Postpartum, Our Favorites, Motherhood, Newborns
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
Postpartum Recovery After Twins: What You Need ...

So, you’ve brought two babies into this world. First of all, you’re a superhero—no doubt about it. But let’s get real for a second: postpartum recovery after twins is not the same as recovering from a single birth. It’s double the diapers, double the feedings, double the sleepless nights—and sometimes, double the discomfort. Your body just did an incredible, exhausting, miraculous thing. Now, it's time to heal, recover, and find yourself again in the whirlwind of having two newborns at home.

It’s important to remember, you’re not just healing from birth. You’re also adjusting to a new life with two precious babies. And while there’s a lot of joy, there’s also a lot of messiness that nobody really prepares you for. Let’s break down what you really need to know about postpartum recovery after twins!

Postpartum Recovery After Twins: What You Need to Know
Local OC Resources, Our Favorites, Pregnancy
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
Our Favorite Spots For a Pre-Baby Date Night in ...

As your due date nears, the reality of impending parenthood can be both exciting and overwhelming. You may be getting nervous or have anxiety around when you’ll go into labor. You may be stressing about getting the nursery ready or finalizing details for your maternity leave. That’s why planning and enjoying a big night out can provide a special opportunity to unwind, connect, and relish your partner’s company before your baby’s arrival takes center stage. I always encourage clients to schedule a “no holds barred” date night around 37 or 38 weeks - it’s a chance to take a deep breath, enjoy some quality time together, and remind yourselves why you’re a great team. Orange County offers an array of high-end, memorable spots to make this final pre-baby date night one for the books.

Our Favorite Spots For a Pre-Baby Date Night in Orange County
Motherhood, Newborns, Postpartum, DOC Team, Birth Planning
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
The Magical Golden Hour

In the quiet hush of the labor & delivery room, where the air is charged with anticipation and the scent of earthiness and birthyness, a new chapter in your life unfolds. The rhythmic cadence of your breath is mirrored by the gentle whispers of your doula, a reassuring presence in this oh so sacred moment. The culmination of nine months… maybe more, leads to this: the first hour with your newborn.

The Magical Golden Hour
Pregnancy, Parenting, Newborns, Our Favorites, Birth Planning
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
A Doula's Eco Friendly Baby Registry

When I was selecting items for my baby registry, it was really important to me to not go overboard. As a doula of 14 years, I’ve seen families get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff in their homes and nurseries and I knew I wanted to keep things on the simpler side. I also wanted to be mindful of the impact on not only the environment, but also my baby’s microbiome - which meant finding a lot of eco-friendly products to keep waste down and keep our home as “low tox” as possible. Here you’ll find some of my favorite sustainable and most useful items that I registered for.

A Doula's Eco Friendly Baby Registry
Local OC Resources, DOC Team
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
Calling all amazing Doulas & Newborn Care ...
Calling all amazing Doulas & Newborn Care Specialists!
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In The Spotlight: Lauren Slak, Orange County Midwife

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Orange County has the luxury of having a wide variety of birthing options. Based on your health & criteria you can have a hospital birth with an OB or a Midwife, a homebirth with an OB or a Midwife or a birth center birth with a Midwife. As Doulas, we don't take these options for granted and our team has the distinct privilege to be able to learn and support families at any number of these birthing locations with any number of care providers.

Call us biased, but one of our favorites in this group of esteemed care providers is Lauren Slak, owner of Wholistic Women's Healthcare and Licensed Midwife. Lauren sees her homebirth midwifery clients at our office in Costa Mesa, so we have the honor to collaborate with her and learn from her quite often. She provides compassionate midwifery care, pre-conception counseling, and nurturing support to families throughout Orange, San Diego, & Riverside counties. Her calm yet confident presence is so refreshing and her knowledge and passion for birth is inspiring. 

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Breastfeeding Ain't Easy

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We hear a lot about how wonderful and magical and beautiful breastfeeding is. We hear about the benefits to mom and baby, the cost effectiveness, and the incredible bond it can form. 

What we don't often hear about or talk about is how challenging it can really be. We don't hear about the sleepless nights, the cracked nipples, being attached to your kid 24/7 through a growth spurt. 

We believe and amplify the glamour, but shy away from the messy.

Well, I'm here to tell you that if breastfeeding was or is a challenge for you, you are not alone!

Doulas of Orange County recently posted the following picture on our Instagram feed and the response was surprising to say the least. 

Fathers Day in Orange County

In our line of work we meet a lot of families and it is our belief that the significance of the role of FATHER in our society often goes unnoticed or is under appreciated. But here at Doulas of Orange County the yearly celebration and recognition of Fathers is one of our favorite days of the year! It is a day to honor the uniqueness, strength, and dedication of each dad, granddad, step-dad, and dad-to-be... and really, what could be better than that?!

There are so many fun and meaningful ways to celebrate Dads but this year we want to encourage you to think beyond the BBQs, the tools and the ties. Here are a few of our favorite ways to show your love & appreciation to the amazing dad in your life...

Guys Night Out

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Staying connected with friends after a baby arrives can be tough, especially if said friends don't have kids of their own. Dynamics change, schedules change and loyalties change. Saturday nights used to bring a night out with the guys... now it's Netflix and lights out by 10pm. Sometimes a guy just needs a night out with his man friends. A night to relax, drink some beers and let the worries of being a dad fade into the background for a few hours.

What guy wouldn't love opening a card with a coupon for Guys Night Out?! Tuesday Trivia Night at Kitsch Bar is always a blast or have him check out one of the many OC breweries.

