Chiropractic Prenatal Care
Yes, you read that right! If you just raised an eyebrow with a bit of confusion, you are not alone. Most people think Chiropractic care is mostly for neck pain, back pain, and maybe headaches. For most of my patients, that’s true. However, after we resolve their pain, some amazing things start happening. Some people […]
The Modern Grandparent
Understanding the Modern Parent First of all congratulations on becoming a Grandparent! Whether this is your 1st or 5th, it is a very excited time for the whole family. Gold Coast Doulas offers in-home private classes for The Modern Grandparent. We are not currently offering group classes. This 2 ½ hour class will break down […]
[un]common sense: unintentionally intentional
[un]common sense is a blog about navigating through everyday life, using some common sense tips to make it just a bit easier, and sometimes a little more fun. Alyssa is a wife, mother, and postpartum doula who has some tricks up her sleeve and wants to share them with the world. Well now, don’t you […]
Dealing with Stress
Today’s blog comes from one of our previous postpartum doulas, Alex. Her nurturing soul shines in this post, giving us her favorite tips for stress management and self-care. Take the time today, and every day, to nurture yourself. It’s no secret that stress is, inevitably, a part of life, and to some degree is healthy […]
The Big Latch On – Grand Rapids 2017
World breastfeeding week is coming up! Why do we care? Each year, World Breastfeeding Week presents many opportunities to celebrate and promote breastfeeding. From August 1-7, this global movement strives to support breastfeeding by cultivating awareness and cooperation within and between communities worldwide. One big way we come together during World Breastfeeding week […]
[un]common sense: redefining breakfast one bowl at a time
[un]common sense is a blog about navigating through everyday life, using some common sense tips to make it just a bit easier, and sometimes a little more fun. Alyssa is a wife, mother, and postpartum doula who has some tricks up her sleeve and wants to share them with the world. Well now, don’t you […]
Kerry – A HypnoBirthing Birth Story
We love hearing birth stories from our HypnoBirthing students. Kerry had a rough ride but made it through three days of labor in the hospital, smiling in the end because of the tools and techniques she learned in Ashley’s HypnoBirthing Classes. “I just wanted to shoot you a note thanking you so very much for […]
Mom Guilt: How to Survive it and Grow from it
Today’s guest blogger is a past birth client of ours, Nicole Vega, LMSW, CHC. Nicole is a fully licensed clinician and certified health coach. Nicole received her Master’s in Clinical Social Work in 2012 from Western Michigan University and became certified as a health coach in 2016. Her work is founded on the principle that individuals […]
What to do on Michigan’s Gold Coast – Grand Haven
Our guest blogger today is one of our postpartum doulas, Lynnette Nichols. She has lived in Grand Haven for 15 years and wanted to share some hidden gems with you. Next time you take a family trip to West Michigan’s Gold Coast, stop in Grand Haven and check out these fun, family-friendly activities. While raising […]
Meet our new birth doula, Angel!
1) What did you do before you became a doula? I have been a stay at home mom for the past (almost) four years. Before that I worked as a medical assistant in a few different areas, end of life care and a neurosurgeons office. 2) What inspired you to become a doula? I was […]
Meet our new doula, Jamie!
1) What did you do before you became a doula? I worked as a Medical Assistant for 10 years; most of that time was spent at the Pediatric Endocrinology clinic at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. My full time job for the past two years has been as a nursing student at Grand Valley State University. I will […]
Embraced and Not Feared: Exercise During Pregnancy
Our guess blogger today is Marissa Anderson of Fit4Mom Grand Rapids. Read on to gain valuable insight about prenatal fitness. No matter what it looked like for you – plus sign, blue line, double line – the moment you knew you had a new life growing inside you, there were so many questions that needed […]
How my son with Down syndrome has changed my life.
We recently had the opportunity to interview our guest blogger, Alisha, about her experience as a mother of a child with Down syndrome. Read on to find out about her amazing journey. On October 27th, 2016, Alisha found out her son Mason was born with Down syndrome. What went through your mind? A lot of […]
Easy Learning Invitations for your Toddler
Our guest blogger today is Alana Chernecki. She is an educator by trade and a designer at heart. A mom of three, with over ten years of teaching experience in Winnipeg’s public schools, she discovered early on the importance of creating a learning environment that was both stimulating and calm, clean and colorful, engaging […]
What kind of oil should I use to massage my baby?
Today our guest blogger is Cristina Stauffer, LMSW, CEIM and infant massage instructor. She’s sharing some wisdom about what oils to use on your baby. One of the most common questions I get related to infant massage is about what kind of oil to use. The International Association of Infant Massage recommends high quality (preferably […]
Newborn Care: Fussiness
When I teach my newborn care class one of the topics we cover is fussiness. This topic gets a lot of reaction from parents. They have a lot of questions. Nobody wants a fussy baby, but the truth of the matter is that every baby is fussy at times. So what do you do when […]
The importance of giving children chores
Today we have a guest blog from our very own Alexandrea Rocha, previously an antepartum and postpartum doula with Gold Coast Doulas. If you have kids at home and struggle with the day-to-day list of chores, she has some helpful tips to get the whole family involved! As parents, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Especially […]
Healthy Fats for a Nourished Body & Baby
We are happy to have Sam Kalawart, Certified Health Coach, as a guest blogger today! Check out what she has to say about healthy fats. Pregnancy is a beautiful and exciting time in a woman’s life. During these 9 months, your body is working in over drive to ensure your unborn baby is developing as […]
What does non-judgmental support mean?
Author: Alyssa Veneklase, CD I was recently asked if, since I’m a doula, I tell clients not to vaccinate and make them feel guilty if they don’t breastfeed. What??! If you had a doula that made you feel this way, I apologize on behalf of them. That is the opposite of what a doula […]