Mary Quinn Doula

10/14/2022

A little humor to wrap up one helluva week. 😉🤣 TGIF y’all.

10/12/2022

Throwback to autumn 2014. 🍂👶🏼👶🏼 The juggling of all the things looks different now—easier on the back, but just as precarious. Still trying to find moments of ease amidst the chaos. What works for you?

09/18/2022

Coming off a postpartum overnight, and I *might* have just told the barista that this latte is magical. He thought I was weird. What can I say?

09/11/2022

First nursing exam tomorrow, and I’m learning.

I’m learning content – a lot of it is interesting, a lot of it is conceptual and based in common sense or ways of interacting that I already know. A lot if it is minutia and acronyms, which I will either use so commonly that they become part of my vocabulary, or won’t use and will immediately forget.

I’m learning how to be a student in this phase of life. How to study efficiently and effectively, where I used to study exhaustively. How to prioritize my family, work, and care for my body. (Still working on that one.)

I’m learning to aim for 75%, a passing grade, rather than 100%, because 75% is good enough.

I’m learning to recondition my nervous system, to approach classes and quizzes and homework and exams with less fight or flight, fewer moments of panic, and more calm and confidence.

I’m not there yet, but I’m learning.

And I’m tired.

Thank you to all who have shared kind words of encouragement. I hold them with me day to day and they make all the difference.

08/29/2022

“Mama, are you going to look like a scientist when you’re a nurse?”

07/22/2022

Afternoon “off” means a coffee date with myself and my Basic Life Support manual. Test on Tuesday, and nursing school starts in less than six weeks! 😬When was the last time you plunged into something, mostly excited but with a hearty dose of wtf-am-I-doing??? 😉😆

07/16/2022

: “I haven’t been on socials much lately, but I’ve been deep in the work of supporting new families in…”

07/09/2022

If you, or someone you know, is expecting before the end of the year, now is the time to reach out! I would be honored to visit you in your home and bring ease to this time of transition.

www.maryquinndoula.com

In-home postpartum support includes:

✨Checking-in, processing joys and challenges of the early weeks of parenting

✨Processing birth experience

✨Breast-feeding and bottle-feeding support

✨Food prep

✨Guidance with baby gear

✨Guidance with soothing fussy baby

✨Care for baby while mom naps, eats, rests, bathes, has time to herself, etc.

✨Referral to community resources (mom groups, providers, etc.) as needed

Looking forward to hearing from you!

05/18/2022

“Just breastfeed” is not the answer to the national formula shortage. Breastfeeding is not available to everyone.

Also, breastfeeding is NOT easy and most definitely NOT free, unless you value a mother’s time, body, and emotional and physical energy at zero dollars. Understanding the costs paid by a breastfeeding mother is essential to creating an equal and just society.

Breastfeeding isn’t free — and it isn’t a solution to the national baby formula shortage.

05/13/2022

Still processing a FULL couple of days learning about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders with . So inspiring to be in a room full of 90+ women from near and far—doulas, LCSWs, LCPs, RNs, and survivors—dedicated to offering healing and hope to birthing parents, partners, and families. 💕 A special shout out to my fellow PSI Maine Chapter board members! I’m new to the board, but this training was the culmination of years of planning, postponing, and planning again done by these amazing women. 💪🥰 After the personal and professional isolation of the pandemic, I also loved meeting other Maine providers and putting (masked) faces to names. 🥰

05/06/2022

When I was pregnant with my twins in 2018, I first heard about and thought… GROSS! Two years later, I found myself handling raw placenta, learning to steam, dehydrate, and encapsulate it as part of my doula journey. I no longer offer this specific service, but I’m so grateful for the reverence I gained for this oddly beautiful and vital organ that the birthing mother grows during pregnancy.

Many thanks to Motherlove Herbal Company for the opportunity to freelance. ❤️

Written by: Mary, Postpartum Doula. During pregnancy, your body performs the enormous task of growing a human. An often-overlooked part of this process is the growth of a whole new essential organ: the placenta. WHAT IS THE PLACENTA? The placenta is a 1-pound, pancake-shaped organ that develops duri...

03/08/2022

Happy International Women’s Day! Love and courage to you, today and always. ❤️