Doulas of Baltimore

We’re so excited to announce that you’re invited to join us for a party celebrating 10 years of DOB!? ? Join us as we celebrate with food, drinks, and community.? ? Sunday, September 29th? 2:00pm? ? Union Craft Brewery’s Beer Garden? 1700 W 41st St #420? Baltimore, MD 21211? ? RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eXE-egEn

The internet has opinions of everyone from doctors to moms to your great aunt Ruth. It’s often hard to discern fact from fiction. Sometimes the best thing to do is to refer to researched, evidence-based books. Add these to your list: The Informed Parent by Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham, PhD This science-based parenting book offers research and evidence on a wealth of decisions you’ll make between your child’s birth and the age of four. The Science of Mom by Alice Callahan, PhD Another book guided by scientific evidence, The Science of Mom offers a guide focused in on your baby’s first year of life. What’s Going on in There? by Lise Eliot, PhD For the parent who wants to know, “why?” Lise Eliot, a research neuroscientist, offers a peek into brain development and how parents are influential during the first five years of baby’s life. The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J Siegel, MD A wildly popular book, The Whole-Brain Child focuses deeply on the science behind attachment and how parents can help nurture development of their child’s brain.

Most people would agree that parenting is one of the hardest roles you can apply for. Unfortunately, there’s no parenting degree we can pursue. We can, however, attend classes that help prepare us to excel in our new role. From prenatal comfort and planning to newborn care and safety, new parents can access professional experts who can guide them through their new career path. Comfort Measures Become a pro at soothing the discomfort from childbirth by taking a Comfort Measures class. Your instructor will guide you and your birth partner through different positions and techniques to offer relief through Latent, Early, and Active Labor. They will also answer questions you may have about medication options, hospital procedures, and what to do when things don’t go as planned. Childbirth Approach this experience with confidence when you take a class geared towards demystifying the process of childbirth. Walk through the stages and phases of labor, common interventions, pain relief options, and more with your instructor. Typically held in a group setting, students can learn alongside one another and create a feeling of connectedness. Newborn Care Many parents would say the thing they’re most nervous to take on is the care of a new human. They don’t come with instruction manuals, after all! Consider a newborn care class your tell-all, offering you incredible insights into keeping your new family member safe, healthy, and content. These classes can be essential in helping you feel the most comfortable and confident possible.

Welcoming a new baby can be a beautiful and unpredictable time. We can plan as much as we want but when it comes to new babies, the truth is we’re on their schedule. What should a professional consider before their new family member arrives? LEAVE When will you take leave and how will it work? Are you banking PTO or does your company offer parental leave? Should you consider a separate savings to fund your leave? Who do you need to notify when leave begins? Are there any other considerations? CHILDCARE Will you hire in-home care, find a daycare, or will a family member offer care? If you’re choosing daycare, have you toured any? How long is the waitlist at your top picks? Do you have any leads on in-home care? How frequently will your baby need care? HEALING/RESTING Are you planning a Vaginal delivery or will it be a C-Section? (The recovery times for these are different!) What will your support look like at home while you rest? What roles do you fill in the home that will need to be delegated? Will you need to hire household help? VIRTUAL OPTIONS Are you able to take extra time working virtually if needed? Having a plan A and a plan B can alleviate stress when you’re already focused on healing and recovering. Ensure your whole family is cared for once baby arrives by taking the time to plan things ahead of time! Do you like resources? We have a full Postpartum Planning Guide for you to download here: https://lnkd.in/exnTEk9t

Creating a plan for after the baby has arrived covers many different aspects of your life. A good Postpartum Plan should include discussion with your partner and anyone who will be with you for an extended period of time immediately after birth. The plan is meant to facilitate communication between you and your support team, whoever that includes. The best people to help with your postpartum plan fall into two categories. One is the people who will be directly involved in caring for you after you give birth. This could include a partner, siblings, parents, or other loved ones who step up. The other category is the professionals you’ve added to your support team. This could include a chat with your birth doula or a session with your postpartum doula. Read our full blog and snag our FREE Postpartum Planning Guide here: https://lnkd.in/exnTEk9t

