This is a human rights issue that needs larger, longer-term and more sustainable solution. While there are positive trends, with many states doing away with the 'diaper tax’ in recent years, families are still struggling; diaper banks and community organizations are stepping in to fill a present need for so many families. A newborn or infant in the US may go through as many as two hundred diapers per month. With recent inflation, the largest increase in more than 40 years, diaper costs have climbed to 10% over last year’s numbers. The cost of diapers adds up for any family - and the hardest ..read more

Photo: @brunoffalves5 “Compassionate people ask for what they need. They say ‘no’ when they need to, and when they say ‘yes,’ they mean it. They’re compassionate because their boundaries keep them out of resentment.” - Brené Brown When considering boundaries in interpersonal relationships, people often express dismay, guilt, and avoidance. They frequently cite concerns about hurting others’ feelings, not fulfilling social expectations, and feel shame about having their own needs. Many people consider boundaries as optional, rather than an endemic part of any relationship, and engage in a kind ..read more

Dear Bridgetown Baby Families and Friends, Woohoo! Your votes helped Bridgetown Baby take the top honor in the Pregnancy and Postpartum category of PDX Parent Magazine’s Reader Favorites contest. Winning this honor means a lot to us. As Raffi says,"if we change the beginning of the story, we change the whole story." The way that people come to their parenting journey - whether lacking needed support or feeling held in their experience - makes a difference in how their family narrative plays out. The PDX Parent recognition helps boost our signal, making it easier for families to find their way ..read more

The pelvic floor plays such an important role during pregnancy - and can be impacted by the body changes brought on by pregnancy. Pelvic floor physical therapists, massage therapists, other medical providers and doulas are bringing more and more awareness to the importance of tending to pelvic floor health in the perinatal period and beyond. Bridgetown Baby is pleased to partner with Mendwell Health, a Lake Oswego-based clinic specializing in Pelvic Health Physical Therapy to help patients improve pelvic function for a better quality of life. Below, the team from Mendwell answers a common ques ..read more

If you’re nursing your baby, you’ve probably heard the advice “don’t eat broccoli/beans/dairy/garlic/anything-you-really-love-to-eat, because it can cause your baby to have gas.” While there are some cases in which an allergy to specific proteins in foods you eat can impact your little one, fortunately this more general advice is one piece of folk wisdom that you can take with a grain of salt - and a side of feta - because infant gas isn’t commonly caused by the foods that you ingest. The other good news is that there are some postpartum-doula-tested-and-approved ways to help your little one ..read more

Throughout January, PDX Parent Magazine is calling for votes for PDX Parent Reader Favorites - Portland’s best, parent-rated resources for children and their families. Please vote for Bridgetown Baby! We’ve been among the top 5 in the Pregnancy & Postpartum Support category every year since we took the top honor in 2019 - we’d love to take back the title! Voting for us is a great way to help more families find their way to the compassionate, comprehensive postpartum care we provide - please vote today! And invite your friends and family, too! With thanks and love, Your Bridgetown Baby Te ..read more

As an agency, Bridgetown Baby is deeply committed to confronting bias within ourselves, building our skills, and creating an inclusive model of care that authentically serves our clients and contributes to culture change. This is work we all can do. It starts with us; it continues with our children - and we are their most important teachers. Each month, we'll be sharing resources for talking with kids about bias, celebrating diversity, and actions our families can take to create a world we all can live in. Hanukkah brings to December another holiday to celebrate with good food and time togeth ..read more

As an agency, Bridgetown Baby is deeply committed to confronting bias within ourselves, building our skills, and creating an inclusive model of care that authentically serves our clients and contributes to culture change. This is work we all can do. It starts with us; it continues with our children - and we are their most important teachers. Each month, we'll be sharing resources for talking with kids about bias, celebrating differences, and actions our families can take to create a world we all can live in. Have you noticed Christmas carols floating through retail establishments at what seem ..read more

We are delighted to announce the winner of Bridgetown Baby’s first annual Camilla Rae Award: Whitney Handrich, Certified Postpartum Doula, LMT. After reviewing nominations from the Bridgetown Baby team, the leadership team chose Whitney for a number of reasons: Whitney is deeply loved by her clients and provides thoughtful, comprehensive care to all her families. Whitney is a great communicator and collaborator with other postpartum doulas and IBCLCs on the Bridgetown Baby team. Whitney nurtures our team by showing up with authenticity and compassion at various events (and recruiting he ..read more

On December 17th, Bridgetown Baby founder Merriah Fairchild, and team members Brita Johnson and Kelsey Baker, along with two cheerful teen helpers, delivered more than 50 boxes of diapers of all sizes to the Immigrant Mutual Aid Coalition’s December distribution of much needed food and household items. The Immigrant Mutual Aid Coalition (IMAC) is a partnership of members from local immigrant rights and social justice organizations including the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Causa, Never Again Action, PCUN, and others. IMAC formed ..read more