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 […]
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 […]
Newborn Sleep – What New Parents Should Expect
New parents often have unrealistic expectations about sleep when they bring a baby home. Some parents think they will get to sleep a lot because a newborn sleeps a lot. I’ve heard other parents say they don’t think they will get any sleep for weeks or months. I’m here to tell you that neither of […]
Gold Coast Doulas is Expanding Our Reach!
We have been listening to our clients and trusted health practitioners, and we are expanding our day and overnight postpartum and sleep consulting services to Northern Michigan and Southwest Michigan starting in April of 2022. Michigan postpartum doula services and support will expand along the Gold Coast of Michigan, covering 300 miles of the western […]
Meet Endira, our newest postpartum doula!
As you know, when we bring a new person onto the Gold Coast Doulas team we love to find out more about them and share that with you! Endira comes to us with tons of passion for working with families, and also tons of great experience. Let’s find out more about her! What did you […]
Meet Jaclyn!
Meet Jaclyn Geroux, our newest postpartum doula! She filled out our questionnaire, so let’s get to know her! What did you do before you became a doula? I’ve spent the last 3.5 years as a stay at home mom. Prior to that, I was employed as an advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, […]
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
This post was written by Lauren Utter, a ProDoula trained Birth and Postpartum Doula with Gold Coast Doulas. Finding out you are pregnant can bring an array of emotions – planned pregnancy or not. Maybe you’re excited because you have been waiting for this day. Maybe you are surprised because a baby wasn’t on your […]
Top 10 New Parent Essentials
Did you notice that this list doesn’t say “Baby Essentials”? Nope, it’s not an error. YOU are the single most essential thing in your baby’s tiny life. While you process all the feels over this game changing reality, I’ve got your back with some advice on essentials that will ease your transition so that you […]
Meet Jessica Kupres, BSN, RN, CLC, CBE – our newest postpartum doula!
1) What did you do before you became a doula? I was a labor and delivery nurse for 13 years, a nurse for the maternal infant health program for two years, a phone triage nurse at a pediatric office for almost a year, and am currently working as a childbirth and breastfeeding educator, as well as […]
Postpartum Recovery
Have you ever heard of an athlete getting back on the field after a major injury WITHOUT a period of rest followed by intense rehab? Of course not! But somehow the expectation for women after their pregnancy is to mysteriously “bounce back” to normal activity, appearance, and function without any guidance. Most mamas even attempt […]
Meet our new postpartum doula, Jamie!
We are excited to have Jamie join our team. As a yoga instructor, she brings a sense of calm and balance to a room that immediately sets you at ease. Let’s learn more about her! What did you do before you became a doula? I spent a glorious taco-and-sun infused 6-years in Austin, Texas, doing […]
Understanding Your Cycle: Podcast Episode #82
Dr. Nave now works with queens through her virtual practice Hormonal Balance. She talks with us today about a woman’s monthly cycle. What’s “normal”? What if you don’t get a period at all? Is PMS a real thing? You can listen to this complete podcast episode on iTunes or SoundCloud. Alyssa: Hello, welcome to Ask […]
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 […]
HOW TO TAKE A SOCIAL MEDIA BREAK ON MATERNITY LEAVE
We are so very excited to share this guest blog with you because not only is the author an amazing mother and entrepreneur, but she is also a past client. With over 10 years experience in social media strategy and digital marketing, Chris found her purpose after having her daughter. Pre-baby, she was a self-proclaimed […]
Benefits of A Postpartum Doula and Why Should You Hire One?
Author Bio: Roselin Raj is a journalist and a writer. She has been writing extensively on health and wellness related topics for over a decade. Besides her professional interests, she loves a game of basketball or a good hike in her free time to fuel her spirits. “Health is wealth” is one motto of life […]
EMDR Therapy: An Overview
We are so excited to share this guest blog by Joshua Nave LLMSW and Paul Krauss MA LPC of Health for Life GR. We get asked frequently about EMDR Therapy, so read below to find out what it is and how it works! This blog is a discussion of the basics of what Eye Movement […]
What’s the tongue have to do with breastfeeding? Podcast Episode #75
Hear two experts talk about the link between a baby’s tongue and breastfeeding. What are some signs of a tongue tie and what does that procedure even look like? Shira Johnson, IBCLC, and Dr. Katie Swanson, Certified Pediatric Dentist, give us some insight into breastfeeding a newborn. You can listen to this complete podcast episode […]
Car Seat Safety: Podcast Episode #72
Today we talk to one of Gold Coast Doulas’ Birth and Postpartum Doulas, Jamie Platt. She is a Certified Car Seat Technician and gives parents some helpful tips about what’s safe and what isn’t. You can listen to this complete podcast episode on iTunes or SoundCloud. Alyssa: Hi, and welcome to another episode of Ask […]
Podcast Episode #71: Bedrest Support
What the heck is an antepartum doula? Well, it basically means bed rest support for mothers who are high risk. But a bed rest doula can also help families that aren’t necessarily on bed rest. Maybe a mom needs help running errands, finding community resources, preparing for baby showers, putting away gifts, nesting! Listen and […]
Podcast Episode #69: Postpartum Fitness
Today we talk with Dr. Theresa, Chiropractor and BIRTHFIT Instructor in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We ask her about what’s safe for a pregnant and postpartum mom to be doing and why having a supportive tribe around is so important. You can listen to this complete podcast episode on iTunes or SoundCloud. Be sure to listen […]
Your Trusted Birth Team
We all know that becoming a parent is difficult, but most first time parents don’t really have a full understanding of how hard it will be until they’re in the midst of it. They may encounter fertility struggles or miscarriages; they realize that planning during pregnancy takes a lot of work; they have to find […]
Podcast Episode #68: Overnight Doula Support
Many of our clients and listeners don’t fully understand what overnight doula support looks like. Kristin and Alyssa, both Certified Postpartum Doulas, discuss the kinds of support their clients look for and how their team of doulas support families in their homes. You can listen to this complete podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud. You can […]
Podcast Episode #63: What is a Speech Therapist?
We’ve all heard of a speech therapist but what do they actually do? In this episode, Courtney Joesel of Building Blocks Therapy Services tells us how speech and language services can benefit a child and why, if you notice signs of speech delay, it’s important to have your child seen earlier rather than later. She […]