Birth & Beyond Maternal Support, LLC

06/05/2026

National Donut Day feels like the perfect time to remind everyone:

Birth plans are great…
but babies tend to run on donut shop hours. 🍩😅

Middle of the night?
Absolutely.

Right before dinner?
Of course.

The second your provider leaves town?
Naturally.

Babies make their own schedules — which is exactly why having support matters. 🤍

So today I’ll be celebrating National Donut Day the same way most birth workers do:
with coffee, snacks in my doula bag, and hoping I don’t get called to a birth halfway through eating my donut 😂

06/05/2026

One of the most common questions I hear is:
“What’s the difference between a midwife and a doula?” 🤍

The short answer?
They’re very different roles — but they often work beautifully together.

Midwives provide medical care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Doulas provide emotional, physical, educational, and informational support throughout the experience.

And doulas don’t just work with midwives — we can also support families alongside OB-GYNs, maternal fetal medicine specialists, nurses, lactation consultants, and other members of a family’s care team as well. 🤍

One role isn’t “better” than the other —
they simply support families in different ways.

I recently wrote a blog post breaking down some of the biggest differences, how the roles overlap, and why so many families choose to build a birth team that feels right for them.

Whether you’re planning a hospital birth, birth center birth, scheduled C-section, or still figuring things out… understanding your options matters.

🔗 Read more here:
https://birthandbeyondmaternalsupport.org/what-are-the-key-differences-between-a-midwife-and-a-doula

As always, if you have questions about doula support, insurance coverage, or postpartum support, feel free to reach out. 🤍

When is a doula right for you?

06/03/2026

A few families have officially claimed their spots, so it’s time for an availability update! 🤍

Things have been changing quickly, and I’m so grateful for the families who have trusted me to be part of their journey.

If you’re expecting a baby or looking for postpartum support, I’d love to connect and answer any questions you may have.

And remember—postpartum support may still be available even if I wasn’t your birth doula, and support doesn’t have to end after those first few weeks. In fact, many insurance plans and Oregon Health Plan (OHP) plans may cover postpartum doula support through your baby’s first birthday.

Feel free to reach out anytime!

— Shelly

06/01/2026

Postpartum mental health challenges do not only affect the birthing parent. Partners can struggle during the postpartum transition too.

Sleep deprivation, stress, financial pressure, changes in identity, feeling helpless, and the overwhelming adjustment to caring for a newborn can all impact mental health.

Research shows postpartum depression in partners is real, and it deserves to be taken seriously.

Sometimes it may look like:
- withdrawal
- irritability
- emotional numbness
- hopelessness
- anxiety
- anger
- feeling disconnected
- struggling silently while trying to “hold it together”

Depression is not weakness. And asking for help can be one of the hardest — and bravest — steps someone takes.

If you or someone you love may be struggling postpartum, please know support is available and you do not have to carry it alone. 🤍

Postpartum Support International offers support, education, resources, and a helpline for families navigating perinatal mental health challenges:
📞 1-800-944-4773
📱 Text “Help” to 800-944-4773

And if your family is looking for additional postpartum support, education, or community care during this transition, I’m always here to help guide families toward support and resources as well. 🌿

05/30/2026

When many people think of doulas, they think of labor support — but support can look different for every family 🤍

Sometimes support means helping you navigate pregnancy and birth decisions with evidence-based resources and education.

Sometimes it’s hands-on labor support and reassurance during contractions.

Sometimes it’s helping with latch support, newborn feeding questions, meal prep, folding a mountain of laundry, or holding baby so a new parent can shower, rest, or simply breathe for a minute.

Sometimes it’s making sure partners feel supported too.

Doula support isn’t one-size-fits-all because families aren’t one-size-fits-all.

Please share this post or tag someone who could use a doula. You can also direct message me to set up a consultation to learn more! 🤍

05/28/2026

Sometimes postpartum survival looks like eating with one hand. 🍔😅

Cold fries.
Reheated coffee.
A baby on your lap.
And somehow still finding crumbs in the baby’s hair later 😂

Postpartum life is beautiful, exhausting, messy, emotional, and often spent multitasking in ways nobody really prepares you for.

And honestly? Sometimes just managing to eat a meal at all is a win.

If you’re in the middle of this season right now, I hope you know you’re doing better than you think you are. 🤍

If you’re pregnant or newly postpartum and wanting extra support during this transition, I’d love to connect and talk about how doula support may help lighten the load for your family. 🌞

05/28/2026

Sometimes families assume that if they have a scheduled C-section, they don’t really need a doula.

But cesarean births deserve support too. 🤍

The role of a doula may look a little different during a C-section birth, but support still matters deeply.

Instead of labor positions and coping through contractions, support often looks like helping families prepare emotionally and mentally for surgery, understanding what to expect, creating a postpartum recovery plan ahead of time, and helping things feel calmer and less overwhelming once baby arrives.

With provider approval, I’m often able to go into the operating room during the birth as well — and that extra support can make a huge difference for both the birthing person and their partner.

And the support doesn’t stop there.

Recovery after a C-section is major abdominal surgery, while also caring for a newborn and adjusting postpartum. This is where postpartum doula support can make a huge difference while families focus on healing, resting, and bonding with their baby.

Postpartum support may include things like:
• Light household help
• Meal support or arranging food delivery
• Grocery pickup or errands
• Help getting to pediatrician appointments
• Lactation support and feeding guidance
• Recovery support while your body heals
• Emotional support and newborn education

One of the most helpful things families can do is create a postpartum plan before baby arrives, so they feel supported and prepared once they return home.

Birth may look different —
but families still deserve to feel informed, supported, and cared for. 🤍

I’m currently able to bill OHP, PacificSource, and many Moda plans, and HSA/FSA funds can often be used as well. Oregon has also passed legislation requiring many commercial insurance plans to begin covering doula services, so coverage continues to expand. Check with your insurance to see if benefits are available or feel free to reach out if you need help with that.

If you have questions about birth or postpartum support, feel free to reach out. 🤍

For my expectant moms who are having cesarean deliveries, you may be wondering if a doula is right for you...the answer is yes!

05/27/2026

Newborns and babies are not designed to stay awake for long periods of time.

During the first year, babies can become overstimulated and overtired more quickly than many people realize because their brains and nervous systems are still rapidly developing. What many people call “wake windows” are simply general timeframes that can help parents better understand infant cues, regulation, and normal sleep patterns as babies grow.

An overtired baby may:
• become harder to settle
• cry more
• struggle with feeding
• fight sleep instead of falling asleep
• wake more frequently
• seem “wired” rather than sleepy

But babies don’t read clocks — and wake windows are not meant to be rigid schedules.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reminds parents that different babies have different sleep needs, and learning infant cues is often more helpful than focusing on strict schedules alone.

Sometimes parents are told to “keep baby awake longer so they sleep better,” but many babies actually become harder to settle once they’re overtired.

Learning your baby’s cues can help support:
✨ feeding
✨ soothing
✨ sleep
✨ regulation
✨ and overall infant behavior

Responsive care isn’t about perfection.
It’s about learning the baby in front of you. 🤍

If you’re navigating newborn sleep, feeding, or postpartum adjustment and want evidence-based, judgment-free support, I’d love to help. Please send me a private message or comment below to connect.

AAP article:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/getting-your-baby-to-sleep.aspx