Lake City Doula Services

03/02/2022

Hello Everyone!

Long time- no posts, right!? I know.

After a personally injury I experienced a few months, and getting some not so great news about some other hidden "gems" they found from some MRI scans that were done. It looks like it will be awhile before I can jump (squat, bend, lift, etc) back into the birth-side of my doula work.

I have put my attention into postpartum work and that is where I will be keeping my focus while I heal - we can all heal together ;)

Because of this break from birth-work, I have started to go through books and things that I think would be better off in new hands and homes of those people who are doulas, expecting parents, etc.

I have put together a list of what books I have for sale, and will put them below (I will edit/remove what has been sold):
- The Pregnancy Bible (Joanne Stone, MD & Keith Eddleman, MD)
- Deadly Delivery (Amnesty International)
- Caring For Your Baby & Young Child – Birth to Age 5 (Steven Shelov, MD, MS & Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, FAAP)
- Pushed (Jennifer Block)
- Where's The Mother? (Trever MacDonald)
- The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy (Vicki Iovine)
- What to Expect Before You're Expecting (Heidi Murkoff & Sharon Mazel)
- What to Expect When You're Expecting (Heidi Murkoff & Sharon Mazel)
- Your Pregnancy - For the Father-to-Be (Dr. Glade Curtis, OB/GYN & Judith Schuler, MS)
- From The Hips (Rebecca Odes & Ceridwen Morris)
- Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (Ina May Gaskin)
- The Complete Book of Baby Names (Lesley Bolton)
- 35,000 Baby Names (Bruce Landsky)
- Momma Zen (Karen Maezen Miller)
- Optimal Care in Childbirth (Henci Goer & Amy Romano, MSN, CNM)
- Pregnancy and Childbirth – A Goal Oriented Guide to Prenatal Care (USACHPPM)
- Keep It Simple Breastfeeding (Amy Spangler, MN, RN, IBCLC)
- The Pregnancy Countdown Book (Susan Magee & Kara Nakisbendi, MD)
- Newborn 101 (Carole Kramer Arsenault, RN IBLCLC)
- Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy (Roger Harms, MD & Myra Wick, MD, PH.D)
- Some freebies for larger bundles sold

I am located in Acworth, GA so "porch pick up" is available for locals, and I am willing to ship if buyer pays shipping (US only). I accept Venmo or Zelle for payments (Paypal is fine if you do the "send money to a friend" option only).

Please shoot me an email for any questions you may have, or if you are interested in purchasing anything: lakecitydoula@gmail.com.

Thanks!

07/23/2020

with
・・・
It's ok to be disappointed mama. To be angry. To ache for the birth you had envisioned. To grieve your dream that never came to be. All of feelings are valid.
How you birth matters, and it's ok if you're not ok. But as you're grieving, perhaps you can also whisper words of love over your story. While you mourn the birth you had dreamed of, perhaps you can take a breath to see the beauty in what was. What is. Maybe in the corner of your heart, you can begin to make room for healing. For finding the beauty in your messy, raw, heart expanding journey.
Perhaps you can place a hand on that sensitive scar across your belly and thank your body for her courage. For opening as she did. For birthing your baby. Perhaps you can take a quiet moment to acknowledge how brave you were. How you were willing to walk through that door and lay your life on that table to bring your baby earth side. It's ok if you're filled with pain and rage and grief, but mama, please let the light begin to trickle in too.
And maybe some day, you can look back on your story and feel nothing but love and pride and deep comfort in knowing that your birth was sacred too. Because, life is no less holy when it's pulled from your womb and you are no less of a mother for birthing your babe through your belly. *it's also ok if you feel nothing but joy and celebration around your belly birth! This post was written for those who've reached out expressing pain around their csection experiences- not in judgement of anyone who chose a csection and rejoices in that experience. Repost and art from

02/27/2020

A healthy baby is not the ONLY thing that matters.

