Newborn Sleep Tips
As a sleep consultant, I get asked often how early you can sleep train a baby. My answer is this – Most babies are ready around 12 weeks, but it’s never too early to start introducing heathy habits to make the sleep training go smoothy when baby is ready. Why 12 weeks? Most babies are […]
Podcast Episode #39: Newborn Skin Issues
Alyssa and Cindy from Cindy’s Suds talk today about common newborn skin issues. Ever heard of cradle cap? How do you prevent diaper rash? Do babies really get pimples? You can listen to this complete podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud. Alyssa: Hello! Welcome to another episode of Ask the Doulas. I am Alyssa Veneklase, […]
Podcast Episode #38: Amber’s HypnoBirthing Story
We love hearing birth stories, especially from our clients. Listen as Amber tells us her birth story and how HypnoBirthing helped both her and her husband through 23 hours of labor. You can listen to this complete podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud. You can sign up for our HypnoBirthing classes here! Alyssa: Hello! Welcome […]
Gold Coast Doulas 3rd Annual Diaper Drive!
Gold Coast Doulas is holding our 3rd annual Diaper Drive from September 1st to October 1st, 2018. Diaper need is something that goes almost completely unrecognized, but 1 in 3 babies suffer in dirty diapers and no government programs provide them. Food, shelter, and utilities are the only items covered by assistance. Diapers are expensive […]
Podcast Episode #37: Meal Advice from a Dietician
What is a micro and macro nutrient? What does processed really mean? Today we talk to David Fisher, a licensed dietician and consultant for Life Fuel in Grand Rapids. He is a wealth of knowledge and you won’t want to miss what he has to say about our eating habits! You can listen to this […]
5 Research-Backed Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Preeclampsia
If you’ve done any reading on preeclampsia, we’re probably in agreement that it’s a diagnosis that no woman wants to get. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that affects up to 10% of expecting mamas. It involves high protein levels in the urine and swelling (edema) in addition to high blood pressure. Ultimately, these symptoms can […]
Lessons from Tahlequah
Thank you, Ashley, for writing this lovely article about loss and bereavement. Many of us have seen the article circulating by now about Tahlequah, the mother orca that carried around the body of her calf for upwards of two weeks. This documented, circulating story has struck a chord in many, and for many different reasons. Most […]
Nursing & The Entrepreneur
Today’s guest blog is from our dear friend, Kristina Bird. She is a partner with The People Picture Company, a photography studio located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids committed to producing magazine quality photography for all of life’s milestones. Sitting in my car, the beating hum of my pump out of sync with […]
Podcast Episode #36: Minimizing Products
Today Alyssa and Cindy of Cindy’s Suds talk about ways to minimize your bath products. Can we get by with just one lotion? Can we use soap as shaving gel? Find out on today’s episode! Listen to this complete podcast episode on iTunes or SoundCloud. Alyssa: Hello! Welcome to another episode of Ask the […]
Podcast Episode #35: 4D Moments Ultrasound
Ever wondered what the difference is between a 3D and 4D ultrasound? Are they safe? Today we talk to Jessica from 4D Moments to answer all these questions! You can listen to this complete podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud. Alyssa: Hello! Welcome to Ask the Doulas podcast. I am your host, Alyssa Veneklase. I […]
Podcast Episode #34: Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
Today we talk to Dr. Annie of Rise Wellness about what chiropractic care looks like during pregnancy. You can listen to this complete podcast episode on iTunes or Soundcloud. Alyssa: Hi, welcome to another episode of Ask the Doulas. I am Alyssa, co-owner and postpartum doula at Gold Coast. Today, we have Dr. Annie […]
Podcast Episode #33: Summertime Safety
Today Cindy and Alyssa talk about some summer safety tips including water safety at the beach and pool and tips for avoiding a sunburn. You can listen to the complete podcast episode on iTunes or Soundcloud. Alyssa: Hello. Welcome to another episode of Ask the Doulas. I’m so excited to be here with my […]
Mothership Certified Health Service Providers
Many of our doulas are Mothership Certified Health Service Providers. Sounds cool, but what does that mean? Here’s a simplified breakdown of what we learned in our training and why it’s so important. The training involved learning the difference between empathy and sympathy. We understand that empathy never starts with, “At least…”. Here’s a great […]
My role as a postpartum doula.
