16Feb/18

Broken Boobs

February 16, 2018breastfeeding, Doula, New Baby, Nonjudgmental Support, Postpartum, Postpartum DoulaBloomington, bloomington IL, Bloomington-Normal, Breastfeeding, Central IL, Central Illinois, Champaign, champaign IL, Doula, engorgement, Heartland Doulas, IBCLC, newborn, nonjudgmental support, Pekin, pekin IL, Peoria, peoria IL, Postpartum, Postpartum doula, springfield IL, supplementingKate Herzel

I remember distinctly the lump in my throat and the hot tears welling up in my eyes as the lactation consultant was describing what she was feeling in my engorged, painful breastRead More…

26Sep/17

Get Back in the Game. Postpartum Bad Advice.

September 26, 2017New Baby, Nonjudgmental Support, Parenting, Postpartum, Postpartum Doula, Uncategorizedadvice, Afterbirth, Babymoon, bad advice, blo-no, Bloomington, bloomington IL, Central IL, Central Illinois, champaign IL, coffee, Doula, grace, Heartland Doulas, judgment, laundry, nanny, new baby, new mom, new parent, newborn, newmom, nonjudgmental support, Parenting, pekin IL, peoria IL, Postpartum, Postpartum doula, sahd, sahm, springfield IL, supermom, support, twins, wahd, wahm, wisdom, working momStacy Ash

Suck it up buttercup. Why are you so tired? You need to get back in the game. These are things that people say to us after we have a baby. But evenRead More…

19Sep/17

Life is full of choices. Use your brain.

September 19, 2017Birth, Childbirth Education, Doula, New Baby, Nonjudgmental Support, Parenting, Postpartum, Postpartum DoulaBabymoon, Birth, Birth Preferences, blo-no, Bloomington, bloomington IL, Bloomington-Normal, C-Section, Central IL, Central Illinois, Cesarean, champaign IL, Doula, epidural, Heartland Doulas, home birth, hospital birth, informed, labor doula, lamaze, midwife, natural birth, newborn, nonjudgmental support, Parenting, Pekin, Peoria, Postpartum, Postpartum doula, pregnancy, springfield IL, twins, VBAC, water birthStacy Ash

Choices. There are so many choices, so many paths. There are many reasons why a choice you make today might not be the same choice you make tomorrow. There are many variablesRead More…

07Sep/17

Sleep Training: It’s Not What You Think!

September 7, 2017New Baby, Parenting, Postpartum, Postpartum Doula, SleepAurora, Bloomington, Bloomington-Normal, Carbondale, Central IL, Central Illinois, Champaign, Chicago, Decatur, Heartland Doulas, IL, Macomb, newborn sleep, Night Nanny, Night Nurse, Normal, Pekin, Peoria, postpartum depression, Postpartum doula, Quincy, Rockford, Sleep, sleep deprivation, Sleep Training, springfield IL, twinsKate Herzel

For far too long, I’ve watched new families receive the same tired advice from well-meaning friends and family (and sometimes strangers on the internet!): Sleep when the baby sleeps…an hour or twoRead More…

03Mar/17

Think before you speak and stare.

March 3, 2017Birth, Doula, Labor, Nonjudgmental Support, Postpartum Doula, Pregnant, UncategorizedAnimal Adventure Park, April the Giraffe, Birth, Birth Preferences, Birth Watch, blo-no, bloomington IL, Bloomington-Normal, C-Section, Central IL, champaign IL, childbirth class, childbirth education, Doula, epidural, Heartland Doulas, home birth, hospital birth, midwife, newborn, nonjudgmental support, Parenting, pekin IL, peoria IL, Postpartum, Postpartum doula, pregnancy, springfield IL, twinsStacy Ash

Stares and odd-ball comments that just make you shake your head. That’s what happens when you’re pregnant. April the giraffe knows what I’m talking about! I’m sure she is humming, “I alwaysRead More…

13Feb/17

Valentine baby and your love life

February 13, 2017Birth, New Baby, Parenting, Postpartum, Postpartum Doula, UncategorizedAfterbirth, Babymoon, Birth, blo-no, bloomington IL, Bloomington-Normal, C-Section, Central IL, champaign IL, Doula, Heartland Doulas, home birth, hospital birth, lamaze, midwife, nonjudgmental support, Postpartum, Postpartum doula, springfield IL, twinsStacy Ash

  So, you’re expecting your Valentine baby soon. Or maybe you’re cuddling your little one right now and are immersed in the fourth trimester known as postpartum. Either way, your brain mayRead More…

22Nov/16

Send Night Help!

November 22, 2016Doula, New Baby, Postpartum, Postpartum Doulabloomington IL, Bloomington-Normal, champaign IL, galesburg IL, Multiples, Night Help, Night Nanny, Night Nurse, pekin IL, peoria IL, Postpartum, Postpartum doula, Sleep, Sleep Training, springfield IL, twinsKate Herzel

I remember the first night home with my first baby like it happened yesterday. I wish I could tell you that the memory is of staring fondly at my baby, feeding himRead More…

10Nov/16

Not the baby anymore.

November 10, 20165 Things, New Baby, Parenting, Postpartum Doula, SiblingBabymoon, bloomington IL, Central Illinois, champaign IL, childbirth education, Doula, Heartland Doulas, Parenting, pekin IL, peoria IL, Postpartum, Postpartum doula, springfield ILStacy Ash

Mom says she has a baby in her tummy and soon he will be here. She says I’m not going to be the baby anymore. This is all I have ever known.Read More…

20May/16

I Wish I Had a Doula for Our First Year of Marriage

May 20, 2016Birth Plan, Doula, Postpartum DoulaBirth Plan, bloomington IL, Bloomington-Normal, Doula, pekin IL, peoria ILKate Herzel

Just three months after we got married, I ran home over my lunch break to find a huge utility van in the parking lot with a big hose coming out of the backRead More…

12May/16

Do You Have a Labor Insurance Policy?

May 12, 2016Doula, Nonjudgmental Support, Postpartum DoulaBloomington, Bloomington-Normal, Central IL, Central Illinois, childbirth, Doula, Heartland Doulas, home birth, hospital birth, labor doula, natural birth, nonjudgmental support, VBAC, water birthKate Herzel

Imagine hiring a labor doula. You have built a bond over weeks or months and are looking forward to your doula being YOUR PERSON when you go into labor. You know youRead More…