Wholesome Momma

29/09/2022

✌🏻out summer

Megan • WHOLESOME MOMMA DOULA SERVICES shared a post on Instagram: "✌🏻out summer! So many memories. Couldn’t fit them all in this video but I got most of my favs in !! So blessed & beyond thankful for my life ❤️ ". Follow...

27/09/2022

Parents! You’re allowed to say NO.

NO to visitors.

NO to people holding your baby.

NO to unwanted advice.

NO to attending events.

NO to family that want to have your baby overnight at their house.

NO to anything that doesn’t sit well with you.

You get to make the rules. If you’re having an off day, if you don’t feel ready for something like a sleep over or something just doesn’t sit right with you, say NO.

You do not owe anyone an explanation for your decision.

24/09/2022

Wondering when you should hire a postpartum doula? 👇🏻

✨You can start interviewing doulas as soon as you find out you’re pregnant!

This ensures you have time to find one that you click with so you’re comfortable having your doula work in your home with you and your family.

Most doulas, including myself, have limited spots available and are booking a few months or more in advance.

I am booked for the remainder of 2022 & accepting clients for 2023!

✨If you or a loved one are expecting a babe in the new year & want a postpartum doula, I’d love to hear from you so we can set up a free consultation to see if I’m the right fit for your family ❤️

Picture is of one of my doula babes that I took on my phone & shared with permission !!

21/09/2022

🥰🥰🥰

16/09/2022

Hello everyone!!

My name is Megan & I am a Certified Postpartum Doula & Certifying Lactation Educator in the Edmonton & surrounding areas. I am a mother of two beautiful babes & wife to my handsome man. I am passionate about helping people & I have been for as long as I can remember.

Read why I L O V E doing what I do 👇🏻

Both of my postpartum journeys had their own challenges. In addition, I struggled with insomnia, intrusive thoughts & anxiety. No amount of research prepared me for the sleep deprivation and isolation I experienced. I struggled with breastfeeding both my children which resulted on me exclusively formula feeding from 6 weeks post birth with both my children. I do not regret this at all.

My mental health was taking a hard hit from all the pressure I put on myself to exclusively breastfeed. The stress and lack of sleep were contributing factors to recurring mastitis.

I felt so FREE once I stopped obsessing over exclusively breastfeeding & changed my mindset to “my baby is eating, my baby is happy & my baby is thriving”

It wasn’t until my sister had her first baby in 2021 that I realized I didn’t want her or anyone else that I love to have to go through the challenges of postpartum alone. To feel the way I felt during both my postpartum journeys.

I knew I had to make a career helping women and families transition into their new roles. & I did just that 😊

If you or a loved one is expecting a baby in 2023 & you’re interested in a Postpartum Doula, I’d love to hear from you ❤️

16/09/2022

✨Understanding Newborn Sleep✨

This topic is so important for parents!!!

Unrealistic expectations can frustrate you & cause more anxiety & concerns.

✨✨As with ALL development, there is a normal range for when a baby will meet a certain milestone. (This next point is important)👇🏻

💥The normal range for sleeping for 5 or 6 hours without support or needing to wake to eat is 4-12 months of age

So I’m here to say, if your baby is waking every 2-3 hours,

👏🏻THIS 👏🏻 IS 👏🏻 NORMAL 👏🏻

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16/09/2022

Little Lactation Cookies 🤤

Fresh from the oven & ready to deliver to one of my mommas!!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you don’t already own a copy of The Food Doula Cookbook, get yourself one asap! It will not disappoint.
food.doula

03/09/2022

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

31/08/2022

Lasagna!! 🤤

One thing I love to do is cook!! I love being able to prepare delicious & nutritious meals for my clients so it’s one less thing they need to worry about during those early postpartum days!!

This meal was served with a yummy Caesar salad and crispy garlic toast!!

