The Minimalistic Doula

06/25/2026

fun facts about the mamas currently under my support - the first one being my favorite 🤩

06/23/2026

I’ve been behind on sharing reviews ✨

Hannah, you did so incredible — especially as a first time mama!! you did all the things during pregnancy to mentally & physically prepare, & stayed confident in your ability to give birth naturally. it was such an honor to support you & witness you bring a sweet baby boy into the world! 🖤

06/23/2026

06/23/2026

i remember our first big beach vacation as parents — I was smacked hard with this new, selflessness responsibility that I was not prepared for.

in the evening, I so badly wanted to take a sunset beach walk with my husband. of course the night that we had planned to do so, our first born (around 2 at the time) refused to go to bed easily. I spent the whole evening in the condo nursing, rocking, crying, & silently begging her to just go to sleep. i was frustrated & envious of my other family members vacationing with us who seemed to be enjoying their “freedom”.

now reliving that moment, it makes me sad I had those feelings — towards my daughter, towards myself, & towards my family.

as a “seasoned” mother of now three with many trips under our belt, i have a change of expectations when planning vacations.

it’s less about my wants & more about chasing little feet & seeing the world through the eyes of one’s you love more than yourself. this trip included lots of jumping over the waves, searching for the best seashells, building sandcastles & mermaid tails, chasing seagulls, catching lizards, being nap trapped, throwing sinky toys, & an endless amount of “mommy watch this” — as well as a trip to the ER on the first night because someone wanted to play floor is lava & ended with hitting their face on a stone windowsill 😅

motherhood has a way of changing everything. vacation is about creating memories for your children, soaking in their wonder, & creating more intentional moments. I have stopped expecting “rest” & instead prioritized memories, experiences, & togetherness.

some days it felt exhausting (most days 🥲). some days I still missed the freedom of only having to think about myself, my wants, my to-do wishes. but never in a million years would I change it.

its not a break from motherhood, its leaning into it — & I’m here to fully embrace that 🤍

p.s. shoutout to my incredible husband who’s by my side through it all. also to my family who vacationed with us, offered us a date night, some alone time, & lent hands along the way 🙌🏼 it takes a village!!

06/09/2026

this is the sweetest video from the sweetest repeat mama 😭

I feel so incredibly honored to have supported her through the birth of BOTH her sons. I truly have the best job ever, with the best families ever 🤍

excuse me while I wipe away my tears!!

06/04/2026

this week we flew across the country to Las Vegas to take another step forward in our surrogacy journey 🤍

spending quality time with the intended parents & completing our medical testing made everything feel a little more real. there were lots of “I can’t believe we’re actually here & that this is actually happening!!”

it was a day filled with excitement, hope, love & gratitude as we took another step forward together. this family has made this journey thus far more incredible than we could have imagined & they truly feel like people we have known & loved forever — which was something incredibly important to me as we were looking to match through this independent journey — but they have exceeded all expectations 🥹

surrogacy is strongly built on trust, connection, & a shared dream. getting to spend time together, learn more about one another, & discuss what the future could hold, reminded me why this journey is so special (even though I think about it everyday!)

while there are still many steps ahead, this week was a special step towards growing this sweet baby & growing a family 🤍

feeling honored (more than honored if there was a word for it) to be part of a story that is rooted in SO much love & looking forward to what comes next ✨

05/31/2026

if you plan to have your children present at your birth, let them document it 🤍

it was so sweet to see my daughters point of views (some sweeter than others 😂) but they’re keepsakes I will hold onto & cherish forever. I wish I would have had unlimited roles of film for them because they both loved it!

no matter how the photos turns out, this also gives the child(ren) a fun job during labor — “you can take photos for mommy to look at after the baby gets here! we can cuddle & look through them together. I know I will love them!”

05/27/2026

skin to skin is SKIN to SKIN, no blankets in between 🤍

benefits of immediate skin-to-skin for BABY can help:
▪️regulate temperature
▪️stabilize heart rate & breathing
▪️support healthy blood sugar levels
▪️reduce crying & stress hormones
▪️encourage instinctive feeding behaviors & improve breastfeeding outcomes
▪️promote bonding & sleep
▪️support immune system development through exposure to mama’s microbiome

benefits for the MAMA:
▪️increase oxytocin (the love hormone)
▪️helps the uterus contract & reduce bleeding, while encouraging breastfeeding which also helps
▪️supports milk production & feeding on demand
▪️helps lower stress & anxiety levels
▪️strengthens bond & attachment
▪️may help create a sense of grounding & calm after an intense experience

the benefits of skin to skin doesn’t stop after the immediate postpartum - it continues on through childhood 🖤

05/14/2026

TENS unit 🤌🏼

a TENS machine is a small device that can be used in labor to help manage pain naturally by sending mild electrical pulses through sticky pads placed on your back. it’s all controlled by you, turning it up as high or low as comfortable. there’s also a “boost” button that you can push as a contraction builds for a temporary, higher stimulation setting.

the electrical pulses:
▪️help block pain signals from reaching the brain
▪️encourage the body to release endorphins (your natural pain-relieving hormones)
▪️gives you something rhythmic & grounding to focus on during contractions

benefits:
▪️drug-free pain relief
▪️you are able to stay mobile
▪️minimal side effects
▪️gives many laboring people a sense of control
▪️usually helps “take the edge off” rather than eliminate pain completely

things to note:
▪️it should not be used in water
▪️pads can’t be placed over broken skin
▪️women with pacemakers or certain medical conditions should check with their provider first

I have personally never used a TENS in labor myself, but have had lots of mamas enjoy having it as an option! have you ever used one during labor? did you feel it helped?

05/10/2026

mother’s day looks a little different when you witness motherhood begin over & over again 🤍

I’ve watched women meet versions of themselves they’ve never known before — strong, raw, soft, exhausted, powerful, undone, & completely transformed all at once. I’ve seen mothers bring life into the world while learning to be reborn themselves.

to the mothers who labored for hours, the ones who birthed in peace & the ones whose stories changed unexpectedly, the ones who have yearned for a baby & those who have lost, the mothers healing physically & emotionally, the ones awake in the quiet hours feeding & comforting their babies, the ones wondering if they’re doing enough — you are.

being invited into these moments as a doula is something I never take lightly. motherhood is the most cherished part of my life, & to support & witness woman after woman enter the same era — how BEAUTIFUL.

today I’m celebrating every version of motherhood — the joyful, the tender, the sad, the messy, the sacred, the loved 🤍