Posts Tagged ‘postpartum Doulas’
Recognizing Post-Partum Depression
Our guest post today comes from Newborn Care Solutions
Recently I had a chat with a friend that made me sad and happy all at the same time. She is a friend I have known for years and a fairly new mother—within the last year. She also took one of my 
classes to learn more about being a Newborn Care Specialist. Our Foundational NCS Training Program is quite comprehensive and covers not just the fun stuff of new babies—it also covers the hard stuff. Even the stuff people still seem reluctant to talk about, including Post-Partum Depression.
The part that made me sad was that my friend shared with me that while she has known about it for years, seen it in clients and knows it is a very real condition, she didn’t recognize the signs in herself until after she took our class. And even then, it took some time for her to realize something more than the usual exhaustion of motherhood was affecting her. She talked to her doctor and was helped to realize she was suffering from Post-Partum Depression. My heart hurt for her as it does for anyone battling any form of depression.
However, I’m not writing about this to give a dissertation on the signs and symptoms—others out there have already done an excellent job. One of my favorite sites for great information in “plain mama English” is this one. Please take some time to look it over and read it; it could help you or someone you love.
Read more at Newborn Care Solutions on how an NCS can help the entire family when presented with PPD.
To learn more about Newborn Care Solutions Foundational Program visit their website and view all their programs!
TLC For Kids, Inc. has been St. Louis’ premier nanny and babysitting agency for over 30 years. TLC For Kids’ dedicated staff is ready to assist you in finding nannies, tutors, newborn care specialists, sitters and more. Reach us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or 314-725-5660
The Surprising Science Behind Meditation During Pregnancy
I’m excited to introduce our guest blogger today, Jessica Mougis. Jessica’s message about doing meditation during your pregnancy is very important. I also think that postpartum moms will find meditation helpful. Meditation will sooth the nerves of nervous sleep deprived moms. Thank you Jessica!
In the third trimester of my pregnancy I found out my baby was breech. I was devastated and refused to accept that my birth experience would not be the natural birth that I had envisioned. I did everything in my power to naturally get my baby to turn, but she never did. It was during my struggles to accept the new path of my pregnancy that I found Expectful – a platform that makes meditation easy for new and expectant moms.
After a few days of meditation I began to feel a sense of peace that had escaped me for so long. Having that quiet time to connect with myself and with my baby helped me to accept my birth plan. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by my thoughts, emotions and fears meditation became the anchor that brought me back to the peace within. When I began reading about the science behind meditation during pregnancy I was amazed to find that along with stress reduction there were many other proven benefits.
· Calmer Baby Temperament. I have found my baby to be generally content. While a large part of that is her nature, I know that meditation and yoga throughout pregnancy have helped me which has also helped her. Babies are extremely sensitive to the energy around them, and I am hopeful that my effort to remain present and aware are positively affecting her.
· Pain Reduction During Birth. My birth was a cesarean delivery. Even though I was given an epidural and numb from the chest down, I felt sensation. The feeling of being paralyzed was scary and could have easily caused me to panic. However, I was able to return to my breath over and over to help me stay present and a calm.
· Easier Recovery. My recovery was difficult. Healing from major abdominal surgery while being sleep deprived and learning how to breastfeed was very overwhelming physically and mentally. I was better equipped to deal with the pain and stress by practicing meditation.
· Connection and Compassion. Meditation nurtures compassion. This has been instrumental in my relationship with my husband. Having a new baby and adjusting to a totally new life can easily cause strain and tension. Practicing meditation helps me to slow down, take deep breaths, and see things from his point of view. This has brought us close together in our early parenthood journey.
As I reflect on my experience and the science behind meditation, it made me wonder why my doctor never addressed mental well being during my pregnancy. When addressing prenatal care, it’s so important that both the body and mind are looked after.
TLC for Kids provides newborn services for families in South Florida and St. Louis, Mo. Visit our website to learn more about our newborn nannies and over night providers.
