Celestial Birth Doula Services

12/24/2023

Happy holidays from Celestial Birth, friends! 🎄✨⭐️
⛸️ And if anyone knows the provenance of this photo or the history of this adorable ice-skating family please share! ❄️

08/31/2023

08/14/2023

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This is an important visual. With Tyler-James I followed ’books’ and fed every 3 or so hours thinking ‘well he won’t be hungry he was just fed 2hours ago’ our feeding journey only lasted 5-6 months 😓 with Everleigh and Theo I feed on demand from birth, day and night and they have absolutely thrived! Our baby’s aren’t robots and trying to train them into western schedules from birth is so upsetting and stressful for both mum and baby. I’d love a world where we all fall back into a closer to nature lifestyle with our little ones ❤️

In the hospital they usually tell mums to try to breastfeed every 2-3 hours. Wake baby to nurse every 2-3 hours. That way you can make sure to nourish baby and bring in a good milk supply.

Unfortunately this isn’t exactly how it works🙄 this visual was shared in a post from a friend that I shared a couple years ago and it’s incredibly accurate.

It’s basic math that they use in the hospital to give you the “ideal” feeding schedule. This “ideal schedule” equals about 8-12 nursing sessions in 24 hours which means baby would only have to nurse every 2-3 hours.

This is their way of saying that baby needs to eat often, but this isn’t exactly how it works for mom and baby in real life. Which can cause a mom to really struggle when her baby wants to nurse more often than every 2-3 hours! Nothing like setting new moms up to fail🤦‍♀️

Because they push this so heavily, I’ve noticed that parents seem to think breastfeeding is going to be super simple and perfectly spaced out feedings like the cereal picture. It also makes it look as though all feedings should be the same size so they should be nursing for the same amount of time each time. Which also is NOT accurate.

THIS IS NOT THE REALITY. In reality, baby will have big/long feeds sometimes. Or little/short feeds. Or feeding sessions while they are still mostly asleep. Or feeding sessions that aren’t so great. Or anything in between! They are not guaranteed to sleep better just because their feedings are all spaced out perfectly and done for the same length of time.

Instead of watching the clock and timing sessions, let baby lead! Watch for feeding cues from your little one and go from there😊

I also wanted to say that I love the blueberries portion of this visual. It shows more of a reality for how nursing sessions go. Some are bigger. Some are smaller. Sometimes there’s a longer amount of time in between. And in counting the berries, there are STILL the correct number of nursing sessions for the day.

Amazing, right?! Our bodies and our babies know what they are doing. Let them lead

07/06/2023

Another pretty summer walk home from a postpartum visit. At least the bees are enjoying this heat. 🐝

06/25/2023

Something parents are told when their baby isn't gaining weight well, is to make sure the baby stays on the same breast for a long time. Also, to put baby back on the same breast for the next feed (or several).
Unfortunately, this actually has the opposite effect from what we're after. I'll explain.

Babies are driven by milk flow.
When milk is flowing well, and they're latched effectively, they feed much more enthusiastically and actively. This is when they take in the most milk. You can often see or hear it, and when it's going well they swallow with every 1 to 2 sucks.
When the flow subsides, as it naturally does, they don't take as much volume of milk and tend to feed less effectively. This is especially true in a baby that isn't gaining weight well who are often seen doing a larger amount of sucks between swallows than expected.

To leave them on at this point in the hope of getting some higher fat milk doesn't make sense.(Especially as the milk at this point may not even be higher in fat, more on that another time)
It is much more effective to switch breasts and get another good flow of milk to stimulate the baby into drinking well.
They will take far more milk on board, and far more fat quantity than if they'd be left only having a very occasional swallow.

For similar reasons, it's important not to keep going back to the same breast if/when the baby wakes for a further feed. But also, because this leaves the second breast unstimulated and actually sends the message to your body to reduce milk production. The very last thing we want for a baby that isn't gaining well.

It is overall volume of milk that determines weight gain. We should be watching for, and encouraging the baby to actively drink, to maximise the amount of milk taken and stimulate milk supply.
Effective latch, breast compressions, and switching sides are really useful.

05/15/2023

Happy Mother’s Day from Boston!
I love being able to walk home from postpartum visits and see the earth coming alive again in spring!

04/28/2023

This is such good news! But cases like these throw into sharp relief our failings around postpartum care and parenthood in the US, particularly for Black parents.

Black children are disproportionately reported to CPS and following investigation are less likely to be reunited with their families.
And distrust of midwifery is rampant and rooted in racist practices. We have to do better for our parents and children.
For more information:
https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/brief-history-midwifery-america
https://www.nichq.org/insight/our-systems-meant-help-are-hurting-black-families

We're so relieved to know the Jackson family is resting together at home, but they never should’ve missed out on almost three weeks of bonding with baby Mila.

Reproductive Justice is about our right to choose when and how we birth, take care of our children, and seek medical care—all rights that were denied to the Jackson family.

It’s why we’ll never stop fighting for Reproductive Justice—whether we’re helping facilitate mutual aid for families in our community, advocating for bills that protect Black pregnant people and families, or educating community members about sexual wellness.

Our work is grounded in the belief that none of us can be truly free until ALL Black folk are liberated from systems of oppression. That’s why we need supporters like you to stand with us as we empower and uplift Black communities.