29/08/2022

Parenting is hard work! You’re doing your best & that is enough ❤️

25/08/2022

24/08/2022

Doula Babies ❤️

Peep these sweet little twins!! These girls will forever hold a special place in my heart as my first set of twins!!

I LOVE what I do and I put my heart & soul into my doula families.

I am beyond grateful for all my current & past clients, future clients & everyone who continues to support me by liking, sharing & commenting on posts, telling others about my services and everything in between 🥰

*Picture shared with permission & photo credit to the beautiful momma of these sweet girls!!

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23/08/2022

Honestly, knowing these things would have been incredibly helpful!

👉🏻Nothing in this world can prepare you for sleep deprivation but hear me when I say it isn’t forever & there are things you can do to make it easier on yourself.

👉🏻Everyone & their dog will have an opinion on how you should parent. Unfortunately there’s no way around it. DO NOT waste your time trying to satisfy others. You know your child best so stick to what you believe is right.

👉🏻Accept ALL the help!!!!! New parenthood is beautiful, overwhelming, and scary all at the same time. You have nothing to prove by trying to do everything yourself. TAKE THE HELP!

👉🏻Trust your s p o u s e!!! This one is huge & I know it can be hard but they are just as much a parent as you are.

👉🏻Feeling overwhelmed is NORMAL!! Parenting is hard. Trying to take care of yourself while caring for a newborn is hard. Figuring out your baby is hard. You’re not doing anything wrong. In the beginning, you have a lot going on with all the changes, postpartum healing, sleepless nights & being responsible for your tiny human. You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed and I can assure you that you’re not alone !

17/08/2022

Reminder✨

It’s ok to ask for help.

You do not have to go through your struggles alone.

You are so strong for asking for help. No matter what kind of help that is.

06/08/2022

Can anyone else relate?

If we don’t ask for help, we won’t receive help.

Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak or failing. It shows strength.

As your postpartum doula, I take care of all the things that pile up around your house, I make sure you have time for selfcare & I make sure you’re fed & hydrated!!

I’m currently booking into 2023 so if you’re expecting & would like support, please reach out to me as spots are filling fast!!

🥰🥰🥰

05/08/2022

My Breastfeeding Journey Baby #1✨

When I had my son, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I thought it was going to be as simple as latching him & letting him eat. Boy was I wrong.

I struggled with cracked & sore ni***es, low supply, and pressure & comments from family that breastfeeding was the only way I should feed my baby.

When being released from the hospital, my sons doctor said to supplement with formula to “help clear the jaundice faster.” Being a new mom, I thought “yep okay whatever you say.”

24 hours after being home from the hospital, my son had urate crystals in his diaper which looked like an orange powder. Being a new mom, this freaked me out. Straight to the hospital we went. I was told my baby was very dehydrated and needed infant formula while my milk came in, so I continued with the formula which took away from time at my breast so I got on a pumping schedule.

One week post birth, my son was starting to have blood show up when he pooped. Again, I was freaked out so back to the hospital we went. Without any further diagnosis or evaluation BOOM , my son had a cows milk protein allergy and had to be put on nutramigen immediately and stop feeding my breast milk because I consume dairy products and he would keep having issues with blood in his stool. Of course I listened, stopped breastfeeding & stopped pumping. This advice was coming from a medical professional, they know their s**t, right?! 😅

I cried & cried for days, weeks, months. What was wrong with me. Why was this happening?! My inability to breastfeed, the lack of support from family & rude comments made by family contributed to postpartum depression which I eventually sought out help for.

I wish I knew then what I know now.

I wish I had reached out to a lactation expert.

I wish I hadn’t zeroed in on all the negative opinions about the way my baby was being fed.

I wish I had more support.

I can’t change my experience but I CAN educate and support other mommas. I believe my experience helped shaped me for my new career.

04/08/2022

✨Do you know about human milk banks?!✨

✨I want to start by saying I am NOT anti infant formula✨

Both of my children were supplemented with infant formula until 6 weeks of age where I then fed them formula exclusively each for different reasons which I will share in the coming days!

