Flora Massage and Wellness Services

03/26/2026

I've been kicking a can down the road for the last year. It is a course called Research Theory Design and Methods. One of my end goals is to become skilled at analyzing the quality of research that informs policies and care affecting birthing and postpartum families.

I am hugely grateful for the opportunity to learn, and this week I have been assigned to analyze a study on staff training in a forensic psychiatric facility — practice, practice, practice.

However, the sun is shining, and the woods are calling, so please do some good Indiana foraging and wildflower spotting. I will be sitting at this blessed screen thinking of you and your baby sprites enjoying a good tromp in the woods and streams.

03/23/2026

Happy World Doula Week to the many wonderful doulas in the community and beyond!

Happy World Doula Week!!!!

03/10/2026

What an amazing interview. This Monroe County non-profit is helping change the way the community experiences and views community!

Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield in Indiana donates $100,000 to the Women's Fund of Central Indiana to improve health outcomes for women and girls.

01/19/2026

Another great offering at Tandem!

Tandem's Newest Group: Black Parent Support Group is BACK, Tuesday, January 20th. It meets the 3rd Tuesday of every month and is led by Tandem Postpartum Doula, Na'kia Jones, a Black Mom, Doula, and Community Member. This is a peer support group where you can feel comfortable talking about navigating parenthood while Black. Tandem will provide tea and snacks. We hope to see you there!

01/02/2026

Once again, Milk Matters: A drop-in gathering for parents & babies has you covered!

Milk Matters will be meeting as normal on Saturday, 1/3/26.

We have TWO meetings every Saturday, 1-3pm - one in person and one on Zoom. Come get your infant feeding questions answered by IBCLCs and meet other parents in a group setting.

In person: Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington, Lincoln Street Club located at 311 S Lincoln Street. Weight checks and free breastfeeding/pumping supplies available! No registration required.

Virtual: Must register in advance by 5pm Friday. Email milkmattersbloomington@gmail.com or send a Facebook message to receive a new, secure registration link each week.

11/23/2025

Milk Matters: A drop-in gathering for parents & babies has you covered!

Milk Matters will be meeting as normal on Saturday, 11/29/25. We know the holidays can be a stressful time with a new baby and we are here to support and encourage you. Remember, pass the gravy, not the baby!

We have TWO meetings every Saturday, 1-3pm - one in person and one on Zoom. Come get your infant feeding questions answered by IBCLCs and meet other parents in a group setting.

In person: Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington, Lincoln Street Club located at 311 S Lincoln Street. Weight checks available! No registration required.
Virtual: Must register in advance by 5pm Friday. Email milkmattersbloomington@gmail.com or send a Facebook message to receive a new, secure registration link each week.

10/16/2025

This is an excellent opportunity to consider your birth story. We must document our stories, not only for ourselves but for future generations. Generations to come can find meaning in knowing how we navigated the birth of our children.

Every birth story deserves to be told.

Join Amara Stuehling & Hillary Harpold for Claiming the Story: A Birth Story Writing Workshop, a guided space for reflection, storytelling, and connection. Through gentle prompts and shared conversation, participants are invited to revisit and reclaim their birth experiences in community.

This two-part workshop meets on Sunday, November 2 and Sunday, November 16 from 1–3 PM at the Grano Montessori Studio.

A chance to honor your story, in your own words.

*Registration can be found at www.granomontessori.com

08/28/2025

Update and gratitude!

Thanks for your patience with my practice being on hiatus. Tending to my coursework and balancing community/family needs is an ongoing journey of love and self-discipline, one that I am sure you can all relate to—you know, the teeter-totter on which we so often mentally exist.

I am on target to complete my master's degree in developmental psychology in August 2026. My coursework is in quarters, so there is a great deal of information to absorb and papers to write, as well as engaging with peers. I typically have 11 ½ weeks of class and then a week and a half off before the next quarter starts.

The emphasis of my study is on health and human development, with a focus on the identity shifts and health experiences associated with motherhood. Last quarter, I completed a course in health psychology that enabled me to further understand the various layers of life experiences, both personal and societal, that contribute to our responses to disease. The application of this information to the perinatal period is clear to me due to our medicalized system of birth. A challenge many people face is how to normalize birth and also adapt when things go unexpectedly. Questions that concern me: how do we critically examine and address the social determinants related to prenatal care, access to doulas, the time needed to recover from childbirth, the necessary time to develop new parenting skills, bonding with babies, and forming a new relationship with our partners, all while staying financially afloat?

This quarter, I'm taking a women's health course. Today, I find myself reading about PTSD and inflammation in women, as well as the increased incidence of women experiencing autoimmune diseases. This course will additionally focus on adolescence, sexuality, childbirth, aging, eating disorders, disease, substance abuse, and violence. This quarter, I will revisit my roots in my early career (circa 1990s) and develop a comprehensive program to address a specific health need. I am considering developing a program tailored to meet the postpartum needs of birthing people who have had babies in NICUs. If this topic is approved and you would like to share your experience, I would love to hear from you. I'll keep you posted!

Thanks for your continued support. My greatest goal is to make life better for Indiana families!

06/28/2025

Helping support birth options locally by offering up my studio every couple of years for local midwives and their assistants to recertify in neonatal resuscitation. Supporting the home birth option since 1998!

05/24/2025

Happy Spring and thanks to you all for your continued understanding while I am full up with my studies.

For the next year, I'll be diving into my specialization, which is health and human development. This quarter, I'll focus on health psychology which is a relatively new subfield of psychology. As a bodyworker, I've never viewed health as a biomedical issue. Over the next year, I'll get to examine how we arrived at a dualistic approach to medicine and the theories and practices that will help us change direction and bring balance to the health paradigm, with the focus on birth and postpartum in order to optimize the experience of becoming a parent.

In the meantime, it has been amazing to watch our community of perinatal support grow in the last year. Cheers!

05/07/2025

Here's a wonderful opportunity to work with Molly!

Embrace the Journey of Motherhood with Prenatal Yoga 🌸🤰

Join us for our beloved Pop-Up Prenatal Yoga sessions with the wonderful Molly McDonald, now happening on select Saturdays once a month at noon! 🧘‍♀️✨

Prenatal yoga is a beautiful way to nurture both your body and mind during the transformative journey of pregnancy. Benefits include:

Increased Flexibility and Strength: Gentle poses help strengthen the muscles needed for childbirth.

Stress Relief: Breathing techniques and relaxation exercises promote calmness and reduce anxiety.

Improved Circulation: Enhance blood flow and reduce swelling.

Connection with Baby: A mindful practice that fosters a deeper connection with your growing baby.

Community Support: Meet other expecting mothers and share experiences in a warm, supportive environment.

Molly has over 25 years experience guiding mamas through a safe and soothing practice tailored to your needs. 🌟

Summer Dates on Saturdays at 12pm: May 10, June 14, and August 9th. We can't wait to see you there! 💖