The Birth Lounge Blog

An Awkward Run-In at Target turned into a Lesson in Diversity (This was an article Hehe wrote originally for Family Education, you can view the full article  HERE . As a Maternity Concierge , sometimes I go on the first few outings with new moms after the baby is born. This particular family had a three-year-old, too. So here we are having spent way too much time in Target and a cart that drops items every few feet because it’s piled mountain high because this mom had been cooped up for the last three weeks. I’m wearing the baby, who is sleeping, and the three-year-old is in the cart (and holding a few items), but growing antsy as each minute passes. Nap for her was due in 45 minutes and we knew we’d already be late for that. As we step into the line (keeping in mind, we are the third party in line), the three-year-old asks if tomorrow is a “school day” or a “home day” and her mom tells her it’s a school day. The conversation pursues and the little girl names her frien...

HeHe's Top 10 Baby Picks { Snag your seat in our  FREE TRAINING  to master your mindset for birth without the fear and anxiety! } When I looked around my home and office, I actually had more of a hard time deciding what not  to include rather than struggling to come up with 10 items. I, at first, had a list of over 20 items. Then, I began to narrow it down to items that had multiple uses and one that could be replaced or substituted by something else. That left me with a list of about 16 items. Whew, this was freaking hard.  Alas, I had narrowed it down to what I couldn't live without. Well, I don't live without these items. I don't own every one of these items.. yet. Since I am a doula that hasn't yet had kids, my experience and preference for things like the strollers and bassinets comes from working with hundreds of families over the years. Here goes... The Good Stuff Soft Wrap : This is different than a carrier. Personally, I love the boba !...

When Your Fur Babies Meet Your Human Babies with Danielle Engel  [This is also an episode of Friday Free Talk on The Tranquility Tribe Podcast on iTunes. Listen  here .] Hey Tranquility Tribe!  For those of you out there who are wondering how to introduce your fur baby to your new baby, this episode is for you!  Today, Hehe spoke to Danielle Engel, the owner of For the Love of Paws and an expert who is full of tips and tricks for helping your pet adjust to life with your newborn.  Danielle grew up riding horses and learning about dogs from her aunt, who is a dog trainer.  For her whole life, animals have been her passion, and now she works with families and their pets in a wide variety of ways!  From helping to incorporate pets into weddings to making your pet’s introduction to your tiny human go as smoothly as possible, Danielle offers experience-backed knowledge to allow you to have the best possible relationship with your pet....

Is Your Gynecologist a Male? [This is also an episode of Friday Free Talk on The Tranquility Tribe Podcast on iTunes. Listen  here .] In this episode, I dive into the stigma that in order to be a good doula, you must have children yourself. I get down to the nitty gritty and pretty raw.  A question that I sometimes hear is how I could possibly be so knowledgable on pregnancy, birth, and newborns without having my own children. It comes from parents in interviews who have failed to truly understand the support and role of a doula and sometimes it's straight from the mouths of other female  birth professionals. Those same practitioners usually place so much weight on their own births and with this, their own birth experiences subtly overflow into their practice. I also realized that male professionals are not subject to this same standard or judgement bar. They are allowed to have never birthed a child, but also be competent to support others in ...