The Growing Place

07/22/2025

Taking care of yourself during pregnancy is just as important as taking care of your baby.

Today’s tip is: Get enough sleep.

How to help get good sleep…

1. Stick to a sleep schedule
2. Left side sleeping
3. Limit fluids before bed
4. Establish a wind down routine
5. Use white noise or fan
6. Avoid screens before bed
7. Exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime!)
8. Addresses heartburn and nausea

Why Getting Enough Sleep During Pregnancy Matters

1. Maternal Health and Wellbeing
• Reduced Risk of Gestational Diabetes
Studies show that sleeping less than 6 hours per night in early pregnancy is linked to higher risk of gestational diabetes.
Source: American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2010

• Lower Risk of Pre-eclampsia
Poor sleep, especially sleep apnea and frequent waking, is associated with a greater risk of high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia.
Source: Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2014

• Improved Immune Function
Adequate sleep helps regulate the immune system, which is already altered during pregnancy. Sleep deprivation may increase susceptibility to infections.
Source: Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 2007

• Reduced Risk of Depression and Anxiety
Insomnia and poor sleep quality are strong predictors of postpartum depression and anxiety.
Source: Journal of Affective Disorders, 2016

2. Fetal Development

• Healthy Birth Weight
Consistently poor sleep has been linked to increased risk of low birth weight.
Source: Sleep Medicine, 2014

• Reduced Risk of Preterm Birth
Some studies suggest sleep disturbances in the second and third trimesters may contribute to preterm labor.
Source: Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2011

3. Labor Outcomes

• Better Labor and Delivery Outcomes
Sleeping fewer than 6 hours per night in the last month of pregnancy is associated with longer labor and a higher likelihood of C-section.
Source: American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2004

Get those Zzzzzzz’s

07/15/2025

Pregnancy Tip Tuesday:

Taking care of yourself during pregnancy is just as important as taking care of your baby.

Today’s tip is: Manage stress

Managing stress during pregnancy is important for both maternal and baby health, and there’s strong evidence behind why.

🧠 Why Managing Stress in Pregnancy Matters

1. Impact on Fetal Development
• High maternal cortisol (stress hormone) can cross the placenta, especially in early and mid-pregnancy, and may impact fetal brain development and stress regulation.
• Studies link chronic stress to:
• Low birth weight
• Preterm birth
• Higher risk of ADHD or behavioral issues in childhood

2. Maternal Health Risks
• Elevated stress increases risk for:
• Pre-eclampsia
• Gestational hypertension
• Postpartum depression and anxiety
• Poor sleep and nutrition patterns

✅ Evidence-Based Stress Management Strategies

1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
• What it is: Meditation, body scanning, and yoga techniques aimed at increasing present-moment awareness.
• Evidence: Multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) show that MBSR reduces anxiety, depression, and perceived stress in pregnant women.
• Try: Some guided meditation daily (apps like Headspace or Insight Timer have prenatal tracks)

2. Prenatal Yoga
• What it does: Combines gentle movement, breathwork, and relaxation.
• Evidence: A 2012 meta-analysis showed reduced cortisol levels and improved mood in women who practiced prenatal yoga regularly.
• Try: 2–3 sessions/week under trained supervision (online or in-person classes)

3. Social Support
• Why it matters: Strong emotional and practical support buffers stress.
• Evidence: Studies consistently show that women with good social support have lower rates of perinatal mood disorders and better birth outcomes.
• Try: Join a prenatal support group, stay connected with friends/family, or work with a doula, like us!

4. Sleep and Rest Hygiene
• What helps: Sleep hygiene improves mood and stress resilience.
• Evidence: Poor sleep in pregnancy is linked with higher stress and risk for depression.
• Tips:
• Keep a consistent bedtime
• Use white noise
• Avoid screens an hour before bed

07/10/2025

Our clients are the best. Here’s what one had to say…

07/08/2025

Pregnancy Tip Tuesday:

Taking care of yourself during pregnancy is just as important as taking care of your baby.

Today’s tip: Hire a doula

Beyond the face that we are a doula agency and doula work is our bread and butter, its evidence backed… see!

