t find that question on the Edinburgh.

6 - You’re probably over-estimating how much easier a vaginal birth recovery can be. Don’t plan on this being the biggest or only benefit of avoiding a cesarean.

7 - Clinical care is… not care. Or at least not enough. Your Dr or midwife can’t hold your hand at 3am at 4 weeks postpartum. You need more than a 1 hour visit and checklist. How comprehensive is your care team?

8 - You need to eat real food or plan to stay exhausted. Food is a game-changer for energy.

9 - Your expectations (or lack of education) are likely the root of your overwhelm. This is not victim blaming—this is a cultural setup I see over and over again.

10 - You say you want support, but are you actually asking for it? Or accepting it when it’s offered? Even accepting help from less-than-ideal sources is sometimes better than no help at all.

If this stirred something in you, that’s okay. Let it. Then use it. You deserve support that actually supports you. And if you’re not sure where to start, that’s what I’m here for. 🤍

💬What do you wish you knew about postpartum? Tell me in the comments 👇🏻

07/26/2025

POV: Any and all maturity leaves the chat when we’re together 😂👯‍♀️

Last night we had SO MUCH FUN!

Being a birthworker is sacred, powerful work—but so is play. As much as we hold space for others, we need to hold space for ourselves, too. Letting our inner child out to laugh, move, and connect is part of the healing—and we’re better for it.

We always tell our clients it takes a village… so we’re growing ours too 💛

Tagging my amazing co-creators + fellow joy bringers as collaborators 🫶

07/23/2025

Have you ever tried this one? 👀🤣

This reel was TOO much fun to make!

When it comes to labor, movement is medicine. 🌀 Whether it’s squatting, side-lying, hands and knees, or old-school lithotomy — changing positions can help baby rotate, descend, and find their way out more smoothly. 💪🏽 This process looks differently for everybody! So if you find yourself not enjoying “knees in ankles out” or “gravity assisted” positions (like influencers say you should) — LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If you needed permission to tune out the mainstream noise and TUNE IN to your body and baby, this is it.

As a Doula, one of my roles is to help protect your ability to move freely and explore what feels right in the moment. You don’t have to stay stuck in one spot — and sometimes, the position that feels impossible at first just needs a few contractions to click. ✨

So if something’s not working yet… try it again. Try it with support. Try it with breath. Try it with me.

Let’s get you organized in a position that works for you. ❤️‍🔥

Address

Albany, NY

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm

Website

http://birthandbaby.org/

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