Sleep Training is a Four Letter Word
Sleep Training. Those two words can stir up some pretty aggressive emotions for some parents. I guess it’s because there are so many methodologies, many of which are controversial, and there are so many different thoughts on parenting and what is right and wrong. My answer is there’s no one way to do this! If […]
Podcast Episode #5: Why Choose Natural Products for Your Baby’s Body?
In this episode of Ask the Doulas, Cindy and Alyssa talk about the benefits of choosing natural care products for your baby and your household. You can listen to the complete podcast on iTunes. Alyssa: Hi, welcome to Ask the Doulas with Gold Coast Doulas. Today we are talking to Cindy, creator and owner of […]
Make Your Hospital Room Feel Like Home
Today’s blog comes from one of our past birth doulas, Courtney Garvelink. Her experience with birth clients, as well as being a licensed massage therapist and previous HypnoBirthing instructor, makes her an expert on comfort measures in the delivery room. See what she has to say about making your hospital birth feel more like home. […]
[un]common sense: Buy them what they asked for
[un]common sense is a blog about navigating through everyday life, using some common sense tips to make it just a bit easier, and sometimes a little more fun. Alyssa is a wife, mother, and postpartum doula who has some tricks up her sleeve and wants to share them with the world. Well now, don’t you […]
Postpartum Depression & Anxiety Resource List
After our recent event at the Wealthy Street Theatre where we screened ‘When the Bough Breaks – A Documentary about Postpartum Depression’ we realized that there are many great resources available to our community, but people may not know how to find them. We at Gold Coast, with the help of Cristina Stauffer, have compiled […]
The Modern Grandparent
Understanding the Modern Parent First of all congratulations on becoming a Grandparent! Whether this is your 1st or 5th, it is a very excited time for the whole family. Gold Coast Doulas offers in-home private classes for The Modern Grandparent. We are not currently offering group classes. This 2 ½ hour class will break down […]
[un]common sense: unintentionally intentional
[un]common sense is a blog about navigating through everyday life, using some common sense tips to make it just a bit easier, and sometimes a little more fun. Alyssa is a wife, mother, and postpartum doula who has some tricks up her sleeve and wants to share them with the world. Well now, don’t you […]
Dealing with Stress
Today’s blog comes from one of our previous postpartum doulas, Alex. Her nurturing soul shines in this post, giving us her favorite tips for stress management and self-care. Take the time today, and every day, to nurture yourself. It’s no secret that stress is, inevitably, a part of life, and to some degree is healthy […]
The Big Latch On – Grand Rapids 2017
World breastfeeding week is coming up! Why do we care? Each year, World Breastfeeding Week presents many opportunities to celebrate and promote breastfeeding. From August 1-7, this global movement strives to support breastfeeding by cultivating awareness and cooperation within and between communities worldwide. One big way we come together during World Breastfeeding week […]
[un]common sense: redefining breakfast one bowl at a time
[un]common sense is a blog about navigating through everyday life, using some common sense tips to make it just a bit easier, and sometimes a little more fun. Alyssa is a wife, mother, and postpartum doula who has some tricks up her sleeve and wants to share them with the world. Well now, don’t you […]
Kerry – A HypnoBirthing Birth Story
We love hearing birth stories from our HypnoBirthing students. Kerry had a rough ride but made it through three days of labor in the hospital, smiling in the end because of the tools and techniques she learned in Ashley’s HypnoBirthing Classes. “I just wanted to shoot you a note thanking you so very much for […]
Mom Guilt: How to Survive it and Grow from it
Today’s guest blogger is a past birth client of ours, Nicole Vega, LMSW, CHC. Nicole is a fully licensed clinician and certified health coach. Nicole received her Master’s in Clinical Social Work in 2012 from Western Michigan University and became certified as a health coach in 2016. Her work is founded on the principle that individuals […]
What to do on Michigan’s Gold Coast – Grand Haven
Our guest blogger today is one of our postpartum doulas, Lynnette Nichols. She has lived in Grand Haven for 15 years and wanted to share some hidden gems with you. Next time you take a family trip to West Michigan’s Gold Coast, stop in Grand Haven and check out these fun, family-friendly activities. While raising […]
How my son with Down syndrome has changed my life.
We recently had the opportunity to interview our guest blogger, Alisha, about her experience as a mother of a child with Down syndrome. Read on to find out about her amazing journey. On October 27th, 2016, Alisha found out her son Mason was born with Down syndrome. What went through your mind? A lot of […]
Easy Learning Invitations for your Toddler
Our guest blogger today is Alana Chernecki. She is an educator by trade and a designer at heart. A mom of three, with over ten years of teaching experience in Winnipeg’s public schools, she discovered early on the importance of creating a learning environment that was both stimulating and calm, clean and colorful, engaging […]
What kind of oil should I use to massage my baby?
Today our guest blogger is Cristina Stauffer, LMSW, CEIM and infant massage instructor. She’s sharing some wisdom about what oils to use on your baby. One of the most common questions I get related to infant massage is about what kind of oil to use. The International Association of Infant Massage recommends high quality (preferably […]
Newborn Care: Fussiness
When I teach my newborn care class one of the topics we cover is fussiness. This topic gets a lot of reaction from parents. They have a lot of questions. Nobody wants a fussy baby, but the truth of the matter is that every baby is fussy at times. So what do you do when […]
The importance of giving children chores
Today we have a guest blog from our very own Alexandrea Rocha, previously an antepartum and postpartum doula with Gold Coast Doulas. If you have kids at home and struggle with the day-to-day list of chores, she has some helpful tips to get the whole family involved! As parents, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Especially […]
Infant Massage Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Infant Massage Gold Coast Doulas is thrilled to present a Part 2 of the Infant Massage guest blog from Cristina Stauffer. Cristina Stauffer, LMSW, CEIM has been passionate about serving women and young children throughout her career. Pregnancy and early motherhood can be one of the most vulnerable times in a […]
Why is Infant Massage Good for Babies?
Why is Infant Massage Good for Babies? Gold Coast Doulas is thrilled to present a guest blog from Cristina Stauffer. Cristina Stauffer, LMSW, CEIM has been passionate about serving women and young children throughout her career. Pregnancy and early motherhood can be one of the most vulnerable times in a woman’s life. Cristina has been […]
Tips for Camping with Children
We are pleased to present a guest blog with helpful tips for camping with kids from Courtney Garveink. Courtney was a birth doula with Gold Coast and a HypnoBirthing instructor. As I sit here now, my husband and two girls, ages 5 and 4, are in our garage working on our fishing boat. Well, my […]
What does non-judgmental support mean?
Author: Alyssa Veneklase, CD I was recently asked if, since I’m a doula, I tell clients not to vaccinate and make them feel guilty if they don’t breastfeed. What??! If you had a doula that made you feel this way, I apologize on behalf of them. That is the opposite of what a doula […]
Feeding the Monkeys
We are pleased to present a guest blog on feedings from Becky Antaya. Becky is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) who has worked with women, infants and children for over 12 years. Through her experience educating moms and families about nutrition and breastfeeding she discovered a need for mothers to be nurtured and supported during […]
Your Confusing Little Mammal
We are honored to feature a guest blog from Kelly Wysocki-Emery, RN, IBCLC from baby beloved, inc. Kelly went to college to become a psychologist, but after the experience of birthing and breastfeeding her first baby, she was “hooked” on the incredible miracle of it all. She decided that she wanted to help other mothers with […]