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Upcoming Events for New and Expectant Parents in San Diego: March 2017
February 17, 2017 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
We are sharing information about two events that will have great appeal to pregnant women, their partners, and parents of newborns, infants, toddlers and young children. One Moon Doula Services will be in attendance at each of these events, both of which take place in San Diego in March. Stop by our booth to say hello! The first event is a parenting fair entitled "Nurturing Compassionate and Mindful Children the Natural Way," on March 3rd and 4th, and is put on by The Center for Integrative Psychology and The Mind Body Mama. There will be speakers, booths,…
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Does it Matter Which Training Your Doula Took?
January 5, 2017 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
In short… not really. You should interview prospective doulas in person (birth or postpartum). You should ask them about their doula training, their experience, their ability to reliably provide vetted back up in the case they can’t provide service to you. (Ask them for a name, and then interview that person – unless you’re going with an agency such as ours where all of that is built into the interview and selection process for you). If I were you, I’d ask questions about various scenarios (“How does your role change if I decide I want an epidural?” or…
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An Overnight Doula for Your Hospital Stay?
December 19, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
We were recently hired by a family who knew they would want overnight help from a postpartum doula during their hospital stay after the birth. After the baby was born, they wanted the father to be able to sleep at home with their four-year-old son, but the mother didn’t want to be alone in the hospital. Of course, one option would be to send the newborn to the nursery for the night. However, more and more new parents are choosing to “room in” with their babies. Expectant parents are learning in their childbirth education classes that rooming in with…
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POSTPARTUM DOULAS NEEDED
November 2, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
This is not your average “job” opportunity. One Moon Doula Services is seeking postpartum doulas. Our team of doulas provides top-notch, personalized service to families in San Diego county. We get to do important work and make a difference for families, while utilzing a team approach to ensure that we continually learn from each other and have access to the support and opportunities the agency provides. Doulas who work for our agency provide postpartum doula support to our clients, in the client's home. This involves helping the entire family transition to life with a newborn (whether it be…
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Why Breastfeeding Comes Naturally to Most Babies – But NOT to Their Mothers
October 14, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
On the one hand, breastfeeding is, of course, natural. In some ways it’s amazing to see all of the babies who instinctively know what they’re doing. There’s even a term, “breast crawl,” that describes how babies, just minutes or hours old, will inch themselves from mother’s belly right up to the breast, even though babies can’t technically crawl until many months after birth. On the other hand, it no longer “comes naturally” to so many mothers in our society because while babies get their instincts from nature and biology, mothers receive much of their know-how from information and…
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Mom Guilt Part 1: A Getaway With the Husband
October 5, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
This is where I’m sitting, right at this very moment while I write this. The view is spectacular. The “hotel,” (I almost can’t even call it that because of it’s size and grandeur) is luxurious. I’m working, but it’s work I love and care about. With so few interruptions because I’m not in my home office being beckoned by laundry or dishes… I’m not looking at the clock to see how much time until the kids get home. When cocktail hour comes, my food and drinks are paid for and I’m in the company of good people, including…
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Does Your Doctor Hate When You Google? (Guest Blog for Improving Birth)
September 15, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
We were honored to be featured as a guest blogger for Improving Birth, where we talk about the role of a patient's own knowledge about their condition and how it can impact the doctor-patient relationship. Take a look over at the Improving Birth Blog to read more!
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Pregnant in Summer? Here’s How to Cool Off!
July 16, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
Pregnant women already have a higher blood volume and a slightly higher body temperature… so being pregnant during summer (especially in your third trimester) can be an extra challenge to your comfort and your energy level. Here in North County Coastal San Diego, many homes are without air conditioning because of how mild it is for so much of the year! We found a few tips (besides the obvious, like stay in the shade and stay hydrated) to help you keep your cool: When you're ready to let us pamper you after your baby or babies finally arrive, call us or read…
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What to Expect When You CAN’T Know What to Expect: Planning for Life with a Newborn
June 28, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
I was inspired to speak on this topic because I just got off the phone with three different expectant parents, inquiring about postpartum Doula services, who want to make sure they have adequate support in place after the birth of their baby or babies, but are overwhelmed with the prospect of planning for something they've never done before. Almost always the families that call me say, "How can I know what I need before I need it?" Some of them will have family members nearby or visiting, but don't yet know how it will go to have those…
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NOT Your Mother’s Mothers’ Day
May 7, 2016 | Kathryn Keener | Uncategorized
Do you feel it? I think the way we look at moms is shifting… I think there is greater recognition for what we do. For the parts that are tangible and the parts that are not. For what we sacrifice and don’t get back, even if yes, there are sweet rewards. For the costs - to our bodies, our careers, our psyches when we wonder if we are doing right by our children. (Approaching discipline in an age-appropriate way? Over scheduling or under scheduling them? Leaving them too much or helicopter parenting? Respecting their preferences or coddling???) I think, for a…
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