Diary of a Doula

12/10/2025

If you were induced and had a balloon placed as part of your induction process for cervical ripening, I’d love to hear your experience.

I feel like an overwhelming number of my clients, haven’t experienced it as a horrific event, but I’m wondering if I’m just blocking it out 🤔🤣

Mine felt like a full tampon and not much else, so I’d love to have others stories for me to use while educating folks. TIA!

12/02/2025

✨ Holiday Helpers 2025 ✨

Every year I put together a little bit of community magic for families who could use some extra love during the holidays. This year, I have two families who are really in need of some support and if you feel called to help, I would be so grateful.

Family #1

This mama welcomed her baby two weeks ago. This week, her partner was in a serious accident at work and is now hospitalized, with rehab ahead. She’s home navigating new motherhood, healing and now the weight of the unexpected.
My goal is to cover a few postpartum overnight doula shifts over the next month or two so she can sleep, recover, and not feel so alone.
👉 If you’re a postpartum doula with overnight availability, please DM me. If we raise enough funds, I’ll reach out.

Family #2
This family doesn’t know I’m posting this, but they absolutely need a doula. This family experienced a previous loss and is currently in the early stages of a high risk pregnancy. The moment our consult call started, the tears started rolling down her face. She’s tender, thoughtful and deeply deserving of support. They won’t accept free services… but they might accept some loving community help. ❤️

If you’d like to contribute any amount, you can send it to my Venmo: .

I keep all Holiday Helpers completely anonymous, but I always post collective thank yous when gifts have been given.

Every year this community shows up in ways that humble me and I’m hoping we can do it again.

✨ Thank you for bringing some light into a hard moment for these families. ✨

11/18/2025

2026 is just around the corner and my doula schedule is already popping! 🤣🤣

I will be serving 5 clients each month in 2026.

I will forever and always feel thankful to have a fully booked schedule year after year.

2025 I will serve the most clients in 12 months than ever before and the lesson I learned was to never do that again 🤣🙃

Feel free to book a free consult at the link in bio.

09/17/2025

I know you don’t want to tear, but let’s talk a little bit about if ya do…

09/17/2025

✨ 2025 is officially FULL ✨

I am beyond grateful to the incredible families who have trusted me to walk alongside them during such a sacred season of life. Every time I’m invited into a birth space, I’m reminded of how much I love this work and the deep honor it is to serve as a doula.

I’m already filling up fast for 2026! If you’re thinking about growing your family next year, now is the perfect time to connect.

Thank you for trusting me, for sharing your journeys and for letting me do what I love every single day.

📩 DM me or visit the link in bio to start the conversation for 2026.

09/10/2025

09/06/2025

Big things are happening with insurance + doula coverage… but like all good things, it takes time.

Right now, about 95% of my services are still out-of-pocket for clients. But the landscape is changing! I’m already in-network with Kaiser, on Carrot Fertility’s preferred list, and beginning Medicaid (Husky) spots in Connecticut. I’m also actively working toward Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna coverage.

🕰️ Here’s the honest part: Insurance contracts, approvals, and reimbursements are not quick processes. I can’t give you guaranteed timelines—but I can promise I’m pushing forward every step of the way.

I’m excited to see progress, grateful for your patience, and committed to making doula care accessible for more families.

💛 Because your birth support shouldn’t depend on your bank account.

09/02/2025

*The spelling errors on the last one were destroying me. Edited and reposted*

A lot of the advice my clients are still being given by their OBs, pediatricians, and even well-meaning friends is outdated when it comes to clogged ducts and mastitis. I am going mad over here 🤪

For years, parents were told:
❌ Apply heat
❌ Massage the area aggressively
❌ Feed or pump more often

But new evidence shows this can actually make inflammation worse, increase clogs, and set you up for mastitis.

Here’s what current recommendations look like instead:
✅ Ice for 10 minutes after feeds to reduce inflammation
✅ Ibuprofen to help with pain + swelling
✅ Lymphatic pressure strokes (gentle, toward the ni**le)
✅ Sunflower lecithin & probiotics for prevention and healing
✅ Continue feeding or pumping as normal (not more, not less)

And here’s the biggest shift: antibiotics should be reserved for confirmed bacterial mastitis only. Most mastitis is inflammatory, not infectious.

The bottom line? If you’re struggling with clogged ducts or mastitis, please seek guidance from an IBCLC who’s up to date on the latest protocols. Outdated advice can do more harm than good.

✨ Share this with the parents and providers in your circle, because when we know better, we do better.

Evidenced Based References:

Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) Clinical Protocol #36 (2022 update)

UCSF Women’s Health – Mastitis & Plugged Ducts Info Sheet

09/01/2025

✨ Big news ✨

I am now officially a Prepare/Enrich Facilitator—bringing another powerful tool into my birth and parenting coaching practice.