Outdoor Adventures

It's no secret that most men enjoy activities that involve the outdoors!  Here are a few options if the guy in your life is always on the move and in search of adventure.

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Plan a family outing that includes a hike to Holy Jim Falls, complete with a packed picnic. This Trabuca Canyon favorite is kid-friendly and a great way to get the whole family's hearts pumping! Hearty sandwiches and an ice cold beer near a waterfall? Yes please! 

Gift your man with a deep sea fishing excursion! There is no shortage of incredible oceanic options here in Orange County. We recommend a half or full day trip with Davey's Locker out of Newport Beach! Make it a family affair or send him along with 1 or 2 of the guys... either way, it's bound to be a blast!

If he's a sports enthusiast, the Friends & Family Fun Pack is a must for any Angels fan!

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Dads of OC

Give Dad a special dose of bonding time at our Dads of OC park hangs! Here he'll meet other Orange County dads, get some Vitamin D and enjoy some interactive play time with the kiddos. Kids aged 0-10 are welcome to come along and there will be a play mat with interactive toys for the little ones. Held at 9:30am on the third Saturday of the month at Mariners Park in Newport Beach. Dads, you bring the kids, we'll bring the coffee and donuts! Registration is required and available on our website. 

 

Kid-Free Date Night

The challenges of parenthood are bound to put a strain on even the strongest of marriages. There is so much change in such a short period of time and while as individuals we learn and grow, sometimes as a couple, we drift apart. We know a lot of men (and women) who just crave some alone time with their partner to laugh and reconnect without distractions.

Plan a sexy date night just for the two of you. Arrange a sitter or send the kids to the grandparents house and treat your man (and yourself!) to a kid-free night on the town. Take him to his favorite restaurant, go wine tasting, enjoy a Duffy ride around Balboa Island, or book a room and a couples massage at the Ritz! 

The day of the date send him sexy, flirty texts to remind him how excited you are for some quality time with your boo. 

Something from the Littles

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Include the kids in spreading the love and appreciation of their dad by having them complete a craft or an art project. Whether their version of a family portrait, a finger painting, or clay handprints, memorialize it in a frame for him to cherish forever. 

 

 

Whatever Father's Day plans you make, we are certain that the love and thoughtfulness you put into it will make it a great day! Cheers to all you Dads out there! 

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Confident Birth :: A Childbirth Class Unlike Any Other

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When you think of birth classes what automatically comes to mind?

Maybe you picture a bunch of pregnant women and their partners sitting on the floor with pillows doing their "hee-hee hoos." Maybe the word "Lamaze" pops into your head. Maybe you think of watching a graphic video of childbirth.

The idea of a group of expectant couples gathered to breathe, watch birth videos and talk about their fears and feelings could bring anyone to a halt when registering for a class. It's something that a lot of people reluctantly sign up for simply because it's recommended by their OBGYN or because they themselves consider it some sort of "rite of passage."

I can see why people might feel this way. These are some of the same thoughts I had before becoming a Childbirth Educator. I couldn't understand what the value of childbirth class was, especially when based on my own experiences as a Doula, each birth is so different. How could one class prepare each individual person for the type of birth they wanted or envisioned?

My tune changed pretty quickly after becoming a Childbirth Educator and I started to teach classes of my own. My goal in becoming an educator in the first place was not only to add to my skills as a professional Doula, but so I could help educate my clients and community in an unbiased way.

Too often I had clients come to me with misinformation or information clearly biased towards unmedicated birth. Too often did I have women feeling embarrassed or shamed by the choices they had made for their birth. Too often was their a feeling of disappointment in the room when the birth didn't unfold perfectly like the birth plan dictated.

What about the women who wanted an epidural?

What about the people who faced an induction and all they had been taught was that inductions were unnecessary or wrong?

What about those who were faced with a decision to have a cesarean birth?

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Lessons on Compassion from "Call the Midwife"

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There's nothing like a good Netflix binge to help calm the mind and reset the body for the week ahead. I've had a particularly rough week emotionally, so when Sunday rolled around with it's rainy OC weather and nothing on my to-do list, I figured what better time to catch up on "Call the Midwife!"

For those that are unfamiliar, "Call the Midwife" is a PBS show all about midwifery care in the 1950s and 60s. It is a beautiful show that portrays the dramatic ups and downs of midwifery, birth, life, and death in the impoverished East End of London. Each episode is guaranteed to tug at the heart strings. 

In episode two of the fifth season, there is an interesting commentary on breastfeeding vs. formula feeding with a beautiful lesson on listening to an individual mothers needs and desires.

Without going into too much detail (because really, if you aren't watching this show yet, you should!!) one of the midwives is extremely vocal of her disapproval of formula feeding. Keep in mind that formula was a new phenomenon in the 1960s and that some people could barely afford to put food on the table. Sister Evangelina, the notoriously vocal midwife touts the benefits of breast milk as being the perfect food for baby and bonus, it's free! 

As a Birth & Postpartum Doula, I of course, know her views to be valid and correct from a logical standpoint, but I cringed at the words she used and the attitude she portrayed, essentially poo-pooing anyone who dared challenge her expertise and views. 

Fast forward to a mom struggling to breastfeed and this same midwife (while encouraging her to keep trying), dismisses her fears and the pain breastfeeding was causing her. It took bleeding nipples and a full emotional breakdown for the midwife to finally admit that she was wrong and that formula was NOT, in fact, evil.