Author name: Kristin Revere

Kristin Revere is the owner and founder of Gold Coast Doulas. She started her career as a childbirth educator in 2013 and soon after certified as a birth doula. Kristin is a certified elite postpartum doula and a certified newborn care specialist. She co-hosts the Ask the Doula Podcast and co-created the Becoming A Mother course.

Deb Porter wearing a headset, holding a coffee mug with pen against a white wall

Finding Your Footing in Early Parenthood

Deb Porter, Owner of HOLD Hearing Out Life Drama, helps individuals improve their communication by teaching active listening skills resulting in positive outcomes. Deb also provides a safe, non-judgmental space so that those who use HOLD’s confidential listening service gain clarity and find relief from overwhelming situations.

When Reality Doesn’t Match Expectations:

You’ve dreamed of it for months now, and suddenly your baby is in your arms. You expected coos, and a peacefully sleeping baby nestled close. Instead, you are experiencing being peed on, frequent crying, vomit all over, and deeper exhaustion than you have ever experienced before. You really want someone to understand what you’re feeling, only everyone is so busy fussing over the baby, they don’t seem to hear you. Questions begin to spin, “How can I take care of this human when I can’t even eat or shower myself?”

It’s normal to question yourself, and your capabilities. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a sign of how much you care about this little person, and how much you want to do right by them. By caring, you can know that you will get through the doubts and dilemmas. While in the moment, the challenges may seem daunting, even impossible, the essentials will get done. You will get through this.

Challenges of Parenthood:

As the joy of holding your baby in your arms becomes a reality, you might find yourself facing unexpected challenges. When you’re faced with bone-deep exhaustion, the basic needs can seem monumental. In these overwhelming moments, it’s crucial to remember that meeting your own needs directly impacts your ability to care for your child effectively.

When you are sleep-deprived, physically drained, and emotionally depleted, it becomes increasingly difficult to provide the love, attention, and care your baby requires. That exhaustion makes it difficult to think clearly, make wise decisions. It can impact your mood, leaving you more susceptible to irritability, frustration, and even postpartum depression. Being aware of this can help you deal with it better.

Prioritizing Your Well-Being:

As a new parent, it’s easy to neglect your own needs while tending to the demands of your baby. The baby’s needs are important, and so are yours.

Nurturing your physical and emotional well-being is needed for both you and your baby. While it may seem difficult to carve out time for yourself, neglecting your own needs can lead to burnout and hinder your ability to nurture your child. Caring for yourself is a first step to caring for your baby.

Nutrition, hydration, and rest are vital for your body’s healing and rejuvenation. While the age-old advice of “sleep when the baby sleeps” sounds reasonable, it may not always be feasible, especially if you have other children or responsibilities to tend to.

Amidst the chaos of parenting, it’s essential to listen to yourself and identify your own needs. Take a moment to ask yourself, “What do I need right now?” If it’s something you can manage independently, go ahead and prioritize it. However, there will be times when you require assistance or struggle to determine your needs. During these moments, it’s important to communicate your needs to a trusted adult who can offer support. Even if that support is helping you sort out your own needs.

A Simple Way to Encourage Effective Support:

In our culture, we’re often conditioned to put others before ourselves. Asking becomes difficult when this is your mindset. However, becoming a new parent is a time when it’s necessary to break free from these societal expectations and express your needs openly.

When seeking assistance, it’s important to communicate your needs as clearly as possible, allowing others to understand and provide the help you require. By offering specific instructions or requests, such as requesting a particular food item or drink, you enable those around you to contribute effectively. This not only facilitates the support you need but also encourages others to continue offering their help.

The Relief of Being Heard:

There may be times when your physical needs are taken care of, which finally allows your emotional needs to surface. This is when you need someone to listen. Most people do not have training in active listening. They may do their best, and that might be enough. If so, we’re really happy for you!

Many people are prone to offering advice or attempting to fix problems rather than simply providing a listening ear. However, the gift of being fully heard, without judgment or unsolicited advice, can provide immense relief and support.

What a gift when someone lets you be fully heard, and allows the feelings–no matter how ambivalent they are– to simply be.

The Power of Holding Space:

Becoming a parent is an incredible journey, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. From sleepless nights to overwhelming exhaustion, new parents often find themselves yearning for someone who truly understands their experiences. While family and friends may offer advice or assistance, it’s the power of active listening that can truly provide the relief and support needed during this transformative phase of life.

Deb often says, if there was one thing she could teach everyone in the world, it would be this: When someone has just vented, and then says, “I don’t know what to do” – don’t assume this is a sign you need to step in and fix it. Instead, ask, “Are you looking for solutions, or did you need someone to simply hear you and hold that with you?” It makes a huge difference.

If You Need a Listening Ear:

HOLD provides a safe and non-judgmental space where individuals can find relief and clarity in overwhelming situations. Their confidential listening service offers solace to new parents, helping them navigate the challenges of parenthood and allowing them to express themselves without fear of judgment. Additionally, HOLD’s self-paced mini-course, Create a Peaceful Home, offers practical guidance for individuals seeking to enhance their communication skills and cultivate a harmonious environment. Whether you choose to explore HOLD’s confidential listening service or enroll in their self-paced mini-course, Deb Porter and her team are dedicated to providing the support you need.

Becoming a parent is a remarkable and transformative experience, but it can also be overwhelming. Prioritizing your own well-being and seeking support when needed are essential steps towards creating a peaceful and fulfilling parenting journey. Take the leap and reach out to HOLD Hearing Out Life Drama today. Commit to your journey towards effective communication and emotional well-being.

When you’re overwhelmed and the people you know are too close to the problem or worse, ARE the problem, we listen so you can think clearly and feel a sense of relief.
HOLD Hearing Out Life Drama

 

Finding Your Footing in Early Parenthood Read More »

Jade Sanchez from Gold Coast Doulas wearing a yellow summer dress poses with a woman wearing a striped maxi dress at sunset by a body of water

Meet our new Postpartum and Infant Care Doula, Jade

Meet our newest Postpartum Doula, Jade. We love to share interesting facts about our team. Jade is in the process of moving to Ludington from Florida. We are so happy to have her on the team.

What did you do before you became a doula?

I worked in customer service as well as in the medical field as a medical assistant. I have experience helping people during highly stressful times develop healthy habits and achievable goals that work for their day-to-day life.

What inspired you to become a doula?

From a very young age taking care of my loved ones brought me joy and babies expanded that feeling. I had dreams of becoming a NICU nurse or working in Labor and Delivery. One day that changed when I watched the documentary “The Business of Being Born”. From that day I decided I wanted to see women take back their births and postpartum experience. To be a part of families making the choice to accept the help, time for bonding and rest they deserve.

Tell us about your family.

I am originally from Jacksonville, FL and I moved to Tampa, FL to begin college. That is where I met my wife, Chandra. I have been with Chandra since the summer of 2014 and we married in the fall of 2016. We have a fur baby we are obsessed with named Kira. We will be starting a family soon and we are very excited!

What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 

My favorite vacation spot is Vermont during the fall. The New England area in the fall truly looks like God kissed the land. It is magical.

Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.

  • Sade – She is calming, relaxing, and listening to her always creates a cozy mood.
  • Brandy – She is a triple threat and her vocal runs give me chills.
  • Lauryn Hill – Originally caught my eye in “Sister Act 2” and even with only one album her tone and lyrics carry me through year after year. She is the songbird of a generation.
  • Jhene Aiko – Her music is soulful and very connected to herself. Her use of chimes, sound bowls and other calming effects in her music keeps me coming back for more.
  • Janelle Monae – She embodies every bit of freedom I think we all would like to become. Her and her music deliver and leave me feeling great about being myself.

What is the best advice you have given to new families?

Take the time to fill your cup when you can, we have more to offer when we make taking care of ourselves a priority. To remember that you are not alone. Life is short but the period during postpartum can feel long so breathe through the moments. Keep in mind that each moment will give way to the next and as long as you live that sweet baby will need you.

What do you consider your doula superpower to be?

Education. Overall, I want to help and I believe that if you take care of yourself, you can better take care of others. I want to leave families better than I found them. I understand that if you leave someone with more confidence and knowledge, they will use that for the better.

What is your favorite food?
I love seafood. I could eat crabs daily!

What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?

This is my first time in Michigan. My family and I cannot wait to explore the coast and welcome all suggestions!

What are you reading now?

“The Highly Sensitive Parent”

Who are your role models?

Mothers are my role models. The level of admiration, respect and reverence I have for women who sacrifice their bodies before, during and after pregnancy, continue to take care of life and themselves has skyrocketed. Mothers are superheroes!

Meet our new Postpartum and Infant Care Doula, Jade Read More »

Jackie Viscusi from Gold Coast Doulas holding a baby outside with two women on either side of her and a home in the background

Meet our new Sleep Consultant, Jackie

Meet our newest Sleep Consultant, Jackie. We love to share interesting facts about our team. Jackie and her family reside in Florida. She works with virtual sleep clients through Gold Coast.

What did you do before you became Sleep Consultant?

I was a creative marketing and script writer and content creator.

What inspired you to become a doula?

My personal experience with postpartum depression and anxiety coupled with a deep interest in maternal mental health. I realized I wanted to dedicate my life to helping other parents through this crazy time.

Tell us about your family.

