Sunstone Doula and Birth Services

10/15/2022

11/24/2021

I got some great recommendations of places to donate clothes to on Long Island from my stories the other day, so I figured I’d share !

- For Days
- Branches Long Island (FB Group)
- Saint Annes Church
- Freecycle (FB group)
- Mamas Helping Mama’s LI (FB group)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters

Other non-local recommendations that arent nevessarily just donations but I got for clothing- recycling are:

- For Days
- Thred Up
- Savers

I’m sure there are a ton of places I’m not including but next time you think of throwing clothes out, or even dropping in the clothing bins (someone told me someone admitted to them to taking them out & selling them) refer to this post and donate to families in need instead!

and comment below and other places you like to donate and I’ll update to add 👗👖👚

11/17/2021

WORLD PREMATURITY DAY

Consider donating to the NICU Mama Project to help support the families at that need it this holiday season.
mamas

My sister and I were both born premature at Stony Brook (23 and 26 years ago) which I now like to think has set the trajectory for my life and coming into the work of helping support families as a doula.

First picture is me born at 33 weeks 4lbs 5oz and the 3rd &4th are my sister born at 31weeks 2lbs 4oz.

God bless my amazing mother for all that she went through as both a new mom, and at home with a toddler. We are so lucky to have had amazing NICU nurses, doctors, family and friends to help with our entrance into this world !

11/01/2021

5 Stretches for your Period 🩸

Here are a few stretches that feel super good and restorative on my period.

I recently read an analogy relating the phases of your menstrual cycle to the seasons— menstruation is like the winter— where you may want to stay inside, relax, and most of all take care of yourself. Ive been taking this week slow and yoga is one of the only effective ways I have found ti slow myself down!

1. Neck stretches/rolls
2. easy pose with side body stretch to left & right
3. Downward puppy
4. pigeon pose (use a pillow—caution you may fall asleep)
5. Legs up to wall/ block stand— I used a pillow but you can place a block under hips to elevate. My most favorite pose of all!

Join me Tuesday evenings at 7pm on Zoom where I usually do most if not all of these💜🙏🏻 🧘🏻‍♀️

10/27/2021

I honestly hate hearing when people refer to others as “the picture of health.”

I used to be guilty (and still am sometimes) of looking at other people and striving to be like them because they seemed so healthy.

Everyones version of health can be so different- it isn’t all about your food. What’s good for me isn’t necessarily good for you.

What I used to think being healthy meant:

- eating vegan
- heated yoga classes every night of the week where I pushed to my limit
- Gaining experience working 40+ hours a week
- Being “all natural” not wearing any make up
- “saving” my money every way I could and limiting myself to a strict budget.

what health for me actually is…

- various types of yoga, walking, & weight training
- Eating balanced from every food group
- working hard in school/work while also prioritizing nurturing myself.
- sleeping more
- switching to QUALITY products for make up/skincare
- Investing in myself, my health & happiness without sticking to a strict budget and living my life🤪 (good for some people, not for me!)

What ideas about health have changed for you? 🍎 🥬 🧘🏻‍♀️ 😴

10/21/2021

B A L A N C E

PSA that you can do all the yoga you want— but true balance is a gradual processing of learning boundaries, time management, production, energy investment, enjoying life and staying genuine 🥰

10/05/2021

5 things you may not know about midwives !

1. They can deliver babies in hospitals, birth centers, and at home.

2. They provide full-scope reproductive and well women’s care from puberty- menopause.

3. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends midwives as an evidence-based approach to reducing maternal mortality.

4. Among women with low-risk pregnancies, midwifery care is associated with fewer preterm births and labor interventions (PubMed)

5. In most other countries, midwives greatly outnumber ob-gyns. Midwives provide most prenatal care and deliveries in the U.K. and the Netherlands — countries considered to have among the strongest primary care systems in Europe (commonwealthfund.org)

10/01/2021

New month, new goals 🍁 💚

Theres something about the start of a new month that is refreshing— I’ve always loved flipping a new page in my planner!

I also like to take a minute to set some intentions.

My intentions for October:

1. Take on less non-school responsibilities and put my all into my studies📚

2. Make it to the gym a consistent # of days per week 🏋🏻‍♀️

3. Spend less time on my phone 📱

Let me know one of your intentions below ⬇️ and bring on spooky season 🎃 👻

09/24/2021

Living on call is not easy!

Here are a few things I always do so I can be ready at the drop of a 🎩

1. Phone fully charged— until I became a doula I was awful with this. Always the friend who’s phone was dead. When you have to be ready to support someone for perhaps 12+ hours— this is essential. Your client may need you at any moment and this is your line of communication!

2. Phone on full volume— most doulas will vouch that the anxiety of going to sleep at night not knowing if youll hear your phone is REAL. Who else checks the volume 10x before they close their eyes? and then when they wake up randomly *just to be sure* ?!

3. Full Belly— this one is important. Having snacks packed in your birth bag is great, but I like to have food meal prepped in the refrigerator to eat right before or on the way. You naturally may be so busy during the birth not have time for your snacks— or run through them all. Doulas need energy too!

4. Full Gas Tank — whats more stressful then needing to rush to a birth? Rushing with your gas light on. You’ll still probably let this happen— don’t do it. The prices probably aren’t going to drop if you wait one more day, just fill up your car🤪

5. Support System
As a doula you need to be able to exist your life to enter others. I need to make sure that I have back ups for any other jobs that I have. If you are a doula with children or pets— you need to make sure someone can tend to them in your absence. I also like to start preparing for the recovery I may need after a bjrth (food, massage, etc) and as a student make sure my assignments are done or email professors. Maybe even let your doula friends or back up you’re going, so if you need to debrief the experience they got you💜

Doulas, what else do you do when your on call?

09/06/2021

Free Yoga tomorrow AM

join me on zoom💛 message me for details !

ps. enjoy my funny breathwork faces— yoga should never be about looking good 🤣🤪

08/15/2021

Zoom Yoga Tuesday August 17th 9am!

Grab a friend and lets start our Tuesday off with some mindfulness and movement 🌳

DM me your email in the for the zoom link or any questions!

Free of charge, donate what you can🖤