The Mama Coach - Jennifer Bonilla RN

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The Mama Coach - Jennifer Bonilla RN Helping Calgary parents (and beyond) with baby sleep, feeding & potty training—through 1:1 coaching and workshops.

Evidence-based, practical, and tailored to YOUR baby (not a one-size-fits-all plan). Virtual across Alberta, in-person Calgary & area.

09/23/2026

Have you ever packed nothing but a swimsuit for a destination holiday?

Probably not… maybe you forgot a toothbrush but I bet you brought more than just a swimsuit. Why? Because you were looking at the big picture.

So WHY (oh why?!?) do we consider baby challenges from such a single point of view?

A baby that is struggling to sleep may actually be struggling to feed, resulting in poor quality feeds that makes them tired and hungry sooner. See the loop here?

So when we’re working together on a feeding challenge, I’m going to ask you about sleep. I’’m going to ask you about diapers. I’m going to ask you how Mom is feeling, managing, recovering, etc. Because I know, that each of these things gives me a hint into what is truly going on.

Comment below or DM me, what’s your biggest challenge right now?

09/16/2026

Everyone tells you what to buy for your baby. Very few people tell you what’s actually worth investing in.

As a NICU nurse, I’ve seen firsthand that families don’t need to have every trendy baby gadget to take care of their baby.

So here’s what I’d get if I were a new mom again:

1) Closing blackout blinds: because babies don’t know when it’s time to sleep so we need to help them with darkness
2) A comfortable feeding chair because you are going to be spending a LOT of time here
3) A comfortable baby carrier that fits you: because a well fitted and supported carrier, frees up your hands! Both of them!
4) A meal delivery service: Grandma, community meal train, delivery service, whatever gets you fed.
5) An RN to support you: because you need a source of truth in a sea of trends.

If I could recommend just one investment, it wouldn’t be another baby gadget. It would be having someone you trust to answer your questions, help you troubleshoot challenges, and guide you through those first 12 weeks.

That’s exactly what I do.

If you’re expecting or navigating life with a newborn and wondering if extra support would help, let’s chat. I offer a discovery call so you can ask your questions before deciding if we’re the right fit.

📍 In-home newborn support in Calgary
💻 Virtual support across Alberta

Save this for later or send it to an expecting parent who needs to hear that they don’t have to do it all alone.

Jennifer Bonilla is a Registered Nurse based in Alberta, supporting families with evidence-based newborn, feeding, and pumping care. She offers personalized guidance on pumping, milk storage, fl**ge fitting, and newborn care so families can feel confident navigating the early months.

If you'd like to book an in-person or virtual session with Jennifer, click here:
https://jennifer-bonilla.themamacoach.com/booknow/

Not local? We can connect you with a Mama Coach in your community:
https://themamacoach.com/find-a-mama-coach/

Remember in health class when they taught us that all bodies are the same? Or did I misunderstand that lesson? Turns out...
09/14/2026

Remember in health class when they taught us that all bodies are the same? Or did I misunderstand that lesson?

Turns out ni***es are, in fact, not the same size. Who knew?! Well, women. Women knew that.

So why have we accepted that the pieces that come with the pump kit are the proper size? Here’s what you don’t know: pumping should feel like a gentle tug or nothing at all.

**Read that again- it should feel like nothing. at. all.**

I can tell you as an RN there’s minimal to no emphasis on sizing the shields (the part that sits on your breasts). Now, as The Mama Coach, after hours and hours of training and hands on practice, I can confidently say that sizing and shape are so important.

If pumping is uncomfortable, painful, inefficient or ineffective, we should talk. A pump comfort assessment may help find the right size and shape to improve your overall experience. You get to try 2-3 sizes in 4 shapes before you commit to buying. Book a discovery call to find out when my next pump comfort assessment day is! Link in bio.

09/12/2026

In a month dedicated to new learning, here’s what I’m unlearning this month:

1. I’m the one with the b***s, so feeds are my job
2. I’m the Mom so I must have all the answers
3. I don’t need help
4. I have to prove I can do it all

Once you have kids, it’s an unwritten rule that professionals will default to you for answers about those kids. As a Mom, I’m definitely guilty of feeling like I need to do it all and know it all and have all the answers. But I’m equally guilty of defaulting to the Mom to answer questions when I’m working as an RN in the NICU.

What if we normalized sharing the load with our partner? They are after all, a PARTNER.

I can tell you with absolute certainty there is no proof of any of that required on the kindergarten application. It’s also not in any part of our charting in NICU. No line or checkbox that says: refer to Mom for all questions/concerns and responsibilities.