I have an amazing and supportive husband, Nick, a fun-loving 3 year-old, Gianna, an adorable 1 year-old, Aria, and a hilarious dog named Donny who looks like a terrier and Steve Buschmi had a baby together.

What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 

Hawaii. Cause. How can you not? Beach, breeze, laid-back, mountains.. when can I go back?!!

Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.

Not to be “basic” but who doesn’t love The Beatles? I mean they’re just the best. I love Motown and Oldies, Beyonce, Justin, and Usher, if that tells you my age at all. I think Harry Styles is fantastic. And I also love Odeza, Glass Animals, Jungle & Anderson Paak.

What is the best advice you have given to new families?

Consistency is key!

What is your favorite food?

Gluten-Free pizza. I have celiac disease.

What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?

I am remote. I would love to visit someday.

What are you reading now?

“The Free Diet” by Dr. Rofrano, a wellness book about “freeing” yourself from pain, fatigue, and fogginess.

Who are your role models?

Gloria Steinem, RGB, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.

Meet our new Sleep Consultant, Jackie Read More »

Payal Adhikari resting her head on her hands wearing a black hat and black top against a brick wall

Breastfeeding and Infant Gut Health 101

Payal Adhikari, M.D. is a pediatrician and Clinical Implementation Director for Infinant Health. She grew up in the Chicago suburbs and lived in Singapore prior to settling in Chicago with her husband and two kids. She encourages her patients to have fun with parenting and believes in the power of the microbiome to influence positive health outcomes.

Breastfeeding and Infant Gut Health 101

Breastfeeding can be a full-time job – Moms are literally dissolving their own bodies to feed their babies! Did you know that 15% of your hard-earned breast milk could be completely wasted by your baby? Human Milk Oligosaccharides, or HMOs, are the 3rd most abundant solid component of breast milk (after fats and lactose); While fats and lactose are food for your baby, the role of HMOs is to feed your baby’s microbiome, creating a calm and healthy gut. However, most babies in the U.S. are missing the key bacteria they need to digest HMOs, causing them to get pooped right out!

Researchers at UC-Davis Foods for Health Institute and Infinant Health extensively studied the stools of breastfed babies and found that there is a way to restore your baby’s gut microbiome, allowing them to use all the nutrients moms work so hard to create.

How do babies get their gut bacteria?

Infants are born with a clean slate. Their guts are nearly sterile and ready to be filled with bacteria from their environment – from the birth canal, mom’s skin, and even mom’s poop! Many years ago, babies were exposed to Bifidobacterium Infantis EVC001, whose job was to consume HMOs from breast milk. Due to the unintended consequences of modern practices (c-sections, antibiotics, even daily showering!), 90% of babies in the U.S. do not have this important strain of bacteria and are unable to utilize HMOs.

Why does my baby need a healthy gut microbiome?

Research shows that our gut health impacts many aspects of our overall health. Our microbiome’s influence extends far beyond the gut to provide signals to our neurologic, metabolic, and immune systems. Our gut bacteria have an important job to do!

Did you know that 80% of our immune system is in our gut? Research suggests that a healthy gut microbiome in babies supports the development of a stronger immune system
throughout life. It also has been shown to reduce “bad” bacteria that can cause inflammation. These “bad” bacteria have been linked to potential health issues such as allergies and other autoimmune diseases and baby ailments like colic and eczema.

How do I know if my baby needs a probiotic?

Research shows that gut health impacts the entire body, not just the gut. Infant dysbiosis describes changes in the baby’s microbiome that can be associated with various diseases due to abnormalities in the gut flora. The most common signs of dysbiosis and poor gut health are:

• Gas/fussiness

• Diaper rash

• Eczema

• Sleep disturbance

These symptoms are related to inflammation from an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria such as E. Coli, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. Bifidobacterium Infantis EVC001, a “good” bacteria, reduces the growth of bad bacteria in your baby’s gut by 80%.

Almost 25% of babies suffer from colic, which is thought to be caused by an immature digestive system and these inflammatory bacteria – Introduction of
Bifidobacterium Infantis EVC001 reduces this inflammation by up to 98%, leading to less gassy, less inflamed, and generally happier babies!

In addition, babies born via C-section (almost ⅓ of babies in the U.S.) miss out on many beneficial bacteria from mom during birth, and babies who get antibiotics that can alter their gut flora can benefit from probiotics to help restore their microbiomes.

There are so many probiotics on the market – How do I choose?
Probiotics are a broad and overwhelming category of supplements! Like antibiotics, probiotics serve different purposes depending on who is taking them and for what reason. For breastfed babies, Evivo is the only probiotic that contains B. Infantis EVC001. While other probiotics may have different strains of B. Infantis, Evivo is the only one that can fully consume all of the HMOs in breast milk.

After introducing Evivo, the beneficial bacteria take over your infant’s GI tract, colonizing up to 80% of its surface – Leaving less room for the bad bacteria to thrive! More good bacteria means less gas, less inflammation, and happier babies!

In addition, Evivo colonizes the gut and can stick around long after you stop giving it. The latest research shows that babies given Evivo for the first month of life still had it in their GI tracts at one year of age. Studies also show that Evivo protects the mucin layer of the gut, leading to less mucousy stools. In addition, babies who get Evivo have less diaper rash and fewer, less watery stools per day; happier babies with less diapers to change for parents!

What if my baby is getting some formula?
Fed is best! We believe in finding a feeding plan that is right for your family. More than 70% of families in the U.S. combination-feed with formula or use formula exclusively. So how does Evivo play into families who aren’t exclusively feeding human milk?

Evivo only needs a small amount of breast milk to colonize your baby’s gut. Therefore, Evivo can be given with a combination of breast milk and formula and still gives your baby all the benefits from B. Infantis EVC001.

How do I give Evivo to my baby?
Babies can start taking Evivo as soon as they are born. Evivo comes in little sachets (much like tea!); Give your baby one sachet each day. Remember, the earlier you start, the more room your baby has for the good bacteria to take over. You can:

• Mix it with a few milliliters of breast milk and offer via syringe.

• Mix the powder with breast milk to form a paste; Apply the paste directly to your nipple before nursing.

• Put the powder directly into a bottle of breast milk or formula that you know your baby will finish.

You can order Evivo directly from www.evivo.com, from Amazon, or even add it to your baby registry.

How do I know if Evivo is working?
Most of the benefits of a healthy gut microbiome are long-term, but parents report some exciting short-term benefits as well: After one week of use, parents report decreased gas, diaper rash, colic, and improved sleep. Babies also usually have fewer and better formed, less watery stools – Who wouldn’t want to change less poopy diapers?

Breastfeeding and Infant Gut Health 101 Read More »

Ryleigh from Gold Coast Doulas poses with her family wearing a forward facing infant and her husband beside her holding a toddler in front of their home

Meet our new birth doula, Ryleigh!

Meet our newest birth doula Ryleigh. We love to share interesting facts about our team. Ryleigh and her family reside in Muskegon.

What did you do before you became a doula?

Before this I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do for a career. I have dabbled into a few different degrees in college, did some nanny jobs in between, and have been consistently working at an assisted living home for 7 years now.

What inspired you to become a doula?

I’ve always been a “helper” at heart, and have always wanted to stand beside people in hardship. Once I had my first daughter and realized just how much of a village it takes to go all the way from pregnancy to postpartum, I realized I wanted to be that help that women could count on during this vulnerable time in their life. Knowledge is power in my eyes, and if I can help someone by giving them information and being their support through such a difficult season, then why not go full speed ahead!

Tell us about your family.

I am married to my husband Brody. We met in 2015 at the YMCA daycare where we both worked and started dating shortly after. Brody is a silly, sport enthusiast, Jesus loving man. He’s very supportive in all I do and was very excited for me to take this next step into something I have been talking to him about a lot! We have 2 children earth side! Penelope is our 3-year-old. She is as goofy and smart as they come. She loves everything from princesses to tools, and keep us on our toes for sure! Gemma is our 5 month old. She was our literal gem, our diamond in the rough, our rainbow baby. We had a pretty traumatic ectopic loss between our two girls and Gemma could not have come at better timing. She has filled the gap in our family and has truly been such a light in a dark season for us. She’s smiley and chubby and that’s just the way we like her!

What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 

My favorite vacation spot would have to be Disney World. I love the combo of shopping, riding rides, watching performances, and the magic there. Even at 25, there’s still magic being there!

Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.

Truthfully I’m not a huge music obsessed person, I’d rather listen to a podcast or sermon. But I’ve been listening to Walker Hayes, Brandon Lake, Ron Pope, Garret Jacobs, and Vince Joy. I tend to listen to music for their lyrics, I love creative lyrics. Or because it has a funky beat I can dance to in the car!

What is the best advice you have given to new families?

Water or fresh air can fix almost anything, all the way from the baby to the mama.

What do you consider your doula/consultant superpower to be?

I’ve always been told I’m a good listener. I would rather sit with someone for hours on end and listen to them and whatever they have to say than talk about myself. I think sometimes when we try to help someone we tend to overshare and give unwanted advice or try to fill the space too much, and I’m hoping I can use my love of sitting and listening to people as a safe space for them to get their feelings and emotions out!

What is your favorite food?

If you asked me from the time I could eat till right before my last pregnancy, I would’ve said spaghetti. But now I don’t love that. I would probably say tacos now, a good chicken taco with a little bit of kick to it and a lot of cheese!

