Seacoast New Mom & Baby Expo

Dover Doula is proud to once again sponsor the Seacoast New Mom & Baby Expo along with ChildLight Yoga and Garrison Women's Health Center.  This year's Expo will be on Wednesday, November 6th from 10:00am - 6:00pm at The Red Barn at Outlook in South Berwick, ME.  This is the 7th Annual Expo!

Dover Doula at the 2012 Seacoast Mom & Baby Expo

The Seacoast New Mom & Baby Expo is one of my favorite days of the year!  Not only do I get to meet hundreds of new moms and women who are pregnant, I get to catch up with most of the women and babies I've worked with throughout the past few years.  It's the best!

If you are pregnant or have a new baby and live in the Seacoast area, you have to come!  It's a great chance to meet many different local resources at once.  For instance, do you need a photographer for your maternity or newborn portraits?  At the Seacoast Mom & Baby Expo you can check out three:  TARA Photography, MAC Photography and Kelly Meyers Photography.  This will save you a ton of time doing research and you can enter to win a Free Mini-Maternity Session from TARA Photography (valued at $200!).

Besides photographers, there will be chiropractors, doulas, lactation consultants, healthcare providers, cloth diaper companies, preschools, financial planners and so much more!

Pregnant?  Learn about your options for 3D/4D Ultrasound from Diagnostic Ultrasound Suite, birth & postpartum doula care from Seacoast Doula Group, Dover Doula, Hound Hill Doula and Koru Care Postpartum Doula Services.  Prenatal yoga classes from ChildLight Yoga.

Are you a new mom?  Learn about mom and baby yoga classes and classes for toddlers from ChildLight Yoga.  Research non-toxic personal care products from Ava Anderson, financial planning from Primerica, childcare options with Little Tree Education and Seacoast Waldorf School.

A mom enjoys a free massage from
Starry Brook Natural Medicine at the 2012 Expo
(photo courtesy of TARA Photography)

Either way, come pamper yourself!  Enjoy a massage or treat yourself to lunch or a Mocktail from the Mocktail Bar sponsored by Great Bay Doulas.   There will be tons of free samples and giveaways as well as the chance to win a whole bunch of fantastic raffle prizes.

G.Willikers! FREE Toddler Play Area
(photo courtesy of TARA Photography)

Some highlights of the day include a private Nursing Nook sponsored by the lactation consultants from Goodwin Community Health.  A free Toddler Play Area packed with toys from G!Willikers .  Also the Stonyfield Farm Yogurt Truck will be on site from 12:00 - 3:00 pm handing out free samples for the kiddos.  Throughout the day, other snacks will be provided by Happy Family brands and LARABAR. You can also enter your babies into Z107's Cutest Baby Photo Contest.






Be sure to follow the Seacoast Mom and Baby Expo Facebook page for all the latest information and updates!

What dads-to-be want

I think it is a universal truth that most dads-to-be want to help their partners during labor.  But how?

I meet many dads-to-be who say they want to play an active role in the birth of their child.  And I meet tons of moms-to-be who tell me they don't need a doula because their husband is going to be their support person.  That is fantastic!  But, your husband has never done this before either.  And he probably hasn't read as many books as you have. :-) 

One of my favorite parts of my job is teaching the Yoga Birth Method to expecting couples.  I like to scan the room at the beginning of the class, because it sometimes seems like the dads aren't all that excited to be there.  However, they ALWAYS leave feeling empowered and excited for the upcoming birth of their baby.

Why?

Because in this workshop, I teach couples how to use yoga poses and breathing techniques to:

• help labor progress
• help you stay connected to your baby and each other
• help manage pain

Moms-to-be learn yoga poses while the dads learn hands-on ways to assist each pose to offer comfort, encouragement and gentle support.

Dads-to-be leave with a "cheat sheet" that details what yoga poses work for each stage of labor.  They learn specific tools and this seems to really resonate with men.

To learn more and see upcoming dates of my workshops, click here!  

Darcy Sauers is a certified Yoga Birth Method instructor and a Prenatal Yoga teacher.  She is also a DONA certified Postpartum Doula and Certified Lactation Counselor.  Darcy teaches prenatal yoga classes and Yoga Birth Method workshops and private sessions in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire.  She is the owner of Dover Doula and a member of Great Bay Doulas.  Darcy lives in Dover, NH with her husband and three children.  For more information on  her upcoming classes and workshops, please visit www.doverdoula.com.  She can be reached at 603-988-5945 or darcy@doverdoula.com. 

3 best ways to afford postpartum doula care

Whenever I meet someone new and tell them that I am a postpartum doula and explain what a postpartum doula does, they usually say something along the lines of, "Boy, I could have really used you!" or "I wish I could have afforded that."

And, when I'm working with pregnant women in prenatal yoga, I often hear "I really wish I could afford to hire you for when my baby is here".  With a little planning, you can!

I passionately believe that every new mom needs help.  We no longer live in a society where the women of the village come  help you after your baby is born.  The reality is that now we need to hire postpartum doulas.  New moms need to feel supported and taken care of.  New moms need rest and healthy snacks and meals.  New moms need help with breastfeeding and laundry.  It is impossible to do it all, all by yourself.

So, here are my tips for the three best ways to afford postpartum doula care:


1.  While you're pregnant, set aside some money each month to be put towards postpartum doula care.  It can be $25 or $100 per month, whatever you can make happen.  For instance, take whatever you used to spend each month on sushi, lunch meat and wine and save that for hiring postpartum doula support once your baby is here.  Think back to your wedding and how much time, effort and money you put into making that a special day/weekend/time.  The birth of your baby and YOU deserve that same attention now!

2.  Register for it!  Your friends and family really do want to give you a gift that you need and will use, so give them the opportunity to provide you with quality postpartum support.  This also ensures that you don't end up with four wipes warmers or gear that you will never use.  Include a link to my website on your registry or in your shower invite.  Please contact me if you'd like some cards specifically designed to pop into your shower invitations.  Loved ones can purchase gift certificates for you right on my website.

3.  Call your health insurance provider.  Many of my clients have had success with getting postpartum doula care and lactation support reimbursed by their insurance companies and even their Flex Spending Accounts.  Call yours now to see what they will cover.  If they do not, write a letter with details about why you especially need support (c-section, multiples, no family around, health condition etc.)  Also, see if your health care provider will provide you a prescription for postpartum doula support.  

Call me today to set up a free prenatal consultation so we can discuss your particular postpartum needs and ways we can work together to make it affordable.


Darcy Sauers is a certified postpartum doula, certified lactation counselor and the owner of Dover Doula (www.doverdoula.com) in the Seacoast, NH area.  She is passionately committed to helping ALL new moms find the support, resources and information they need.  Please do not hesitate to contact Darcy with any questions at darcy @ doverdoula.com or 603-988-5945.  For more information on breastfeeding, the postpartum period, prenatal yoga or local resources and events for new moms, follow her on Facebook.