Postpartum doulas are fantastic support, but they aren't the only ones supporting families with their newborns. We have colleagues all over the US who offer different types of services in their area, although in Portland and Seattle we don't have NCS or Baby Nurses locally (yet). We have painstakingly assembled info from the 4 main industries in newborn care-giving to help parents differentiate what role might be the most appropriate for them. If you have questions, we hope that this will answer and clarify what role you are looking for.

We need to know our options and the potential outcomes so we can make informed choices that fit our needs. Once I realized there were other choices that emphasized helping your BODY be prepared, and not just your mind, I thought I better share it for the sake of my people...

Confused about all the different roles and how you can get training to do your chosen path? If you are considering becoming a birth worker but youhave questions about what each path consists of, what tasks are performed, and what training is required, read on.

This week I interviewed Michelle Emanuel, an Occupational Therapist and Craniosacral Therapist, who teaches her trademarked TummyTime! Program to parents and other professionals (bodyworkers, lactation consultants, doulas, educators, etc) which is where I first learned this approach, including the Polyvagal Theory.

Clearly the worst part about pumping is washing the parts and keeping everything clean and safe. Here are the top tips from Portland moms who have become pros at pumping and storing their milk:

It is the plea of hardworking mothers who slug their pumps with them to work, drop off their babies, and take their breasts along too.

"How do I pump enough to keep up with my baby when all I have is this machine??"

One thing I have learned is to really make sure those last 5 minutes count towards building confidence in my clients. Not that I don’t focus on building them up the entire time I am with them, but specifically those last 5 minutes before I go, I make sure they know that overall things are going better than they feel like they are, and that I have great hopes that things will improve very quickly. Which is true, but of course families can’t see it in the midst of their chaos.

In our flip-flopped family of a stay at home dad and a breadwinner wife who works days, overnights and weekends, we try to make evenings sacred and prioritize dinner time where we all sit down (or at least the kids attemptto sit down), say grace, and share a meal together talking about our day. "

This is a quick doula meal I can make just about anywhere. Most families have eggs, and an assortment of tired looking veggies that were meant for something but got overlooked by a new baby in the house. This is a great way to build a whole meal out of a rag tag team of odds and ends, and give a new family something beautiful to eat that lasts beyond one meal.

As doulas who offer overnight care, gentle sleep consults, and of course a host of handy mom-helping services, we often hear the worst stories. (Like the moms who freeze their purses and call us because they can't find their keys! True story--and not just one!) But lately I am hearing stories aboutmoms who put off their need for sleep long enough to really feel like they are having a breakdown. Like losing their mind, and not just for that moment when you 'forget' you had a baby and then suddenly realize you have been a mother for 3 months (not uncommon!). But the kind that feels desperate, clinging to any kind of support they can possibly trust.