What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?

Grand Haven. That’s where I’m from and where I grew up. I love that it feels like home to me, walking the pier, swimming on the beach, all their festivals and fairs, yummy places to eat. I love pretty much everything about it!

What are you reading now?

“Oops! The 9 Ways We Screw Up Our Toddlers” – By Michelle Smith

Who are your role models?

A lot of the women in my life are my role models. They have all had their peaks and valleys in their own journey yet they are all relentless and have kept moving forward! I hope to be half as resilient as they are.

Meet our new birth doula, Ryleigh! Read More »

Woman standing by a tree in a wooded area with jeans and beige jacket

Meet our new Postpartum Doula and Newborn Care Specialist (NCS), Sarah!

We hope you enjoy getting to know Sarah in our Q&A blog! Sarah serves families in West Michigan as a certified Newborn Care Specialist. She offers day and overnight newborn support.
 
1) What did you do before you became a newborn care specialist?
I have worked in the field of Early Childhood for 20 years as a preschool teacher, early childhood specialist, infant toddler teacher, center director, and nanny.
2) What inspired you to become a newborn care specialist and a postpartum doula?
Seeing how many families are struggling and feeling alone after bringing a baby home. I want to offer them support during this time.
3) Tell us about your family.
I am a mother of five. I have three girls and two boys. They are all unique and amazing. My husband is my best friend and biggest supporter.
4) What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 
I loved Maui. It had great scenery, wonderful people, and amazing food.
5) Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.
Rihanna is my favorite musician. I love that she is free to be herself.
6) What is the best advice you have given to new families?
To trust yourself and your intuition and also to give yourself grace.
7) What do you consider your doula/newborn care specialist superpower to be?
Anticipating needs.
8) What is your favorite food?
I love curry and also pho.
9) What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?
I enjoy all West Michigan beaches.
10) What are you reading now?
The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin.  
11) Who are your role models?
Dr. Shefali. She is an author and clinical psychologist. Her work and message are amazing.

Meet our new Postpartum Doula and Newborn Care Specialist (NCS), Sarah! Read More »

Mya from Gold Coast Doulas sits inside a floating circle in front of a Kitchen + Kocktale wall wearing a headband, scarf, and crossbody fanny pack.

Meet Mya, Our Newest Postpartum Doula!

Meet Mya, Our Newest Postpartum Doula!
As you know, when we bring a new person onto the Gold Coast team, we love to find out more about them and
share that with you!

Let’s find out more about Mya.

1) What did you do before you became a postpartum doula?
Before becoming a doula, I worked as a swim instructor, and as a head swim coach for young children in
Naperville, Illinois. After that, I went to Central Michigan University to earn a bachelor’s degree in science.

2) What inspired you to become a postpartum doula?
I’ve always been fascinated with pregnancy as a whole, after watching my family members, experience,
pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. I knew I would be the perfect helping hand for those who look like me,
which is what inspired me the most. I want other minorities to feel comfortable while giving birth, which is why I
pride myself on creating such a warm and open environment.

3) Tell us about your family.
My family has a very tight bond, we are quite a small family, because of this we spend lots of our free time
together whether it’s hanging out and enjoying each other’s company or traveling and going on new
adventures. Overall, my family is very loving and supportive, and most of all we love to have a good laugh.

4) What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 
My favorite vacation spot is probably Barcelona Spain, the reason for this is because I’m a total foodie, and the
food there was beyond fresh and different from anything I’ve ever had before. Also, the architecture of all the
buildings were incredibly breathtaking.

5) Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.
This is a hard question, considering I enjoy listening to almost all genres of music.

6) What is the best advice you have given to new families?
The best advice I have for families is to stick with their goals and values, just because they don’t align with
others in your community does not mean they are wrong, and also to give yourself grace and patience. Some
things take time to heal, and we must be mindful of that.

7) What do you consider your doula/consultant superpower to be?
I believe my doula superpower is making people feel comfortable and empowered, no matter what the situation
is. Growing up looking different from most of my peers I know how it feels to be in uncomfortable situations.
This is why I pride myself on being able to make others feel both comfortable and confident in all environments.

8) What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is tacos, I could probably eat tacos every day for the rest of my life.

9) What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?
Since I’m not a Michigan native, I absolutely love going to the dunes, we don’t have anything similar to that in
Chicago so it’s always a fun treat.

10) What are you reading now?
Self-care for new moms

11) Who are your role models?
I would say, my mom is one of my biggest role models, she’s taught me how to be kind, empathetic,
independent, and resilient.
Mya serves day and overnight postpartum and infant care clients in West Michigan, SW Michigan and Northern
Michigan.

 

Meet Mya, Our Newest Postpartum Doula! Read More »

2 women in professional clothes with a colorful geometric background

2022 Reflections

2022 Reflections:
Whew! Our word of the year for 2022 was changed. Gold Coast announced an expansion for day and overnight postpartum support to Northern and Southwest Michigan in April.
Alyssa Veneklase transitioned from co-owner to subcontractor at Gold Coast in August. She still leads the Becoming A Mother course with Kristin and teaches at Gold Coast.
Kristin and Alyssa have signed with a publisher for a book deal!
Our small business has been operating on EOS with our implementor Laurel Romanella for a full year now and we have seen tremendous growth as a result.

Here are the Gold Coast stats for 2022:  

  • Number of group and private classes taught: 28
  • Number of students: 82
  • Number of birth clients that delivered in 2022: 95
  • Number of birth clients supported in 2022 with 2023 due dates: 26
  • Average Continuing Education training per doula: 5
  • Lactation: 22 clients
  • Alyssa created a new sleep class for infants and toddlers at different stages
  • Sleep Consultations: 18 clients served
  • Day and Overnight Postpartum Doula support hours: 7,776 (our best year yet for postpartum)
  • Multiples: 6 families served.
  • DEI our entire team had a 2-hour virtual DEI training with Sabia Wade, The Black Doula in February
  • Our entire team participated in a 2-hour pregnancy and newborn loss training through PAILAdvocates.
  • New Subcontractors Added to our Team: 8 doulas, 1 sleep consultant
  • Advanced Certifications Achieved: 12
  • Julie Skripka and Gina Kraft celebrated five years with Gold Coast.
  • We had our seven-year anniversary in October.
  • Ask the Doulas Podcast- We ended the year with 167 episodes total. Feedspot ranked Ask the
  • Doulas as 6 of the Best 15 Doula Podcasts on the Planet in 2022.   Listen Notes ranked Ask the Doulas as one of the top 5% most popular shows out of 3,005,585 globally. We launched our podcast in 2017 and are still growing strong thanks to our fantastic guests and listener support.
  • Becoming A Mother Course- We added new expert videos and enhanced our email communication to further grow our self-paced online course.
  • We offered two pro-bono spots in the course to low-income women.
  • 2022 Awards: West Michigan BBB Torch Award for Ethics Finalist, Best of Michbusiness small business award winner and Kristin Revere was named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan by the Grand Rapids Business Journal.
  • Media: First Time Parent Magazine: Kristin Revere wrote an article on making your hospital room feel like home.
  • Gold Coast continued as a Climate Leader with Aclymate. We purchased 13,855 lbs of carbon offsets.
  • Gold Coast applied for B Corp recertification in July.

Volunteer Hours: 129 

  • Charitable Donations:  $2,703 to charities supporting low-income women and children.
  • Organizations donated to include: Nestlings Diaper Bank. Spectrum Foundation for a breastfeeding training for the Butterworth Women’s Center nursing staff, St. Mary’s Foundation with funds dedicated to clinics, Pine Rest Mother-Baby Program, MomsBloom, Preeclampsia Foundation and the Hello Seven Foundation.
  • We also donated a birth stool to St. Mary’s Foundation.
  • Diapers Collected for our 7th Annual Diaper Drive for Nestlings Diaper Bank: 11,133 disposable diapers, 97 packs of wipes and 100 cloth supplies. Many thanks to our partners: Rise Wellness Chiropractic, Fit4Mom Grand Rapids, Mind Body Baby, Mindful Counseling, Advent Physical Therapy, Hopscotch Children’s Store, EcoBuns Baby + Co, Brann’s, The Insurance Group, R. Lucas Scott. Co, and Howard Miller Library.

We are so thankful for our clients, partners, podcast listeners and students. Thank you for
trusting us to support your families!

 

2022 Reflections Read More »

Jene'e of Gold Coast Doulas poses with her family on a beach

Meet our new Postpartum Doula, Jene’e!

1) What did you do before you became a doula/consultant?

For many years, I primarily have been a “domestic engineer”, a stay-at-home mom. Although in some of those years, my family has owned a few restaurants, and I helped there when I was needed.

2) What inspired you to become a doula/consultant?

Becoming a mama at a very young age, to two boys, and the birthing experience I had with them started my journey to want to make others mamas experiences more empowering and filled with better memories and support. Because of my birthing experience with them, for a long time I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse, or an OB nurse practitioner, but that was not my life path.

I now have 7 beautiful children, and each one of those birthing experiences was different. It was not until my 6th child that I became more aware that I have a choice to a have different birthing experience. Now I want to empower mamas to know that they can too.

3) Tell us about your family.

We moved here to the Traverse City area at the end of 2020, from Henderson, Nevada. We would visit family here every summer, and loved the area.

