Supporting Families Through Loss
Pregnancy and infant loss comes with lots of emotions, questions and need for support. Grief can be presented in many ways and look different to all experiencing it. Keeping this in mind while supporting someone during this difficult time is important. Having support from a professional doula, a friend who has experienced loss and community/online resources can aid the healing/coping process.
An Unexpected Loss; Ways to Remember and Heal
Nothing can prepare you for miscarriage or infant loss. Our doulas support families during pregnancy and birth which for some parents can end in loss. We are with you and are here to support you through this difficult and emotional time. This article will provide you with a few resources for dealing with grief and ways you can remember your baby.
Celebrate World Music Day With Your Tots
For expectant mothers, music can play a role in both a healthy and happy pregnancy and positive outcomes in early childhood development. Though there's no science that links hearing music in the womb to making baby smarter as some sources have claimed, music can still encourage you to relax and create feelings of joy. This can mitigate stress and anxiety, which has positive effects for both of you.
Prenatal Health Coaching
As a certified pregnancy health coach working with expecting and nursing mothers, I am here to educate and empower you to have a positive pregnancy and postpartum experience. You will learn simple solutions to enhance your baby’s growth and development, help create a healthy pregnancy, minimize the risk of health issues, and create a bond with your new bundle of joy.
Starting a Home Prenatal Yoga Practice
Many mothers consider yoga sometime during their pregnancy, but just don’t know where to begin. As a mother you will find that daily yoga practice can become a great source of stress reduction for you and your baby. Practicing yoga throughout pregnancy creates a deep awareness of body and mind, bringing balance and alignment. You might notice other benefits as well, including:
Benefits of prenatal yoga:
Good digestion
Healthy blood circulation
Light and easy breathing
Reduces tiredness and tension
Rids body of toxins
Strengthens nerves, ligaments, and internal organs
Mental and physical health and well-being
Cesarean Birth: What to Expect
One question that many new parents often ask us is…”what happens if I have to have a cesarean?” As labor doulas one of our main goals is to provide educational insights and resources to parents to help them know their options and what to expect in their journey to parenthood.
There are many possible scenarios when a cesarean birth (c-section) may be necessary. In some instances your provider will recommend a scheduled cesarean birth. They will offer you an understanding of what to expect and provide you with information at your prenatal so that you can prepare ahead of time. If you happen to be like most women who have belly birth, you do not know prior to the day you go into labor.
Positive Birth Videos
Whether you like it or not…you already hold some version of a “birth movie” in your mind…what does yours look like?
IF YOUR IMAGES SURROUNDING CHILDBIRTH ARE FULL OF FEAR, ANXIETY, AND PAIN, THEN WHY NOT REPLACE THOSE IMAGES WITH POSITIVE ONES?
So, to help with the reimagining of what real birth looks like, here’s my top picks for birth videos that help you conquer fear and conquer birth!
I hope they help you to reframe your thoughts and instill in you the truth that you can do anything and all birth is beautiful.
Prenatal Dental Care
Dental health is not what first comes to mind when you find out that you are expecting. We want you to know what you can do to protect your pearly whites during your pregnancy.
Understanding how to care for you teeth and gums while pregnant and what to watch out for can help you to avoid being stuck in a situation to need major dental works while pregnant or in the postpartum. Learn all the factors that could impact your health and the health of your baby, plus get resources for local dentist that provide care in your area.
Coparenting: Navigating a Healthier Relationship
After adding a small bundle of joy to your family, your relationships with your partner, family, and friends will change as your family of two and maybe a dog or cat, becomes three humans cohabiting together. While your baby takes up most of the energy from you and your partner, it may feel there is little or no time to further invest into your personal relationship you have nurtured before baby’s arrival. You may be thinking that there is no option, but to feel the stress of raising a new baby and allow your relationship with your partner to suffer.
What's the deal with GBS?
Group B Streptococcus also know as Group B Strep or GBS is a common bacteria that can cause infection. 1 in 4 women carry GBS during their pregnancy, and will be treated by your healthcare provider during birth as GBS can be passed to a newborn during labor and birth.
More than Baby Blues...
Like any huge transition in life, the postpartum time is not all rainbows. Any mom or dad can benefit from having extra help in the weeks and months following the birth of a baby but some parents find they need a special kind of support as they struggle to get their feet on the ground.
Thank you note to my doulas
Doulas are often mistakenly thought as just an ultimate crunchy home birth accessory, but I do not know how I would have navigated the medical system without you. Even from the early days of pregnancy, in a whirlwind of rotating nurses, doctors, and midwives, you were a constant.
What will my baby look like?
You’re having a baby! And there are about a million questions swarming through your head…what will the nursery have in it? Should I use a family name? Where should I deliver? Will I go early or late?
But there’s one question that many parents ask themselves in pregnancy which comes detached from all that decision-making and worries, and that’s: “what will my baby look like!?" It’s so much fun imaging what your baby will look like. Will they take after mom or dad? What color will their eyes be?
What's it like after birth?
When I was pregnant, I had it all planned out. We would have the baby, come home, and my husband and I would nest around our house for 2 weeks, snuggling our baby, until he returned to work. Then, it would be just me and my baby, hunkered down in heaven, bonding, breastfeeding, and snuggling 24/7. Minimal guests. Minimal family. I wanted it to be just us.
My visions quickly shattered upon returning home.
What is a doula?
The experience a family goes through during pregnancy, childbirth and into the postpartum phase of parenthood can be a stressful time.
To help alleviate some of the pressures of this process, High Country Doulas aims to provide support, comfort, and education to its clients in Northwestern North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. HCD co-owner Samantha Wright explained that a doula is a person who supports families during this time by focusing on a person’s emotional health and helping families feel empowered and cared for.
2018: A Year of Love & Growth
It is with great love and excitement that we say 2018 was an unbelievable year for High Country Doulas! We supported hundreds of new parents as they transitioned into parenthood. We launched a sleep consulting service, a scholarship program, and a free parenthood meetup group. We partnered with local health departments in over 10 counties, and presented to hundreds of local providers…
Doulas and Cesareans
A doula is there to support you regardless of how your birth unfolds. Whether the cesarean section is planned or unexpected, it can be a positive birthing experience for both mom and family and doulas can help.
Does My Insurance Cover a Doula?
In the early 20th century, nearly all births in the US happened at home. But with advances in medical technologies and support services, by the late 1960s, just 1 percent of births occurred in homes. Today, women now have many options when it comes to where and how they plan to deliver such as at home, water births, birthing centers, and hospitals.
Bad Weather, Good times: Fun Online Games and Activities for Kids
Foul weather is bad news for parents and kids. Moms and dads are hard-pressed to find ways their kids can burn off all that pent-up energy while they’re stuck indoors -- especially when they’ve also got an infant in tow. When kids are just plain bored, they could probably turn to a video game, their default activity when nothing else is going on, but that means sitting for hours with a glazed look in their eyes as they blast alien zombies.
Looking for a Reliable Nanny or Childcare Option for your Vacation?
Childcare, Nannies, and Babysitters in the High Country! Whether you're here for Ski Seasons, watching the leaves change, or enjoying the beautiful Summers here in the mountains, you want to be able to enjoy your vacation to it's fullest, especially with your little one(s) in tow.