Posts by Metropolitan Doulas
Self-Care With A Newborn
Living with a newborn can be difficult. That’s not news. Often when folks are trying to be helpful to new parents, they will offer advice like “Sleep when the baby sleeps” or “Take time for yourself.” Sometimes those platitudes are helpful, but more often they leave parents at a loss on how to practically add…
Read More“They were here from the very beginning of you, and the very beginning of you and me.”
Written by Client Kate – Silver Spring It was 3 a.m. on our first night home from the hospital when I dialed Metropolitan Doulas, crying and desperate for help. Our daughter, Piper, had been inconsolable for hours. We had tried everything – the (not-yet-recalled) Rock n’ Play, swaddling, white noise, rocking, shushing, bouncing, just holding…
Read MoreSetting up the Nursery
Questions to Ask Yourself A baby’s nursery can become the heart of a new family’s home, especially for a baby’s first year. Because of this significance we’ve decided to give some tips to help parents prepare the nursery as best they can. When planning the baby nursery, it’s important for families to bear these three…
Read MorePost-Birth OB Visit and What to Expect
Importance of Mother’s Health In the first weeks after birth, families see the pediatrician several times for healthy full-term babies. However, the mother’s post-birth health and healing is also important to monitor, but visits to the mother’s caregiver can get delayed or put off. All mothers need to see a caregiver at least once in…
Read MoreFeeding Your Baby, Part 1 – Solids
Feeding Routine It is a cruel irony that about the time parents feel most comfortable with their infant feeding routine, it is time to consider introducing solids. Whether breastfeeding, bottlefeeding, or a combination, your infant will show interest in “real” food before you are likely ready to start offering solid food. Beginning at just a…
Read MoreFeeding Your Toddler (Part 2)
Toddlerhood Congratulations, you’ve made it to toddlerhood! Feeding your toddler is a different experience, as they learn to feed themselves and develop stronger opinions about what they want to eat. After her first birthday, there are no restrictions on what you can offer your baby. All foods are on the table…and soon to be on…
Read MoreEnjoying Summer With Your Baby
As the temperature rises, you may be looking for tips about where to take your child in the summer. There’s plenty of sun, heat, bugs, and water, so how can you work around it and have fun? Here are our best tips and tricks for tackling this season with your baby/toddler. SUN SAFETY Infants are…
Read MoreAll About Teething
Many new parents wait nervously for their baby to begin teething. Will it be painful? Will it take a long time? When should we expect it? How can we help with our baby’s discomfort? Here are some practical answers for parents seeking guidance: Dealing with drool Around three months, baby salivary glands begin producing more…
Read MoreMetropolitan Doulas featured in the Washington Post!
We here at Metropolitan Doulas are very excited to be featured in the parenting section of the Washington Post on Wednesday August 9th, 2018. “There were many things about being a new mom that Courtney Lee-Ashley didn’t know: How often she’d need to pump. How hard infant poop stains would be to get out. How…
Read MoreA look at babywearing…
This month we decided to have a conversation with Laci, an incredible postpartum doula and Certified Babywearing Educator. Laci talks with us about some of the benefits of using carriers or wraps with your baby. How did you get interested in babywearing? L: I became interested in babywearing while I was pregnant with my son. My husband…
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