The importance of certification – Why Gold Coast Doulas are different!
Did you know that in the State of Michigan you (yes, you) can call yourself a doula? There is no licensure, training, or certification required. That’s scary. How do you, as a consumer, know you’re hiring the best doula you can? At Gold Coast Doulas we believe in elevating the standards of doula support to […]
Meet Lauren – our newest Birth & Postpartum Doula!
Welcome Lauren Utter to the Gold Coast team as our newest birth and postpartum doula. We are so happy to have her! 1) What did you do before you became a doula? I was a preschool teacher, event coordinator for a camp for children with various needs, and a nanny. 2) What inspired you to […]
Maddie’s Birth Story: Podcast Episode #83
Our listeners love hearing a positive birth story. Today Maddie, a previous HypnoBirthing and Birth client, tells us all about her labor and delivery as well as her experience in the hospital right after having her baby. You can listen to this complete podcast episode on iTunes or SoundCloud. Kristin: Welcome to Ask the Doulas […]
Gold Coast Doulas 4th Annual Diaper Drive
Gold Coast Doulas is holding our 4th annual Diaper Drive from September 1st to October 1st, 2019. Giving back is an important foundation of our business; clean diapers make a huge impact on the heath of new families. Diaper need is something that goes almost completely unrecognized, but 1 in 3 babies suffer in dirty […]
Meet our new doula, Jen!
Meet Jen Serba, our newest postpartum doula. She filled out our standard Q&A so let’s get to know her a little better! 1) What did you do before you became a doula? I began my medical career 17 years ago when I became a Medical Assistant (MA) fresh out of high school. I was […]
Benefits of A Postpartum Doula and Why Should You Hire One?
Author Bio: Roselin Raj is a journalist and a writer. She has been writing extensively on health and wellness related topics for over a decade. Besides her professional interests, she loves a game of basketball or a good hike in her free time to fuel her spirits. “Health is wealth” is one motto of life […]
Podcast Episode #68: Overnight Doula Support
Many of our clients and listeners don’t fully understand what overnight doula support looks like. Kristin and Alyssa, both Certified Postpartum Doulas, discuss the kinds of support their clients look for and how their team of doulas support families in their homes. You can listen to this complete podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud. You can […]
How Much Does a Doula Cost?
With all of the expenses that accompany pregnancy and—eventually—parenthood, it’s natural to be concerned about your budget when considering hiring a doula. So, how much does a doula cost? Prices vary widely and depend on the specific role of your doula, since there are both birth doulas and postpartum doulas. Their hours, rates, and responsibilities […]
Response to Article About Illinois Doula That Suppored an Unassisted Homebirth
There has been a lot of talk in the birth community lately about the recent case of the doula who pled guilty after attending an unassisted homebirth where the baby died. Our team is saddened for the family and for the doula community as a whole. Birth doulas do not take on a medical role, […]
Doula Support for Adoptive Families
Most parents probably don’t think about hiring a doula if they aren’t pregnant. They think of a birth doula only supporting a laboring mother, but that couldn’t be farther from reality. Birth doulas can support any parent. Postpartum doulas can support adoptive families by helping them to prepare for baby’s arrival and in-home after baby […]
Meet Kelsey, our newest Certified Postpartum Doula!
1) What did you do before you became a doula? I have always secretly been a doula, just in other facets. Before becoming a doula, I ran a mental wellness day center in northern California, and I also worked at an emergency youth shelter looking to reduce rates of domestic violence, child abuse, and human […]
Meet our newest birth doula, Katie!
Say hello to Katie, our newest doula. As always, we asked her some questions so you can get to know her a little better. She met her husband in 3rd grade at a spelling bee, how adorable is that?! 1) What did you do before you became a doula? I have the joy and privilege […]
Lessons from Tahlequah
Thank you, Ashley, for writing this lovely article about loss and bereavement. Many of us have seen the article circulating by now about Tahlequah, the mother orca that carried around the body of her calf for upwards of two weeks. This documented, circulating story has struck a chord in many, and for many different reasons. Most […]
Mothership Certified Health Service Providers
Many of our doulas are Mothership Certified Health Service Providers. Sounds cool, but what does that mean? Here’s a simplified breakdown of what we learned in our training and why it’s so important. The training involved learning the difference between empathy and sympathy. We understand that empathy never starts with, “At least…”. Here’s a great […]
My role as a postpartum doula.
Our very own Jamie Platt, BSN, RN, CLC, CPST shares her personal insights on what it’s like to be a postpartum doula. What is the role of a postpartum doula? What does it look like, and how might a doula support the breastfeeding relationship between mom and baby? A postpartum doula can take care of […]
Meet our newest doula, Jenny!
We are so excited to announce Jenny Chandler as the newest birth doula on the Gold Coast Team! 1) What did you do before you became a doula? Hotel front desk receptionist Church intern Maternity center volunteer in Haiti 2) What inspired you to become a doula? I was in Haiti at a maternity center […]
Meet our new birth doula, Mary!
1) What did you do before you became a doula? I left my career in marketing to be a full-time mom, and with my young family, I ended up traveling for a few years to support my husband’s graduate studies in South Bend, Rome, and New York City. Since then, we’ve settled back in West Michigan, […]
Podcast Episode #20: Lisa’s Story about Postpartum Anxiety
On this episode of Ask the Doulas, Lisa shares about her postpartum experience of dealing with anxiety and how doula support helped her through that challenging time. You can listen to the complete podcast on iTunes and Soundcloud. Please also visit our postpartum depression and anxiety resource list. Alyssa: Hi, welcome back to Ask the […]
Meet Lindsey, our newest Birth Doula!
We are very excited to introduce you to Lindsey Lupo. She comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and an amazing background as well as a love for people that extends beyond words. 1) What did you do before you became a doula? I worked in trauma for 7+ years at a local hospital, […]
Meet Our New Postpartum Doula, Gina!
We have another amazing postpartum doula to introduce to you! Read on to find out more about Gina and her family. 1. What did you do before becoming a Doula? Before becoming a Doula, I nannied for two years until I had my first daughter. When she arrived I became a stay at home mom. […]
Meet our new Birth and Postpartum Doula, Julie!
We’re excited to welcome Julie Skripka to the Gold Coast team as a Birth and Postpartum Doula! Let’s get to know her a little better. 1) What did you do before you became a doula? Before starting my doula adventure, I was home raising and homeschooling my 4 children. I currently nanny and run the […]
Sleep Training is a Four Letter Word
Sleep Training. Those two words can stir up some pretty aggressive emotions for some parents. I guess it’s because there are so many methodologies, many of which are controversial, and there are so many different thoughts on parenting and what is right and wrong. My answer is there’s no one way to do this! If […]
Podcast Episode #4: When to Hire a Doula and Why A Team Works
In this episode of Ask the Doulas, Alyssa and Ashley talk about Gold Coast’s team model for doulas and about the right timing for hiring your doula. You can listen to this complete podcast on iTunes. Alyssa: Hi, welcome to Ask the Doulas. I’m Alyssa, co-owner and postpartum doula at Gold Coast Doulas, and […]
Podcast Episode #1: One and Done! Alyssa’s Doula Journey
In this episode of Ask the Doulas, Alyssa shares about her birth experience and her decision to have only child, as well as her journey to becoming a postpartum doula. You can listen to the complete podcast on iTunes. Kristin: Welcome to another episode of Ask the Doulas with Gold Coast Doulas. I’m Kristin. […]