02/26/2020

Such kind words from my client Marie S: “Stephanie helped us welcome our daughter in Jan 2020. I knew she was the perfect match upon our first phone conversation. Stephanie has great energy and is an experienced doula. She actively listened to our concerns and goals then supplied us with tools and information to prepare. My partner was initially anxious to be a part of the birth, but with her support he was confidently able to participate for the duration and even cut the cord! Also, with Stephanie’s training in hypnobabies, I was able to have the unmedicated birth I desired. She used hypnobabies language and helped me stay focused on my tracks. Most importantly, she helped me feel safe, strong and confident. She was also a great asset postpartum, which allowed me to have alone time and perform self care. Stephanie was an integral partner on our birth team. We highly recommend Stephanie and her services to anyone expecting!”

02/16/2020

Know your rights!

If the medical staff strongly insists that your placenta be sent to pathology, you have the right to refuse. Regardless of what the hospital seems to indicate or even claim outright, they do not have a right to take your placenta any more than they have a right to amputate and take your arm. It is your bodily organ. Once you have notified the hospital (ideally in writing) that you insist upon taking your placenta home with you, any attempts to seize the placenta legally constitutes a ‘trespass to the person’ (i.e., assault and/or battery), since the placenta is in fact, part of your body.[1]

In addition to clearly communicating your plan to take your placenta home with you, the best method to protect your placenta from confiscation is to never surrender it in the first place. It is usually much more difficult to get your placenta back from hospital staff than it is to never allow them access in the beginning.

Most mothers in home births receive the placenta in a simple large plastic bowl covered with a bag. This method may also be applied in a hospital setting to mitigate all risks for contamination and confiscation. Immediately after the birth, the medical staff will be very busy, and placentas are often sent to pathology in the commotion without consent or any stated explanation. In a hospital birth, it is imperative to assign someone on the birth team (the father, a family member, or the doula) the responsibility to properly store the placenta, so it is not lost or contaminated.

As placental stem cells become the predominate source of stem cells in the near future,[2] mothers may need to become more adamant about their rights to their placenta to protect it from hospital confiscation. https://brilliantbirthacademy.com/placenta-encapsulator-certification-course/

[1] Marshall, J, Fraser, D & Baker, P. “An Observational Study to Explore the Power and Effect of the Labor Ward Culture on Consent to Intrapartum Procedures.” International Journal of Childbirth, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2001 pp 82-99.

[2] Taghizadeh Rr, Pollok Ke, Betancur M, Et Al. “Wharton’s Jelly Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Regenerative Medicine Beyond Umbilical Cord Blood.” Presented At: First Meeting of The Placenta Stem Cell Society. From “Fetomaternal Tolerance to Immunomodulary Properties of Placenta-Derived Cells in Cell Therapy”, October 3–6, 2010; Brescra, Italy.

02/13/2020

Isla Miller (and cheeks) Big babies are normal in well resourced countries. Over 10% of babies born in the UK and Australia weigh 4kg (8lb 13oz) or more. Healthy well nourished women grow healthy w…

02/12/2020

Received a gorgeous gift today from an amazing client. Today was our last postpartum visit together and I am so thankful for all the time I got to spend with this little family! Thank you, Marie it has been an absolute delight serving you!

02/11/2020

These are some great tips from a personal friend of mine who is an amazing Chiropractor in Utah with Amplus Family Chiropractic! Thank you Dr. Michelle!

02/10/2020

FEEDING ON DEMAND. Yep. I used cereal and blueberries to see the difference between expectations and reality of many breastfeeding moms.
📷 inspo from .ie
Were you told your baby should breastfeed every 2-3 hours? I was. Did you know that only came from figuring out how often feeding was needed for a baby to feed 8-12 times in a 24 hour period...
So yes we APPROXIMATELY would like babies to feed AT LEAST 8-12 times, but the way it all plays out in a 24 hour period is very different for each baby.
Reality: babies feed like the blueberries. Lots of feedings. Some small. Some big. Some close together. Some far apart.
Babies do not feed like clockwork where every cereal (ahem.. feed) is spaced equally apart and the same size. You can relax if your otherwise healthy baby goes longer than 3 hours between a feed. You don’t need to think “you can’t still be hungry” and delay a feed if they are showing signs they want to feed earlier than 2 hours.
Listen to your baby. Trust your instincts. Let go of the cookie cutter “ideal” and develop your own relationship that works for you and your baby.
Do you feed on demand? What works for you and your baby?