Carolyne Falank Doula Services

09/06/2025

"Birth is not only about making babies. It's about making mothers—strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength."
— Barbara Katz Rothman

06/21/2025

06/17/2025

Postpartum Nourishment: More Than Just a Meal

In the quiet days after birth, your body is doing sacred work — healing, replenishing, and learning to nourish another life.

This is a time to be gentle with yourself. To choose warm, grounding foods. To sip slowly, rest often, and receive care as you give it. 🫶

Postpartum nourishment isn’t just about calories — it’s about comfort, warmth, and rebuilding. Bone broth, stews, herbal teas, fruits, healthy fats — these aren’t just traditional, they’re deeply healing.

05/24/2025

Motherhood is a journey of both the extraordinary and the everyday.

It’s the tiny, tired hands that reach for yours in the dark…
The whispered “I love you” that makes your heart swell…
The long days that feel like they’ll never end, but somehow, when you blink, years have flown by.

It’s sticky fingers, sleepless nights, and hearts so full they ache. It’s the mess, the chaos, the love, the growth.

Motherhood stretches us, shapes us, and shows us strength we never knew we had.

To all the mamas who are tired, to the ones who are overwhelmed, to the ones who feel like they’re not enough; you are doing the most important work. You are raising the next generation with your hands and heart.

Take a deep breath, give yourself grace, and remember…

You are enough.
You are so deeply loved.
And you are exactly the mother your children need

05/22/2025

Something simple you can do while waiting for baby:

Make a birth & labor vision board.

It doesn’t have to be fancy, just a page or two with words, quotes, Scripture, images, or colors that bring you peace, strength, and calm. 💗

It can be as simple as:
-A few birth affirmations
-Words that remind you how strong you are
-Pictures that help you visualize a calm space
-Reminders that you're supported, capable, and safe

Stick it near your bed, in your birth space, or keep it in your bag. It's a beautiful, grounding thing to focus on in those last weeks.

05/18/2025

There’s something deeply soothing about steeping in warm water surrounded by healing herbs—especially after the intensity of birth. It’s not just about recovery, it’s about honoring what your body has done and giving it the gentleness it deserves.

Whether you soak alone or share the bath with your baby, these quiet moments of care can be incredibly grounding.

Here’s a simple herbal bath recipe:

🌸 Postpartum Herbal Bath Blend:
1/2 cup dried calendula flowers – promotes skin healing
1/2 cup dried lavender – calming for nerves and skin
1/2 cup dried chamomile – anti-inflammatory and soothing
1/4 cup dried yarrow – supports tissue repair and reduces swelling
1/4 cup dried plantain leaf – helps soothe and protect skin
Optional: 1/4 cup Epsom salts for extra relaxation

Instructions:
Mix all the herbs together and store in a jar or muslin bag. When ready to use, place 1 cup of the blend into a large pot and cover with boiling water. Let steep 20–30 minutes.

Strain and pour the herbal infusion into your warm bath. Soak for 15–30 minutes. Breathe. Rest. Receive.

You can also use the cooled tea for sitz baths or pour it over pads and freeze them with some witch hazel for DIY “padsicles.”

Postpartum is tender, holy ground. Let every act of care be a reminder—you deserve softness, mama.

05/11/2025

Today we celebrate the strength, tenderness, and unwavering love of mothers in all forms—birth mothers, adoptive mothers, grandmothers, stepmoms, mother figures, doggie moms and those who carry the heart of a mother.

To the mamas in the thick of it, the ones raising babies, guiding teens, or remembering children held only in their hearts—you are seen, loved, and appreciated more than words can say.

May you feel honored, supported, and reminded of the beauty you bring to the world just by being you.

05/10/2025

5 Gentle Tips for the Postpartum Season

Whether it’s your first baby or your fifth, the early weeks after birth deserve care, patience, and support. Here are a few doula-approved reminders for a smoother postpartum transition:

1. Rest is recovery.
Your body just did something incredible. Prioritize sleep and rest when you can, even over chores.

2. Nourish deeply.
Warm, easy-to-digest meals like broths, stews, and herbal teas can support healing and milk supply.

3. Accept (and ask for) help.
Say yes to meals, laundry help, or someone holding baby while you shower. You don’t have to do it all.

4. Hydrate like it’s your job.
Especially if breastfeeding—water, coconut water, and herbal infusions are your best friends.

5. Feel all the feelings.
It’s normal to experience a wide range of emotions. Talk to someone you trust. You're not alone.

Postpartum is powerful, tender, and important. Let yourself be cared for.

04/30/2025

The Birth Is Just the Beginning—Let’s Talk Postpartum.

So much focus is placed on pregnancy and birth—but what about the days, weeks, and months after baby arrives? The postpartum period is a time of deep transformation, and it deserves just as much support and care.

Postpartum doulas help you navigate this sacred (and often overwhelming) season with more rest, more confidence, and a lot more support.

Here’s what postpartum support can look like:

✨Emotional check-ins when everything feels like a lot.

✨Practical help with newborn care, meal prep, and organizing the day.

✨Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding guidance to reduce stress.

✨Non-judgmental presence—someone to listen and hold space.

✨Support for the whole family, not just the baby.

The postpartum season isn’t meant to be survived—it’s meant to be supported. You don’t have to do this alone.

If you’re expecting or already in the thick of newborn life, let’s talk about how you can feel more grounded, rested, and truly seen.

You’re not “just” a new mom—you’re becoming something new. Let’s honor that.

04/27/2025

Today I reflect on what my VBAC gave me 5 years ago.

It gave me healing I didn’t know I was still aching for.

It gave me a chance to believe in my body again, to trust myself again. To release the trauma from both my first birthing experience and my miscarriage.

It gave me tears — the kind that fall from a place so deep inside, you didn’t even realize they were trapped there.

It gave me a version of myself I had been searching for — it wasn’t just about how my baby entered the world — it was about reclaiming my voice, my power, and my story.

This was more than a birth. It was a homecoming. I’ll never be the same... and I’m so grateful for that. Happy birthday sweet boy

04/23/2025

This week, we pause to recognize and honor the countless individuals and families navigating the journey of infertility. It’s a path filled with uncertainty, hope, grief, strength, and courage.

As a doula, I’ve walked beside families at many stages: some in celebration, some in sorrow. Infertility is not often talked about openly, but it affects 1 in 6 people worldwide. Behind every statistic is a story—often quiet, deeply personal, and filled with resilience.

To those struggling, waiting, grieving, or hoping—your story matters. You are seen, you are heard, and you are not alone.

This week is about awareness, but also about compassion. Let’s choose our words carefully, listen with open hearts, and support one another, wherever we may be on the path to parenthood.