Category: parenting

Meet your doulas: Kristi Reed

Posted on by Holly Yeager
  My passion for birth work came from my birth experience with my three children. I chose to have unassisted / unmedicated births at Birth Care's birth center. The strength I drew from my own births made me passionate to educate others so they could find their own strength.  There seemes to be a lot of fear behind birth and I wanted to know why. I want to change this naritive.  I decided to become a doula so I could...Read More

The Reverse Cinderella

Posted on by Holly Yeager
Baby focused instead of Parent focused There is so much attention with a new baby coming. It is easy to feel like Cinderella. You are pampered at baby showers. There are regular classes and checkups to attend. Everyone is asking how you feel during pregnancy and inquiring about your plans for birth. During the postpartum phase, visitors are often focused on meeting and holding the new baby. Neglecting that the new parents may have needs. Lack of support After birth,...Read More

Newborn Sleep

Posted on by Holly Yeager
A brand new baby will sleep much of the time, waking every few hours for feedings. Many new parents have a lot of questions about how long and how often a newborn should sleep. Because newborns have such a small stomach they should be waking to be fed every 2-3 hours. How often your baby eats depends on what their nutritional needs are and what they are being fed. It is best to talk to your provider to see if...Read More

When should your child stop seeing you naked?

Posted on by Holly Yeager
Turns out this is a tough question to answer. I spoke with Nancy Brooks M.S., PsyD (can) who works with children and teens here in Lancaster. As you can imagine, there is no "right" answer for every family. When is it no longer OK for your child to see you naked? It depends on how you want your child to view nudity.  Some people believe that as soon as children can spot differences in males and females that they should be...Read More

World’s Greatest

Posted on by Holly Yeager
Written by: Brielle Rainney Owner of Southern Pacific Doulas A friend of mine was on facebook showing off her recent purchases. Amongst the lovely flowing dress, and cozy pjs, was a shirt that said “World’s Okayest Mom”. This women is one of the best mothers I know. I know ‘okay-est mom’ is a thing, but this woman owning that shirt is a tragedy. It would be so much more accurate if she had bought a “World’s best mom for my...Read More

The Kitten Doula

Posted on by Holly Yeager
My community is a  tight knit one. Everyone in the neighborhood knows I am a doula. Because of that, I am often stopped and asked how to help grandchildren or friends babies as I am walking the dog or playing with my own children in the yard. Secretly, I love it. My community knows what I do and values me and my profession. This reputation as a helper and expert in babies is what prompted my neighbor Robin to stop...Read More
Healthy food, quick and easy summer dinner

5 Quick and Healthy Summer Meals

Posted on by Holly Yeager
Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad Two of summers best ingredients come together to make one amazingly healthy salad. Enjoy as a side or add grilled shrimp or chicken and make it the star of the show! [caption id="attachment_2379" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Green Bean and Tomato Salad[/caption] Ingredients: 2 lbs of Green Beans 2 Pints (1 lb) of Cherry Tomatoes 2 Teasp0ns of Salt 1 Teaspoon of Pepper 2 Teaspoons of Lemon Zest (or lime for a bit more tang) 1/2...Read More

What is a Postpartum Doula anyway?

Posted on by Holly Yeager
The 4th trimester is described as the first three months after your baby is born. Some even call it a babymoon! Your postpartum doula wants to help you adjust and enjoy this new period of motherhood. They are here to support you by helping you create a peaceful and nurturing postpartum. Baby Care - Not only can your postpartum doula answer all of your baby care questions, but they can help you understand your babies cues and nuances. They can care for...Read More

The Power of Pain

Posted on by Holly Yeager
Ouch! Just hearing the word PAIN makes us shudder and recoil. No one wants to be in pain. We spend our whole lives trying to avoid pain. It is no wonder that pain is the number one fear women have of labor. Pain has a purpose. Pain is our body's way of protecting us. It is a signal to "pay attention". In the instance of touching a hot stove, it creates an immediate and  powerful reaction to protect us from...Read More

LVR Portraits : Preserving Memories For Lancaster Families

Posted on by Holly Yeager
  Working with new families means I get to see all kind of beautiful babies. Our clients are always looking for the best way to preserve those earliest moments and Laurie Ressler is just what they need. I was able to tour her studio recently and get to know more about her and her beautiful family. So Laurie, How Long Have You Been A Photographer? I have been photographing newborns for five years now. My son Oliver was the first...Read More

How to: take your baby’s temperature

Posted on by Holly Yeager
There are many reasons parents would want to take their child's temperature. Mostly though it is because of suspected illness. If you are reporting your findings to your child's care provider, it is important to let them know what method you used to take your baby's temperature. If doing it rectally or tympanically (in the ear) it could be as much as one degree higher and if doing it under the armpit (axillary) or temporally it could be up to...Read More