Supplementing your infants feedings can include giving your baby infant formula or expressed human milk or both.

Read below for a few of my favourite resources on human donor breast milk 👇🏻

https://www.northernstarmilkbank.ca/

https://www.hmbana.org/

✨This post is to educate & support mommas that may not know all their options when it comes to feeding their babies✨

❤️Remember , no matter how you fed or feed your baby, you are amazing & doing what your baby needs and that makes you a badass!! ❤️

02/08/2022

Benefits of Breastfeeding🤱

Breastfeeding has so many benefits not only for the baby, but also for the mother.

The benefits for baby include:

✨Protection against chronic disease
✨Reduced incidence of diabetes type 1
✨Reduced risk of childhood obesity
✨Reduces blindness & visual impairment in children under 17
✨Reduces asthma deaths
✨Reduced risk coronary heart disease & the number of adults with high cholesterol
✨Reduced risk of atopic illness
✨Reduces risk of infectious disease, sepsis & necrotizing enterocolitis
✨Reduced risk of childhood cancers
✨Lower overall infant morbidity and mortality (otitis media, gastrointestinal upset & lower respiratory illness)
✨Reduced risk of cavities and tooth decay

The benefits for the mother include:

✨Reduced risk of osteoporosis
✨Reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer, ovarian, cervical and thyroid cancer
✨Protection against rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, cardiac disease, hyperlipidemia & hypertension
✨Reduced risk of postpartum hemorrhage and aids in uterine contraction
✨Increases bonding with the baby
✨Hastens recovery postpartum
✨Reduces stress overall due to lactation hormones

Source: CAPPA Lactation Educator Manual
Pic of me and my first baby

01/08/2022

World Breastfeeding Week 🤱

Educate & Support is the theme this year!!!

18/07/2022

Hey momma! You got this 🥰

15/07/2022

The Magical Hour✨

Did you know that babies have a series of stages that they go through after birth?!

Recognizing these stages can help families get breastfeeding off to the best start!!

✨Stage 1: The Birth Cry - a distinctive cry that happens immediately after birth as baby’s lungs expand.

✨Stage 2: Relaxation - Baby exhibits no mouth movements & the hands are relaxed.

✨Stage 3: Awakening - baby may have head movement, open their eyes, show some mouth activity & might move their shoulders. Usually begins 3 minutes after birth.

✨Stage 4: Activity - baby starts to make increased mouthing and sucking movements as the rooting reflex becomes more obvious. Usually begins around 8 minutes after birth.

✨Stage 5: Rest - baby may have periods of resting between periods of activity throughout the first hour or so after birth.

✨Stage 6: Crawling - baby approaches the breast with short periods of action that result in reaching the breast and ni**le. Usually occurs about 35 minutes after birth.

✨Stage 7: Familiarization - baby becomes acquainted with mom by licking the ni**le and touching/massaging her breast. Usually begins around 45 minutes after birth & can last for 20 minutes or more.

✨Stage 8: Suckling - baby takes the ni**le, self attaches & suckles. This early experience of learning to breastfeed usually begins about an hour after birth. If mom has had analgesia/anesthesia during labor, it may take more time with skin to skin to complete the stages and begin suckling.

✨Stage 9: Sleep - baby & sometimes mom fall into a restful sleep. Babies usually fall asleep about 1 1/2 to 2 hours after birth.

Isn’t this so neat?!?

06/07/2022

Exciting things are happening! This training starts tomorrow and goes through till Sunday!! I’m so excited 😊

05/07/2022

Storing, using & thawing your breast milk !

Doesn’t need to be complicated, this information is straight from healthyparentshealthychildren.ca

29/06/2022

Just a girl & her grandpa ! 🥰

Thankful for my amazing in-laws & the bond they have with my children !! They are key members of my support system!!

Who is in your support system?!