Remember that you are recovering from a birth, experiencing some of the biggest hormonal shifts you’ll ever experience, trying to keep a small human alive while you are completely sleep deprived. You don’t have to do it all ❤️

Want to bring an NICU nurse home? Book a discovery call and we can talk about how I can help you be your best parenting self. Link in bio

09/09/2026

I don’t know why we all put on this act that the newborn period is blissful.

Tell me you didn’t stress about how the house looked when someone wanted to come over and meet the new baby though. Tell me you didn’t throw dishes in the oven to hide them and put some crackers on a plate with a carrot and call it charcuterie. All the while, you haven’t slept in 10 days, your hair could stay in the ponytail by itself without the elastic, your diaper needs changing also, and you’re in full internal panic mode about the relative who just HAS to meet the new baby but showed up with the sniffles. WHY do we do this to ourselves??

Here’s the truth, from a NICU RN and a Mom of 2 boys, the newborn period is hard, and messy and not the glowing image of motherhood that you see in the photos. And we really need to let it be that. Nobody tells you how hard this period can be and then we put on this act like it’s all fine. I want you to know that you aren’t doing anything wrong, you’re not slow to heal or lazy or not motivated. I want you to know that it’s okay to ask for help. (And it’s really really okay to cry about the big stuff and the small stuff and whatever you need. Welcome to the hormone roller coaster)

As an RN who works with families in the first weeks of having a new baby, I see families trying to put on a good show all the time. But what if there was a nurse, per chance, that could help ease all your worries and help you through the challenges of those first weeks, without judgement? Oh wait, it’s me!!

Want to know more about working together? Book a free call, let’s connect! Link in bio

08/31/2026

Never wake a sleeping baby.

Or so goes the old saying. But did you know you might be waking your baby without knowing it?

As soon as you’ve slept in the same room as a newborn, you know there’s nothing quiet about a baby. They grunt, groan, strain so much you spend half the night trying to decide who made the noise, your husband or the baby.

As a NICU nurse, I spend 12hrs at a time around sleeping babies and here’s the thing: they are in fact sleeping.

That’s right, despite the noise, the movement and the general appearance that they are tackling a bear in their dreams, they are sleeping.

Babies have two sleeping modes: active sleep and quiet sleep. Guess which one is the loud one. 😂

We’re quick to go to their rescue when they get loud but we just end up waking from active sleep. Tonight, when your baby starts their nightly workout, wait a bit before picking them up. See if they transition back to quiet sleep. Let me know in the comments how it goes for you! Is your baby or your husband the louder sleeper?

If you aren’t sure what to watch for, book a discovery call. We can chat about it and I’ll let you know how I can support you best. Book a discovery call through the link in bio!

So you planned for this kind of baby. 🍼The calm, sleepy newborn who naps in your arms and settles right into the bassine...
08/21/2026

So you planned for this kind of baby. 🍼

The calm, sleepy newborn who naps in your arms and settles right into the bassinet.

What nobody tells you? The twitching, grunting, jerking, half-smiling baby who looks wide awake but is actually deep in active sleep... that’s part of the picture too.

As a NICU nurse, this is one of the first things I teach new parents: active sleep is completely normal newborn behaviour, and it can look a lot like your baby is waking up when they’re not.

My #1 NICU tip? Before you rush in: pause and watch. Twitchy limbs, fluttering eyelids, funny faces, even noises can all be active sleep. If you scoop baby up every time, you may actually be interrupting a sleep cycle instead of helping it.

Let your sleeping baby sleep. 💤

Did you know? Understanding active sleep now is just one piece of the puzzle. From newborn sleep to the 4-month regression and everything after, I’m here for whatever stage you’re in. Link in bio for a free discovery call.

Google has answers. It doesn’t know your baby.And when you’re exhausted, second-guessing every feed, wondering why your ...
08/18/2026

Google has answers. It doesn’t know your baby.

And when you’re exhausted, second-guessing every feed, wondering why your baby won’t settle, or Googling “is this normal?” at 2 a.m., more information isn’t always what you need.

You don’t need another newborn checklist. You need someone to help you put it all together.

As an RN with 18 years of NICU experience, I look at the whole picture: feeding, pumping, settling, sleep, newborn care, and the parent in the middle of it all.

My in-home newborn support helps Calgary families make sense of what’s happening and build a practical plan that actually fits their baby and their home.

If you’re expecting or already home with your newborn, book a discovery call. You can ask your questions, tell me what’s going on, and we’ll figure out how working together makes sense.

📍 Calgary in-home support
💻 Virtual support across Alberta

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