Nurture You Postpartum Doula Support

10/21/2024

🍂 Exciting Announcement🍂

After a necessary break following the loss of my husband in August 2022, I am humbled to announce that my doula practice is reopening. These past two years have been incredibly challenging as I navigated the realities of becoming a widowed, single mom and returning to full-time work. It was through this journey that I truly came to appreciate the power of a strong support team.

Though I’ve discovered a new passion in the early education field, my heart remains with postpartum work — my first true love. As I step back into this role, I am offering part-time services, focusing on supporting one family at a time, to ensure you receive the personalized care you deserve during your postpartum journey.

I will be accepting clients who are expecting in February 2025 or later. If you or someone you know is expecting and could use extra support during the 4th trimester, please reach out. I am eager to share my renewed perspective and the wisdom gained through my own transformations to help you navigate your own.

With love and gratitude,
Kelli

PS- Be on the lookout for more changes as I refresh and renew the name/appearance of my practice to better reflect the vibe I want to convey. 🩷

10/14/2022

09/03/2022

So true 🥺

Credit

08/31/2022

MOPS and Moms Next is a wonderful organization that brings mothers from all walks of life together in fellowship as mothers. Whether you are pregnant, a first time mom or have 9 kids-- you're welcome in our group. I have been a part of this group specifically for around 5 years and I still look forward to Wednesday mornings where I can kick back, eat food and visit with other local moms. I've met some of my very best friends in MOPS and I can confidently say that they are the very best "village" or "tribe" any woman could ask for.

Join us on Wednesday, September 7th at 9am! No invitation required, come as you are and let us show you some love. 😊❤️

https://facebook.com/events/s/mopsmoms-next-1st-meeting/826869691773268/

08/22/2022

I lost my husband this morning to a catastrophic stroke. He was only 38 years old.

I am going to take the next several months off from doula-ing to help my children get through this difficult time and to figure out our new normal. I will update this page when I am ready to return to work.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Kelli ❤️

06/20/2022

Just a little FUN fact I picked up this evening. I don't know if this is proven but I see no harm in trying it!!

05/31/2022

I saw this picture and recognized myselg immediately.

I saw the comments. Some good funny stories of toddler terrorists destroying things when mom slept. Some folks saying that they "would never" and grasping at their pearls. 🤷‍♀️

I know some of what I share here is simply mom related and not NEW mom related, but that's because I know there are moms who follow me that now have 1, 2 and 3 year olds.

I know those moms are probably still not sure what the hell they're doing most days. Guess what!?

NEITHER DO I!!

Here is what I do know: a tired mom is a grumpy mom and a grumpy mom is not fun. A tired mom (who isn't under the influence of any substances) can lie ger head on a pillow and close her eyes for an hour and still have her ears perked onto her toddler.

I also know there is no better time, no better toy and no better bribe than a tablet or mommy's phone for keeping a toddler in the bed next to you.

I also know that you are teaching your child that resting when you're tired is okay.

You may not realize this now, but you're also teaching them that when mommy's napping, it's time to be quiet and let her nap. They are learning to respect a boundary when you teach them to let you rest.

So yes, mama... if you're tired, bust out the screen and hand it over without an ounce of guilt.

Take your "eyes closed, ears open" naps and don't forget that you are never alone on this journey called parenthood. ❤️❤️

Sometimes, all you need is a quick nap. It’s okay if your kid has to stare at the screen for a little time while you recuperate. It doesn't make you a lazy mother. It shows you're human.
⁣⁣

📸:

05/25/2022

🚨🚨Marsha's Place Pregnancy Resource Center in Henderson, Ky is handing out free cans of formula to any moms in need - even if you’ve never been associated with them.🚨🚨

Give them a call at +1 (270) 826-9674, let them know what you need, and they’ll set you up‼️

Tune in to 14 NEWS tonight to hear how the employees have been giving back to their community, and even total strangers.

05/22/2022

I do NOT do this for the baby fix.

I do it for the Mom who needs me.

I Won’t Hold Your Baby

…unless you ask me to, in which case, I will snuggle and cuddle your baby as much as you want me to.

I never ask my clients if I can hold their baby. In fact, I rarely ever touch my client’s baby if I can help it. Sounds sort of like the opposite of what you might picture of a doula, right? We must all be birth crazy, baby obsessed women who just want to cover babies in kisses and love and get an emotional high from attending births?

Not this doula.

I LOVE attending births. Call me crazy, but getting those middle of the night calls is one of my favorite parts of this job. I get to listen to someone at their most vulnerable times - the excitement, the hesitation, the nervousness of the unknown. Being able to provide some comfort, reassurance and continuity of care to the people I work with is so important to me (and them!)

Rushing off in the night, quietly getting myself ready, getting in the car and heading off to their home or hospital makes me feel like I’m on a secret birth mission that nobody around me knows about. When I arrive I fall as seamlessly as I can into the rhythm of the birth and start supporting my clients in whatever way they need most.

When the baby arrives I step aside and leave room for the new parents to discover their baby. I try and grab some photos (I’m not a birth photographer though, so keep your expectations in check!) and then I only step in if my client needs me for some reason.

Why does that matter? Why won’t I ask to hold your baby? Simply because: they are yours, not mine. I want you to be able to hold your baby as close as you want, for as long as you want without anyone interrupting that time. There will be enough people coming along in the next few hours and weeks who need to take that baby out of your arms for whatever reason, and tons of friends and family who will offer help by “holding the baby”.

Instead, I want to hold you, whether that’s in my arms, in my heart or my thoughts. By supporting and “holding” you, I don’t need to hold your baby. But if you ask me to, I would LOVE to.

Written by | Bump and Glow- Montreal Doula Services
Artwork by Spirit Y Sol

05/21/2022

Mamas,
This is a gentle reminder that you should never EVER try to "stretch" formula by adding more water than recommended. This action can quickly become fatal for your infant. If you cannot find the formula you need, please reach out and I will discuss options with you. NO CHARGE.

05/13/2022

Many parents are in a panic with the formula shortage right now. I'm working to put together some donor human milk resources but thought I'd share these safe infant formula recipes for those in need.

Please don't use any formula recipes that don't follow the guidelines put forth by the Infant Formula Act in 1980. There are recipes out there from the early 1900s that are not safe.

https://mtcapra.com/goat-milk-formula-recipe/

This goat milk formula recipe is easy to make, budget friendly, and provides an easy to digest protein for your baby

05/05/2022

Quoting a PhD on the stages of postnatal development in women: "One of {the aspects of self} is the 'nurturing self,' which wants to hold, protect, but also deeply wishes to be held and protected..... In order for her to nurture, she wants to get some nurturing... typically by the husband. ....what the woman needs is a much more primitive type of nurturing. We (society) need to acknowledge the wish for nurturing, and nourish and come to terms with it. In order to protect, we have to feel protected." -Martha Lequerica (Mothering the New Mother by Sally Plaskin)

Women need nurturing, and that's why I am in this business. I want to care for mom so she can care for her baby and family.

This mother's day, consider purchasing a gift certificate for my services for the postpartum or soon to be postpartum women in your life. I can guarantee there will be NO regrets ❤️❤️

04/18/2022

7 years ago I posted this photo on Facebook with the caption "Lunchtime with my baby girl."

To some folks, it's a picture of a salad 🥗

To a mother, though- I think this picture says a little bit more. 🥰

What do you see?

04/01/2022

April is C-section awareness month.

Currently in the United States 31.8% of births are cesarean.

Did you know doulas support cesarean births? We do!!

Here are my 3 csection babies.🥰🥰

03/11/2022

Always remember this!

❤️