We are a very outdoor family. Love the beach, paddle boarding, fishing, soccer, snowboarding, sledding, all fun activities

4) What is your favorite vacation spot and why?

I absolutely love Hawaii. The beaches, the warm water, the smell, the culture. It is my Happy place.

Traverse City use to be one of our favorite vacation spots every summer also, until we moved from Las Vegas.

Now Las Vegas is one of my favorite vacation spots, so I can see my son, my amazing friends, and my previous village.

5) Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.

This is really hard to answer. I really think it depends on intention, mood, and the time of day.

6) What is the best advice you have given to new families?

There is so much “best” advice to give! Give yourself Grace, time to heal and rest, do what is best for you and your family even if that means setting boundaries, and do not feel the need to follow the western culture to “bounce back”.

7) What do you consider your doula/consultant superpower to be?

From what I have been told, is that I bring great, empowering, safe energy when I walk into the room

8) What is your favorite food?

I love raw sushi and Mexican food

9) What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?

I love Empire, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Glen Arbor, & Traverse City

10) What are you reading now?

The First 40 Days

11) Who are your role models?

I love to listen and surround myself with empowering woman and friends.

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Meet our new Postpartum Doula, Jene’e! Read More »

Sleeping baby wearing a white onesie on a white bed

Top 5 Tips for Encouraging Baby to Sleep Through the Night

 

Kay Vorce, CED-PIC
Gold Coast Sleep Consultant

Certified Sleep Consultant

If there is one question I get all the time, it’s this one: How can I encourage my baby to sleep through
the night while still responding to their needs?
First, let’s define what that means. If your baby is sleeping 6-8 hour stretches, that’s considered sleeping
through the night. Although babies need 10-12 hours of sleep overnight (along with naps), your baby
may technically “sleep through the night” by sleeping 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. I don’t know about you, but
that’s hard to celebrate unless you also want to go to bed for the night at 8:00 p.m.!
The good news is that there are things parents can do to encourage a healthy chunk of sleep at the right
time, but there are some factors to consider: Age, weight, and habits.
Here are my top 5 tips for getting your baby to sleep through the night, with parents getting the most
sleep out of it too!

1. Keep your expectations realistic.
A newborn (8 weeks or less) needs to eat frequently. Expect your baby to wake every 2-3 hours
for feeds. If they don’t wake that often on their own, check with your pediatrician about setting
an alarm overnight for feeds. It’s very important that your growing baby gets the calories they
need in these vital early weeks.
These are the exhausting days. The trifecta of physical recovery, sleep deprivation, and hormone
adjustments in the post-birth period can bring on a myriad of complex emotions. Consider hiring
a postpartum doula. A postpartum doula can provide overnight newborn care while a mother
gets the vital rest she needs to stay physically and emotionally healthy. Don’t try to just survive
this period, reach out for help and support, you won’t regret it.
Once your baby has regained their birth weight and is closer to 2 or 3 months old, 4-6 hour
stretches become more realistic.

2. Don’t neglect the daytime calories.
Sometimes a baby will sleep A LOT during the day. Your baby is a perfect calorie regulating
machine. While this may be great for getting things done, keep in mind that the calories a baby
does not consume during the day, they will wake for overnight. Don’t be afraid to wake your
baby for a feed if they’re still napping and they’re due a feed.

3. Place a feed before parent’s bedtime.
If your baby is 12 weeks or under, consider a “wake and feed.” This technique combines a feed
with a short awake window to build sleep pressure, with the goal of a long sleep placed at a better time for parents. Wake your baby an hour before you’d like to go to bed and combine the
feed with some kick and play time in lower light, then put baby to bed for the night.
If your baby is 16 weeks or older, do a standard “dream feed” with no awake window. Just rouse
baby enough to take feed, then back to bed again.
The goal here is to help maximize sleep for the parents. If that doesn’t happen, ditch the
technique, and just aim for a filling feed at bedtime.

4. Start working on laying your baby down awake.
When your baby is under 12 weeks, and especially in the first 8 weeks, they’ll need total
assistance to sleep. But that doesn’t mean you can’t help them off to sleep while they’re laying
down in their own safe sleep space! Get your baby nice and drowsy in your arms, then try to pat
their bottom and “shush” (white noise is great here) them off to sleep once they’re laying down.
You can gradually pull back on how drowsy you’re getting your baby as they get older. A baby is
far more likely to sleep through the night when they recognize the environment is the same one
where they first went off to sleep.

5. Don’t rush straight to a feed overnight.
Your baby will make all sorts of sounds overnight, so try not to rush straight to a feed at every
sound or wake. If your baby is under 12 weeks, wait a minute or two before responding—your
baby may fall back asleep. If your baby is 12 weeks or more, a healthy weight and tracking well
along a growth curve, it’s worth a try to see if you can resettle your baby without a feed. The
amount of time is whatever you’re comfortable with, but I’d suggest trying to resettle with
motion, white noise and/or a pacifier for no more than 30 minutes before going to the feed. If
you’re exhausted, aim for just trying this one time a night.

Top 5 Tips for Encouraging Baby to Sleep Through the Night Read More »

Mountain of diapers for the Gold Coast Doulas Diaper Drive 2022

2022 Diaper Drive Numbers Are In!

The final numbers are in for the Gold Coast Doulas LLC diaper drive for Nestlings | Diaper Bank of West Michigan. We collected 11,133 disposable diapers and 97 packs of wipes. These diapers are packed in groups of ten to impact families in need. We are thankful to all of our clients and community members who donated from September 1st to October 2rd during our 7th annual month-long diaper drive and 7th anniversary of Gold Coast. Thank you to all of the individuals who donated to the drive.  
Gold Coast takes sustainability seriously as a Certified B Corporation. We appreciate the generous cloth donations. We received the following used and new cloth diapers:
24 covers
27 pads
33 prefolds
14 washcloths
2 wet bags
 
Gold Coast also donated $300 to Nestlings Diaper Bank. Many props to our fantastic dropoff locations including:

In Zeeland:
In Holland:
In Grand Rapids:
Mindful Counseling GR: Three locations 
Advent Physical Therapy  Locations in Byron Center and Cherry Street

Special shoutouts go to the following partners:

Ecobuns collected the most cloth diapers and had to have their bin emptied multiple times.
Rise Wellness Chiropractic collected well over 3,000 diapers and wipes from their patients and supporters. They collected the most diapers of any individual dropoff location.
Mindful Counseling came through once again with three offices participating with an impressive collection of diapers at each location.
Hopscotch had an overflowing bin.
Mind Body Baby had a great turnout for the first year participating! 
Other honorable mentions with impressive collection efforts: Fit4Mom Grand Rapids, Advent PT, and all of the permanent drop-off locations in Holland/Zeeland and Hudsonville.
 
Thank you to Shelley Irwin with the WGVU Morning Show and Fox 17 for supporting our drive over the years. This awareness and exposure helped us to exceed our goal of collecting 10,000 diapers. Diapers are needed now more than ever with the increased costs of groceries, housing and gas. 

 

2022 Diaper Drive Numbers Are In! Read More »

Pregnancy Loss image for Gold Coast Doulas Podcast

Pregnancy Loss

Remember the story of Pandora’s Box? In Greek mythology, the story goes something like this: Pandora, told she could not open the lid of a box given to her or her husband from Zeus, finally lets curiosity get the best of her and opens the box. Immediately, out comes all the troubles that humanity would ever experience—pain, conflict, war, etc. and when Pandora finally is able to shut the lid, only one thing remains in the box: Hope.

​This story is still used today as a way to explain that even in the midst of complete horror and tragedy, hope still remains. In my motherhood journey, hope has been a positive, calming source that also at times hangs around, making things way more complicated.

​So, let me try to explain my story in brief. My husband and I get married in August 2016 and when we say “I do,” I have already been off of birth control for about three months. Knowing that we were not young kids (I was 34 and my husband was 39), we did not feel like we had any time to lose. I remember saying “I do” and hoping we would have a little one in our arms on our 1st anniversary or at least, one on the way. Months of infertility followed until we went to seek out fertility testing, which led to a diagnosis of infertility with an unknown cause. Infertility treatments followed with me finally getting pregnant on our first round of IVF, only to miscarry shortly thereafter.

After switching doctors, on the 3rd IVF cycle, I got pregnant with our daughter Colette. When I was 21 weeks pregnant, I was hospitalized with a diagnosis of severe preeclampsia, where I stayed until Colette was born via emergency c-section at 24 weeks, 5 days. She spent her very short nine-day life in the NICU before she died. There were no answers, no reason to explain why I had developed preeclampsia and even worse, no real plan as to how to avoid it and to intervene if necessary.

We went back to trying, first naturally and then with another round of IVF which was not successful. After we found out the transfer had failed, my husband was crying in my arms and I strangely felt relief. I was terrified of being pregnant again, still not sure I could trust my body, but desperately wanting a child we could bring home and raise. Eventually, we used a gestational carrier to bring home our rainbow baby, Elliott, who is two years old and absolutely the love of my life.

More recently, after Elliott had turned one, we decided we wanted to have another child and it seemed like everything was again in our favor. Our same surrogate was available and we started the process again, planning to bring Elliott’s baby brother or sister home. But, the stars were not in our favor this time and after failed and canceled cycles and way too many obstacles, we decided it was best for our family to stop and to be happy with our two children, one in heaven and one here with us.

