Chandler, Arizona
Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
Blog
Meet the Doula: Ashley Anders
| Posted on October 7, 2016 at 10:36 AM |
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 Welcome to this month's installment of "Meet the Doula". This month I have the pleasure of introducing you to one of the Valley's postpartum doulas, Ashley Anders. I had the pleasure of meeting Ashley at an ICAN meeting last year, and I am happy to say we have kept in touch. She is honored to serve her families, and as such, Ashley is dedicated to furthering her own education so that she can better serve her clients. I hope you enjoy our feature with our October 2016 doula: Ashley! When was the first
time you heard the word, “doula”? I first heard the word doula years ago when I was talking
with a friend about supporting women in childbirth. How did you decide
that becoming a doula was part of your journey? Since I was little I wanted to be a Labor and Delivery
nurse, I loved supporting women and their families through one of the most
intimate times of their life, and watching them bring new lives into this
world, but quickly realized I didn't like the idea of having to leave my
patients to go to another patient, or leaving a shift before a baby was
born after being there her entire labor, or having to do all of the clinical
things. That is when I started researching to see if there was this
dream job out there of giving non-judgmental support to women and their
families before, during and after childbirth, and I came across birth and
postpartum doula! Are you a birth
and/or a postpartum doula? I am both a birth and postpartum doula, breastfeeding counselor
and newborn care specialist. Focusing most of my time
currently postpartum, breastfeeding and newborn care. How long have you
been a doula? I have been a doula just about 3 years. I am trained with
Childbirth International for birth, breastfeeding. I have also received
postpartum training, and trained with Newborn Care Solutions for my newborn
care specialist certification. I have supported single moms, moms on bed
rest, families that have a scheduled cesarean birth, unplanned cesarean
birth, teens, high risk, expected stillbirth, prematurity, twins and
triplets. What do you enjoy the
most about being a doula? For birth, I love that I am invited into the lives of
families expecting a baby. I love that I can build confidence in women
and their partners. Help them feel safe, protected and informed about the
birth experience and provide non judgmental support throughout their journey
into parenthood. For postpartum, I find that we often focus so much time
on pregnancy, and childbirth and forget that there is in fact a 4th
trimester. I enjoy helping everyone in the family transition into having
a new baby at home, if its baby #1 or baby #3. An extra set of hands to
help siblings adjust, help mom get a shower or a nap in, breastfeeding/bottle
feeding assistance, meal prep, and helping with all of the "is this
normal" questions I often get. Newborn care, infant brain
development, feeding, bathing, sleep conditioning, etc., are all things I love
to give information on to help clients make the best decisions for their
family! How do you work with
and involve the Coach? I make sure that we are working as a team. My job is never
to take the place of a partner or coach. I like to show and guide the
partners on things that they can do throughout labor to assist in the comfort
of the laboring mom, but also make them feel comfortable enough that they can
take a break, take a quick nap or grab something to eat and she will be
supported and never be left alone. What is the toughest
situation you have ever dealt with? How did you handle it? I would have to say that supporting a family through an
expected stillbirth was the toughest. She still had to give birth just
like any other laboring mother, but unfortunately had to say goodbye shortly
after her baby was born. It was hard! I cried alongside with them,
made sure that they had everything they needed and was just there for
them. The hospital was wonderful and provided the family with photos and
a box to remember him with. I joined them on the annual walk for infant
loss and continue to keep in touch with them. They were blessed with
their rainbow baby a year ago and I was honored to be by their side through the
birth of their second son. What keeps you
working as a doula? My family and my clients! I have the best :).
Hearing that I have found my calling, and that it is obvious that I love my job
and what I do, is so great to hear. I couldn't do this if I didn't have
the continued support from my husband. From day one he has supported me,
and pushed me to fulfill my dreams and I cant thank him enough! What does your fee
cover – how many visits or hours? Is there a different charge for a
shorter labor or longer labor? My birth fee includes 2 prenatal appointments where we will
discuss birth plan options, discuss postpartum care/plans and go over early
labor comfort measures. Your labor and birth, and up to 2 hours after, to
get you settled into your postpartum room, get you your first meal and make
sure that baby has had his/her first feeding. I will also schedule a time
within the first week to come and do a postpartum visit to talk through your
birth and make sure that feeding is going well and to answer any additional
questions you may have. Since birth is unpredictable there is not a different
charge if your labor were to go long or if you were to have a shorter
labor. Postpartum/Newborn care fees are hourly and I do
daytime and overnight care. Each contract can be fit to each client and
their needs. Do you offer any
other services to your clients? I offer breastfeeding support, it is included in my doula
packages, but I offer it separate if needed. Just for fun, what do
you do when you are not doula-ing? When I'm not doula-ing I'm sleeping! haha! I'm
also spending time with my husband and 2 kiddos: our daughter Tyler (11)
and our son Bennett (4), plus our 2 dogs Maddie and Oddie. We enjoy riding
bikes; mornings at the park, watching our daughter ride her horse, and just
spending quality time together with family and friends.  Love what you read?? Would you like to contact Ashley? Read more about Ashley and schedule a visit via DoulaMatch Phone: 480-457-9151 Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: The material included in this video is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his
healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for
their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss
Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site,
or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog and video contain information about
our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official
website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in this video and on our
blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American
Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Sweet Pea Births offers Birthing From Within and Bradley Method® natural childbirth
classes offered in Arizona: convenient to Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert,
Mesa, Scottsdale, Payson |
Q&A with SPB: Mother's Milk Bank of CO Donation and Outreach Center in Phoenix, AZ
| Posted on August 2, 2016 at 8:59 AM |
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 I am happy to kick-off our 2016 Breastfeeding Edition of Q&A with SPB with a very special announcement from The Milk Spot, a local lactation support resource, located in Phoenix, Arizona:
Mothers will undergo a screening process, and once they are accepted, their milk can be received and transferred to regional NICUs. Learn more about milk donation at the INFO NIGHT at The Milk Spot, this Wednesday, August 3, 2016:  We will be there live, broadcasting on Periscope. Be sure to follow our twitter handle, @sweetpeabirths, for exclusive access to this launch and info meeting. Michelle Hottya, IBCLC will be sharing information, answering questions, and facilitating a forum with area IBCLCs who work in the NICU. We will be able to hear the impact stories of babies fed with precious mother's milk. See you there or see you online! Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The material included in this video is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his
healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for
their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss
Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site,
or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog and video contain information about
our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official
website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in this video and on our
blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American
Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.    |
Inside Look: Rockabye Mommy
| Posted on June 17, 2014 at 8:54 PM |
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 Club MomMe Report: One of
the contacts I made at the Club MomMe Spring Family Fest was Stephanie Avila ("SA"),
designer and co-founder of Rockabye Mommy.
