Happy Belly Doula and Birthkeeper

09/15/2022

I'm so proud of this beautiful family! Their teamwork was incredible. First time mama got her home waterbirth; her strength and peaceful mindset shining through every second of the way!

707-328-4323

08/31/2022

Welcome to the world Josephine! This mama finally got her all natural water birth in the wee hours of this morning! I'm so proud of her, she was strong and fierce!

08/16/2022

It can be so intimidating to look at pictures online. You might see a large bottle of milk pumped or a huge refrigerator stash. Remember babies start by taking in very small amounts of colostrum and as your milk increases so does their intake. You ARE enough ❤️

08/14/2022

Regarding umedicated, physiological birth, well, there is good news, and bad news.
The bad news: you cannot be “saved”. You can have a midwife, you can have a doula, but it is you alone who must journey to another dimension, to claim your baby. This is spiritual work. We cannot come with you. ⚡️ The good news? You. don’t. need. saving. ⚡️ You see, over time we’ve capitulated to the idea that we shouldn’t need to feel the full extent of the birthing process. Or, that if things get too hard, we’re doing something wrong. We will agree, up front, to a certain amount of sensation, but beyond that it’s too much.
What if you knew up front that you were going to be thoroughly decimated? ⚡️ What if you understood: birth will bring you to your edge, and beyond that edge there is another edge, and then another, and another?
What if, you understood that up front, and gave the universe a handshake and a nod that you’re up for it. ⚡️ This is NOT about martyrdom. This IS about reframing most of what you’ve been led to believe about childbirth.
And what if it is not without divine purpose. ⚡️ It IS big, yes. It is ok to be overwhelmed, and even scared because HOLY S**T, NOTHING has prepared you for this (not even your previous births). It’s ok to not know what to do. And it is ok to do it anyway.
The sensations, and our thoughts that come up because of them, in no way mean anything is wrong.
Surrender.
Over and over, soften your muscles, rest between surges, and do it again. ⚡️ Holy s**t, y’all. We came to this earth, in these bodies, because WE ARE CAPABLE. We were given THE highest honor among humans.
And it is BECAUSE of this POWER and CAPACITY we have been convinced of the spin stories. ⚡️ You can curse, and sweat, and cry, and doubt yourself, even wish for a fu***ng epidural, and you can do. it. anyway.
You will emerge from the storm, a tiny boat on the vast ocean just after an epic storm, intact, forever changed, and weathered by the salt of your sweat and tears.
This. THIS is your .⚡️
📸
- Reposted from

08/02/2022

It's World Breastfeeding Week! Celebrate with us as we encourage all mothers to continue breastfeeding. Lactation Consultants and IBCLCs are available to help moms at any time. We support breastfeeding in all shapes and forms.🤱🙌

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤!

07/27/2022

There's this misperception that cosleeping is a burden for parents.
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There's this misperception that cosleeping results in needy, clingy babies and toddlers.
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There's this misperception that mothers don't enjoy nursing to sleep and watching their babies drift off to sleep.
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There's this misperception that cosleeping is categorically dangerous for babies.
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There's this misperception that cosleeping mothers get less sleep.
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The truth is that cosleeping isn't a burden or an outdated hippie approach to parenting - it is a nighttime parenting tool designed by Mother Nature to keep babies feeling safe and secure and parents feeling sane, happy and as well rested as possible.
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The truth is that the further we move away from biological norms the more interventions and behaviour modification techniques we reach for. And the more we do that, the more disconnected we become from our babies. Why have a baby if not to be connected to him or her?
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Don't believe the fear-based approaches of our society. Men in white coats, bestselling authors and sleep trainers have messed up our expectations for what normal infant sleep actually looks like over the last 150 years. They've tried to convince us that they know what our babies need, more than our babies do...more than we do.
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Trust your instincts. Trust your baby. Turn that whisper of your intuition into a loud roar by listening to it, honouring it, defending it. You got this! And I'm here cheering you on. ✨

07/21/2022

Holistic health is important

The use of antidepressants is the gold standard for moderate to severe prenatal and postpartum depression.
It can reduce symptoms.
It can provide relief from overwhelming distress.
It can be life-saving.
They are best used in conjunction with supportive psychotherapy to address the overriding, soul-crushing injury to the woman's sense of self and her identification as a mother.

If your provider gave you antidepressants to help with your symptoms of distress, that's awesome. Do yourself a favor and also find a therapist who specializes in the treatment of maternal mental health issues so you can receive the additional support you deserve during this challenging time.

07/19/2022