These days, I struggle with what this decision means long term. I worry about Elliott not having a living sibling and if that will affect him personality-wise or if he will feel deprived of the experience. I think about how I will never have a daughter with me here to raise. And the biggest thing that I spend time thinking about is that I will never be pregnant again, I will never know what it is like to experience pregnancy at all past 24 weeks or to experience pregnancy that was not life-threatening after 21 weeks.

The hope that sustained me through our journey, that told me even when I went to the darkest places of thinking I would never be a mom or we would never have a child that was made up of the two of us, is gone. In its place is a hope that I struggle to understand and accept. As much as getting pregnant and going through a pregnancy scare the hell out of me, and believe me it does, there still remains this tiny hope that it will just happen, that when I least expect it, all of a sudden I will be pregnant and that because this surprise, perhaps divine occurrence will make sure that the pregnancy is smooth sailing.

Yet, I know the reality of such occurrence will not magically or divinely ensure that my pregnancy will be fantastic or even healthy or safe or last more than a mere blip of time. I even know that my vision and fantasy of being pregnant is not at all in line with my experience in real life. I hated being pregnant, I hated that everything made me sick, I hated how exhausted I was, I hated that my sense of smell was so strong, I hated that clothes did not fit sometimes one day to the next, I hated that my back hurt and my feet ached. But, most importantly, the same fear that caused me to point our family in another direction and use a gestational carrier is still very much a fear and one that medical science cannot solve at this moment in time. So, I know that accepting the decision to stop trying is best for my health, both mental and physical, for my husband, for our son, and for our daughter, but that little morsel of hope still eats away at me some days and for that, I really wish Pandora had left peace in the box instead of hope.

_________________________

Michelle Valiukenas is the proud mom of her angel Sweet Pea, who she lost due to miscarriage, her angel daughter Colette Louise who she lost at nine days old, and her only living child, her rainbow baby, Elliott Miguel. Inspired by her journey with Colette, Michelle and her husband founded The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation, whose mission is to improve outcomes of pregnancy, childbirth, prematurity, and infancy, as well as aid in the grieving process through financial assistance, education, and advocacy. Their flagship program financially assists families dealing with high-risk and complicated pregnancies, NICU stays, and loss. The organization’s ability to help families relies on donations and grants and they are grateful if you are able to donate. Michelle also participates and advocates on issues of maternal health, maternal mortality, infant health and safety, and pregnancy complications. Michelle lives in Glenview, Illinois with her son Elliott, husband Mark, and dog Nemo.​

 

 

Pregnancy Loss Read More »

Woman wearing a black top and golden chain necklace smiles in front of green trees

Autumn To-Do: 5 Ways to Optimize Finances

Summertime is drawing to a quick close! As we ease back into the school year, gear up for holiday seasons, and bid adieu to 2022, the following are some tips that our wealth management clients have found valuable to incorporate.
It may feel like spare moments are dwindling in the final weeks of summer, but there’s still plenty of time to check a few more items off your summer wish list. During breaks from having fun in the sun, try to find a little time for a quick review of your finances. Here are five ways to improve your finances in autumn.


Review your discretionary spending

With so many options for summer fun, it can be easy to say yes to this and that only to find that you’re spending way more than you had planned. Taking a look at your discretionary spending can help you understand where your money is going. Reviewing your spending can also help you stay on track with your monthly budget.
Don’t worry — you don’t necessarily need to start saying no to everything. Strike a careful balance by staying in touch with your budget and financial plan. The goal is to balance what makes you happy today with the need to save for future goals.
Get on the same page with your significant other
You and your significant other may feel like you’re always on the go during this busy, social time. Make sure you’re getting some down time together to recharge — and also to connect on important issues like your finances. Overcoming money differences and getting on the same page about money can actually strengthen your relationship.
Summer is also the peak of wedding season, so if you’re newly married, make sure to have important money conversations for newlyweds and develop a financial plan as a couple. If you’re thinking about combining finances, you’ll want to develop a plan together, especially if there’s an income disparity.

Consider taking advantage of the market downturn
With the stock market well off its highs, now might feel like a terrible time to invest. While there is no good or bad time to get into the market, this market decline could actually be an opportunity to add to your investments because many stocks are cheaper than they were this time last year.
Getting an understanding for how to invest in stocks and the difference between stocks and bonds can be a great place to start. If you’re approaching retirement, the market decline could serve as a good reminder that when investing during retirement you need a plan that’s designed to work in good times as well as during market declines.

Get school — and college — on your radar
If you have kids at home, you’re probably starting to think about them heading back to school in a few weeks. But you’ll also want to make sure you’re looking beyond just the next school year.
If you’re planning to send kids to college in the future, it can be important to build an understanding of the average cost of college tuition and develop a college savings plan. Depending on how many kids you have, you may also want to think about how to manage multiple college savings accounts.
Don’t worry if you’re feeling behind on college savings. It’s never too late to start saving, and even if you’re short on time, there are other ways to help cover college costs.

Give your credit some TLC
If you’re not planning to apply for credit to make big purchase anytime soon, you may want to consider freezing your credit to help protect against identify theft. Research shows that children can be easy targets for scammers because they have no credit history, so you may even want to consider freezing your child’s credit as well.
Keeping your credit in the back of your mind can also put you in a better position to borrow and give you flexibility down the road. Educate yourself on factors that affect your credit score, and develop habits that can improve your score.


This material does not constitute investment advice. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss. All investments carry some level of risk including the potential loss of all money invested.

 

Helena Rosenthal, MBA MPH runs a private wealth management firm in Beverly Hills, CA. Her team works with families on strategies to implement and optimize intergenerational wealth management.

Helena.Rosenthal@NM.com

310.237.6058

 

Autumn To-Do: 5 Ways to Optimize Finances Read More »

Yoga pose for pregnancy

Top 3 Yoga Poses for 3rd Trimester

Cervical checks aren’t quite the crystal ball some providers make them out to be.  The truth is, we don’t know how your birth will unfold. But by preparing your body you are creating balance in your pelvis and enhancing your baby’s chances of a smoother, more efficient birth! As a labor doula and prenatal yoga teacher I have witnessed how effective body balance work is for my pregnant clients. 

Here are my 3 favorite yoga moves to do to get your body balanced for birth:

Thoracic movement with 360 breathing:

Yoga poses for third trimester

Super simple and often overlooked. Opening the ribs makes space for baby and organs to move up which releases tension in the pelvic floor, the back, and ultimately helps the sacrum have mobility to move out of the way during delivery. Breathing down feel baby lift, ribs expand, heart space lift, and back body widens. 

Rocking Cat / Cow with a kickstand:

Yoga pose for pregnancy

These poses can release tension in the lower back and help maintain mobility of the spine and pelvis. The extended leg is gaining length through the adductors which connect to the pelvic floor – lengthening and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. From a table top pose extend one leg to the side, rock forward into cow, inhale, and back into cat (almost childspose) exhale. 

Leg Dangling:

You can do this with a book, yoga block, and even a curb. This pose helps release tension in the psoas muscle. The psoas plays a big role in how labor can progress. Since the psoas runs behind and cradles the uterus, tightness can cause an imbalance of the uterus and encourage pelvic misalignments. This would interfere with the baby’s position and descent, and could possibly lead to a longer and more challenging labor. Standing with one foot on an elevated surface, allow your free leg to swing back and forth gently and dangle. Allow the hip to drop. 

You will never regret doing the work that may give you and your baby the best chance at a more functional birth with less interventions. Where do you want to spend your time and energy- in the delivery room or in the yoga studio? 

Heidi McDowell

FOUNDER | MAMA |FERTILITY, PRENATAL, POSTPARTUM YOGA CERTIFIED | DOULA

She/her

Heidi is a yoga teacher, a doula, a wife, and most importantly, a mama.

Her goal is to create a community space for you that feels safe, supportive, and empowering. She holds certifications in Fertility Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Postpartum Yoga, and Children’s Yoga. She is also a certified Postpartum and Infant Care Doula and a Labor Doula. She is one of two Yoga Alliance Certified Registered Prenatal Yoga Teachers in all of West Michigan. This is the highest credential in the field of Prenatal Yoga.

IG & FB: @mindbodybabyyoga

 

Top 3 Yoga Poses for 3rd Trimester Read More »

Michelle Valley holds her children on each hip

Meet our new Sleep Consultant, Michelle!


What did you do before you became a sleep consultant?

I am a Pre-K teacher for Great Start Readiness Program in Kentwood

What inspired you to become a sleep consultant?

I was inspired to become a sleep trainer after living with my sister when she had her first kid and seeing the impact lack of sleep has on a family. After she hired a sleep trainer her and her husband’s life turned around and she said it was the best decision she ever made. I want to help families get their sleep back so they will be healthy and happy parents.

Tell us about your family.

I have two sisters and 4 nieces and nephews that are my world. I help out with my niece and nephews often and love having them for weekends at times.

What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 

Naples Florida because I have been going there since I was a kid and it holds so many special memories with my extended family. I love the beach, bike rides, walking around downtown, playing tennis, and the warm weather to escape the Michigan winters.

What is the best advice you have given to new families?

Regressions will happen. It is important to know this is normal and not to give up or give in. Stick with the plan 100% no matter how tough the night may be. Things will get easier with consistency from both parents.

What do you consider your sleep consultant superpower to be?

