ABC Doula & Newborn Care

08/30/2026

Every group tells me new worries and fears about welcoming their babies.
Today we had a mental health theme. It might be because we had people with current mental health concerns or it might be more because mental health is in the news lately particularly for postpartum mothers. But issues such as depression, anxiety, OCD and bipolar came up multiple times.
These are hard fears to discuss online. There's a trust that sometimes can only be experienced in person. This is just one of the many reasons I recommend going to your local class to learn about babies from someone who knows and someone you can trust.
I love watching people walk out with more confidence. More resources. More tools.
Love this part of my calling. 💕

07/27/2026

Did you know there are free support groups for new moms at most area hospitals?
I host a virtual on for Providence Health & Services - Oregon Region on Thurs at 10 am, and it is the sweetest group of moms that support each other and connect midweek as well. :)
New moms are isolated and need all the things that a group can provide, and I am personally so grateful to be a part of it and watch them grow in confidence.

I wrote more about it on the blog this past week:
https://www.abcdoula.com/blog/2026/7/20/free-support-for-new-mothers

07/03/2026

What would you say to a grandparent who feels like they can't do anything right? This was the question posed to me recently on a quick visit at the Bite Your Tongue podcast.
Seeing moms every week in moms group and as doula clients, it helps me think about a new mom's perspective, and overlaying that as a grandparent, I get it! But I am curious if others would have answered differently...

This is our first in a series of our new shorter segments called: Straight from the Listener Line – Real Questions. Real Answers. In this new series, we take one re…

06/07/2026

Just finished teaching 18 expected parents, and they were so honest about their fears and worries. They were nervous about raising their babies, but afterwards they felt more confident, they were making plans about sharing the load, and were laughing and much more relaxed.

Taking an in person class gets these results!

I love an out of hospital class too! But don't discount the local educators in your hospital system. Many have been teaching for years and have fine-tuned their approach to helping parents feel more confident with their babies.

If you're in Portland come join us at Providence! .

And if you're one of those who wish they could teach classes like this DM me and I'll send you what I know about training & certifications and how to contact the hospital to find opportunities.

05/31/2026

My AZ house is for sale! If you are retiring or looking for a winter home, this is an affordable way to get into the community of Victory and enjoy all the amenities. We call it a starter victory home.

People ask me why it's been on the market so long and I think the biggest issue we've had is that the garage is small and people think they need a bigger one. But I'll be honest, when you have a second home or a winter home you don't have even a quarter of the things you have in your regular garage. And in Arizona you live outside most of the time so you need access to things that get you out and moving like your bikes or your golf cart or exercise equipment. And many folks only have 1 car here as they can walk and bike and golf cart everywhere.

So here's the tour and sorry for the shameless plug. I just wanted to show it off because it's so cute and I know that the perfect buyer is just waiting for it.

Here's the link
https://redf.in/aI1uxu

05/28/2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/opinion/women-childbirth-postpartum-care.html?unlocked_article_code=1.l1A.sXBN.lBpcNkpok2vx&smid=url-share
One of my Providence Health & Services - Oregon Region new moms shared this with us at group today.
I couldn't agree more.
Mother's recovery matters. Not just the child.
And I LOVE the concept of bundling their visits to insure moms get attention too. Let's come up with a billing model that makes this happen!

One year after my daughter’s birth, I’m still experiencing health complications.

05/23/2026

Overnight care for tired newborn families: I write and teach and counsel and advise about this topic all the time. I have trained thousands of doulas on how to provide it. I organize this care every week for families who need doula support at night.
But when it came to writing this blog, you can bet I used some AI to help get it done.
Because sometimes it says things I think are too basic to write. (And because it helps the algorithm. :) )
Of course I rewrote it once I saw what it built. I had to make it mine, my flavor, my take as a doula agency owner and a lactation consultant. But I rather like what it churned out. What do you think?
https://www.abcdoula.com/blog/2026/5/18/how-does-overnight-doula-care-support-exhausted-new-parents

I don't typically use AI to write for me. I know everyone feels differently about this topic but I wanted to see if it would use my voice enough to make it mine. I had to change over half of it, but overall it still saved me a ton of time. Curious how it sounds to others (especially those who know me!).

Many new parents are shocked by how relentless the needs of a newborn can feel, especially at night. Feeding every 1–3 hours, soothing a fussy baby at 2 a.m., recovering from birth, pumping, worrying about safe sleep, and trying to function during the day can quickly leave parents depleted. For ma...

05/03/2026

Have you wondered about the value of a class?

Our participants fill out a survey after class and I have dozens of quotes from them just like this:

"This was way more valuable than we thought. We learned so much! Thank you "

The grandparents I had in class today were all parents of students I have had in baby care and breastfeeding classes which is super fun. But they were probably coerced a bit to be there and initially that shows. 😁

But it doesn't take them long to warm up to the idea that their role is different and still incredibly valuable and needed.

I teach this in person in Portland and online but this has been a universal response to the class.

It's hard to know what you don't know. But it's not that hard to invest a few hours in building an amazing foundation for your future grandparenthood. That's why I do what I do.

04/25/2026

New on the blog! I tackle the question of how many people you actually NEED with a new baby to feel like everyone is cared for.

How many do you think is best?

When a new dad suggested that 3 adults to 1 baby is the best ratio, we started to think about how newborn life is stretching most couples and what the difference the support of just 1 more person can provide. Contrasting family and friends support with professional doulas, let's talk about how to cr