Jessica is an experienced yoga teacher and filmmaker. She has taught yoga, dance and videography to more than 1000 children, and has led teacher trainings for more than 150 adults nationally and internationally. Jessica currently writes a blog, Lifted Into the World, about her experiences with new motherhood. (https://liftedintotheworld.wordpress.com) She lives in the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband Steve, daughter Emily Rae, and Rhodesian Ridgeback, Romeo.
TLC's Postpartum Doulas Assist New Moms with Newborn Care and More
TLC for Kids has been providing Saint Louis’ newest moms with Doula help since 1995. Doula is a Greek term which means “women helping women” or “women servant.” I love the word and its meaning. From my experience no woman can go through childbirth, recovery, and welcome a new baby without support from someone who is experienced and knowledgeable. We all need help from time to time.
TLC’s Doulas are loving, experienced and trained. Our Doulas are ready to guide moms(and dads) through the joys of caring for a new baby. Some Doulas provide overnight care so mom and dad can rest. Newborn babies can be exhausting and overwhelming even for the most seasoned of parents 🙂
A TLC Doula will help with feeding, bathing, swaddling, circumcision care, changing, umbilical cord care and so much more. A Doula can also help around the house. She can provide sibling care, meal preparation, transportation, and baby room or house organization.
Here is one mom’s story about her Doula,
My mother and father came to help me when my daughter was born. As much as I appreciated their help they added to my overall responsibilities. Now there were 2 more people to feed, entertain, and more laundry to do! When Donna, my amazing Doula arrived, she just instinctively knew what to do and added no stress to my life. She organized the babies room, did the laundry, prepared meals for us, rocked and sang to the baby when I needed rest, and brought her to me for breast feeding. I was able to nap, run errands, and recover from my c-section. My husband and I truly loved the experience of caring for our newborn.”
If you would like to learn more about postpartum Doulas visit the DONA website.
To reserve a TLC Doula in Saint Louis complete our registration form on line.
Postpartum Doula's care for Baby and Mom
Susan was so excited to find out she was pregnant. She and her husband spent the nine months leading up to her due date preparing for the birth of her baby. Susan had a perfect pregnancy and a beautiful baby, Chase.
But once she was home it was hard for Susan to take care of herself. She was caring for Chase but who was looking after Susan?
Postpartum Doulas can help. Postpartum Doulas offer non-medical help and support for mom. They are trained educators and consultants who specialize in the care of moms and new babies.
New moms need rest, breastfeeding support, help with older siblings and extra hands in running the house. A postpartum Doula will do anything from putting an older sibling down for a nap to throwing in a load of laundry. They can also care for the baby while mom gets some much needed sleep.
TLC For Kids Newborn Programincludes postpartum Doulas. All of the Doulas who work for TLC are trained by a neonatal nurse specialist and a lactation expert. On top of the newborn training our Doulas are also screened based on interviews, reference and background checks, and newborn care examinations.
Susan called TLC and we were able to send her a great supportive Doula. Caring for a new baby in the home can be overwhelming. Thankfully, Saint Louis moms don’t have to do it alone.
To learn more watch the interview on our doula programs!
New Resource on Pregnancy & Postpartum Emotional health
Visit the TLC resource page https://tlcforkids.com/tlcdev/links.php for many valuable parenting and child care resources. We are pleased to announce that we have recently added a link to a blog written by Diane Sanford, Ms. Sanford is an internationally recognized expert in pregnancy and postpartum emotional health, Diane has appeared on radio and TV shows including Good Morning America. A media expert for the American Psychological Association, Diane has been interviewed for stories in The New York Times, Washington Post, Parents, Woman’s Day, Redbook, and numerous health/parenting websites. She is Clinical Director of Mother to Mother, and has served on the Boards of Postpartum Support International, ICEA (International Childbirth Educators Association) Consultants, and Babycenter’s Medical Advisors. Please visit her blog at http://livingselfcare.wordpress.com/