I can connect to all different kinds of people and make them feel comfortable in the sleep training process

What is your favorite food?

Sushi

What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?

Saugatuck, I love the people, downtown, hikes, and beaches

What are you reading now?

12 Hours’ Sleep by 12 Weeks Old

Who are your role models?

My role model is my papa (grandpa) because he showed me how to prioritize life. He built a successful business while being an active father and grandfather. He gave back to the community and shared his success with the less fortunate.

Meet our new Sleep Consultant, Michelle! Read More »

Annette of Gold Coast Doulas poses with her husband outside

Meet our New Birth Doula, Annette!

What did you do before you became a doula?

I am an RN and have previous experience in many different clinical areas but of course my favorite was……Obstetrics!

What inspired you to become a doula?

I have always wanted to go back to my original love of Mother/Baby nursing but wasn’t sure hospital nursing would be a good fit at this time of my life. My daughter in law invited me to be in for the delivery of her first baby and that got me thinking again. Originally, I thought I would wait until retirement and use that to fill my bucket. Then my husband said, “What are you waiting for?” I realized he was right. I needed this to be in my life again. I had doulas for my last two births and having been involved in the birth of my grandson I knew this is what I am supposed to be doing and now is the perfect time.

Tell us about your family.

We have a blended family. I have four children and my husband has three. They are all grown and thankfully we all enjoy hanging out together as often as possible. Five out of the seven live in the area so that makes for some wonderful family times. We also have 5 grandchildren (soon to be 6, and yes, I will be her doula!)

What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 

I’ve been fortunate to have traveled quite extensively and love it when more of the family can join us. Favorite is tricky! We are avid hikers and were able to hike in Sedona, Zion, and Bryce National Parks last year which was breathtakingly beautiful. Asheville is also a big family favorite, and we loved the Alaskan Cruise we recently enjoyed. We truly feel that we live in a very beautiful area of Michigan with some great opportunities to experience the outdoors, so we do that as often as possible. Just heading to the lakeshore for a hike fills my soul.

Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.

Maroon 5 – I enjoy their “older” songs more than the new. I don’t tire of them. Vince Gill – smoothest voice around. Amy Grant – sweet music. Beach Boys – when it’s a summer day and I’m relaxing with a happy heart.

What is the best advice you have given to new families?

Sleep when the baby sleeps! We all hear it and I know people said that to me when I was a first time Mom. It truly helps your body refresh and heal so you can give to your baby all that is needed.

What do you consider your doula/consultant superpower to be?

Hmmm, I would say being calm. I’ve always been told that I have a calming demeanor and soothing voice, so I think that lends itself to helping women in labor.

What is your favorite food?

I’m Italian and I love cooking so that’s another tricky question! I love the summertime fresh fruits and vegetables from farm stands. That is the best time of year to create some wonderful meals!

What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?

Oh my, so many! I would probably say Grand Haven. Such a cute town, great boardwalk, fun shops, and yummy restaurants. The water views there can’t be beat.

What are you reading now?

The Birth Partner – by Penny Simkin

Who are your role models?

I’d have to say my closest circle of friends and of course my family. We are all striving to be better humans and I love celebrating every little triumph.

Meet our New Birth Doula, Annette! Read More »

Jordyn of Gold Coast Doulas poses with her son outside

Meet Our New Birth Doula, Jordyn!

What did you do before you became a doula?

I have worked in the mental health/crisis industry for the last 8 years. I started with 2-1-1, helping people find local resources, and then the suicide prevention hotline. Over the previous 6 years, I have worked in the EAP world, assisting with coordinating crisis response teams around the country.

What inspired you to become a doula?

I have been fascinated with birth since I was a young child; my babysitter would set me up in her room so I could watch TLC’s Baby Story every day while the rest of the crew watched cartoons. I took every family science class in high school and went to Western Michigan University for my degree in Family Studies. After having my own son, my passion was reignited.

Tell us about your family.

I come from a large family, who are very important to me. My partner and I welcomed our son on our 4th anniversary; not sure anything will ever top that gift! He is now a toddler who enjoys chasing around our 2 cats, Shade & Storm.

What is your favorite vacation spot and why? 

The Upper Peninsula! I love road trips, getting into nature, and star gazing, so the UP provides the ultimate experience. A stop at Clyde’s for a burger, taking scenic M-2, and chasing waterfalls are some of my favorite things to experience each trip!

Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.

This is a tricky question, as music is my love language. If I had to choose: Kings of Leon, Led Zeppelin, Miranda Lambert, Young the Giant, and Fleetwood Mac.

What is the best advice you have given to new families?

I don’t like to give unsolicited advice; parents definitely get enough of that! However, I’d tell parents to trust their gut and don’t compare!

What do you consider your doula/consultant superpower to be?

I am empathetic and a great listener. I know how to de-escalate stressful situations and have been called the calm in the middle of chaos.

What is your favorite food?

Another hard question, as I love to cook and try new things, but a big plate of pasta is the ultimate comfort.

What is your favorite place on West Michigan’s Gold Coast?

Holland State Park reminds me of the family reunions we had every summer at the beach.

What are you reading now?

I am an avid reader and always have a few books in rotation. Currently, I am reading: The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood  by Kathleen Kendall-Tacket and Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols.

Who are your role models?

My grandmother, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Brene Brown.

 

Meet Our New Birth Doula, Jordyn! Read More »

Stacks of diapers in boxes and wipes in an office

Diaper Drive

Gold Coast Doulas is holding our 7th annual Diaper Drive from September 1st to October 2nd, 2022. Giving back is an important foundation of our business as a Certified B Corporation; clean diapers make a significant impact on the health of new families and our giving focus is on supporting low-income women and children.

One in three babies suffer in dirty diapers and no government programs currently provide them. Food, shelter, and utilities are the only items covered by assistance. Diapers are expensive and many families make tough choices between paying rent and utilities or buying diapers. Research shows that 48% of parents delay changing diapers and 32% report re-using diapers to make supplies last longer. The need has intensified during the pandemic, especially with the baby formula shortage.

The Gold Coast Doulas diaper drive coincides with National Diaper Need Awareness Week, September 24th – October 2. Diaper Need Awareness Week is an initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN), created to make a difference in the lives of the nearly 5.2 million babies in the United States aged three or younger who live in poor or low-income families.

Our annual diaper drive benefits Nestlings Diaper Bank of West Michigan and Great Start Parent Coalition of Kent County. Holland-based Nestlings has distributed over I million diapers and helped over 18,000 families since 2011. Nestlings Diaper Bank also works with 31 partner agencies to distribute the diapers to the families in need.

Our goal is to collect 10,000 diapers to support families in need in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan counties to celebrate our 7th anniversary. We collect opened and unopened boxes and packages of new disposable diapers, used cloth diapers and cloth supplies, new cloth diapers, and new boxes or packages of wipes. We need your help to make this happen.

Diaper donations will be accepted from September 1 to October 2 at the following partnered drop-off locations:

 

Howard Miller Public Library
14 S Church St, Zeeland, MI 49464

Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille
12234 James St, Holland, MI 49424

The Insurance Group
593 Heritage Ct, Holland, MI 49423

R Lucas Scott Co
114 E Main Ave, Zeeland, MI 49464

EcoBuns 
11975 E Lakewood Blvd Suite 6, Holland, MI 49424

Georgetown United Methodist Church
2766 Baldwin St, Jenison, MI 49428

Rise Wellness Chiropractic
1005 Lake Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Hopscotch Children’s Store
909 Cherry St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Mind Body Baby
1501 Lake Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Advent Physical Therapy
245 Cherry St SE Suite 102, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Advent Physical Therapy
2373 64th St Ste 2100 Byron Center

Mindful Counseling GR
985 Parchment Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Mindful Counseling GR

3351 Claystone St SE, Suite G 32, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Mindful Counseling GR
113 Lake Michigan Dr NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544

FIT4MOM Grand Rapids
Donations accepted at classes

Gold Coast Doulas
Donations are accepted at classes.

You can donate directly to fill Nestling’s Amazon Wish List or through their website via Paypal.

Contact us at info@goldcoastdoulas.com with questions.

 

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Lisa Newhouse sitting in a chair in front of a window holding a dog

Meet our new birth doula, Lisa.

What did you do before you became a doula/consultant?

I had a 20+ year career as an Occupational Therapist. Much of my career as a therapist, was at Mary Free Bed Hospital working in the wheelchair and custom seating department. Approximately 7 years ago, I completed my master’s degree and became an academic advisor. I worked at Aquinas College and Grand Valley State University until the initial months of Covid. At which time, I resigned due to family needs.

What inspired you to become a doula/consultant?

I have always enjoyed professions that allow me to help others. I knew I wanted to do something that would feed my soul a little more, and I also knew that I had a desire to be involved with helping women and children. The doula profession has been on my radar for a while now and the time seemed right to go with my heart and pursue this career.

Tell us about your family.

I have a blended family that consists of four children from my husband’s previous relationship, two children from my previous relationship and one child together. All our children, with the exception of the youngest (15 y/o), are adults and most have families of their own.

What is your favorite vacation spot and why?

My husband and I love to travel and have many favorite spots! I would say that we enjoy traveling internationally and South Africa was one of our favorite trips.

Name your top five bands/musicians and tell us what you love about them.

