Baby Sleep Tips for Exhausted Parents [From an Overnight Doula]
The average parent loses 133 nights of sleep before their baby turns one. No wonder you’re exhausted. And while sleepless nights are often part of the parenting journey, it doesn’t mean you have to just power through with no direction. Here’s something you might not know: overnight doulas are filled with valuable insights on how […]
5 Questions Every Parent Should Ask When Hiring a Night Doula
If you’re reading this, you’re probably exhausted–or preparing to be. That’s where a night doula, or an overnight postpartum doula, comes in handy. Night doulas are trained to help support the mother and baby–or babies–right after delivery and into the first year of life. They help with overnight newborn care, sleeping, breastfeeding, physical and emotional […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Top 5 Tips for Encouraging Baby to Sleep Through the Night
Kay Vorce, CED-PIC Gold Coast 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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) […]
