Milk and Mountains Postpartum - Postpartum Doula and Lactation Services

05/23/2022

Let's talk milk sharing 🍼✨️

Having someone give you milk for your little one is seriously one of the sweetest gifts. Sharing breastmilk is one of those things that shows a huge amount of love and compassion to other families - And it's an outward example of bringing back the village.

There is so much good that can be said of milk sharing, but here's the thing - At the end of the day human milk is a bodily fluid and there are safety precautions that should be taken when accepting milk for your little one.

There are a variety of reasons that someone might seek out donor milk for their babies. In a perfect world, human milk banks (where the milk is donated by screened volunteers and pasteurized) would be easily accessible for all families, but that just isn't the case. People are going to milk share, and here are three ways to do it safely without a milk bank as a middle person:

1️⃣ Strongly consider accepting donor milk from someone you have a trusted and established relationship with.

2️⃣ Have an open conversation with the donor about their recent lab work and lifestyle.

3️⃣ Pasteurize donor milk at home to potentially remove any harmful bacteria or viruses.


Just remember to take into account the health of your baby and your donor and to use your best judgement. ❤️

What are your thoughts on community milk sharing?

05/01/2022

Hey there Dayton (and surrounding areas) mommas,

During the month of May, I have drop in postpartum doula support available for Friday mornings!

The "Drop In" package is totally customizable to meet whatever your postpartum needs are for the day..

Whether that's folding and organizing baby clothes while we chat out all things postpartum, me (a certified lactation counselor) observing a nursing session and providing you with whatever feeding support you need, or maybe I can even take over the light household chores for the morning while you steal away with baby to sleep and relax!

However you need held that day, I'll be there to serve you for four hours. Then you will get follow up messaging support for one week following my visit!

Visit https://www.milkandmountainspostpartum.com/consultation to schedule your free 15 minute consultation and to get your morning of postpartum support on the books. 🤍


P. S. This also makes a great gift for a new mom around Mother's Day!

04/17/2022

My new virtual postpartum support services are here!

During this season of my life, I really thrive with virtual work and have so much to offer families that I work with in this way.

When you work with me as your virtual postpartum doula, here are some of the things you can expect from the experience:

🌿 Someone to hold space for you during this sacred time in your life.

🌿 A person to process your birth story with as well as all of the ins and outs that come with early motherhood.

🌿 A loving ear to listen to all of your fears, worries, and deepest thoughts.

🌿 A lactation counselor and postpartum professional in your pocket to provide you with education and support.

🌿 A guide to help you troubleshoot any tricky situations that can come up postpartum.
.. Above all, I'm here to hold and serve ✨️ you ✨️ during this time.


I currently have full availability for virtual clients and I would love to work with you! If you are expecting or within your first 18 months postpartum and could use some support, let's chat!

04/04/2022

The fact that it's Cesarean Awareness Month had blissfully slipped my mind since I was off of Instagram the first couple of days of April.

Once I started scrolling a little, I was quickly reminded. One of the first posts I saw was from and this quote spoke to my soul.

You see, it shows the contrast between my two very different cesarean births. One that was traumatic and felt done to me.. And the other that was empowering and quite possibly saved my baby.

I know that each c-section experience is unique. Some may feel completely neutral with their experience and hold no amount of trauma, while others may carry a complex mix of emotions that no one else seems to understand.. Or maybe you're somewhere in between.

Whatever your experience is, just know that you are not alone. Your birth story matters. Your feelings matter. Your body matters.

To all of my fellow c-section mommas this month, I see you. If you feel called to, drop a heart or a comment so we can stand together in support of one another. ❤️

03/23/2022

Today marks the second day of World Doula Week!

There are many types of doulas, but I focus primarly on postpartum work.

You may be asking yourself "Well, what's a postpartum doula do anyway?"

Postpartum doulas nurture new families and offer emotional, physical, and educational support after your baby arrives.

The exact services your postpartum doula will provide may vary, but here's a general idea of what you can expect when hiring a postpartum doula:

▪️Overall emotional support as you navigate parenthood

▪️ Coping strategies for postpartum adjustment

▪️Infant sleep information and family sleep support

▪️ Infant care information: diapering, bathing, etc.

▪️ Breastfeeding, pumping, and bottle feeding assistance

▪️ Babywearing and soothing techniques

▪️ Nutritious snack preparation

▪️ A safe space to process and share your birth story

▪️ Helping you find a daily rhythm

▪️ Light household organization

▪️ Infant care so parents can sleep or shower

▪️ Nursery organization and product recommendations

▪️ Guidance on finding a childcare provider

▪️ Support in transitioning back to work

▪️ Referrals to other professionals when needed

▪️ Recommendations for child-proofing/safety

▪️ Tips on how to meet your own needs while parenting

▪️ Someone to hold space for you during the profound transition that is postpartum


Have you worked with a doula in some sort of capacity? If you have, give them a shout out below. ❤️

03/22/2022

Hey everyone! Today is the start of World Doula Week 2022.

I thought that today would be a good opportunity to chat a little bit about what being a postpartum doula means to me and to let everyone know what direction I'm heading in with this work.