23/06/2022

IM CRYING!!!!!! 😭

Happy tears of course !

I’m so so thankful and blessed by everyone who has supported me on this journey.

✨Ya girl is officially CERTIFIED 🥳✨

23/06/2022

I’m here to tell you, you are doing amazing✨

Sometimes we feel unheard. Unseen. Unappreciated. It’s nice to hear that we’re doing a great job and have some positive words of appreciation!!

Mommin’ ain’t easy!!

You’re doing a great job, I see you, & I’m proud of you 🥰

22/06/2022

Ughhhhh 😩😍This picture will forever melt my heart!!!

Partners are so so important and the bond they form with your children is so beautiful & unique !!!

21/06/2022

Birth Through the First Few Days✨

A LOT of great information packed into this post !

Highly recommend taking a read if you’re expecting a little bundle of joy!!

Have a great day everyone & enjoy the sunshine 😊

19/06/2022

Happy Father’s Day to my biggest support! We appreciate everything you do for us and we love you, big time!!! We’re so lucky to have you❤️

Happy Father’s Day to all the other dads out there! Keep kickin ass & being awesome!!

17/06/2022

It all starts with a plan✨

It’s best to know the answers to these questions BEFORE you have your baby so it’s clear what everyone’s responsibilities are and what your family is comfortable/uncomfortable with.

There are many more things to consider in your postpartum plan but these are a few of the really important ones.

16/06/2022

Yesterday I was working with one of my families & we had some time while we waiting for laundry to dry so we decided to make some muffins!

My little helpers name is Oaklynn & she sure had a blast putting the batter into the muffin pans 🥰

*Photo was shared with permission*

15/06/2022

In those early postpartum weeks, even months, your priority is YOU !

Your priority is

✨getting enough rest

✨replenishing your body with nutritious foods

✨staying hydrated

✨bonding with & caring for your baby

✨seeking help should you need it for your mental health

NOT reaching out to people to set up visits, send them pictures & update them on baby.

Your plate is full. Your people should be reaching out to YOU if they would like pictures, a visit or milestone updates on baby!

11/06/2022

We have a winner!! Congratulations .schats dm me to arrange pick up or delivery!

Thank you to everyone who entered & showed support ❤️

10/06/2022

10/10 recommend this book to everyone.

It’s broken down by trimester & postpartum and each section has recipes based on what nutrients your body needs most in each of these stages!

The Food Doula by Lindsay Taylor
food.doula

09/06/2022

Happy Pride Month🌈

Wholesome Momma is proud to serve families regardless or race, gender identity, sexuality, or faith.

No matter what your family looks like or how you’ve grown your family, we are proud to serve you! 🥰

07/06/2022

Can you relate to this weird point in postpartum where you’re questioning your identity & your whole life outside of being your baby’s mom?!

I know I can! When I became a mom, I definitely lost myself for a while. I didn’t know what my interests were. I didn’t know what I’d like to do for a hobby. I didn’t recognize the girl looking back at me in the mirror. It was really hard.

✨If you are feeling this way, know that you’re not alone & this is temporary! Sometimes help is needed to pull you out of this funk & that’s ok!! Hang in there momma, you’re amazing✨

07/06/2022

⭐️GIVEAWAY⭐️

Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag

These little bags can hold quite a bit of your things. The best part, you strap them over your chest or around your waist ! It’s secure and can hold everything from your ID to your cellphone.

Moms have enough things to lug around to have to worry about carrying a purse! You can even use this to carry around your essential diaper bag items if you have a short trip planned & don’t feel like lugging around your diaper bag!

To Enter:

✨Like & Save this post
✨Follow this page .momma
✨Tag 5 friends

Bonus entry:
✨Share to your story & tag me so I see it!

Contest ends Friday June 10th @ 6pm

Draw will be on Friday June 10th @ 7pm

✨Must be in the & surrounding area for pick up or delivery of your prize✨