Amour Birth Doula Services

06/04/2022

So much to say about skin to skin benefits! I have done it with all 4 of my children but with my youngest who had to stay in NICU for 10 days, finally getting to do skin to skin starting at 4 days old was the most healing and helpful ever.

✨🤎 Skin to Skin ~ Sometimes we can forget the HUGE BENEFITS of something which can seem like such simple act! By 🤎✨

03/17/2020

Sending love and light to everyone in this difficult time.
Eat healthy, drink water, get some fresh air and sun even if it's only through a window. Exercise from youtube, meditate, rest, enjoy family time and try to stay positive.

08/06/2019

This is why due dates are really more of a guess date.

Yes it's time for the annual blackberry post! But it's a always a great reminder.⁣
⁣
This is how nature brings fruition. ⁣
⁣
Can you imagine if somebody decided that the berries were all expected to be ready on the same date? On one branch some of these berries are ripe and ready and will come away readily and easily, some look good but they might need a little pull which sometimes is successful and sometimes not. Some are still ripening. Some are still in flower. ⁣
⁣
Nobody questions that nature knows what it's doing. The berries will ripen in their own time and fall away so easily.⁣
⁣
To give women a specific due date is as accurate as me giving you a date to come and pick all the berries. Nature brings fruition when it's the right time. Some will take shorter or longer than others to blossom and ripen. We are individual. Why would we expect all women to birth at 40weeks? (It's not even the average) ⁣
⁣
Term in pregnancy is anywhere between 37-42 weeks with many wishing to extend it either side. If you really want to provide a due date - go with 42 weeks to take the pressure off yourself or be vague. Only 4% of babies are actually born on their due date. ⁣
⁣
Only your baby knows their due date. Trust them.⁣
⁣
⁣

07/26/2019

An amazing mama friend of mine is in need of donated breastmilk!
On July 15th, just 2 weeks after giving birth she had a seizure while at home and was taken to the ER. After a CT scan revealing a dot in her brain (super scary!) She did an MRI, which revealed a blood clot in her brain blocking the flow of blood from her brain to my body, which is what caused the seizure. She was admitted to the ICU, where she was care for.

She was put on blood thinner and seizure prevention medication, which has been gradually helping alleviate the built up pressure in the brain and opening up the blood flow. The flow is now opening up and she is on the mend, she was released and is now at home, where the recovery process can begin (it can take weeks to months for the clot to fully clear).

She will not be able to nurse due to the medications she must on. While she is super bummed about not being able to nurse her daughter.

While she is doing so much better and happy to be home, her recovery will be long - extending to several weeks of rest and recuperation. She will not be able to drive for several months due to the medication she is now on (blood thinner and anti-seizure medication for 3-6 months at minimum, depending on some additional blood test results).

If you have a breastmilk source (or are a milk machine yourself) and want to help donate breastmilk to her baby, please contact her sister, Gab, who will help coordinate: gbbmcphee@yahoo.com

If you would like to help another way, there is a mealtrain going on for her.

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmealtrain.com%2F3q244l%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2V__l6XrALlTIOgH4BtyxJayjA3LEeOESJjWwqxyPtzbvjF2Y9TFpvHcc&h=AT0RYEnQq4m3Bc1TnXDDj8XDUaFA9S6CfQSrsA1jV7u748RUzflX2MBbJ_Ma7JKVtjr1W-5G3JMRnBM9Gz8RaZR3YRgmpsr-4zW7646ZCdxEIYT6wRioYizKF1aO00b_qrzasc-uLqrSUAVTP6WymtM3LShQPUYTtT0BSw9tpAb_ENCyQYeqRjDEYxEJQvC2QKgm0ztOCd7joYFxIHF_dvTHSiI5Neki7Tv5oMQ6VqI6Cw62ZRAnisNW1G3dkJmzDaClPNsDtegdDxwp2dj4KeYFU5wU8yrlGtw41f3eUJnnQwm9E-RDp-RS2WeqaPa5WqbW9mRgZ9MZzXNoydTULyA-TO_YzqFebwW-R4ekttFxpmWk62C44I7dc4JkVmU3RdjchEGOHN4xJmfordhK5Ihdzn0FjlU2T2CNNUghm92DdvqKuMNNNbhDyMcDze_13hI9x3bZmpmHQPmkCKeJAWhCQSFdvfKsy5Zwq4xI9gM_M8eYst-iA9mNP48oUACznd-Vu-z9mora_QjTY5MWmQ

On Tuesday July 16th, just 2 weeks after Emma was born, Allie had a seizure while at home and was taken to the Verdugo Hills hospital ER. After a CT scan revealing a dot in her brain (super super scary!) She did an MRI, which revealed a blood clot in her brain blocking the flow of blood from her bra...

07/24/2019

Another reason skin to skin is great for everyone!
Did your partner get to do early skin to skin with your baby? Do you feel it helped with confidence and bonding in parenting?

“If a father spends 30 minutes skin to skin with his baby on the first day of life, it rewires his brain for parenting." Nils Bergman
Birth is brought about by a series of hormonal changes in mothers culminating (hopefully) in a massive surge of oxytocin (the hormone of bonding and love - amongst other things) when our babies are placed on our bodies immediately after they're born. Skin to skin alters the hormonal state of our partners too. Oxytocin hopefully causes both parents to fall, truly, madly, deeply in love with our babies helping us to enjoy parenting...including the challenging (but lovely) monotony of early parenthood and 24/7 needs of a newborn.
Partners usually get their first skin to skin time with their babies after mother and baby have had an undisturbed first hour.
Did your partner get early skin to skin with your baby and do you feel that it has helped them to feel more connected and confident in their parenting?

Words and paraphrased from

07/17/2019

Lift each other. Be an encourager.

07/07/2019

What an amazing little artist!

06/16/2019

Happy father's day to all the amazing dads i have the privilege to know!