Hiring a doula is supported by a solid body of evidence showing benefits for both birthing parents and babies — physically, emotionally, and in terms of outcomes. Here is a breakdown of the most important research-based evidence:

1. Better Birth Outcomes

A 2017 Cochrane Review (based on 26 studies and over 15,000 women) found that continuous support during labor — especially from someone not part of the hospital staff or a personal friend/family member (i.e., a doula) — led to:
• 39% lower risk of cesarean birth
• 15% increased likelihood of spontaneous vaginal birth
• 10% decrease in the use of pain medications
• Shorter labor by about 41 minutes on average
• Higher satisfaction with the birth experience

(Source: Bohren et al., 2017, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)

2. Reduced Medical Interventions
• Lower rates of epidural use, forceps/vacuum deliveries, and labor-inducing medications (like Pitocin).
• When a doula is present, people are more likely to have fewer interventions without increasing risk.

3. Emotional and Psychological Support
• Doulas provide non-judgmental, continuous emotional support, which improves maternal confidence and reduces anxiety.
• Mothers with doulas are less likely to report trauma or dissatisfaction with their birth experience.

Doula support is also linked to safer, more respectful care and improved outcomes, which is particularly important in marginalized groups.

Hire a doula!

07/08/2025

In person support for new moms is here!
As a reminder, we are meeting on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, alternating locations with Lehigh Lactation and our Freemansburg Ave location.
Help us share the word, and we'll see y'all next week!

06/24/2025

Have you ever wondered if being a perinatal Doula is right for you? Here are questions we’ve been asked about becoming a Doula. Perinatal Doula trainings are forming now through The Growing Place contact us for more information.

06/16/2025

I’m excited to share a wonderful opportunity with you at The Growing Place. We are co-hosting “Spilled Milk,” a support group for breastfeeding and new mothers, in collaboration with Lehigh Lactation. This event is hosted by an experienced postpartum doula and IBCLC lactation consultant.

Join us tomorrow, June 17th, at 10 AM for this free event where you can connect with other new moms, discuss topics like feeding and pumping, and share experiences about motherhood. Babies are welcome, too!

We hope to see you there!

06/06/2025

We are now offering a Perinatal Doula Certification Program for current and aspiring doulas beyond the Lehigh Valley! To learn more about this program, click the link in our bio and scroll to the bottom of our home page. We hope to hear from you soon! 💜🌱

05/22/2025

Hey Clients... past and present!

Would you share some words about your experience at The Growing Place? Did you take a class, book a package? Encapsulate a placenta? Have some help postpartum? Love your doula?

We have official testimonials online, BUT we'd love to share some client excerpts on our social media pages here and there, so we're making a little side list to pull from.

If you could leave a comment below with a short (or long, haha) testimonial, or send a private message, we'd much appreciate it!

If you feel moved to leave an official testimonial, you can do so here: https://tinyurl.com/GrowingPlaceGoogle-Review

05/09/2025

It has been awesome to see the midwifery prcactice grow!
If you are planning to deliver at Lehigh Valley hospital, this is an option for you!

What if your prenatal appointments included expert guidance, a built-in support system and lifelong friendships? For Samantha and Angelo DeLuca, CenteringPregnancy® was more than maternity care; it connected them with a supportive community that made all the difference. 💙👶 CenteringPregnancy® brings parents-to-be together for group care, creating a space to learn, share and grow. See how it shaped their journey to parenthood: https://bit.ly/4d71H8Q.

05/03/2025

Please join us, starting this week, for in person breastfeeding and new mom support!
We will be alternating locations between Lehigh Lactation and our office to help serve the broader community!
Please help spread the word, and we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

05/02/2025

A local woman is working to build focus groups with moms of littles from our area. If you'd like to be considered, please fill out this interest form!

🌟 Focus Group Interest Form: Supporting Baby's Gross Motor Development 🌟 Thank you for considering participating in our upcoming Zoom chat! Participants will receive a gift card thank-you gift as appreciation for their time! We’re gathering insights from parents of babies (0–12 months) to ...