Birds, Bees, and Babies

04/08/2022

Please swipe to read!
73 supporters, 966 dollars, 1 community. We dreamed of diapers and tampons without paywalls and state sanctioned violence. No cages over diapers, no padlocks. We dreamed of needs being met, not exacerbated, and you joined us. Words do not do justice to what folks move together.

We are still searching for a location for distribution! Do you have a business on Cherry street or nearby? Would you be open to hosting us for a few hours? Please reach out on instagram or via email at birdsbeesandbabiesllc@gmail.com

Our sincerest thank you’s to everyone involved in this beautiful project.

04/04/2021

As we transition into April I somehow hit 300+ followers and I am so, so, so honored.

I guess I need to introduce myself! My name is Camille, and I am a full spectrum doula serving the triad area. Pictured alongside me is what got me into birth support, but learning about what it means to advocate for all birthing bodies thrusted me into full spectrum support and further into my comfy space as a birth worker against people birthing in shackles.

“What’s a full spectrum doula? 👀”
After four long years I’m a DONA (provisionally🤪) certified birth doula, a placenta encapsulate specialist, an abortion doula as well as a death/bereavement doula. Basically, if you are a person in a transition in life that is looking to add another set of eyes and hands to your support team, I really like doing that. 🥰When I’m not doula’ing, I’m honing my craft in herbalism. I hope one day to be able to share that craft with everyone!

My favorite thing about what I do, although sometimes I’m hired as a doula to a person; sometimes I’m a doula to families. I love teaching eager new-to-parenting partners (no matter how many times over) how to be caregivers, how to be nurturers, how to check in with themselves and be transparent with their family. This is an experience that is unique to every single person I interact with and keeps the work rejuvenating.

Your support means literally everything to me. I am terrible at business IG, so every follower here literally likes me just as I am. What more could I ask for!! Thank you guys so much. 💛

03/10/2021

Doulas can’t have favorite babies.
Doulas can’t have favorite babies.
Doulas can’t have favorite babies!!!!

This baby kept his entire family and myself on our toes. Holding him for the first time felt absolutely surreal!!! 💛

His momma...an absolute super hero walking among us mere mortals. Her throat chakra is wide open, yall and her strength lvl over 9000!!! Having been witness to this families devotion and tenacity has filled my heart for the next six lifetimes, and then some.

I’ve yet to walk away from a family feeling like they needed me, and this is no exception. This baby comes from a lineage of gold and I hope he knows. My sincerest congratulations to the Chandler family. 💛

10/13/2020

REPOST from

FREE EC! FREE EC! FREE EC! 🥳

Text 336-607-5258 for delivery 🚚 or pickups 🎁

Only we can keep us safe. All my love for the crew at Pennyroyals and Peonies. 💛

10/04/2020

Happy Sunday, family. ✨

Here’s a shot of the longest cord I’ve ever worked with. The honor was inexplicable. 💛

How are you spending your Sunday?

09/28/2020

In place of today I want to take time to celebrate the best thing to ever happen to me, my sweet baby.

Today, while working, my little threw his switch across the room and cried in frustration. My instinct was to yell— and I did. But I quickly got off the phone, and put down my work, and scooped up my lonely child. The second he was in my arms the tears stopped and we laid in bed together.

My son is my biggest, warmest love in my heart and being good to him is something I commit to every day. I am so grateful for this human and aim every day to show him that.

Happy to all the babies out there. Thank you for coming into our lives!

09/22/2020

I finally met Brittany Curry, fellow herbalist, fellow black mama, fellow doula, sister to my soul. She insisted on a picture and I’m glad, the explodes in these. 🥺✨

07/06/2020

There is no wax poetic, emoji ladened way to say that doulas statewide are committed to our families. Together we hope to make it so we can be by your sides again in ALL hospitals. 💜

06/06/2020

As a black woman owned and operated business: Birds, Bees and Babies stands in solidarity with the victims of a system that has ignored them, silenced them and erased them. The very point of starting my business was to attempt to bridge the gap in the maternal morbidity rates in America for black women. The very point of starting my business was to provide full spectrum, judgement free support to the marginalized, the fat, the poor, the gay, the trans, the surprised, the prepared, the black, white, brown and tan. I have been to four protests this week, and have spent the rest of the week reading resources, donating money, and crying. I beg our allies to take this seriously. It is our duty to win, our freedom is depending on this movement. It goes without saying: black lives matter.