Our very own Jamie Platt, BSN, RN, CLC, CPST shares her personal insights on what it’s like to be a postpartum doula. What is the role of a postpartum doula? What does it look like, and how might a doula support the breastfeeding relationship between mom and baby? A postpartum doula can take care of […]
Podcast Episode #31: Rise Wellness Chiropractic
Dr. Annie and Dr. Rachel of Rise Wellness Chiropractic in Grand Rapids talk about their approach to helping mothers and babies, as well as how and why they decided to start their own practice. You can listen to the podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud. Hello, and welcome to another episode of Ask the Doulas. […]
Meet our newest doula, Jenny!
We are so excited to announce Jenny Chandler as the newest birth doula on the Gold Coast Team! 1) What did you do before you became a doula? Hotel front desk receptionist Church intern Maternity center volunteer in Haiti 2) What inspired you to become a doula? I was in Haiti at a maternity center […]
Podcast Episode #30: Amber the Coziness Consultant
How do you make a space cozy when you have children and babies taking over your house? Amber, The Coziness Consultant, gives us some easy tips for maintaining your sanity during this season of life. You can listen to this podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud. Alyssa: Hello. Welcome to another episode of Ask the […]
Podcast Episode #29: Kids in the Kitchen
Today on Ask the Doulas, Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship and Kids Cook Real Food talks to us about how to get your little ones started safely in the kitchen. There’s also a free download, so be sure to listen so you don’t miss it! You can catch the podcast on SoundCloud or iTunes. […]
Podcast Episode #28: Plagiocephaly and Torticollis
What is Plagiocephaly? Torticollis what? Jessica Buikema of Hulst Jepsen Physical Therapy talks about both and what parents can do to prevent them and how physical therapy can help their baby. Listen to the podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud. Alyssa: Hello. Welcome to another episode of Ask the Doulas. I am Alyssa Veneklase, co-owner […]
Media – Friend or Foe?
In light of recent events, we have a special guest blog by Lindsey Zaskiewicz, LMSW. Lindsey is a licensed social worker currently employed as a clinician on a mental health and substance abuse crisis line. Prior to this role, she has several years of experience working in maternal-infant mental health, as well as direct practice with […]
HypnoBirthing – Brianna & Ben’s Story
A huge thank-you to our HypnoBirthing student for taking the time to share her beautiful birth story with us! We hope you love this as much as we do! My husband Ben and I decided to take a HypnoBirthing class because we had a goal to have a natural birth and because we didn’t think the hospital […]
Podcast Episode #27: Let’s Talk About the Pelvic Floor
Today on Ask the Doulas, we talk to JoEllen Bender of Hulst Jepsen Physical Therapy in East Grand Rapids. She is a physical therapist who specializes in women’s pelvic issues. Listen as she gives some tips and dispels some myths about the pelvic floor. You’re doing kegels right now, aren’t you?! Listen to the podcast […]
Podcast Episode #26: EcoBuns Cloth Diapering
On this episode of Ask the Doulas, Marissa, owner of EcoBuns Baby + Co in Holland, Michigan dispels all the myths about cloth diapering that we’ve heard. Learn how easy and economical they can be for your family! You can listen to the full podcast on iTunes or Soundcloud. Alyssa: Hi, welcome to Ask […]
[uncommon sense]: The Importance of Quality Self-Care
Alyssa recently spoke at an event about the importance of self-care. This is a summary of her conversation. We hope you can take away some good advice about what quality self-care means to you and how to apply it to your busy life! Self-care has become one of those phrases that we roll our eyes […]