You have probably heard people say that birth plans are not read, not respected, and maybe even that they are ridiculed and dismissed. You may also have heard someone say that their birth did not go according to their birth plan. And this all may happen, really, especially if your plan is long, not organized, irrelevant to local practices, comes across as negative, or does not reflect the unfolding nature of birth. But, I am here to say that a well-crafted birth plan can be a

This is a post I saw on Call the Doula Facebook Page . It is sometimes so hard to explain what doulas do, but this encapsulates the spirit beautifully. What your doula wished you knew... [...] Your doula cares about your birth more than you know. She cares about how you are spoken to. She cares about who touches you and when. She cares about the tone in the room. She cares about the pause before a decision. She cares about your partner not feeling lost. She cares about your “

I don't know if I am allowed to share this. I can't find the original on the author's blog anymore nor do I know how to contact her, but...

Eats on Feets and the 4 Pillars of Safe Milksharing My breastmilk days are long over to be clear; breastfeeding is a fond memory of a growingly distant past. I was blessed and lucky. I nursed my 4 babies well past the AAP's recommendation of breastfeeding for at least one year (at the time). I didn't have any problems that I can remember and I didn't need to express milk because I was able to stay at home. Milksharing was not on my radar at the time. I did cross-nurse someone