Head over to this blog post to learn more! ❤️

This week is World Doula Week 2022, so I thought this would be a great time to talk about my work as a postpartum doula and what being a postpartum doula means for me. You might be asking yourself, “What even is a postpartum doula?” To answer this question simply, a postpartum doula is a support...

03/20/2022

March's Virtual Mother Support Circle is happening. 🎉

Whether you're embarking on your journey to conceive or are in the throws of parenting a toddler, this support circle is for you.

The awesome thing about this virtual support circle is that you can show up as you are, wherever you are! Nap trapped under a sleeping baby? You can join!


If you're on my email list, be on the lookout for the Zoom link! If you aren't on my email list yet but would like to be, DM me and I'll get you added. ❤

03/09/2022

Raise your hand if you're a parent and you've Googled something along these lines:

🌛 "When do night feedings stop?"

🌛 "Why is my nine month old still eating during the night?"

🌛 "When do babies sleep all night?"
.. 🙋‍♀️ I've been there. If I could go back to my postpartum self four years ago and give her one gentle piece of reassurance it would be this...

"Your baby is meant to be fed when needed during the first year. Middle of the night feeds after a certain age doesn't mean that you're doing anything wrong or that your baby is doing anything wrong. They're just really good at surviving and you're doing a great job meeting their needs."


Babies are meant to be fed on demand for the first year of life (and sometimes a little over a year). This expectation of babies over a certain age to go all night without waking to feed is out of touch with their biological needs of survival.

The current culture around baby sleep (and maybe even your pediatric provider if they've suggested night weaning before 12 months) is not in tune with the biological needs of human babies.

If your baby has dropped over night feeds on their own and they're of a specific age and growing and developing well - Then that's okay!

However, if they're still waking at night on their own to feed that isn't something that needs to be fixed.

You are both doing great. ❤

02/26/2022

The registration period for Postpartum Preparation: The Importance of Planning for Life After Birth closes Monday night!


While you are planning for your brand new baby, take some time to prepare yourself for your postpartum.

You deserve just as much care postpartum as you received during pregnancy. Through this virtual class you learn about what to expect during those first few weeks following birth and how to take steps now to make sure you are supported during that precious time that is your fourth trimester.

I promise, you are worth it and your postpartum self will be thankful that you took time during pregnancy to plan for what's to come.

Follow the link in the comments to register. 💕

02/22/2022

This right here is why receiving support, care, and respect during your postpartum season is so important.

When you deliver the placenta once your baby is born, a massive hormonal shift begins in your body. Over the course of a few weeks, your body will adjust and your hormones will settle, but those first weeks are so sweet and fragile as this adjustment is occuring.

Never before have you gone through a physical and emotional transition such as this one. Your postpartum experience is tender and sacred. It's okay to take it slow and enjoy time time with your new baby. It's meant to be this way.

Don't be afraid to voice your needs after birth. Your needs matter the most, more than anyone else's feelings or wants. Your needs matter because you are the one meeting your baby's needs and you are the one who brought them earthside.


I also want to note that after this initial hormonal shift, you will continue to adjust throughout early parenthood and postpartum does not have an ending point. 💕

02/12/2022

Are you expecting a baby and currently doing all of the things to prepare for their arrival?

Prepping the nursery, perfecting your registry, taking birth classes and writing your birth plan (which is for sure important), etc.

What if I told you that you have a huge transition coming up after that sweet baby is born? That your postpartum is sacred, beautiful, incredible, and challenging all at once
.. And that preparing for your postpartum is important, too. ❤

Somehow during the excitement and anxiousness that comes along with pregnancy, we tend to forget that postpartum is a very significant time or we're even nervous about it but are afraid to voice that concern.

Maybe it's our culture's tendency to put so much focus on the baby when we're expecting and after they're born, but for whatever reason the mom so often gets overlooked once baby makes their appearance earthside.

This looks like well meaning relatives asking when they can come over to meet the new baby, only one postpartum appointment for mom at a traditional OBGYN office when baby has seven well visits in their first year at the pediatrician office (again, important!), and the huge pressure to "bounce back" after our bodies have just been through something wildly miraculous.

For all of these reasons and more, taking time during pregnancy to prepare for the physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes to come postpartum is so important.

If you're currently expecting, I'd love for you to join me on March 2nd as I teach a class on the importance of preparing for life after birth.

All the details are at the link in the link below. I hope to see you there!

https://www.milkandmountainspostpartum.com/postpartumpreparationclass

02/11/2022

Here's the thing, baby showers are fun and some gifts and baby gear really are needed.. But actual, tangible support while postpartum is needed just as much.. If not more.

Someone to drop off a ready to go meal at the door of a new family, no questions asked.

A sister walking in and immediately going to the kitchen sink to empty it.

The best friend calling and asking what time to come over so mom can close her eyes and actually rest.


Check out this quick list of what you can do to support the postpartum person in your life!

And tell me, if you've already been there - What's one thing that someone did for you while you were postpartum that meant the world to you?