Ask the Doulas Podcast

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, Alyssa Veneklase and Laine begin by talking about the distance that parents can sometimes feel as their babies and children grow and seem to need them less. The conversation takes some interesting turns to talk about having clear boundaries for kids, pivoting our expectations of children as they grow, and learning how to figure out who you are as a parent. Please...

Send us Fan Mail Laine Lipsky, Parenting Coach, talks with Alyssa Veneklase today about the negative effects of sleep deprivation on children and parents. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula services & online courses below: ht...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Gaynel Nave of Hormonal Balance talks to us about hormones and how they affect our mental health, including the Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula services & online c...

Send us Fan Mail Today we talk with Laine Lipsky, parenting coach, about some best practices for parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic. She gives us all some great tips on how to manage stress and deal with out children no matter what age! Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s bir...

Send us Fan Mail Sam & Justin recently had their baby boy, Judah, in the hospital in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. They describe their experience in the hospital as well as how beneficial birth doula support was throughout pregnancy and then during labor and delivery, even though support was virtual instead of in-person. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, s...

Send us Fan Mail Liz Hilton, founder of Swaddlini, tells Kristin Revere and Alyssa Veneklase about the unique process she uses to create her amazing swaddles and why her swaddles are different. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula...

Send us Fan Mail Kristin Revere and Alyssa Veneklase of Gold Coast Doulas, give an update on doulas and the coronavirus. How is this affecting birth doulas in the hospital and postpartum doulas in the home? They also talk about virtual classes such as Mama Natural Online to help new parents stay prepared while social distancing. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so...

Send us Fan Mail Kris and Autumn of The People Picture Company answer questions about what a photographer actually does in the delivery room and how the process works for hiring a photographer and talking about birth plans. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book,...

Send us Fan Mail Today we talk with Elsa, a therapist at Mindful Counseling in Grand Rapids, Michigan who specializes in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Learn what postpartum anxiety and depression look like, how they are different, and signs to look out for. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Annie and Dr. Rachel talk to Alyssa about Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), how to prevent it, how to treat it, and things every pregnant and postpartum woman should be doing! Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Do...

Send us Fan Mail Today we speak with Katie and Becky from Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids about what it means to be a designated Baby Friendly hospital. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula services & online courses below: http...

Send us Fan Mail Kristin talks to Paige, The Millennial Guru, again today about how to financially prepare for growing your family! Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula services & online courses below: https://linktr.ee/goldcoa...

Send us Fan Mail Paige, The Millennial Guru, shares some savvy saving tips with Kristin Revere to help you think about priorities, wants, and needs and how to budget for them. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula services & onl...

Send us Fan Mail Today Kristin Revere talks to Hanna from Local First about what it means to be Certified B Corporation and how it impacts our community. Gold Coast Doulas is the area's most recent B Corp! Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more...

Send us Fan Mail Deb Timmerman, RN, DAIS, CSME speaks with us today about her new certification in Stress Mastery. What does that mean you ask? It's all about learning positive ways to handle stress and actually master it, instead of letting stress take over. Listen to see how this can help parents throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this e...

Send us Fan Mail We talk to Dr. Nave again from Health for Life in Grand Rapids, this time about how a woman can prepare her body for pregnancy. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula services & online courses below: https://link...

Send us Fan Mail Our listeners love hearing positive birth stories. 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. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Nave, Naturopathic Doctor, talks with us today about a woman's monthly cycle. "What's "normal"? What if you don't get a period at all? Is PMS a real thing?" Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see mo...

Send us Fan Mail Today our former birth client and HypnoBirthing student, Maddie Kioski, tells us her personal pregnancy journey using HypnoBirthing and how it helped her feel excited about labor and delivery instead of scared. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby b...

Send us Fan Mail Megan Kretz, one of Alyssa's sleep clients, tells us about her sleep training journey with her daughter at 9 months and again at 19 months. She says that as a working mom, it meant spending a little less time with her daughter, but that it was all worth it because the quality of the time spent together improved drastically. Everyone was happier and healthier! Please leave a r...

Send us Fan Mail Elsa Lockman, LMSW talks to us about how partners, family members, and other caregivers can support a mother during those critical postpartum weeks to ensure she seeks help if needed. How do you approach a new mother and what are her best options for care? Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our ne...

Send us Fan Mail Today Gaby talks to Alyssa Venekelase about the pros and cons of running a family business and how, as a mother, she managers her time and finds like-minded entrepreneurs with similar schedules. She also tells us how her bridal shop caters to the "minority bride" whether it's a last minute dress, the perfect dress while pregnant, or making a LGBTQ couple feel comfor...

Send us Fan Mail Today Alyssa talks with Gaby about the births of her two children. Gaby tells us about her hospital experiences, how she dealt with family in the delivery and waiting room, and gives advice to new moms. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and...

Send us Fan Mail Jamie Platt, Birth and Postpartum Doula with Gold Coast Doulas, tells us about three completely different breastfeeding experiences with her three children. Please leave a review on our podcast if you enjoyed this episode, so we can reach more listeners like you! Subscribe to our newsletter, check out Kristin’s birth and baby book, and see more about our Doula services & onlin...

Send us Fan Mail Hear two experts talk about the link between a baby's tongue and breastfeeding. What are some signs of a tongue tie and what does that procedure even look like? Shira Johnson, IBCLC, and Dr. Katie Swanson, Certified Pediatric Dentist, give us some insight into breastfeeding a newborn. After this podcast aired, Shira wanted us to clarify some things that were mentioned:“A tong...