Laura Pascoe - Doula, Childbirth Educator, and Couples Support Specialist

08/15/2025

Attn Postpartum Folks! I love Erin, and I have so much respect for the extensive knowledge, care, and intentionality she brings to helping people feel more comfortable and balanced in their bodies. Here are some amazing pop up classes just for you!

Schedule your appointment online Erin McCabe Wellness

08/12/2025

This guy ♥️ And this cat who we affectionately refer to as “Fluffbutt” 😂

Okay but here’s the thing: When fathers are emotionally engaged and share caregiving from the start, research shows benefits ripple out in every direction — babies thrive, partners feel more supported, and dads report greater life satisfaction.

And “caregiving” isn’t just diapers and dishes (though those matter too) — it’s showing up in the small, everyday moments of comfort, play, and presence. It’s building secure attachment through snuggles, silly faces, late-night pacing with a fussy newborn, comforting our kids after a bad dream… or even a snuggle with one of our cats. 🐾

The data is clear: kids do better when their dads are involved — and that includes dads who support their children for exactly who they are, including those whose gender identity might differ from expectations.

Supportive dads protect kids’ mental health, increase their confidence, and help them flourish.

💛 I love supporting partners — during pregnancy, birth, and beyond. If you want to feel confident in your role and know exactly how to make a positive difference in birth, check out my free Partner Cheat Sheet for Birth at www.LauraPascoe.com (link in bio).

Follow me for more evidence-based and compassion-oriented tools for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting.

07/21/2025

Ever wondered if you could predict when you would go into labor? If you are in early pregnancy (first trimester) you may be eligible to join this fascinating study examining how/if we can better understand average length of pregnancy and a personalized estimation of WHEN your labor might begin! Check out link below :)

An Institutional Review Board responsible for human subjects research at The University of Arizona reviewed this research project and found it to be acceptable, according to applicable state and federal regulations and University policies designed to protect the rights and welfare of participants in...

07/10/2025

✨ “I feel prepared and so excited for birth.”
That’s the heart of what I hope every family walks away with — not because we’ve mapped out every step, but because we’ve taken the time to prepare for the unknown.

This 5-star review captures what my Advanced Birth Prep series is all about: thoughtful, evidence-based support that helps you feel informed, grounded, and connected — to the research, to your choices, and to each other.

It’s not about scripting a particular kind of birth. It’s about preparing for the one you’ll have — with calm, confidence, and clarity.

💛 My fall is nearly fully booked (what a gift!), and I’m starting to plan for early 2026. If this kind of care is what you’re looking for, I’d love to hear from you.

06/16/2025

Happy Father’s Day!! And a special Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful partner and my father.

This weekend, my husband John spent hours painting my dad’s walls—just one of many things on our family’s never-ending to-do list. And in the midst of it all, he had the wisdom to pause, notice we both needed a moment, and start an impromptu game that brought laughter and lightness back into the day. 🎨🛠️💫

I’m so grateful for my loving, thoughtful partner who shows up again and again—not just for me and our kids, but for my dad too, now that he lives nearby (it’s been very exciting ya’ll!). And for my dad, who taught me before I even had words that men can be nurturing, present, and free to defy every gender norm they choose. 💕

As a doula, childbirth educator, and couples support specialist, I am passionate about supporting men in stepping fully into fatherhood—not as a performance, but as a relationship and an ongoing commitment to being imperfect, loving humans. Here’s to all the dads showing up with love, presence, and heart. 💙✨

05/21/2025

Our Vermont town had a massive storm on Saturday night, and a tree crashed through the home of our dear friends Jess and Alek Deva. In an instant, their house—where they were with their two little ones, ages 3 and 6—was ruined, between the tree damage and immediate and immense water damage as water poured down the walls and stairs of their beloved home. Miraculously, they’re all safe. But their home is unlivable, and the road ahead is full of unknowns.

Jess and Alek are amazing humans, coparents, and partners. And they are a part of the heart of our community. They are generous, grounded, deeply kind people—and they are navigating this with incredible grace and clarity in the face of total upheaval.

Watching their family weather this crisis has reminded me so much of birth and early parenthood. Not because they’re the same (they’re not), but because both involve sudden change, decision-making overload, and an overwhelming need for support.

This moment has reaffirmed something I already knew in my bones: we are not meant to do life alone. Not in labor, not in postpartum, not when everything tilts sideways.

This is why I do the work I do as a doula.
This is why community matters.

❤️‍🩹

05/17/2025

“Wait... what if we stopped talking about interventions and started talking about decision-making moments instead?”

Birth isn’t a test you can study for. As I often say to my clients/students, “you can’t cognitive your way thru birth.” It’s full of unknowns. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared.

As a doula + childbirth educator + couples support specialist, I help you explore the choices that might come your way—before they’re urgent—so you can move through labor and postpartum feeling informed, supported, aligned with what matters most to you—and connected as a couple. This involves understanding how the evidence and various choices involved in potential decision making points line up (or not) with your goals, values, and preferences.

