Wow! I can’t believe it’s been about 3.5 years since I last wrote a blog article! I’ve written so many in my head over the past years but I guess I never took the time to type it out. Geesh, time flies!  I’m here now to talk about one my favorite services - Sunrise Doula Support! I recently met with a certified health educator and aspiring postpartum doula who’d done her research and poked around my website before we met. She mentioned the Sunrise Support and she loved it, remarking that her mom provided this service for her after the birth of her first child! She definitely validated th ..read more

I want to tell you about my Newborn and Postpartum Prep Workshop. I’ve offered my Newborn and Postpartum Prep Workshop for several years now. In fact, this was the first class I ever offered. And (don’t tell my other classes but…) it’s probably my favorite to teach! There’s always such excitement and nervous energy when I teach this class. There are rapid-fire questions and lots of information sharing. Lots of surprised faces and lots of laughs. This workshop covers some of the under-discussed aspects of life with a newborn so there are plenty of speechless moments too. Energy, curiosity, conf ..read more

Want to see a grown person tremble with fear, laugh nervously, and smile widely all at the same time?  Find yourself a West Point Cadet or Graduate and say, “High Zero.” Then watch. And listen. And laugh!  If you don’t have easy access to a West Pointer, I’ll spoil the surprise for you.  High Zero Every freshman (aka plebe) at West Point has to take gymnastics (affectionally termed plebe falling - not to be confused with swimming - aka plebe drowning). It’s basically a rite of passage, but it also sets the foundation for mental toughness and the physical wellness and expectation ..read more

"How am I going to feed the newborn and entertain my older child(ren)?”  I receive this question at almost every prenatal visit when I’m working with a family who has at least one older child. It’s especially common when the older child is a toddler.  As a postpartum doula, and as a parent of two children, I have some tips and suggestions for just this scenario. Sometimes the tips work, and other times, well, we need to get more creative!  If it’s a time when I’m there, that’s a little bit easier. While not all children will immediately feel comfortable with a stranger like me i ..read more

It’s April! And, know what that means? It’s the DoD’s Month of the Military Child. And it’s feeling real right now. Two Airmen just (like 4 days ago) said goodbye to their families for a six month deployment. Another says goodbye tomorrow, also for a six month deployment. One Airman returned just a couple weeks ago from his six month deployment. And, in just a handful of days, a Soldier will redeploy from his 12 month deployment (God-willing)! So, of our little neighborhood of 71 houses (of which over 1/3 of the houses are either empty or occupied by retirees), 10% of the families are experien ..read more

I feel funny writing this…I am so excited about a new Tricare Insurance policy change! You read that right. I am excited about health insurance! TRICARE insurance at that. It’s not often that we TRICARE beneficiaries get to say this! So this is a good one! On 18 March 2019, TRICARE Insurance changed its policy and now covers Banked Donor breast Milk (BDM)! And, honestly, it appears to be pretty decent coverage. Of course there are stipulations and fine print but I’m hoping this article, as well as a great article from Military Times, will help set you up for success if you are in need of Banke ..read more

I finally found the best time to drive in Los Angeles! It’s about 5:15 AM. At least in Torrance, Redondo Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, and San Pedro along the Pacific Coast Highway. So, if you’re looking to beat the traffic on Highway 1, get out there just before sunrise. It’s quiet, it’s calm, and there’s hardly a headlight. How do I know this, you ask… Last week I shared why I decided to start offering overnight postpartum doula support. In case you missed that article, you can read it here or I can very, very briefly summarize it. I started offering overnight support for families with new bab ..read more

Hey hey! Look at this! A blog article for two weeks in a row! Woot woot! Glad you’re here for this one. I’m kind of continuing on with the whole “why” concept but today’s article is about why I’m now offering overnight support.  Can you guess the top two topics potential clients always ask me when we discuss their concerns for the postpartum period and life with their newborn? I bet you can but since you’re reading this and I’m having a hard time hearing your response, I’ll type it here for you - feeding and sleep. Parents ask if I am able to help them with feeding (both of the baby and ..read more

Happy 2019! I don’t know about you, but 2018 feels like it went by so fast and feels like it’s so far behind me, even though we’re only a whopping 17 days into 2019. So many highs and several lows in 2018 but they are all starting to blend together already. I did a mental year-in-review which mainly focused on the fun trips my family and I took, our move from Washington DC to Los Angeles, and my two professions, both of which are exceeding my expectations. In 2018, I started this blog. It was something I wanted to do for several years but just never took the time to do it until last year. Blog ..read more

Do you have someone in your life who is just truly amazing? Someone who seems to defy the odds or who has a deeply positive outlook on life or who leaves you in awe every time you interact with him/her? Someone who personifies the term “wow”? Well, I certainly do. And today, on #GivingTuesday, I want to talk about her. Today’s article is going to be a bit public-service-announcement-y and, honestly, only loosely tied to postpartum doula/parenting work. But, I feel so inspired and so compelled by my friend Mary Henley that I’m willing to accept the feedback on stepping outside my typical lane ..read more