Mom Squad

06/10/2020

Great read for expecting parents

Breastfeeding is what makes humans mammals, and in some ways is the most natural of acts. If you’ve ever seen a parent nurse their baby while keeping up with a toddler at the playground, you know t…

04/11/2020

Mom Squad community, is this a service you would like to have? We can help! Call or email us for more information.

04/06/2020

Please read. Tell your pregnant and new mama friends!

Close contact and early, exclusive breastfeeding helps a baby to thrive.

A woman with COVID-19 should be supported to
• breastfeed safely
• hold her newborn skin-to-skin
• share a room with her baby

03/31/2020

It has been a while since we have posted a personal message here. Everything has changed almost over night, or at least over the course of a month. Since everyone is now online virtually all the time, pun intended, I want to make sure the community is aware that we are here for anyone needing to ask questions or discuss issues involving pregnancy, newborn life, postpartum life of parents under lock-down, self-care for the rel world, babies, toddlers, and adolescents. Feel Free to ask questions about parenting in the now age. Please reach out to us whenever you need and for any needs you have, we will be here for you and your family. Stay home, stay safe, stay informed!

01/14/2020

x

01/14/2020

The Mom Squad offers a class one Sunday a month for couples or singles expecting a baby. The class is intended to give guidance to those in the earliest stages of parenting.

Caring for a newborn is simple and yet intense at the same time. Self-care for new moms is almost as important as the care for a new infant. Birth takes many different shapes and each is unique to mama/baby/partner + team. Rest and recovery are needed for a while after baby arrives and every new family does rest and recovery differently.

Not all women come to motherhood easily. For some, the road is rocky, steep, and heavy with burdens. For a few women, it's a little easier. New moms don't have to rush to make anything special happen, they can just go slow, rest. The magic is in the down time, in the slow times, and in the reprieve from baby's needs.

Join us for our next class in February to learn more about newborn life, self-care for moms, getting started with breastfeeding, + tips for a successful transition into parenting!

01/04/2020

Forgiveness for being human

Isn’t this the truth?! Let’s let our human-ness shine out to the world! What have you forgiven yourself for?

My list is so long! Working to forgive all the ways I don’t measure up in my own mind.

https://www.facebook.com/glennondoyle/photos/a.213343589709/10157769730074710/?type=3

12/07/2019

“I’m constantly in awe of the female body and what it’s capable of," one woman said.

11/12/2019

Such amazing women

Stunning photos!

10/30/2019

Last Sunday we hosted our monthly Mom Squad class. A mom-to-be posed the question: what do we recommend having at home for mama when baby arrives?

Great question!
Here is a list designed from head-to-toes:
Plenty of your fave hair care products (showers are seldom)
For you face: extra moisturizer and face oil (faves necessary)
Comfortable nursing bras and easy clothing to lounge in
lots of pads - like 6 weeks worth (longest period ever)
Sitz bath herbs for vaginal recovery
Peri bottle (the hospital will likely give you one) use warm water
Socks - maybe clean, maybe not
Essential oils - NOT peppermint! YES - lavender and citrus

Also, line up some audio books or podcasts for your listening pleasure while you rest and bond with baby!

10/23/2019

💗😊🍁

Dear person who struggles,

Today let’s not do our best. Let’s do what we can. Let’s choose one tiny thing and sweep it off of the list. I’m going to work and do the dishes. And of course, mother. That might not sound like a lot but when your mind and body run invisible marathons daily, it’s plenty.

It’s ok if you need to just lie down and exist today. Might I suggest rain sounds or an audiobook? I pray angels sit by you comfort your heart with silent songs because I know one of the hardest parts of the unseen battle is feeling guilty when you need to sit. Please don’t feel bad. I’m feeling strongish today so I’ll fight for you. We can take turns. I think that’s what life is supposed to be like and it’s my honor really.

Lately my prayers haven’t been long, I just breathe out, “Help us today,” into the dawn feel grace descend like a blanket of the lightest feathers. Let it cover you, too. I don’t normally like to share blankets but you can definitely snuggle under this one with me. 💛

Do you feel better? I hope so. Ok. Do what you can and be gentle. You’re worth more than any to-do list.

Love, Bunmi ♥️

(Ps. I’m using random photos from my phone now because it’s easy- this was from Saturday. I’m a messy painter but it’s a lot of fun) 🌼

10/08/2019

Wow

Prenatal classes often focus on Mom-to-be — on her shifting role and emotional needs, along with new skills. But if Dad gets sidelined early into a supporting role, research shows, everybody loses.

09/12/2019

💖

07/31/2019

Oh those early days of parenting

07/22/2019

Every year in the United States, over 60,000 women suffer a severe, life-altering complication during childbirth, and 700 to 900 women die from a pregnancy related cause. Elizabeth Howell, OBGYN and expert on maternal health, explains that these complications, often resulting from treatable ailments...

07/16/2019

Good idea 💡
What I’ve found is if we ask someone if they need help the answer is almost always “I’m ok”. Sometimes just looking around for a way to help and helping can be a relief for someone who’s overwhelmed. Or “I’m making a little extra dinner, when would be a good time to drop some by?”

07/16/2019

.therapist

We hear a lot about postpartum depression, but less about depression and mood shifts after weaning. Whenever your breastfeeding journey ends, you might find yourself in need of extra support through the emotional and hormonal changes that come with the end of nursing. Read on for more information about weaning and depression, and if you need talk with someone about weaning, come to one of our fre breastfeeding support groups on Wednesdays (4-6pm) and Saturdays (10am-12pm)!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Did you experience a mood response to weaning? Are you a provider that has helped women with this experience? ⁣
⁣
When you look for research on the connection between weaning and depression, you don’t find much. This seems surprising considering the stories I’ve seen in my clinical work and also the blog posts and mainstream media articles on the topic.⁣
⁣
Regardless of how much or how little research has been done, this is real experience for many women and deserves some attention.⁣
Here are some facts:⁣
⁣
💕When women wean their 👶🏽 they experience a drop in their prolactin and oxytocin, both hormones that helped them with those feel-good vibes during breastfeeding.⁣
⁣
🤱🏻Weaning indicates a shift in the mother-child dynamic, whether wanted or unwanted. This can exacerbate symptoms from hormonal changes.⁣
⁣
🛑 Sudden weaning is often blamed for mood disturbance, but it can happen in gradual weaning as well.⁣
⁣
Possible symptoms?⁣
🧠 While the body works to find its hormonal equilibrium women might experience rage, sadness, anxiety, panic attacks, fatigue among others.⁣⁣
What can you do?⁣
📖 Knowledge is key. Knowing your sensitivity to hormone fluctuations and possible symptoms can help you identify an emerging issue.⁣
⏰ Remind yourself that mood symptoms are likely to pass once hormones have settled, but help is available if they don’t. ⁣
👩🏽‍⚕️ Speak with your doctor or a mental health provider if symptoms persist and are interfering with daily life.⁣
⁣
If you are interested in reading some first person accounts and both have articles on experiences with weaning induced depression and anxiety. Check them out!⁣

07/15/2019

Alert! Alert! Read this heartwarming piece today! There is good news in the world, it’s not all bad.