✨ It’s not about having a script.
It’s about building a foundation that can flex when things get real.

Curious to learn more? Follow me ➡️ for more evidence based and compassion-centered pregnancy, birth, postpartum and relationship support.

And check out my website for free resources!

05/13/2025

A beautiful article full of amazing mothers of LGBTQ+ kids, including a lovely friend of mine Tyler Crone! Read and see what real strength looks and sounds like (spoiler: it's loving your kids unconditionally for who they are, and allowing yourself to grow through the process of loving them) https://www.vogue.com/article/mothers-day-lgbtqia-children-stories?fbclid=IwY2xjawKQVLlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFtUkwzb3BWclhJQXJKRkl4AR7aLHvvE04dLMW8IyPlPSojx4sAKFZkfZWELGuhA_xYwqkbUx3UGK2WCSy6Dw_aem_4uWMyKsFEZ7HuBecg61CNw

Advocacy is a mother fighting on behalf of her child. Here, mothers across America who are sticking up for and speaking out on behalf of their LGBTQIA+ children share their stories.

05/08/2025

I hesitated to post this because, well, sharing kind words about yourself can feel awkward. 😬 But my 2025 word for myself is "Brave," and I'm working on stepping into that in a variety of ways!

So...I received a beautiful card the other day in the mail (snail mail! So lovely!!) from a friend and local doula colleague I've had the opportunity to work with in both my doula capacity and in my role working with school districts to advance gender inclusivity and equity. It was just so darn thoughtful that they thought to send this. And their words truly touched me, as they reflect what I strive for: leadership with warmth, deep listening, and the kind of community that heals as it builds.

To those of you who are holding space, showing up, building bridges, and believing that love + action = change—you’re my people. Let’s keep going. ✨

05/02/2025

I love this so much -- I get to see so many loving dads in my work as a birth and postpartum doula, and it's exciting to see that 1 in 5 stay at home parents are dads! (And, I know that it is increasingly NEAR IMPOSSIBLE in the US to support a family on one income—naming that here!). But the most important thing here is a couple who can approach the challenging balance of career, income earning, unpaid home and childcare realities in ways that meet both people where they are so everyone feels supported and appreciated in how they show up.

Nearly one in five stay-at-home parents is a father. Inside the growing number of men choosing to support their spouses and their families by taking on more ...

04/18/2025

Dads: what if your loving and dedicated role as father was denied because of an unjust court system?

My dear friend Dell (who is also a local and well-loved business owner of Angelina’s Rose) is a loving, devoted dad who’s being ripped from his children’s lives because of a deeply unjust custody ruling.

Dell is heartbroken. And he’s fighting back.

He’s had his appeal accepted by the Vermont Supreme Court, but the legal fees are steep. I’ve started a GoFundMe to help him keep going—because his kids deserve their father, and Dell deserves justice.

Let me be real:
This case is soaked in racial bias. Dell is a Black man who has always shown up for his kids with tenderness, joy, and presence. His white ex leaned on tired, harmful tropes to try to paint him as dangerous—and even tho the court didn’t buy it, they still gave her primary custody - despite the court finding ruling in his favor. If you’re confused - so am I 😡😶

As a doula, childbirth educator, and advocate for men’s stake in gender equality and co-parenting, I’ve seen how powerful a loving father’s presence is—and how badly the system assumes that men are optional parents. We talk a lot about gender equality—but that means inclusive systems that don’t punish dads, especially Black dads, for being emotionally available, nurturing, and deeply involved.

Here’s what we know:
♥️Children with actively involved fathers do better in school, have stronger self-esteem, and are less likely to engage in risky behavior.

💫Kids with involved dads are more likely to have healthy relationships and better emotional regulation.

💖💖 Research shows that dads want to do more caretaking (which is good for them, kids, and coparents) but face barriers in doing so.

Dell IS that dad. And now he’s being told that love, consistency, and presence don’t matter.
Let’s show him they do.

Please donate if you can. Share widely. And let’s remind the world that dads matter—especially the good ones who are fighting to stay.

GoFundMe link here and in bio https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-loving-father-fight-for-his-kidsand-for-justice

04/17/2025

From class to community!

Three babies. Three families who met in one of my childbirth ed classes. Now they’re figuring this wild new chapter with each other’s support ❤️

This is one of my favorite parts of being a childbirth educator and doula: watching friendships form that carry people through pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

Because the truth is—our society doesn’t do nearly enough to support new parents. But having people who get it? Who don’t care if you show up covered in spit-up, running on no sleep, or unsure which way is up? That kind of community is gold.

If you’re in the thick of it, and it feels like everyone else has it more together—or their baby is already sleeping, or sitting, or crawling—please know: it’s okay. The early days are intense. The right people will meet you right where you are.

If you’re looking for connection, I host a private FB group for local folks to connect with others in pregnancy/birth/postpartum (plus good ol buy/sell/swap goods!). Link in bio!

Find your people. You deserve support that lasts longer than a 6-week checkup.

Follow me for more practical, intentional, and compassionate birth and parenting education and support ➡️