Brenda Baar // Doula & GentleBirth Instructor

01/02/2022

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Did we support you in 2021?? Comment with a pic of your baby! We love seeing them grow. ❤️

We feel so fortunate to be able to do what we do. Thank you to those who trusted us to provide support and education in such an amazing, challenging, and vulnerable time. We are so grateful.

11/12/2021

A healthy baby is not the ONLY thing that matters.

A healthy baby is NOT the ONLY thing that matters. You are NOT one feeling or one emotion. You are a complex human being who is allowed to have more needs than just staying alive, and more desires than having a healthy baby. The systematic dismissal of the importance of birth experiences and disregard for comprehensive maternal health is, perhaps, the ultimate driving force behind my purpose as a doula and educator. The “A healthy baby is all that matters” platitude is damaging and further perpetuates this disregard and dismissal of women and parents.
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First of all, I have *never* met a parent who wouldn’t do anything necessary for the health of their baby, if recommended by a provider they *trust*. The healthiest parent and baby possible is the bottom line. But. OTHER THINGS MATTER TOO. Acknowledging that trust, autonomy, respect, being heard, and even hopes and dreams MATTER does NOT detract from one’s gratitude for their baby. It is normal and healthy to have an opinion about your body and birth!

Second, these needs can be met *regardless* of mode of delivery or birth preferences obtained/not obtained. When these comprehensive needs are met, many kinds of birth experiences can be positive.

Third. Some babies are not born healthy. How a mother or parent is treated its *always* important. Following the logic of “a healthy baby is all that matters”, then what matters when a baby is not healthy?
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Regardless of preferences, circumstances, controllables, and uncontrollables…How one feels during and about their birth experience affects mental health, physical health, and bonding with their baby. That matters.

Sexism and racism are baked into our maternity care systems and our cultural attitudes about birth and those who give birth. LISTENING is one of the essential parts of deconstructing and dismantling these patriarchal attitudes.

This hierarchy of birth needs is based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. I regard this hierarchy as imperfect and a work in progress!

06/22/2021

I’ve loved supporting Sarah for her past 3 births. ❤️❤️

06/16/2021

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Pain =/= suffering! The vast majority (but not all) of birthing people describe their labor as painful, whether they utilize medication or not. This does not mean that suffering is inevitable! We have a wide array of tools and methods on the table that can make labor more comfortable: mindset strategies, physical comfort measures, and options for medication. It is GOOD to minimize pain in labor, but it is also important to reframe how we think about this discomfort. It is helpful to move from pain = unacceptable to pain = an acceptable challenge with a purpose (both physical and hormonal purposes, but that’s another post). Consider how a runner might think of the physical discomfort involved in the challenge of running a marathon. They lean into and embrace this challenge, instead of viewing it as a threat. This kind of mindset shift takes intentional work and, needless to say, can be utilized along side the use of all other comfort measures including medications.

06/15/2021

Welp our almost 2-year-old business is finally on Instagram. 😆🙄🥰 follow us on both IG and FB!

Hello! We are Brenda Baar, CD(DONA), GBCE and Ginger Hollemans, LMSW, CD(DONA) otherwise known as Eastown Birth Partners.

A little about our history: We have over 12 years of combined experience supporting hundreds of West Michigan families through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

A little about our practice: We work within a partnership model and love it. After several years of working independently, we find that a partnership greatly benefits both us and our clients. In addition to birth doula support, we also offer GentleBirth childbirth education, postpartum doula support, and counseling.

A little about our priorities: We believe that birth does not have to be a terrifying or traumatizing experience and are passionate about raising the bar of how we define a successful, healthy, and positive birth.

06/04/2021

I love postpartum follow up meetings! We discuss feeding, soothing, physical recovery, emotional adjustment, pelvic floor recovery, and reflect on the birth. And sometimes I get to hold a sweet little babe! This is one of my favorite holds for soothing newborns. They love having some pressure on their arms! Works every time. This cute little babe is Hazel Mae, photos shared with permission.

05/17/2021

Upcoming group classes! In-person private classes also available.

12/24/2020

Showing off my favorite Christmas gift. 😍😍

12/22/2020

200 births! I can’t believe it. Thank you to all of my clients who have invited me into such a tender, vulnerable, and intensely beautiful experience. It means so much. And thank you to Ginger Hollemans for providing the partnership to make this job sustainable and even more enjoyable.

Brenda Baar just attended her 200th birth!!
This number represents a lot of late nights, a lot of love, and an unwavering commitment to birthing families in West Michigan.
Brenda was my doula 5 years ago and It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Please join me in congratulating Brenda!
- Ginger

12/16/2020

Help fill our board!! It doesn’t matter how big your doula baby is. ❤️❤️

I’m having fun rearranging cards and birth announcements.
Send us your holiday cards and help us add to our board! 🎄🕎🎁

12/09/2020

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2020 has been quite a year for Eastown Birth. It is impossible to summarize the joy, hardship, and uncertainty that has surrounded birthing families this year. Brenda and I feel so fortunate to be a small part of so many of your stories. *Feel free to share a picture of your doula baby below in comments!*

Brenda and I are over a year into into our formal partnership and we are thrilled with how team doula work has strengthened our abilities and outreach. We have attended more homebirths this year, a trend we love and hope will continue. Please contact us early as we are filling up very quickly!

I have been able to serve several families in my newer role as a postpartum doula, a job I absolutely love! Brenda is teaching Gentlebirth monthly, and I am co-facilitating monthly postpartum support group and providing counseling and therapy virtually as well.

We have an exciting update to share very soon, as well as year end stats in the upcoming weeks.
(Photo of me and Kelsey Dean with West Michigan Midwifery admiring beautiful baby Luna during her newborn exam. *shared with permission from mom Tasha.)
-Ginger