Doula Care + Parenting Education by Maria Silver Pyanov

10/27/2025

10/27/2025

Doulas Don’t Replace Partners—They Empower Them

A doula’s support does more than help the birthing person — it lifts up dads and partners too. When partners understand their role, feel emotionally supported, and receive education early, they can show up more confidently during birth. Doulas provide:

✔️ Prenatal guidance so partners know what to expect
✔️ Emotional check-ins & validation
✔️ Relief / rest breaks during labor
✔️ Help with early bonding & newborn care postpartum

10/27/2025

Contrary to popular myths, doulas and epidurals actually go hand in hand. Did you know the support of a doula after an epidural can help improve birth outcomes?

Doulas help clients learn about all their birth options, including an epidural. This means if a doula client opts to have an epidural, they know what to expect and know it is a choice they made, not something they were pressured into.

Once an epidural is in place, overall movement is limited. However, a doula can help you keep moving in the bed and changing positions to make it easier to dilate and baby descend.

After birth, a doula can help with immediate bonding, breastfeeding initiation, and your overall adjustment to early parenthood while your movement is still limited.

Whether you hope to have an unmedicated birth or you plan to use medication, a doula can help you have a positive and empowering birth experience.

10/27/2025

Cluster feeding is very common. Understanding early lactation works and typical newborn behavior helps you support to your clients.

09/25/2025

We believe in science. We believe in evidence. And most importantly, we believe in providing neuro-affirming support.

As doulas, educators, and lactation support, we will provide care and information aligned with up-to-date, peer reviewed evidence-based publications.

When you attend a birth class with us, rest assured you will not be left fearing you took medication as indicated and prescribed by your midwife or OB and that it will somehow harm your child.

When you attend a class, you are free to get up and move. Switch seats. Step out for a break. Snack. Have coffee. Meet your needs.

Our birth doulas spend time learning about your needs, preferences, and desires. We provide continuous support during birth as another person who can help create an environment conducive to your needs.

Postpartum doulas and lactation support work with you to find a routine that works for you. From feeding to soothing to bedtime, we support you in finding how to meet baby's needs while meeting your own needs too.

Whether you, your partner, your child, or another family member are neurodiverse, we always aim to provide neuro-affirming support. And if at any time you find it is not affirming in a way you need, we are ALWAYS open and will absolutely listen to you and what you need.

Most importantly, we believe EVERY individual is worthy of dignified support.

09/06/2025

“Privacy, relaxation, and upright positions make the bathroom the ultimate dilation station during labor. 🌸✨”

Not seeing any progress but too tired to keep moving around? Try time on the toilet - also known as the "Dilation Station" by birth workers.

Where do we naturally relax and release with our pelvic floor? The toilet.

08/30/2025

Postpartum visits are like closing a chapter. You leave watching new, confident, and capable parents who were once nervous about welcoming a baby.

The postpartum period is a busy yet slow time. All the feeding, weight checks, etc. But also, time in bed, healing, parental leave.

We discuss the good. We chat about systemic failures - like why aren't nurse visits the norm like other countries rather than dragging a newborn to checkups?

I get to see the beautiful art of an incredible nursery. And I leave fresh bagels and resources for more support.

08/17/2025

Doula support because 30+ hours, three shift changes, four nurses, two midwives, but one doula continuously present.

The incredible nurses and midwives from and Bryn Mawr hospital work so hard and with amazing patience to ensure everyone stays safe, healthy, and has as positive of a birth experience as possible. That level of responsibility requires them to work as a team and stay sharp and alert.

As doulas in non-clinical roles, and supporting only one birth at a time, allows us to provide truly continuous support.

What an honor to witness families work so incredibly hard and with such power to bring their babies earthside.

08/13/2025

Our classes are designed to equip parents to have a positive birth experience by being an active participant in the decision making process, knowing what to expect, and feeling confident in the overall birth process.

During this class, parents learn about:

*Prenatal wellness, nutrition and exercise
*Comfort measures for labor
*Relaxation techniques
*Options for birth
*Avoiding unnecessary c-section
*C-Section Births
*Postpartum wellness
*Breastfeeding
*Basic newborn behavior

These one-day intensive group classes are typically held on Sundays about every 6-8 weeks at WomanWise Midwifery in Montgomery County just a few miles from the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia.

Our next class is November 2nd from 2-6pm.

Registration is below.

08/12/2025

🩸'Wait for white’ is a reminder to delay cord clamping until the umbilical cord turns pale.

This allows your baby to receive up to 30% more blood volume, rich in oxygen and iron, supporting healthier development and reducing the risk of anemia during baby's first 6 months of life.

Research even shows that delayed cord clamping can increase survival among very premature babies. While very premature babies might not be able to wait until the cord is completely white, delaying even 60 seconds improves their outcomes!

08/11/2025

Wouldn't change a thing 🩵 My fellow birth workers know this schedule is wild but the right one for us.

08/08/2025

In honor of here's a reminder that there are many ways to provide your little one with breast milk.

From simply breastfeeding at the breast to pumping, needing human milk based fortifier, etc., this week we see all the parents working hard to breastfeed and provide their babies with breast milk.