Does Experience Matter?

How many births have you been to? This is a question we get from almost every new client we interview with. There seems to be a premium put on the amount of births a doula has attended. As a doula with over 12 years of experience and almost 400 births I can tell you: It doesn't matter. Each birth we attend is a unique and beautiful event. Even after all these years I find myself shaking my head afterwards and...Read More

Meet Your Doulas: Faith Boisen

Faith is a certified Labor and Postpartum Doula, Infant Feeding specialist, and Childbirth Educator. Faith passionately loves what she does. She longs to see every mother empowered in their role as they bring new life into the world. Growing up as the second oldest of twelve children piqued Faith’s interest in birthing and babies from a young age. After witnessing and helping with several of her siblings' births, Faith set her hopes on becoming a midwife. Working as a nurse...Read More

Newborn Sleep

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
Fear of Childbirth

Fear of Giving Birth….. Again

Childbirth can be a really scary thing. Most of that fear comes from the lack of control and fear of the unknown; how will it feel? What if I don't know I am in labor? What if we don't get to the hospital in time? These are very real and very valid fears. But what if you HAVE given birth before and it was not the experiance you were looking for? As your pregnancy progresses and you get closer to...Read More

Fear of Giving Birth

There are few things in this world that scare us as much as childbirth. If this is your first child, many of those fears tend to come from fear of the unknown. Childbirth is such an unpredictable experience and each birth is as unique as a snowflake. In our highly scheduled and controlled world it can be scary to let go and let nature take its course. Today we are going to talk about some of the biggest fears many pregnant...Read More

Pumping Iron: Getting more when your Iron is low

Iron: What is it and why is it so important? Iron is an important mineral that your body uses to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that  is responsible for transporting oxygen through your body. When you get pregnant your blood supply increases causing you to need about twice the amount of iron you would need when not pregnant. About 20% of women will develop an iron deficiency known as anemia. The risks of anemia can...Read More
Healthy food, quick and easy summer dinner

5 Quick and Healthy Summer Meals

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?

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

Your Pelvic Floor : What You Need To Know

Approximately 1 in 3 women in the US suffer from pelvic floor issues at some point during their lifetime. Pregnancy and childbirth can strain and weaken the pelvic floor muscles leading to leaked urine when you sneeze or cough, or even sexual dysfunction. We spoke with Dr. Deb McKim, PT, DPT, MTC; a physical therapist at Western Berks Physical Therapy who specializes in pelvic floor health. What is your pelvic floor? For those of you who don’t know, the pelvic floor...Read More

Meet Your Doulas: Jenny Buckman

Meet Jenny Buckman Jenny joined Lancaster Doulas in 2016 and has given loving and compassionate support to all the clients she has served. She is a strong and steady presence who can offer gentle guidance through all stages of pregnancy and postpartum.         It Starts With Passion: Jenny has always been around children. As a teen she babysat for families in her community. As she grew into a young woman she completed collage with the intent to...Read More

The Power of Pain

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

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