Nesting Days Blog

As a postpartum doula, one of the first things I help my clients do is develop a Nesting Strategy around three key objectives: 1.) getting adequate rest and good nutrition to facilitate healing and lactation, 2.) delegating tasks to others so that she can focus is on nurturing herself and her baby, 3.) and spending lots of time skin-to-skin with her newborn.

After life-saving surgeries, including a double mastectomy, I was cancer-free and underwent reconstructive surgery. Looking back on how the diagnosis and procedures have affected me, I started a family and became a mom. That had really shaped my parenting. I feel that as a result, I live in the moment every single day and appreciate all the things that I've been blessed with – primarily being blessed with my two sweet girls.

Breastfeeding is increasingly promoted these days, as more and more evidence shows the importance of feeding babies this complete, species-specific food. We know that breast milk is full of living vitamins and minerals, but here are some things you might not know:

Two blue jays built a nest in my lemon tree early in the spring, and I had patiently kept my distance as they diligently tended their young over the past months. As it turned officially summer this weekend, I decided it was time to get the ladder out and take a closer look at their handicraft.

I’m a trained postpartum doula. Because many people don’t know what a postpartum doula is or does, I usually begin by explaining what I don’t do. I am not medically trained. I do not make diagnosis, give medical advise, or administer medicine.

What I do do is Nurture, Educate, Support and Transition (N.E.S.T.) the new mother and her infant on their journey from womb to world.

“When I was 28 years old I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Due to the incurable nature of the cancer I had, my doctors decided it would be best to do a complete double mastectomy with reconstruction surgery.

Looking back, now 5 years in remission, it all feels like a dream. And the perspective I had gained was so invaluable. After my diagnosis, I vowed to myself that I would appreciate every single day. You never know when your time will run out.

Kristen LaValley had so much difficulty breastfeeding her first child that she eventually gave up. I asked her to tell her story of how she listened to her instincts, went skin-to-skin, and used the Nesting Days carrier to successfully nurse her second child.

Let’s face it, no matter how thrilled you are with your new baby, you still need to be able to perform simple functions to get through the day.

As a postpartum doula, I encourage new mothers to slow down and give their bodies time to recover from pregnancy and delivery, and to get to know their babies, but you can go stir-crazy without some mobility.

Congratulations, new mama!

Your baby is finally here and how precious and sweet it is to hold them, smell them and marvel at that perfect (and tiny!) body. Is there anything cuter than baby feet? I don’t think so.

We know breastfeeding is challenging for many moms. The reason we created Nesting Days is to accelerate the new mother’s understanding of her baby’s needs.  Skin-to-skin makes that understanding so much easier. Learning baby’s cues, practicing latching, anticipating when they need to feed, and promoting healthy milk supply are all accelerated when your baby is connected— heart-to-heart and skin-to-skin.