Birth Kalamazoo

11/24/2025

Twice this year, we’ve been gifted with items for families with fewer resources by the Kalamazoo County Great Start Collaborative. Strollers, pack and plays, wraps for baby wearing, Arm’s Reach cosleepers, sleep sacks, monitors, and more have all been going out to our clients who have Medicaid insurance. Our doula and Medicaid coordinator Izzy was at the office today to grab some items to deliver to families. It’s a joy to be able to gift these items on!

On a sad and frustrating note though, did you know that Michigan’s 2025-26 budget eliminated all funding for Great Start Collaboratives around the state? There are so many amazing programs that are shutting down, including the Great Start here in Kalamazoo County. Let your legislators know if you’re as unhappy about that as we are. Thank you, Great Start colleagues! You are seen and appreciated, and your work continues to make a difference. ❤️💔❤️

11/18/2025

We love the protective circle of orca doulas! 💜

11/09/2025

Substance use recovery support for parents! This is fantastic. ❤️

📣 Now available for ALL parents from pregnancy to 3 years postpartum: Substance Use Recovery Support for Parents Group ❤️

Join PSI-trained peer facilitators with lived and/or professional experience for a recovery-focused virtual gathering. This peer support group is for any parent (birthing or non-birthing) from pregnancy to three years postpartum who is engaged in recovery or considering recovery from substance use disorders (SUD). This is a meeting focused on recovery, meaning a goal of abstaining from use, excluding medications taken as prescribed. For people who are considering recovery or have had a slip and have used the day of the meeting, listening and observing is welcome, rather than active participation. No diagnosis is needed to attend.

The perinatal period brings about unique challenges for those trying to maintain sobriety, and this group is a space to share those experiences and receive support whether you’ve been sober for one day or one hundred days. Substance use disorders may include, but are not limited to, alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, and/or ma*****na use disorder.

PSI recognizes SUD as a chronic illness of the brain from which we can recover and lead healthy lives, and we honor that there are multiple, unique pathways to recovery for each individual. We hope to support those on their recovery journey as they also navigate pregnancy and postpartum.

🔗 View the schedule and register for this free online support group: https://loom.ly/Q_492wM

10/28/2025

Birth and postpartum doula scholarships for those who live in the Kalamazoo area! bit.ly/kzoodoula

We have birth AND postpartum doula scholarships for those who live within 40 miles of Kalamazoo. Apply soon, especially if you're interested in the November training. bit.ly/kzoodoula 💙

10/28/2025

We just posted our class series dates for 2026, and our first birth class is already half full. ⚡💜⚡ We'd love to have you join us for the series — six weeks of birth and fourth trimester, plus a bonus breastfeeding class. How about newborn care? We'll put that class link in the comments. So much birth and parenting goodness.

Our natural childbirth birth class in Kalamazoo will teach you how to stack your deck for a great birth experience, and also prepare you for the unexpected.

10/14/2025

“This is not how doulas talk!” 😂

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17T2LJq4HX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

09/30/2025

Check out the fall fun with our friends at Mezanmi Play Cafe! 🧡🍁🤎

09/26/2025

Great context from Lamaze International, and great questions to ask your provider if you're feeling concerned about Tylenol in pregnancy. You all know we're big fans of, "Are there any other options?"

Recent headlines have questioned whether acetaminophen use in pregnancy is linked to autism. Leading experts and international health authorities are clear: the evidence does not support a causal link.

Respected organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), European Medicines Agency (EMA), UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), UK Government Drug Safety Update, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) all confirm that acetaminophen (also called paracetamol) remains a safe option in pregnancy when used as directed.

Families can feel more prepared for prenatal visits with their own providers by asking questions like:
•Do I need medication now, or are there non-drug options I could try first?
•If medication is right for me, what dose and timing are best?
•What are the risks of leaving fever or pain untreated?
•Where can I read more from credible sources?

Lamaze remains committed to sharing evidence-based information that supports confident, informed decision making for families everywhere.

09/25/2025

Important films and messages! Can you make it?

Talkback w/ filmmakers following each screening to discuss films & provide feedback to audience questions about breast cancer & infant loss.

09/19/2025

Organized by our doula Izzy, we are so happy to host a Spinning Babies training in Kalamazoo! Can you join us? All are welcome. Here’s the link to register, and we’ll also put a special partial scholarship opportunity for SW Michigan doulas in the comments. We can’t wait for October! bit.ly/sbkzoo

09/10/2025

Today we want to lift up our colleagues at Bronson Methodist Hospital for opening channels with doulas and welcoming us into spaces! 💜 Our owner Jessica is serving on the hospital system's OB Pain Management Workgroup, and our doula manager Teresa recently attended a Bronson meeting on how to improve home birth transfers. Thank you for inviting our feedback, and for wanting to get better and better for families. Change happens from the inside! Collaboration and communication are the keys.