The Birth Lounge Blog

How to Avoid a Parenting Failure I’ve been in the business of family for nearly 15 years. I began babysitting at the ripe age of 14 in the deep, deep south. I’ll be 28 soon and over the years I have had the pleasure (and some pain) of working with hundreds of families in many different ways. I’ve been a nanny, an overnight caretaker, an infant teacher, a toddler teacher, a Child Developmental Specialist for Early Intervention, a behavioral therapist, an in-home therapist, a curriculum specialist, the Director of a Newborn and Infant Program, an in-school aid, an appointed family advocate for families going through diagnosis, a doula, and finally a Maternity Concierge. I have seen some families, yal. As I’ve been able to watch these families grow and transition, I have been able to identify characteristics that will make or break a family’s success. Now obviously, it’s never too late to change and sometimes people surprise us. There’s no 0ne-size-fits all or a magic pill that w

Books to Prepare for Your Ideal Labor  This quarantine has changed so much including how you are preparing for your birth. Across the nation, we have witnessed cancellation of childbirth classes left and right leaving millions of expecting parents feeling stranded and unprepared.  On social media, in my inboxes, in my texts, and frantic phone calls have proved that women are feeling the pressure of having tons of questions and not having anywhere to turn for answers . There are great online choices, but there is also a group of women who aren’t jazzed by that option. If that’s you, don't worry, you can still prepare fully...through reading! I can’t tell you how much I learn from books. I have compiled a list of my favorite books that are incredibly supportive of a safe and gently, controlled birth experience.  Books: Expecting Better - Emily Oster When parents ask me waht books they should read, I understand that most parents aren’t going to bang out a book a month so logically I

4 Appointments to Keep During COVID-19 With all the changes to our healthcare during this global crisis, there have been so many questions about cancelled appointments! Millions of women all over the world are being told that their prenatals are being cancelled and this has left so many folks feeling unsure and scared about how to have a baby in this pandemic. I’ve talked to so many women who have been left scratching their head with what to do next. I may not have the answer of what to do next, but I do have some pointers on the doctor appointments that are worth keeping even among this pandemic. You can expect that your doctor will probably request you come in for these. And, if they don’t, but you think they should, you have the right to ask about that, too. Just because times are crazy, doesn’t mean you don’t get to advocate for yourself. Now is the time more than ever to use your voice and make it heard to receive the care you deserve. Pregnancy Confirmation  This can be a tricky

The Truth about Miscarriages and Infertility I was recently asked my views on miscarriage and the fact that it is quite taboo. But, why? 1 in 4 women will experience a miscarriage at some point in their reproductive journey and 1 in 8 women will face challenges of some sort when trying to conceive. If it’s so common, why are we so afraid to talk about it? I have a few theories like death in general is usually an uncomfortable. Death of a child is really uncomfortable. Also, just because it’s common, doesn’t mean you won’t come across people who have never experienced it. For those people, it can be very uncomfortable because they may not know what to do or say to be supportive. I think this is the ultimate reason that people don’t venture into the discussion of miscarriage because they are uneducated on it. When asked, many adults can not tell you an actual reason for miscarriage. People have no clue what causes infertility issues, miscarriage, or even stillbirth. If we don