The Pregnancy Doula

10/03/2024

I’ll go to my grave whole heartedly believing that the key to having an empowered birth is good prep.

Good prep breeds confidence and empowerment.

Why? Because when you (and your partner) are informed, know what to expect, are aware of what you need to look out for, are educated on all the birthy things, are intentional with choosing your provider and the rest of your birth team, and learn how to listen to your body and advocate for yourself and your baby, there’s little-to-no room for fear or anxiety to creep in.

I’ve personally experienced two completely different yet fully fearless births - and I credit so much of that to the amazing prep we had prior to going into labor.
Whether you’re birthing in a hospital or out, medicated or unmedicated, prepping and educating yourself is so crucial.

Click the link in my bio to set up a free consult and let’s chat about how I can help you and your birth partner prep for confidence in labor!

08/10/2024

08/09/2024

I was in labor for 46 hours with my first.
There was never anything wrong, sweet thing was just taking her time to move down and join us.
But it was HARD.
We did all the things, and by the end, I was absolutely exhausted.
But I did it. And I can 100000000% say I would NOT have handled it as well as I did without the amazing prep my husband and I had/did ahead of time.

There was never any fear in our pregnancy, our home, or our birth space.
There was no worry. No stress. No panic. Just peace and determination.
We knew what we were walking into, and were confident in what we were doing.
We were able to make informed decisions.
I knew what was happening in and to my body the entire time.
My husband knew how to support me.
He was able to make decisions when I really got into my zone and no longer could.
I knew how to listen to my body.
We never had to second guess what was happening or what we were doing. We knew the risks and benefits of everything.
We knew we had chosen a strong birth team - we were in good hands and we knew we were prepared to handle it all.
And that ALL comes down to how prepared we were going into labor.

So, if you’re pregnant or TTC, keep this little nugget in mind:
Yes, you can go into labor without prepping and it will just be what it’s going to be.
You can put your birth experience in the hands of your provider, but I guarantee that will simply get you the birth your provider wants you to have.
Not prepping ahead of time strips you of the control you have over your body, your baby, and your birth.
Educating yourself gives the power back to you to make informed decisions, advocate for the birth you want, remove fear and stress along the way, and birth intuitively and YOUR way.

Click the link in my bio to schedule a free consult.
Let’s get you and your partner prepped and ready for your birth!

08/06/2024

I was talking to a fellow mama yesterday, and when she asked me what I do, we started talking about birth and why I’m so passionate about helping families prep for labor.

“I help families prep for labor so they can understand…”
She quickly interjected her response: “how terrible it is?”

I chuckled a little, and said, “No, so they can understand that birth doesn’t have to be terrible.”

We continued on to have a really great conversation.
But I kept thinking about what she said throughout the day, and my heart sank for all the mamas who walk around with that as their knee-jerk response to birth - “Ugh. Birth? Yeah, it’s TERRIBLE!”
Painful, scary, overwhelming, awful, traumatic.

How sad is it that birth, one of the most natural and beautiful things a woman’s body goes through and does, has been turned into the negative experience it’s so often considered today?

Birth shouldn’t be scary or traumatic, and when you prep enough ahead of time and know what’s going on, what to do, and can intuitively listen to your body, most of the time… it ISN’T.

Prepping for labor gives you the knowledge and information you need to know what you can expect, make informed decisions, advocate for yourself and your baby, and protect your birth experience. It gives your partner the insight they need to properly support you prior to, during, and after labor. It takes away that empty space where fear can creep in and, instead, fills it with knowledge, empowerment, and confidence that you CAN do it!

Birth shouldn’t be scary. And with the right prep, it doesn’t have to be.

Click the link in my bio to set up a free consult!
Let’s get you and your partner prepped for your birth!

07/30/2024

I’m working on launching my (mostly) birth-focused embroidery business, and am so excited to share my first product!

Custom Embroidered Birth Announcements - starting at $75

Comes standard with cream linen and black thread on a 6 in. wooden hoop with a protective backing.
(Color changes and/or additional customizations are available for an extra charge)

Hand embroidered by me, complete with YOUR kiddo’s name, foot prints, and birth info! (Look at sweet B’s little foot prints! 😍)

I’m working on a landing page that can accept payments, but for now, just shoot me a message if you’re interested!

I’d love to preserve some of your favorite memories for you! ❤️

02/15/2024

Contractions.
They’re not comfortable, but they ARE manageable!
Check out these 10 tips for coping with your contractions (and the pain that can come with them) in labor!

11/30/2023

Hey Mamas!
I’m so stoked to be able to share my YouTube channel, MomFirmations, with y’all!

I’m super passionate about empowering moms to believe in themselves and their abilities to carry, birth, and care for their children.
I have a LOT of plans for this baby - the videos will provide affirmations from moms along ALL points in their momhood journey (pregnancy, loss, and infertility included).
So make sure you subscribe to stay connected and get notified when a new video goes up!

If I’m being honest, working on these has been eye opening and helpful for me, too, bringing things to light and helping me recognize where I’m at currently and the mom I want to be for my girls. Simply put, they’ve been helpful for me, too!
*** We’re all in this TOGETHER! ***

Click the link in my bio to check out my channel!
Each video is quick (typically 5 minutes or less) and easy to pop on and listen to while you get ready for the day.
We all need support and encouragement, and I hope these affirmations can be even a sliver of that for you in your days.