📸:

04/08/2020

CDC Guidelines for maintaining a clean pump for nursing.

04/08/2020

PARENTS IN DELIVERY ROOMS (policies are different across hospitals and I can only give you the information I have based on hospitals local to the triad.):
• patients admitted with a cough or fever are subject to new policies in hospitals erected to reduce risks of COVID-19 transmission at this time. THIS IS SLIPPERY because a fever can come from an epidural, as well as inflamed membranes. Fevers are normal in birthing bodies and for many, this can lead to separation from the baby as well as decimation of a birth plan.
• the AAP is calling for babies and parents to be separated after birth, bathing on site, and a delay in directly nursing as a standard practice. Parents are allowed to use their discretion and proceed at their own risks.
• while the AAP’s recommendation coincides with the CDC’s guidelines, the WHO, UNICEF, and even the Italian Society of Neonatology have published guidelines in support of even positive COVID-19 parents who choose to room in and nurse their newborns.
• SEE NEXT POST FOR Evidence Based Birth’s amazing sample waiver. If you are a parent declining separation during labor in the next few months, with a positive COVID-19 infection or suspicion of infection, this will help arm you with autonomy and preserve your birth plan.
NURSING PARENTS:
• there is ABSOLUTELY NO evidence that the virus exists or transmits through nursing. All known benefits of nursing still apply and are crucial during this period.
• infected parents are encouraged to wear face masks during direct contact to baby while nursing, but also encouraged to consider expressed milk.
• SCROLL TO NEXT POST GUIDELINES ( English + Spanish) on proper breast pump care.
• the existing rule of washing your hands for the little ones still apply, just fervently so. 💛
Colostrum and human milk will always contain exactly what baby needs, and during this pandemic sometimes the comfort of knowing you are everything baby needs is exactly what WE need.
FINALLY: I’d like to announce placenta encapsulation is considered an essential service and I am STILL encapsulating placentas. 🤸🏿‍♀️

03/31/2020

Birds, Bees and Babies would like to wish the birthing community (and beyond!) a very happy Trans Visibility Day. As a full spectrum birth worker, it is my duty to remind you all that there is an ongoing fight for reproductive justice for our trans families. The push for inclusive language in the birthing community is the bare minimum we can do for birthing bodies subject to an increased risk with medical bias, obstetric negligence, and outright abuse. Our trans family disproportionately battles income inequity as well as with or without healthcare— a lack of access to people willing to care for them. Whether the topic is abortion or birth, it is not enough to say you care. It is not enough to recluse under the guise of “being old school”. Learn those pronouns, reject dated and purposely discriminatory rhetoric in clinics and doctors offices, put down your OWN pronouns in emails. Together, especially to those of us who are privileged to be cisgendered, we can make a difference. To my trans family: black, brown, light and bright; I see you every day.

03/27/2020

Gov. Roy Cooper announced Friday morning a new texting tool that will allow parents across the state to find nearby free meals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

03/18/2020

In interest of intersectionality, I realize some parents don’t have the privilege to afford formula during this time where we are without jobs, funds or resources. This emergency formula recipe comes straight from the WHO’s Infant and Young Children Counseling Integrated Course packet. Everyone deserves to feed their baby. Every single person.

03/18/2020

Used some of Winston’s very own Amber Ginn’s wealth in today’s post, here’s more information on the process of relactating.

