Amanda Webb, Doula & Birth Services

05/09/2025

My go-to referral for clients needing any breastfeeding/feeding support. We 💗 Darla!

Don’t let the noise of “fed is best” and “breast is best” prevent you from seeing an IBCLC. Many of us are skilled and not interested in general slogans. We provide individualized assessments to offer you the options and information you need to make your choice.

A pediatrician can’t and shouldn’t be trying to fix your baby’s breastfeeding problems and your milk supply issues in a 10-15min well visit. Make sure to always look at your baby’s growth curve - whether 9% , 50% or 90% they should be staying on their curve (WHO growth curve)- if not , see an IBCLC

You deserve more than having someone google/YouTube exercises for your baby. I’ve taken 2 in person, very hands on CFT courses , a body work course taught by a body worker who used to work with an IBCLC and an infant massage course taught by an OT. All those combined plus being certified in maternal newborn nursing allows me to keep your baby safe and have a reason and process behind the exercises - oral motor or body.

Herbal remedies and supplements have their place! The person telling you to take these should know what the supplements do. Like moringa is filled with nutrients that can stimulate prolactin production, and can help with blood sugar regulation and goats rue has mammary tissue growth properties while also having a blood sugar regulation compenent (galegine) - but if these things aren’t the problem they won’t be the key to milk supply issues. FYI - when there is something going on where these could benefit you , I find many products don’t have the right dosage.

Pacifiers can be a tool but they don’t come without risks. The flat pacifiers (nuk and mam) & the ones with the bulb on the end require zero tongue function to hold them in , the lips and cheeks do- under three months your baby has the suck reflex and will have to do something with their tongue when stimulated - and those shapes don’t allow the cupping function so over time your baby’s tongue muscle becomes weakened. (Can create an open mouth posture and low resting tongue)
Also- it happens more than you’d think - in a 60-90 min consult I’ll ask the parents what they would do in this scenario and they say “we’d use the pacifier” we put the baby back to breast in the consult and watch the baby nurse and drink for 10 more minutes. Pacifiers can make us miss feeding cues and this matters for a baby feeding at the breast.
And pacifiers don’t protect against SIDS, it’s the neuroprotect reflex of suckling that does- it’s almost like babies were made to wake and feed at night.

Swaddling should also come with more informed consent for parents. I’ll say this - when your baby is growing in womb - they are swimming in water , allowing for the most freedom of movement ever! We do not want to have lack of movement in a fetus! This makes sense because movement is required for growth , and a fetus grows fast 😊 I like water for your infant but have never found swaddling to help a breastfeeding journey. I know there are situations where it’s helpful but it often hinders progress
And finally -
I rarely see dyads more than 4-5 times! With that said , I can’t promise magic after the first visit. Follow ups are where all the hands on stuff happens! Reevaluating especially for the young babies can be so important

30/08/2025

This is one of the many reasons why I love homebirth midwifery care 💗

Sometimes, we'll get requests from potential clients to see if we can be paid just to come to the birth, since they'll be getting prenatal care at their OBGYN office. Usually, this is due to financial constraints, which is understandable. However often, sadly they just don't really get the heart and value of having your own personal midwife throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Sometimes, they just want someone to be there in case of an emergency.

We do not do "just" baby catching services for many reasons. The most important reason is that it actually increases safety risks. The bond between a mama and her midwife is sacred. The mother needs to be able to trust us implicitly, AND we need to be able to trust her just as much! We should be so close that we know what the most minute change in the gaze of the mother means. We should be able to read her without question, AND they should be able to look at our eyes and feel safe and secure without question. They should know that if the gaze of our eyes become concerning, then they trust us enough to pay attention to that warning look.

Not every mother & midwife dynamic will always give way to spontaneous bursts of affection like this photo. But they often do!

When Carly arrived at his mom's labor, she was bursting with loving pride and couldn't help but kiss the top of her head! (don't worry as this mom shared this photo on her own accord)

This is the substance of the intangibles that fill our hearts with love and excitement to walk in the ministry and calling of the Midwife!

Shout out to for the beautiful photo!

28/03/2025

One last look at the empty nursery to gather as much inspiration for the labor battle ahead of her as we loaded up to head to the birth center. Wednesday’s birth was a beautiful reminder of the circle of life after spending nearly every waking moment at the hospital with my grandma this week hearing things like inoperable tumor, pancreatic cancer and hospice. It’s been a hard and heavy week that was brightened by little Theo’s arrival - a rainbow baby and a beacon of hope and joy after a storm 💙

01/01/2025

This was a year of record growth for my little doula business!

But more importantly, I got to serve and love on 24 mamas this year who trusted me to walk with them during their most vulnerable moments. They looked to me for reassurance when they were filled with doubt and fear, and I held their hands, wiped sweat from their brow and reminded them that they were writing their baby's birth story in that moment and it would all be worth it when their baby was in their arms. Every birth was different and I learned something from each one. Some were hard, very hard. Some I still wonder what I could've done differently and hope what I did was enough to let them know they had someone in their corner, even when I didn't have all the answers.

