The Reverse Cinderella

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

What is a Postpartum Doula anyway?

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

Meet Your Doulas: Holly Yeager

Holly has been a doula since 2009. She believes in creating a healthy emotional experience for all of her clients. "Because childbirth is one of the most profound things we can go through as parents, I believe that having the very best care is paramount." Holly is trained and certified as a Birth Doula through CAPPA,  DONA, and ProDoula. She is also trained and certified as a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist through IPPA and ProDoula. She holds her Postpartum Doula and...Read More

The scoop on Poop

We get lots of questions about baby care, but the most frequent center around poop. From the moment our babies are born we become obsessed with the stuff. Why all the fuss? As a new parent my may be surprised at how much you think about poop,. The parental instincts that kick in every time you notice a change in your baby's poop are essential to catching a problem right away. The first poop: Your care provider will want to...Read More
Multiples

Bringing Home Multiples

Becoming pregnant is awesome, but sometimes our bodies surprise us! We are capable of creating not just one baby but sometimes two, three, or even more at the same time! Having more than one baby can pose challenges you may not have considered. Lancaster Doulas LLC has worked with many sets of multiples and we have found a few things can make the transition easier. Here are some suggestions that our doulas have found to be the most helpful: Create...Read More

50 Shades : How Postpartum Depression Can Dominate Your Life

By: Callie Rineer     Mood swings, sadness, insomnia, irritability.  Combine these new mom emotions with engorged breasts and sleepless nights. It's enough to leave any mom struggling for a moment of pre-baby normalcy. But amongst all the highs and lows of being a new parent, how is a mom to know if what she is experiencing are typical "baby blues" or something more?   While the baby blues and postpartum depression have similar symptoms, baby blues tend to only...Read More

Life in the NICU

I want to thank Chrissy for sharing her NICU experience with us. Nothing can prepare you for having your child in the NICU. Those of you who have dealt with this; You are STRONG, You are COURAGEOUS, You are AMAZING. You would see it on tv. Or read it in a parenting magazine. But never do you think it will happen to you. The NICU experience. It was a normal day. My husband and I had gone out to eat with...Read More

My House or Yours?

Last year I made the decision to only offer placenta encapsulation in our clients homes. It was a completely different direction then all the other placenta encapsulators that I knew in our area, but I knew that it was the best decision for me and for Lancaster Doulas. So what led me to change the standard? Safety: Our clients love seeing our top notch sanitation process. It puts their minds at ease knowing that all of our Postpartum Placenta Specialists carry their bloodborne pathogen certification, and PA...Read More

Exhasuted? We’ve got you covered!

Let us face it. No one likes to be awakened in the middle of the night, because sleep is an integral part of our biological make-up. We enjoy it, and our bodies need it. As a parent with a new baby, you invest all your time and energy into your tiny little human. Parenthood is extremely rewarding, but it is exhausting, too. Throughout your entire pregnancy, people constantly told you that you would get very little sleep once the baby arrived....Read More