The Birth Lounge Blog

A Survival Guide: Holidays After A Loss The holiday season can be hard for those who have experienced a loss this year. At a time of year that people are expected to automatically be happy and be cheery and bright-eyed, it can be painful to have to pretend to be enjoying yourself while you are dying on the inside. One mother described it as “a dark place of heartbreak and anger.” Through my work with parents who have experienced loss (or any kind of trauma), I have found that having a structure of mindsets to help you survive in high stress situations is helpful. I was considering a survival guide for the holidays for expectant parents who have experienced loss, but then I thought why not just a general survival guide to help when you are coping with loss, no matter what time of year it is. Know your limits (It’s people's’ job to respect that boundary) You have the right to pick and choose which events you attend and which events will too overwhelming emotionally...

The Best Holiday Gifts for Parents Tranquility by HeHe is dedicated to bringing mental health awareness into every home that we serve. We take time to have sensitive chats before the birth of your child to see exactly what fears, concerns, worries, and questions you have. This is telling of the support you might need when preparing to welcome your little one Earthside. With so much focus on the baby by most birth workers, we've created an approach that is parent centered. Our Founder, HeHe, has been an active member in the Mental Health world for years and hopes that one day the stigma around mental health will be absolved. With this, we have a focus on mental health of parents leading up to the birth of their child and support during postpartum. Headspace is a word that you will hear HeHe say over and over again in order to bring awareness to your body, your emotions, how those two are connected, and how they inevitably influence one another. With the holidays right...

8 Questions to Ask During a Doula Interview  Ever see something on the internet that makes you cringe... Do you ever see anything on the internet that makes you cringe so hard that you want to scream? I can name a couple: the incessant bickering on FB, the mom's groups that everyone thinks they are a medical doctor or a licensed psychologist, and don't forget about the person who post what they are doing when they are doing it every single day (I also worry about their safety!). Whew, it's exhausting.  Over my time as a doula, there is one thing that still makes me cringe just as hard now as it did the very first time I experienced it. There is nothing worse than an expectant parent who shows up to an interview with printed questions from the internet. The worst questions are the ones that highlight the fact that this person truly has no idea what a doula can truly do to transform their birth experience. The questions of "How long have you been a doula?...

I recently met Jenny through a online blogging group. I instantly connected with her blogs and reached out to her. She is the mother of 2 and lover of all things home decor and parenthood. She also loves donuts which is a plus in my book! She has amazing posts about pumping exclusively, must-have items, and DIY how-to's. Check her out over at Paint & Pillows . I asked her to write about her postpartum experience and list her must-have items for when you bring baby home. Enjoy this "tell it like it is," but very logical list of postpartum supplies you will need after having a baby. Must-Have's by Jenny  Despite what those supermodels and celebs show us, your body doesn’t just snap back into place. Things are squishy and leaky and kinda gross. Not knowing what to expect or what can help, can definitely make those first weeks at home harder and more uncomfortable than they need to be. So I’ve compiled a list of postpartum essentials to help ease you int...

{ Snag your seat in our  FREE TRAINING  to master your mindset for birth without fear & anxiety! } Waiting is Hard  Waiting on your tiny human to make their grand appearance can be one of the toughest things you might ever do. The waiting game is hard and when the prize is your little one that you've been growing for months, it can seem like a grueling tasks. I recently wrote a blog about why your Estimated Due Date is actually based on a guess. I like to call it a Guess-stimated Due Date . So much weight is placed on EDD's and so often I see expectant parents feeling all the feels when that date comes and goes with no birth of a baby.  I recently met Taylor Kader, a former teacher turned stay-at-mom and lifestyle blogger. She has a two year-old child and one on the way. I was immediately drawn to her blog posts and her "realness" that shined through her site. You can find her at www.coffeeandcandor.com.  She is also on Facebook and In...

The Voice of Miscarriage  What's the voice sound like?  Like humans, miscarriage has many different voices; despair, loneliness, sadness, guilt, hatred, anger, and shame to name a few. However, for some, the voice of miscarriage can change over time. I have watched this happen to numerous couples. It's important to note that miscarriage will have different voices for each partner, too (and anyone else involved such as expectant grandparents or expectant siblings).  I began supporting people--couples, parents, and families--in their infertility journeys because I saw a need for compassionate care. I saw a need for human connection; for a space to be held for them to express any emotion, any worry, any fear, any anger, any hatred, any loneliness and still feel safe and supported. The road to parenthood isn't always an easy or happy one. The road of infertility and conception challenges is filled with hospitals, medical professionals, bright lights, intrusive...