I really enjoy music, particularly live music, and I find it hard to name who would be my top 5. I can say that I have three artists that I have seen live a few times and every time it has been so fun! The first artist is U2, that I have seen two times. What I love the most about U2 is how they always fill me with hope. A couple other artists that I have seen a couple times is OAR and Michael Franti. I have seen both of them at Meijer Gardens and both artists put on a fabulous show!

What is the best advice you have given to new families?

To always lead with love. At the end of the day, we all make mistakes or can think of something we wished we would have done differently, but I firmly believe that it is always going to be ok if you lead with love.

What do you consider your doula/consultant superpower to be?

I am not completely sure, but I think it would be my ability to anticipate what someone needs in the moment. I have always been good at reading or sensing when someone needs something and responding appropriately.

What is your favorite food?

I am a real foodie! I like just about anything that is local and fresh. However, I do have a real love for ethnic flavors and in particular Mediterranean.

What is your favorite place on West Michigan Gold Coast?

I have two favorite places on the west coast. Saugatuck holds a very special place in my heart because my husband and I were married there! We also love Petoskey, not only is it beautiful, but we have an annual camping trip with friends there every Labor Day. So, we have wonderful memories in both spots!

What are you reading now?

I am a voracious reader! I typically have a stack of 3-4 books at any given time that I am reading. I am in two book clubs, one that primarily focuses on non-fiction and the other fiction. The last couple of books I just read was Brene Browns Atlas of the Heart, love her so much and everything she writes! I also, just read The Sentence by Louise Erdrich.

Who are your role models?

I have always admired and tried to emulate women who have weathered the storms and did what needed to be done. I believe there is nothing more formidable than a woman who is doing what is right and necessary for those she loves.

 

Meet our new birth doula, Lisa. Read More »

Anja's Stem Cell Collection Kit with three babies

Harnessing the Power of Stem Cells Through Cord Blood Banking

Stem cells are special human cells that have the potential to become many different types of cells, such as brain cells, muscles cells, and more. These cells have the potential to treat, or even sometimes reverse diseases that have left patients of the past without effective options. Umbilical cord blood banking provides potential treatments for many of the medical conditions we hope our children and family members never have to suffer through.

What is Cord Blood Banking?
Cord blood banking refers to the freezing and storage of umbilical cord blood and tissues. In the time leading up to delivery, there is a transfer of powerful stem cells and other immune-boosting cells between the mother and fetus. These cells remain in the blood and are often discarded with the umbilical cord and placenta.
Cord blood and tissue banking involve collecting the blood and tissues that contain these cells and freezing them for a later date, when they may be used to treat a variety of illnesses that were previously thought to be difficult to treat or incurable.

Did you know? Umbilical cord blood banking is OB, Midwife, and Doula recommended!
Types of Stem Cells Obtained from Cord and Tissue Banking
There are two main types of stem cells acquired during cord blood and tissue banking: hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells.
Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Hematopoietic stem cells are obtained through umbilical cord blood banking and are approved by the FDA to treat a variety of illnesses, including blood disorders (e.g. sickle cell anemia), immune disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis), and cancer (e.g. lymphoma, leukemia, myeloma). There are also over 1000 ongoing clinical trials examining other use cases.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Mesenchymal stem cells are found in the umbilical cord tissue, placenta, and bone marrow. They are powerful stem cells used to treat a variety of chronic and progressive medical conditions, including lung disease, Autism, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and hair loss.

Public vs. Private Cord Blood Banking
While you have the option of receiving cord blood or tissue from a donor via a public cord blood bank, serious side effects may occur. There is a high risk of incompatibility, which may result in a range of significant acute or chronic symptoms.
Since the body is meant to attack foreign bodies it sees as dangerous, a condition called graft- versus-host disease may develop as a result of a stem cell transplant from a donor. This occurs when donor stem cells see the transplant as an immune system invasion. The body rejects the healthy new stem cells, leading to harmful symptoms and sometimes death.
By using stem cells you’ve privately banked that are at least a partial match, you greatly reduce the risk of developing such complications. When banking your cord blood and tissue for future personal use, the cells are always a match for who they came from. They may safely be used as a treatment for family members as well.
Siblings have a 75% chance of being a match, while parents are always a 50% match for their children. Extended family, such as aunts and uncles, also have a probable chance of being a partial match, which could have a significant impact, should they need treatment.

How Can Recipients Benefit From Private Cord Blood Banking?
Significant improvements have been observed in medical conditions with the help of stem cells. These improvements include but are not limited to:
● Reversing Type 1 Diabetes
● Significantly improving symptoms of Crohn’s disease
● Improving motor function in children with cerebral palsy
● Promoting CAR T-cell therapy, an immunotherapeutic cancer treatment
● Aiding in heart failure treatment
● Showing protective effects on hair loss

How To Store Your Cord Blood and Tissue Stem Cells
To bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood, cord tissue, or placenta, order a collection kit before your due date. Store the kit at room temperature and bring it with you to the hospital. When you arrive at Labor & Delivery, tell the admitting nurse that you plan to collect your stem cells. Before birth, tell your healthcare provider that you have the kit ready for collection.
Your collection kit from Anja Health has everything you need and their stem cell banking experts will help guide you through the process.
Use the discount code GOLD to receive 90% off the price of your collection kit!

After the birth of your child, the team at Anja Health will collect your kit from the hospital and take care of everything, including viability testing, optimization, and cryogenic storage in their AABB-accredited, FDA-approved lab in New Jersey.
If the time comes, you’ll be glad to know you have the stem cells to help your child or other members of your family when they’re in need!

 

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childbirth education

When to Take a Childbirth Education Class

When is a good time to take a childbirth class and why does it matter?  

We often get asked about the appropriate time to take a childbirth class from students and Gold Coast clients. The answer varies depending on the goals of the individual. I often ask clients if they are first-time parents or new parents. It is also helpful to understand what learning style is best for each individual. Some people prefer hands-on learning and others prefer instructional classes.      

There are many types of childbirth education classes to consider. Some classes are offered on weekends or are shorter in length like our Saturday Series which includes: Comfort Measures for Labor, Breastfeeding: Getting A Strong Start, and Newborn Survival. Our clients are able to select one, two or all three classes in the series based on their unique needs. We would recommend taking these shorter classes closer to your due date, so the content is still fresh in your mind. The Saturday Series of classes are offered every other month, for more flexibility. We also offer private classes if the scheduled class dates don’t work for our clients. A popular private class that we offer is Preparing for Multiples.  It is perfect for parents of twins and triplets.  Private classes are an option with many out-of-hospital childbirth instructors.  

Comprehensive childbirth classes vary in length from five-weeks to twelve depending on the series. They are often two to three hours per class in the series. Some examples of these comprehensive childbirth classes include: HypnoBirthing, The Bradley Method, Lamaze, Mama Natural, Evidenced Based Birth and Gentle Birth.  You will want to factor in your due date when selecting a class in case you deliver early or are uncomfortable closer to your due date. Many classes often have books and workbooks that accompany the learning. The materials may or may not be included in the class fees.    

Gold Coast Doulas offers the five-week HypnoBirthing- The Mongan Method class. The method teaches you to reduce tension and  fear. It is recommended to take the HypnoBirthing series in the second trimester as it offers relaxation exercises to practice throughout pregnancy. We do accept students at any time in pregnancy, however.  

Childbirth classes can be offered in a variety of ways depending on your goals and timeframe.  There are online live classes that take place on a platform such as Zoom. They are still very interactive. Another option is a self-paced online course like Mama Natural. The Mama Natural Birth Course will equip your mind, body, and spirit to help you achieve the birth of your dreams-whether that’s a water birth in your living room, or a gentler and more natural hospital delivery.  

In-person childbirth education classes are offered within hospitals and other professional settings.  These professional settings could vary from an office space to a conference room.  Most classes include both the birthing person and a support person or partner. Many of these in-person childbirth classes offer hands on instruction and guidance with breathing techniques.    

Payment is also a factor when deciding on a childbirth class. Many health savings and flex spending accounts cover out of hospital classes. Insurance can often cover most hospital childbirth education classes. Some classes are self-pay only and some instructors allow for payment plans. Books and materials are often included in the price of the course.   

In conclusion, you can take a childbirth education class at any time in pregnancy. Some classes require additional readings or a longer time investment than others. Look at your schedule and birthing goals to decide the perfect timing for your unique needs. We highly recommend taking a comprehensive childbirth education class as part of your birth preparation.   

For more information about our current childbirth education class offerings visit us at: www.goldcoastdoulas.com 

Check out our BECOMING A Mother course! It’s a self-paced, online series to help reduce fear and gain confidence in pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. With recorded video lessons, monthly live chats, and a supportive FaceBook community – it’s everything we wish we would have known before we had our babies! We’d love to see you there!

Kristin & Alyssa

 

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Comfort Measures for Labor – 8 Tips for a More Comfortable Birth

No matter how you choose to birth, it is important to think about how you can reduce discomfort and fear during labor. There are many ways to prepare for birth, including taking a childbirth education class.

Here are some of my top tips as both an Certified Elite Labor Doula and a childbirth instructor:

1) Rest

Rest and relax in the early stages of labor. Birth can sometimes be a marathon and you want to relax and conserve energy in early labor. Make sure you nourish yourself, so you have energy for the pushing stage. Focus on breathing through each contraction and relaxing areas in your body that are tensed up. Your partner or support person can remind you to release tension in areas that are tight.