What stopped me in my tracks was this stunning flower wall. It is a Tonia Fischer creation, and it is a design element they have used in some of their nurseries (not the whole wall - usually only a few flowers per room). I’m glad I stopped for a chat – she is a
great resource if you are a SoCal mama and can enlist her services. If you are not in SoCal, you can take
advantage of her design sensibility by following her on Pinterest or connecting
with her on Facebook or Twitter. About Rockabye Mommy:
Be sure to scroll down to the end of the post to see the special offer available to SoCal families.
SA: I have over 10 years experience in Residential
and Model Home interior design. So when a friend of mine approached me with the
idea of starting a business catering to expectant mothers I knew immediately
that this niche would be such a fun experience and would allow me to expand my
design expertise in a new way. SPB: Where do you draw your design inspiration? SA:I find inspiration in anything unique and beautiful. It can be
nature, a piece of furniture or a fashion magazine. The great thing about
designing children's rooms is that inspiration can come from anything that
brings a smile to your face because the end result should be a happy, magical
space for a child. SPB: Are there common denominators
across the different nurseries you design? What are those elements? SA: Yes and it's funny
because I try to start every new project with a clean slate but it's my natural
design sensibility to keep an element of sophistication in each room I design.
It always ends up working its way back into the design in some way! The fabrics
I choose have a more modern aesthetic than the typical novelty prints you
usually see in a child's room. That's where the element of sophistication comes
in. I rarely use themed juvenile prints or storybook characters. I feel that a
whimsical space can be achieved without looking childish by selecting
children's motifs in a sophisticated color palette or by using a bright palette
in a modern style. SPB: Do you have a favorite place(s) to shop with new mommies? Which
ones and why? SA: Yes, my go-to locations are The Land of Nod,
AFK Furniture and Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. This is my dynamic
trio! The Land of Nod offers a modern selection with bold colors and graphic
patterns while RH Baby & Child offers a more neutral, soft sophisticated
color palette and transitional furnishings. AFK Furniture manufactures
beautiful French-inspired furnishings. The level of detail in their custom
woodwork and hand painted motifs is absolutely stunning and what puts them in
the higher price point category. SPB: When is the best time for a mommy to start working together
with you to create their Sweet Pea's space? SA: I have started projects
at many different times during a mommy's pregnancy but it's ideal to begin
during their second trimester because it's a more enjoyable time for mommy. The
nausea has usually passed and she is generally in a good state of well-being
which makes it easier to get through all of the design decisions. It also
leaves us plenty of time to get any items on order, schedule any contractors
and have the room completed before baby arrives. My goal is to have the room
ready at least three weeks before baby is due so that mommy can relax and be
worry free knowing that the nursery is complete. SPB: What sets your concierge service apart from other
designers? SA: I think what sets any
designer apart from the other is their personal design sensibility. I love
creating whimsical spaces for children with a sophisticated feel. The other
thing that sets us apart is that, not only will you get a well designed room,
we also offer personal styling and design packages with entry to the exclusive
ACCESS lounge at South Coast Plaza. Our goal is to provide a VIP experience for
our clients during this special time in her life. As members of the exclusive
South Coast Plaza personal stylist program, Our VIP Mommy Treatment is an experience
like no other for the mommy to be! This package includes a two hour design
shopping trip throughout the plaza where we'll help you pull your room concept
together and suggest our favorite items that work with your scheme. A two hour
personal styling session in the ACCESS lounge and a
personalized Tiffany & Co. gift. We also offer three additional packages
and have created them especially for mommy, knowing that she deserves to be
pampered! Where to connect with Rockabye Mommy How about you...what was the inspiration piece or color for your nursery? Please leave us a comment - it will be moderated and
posted. Special Offer for SoCal Families:   The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
