The Doula Guild

06/29/2020

Today we learned the heartbreaking news of Arika Trim's passing. We had the opportunity to know her briefly & minimally but her mark was certainly made. Please read her story as well as consider donating to the care of her newborn son who is in the NICU and will need continued full-time care from his grandparents.

With a broken heart, I’m humbly asking for your support to send Arika Samantha Trim home … Kiara Pesante Haughton needs your support for Arika's Final Goodbye

05/31/2020

“You just brought your sweet baby home a few weeks ago, and your days are spent in a haze of snuggles, sleepiness, and spit-up. You’re trying to soak up this magical newborn time, but you find yourself crying at the drop of a hat, acting moodier than a teenage girl, and feeling so overwhelmed that you just want to run away and hide sometimes. You knew it would be hard to adjust to a new baby, but how hard is too hard? Are these feelings normal, or are they a sign of something more serious?”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Read our new guest blog post entitled, “Baby Blues or Something Else?” written by Jessie Bohnenkamp, LPC, NCC from Plum Counseling & Wellness, LLC.

You just brought your sweet baby home a few weeks ago, and your days are spent in a haze of snuggles, sleepiness, and spit-up. You’re trying to soak up this magical newborn time, but you find yourself crying at the drop of a hat, acting moodier than a teenage girl, and feeling so overwhelmed that ...

05/30/2020

I want to recognize the turmoil, fear, and anger the black community is experiencing (and has been experiencing for hundreds of years) right now. I don’t have the right words so I want to point you to those who do.

https://thedoulaguild.com/2020/04/17/support-for-black-mothers-recognizing-black-maternal-health-week-2020/

The above link is one of our doula’s guest blog posts that we posted during black maternal health week, Mabel Bashorun, who speaks about the difficulties surrounding black women, birth, and racial injustice. There is so much change that still needs to happen in the world, in the birth world, and in our own hearts.

We also want to tag some accounts that we follow and think you should to:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Dr. San
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Black Women Birthing Justice
Flourish Heights
Black Women Do Breastfeed

🖤 Sarah Burzio

Beautiful image of this family by The Moody Momma

05/25/2020

Whether it’s in the home, hospital, or birth center, in-person, or over FaceTime we’re seeing that birth support is proving invaluable during this time.

Contact us here: www.thedoulaguild.com to find the right support for you. Our doulas want to talk with you!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Photo by Little Plum Photography by Stephanie Entin

05/18/2020

A bad moment doesn’t mean it needs to be a bad day and it certainly doesn’t make you a bad mother. Take time to reset. Take deep breaths. Move on and forward.

www.thedoulaguild.com

Photo by Little Plum Photography by Stephanie Entin

05/14/2020

We will hold a special place in our hearts for our quarantine moms! 🖤

05/05/2020

International Day of the Midwife is a day we celebrate true heroins of birth. Tag a midwife you know and tell us why you love them! We’ll get it started with some of our favorite local midwives.👩🏻‍⚕️🤱🏽

Blue Ridge Birth
Loudoun Ob/Gyn & Midwives
Loudoun Physicians and Midwives for Women/Capital Women's Care
Loudoun Homebirth & Healthcare
Midwifery Services at The GW Medical Faculty Associates
Grace Midwifery
Centreville Ob-Gyn
Fairfax Home Birth
Premier Birth Center
BirthCare & Women's Health

Photos by Little Plum Photography by Stephanie Entin

05/04/2020

“Slow down and savor the moments of your life.”

“My first advice is to be present. This wasn’t always a part of our common cultural vernacular, and I am reminded of the advice my own mother gave me through the years. At every new milestone, she would say, “This is the absolute best time of your life—enjoy it!” I used to chuckle to myself after hearing this from her repeatedly. Now I see she was urging me to be present in the different stages of my life and to enjoy them.”

Words from The Good Trade article here: https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/our-editors-mothers-advice

Photo by Purple Fern Photography

05/01/2020

It’s been a lovely first year. We’ve been so honored to come alongside families in offering support, made long-lasting community connections, been embraced by the beautiful birth world of the DMV area, and have found all of it an absolute privilege & joy. Thanks for celebrating with us last month and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for The Doula Guild.

Pictured are just a few adorable Guild babies. Feel free to tag 🥰

04/28/2020

“but.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
what can you do?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
absolutely.
nothing>>>
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
and that, is the worst part of it all.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
so you lay back.
as you hand, all of that control.
over, to everyone else.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
and it's hard.
it, is so. very hard.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
and painful.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
it takes a tough, kind of momma.
to lay there, and hand that kind of responsibility, over.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
but as promised.
once he's here.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
it's less about the process.
the procedures.
and the music choices.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
and it's back to how it should be.
how it should have been, all along.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
it's all about the baby.
and you.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Excerpt from a poem by Jordan Burch
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀


www.thedoulaguild.com

Photo by Little Plum Photography by Stephanie Entin

04/26/2020

To the moms who gave birth during a pandemic and brought their babies home to quarantine. And to the moms who are pregnant and fearful. And to the moms who just lost babies and are more isolated than ever. And to the moms whose fertility treatments and adoptions are put on hold, after so much waiting. Thinking of you with Mother's Day around the corner. You're amazing. 🖤

Words & art by Liana Lane Art

www.thedoulaguild.com