03/18/2020

I have already received NUMEROUS questions about feeding our littles during 🎶 corona time 🎶 so I wanted to take a moment to answer some of the most popular questions for my families. This information comes from the CDC, the WHO, and local IBCLC Amber Ginn of

PART 1:
FORMULA FEEDING:
• no matter how dire your situation, TODDLER FORMULA IS NOT NECESSARY. Toddler formula is a powder composition of oil, milk and syrup. Pediatricians advise against them as well as public health researchers of NYU and the University of Connecticut. In place of this, whether you are transitioning from nursing or formula, consider whole milk for your toddler. The AAP is now recommending for toddlers 2+ to instead be switched to 1% milk.
• Because formula is not sterile, remember during this period our top priority especially for our littles is sanitation. It is more important than ever to make sure you are using water boiled to no less than 70 degrees Celsius for formula in sterile bottles. In cases of water safety, please consider already sterile commercially sold liquid formulas that best suit the needs of your little one. Where water quality and cost for liquid formula come into question, room temperature water that is fresh and safe can be used. This formula feed must be consumed immediately and discarded after two hours.
• refrigerated feeds must be discarded after 24 hours. Rewarmed feeds must be discarded after 2 hours.
• During this time, the WHO is committed to beseeching parents to consider nursing for their infants and toddlers. FOR PARENTS CONSIDERING RELACTATING, READ THIS BULLET. If you are not, you are still valid, the CDC supports YOUR DECISION, and are free to skip to the following bullet point: if you are a parent with nursing capabilities, you can relactate even if you have never. The WHO states there is little to no evidence showing ni**le to baby transmission of COVID-19. When baby bearing people have been tested, through says even if you have adopted, you can still nurse! Stimulating your ni**les for twenty minutes every two hours, latching baby and even SNS all count.
Pt. 2 comes 2morrow! Chest and breast ED!

03/16/2020

On March 10th, 2020, Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency for North Carolina. Among the impacted are doulas, who (at least in the triad) are being labeled as visitors and restricted from supporting families in hospitals. For the time being, there is no certain time for when this may change.

PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DOULA:
If you feel strongly about having me or any other doula present in the OR, you must advocate for your doula. Just like us, your providers are hired by you. It is being said that for life of death situations, hospitals will take extra visitors into account. The fact of the matter is any birthing body will tell you that is exactly what pregnancy and birth is. With non-essential staff being removed from hospitals, and doulas being restricted, we are left with less hands and less eyes on our birthing bodies during this time.

SUPPORT TRANSFER:
If I am unwilling to be present at your birth, I am willing to maintain the time blocked off that you are in labor to offer you my undivided and full virtual support. For spring clients concerned about having to take a stand to providers and not feeling confident about virtual support, I am willing to transfer costs to POSTPARTUM SUPPORT. 💛

CONSULTATIONS
At this time, I am still doing consultation, and only asking for tips. This will include birth plan consultations as well as herbal intake consultations. Tips ensure that my time and my craft is both appreciated and respected, as the time I take from my family should be.

PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION:
I recently reworked my placenta encapsulate process to work in the homes of my clients but for now will return to a delivery process where I ask you sign the form at the birth of baby + placenta so I may retrieve and deliver the encapsulates to my clients. No price change at this time.

RESOURCES AND INFORMATION:
As an advocate for birthing bodies with growing time on her hands, I am taking initiative to create content over the next few weeks based on how to keep you and yours safe during the CODIV-19 pandemic.

Above all else, to fellow doulas, clients, friends, and family, I am committed to my community and believe there is nothing WE can’t do.

03/04/2020

I was given a chance to speak about my business to YES! Weekly and am SO HONORED to be featured in this article about the WONDERFUL WOMEN IN THE TRIAD 💛 I am one of so many as you can read here. This article can’t touch the amount of wonderful women we are blessed with in this city. 👯‍♀️

In honor of International Women’s Day as well as National Women’s History Month, we decided to make a tradition of highlighting truly remarkable women living in the Piedmont Triad area. Lynn Tart and her daughter, Chelsea, co-own Tart Sweets, located at 848 W. 5th St., and the newly-opened Camel...