Can we just let go of the term “natural birth” already? Here’s a hot take: it does more harm than it has usefulness. There’s a phrase that a local midwife we adore uses – have intentions and hold them loosely. Thousands of birth stories into our careers and we can say this confidently: the dream of “natural childbirth” is rarely held loosely. There is research that shows that having goals helps you get where you want to go. So yes, we encourage people 1000000% to think about how they want their birth to go.   And to think about (and plan for) how to get there. Bu ..read more

1 – “We’re just gonna go with the flow…” Yes, “flow” can be extremely useful in the birth process. AND without preparation, intention, information-gathering ahead of time, it can be hard to keep your flow once you step into a hospital setting that has a whole lot of it’s own flow – most of which isn’t set up to support the flow of a hormonal laboring person and family.   It is imperative that you do the work – now – of learning your options and working together with your partner to strategize as a family how you want to navigate the birth process before the big ..read more

We do a #TellUsTuesday post in our IG stories each week, and it’s always a fantastic place to learn about what all kinds of parents think and do. A few weeks ago, we asked families “name the top three items you found most useful in the early months of parenting”:   Stretchy wrap, Boppy lounger, white noise machine Nursing bras that fit well, my bed with plenty of clean sheets at the ready, coffeeeeeeee A stretchy wrap for carrying, a large water bottle, absorbent burp cloths Waterproof mattress pad for our bed, infant lounger, memory foam tailbone cushion (And a stretchy wrap too!) Ch ..read more

Alli & Lea Childbirth educators, doulas, and Lumos co-founders Lil Bit of Lumos: “How many cervical checks should you get in labor?” Each weekday, Lil Bit of Lumos daily vids land in folks’s inboxes.  And each week we’ll pick one to pop over here on the blog.  This week is all about cervical checks.     It’s a bit of a trick question – how many cervical checks should someone get in labor – isn’t it.  It’s all about the “should” that makes this one dicey.   Short honest answer? Prolly none.  There isn’t anything about a cervical check tha ..read more

Alli & Lea Childbirth educators, doulas, and Lumos co-founders Introducing: “Tips for Doulas” Todays tip: When using aromatherapy, wait on using a diffuser if labor is in full swing. One of the most remarked-upon and beloved items in our doula bags are our oils and diffuser. Aromatherapy really is effective in labor for adding to/changing the mood in the room for the laboring family and also staff. We’ve seen countless big deep breaths and shoulders visibly relaxing from staff as they walk in the room when the diffuser is running. AND. If someone is deep in labor-land, you don’t w ..read more

When we talk with folks in the new-baby days, they often reflect that they wish they’d spent less time obsessing about the birth and find the “right” stuff – and more time on how to actually cope/survive/thrive in the newborn days. You’ve likely heard of birth affirmations, but we asked our IG crew (do you follow us on Instagram? – we love our IG Stories, it’s one of our favorite places to be) what affirmations they used in the newbie days and we thought we’d share… New-Baby Affirmations Ask for help.  (And takeout ..read more

We Don’t Have to Enjoy Every Moment EMILY HAGENMAIER Counselor specializing in parenting transitions, and a Lumos Team member Multiple choice: “Enjoy every minute, they grow up so fast.” A. The worst thing you can possibly say to an overwhelmed, sleep-deprived parent whose baby woke up every 90 minutes last night. B. Well meaning reminisc ..read more

POSTPARTUM PLANNING Food Preparation for Postpartum Ease Riley Huebsch, Lumos Trio April 26th, 2017 There are so many things to think about and plan for when you’re having a baby.  Baby names, getting your space baby-ready, choosing a doctor for your babe, making sure all the tiny clothes are washed and folded and organi ..read more