This work isn't about the numbers (although, they are fun to see!) - but about the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. So thank you to these mamas, because while you hired me, your strength and bravery actually made a lasting impact in my life!

And a big thanks to so many community partners who helped support my mamas this year - .pt

Cheers to more beautiful births in 2025!

21/12/2024

💗

Walk into a room while I am supporting a birth and you might think that I am just sitting there doing nothing. I won’t be talking. I won’t be touching the client. I won’t be using anything in my bag.

So what am I doing exactly?

🪑 Watching mom’s breathing and sometimes breathing loudly alongside her to remind her to slow down her breath

🪑 Scanning mom’s body during the contraction to make sure that she isn’t holding any tension

🪑 Monitoring the temperature and lighting to create the peaceful environment that she desires

🪑 Calculating how long it has been since she emptied her bladder

🪑 Thinking about how long she has been in her current position and thinking about the next position that she might try

🪑 Timing contractions to see if they are longer, stronger and closer together

🪑 Thinking about when mom and her partner last had a snack

🪑 Reviewing her preferences to make sure that everything is going according to her plan

🪑 Giving the couple space to connect on an intimate level (allowing for oxytocin) and/or guiding the partner to be the lead support

🪑 Updating notes and capturing labor flow

Sometimes just being fully present is enough. Sometimes just knowing I am there in close proximity is all mom needs to be able to relax and focus on what she needs to do. Sometimes just holding space for them in an unbiased manner allows for a noticeable shift in the energy of the room.

And the list goes on….

Caption:
Photo:

10/12/2024

Tonight’s birth was a white-knuckler! But this mama gave it everything she had and got her HBAC! (Home Birth After Cesarean)

She felt a contraction start and said, “okay, let’s do this” and she birthed her daughter into her husband’s hands and together they welcomed her earthside in the comfort of their home.

Happy birthday sweet Ellie! Your mama is a warrior and never gave up, even when she really wanted to!

What a joy and honor to witness this kind of strength and the miracle of birth - it never gets old! 💗

24/11/2024

And sometimes a homebirth goes from this…to this 😞

Mom and baby are both doing well and a hospital transfer was mom’s choice after dealing with excruciating pain in her side for many hours, which ultimately prevented her from being able to move or relax. Contractions were a breeze compared to this sharp, constant pain on the side of her belly.

Thankfully, a placental abruption was ruled out and after 36 hours of labor, this strong mama, pushed her nearly 10 pound baby out while standing in a lunge position in the tub at the hospital! Birth is wild and sometimes things happen that we can’t always explain. During prenatals, we always talk about the “what-ifs” and discuss a transfer plan. It doesn’t make it any less of a bummer when we have to pivot, but having a great team of support in place that can transfer with you, makes a huge difference.

Happy birthday sweet Archie boy!! Your doula loves you 🩵

18/11/2024

Had the sweetest birth early this morning at my favorite hospital. The respect and informed consent that I saw from every team member that walked through the door was a breath of fresh air. Two things that should be automatic, yet many of our area hospitals operate very differently!

I think many mamas in Moore Co don’t consider birthing at UNC a viable option because of the distance. And while it may truly be logistically impossible for some, it is worth the drive if you’re wanting a hospital-based birth!

Happy birthday sweet girl! The joy on your parent’s faces when they realized you were a girl was priceless! 🎀

12/10/2024

My favorite local baby/kid sleep gurus!

A baby’s nap game is constantly evolving and changing it seems! Here’s a handy cheat sheet of the age ranges nap transitions most commonly occur! What is your favorite nap range? I love ONE NAP!! 🎉

07/10/2024

Just caught my first baby! 🥰 A forever memory with clients who have turned into the sweetest friends for me and Johnny.

3rd birth this week and officially off-call for a few weeks 🥳

06/10/2024

THIS! Thankfully our area has a few IBCLCs who are specifically trained to assess ties/oral restrictions. They are the gold standard for lactation support and I highly recommend a visit with one *even if* baby latches well right away!

There are pediatricians who are diagnosing ties but saying it “doesn’t need correction” even though mom and baby are symptomatic. A lot of times peds will just look at the scale, possibly take a quick look in the mouth, but observing function is the best way to decide whether treatment is warranted. What it looks like doesn’t tell us how it moves. An IBCLC will watch a feed and assess structure. These pediatricians are also not treating the mother and baby DYAD since only baby is their patient. Just because baby’s number on the scale looks okay doesn’t mean mom is not having pain or there are other symptoms with baby.
If this has happened to you at the pediatrician, feel free to book an appointment on the website with one of our IBCLC’s to have your baby fully assessed.
www.nclatch.com