January Events at Doulas of Orange County

Now that the holidays are over, you may be feeling ready to tackle your birth classes and postpartum planning. Well, don't fret, Doulas of OC has all the best classes that are sure to bring you out of your holiday hangover and get you excited for the arrival of your baby. 

In addition to the popular classics like our 4-week Confident Birth series, Baby Care Basics, and Milk Mama 101, we have added a few new unique offerings to our 2018 calendar. With these new classes we seek to include the whole family in preparing for birth and postpartum. 

The Greatest Grandparents

Becoming a Grandparent is an exciting time! It's been a long time since you've had a child and we know you want to be the best grandparent you can be. This private workshop will give a refresher on all the baby care basics - from diapering to swaddling to bottle-feeding and nap time.  We'll share up-to-date information regarding health and safety standards, along with the latest gear and gadgets.  You will learn all about today's birth choices, modern parenting and ways to support your child in their choices and bond with your grandchild.

Launching January 10th and held at our office in Irvine or the comfort of your own home!

Confident Birth Weekend Intensive   

Added to our 2018 calendar by popular demand! You requested a weekend option for our popular Confident Birth childbirth education series and we answered!

This monthly class covers the same information as our 4-week series in a fun, engaging environment. Preparation is crucial for a positive, confident birth experience and this uncensored, unbiased class will do just that! 

Held every month, 9am-5pm in Irvine. Launches February 11th!

REGISTER ONLINE FOR A GROUP CLASS OR A PRIVATE CLASS!

VBAC Preparation & Support

Planning a Vaginal Birth After a Cesarean requires lots of support, education, and preparation. Our team has put together two options to cheer you on in your VBAC birth choices with our private VBAC preparation consult. 

This workshop is designed to assist you in creating a strong vision for your birth as well as to educate you on your options, finding a supportive care provider, creating a strong birth support team, and more. The curriculum in this class will help you to build a plan to physically, mentally and emotionally prepare for your VBAC. We provide education and discussion on local and national resources, VBAC friendly care providers, and other wellness practitioners who can contribute to a positive pregnancy no matter how you choose to birth. Hosted by women with personal experience with VBACs as well as Doulas who are well-versed in supporting all births, we welcome you!

DOC Open House

Join us on Saturday, January 20th as we celebrate the new year and our grand re-opening in Irvine! 

Refreshments, Raffles, Swag Bags, and Community. What more could you want?

Expecting parents, new parents, current clients, past clients, friends, and family are all welcome! We encourage you to pre-register online as well as pre-purchasing raffle tickets to save! Additional tickets are available for purchase at the event and 50% of the raffle proceeds benefit Postpartum Support International. 

We're still accepting sponsors, food vendors, & product giveaways to partner with us in making this an amazing event for OC families. If you're interested in collaborating with us, please visit our sponsorship page. 

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A full list of all of our January & February events is listed on our website. Pre-registration for classes is always required. We look forward to seeing you at one of our classes or support groups soon!

Light a Candle | Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

October is often equated with cooler weather, Fall colors, Halloween festivities and even Breast Cancer awareness. But did you know that October is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month? At Doulas of Orange County we want to take an opportunity to stand in solidarity and love with all of the parents who have lost a baby, whether before or after birth. We understand that this topic can be painful and often goes undiscussed due to that pain. 

In an effort to reduce the stigma surrounding miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss we’d like to share a beautiful story from our friend Jesse. Jesse is a mother of 4, whose sweet children came to her via the foster system and adoption. She gifted us with her experience and we hope that by sharing we can help give a voice to those quietly processing their journey without support.  

“October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month. So, I'm breaking my silence and sharing my story. One year ago today, we found out that our unborn son's heart had stopped beating. He was our surprise miracle baby after 8 years of infertility. Despite our extreme excitement over FINALLY getting pregnant, we decided not to tell anyone until after the first trimester. Those first 12 weeks went by, we heard his little heartbeat, and we thought we were in the clear. We found out that it was a boy and planned to announce to everyone at a Halloween party that we were hosting. The week before the party (one year ago today) we found out that our long-awaited son had died. He was 14 weeks. The Halloween party was fun, most of our friends and family were there, but it was hard to get through while carrying this devastating secret. 

Why didn't we reach out to our gathering of friends and family for support? There's a taboo when talking about infant loss. You're expected to just pretend it didn't happen. Pretend you never had a tiny human growing inside of you. Pretend you didn't spend every waking moment thinking about him growing in there and dreaming about what he would look like, who he would be, what your life would be like with him in it. It's not just a fetus that dies in a miscarriage, it's all the hopes and dreams you had about your child that die along with him. It's been a year since we lost our son and I still think of him at least once everyday. He would have been six months old this month if he had survived. In honor of the joy my son gave me for those short 14 weeks, I'm sharing his story so that maybe others who have lost their babies will feel more comfortable breaking the silent taboo. 25% of all pregnancies end with loss. With so many people out there who have their own stories, let's make it okay to talk about. I love all my children, no matter how they joined my family or how long they were here with us.”

Today, October 15th we participate in what is called the “Wave of Light”. We invite you to light a candle at 7pm in your own time zone. Light a candle in remembrance of the babies who have gone far too soon. Please keep the candle burning for at least an hour and in doing so there will be a continual wave of light across the world all day. The wave of light shows that we stand together, that bereaved parents aren't alone. You don't have to be bereaved to join in, so please show your support by lighting a candle at 7pm. 

If you are in need of support and healing after your own loss, we are available to assist you in finding resources or support groups in your area. It is so important to honor your feelings and process though the loss of your child, no matter how short a time they graced this world womb-side or earth-side. You are forever a mother and they are forever carried in your heart. In Orange County, there are several options, including “Forever Footprints” who offers regular group meetings in Newport Beach. Hoag Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital also have several support group options.  Please know that you are not alone. We are here to help. Please contact us at hi@doulasofoc.com for more information on support groups, if you’re interested in leading a group at our office or for the support of a Bereavement Doula. 

We welcome you to break the silence and share your baby’s name or nickname during pregnancy in the comments section, as we honor and remember the babies gone far too soon.