Always remember:
You are strong.
You are capable.
You are beautiful.
You’re doing a great job.
You are not alone.
You are exactly who your children need you to be.
You are an AMAZING mom.

Good morning, Mama.Relax and get ready for your day with these morning affirmations. Remember, you are strong and resilient. You are beautiful. You are enoug...

11/17/2023

I’m baaaackkk y’all! 🙌🏼❤️
I had to take some impromptu time off over the past year or so, but I’m back and SO excited to be able to start taking clients again.

Click the link in my bio and check out my new and improved website and service packages.
*** I am no longer taking birth doula clients, and will be solely focusing on labor prep + education, partner + mental prep, birth planning, postpartum support, and fertility support.

Bear with me on the content - I’m getting back in the groove!

Tell your sisters, your besties, your neices, your cousins, your neighbors, your coworkers - tell * them * all!!
The Pregnancy Doula is BACK and open for business!

05/22/2023

One of the first steps to understanding our bodies and how they function is understanding how our cycles work. There's way more to them than meets the eye!

As we hit puberty, we're often taught that we have a period each month and how to manage it, but there's not much (if anything) about our cycle, what's actually going on in our bodies, or WHY we even have periods to begin with. *eye roll*

Sure, this is a pretty basic concept, but, believe it or not, it's one that is still not as widely known as it should be. It's the starting line for understanding the ebbs and flows of what's going on in your body, and helps put the pieces together for many of the other things you might experience - hormone fluctuations, quality of sleep, and energy levels (to name just a few).

Disclaimer: cycle days are based on a 28-day cycle, with ovulation occurring on day 15. *Not everyone has a 28-day cycle, which could offset their cycle days.

05/16/2023

Let’s talk about BIRTH TEAMS!

I could talk for HOURS about how important your birth team is. Who you have supporting you in your birth space plays such a huge role in the success of your desired birth. It helps set the environment in the room, it affects your headspace, and ultimately how your birth goes and how your baby is brought into the world.

Choosing your birth team should never be done flippantly or taken lightly.

A few tips:
- Interview all providers, doulas, and photographers/videographers prior to going into labor. Make sure their morals and vision for your birth align with yours. Ask yourself if you trust and feel safe with each person. If the answer is “no” for anyone, it may be time to rearrange or re-evaluate.

- Be intentional with any additional people you choose to have in your room. For example: if you know you aren’t someone who typically enjoys large crowds, you may benefit from only having the necessary people in the room. If there is someone you want to join your team, ask yourself whether or not they’ll contribute positively to your labor experience. They should be able to support without bringing any stress, controlling, or offering unsolicited advice.

- Don’t be afraid to set boundaries and stand up for the birth you want along the way. If you start realizing someone on your birth team may not be a beneficial person in your space, consider talking to them or going with someone else all together.

Our birth team should help set us up for success. They should support, assist, and guide us through the ebbs and flows of labor, contributing positively to the space we desire to have throughout labor. They should make us feel safe and well cared for. A peaceful headspace in labor is EVERYTHING.
Set yourself up well - be intentional with your birth team.

Doula:
Midwife:
Birth center:
📸:

12/01/2022

Welcome earthside, sweet Kaliyah Soul!
This birth was, by far, the most incredible birth I've been a part of, and such a beautiful example of how our bodies are designed to birth naturally. Mama listened to her body, labored like a rockstar, and pushed her baby out completely on her own at home (her awesome midwife couldn't make it in time - Baby was ready!). Sweet girl's Daddy and I caught her and Mama handled the rest!

Will definitely forever be such a special birth. As always, I'm so beyond honored to have been invited into this journey with these amazing repeat client friends.

11/21/2022

Hey, y’all! IM BAAAAAACK and I’ve brought some exciting news with me!

I’ve been super MIA over the last several months, but I promise, it’s not been for nothing. I’ve been putting a lot of my time, energy, and focus into the coursework and completion of a new The Pregnancy Doula venture and milestone.

I am SO excited to announce that I am officially a CERTIFIED FERTILITY DOULA!

Understanding our bodies, hormones, and fertility as a whole is something I’ve grown so incredibly passionate about. It affects so much of our day to day. Im beyond thrilled to now offer mental + emotional support + education throughout your menstrual cycle each month as you navigate your fertility journey. This includes education and resources for things like understanding your menstrual cycle, fertility options and treatments, cycle charting, and birth control options, mental and educational support through the ebbs and flows of infertility, assistance and education on fertility-friendly lifestyle adjustments to get your body feeling and functioning its best, and emotional support through the ups and downs of trying to conceive (and more!).

A few other announcements:
•I’ve re-branded my website, so you’ll also start to see new, on-brand posts here on FB.
•Other than repeat clients, friends, and family members, I am currently not accepting birth clients.
•I’m still covering pregnancy and labor prep! From here on out, this page will be dedicated to all things prenatal - information on hormones, fertility and infertility, conception, pregnancy, and of course, labor and birth prep!

Thank you all for sticking with me as I took some time off IG to tackle this huge milestone! So excited for what’s to come with The Pregnancy Doula in the coming months!