Safety in Pregnancy During the Summertime ?? While pregnant people can safely do most if not all of their normal routine, there are some considerations that should be taken to ensure their safety. Pregnancy takes a lot of energy and effort, here's how to enjoy the heat and sunshine safely: Keep your water intake up! It's important when you're in the heat to replace fluids lost through perspiration. Consider staying out of the sun during peak hours and opt for your daily walks in the morning or evenings. Always wear an SPF! This is good advice always but pregnancy can sometimes cause sensitive skin. Avoiding sunburn is important. Take plenty of breaks. Find a shady spot to sit or somewhere with air conditioning while you rest. As with anything, listen to your body! If you're suddenly feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or have pains make sure to sit, drink some water, and consider taking it easy. There's no reason for pregnancy to mean the end of summer fun - by keeping a few things in mind you can enjoy soaking up the sun with family and friends.

When working collaboratively with providers, it's important for Doulas to maintain professionalism. In our experience, the three cornerstones of collaborative care in hospital settings are: → Acknowledging the role of a Doula and sticking within that scope of practice. Doulas are hired to support, offer information and resources, and aid in communication. Understanding our unique place in the birth space and honoring that moves leaps and bounds towards a positive working environment. → Respecting the role of OB Nurses, Obstetricians, and Midwives. It's vital to respect the training and education that is behind the birth professionals our clients have chosen. They have chosen to trust them and we trust our clients to make the best decisions for their families. By not crossing into medical advice and communicating respect, we can foster a relationship that supports our clients' birth wishes. → Understanding how to effectively facilitate communication is a key component of ensuring we're working together. There are times to interject and times to simply support, knowing the difference between the two creates an energy that is supportive of the entire birth team, not just us. Helping to clarify, ask questions our clients may have, and interpret any medical terms that may be used can help clear the lines of communication and allow everyone to make the best decisions possible. We love working with hospital providers! We have worked hard for a combined 30 years to create beautiful collaboration that offers our clients support they know they can count on.

How was Baltimore Birth Festival 2024? The best! Always a fun time, we returned this year as Gold Sponsors. This annual event is put on by Maryland Families for Safe Birth and featured dozens of vendors from around the Baltimore area. Doulas of Baltimore hosted a "Big Sibling Training" that offered big siblings the opportunity to practice their swaddling and diaper skills before their new baby arrived. Emily and Debbie also hosted a talk on preparing for postpartum - one of the most overlooked times in a new parent's journey. Thanks to all who joined us, we're so thankful to be part of such a beautiful community!

Join us as we advocate for safe births for all! Maryland Maternal Mortality Summit - May 9th Join Emily as she has the honor of speaking at the Ignite Pre-Conference session on May 9th for the 2024 Maryland Maternal Mortality Summit! From the Maryland Patient Safety Center: "Rates of maternal mortality are increasing across the nation, and non-Hispanic Black birthing people die at approximately 3 times the rate of those who are white. In Maryland, racial disparities in maternal mortality continue to widen. In our state, the leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths in 2018 were non-cardiovascular conditions, cardiovascular conditions, and suicide, and 83% of the pregnancy-related deaths were judged to be preventable." Emily will be hosting a talk on Doulas of Baltimore, what we do, and how we're increasing access to the support Birthing Individuals need. Join us in person or virtually. Full details and registration here: https://lnkd.in/ebgHh7pJ

Meet Doulas of Baltimore at the Baltimore Birth Festival - May 19th Join us at the Baltimore Birth Festival on May 19th 10AM-4PM at Patterson Park! Doulas of Baltimore is proud to be returning as a Gold Star Sponsor for the year of 2024. Find us at our tent, we'll have: - Sibling Training tent set up with activities for little ones - Meet and greets with our doulas - Dog treats and water for your four-legged family members Debbie + Emily will also be presenting on Preparing for a Smooth Postpartum Experience from 1-2PM at the Lower Stage.