2) Environment

Your environment can affect your mood. Consider dim lighting and bringing items from home that are comforting. I am a fan of lining tubs and window sills with LED candles. Some of my clients bring their own pillows or sentimental items from home. You could consider wearing your own clothing rather than a hospital gown. There are also cute labor gowns that you can purchase online. Music and guided meditations can be wonderful tools to utilize in labor. They can help keep you relaxed and calm.

3) Movement

Walking and changing positions are great ways to keep labor progressing. It is sometimes called “labor Olympics” by birth workers. Some positions to consider are swaying your hips in figure 8’s on the birthing ball, getting on your hands and knees and leaning into a birthing ball, and slow dancing. We talk about these positions and more in our Comfort Measures for Labor class, which is part of our Saturday Series of classes.

4) Hydration

Hydration is key. Drink water between contractions. I am also a fan of electrolyte drinks to give you a bit more energy. My favorite option is coconut water if you like the taste. Hydration helps prevent exhaustion and reduces the need for IV fluids. You will also want to empty your bladder every hour.

5) Touch

Physical touch can be wonderful during labor. Birth doulas and partners can apply hip squeezes, counter pressure and labor massage to reduce discomfort. Some birthing persons prefer light touch massage. Touch can be very soothing and grounding to many laboring individuals. It can also be used with position changes.

6) Baths and Showers

Water is calming and can reduce the sensation of pain. Showers and baths before the pushing stage are a wonderful way to provide relief in a hospital setting. Some home birthing clients choose to deliver in water.

7) Hire a doula

Your doula can make sure you are comfortable and supported. The doula can also show your partner some of these hands-on support tools. Doulas can be a wonderful addition to your birthing team. They provide coaching, physical support and informational support.

8) Communication

Communicate your needs to your partner and support team. Listen to your body and know that comfort measures may feel good one minute and be uncomfortable the next. That is normal. Talk to your partner and doula if you have one about how you would like to be supported during labor and birth.

***

Now that you have reviewed these tips, what comfort measures would you like to apply to your birth? Are there any suggestions that are not appealing to you?

For more information about The Gold Coast Doulas Comfort Measures for Labor class, see our full schedule here: https://www.goldcoastdoulas.com/events/.

Written by Kristin Revere, Co-owner of Gold Coast Doulas.

 

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Pregnancy Yoga

Pregnancy Shouldn’t Be Painful

Gold Coast is thrilled to present a guest post by Sally Talbot, PT, Senior PT and co-owner of Health Motion Physical Therapy.

Pregnancy is a wonderful and amazing time.  However, creating a new life does create some major changes in the body. Pain in different areas during pregnancy is a common complaint. Physiopedia.com states that back pain occurs in 60-70% of pregnancies. While pain can be common, it is NOT normal and does not need to be tolerated. Pain can be stressful, and we know that increased stress for a mother can cause increased stress for baby.

Pain with pregnancy is not normal, and something can and should be done about it. Physical therapists are very helpful at safely decreasing pain and increasing function in pregnant women, helping them have a more enjoyable experience.   

Here are some common pain complaints often associated with pregnancy and how PT can help: 

Low back or sacroiliac pain:  With increased weight gain (all out front), the center of gravity shifts and pulls the back into more of an arched position. Try standing this way – it is not comfortable. Also the abdominals are weakened due to being stretched with the increasing size of baby. This causes more work for the lower back. It is also common for the pelvis to become mal-aligned during pregnancy due to increased ligament laxity. All these factors put more stress on low back muscles and joints and can cause pain. Physical therapy can restore alignment of the back and pelvis and loosen tight muscles and strengthen others to make sure you can feel your best. 

Mid back pain: Increasing weight of the breasts requires more work from the mid back to sit up straight and to lift and carry things. This overwork can result in pain and, if left untreated, it can continue well into the postpartum period, especially if mom is breastfeeding. Holding that newborn is harder than it seems. Physical therapy can assure that the joints of the upper back are moving well, loosen tight muscles, and stretch others to help improve posture and decrease pain. 

Groin and pubic symphysis pain: Later in pregnancy, as the baby drops lower in the pelvis, there is more pressure on the pelvic joints (SI joint and pubic symphysis) and nerves that serve the groin and legs. This can cause pain, making it hard to walk or turn in bed. Weakness or muscle imbalance can contribute to this and make it worse. This is the one diagnosis that most people think that they have to live with – not necessarily true…..  Maintaining good pelvic alignment is key with this – PT can do that as well as recommend positions and strategies when that new bundle of joy gets on your nerves literally.   

Headaches: Headaches can be more common with pregnancy due to changes in posture, increased weight of breasts, hormonal changes, or general fatigue. Tight muscles and weak muscles will make these headaches worse. Even if headaches are hormonal, treatment to the muscles and joints of the neck and upper back can lessen the severity and intensity of the headaches and the need for medication.  

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Numbness in the palm of the hand focusing on the thumb and first 2-3 fingers can be a common complaint later in pregnancy, especially at night. Increased fluid retention can cause compression of the nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This can be greatly improved with physical therapy 

How PT can help. A physical therapist will be able to thoroughly evaluate the issue you are having and locate the source of the problem and all the contributing factorsThey will then create a specialized program to correct the cause of the issue and help you adjust to the changes that your body is going through. This program will includemanual therapy to loosen tight muscles or align the spine and pelvis better, modalities (such as electrical stimulation – yes it is safe!) to speed healing and recovery and provide pain relief, positioning or bracing solutions if needed, and exercises that will help the body keep up with the increasing demands of the pregnancyPhysical therapy decreases the need for medication and missed days from work/life. Help is available. 

If you are having pain and wonder how/if physical therapy could help you, call and a come in for a free consultation. Just mention that you saw this blog post. You can also schedule through the website at healthmotionpt.com.   

Health Motion Physical Therapy
South East: 3826 44th St, SE Kentwood, MI 49512  616-554-0918
North East: 3001 Fuller St NE Grand Rapids, MI 49505  616-451-4284

Remember PT is safe for mom and baby.  You don’t have to hurt.  

 

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Nestlings Diaper Bank

Gold Coast Doulas 4th Annual Diaper Drive

Gold Coast Doulas is holding our 4th annual Diaper Drive from September 1st to October 1st, 2019. Giving back is an important foundation of our business; clean diapers make a huge impact on the heath of new families.

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 and many families make tough choices between paying rent and utilities, or buying diapers. Research shows that 48% of parents delay changing diapers and 32% report re-using diapers to make supplies last longer.

The Gold Coast Doulas diaper drive coincides with National Diaper Need Awareness Week, September 23 – September 29. Diaper Need Awareness Week is an initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN), created to make a difference in the lives of the nearly 5.2 million babies in the United States aged three or younger who live in poor or low-income families.

Our drive specifically benefits Nestlings Diaper Bank and Great Start Parent Coalition of Kent County. Holland-based Nestlings has distributed over 600,000 diapers and helped over 18,000 families since 2011. Nestlings Diaper Bank also works with 31 partner agencies to distribute the diapers to the families in need.

We need your help! Our goal is to collect 40,000 diapers to support families in need in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan counties to celebrate our 4th anniversary. We collect opened and unopened boxes and packages of new disposable diapers, used cloth diapers and cloth supplies, new cloth diapers, and new boxes or packages of wipes.

Diaper donations will be accepted from September 1 to October 1 at the following partnered drop-off locations:

In Zeeland:
Smedley Dental 133 1/3 E Main Ave
Howard Miller Library 14 S. Church Street

In Holland:
Untangled Salon 650 Riley Street
Brann’s 12234 James Street
Harbor Health and Massage 444 Washington Ave.
EcoBuns Baby + Co 12330 James Street
Great Legs Winery Brewery Distillery 332 East Lakewood Boulevard

The Insurance Group 593 Heritage Court

In Hudsonville:
Hudsonville Congregational United Church of Christ 4950 32nd Avenue

In Jenison:

In Ada:
Ada Christian Reformed Church/FIT4MOM Grand Rapids 7152 Bradfield Ave SE

In East Grand Rapids:
Hulst Jepsen Physical Therapy 2000 Burton St SE, Suite 1

In Grand Rapids:
Mindful Counseling 741 Kenmoor Ave SE and 3351 Claystone St. SE, Ste G 32
Crossfit 616/BIRTHFIT Grand Rapids 2430 Turner Ave NW, Ste A
Pediatric Dental Specialists 2155 E Paris Ave SE, Ste 120
West End GR 1101 Godfrey Ave SW, Ste S440
MomHive 1422 Wealthy St SE
Hopscotch Children’s Store 909 Cherry Street SE
Grand Rapids Natural Health 638 Fulton St W, B
Gold Coast Doulas 1430 Robinson Rd SE, Ste 204
Rise Wellness Chiropractic   1430 Robinson Rd SE, Ste 201
Gemini Media will be collecting diapers at their office from September 1 to 13 and will be offering discounted tickets to the Grand Rapids Baby and Beyond Expo for anyone who donates a bag or box of diapers. 401 Hall Rd SW Ste 331

In Walker:
ABC Pediatrics 4288 3 Mile Rd NW

In Wyoming:
ABC Pediatrics 4174 56th St SW

We appreciate your support! Contact us at info@goldcoastdoulas.com with questions.

 

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