Raham Doula + Lactation

07/01/2025

it’s time! ✨
join us for our next “believer’s birth circle” where like-minded Christian moms who are pregnant or had a baby within the last year gather together to fellowship, share our hearts and our stories, pray over one another, and encourage each other to continue walking well through this beautiful and holy calling of motherhood!

link in bio to register 🌿

06/30/2025

I am reminded time and again that birth is sacred, physical, spiritual, mental, and holy. it is wild and can be intense - not to be feared, yet always to be respected. it is intentionally authored by our Creator and we have been entrusted with stewardship of it.
•••
what a PRECIOUS birth this was to witness. first time mom, put so much effort and work into preparing mind + body + spirit, bringing her husband in on the process of pregnancy and delivery, and ultimately surrendering to Jesus and His leading all the way through.

I arrived after midnight to a sweet and peaceful atmosphere, coffee prepped by the dad for the birth team (two midwives and myself, the doula), worship playing, lights low, and mom deep in the focus and process of bringing her baby down. things continued to shift swiftly and quickly with only just over two hours between our arrival and the baby’s. during these two short hours as the mom continued to press inward to search deep and intently for strength for the next contraction, the midwives prepared, the dad confidently and lovingly tended his wife with unwavering awareness, and I remained witness to it all as I gave counter pressure and reminders that she was made ready for this and all she needed to do was trust her body, the baby’s body, and the God who made both of them. the way this mom pushed her baby out like it’s what she was made for (because she was!) had everyone shocked and in awe.

to have a front row seat to and play a part in the symphony of one of the most vulnerable and sacred moments of a family’s life - it’s an honor and a privilege that cannot be conveyed with words.

being a doula is a sacred calling, not a job. it is an act of service, literally meaning “a woman who serves” and what a gift to have this be the first birth to serve at and be witness to. ✨

06/17/2025

05/30/2025

there are so many benefits to having doula support and these are just the start of them - and the numbers have only continued to trend upward so it’s safe to assume these percentages have increased since these came out (via a study from 2017).

and beyond what a scientific study from years ago can confirm regarding the benefits of doula support in your pregnancy and delivery, there are so many long-term physical and emotional benefits, as well, with better recovery, deeper bonding, and overall wellbeing for the months to come.

good doulas are truly invaluable to redeeming pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. ✨

05/14/2025

this page has been quiet for a bit - revamping with an update that we are welcoming a new baby girl to our family this year! ✨

we couldn’t be more grateful and excited to see our family growing again and at 25 weeks along are thankful pregnancy has been perfect so far!

what fun it is to be expecting while serving clients and friends✨

we are due late August so if you need support for the remainder of May, or in June or July, reach out soon to see if my remaining availability works with what you are needing 🤍

12/12/2024

part ✌🏼 in “unpopular opinions of a lactation specialist” is here ⬇️✨

• our western over-medicalized society is too quick to give infants gas drops •

👀🫣

ok but first hear me. I am not totally anti medicine - just anti “medicine being a one size fits all, bandaid coverup” when there is a deeper root that we could address to actually solve the problem. if you have used gas drops, know I’m not shaming you 🤍 we do the best we can with what we know. and because what we know determines what we do, why would I not want to share what I know now? knowledge empowers. ✨

that being said, offering a newborn/young infant gas drops is happening too frequently yet mothers often don’t know what else to do when their littlest one is struggling with gastro discomfort like gas or reflux. so what relief can we offer moms in this situation?

in order to truly address the issue, we need to find the root cause. I’d start with some questions like:

•when did baby’s first symptoms begin? was it near the time of any other changes (well visit, shots, change in feeding routine or addition of medications, herbs, etc)? is baby fully breastfeeding or supplementing with formula? is baby contact nursing or bottle feeding? did mom receive any medical interventions during pregnancy or labor and delivery? is mom consuming anything new in food, drink, medications, herbs, etc?

and eventually one of these questions will give us clearer direction to move in towards finding a root cause and addressing it in a way that should help baby heal internally. too much medical intervention (like giving an infant gas drops unnecessarily) prolongs baby’s healing, masks what is really going on, *and* damages baby’s gut which affects their gut health both now and later on down the road.

instead of jumping to grab medicine, let’s work to find the root cause of issues such as reflux and gas, bringing real and lasting relief to both babies and their mothers. ✨

•••
if you or someone you know is in need of lactation support, please reach out for a consultation. 🤍

🌿

10/16/2024

what a surreal thing it is to feel the absence of ones we love so deeply, to grieve them not being physically present with us, yet to hold hope simultaneously as we look forward to the gift of heaven because of Jesus.

while we are often thinking of the little ones who aren’t here with us, today we take special notice of them to honor their precious lives.

if you’ve lost a child whether during pregnancy or infancy, you are seen, held, loved, prayed for today.

feel free to share their name(s) below in the comments.
🤍

10/01/2024

Our western NC community has been completely devastated, many communities wiped out entirely, and people are still stranded everywhere in need of assistance and supplies, including families due to birth their babies and families who have recently had babies. The need is massive and though many of us can’t physically go to the affected areas, we are ready to receive and support families/mothers who are able to get out and transfer to our Charlotte area community. If you or someone you know is in need of help, I am available and trained postpartum and lactation, as well as willing to help with birth assistance (not trained, but experienced and knowledgeable). Even laundry or meals. Please don’t hesitate to reach out directly. I am also sharing a form below in the comments that can be filled out, as well.

*PLEASE SHARE* 🤍

07/25/2024

There are some really big things in the works here and I could not be more excited and full of anticipation for what’s coming! Thank you for being a part - it supports more than a business, but a family, a dream, a calling. Can’t wait to share more! ✨

07/20/2024

did you know that crying is actually a late cue for breastfeeding baby? usually they’ve shown earlier signs of hunger that we can respond to rather than waiting until they are fully upset - watch for sucking on fists, tongue/lip sucking motions, general restlessness, rooting (searching for ni**le)! if we pay attention and learn how our babies communicate, breastfeeding can be less stressful for both mom and baby! 🤍

breastfeeding takes adjustment and learning!

because we live in a culture that has almost lost the art of breastfeeding and has very little natural exposure to it, many mothers go into it unequipped and unsure. having the right support from the beginning makes an entire difference! ✨
•••
[information source: Dr. Jack Newman]

07/06/2024

having a child is the most beautiful gift and simultaneously the most challenging transition. not only are you now entrusted with the 24/7 care of a new little human being, but your body, heart, and mind have just gone through an incredible life changing experience. with that comes physical healing (oftentimes slow), mental and emotional processing, and a change in heart posture. during this raw and vulnerable time, it’s important that mothers (and fathers) are supported by women they can trust and feel safe with and cared for by. my hope and goal is to provide a safe and encouraging space for mothers to:

✨process with
✨find education and information from someone who has walked the road ahead of them
✨rely on for assistance in healing, mothering, breastfeeding, and maintaining normal everyday tasks that have now become more challenging to complete.

at the end of everything, it’s really simple: I am called to serve mothers and fill in the gap where there are needs to be met.

•••

05/16/2024

the 5-5-5 rule…

how you care for yourself in the very beginning of your postpartum season will have a deep, lasting impact on the healing your body will experience. it may not always be feasible but generally if you can stick to the 5-5-5 guidelines, your body will heal more effectively, your bleeding will slow sooner, you’ll be more deeply bonded with your baby, and your hormonal and mental capacity will benefit greatly. don’t be afraid to ask for or accept help during this time!

and don’t be like me, vacuuming 3 days after having a baby.. I promise it’s not a good idea - the carpet can wait, your healing can’t 😉