Posts by Metropolitan Doulas
If Pumping Hurts, This Could Be Why: Breast Pump Flange Fit
What Is a Breast Pump Flange? The flange is the part of the breast pump held directly against the breast. It’s the funnel-shaped piece, usually made of hard plastic or softer silicone that surrounds the nipple. The flange provides suction and allows milk expression into the attached bottle or bag. Every breast pump — and…
Read MoreClients Ask: How Much Postpartum Support Do I Need?
Whether you count your postpartum period as twelve weeks or twelve months, everyone agrees that a new baby’s arrival is a time of profound change. Between physical recovery, sleep deprivation, and learning to care for a new baby (often with older siblings in tow), it’s no surprise that new parents often feel overwhelmed and need…
Read MoreNewborns and Sleep Training: What to Expect
The quality of a baby’s sleep keeps many parents awake. From frequent feedings, “day-night reversal,” and loud grunts and sighs, typical newborn behavior can have parents asking: “When is sleep training safe for our baby?” In fact, questions about newborn sleep are often on parents’ minds well before birth. An abundance of warnings (“you’ll never…
Read MoreClients Ask: What Does a Night Doula Do?
You’ve read the baby books, taken the baby care classes, and feel totally confident that you can do this…. But what happens when you’re so sleep deprived you barely remember what day it is, with another daytime shift with your newborn a few hours away? Nighttime parenting can be a whole different world and the…
Read MoreClients Ask: What Does a Day Doula Do?
The benefits of postpartum support are indisputable. An extra set of hands and a reliable, professional source of information in those early weeks with your new baby can make all the difference to your early days of parenting. Your “Fourth Trimester” can go from “information overload” and chaos to one that is peaceful and designed…
Read MoreWhy High-Achieving Women Become the Default Parent—And What to Do About It
This guest blog comes to us from Chelsea Boateng, The Professional Parent Hi! I am Chelsea; mom of four and a seasoned career professional turned parenting coach. If you’re anything like the professional women I work with (and me), you’re used to being the one who holds it all together. You’re strategic. You plan ahead.…
Read MoreDoulas in Perinatal Intensive Outpatient Programs
Many birthing and postpartum parents suffer perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). But parents in emotional distress can recover – with social support, psychotherapy, and medication – often without being separated from their babies. In fact, programs that keep parents and babies together during treatment are on the rise in the U.S., and Metropolitan Doulas…
Read MoreClients Ask: Should My Newborn Get Measles Vaccine?
Sleeping newborn baby receives vaccine, as recommended by CDC. Newborns do not typically receive measles vaccines.
Read MoreClients Ask: How Do Carrot Postpartum Doula Benefits Work?
We get it – babies are expensive. From daily needs (so many diapers!) to the big ticket items (a stroller costs what?!), having a baby in the U.S. can be overwhelming! Fortunately, new payment options like Carrot Fertility Insurance help make our postpartum doula care more accessible and affordable for newly postpartum parents who want…
Read MoreThe Role of Postpartum Doulas in Lactation Support
Many new parents find lactation – the body process that produces and secretes milk – complex and sometimes mystifying. Breastfeeding (the act of feeding a baby at the breast and also called chestfeeding or bodyfeeding) can leave parents feeling surprised, joyful, unhappy, and/or exhausted. While many parents choose to breastfeed their babies and have no…
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