Prepare/Enrich is one of the most widely used and research-based assessments for couples. It can be tailored for:

💍 Married & premarital couples
🏡 Blending families
🎖 Military couples
🙏 Multiple religious backgrounds
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Couples preparing for adoption or foster parenting

Why does this matter? Because the program doesn’t just spark conversation, it creates measurable impact:

✅ Lowers a couple’s risk of divorce by 31%
✅ Improves overall relationship satisfaction
✅ Reduces the impact of unrealistic expectations & idealism
✅ Features strong cross-cultural validity
✅ Accurately predicts long-term couple success

And whether you’re welcoming your first baby, making sure you and your partner are on the same page before adding another child, or simply finding each other again now that you’re out of the trenches of early parenthood, this program helps you pause, reconnect, and build a strong foundation for the road ahead.

I am so excited to begin integrating this into my doula work and to walk alongside couples as they strengthen their connection and prepare for the next chapter in parenting and partnership.

08/29/2025

Gina was probably the most thankful and joyous mom I have ever witnessed. Her husband and her deserved this experience and their beautiful baby more than words can express.

“As a first-time mom who conceived through IVF there were very few wishes I had going into pregnancy: 1) to welcome a healthy child; 2) to have minimal of interventions during labor and delivery. For me, #2 meant having the support of someone with the knowledge, compassion, experience, and the right personality to be in my and my husband’s corner. Tall order right? Queue the search for the perfect doula. Meeting Melissa for the first time was equal parts getting acquainted with a strong, steadfast friend you could rely on and the ultimate fountain of pregnancy and birthing knowledge. A huge part of the matching process for us was finding someone who we “clicked” with and that I could imagine in the room for most vulnerable experience of my life. Melissa was that person for me from the very beginning. She has a calm, confident presence that immediately puts you at ease. She ensured we were prepared and informed to make the best decisions for our family and she was in our corner every step of the way. One sentinment that Melissa shared during our first meeting and echoed throughout was her ultimate goal of limiting, and ideally avoiding, trauma during the labor and delivery process. Being on the other side of pregnancy, I can’t say how invaluable this was. When my water broke spontaneously earlier than expected, Melissa was our first text at 3 am. She called us immediately and put me at ease. When labor progressed faster than expected, she was right by my side to support along the way. When baby wasn’t moving into position, she positioned me to give us the best chance for baby to flip. And when baby finally did flip, Melissa was the one who knew it and when it was time to push. She was there to remind me to listen to my body, to go inward, and to trust myself. I know my birth wouldn’t have been trauma free without Melissa - which looking back, should have been my #2 wish. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you Melissa.”

- Gina 1st time mom

08/26/2025

On August 11th, I attended the 200th VBAC of my career. ✨

I hesitated to share this at first because the real credit belongs to the families, the ones who chose to trust their bodies again after being told they had failed.

The ones who handed me their trust when the more predictable route was right there. The ones who stepped into the unknown a second time, even after trauma.

Supporting VBAC wasn’t the path I thought I’d take when I became a doula. But one family’s story lit something in me, and 200 VBAC’s later, this work has become one of the greatest passions of my life.

My 200th VBAC wasn’t just a number, it was with people who feel like family, and I’ll never forget it. I’m endlessly grateful to the universe for weaving our stories together and for allowing me to do this work that I love so deeply, but I’m more grateful to Rachel for allowing me to stand beside her, in her power, in her doubt, in her vulnerability, in her strength, in her worry and in her determination.

Here’s to the next 200.

08/18/2025

I will forever feel thankful for the trust that Stephanie and her husband put in me, when navigating at times, challenging moments. It ended with a pretty great birth experience and it was such an honor to be part of their journey 🩷

“As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I’ve heard countless birth stories, many of them marked by trauma. Too often, they share a common thread: feeling underprepared, out of control, and having to make quick decisions without fully understanding the implications. So when it came time to plan my own birth, I knew I wanted a different experience.

Despite all of my professional knowledge and preparation, my delivery (like so many others) didn’t go as planned. What made all the difference was having Melissa by our side. She was truly essential throughout my pregnancy and labor, offering steady, informed, and compassionate support as well as strategies for navigating tough situations every step of the way.

Melissa empowered my partner and me to make decisions that felt aligned with our values. Her deep understanding of maternal and fetal anatomy and physiology helped us feel confident and grounded throughout the process. She brought a calming presence during moments of uncertainty, and provided invaluable support not only to me, but also to my husband. Her ability to support him, especially during our 48+ hour labor, gave him the reassurance and relief he needed, even allowing him to rest when he needed it most.

After birth, Melissa continued to be a source of guidance and care. Her experience as a lactation counselor and a mother herself was incredibly helpful as we navigated the early days of infant care and feeding.

Thanks to Melissa, our birth experience is one we look back on with true joy and gratitude. She helped us feel safe, seen, and supported, every step of the way. We are endlessly thankful for her.”

- Stephanie 1st time mom