Join our fight for Reproductive Justice by making a contribution today: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/the-afiya-center-1?refcode=0425_MilaReunion

04/04/2023

Nursing on a mountain?! Heck yes!! 💕💯

“Nursing on top of a mountain. Felt pretty badass being able to do this 💪 super happy we’ve made it as far as we have, without this podcast our journey would have most likely come to an end months ago.” Shared by

04/04/2023

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Posted • Babies are born extremely early. They come into the world, barely able to hold their own head up, and we expect them to be independent.⠀
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We are OBSESSED with the notion that babies need to be separated. To be pushed, taught, trained.⠀
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A baby that just spent 10 months being rocked, held, fed constantly.⠀
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The same baby that only has 25% of it's brain developed at birth. Pure primitive instinct.⠀
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To be near or on momma. To seek their milk. To be skin to skin and reap all the benefits of that. To sleep and nurse when their body tells them to.⠀
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You are their habitat. You are their home, emotionally and physiologically. Without you, their survival instincts kick in and their brain immediately goes into fight or flight. ⠀
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Their brain sees that separation as imminent danger.⠀
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Babies, toddlers, and children NEED to be deeply dependent, in order to then become independent. ⠀
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Newborns physically need you to regulate their temperature, heart rate, and breathing (among others). They continue to need you as they grow. Toddlers need you to co-regulate their emotions. This is not manipulation, it's survival. It's a normal part of maturing. ⠀
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Most babies need to be near mom while sleeping. Not only do they sleep better, but this also protects milk supply because they nurse more often, and it's also a protective measure against SIDS⠀
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It's normal that they cry when they can't see you. This is their way of bringing you closer. This is a normal and healthy response to being separated, and it can't and shouldn't be trained, ignored, or questioned.⠀
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Your loving responsiveness is literally wiring their brain, building trust, and showing them what a loving relationship is.⠀
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You are not creating "bad habits."⠀
You are everything your baby needs.

03/16/2023

I often get asked about strict routines for new babies, like feed, sleep, play routines, or time based routines from parenting books.
So are routines a good idea? Do they work? Are they beneficial?

For some families, they start to follow a routine and it goes well. It seems to all fit together nice and easily and everyone is happy. If that was you, great stuff.
But, for the vast majority of families this isn't the case at all. Let me explain why.

Babies do not read books.

Babies live purely on instinct. Their basic human needs of warmth, comfort, love, and nutrition. What a baby is expecting, is to be in the arms and at the breast of their caregiver pretty much 24/7. It's a matter of survival for them. They are completely dependent on their parents to do absolutely everything for them because it is literally impossible for them to do it for themselves.

Babies feed frequently. They have tiny tummies that need refilling often. But they don't just feed for hunger. They feed for thirst. Comfort. Pain relief. To pass wind. If they're hot. If they're cold. Scared. Lonely. Uncomfortable. The list goes on.

Breastfeeding and reaching out for their parents is the only way a baby knows. It is not done for control, or manipulation. It is not done consciously. It's survival.

Just like older children and adults, a baby's needs and mood change daily...or even hourly!
To try and get them to fit into a schedule for those needs (and not object to it) just doesn't make sense. Especially in those early few months when the baby is very much in a 'womb to world transition'

Putting a baby in a routine doesn't work, and then the parents feel like they're failing. Like they're doing something wrong, or something is wrong with their baby, or with breastfeeding.
For example 'I can't put the baby down for their nap without them waking up for more milk, is my supply running low'
No, its because babies don't like being put down! Their survival mechanisms kick in to make sure they're back in the arms of the people who can keep them safe.
'My baby is meant to be having tummy time now, but keeps getting upset'
The baby may not be in the mood for tummy time at that point. Maybe their tummy is uncomfortable, or they're tired. There could be a whole host of reasons, but they can't tell us what it is. So if they're objecting we need to listen to them, they're not being difficult - they have a reason.

So why do we try and put babies into routines when they just seem to cause more stress?
Well society has it so deeply ingrained in us that we are in control of the baby, and what they do and when. That we can somehow manipulate what they need and when they need it. That longer sleeps are somehow better. That they shouldn't need tending to at night time and that we can somehow teach them not to need us at night. That it's our 'job' to 'train' the baby.

It's time we flip it on it's head.
We're not in control and neither are they. It's a relationship from the very start, and as their parents we need to do what they need, when they need it, to support their physical, mental and emotional needs. We have the science to back this up too.

Does this mean we shouldn't ever use routines?
Let's face it, routine has to happen eventually for most families. With work and schooling it's inevitable really. Does that mean we should rush it or force it? Nope.
As the weeks and months go by and a pattern naturally starts to emerge, we can encourage the bits that suit our individual family circumstances. It can happen smoothly and gently with less upset for everyone.

So how do you cope in the meantime?
We are creatures of habit. We thrive on routine, control, and predictability. The way we live our lives doesn't fit with the way a baby needs to live theirs, and we end up in the difficult battle with our baby and ourselves.
Often coping is having the knowledge and acceptance of what's normal, even when the normal is really tough. Put as much as you can on hold until things are more settled - and they will be.
Reach out for as much support as you can get, both mentally and practically.

03/08/2023

Every day should be International Women’s Day, but today actually is!
Posted • 💕

03/01/2023

A baby learning how to walk in a wicker frame as mom does laundry. 1910s. Backstory and more photos: http://bit.ly/3YaqWyd