 At this point, my clients have been receiving emails regarding doula support with the latest details as they become available. I have attended several virtual meetings and webinars to uncover as much information as I can for myself and my clients. Working closely with the North Shore Doulas through Zoom meetings, we are supporting one another so that we may support you. Our commitment to you all at this time is stronger than ever. Navigating this uncharted territory is not easy for any of us, but with information, support, and connection (albeit virtual), we are doing what we can in a very unpredictable time. The point of this post is not to give medical advice but rather to provide a starting point for gathering information so that you can make informed decisions about your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. For specific protocols and policies, always speak to your care provider.
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I am pretty darn excited to be part of this special event! On March 30th you will find us nestled in at the stunning Cheakamus Center preparing growing families to thrive through comprehensive workshops, building community and celebration with nourishing food! Glow is a prenatal day retreat set in an ancient cedar rainforest, aimed at: - Empowering and Inspiring confidence in expectant women and couples, - Guiding women and couples in creating personalized family plans to THRIVE into the "4th trimester" - Reclaiming birth as a sacred ceremony and celebration; dispelling fear and embracing trust - Celebrating life, birth, family and community. We will explore everything no one tells you about having a baby, including such topics as sleep, returning to intimacy, taking maternity leave, proper self care, baby care basics and more. Think beyond birth and prepare for the lifetime that follows it. Glow is an inclusive space. All genders and gender expressions are welcome. All variety of family types are welcome. 
Workshop includes information on; how milk is made, how supply is set up, instincts and reflexes in parent and baby, latching and attaching baby at the breast, normal baby behaviour, common breastfeeding challenges and how to cope if they arise, local support resources, setting realistic expectations of the early weeks, and creating clear individual postpartum plans.
An ideal time to take in this workshop is anytime after 20weeks. Wow! I cannot thank you all enough! With the support from Squamish Hospital Foundation, Vairdy Photography, This is Beauty-AnnaMarie, Grinning Weasel Photography, Squamish Savings, and all the individual folks who supported this fundraiser directly or through one of our events...THANK YOU SO MUCH! THE PUMP HAS ARRIVED! It was no small feat! With a good dose of patience and support from Roots Community Midwives, Dr. Kim MacDonald our local OB-GYN, Mountain Maternity and nearly every OB nurse at SGH, there is now a brand new Medela Symphony Plus and trolley at Squamish General Hospital! Seeing first hand how quickly this community is growing, I knew we needed another pump and I am incredibly humbled and grateful to have made it happen!   I am very proud to be presenting this interactive workshop for expectant folks preparing for the reality of pain-coping in labor. Join Judy Mclaren, a certified Birthing From Within® Childbirth Educator, seasoned Doula, owner of Dancing Star Birth and an integral member of Vancouver’s birth community for over 12 years, to discover and understand your perception of pain in childbirth. Gain confidence in your ability to cope with the intensity of labor and birth while exploring the pain coping mindset in preparation for the transition into parenthood. 
When a past client comes up with a great idea to support other new parents, I am ALL IN! This particular idea not only supports new families, it also supports women-owned businesses that have a social impact, what's not to love?! These transitions kits make a great gift for yourself or anyone new to parenting. But make sure you contact me for a promo code before you place your order because Loretta is extending some love for my clients!  Here's what Loretta wants you to know about these kits... Transition Essentials was created as a way of providing people with tangible self-care resources while going through a major transition in their lives. Each kit is curated with products made by women owned businesses that have a social impact. Whether it’s an education initiative in Ghana they are contributing to, partnering with young female entrepreneurs in Uganda or offering leadership programming to young women globally, these business women are on a mission to make the world a better place for everyone. Their products are ethical and made with care. The kits are curated with a lot of thought. We do this to ensure you are getting useful products with minimal waste. All our box fillers are made of recycled paper (we ditched the plastic!) and there is no unnecessary wrapping. We also do our best to reduce overhead so we can keep the prices reasonable and not cut down on the quality. In each box you’ll learn a little about the entrepreneurs behind the products and receive gift codes if you want to purchase more later on.  I am very excited to be presenting this workshop with Safe 'n Sound Squamish! Geared to birth workers and anyone working with expecting and new families, learn how to create a more inclusive practice for gender diverse families. The workshop is free of charge however space is limited, registration is required. Register by emailing safensoundsquamish@gmail.com  Before we were even pregnant with our first, I dragged my husband to a Midwifery Info Night in Vancouver. He obliged, as the partner of a fresh newly trained Doula, and was curious to find out what midwives do and how they support families. He was blown away by the amount of information we left with. If you are expecting, or plan to in the future, I would highly encourage you to start gathering information from care providers now. Our local midwives, Roots Community Midwives, are holding an information night and will be happy to answer all your questions about midwifery care. Join the midwives on December 13th at 7pm, 210-38026 Second Ave. (Grinning Weasel Photography Studio). RSVP to rootsadmin@rootsmidwives.ca   My upcoming weekend immersion will complete my first year of mentoring Birthing From Within® childbirth preparation classes. Through Doula-ing and childbirth classes I feel privileged to have supported 83 families this year...and there's still another six weeks to go!
This is the time of year that I start spending more time reflecting and looking back on what has transpired. It's been another busy year of supporting expectant and newborn families. The addition of teaching prenatal classes has opened up an incredibly inspiring outlet for how I continue to serve local families. To say that I love mentoring my classes just doesn't do it justice. My Birthing From Within® classes have fuelled my desire to do more to support families in our community in a way that has taken over my birth work. Expectant families coming from all walks of life, working with all kinds of care providers, are coming together as a community to prepare and gather information for their births. Having such a diverse group of families has benefits beyond lively conversations in class. Before they have their babies they are already starting to build a village of support with other folks who are all headed towards the same transition into parenthood. The benefits of creating a support network before birth can make the entire process less daunting just by knowing you're not the only one going through it! My desire to reach deeper into the community to support these families has only grown. From working with another local doula to offer free Doula Information Nights to cultivating growth in our local La Leche League group and spearheading the Breastpump Fundraiser for SGH, the volunteer hours I have put into this community have been richly satisfying. I am also very proud to be part of an interdisciplinary group who's goal is to improve care in the childbearing year for families in our community. The Sea to Sky Maternity Project has put out this survey for families who are currently pregnant or have birthed in the corridor in the past three years. Since the first step in improving care comes from understanding what needs to be changed, your participation is greatly appreciated. Here's to another successful year ahead! Thank you for your support, Lunamama doula services wouldn't be where it is today without you! |
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