The First Day

Posted on September 17, 2015October 1, 2015 by Holly Yeager

  This morning I stood, sweaty, holding my sleeping toddler in the small front room of "Pas de Chet" while my 3.5 year old tried on her very first ballet dress. It took all of my self control to hold back emotion while peeking in the small curtain to catch a glimpse of my eldest. She smoothed the soft pink leotard against her belly while admiring her delicate skirt. A perfect rosette at the center of her collar completed the...Read More

Exhasuted? We’ve got you covered!

Posted on August 7, 2015May 12, 2016 by Holly Yeager

Let us face it. No one likes to be awakened in the middle of the night, because sleep is an integral part of our biological make-up. We enjoy it, and our bodies need it. As a parent with a new baby, you invest all your time and energy into your tiny little human. Parenthood is extremely rewarding, but it is exhausting, too. Throughout your entire pregnancy, people constantly told you that you would get very little sleep once the baby arrived....Read More

The First Latch

Posted on August 3, 2015February 20, 2016 by Holly Yeager

You have been thinking about breastfeeding your entire pregnancy. You are reading books and soaking up as much information as you can in anticipation of that first latch. You are not alone. The First Latch   Many women throughout the world anticipate that first latch. They dream about it, they plan it out, they want it to be perfect. Most women think that their newborn will be born and be a breastfeeding superstar, but that is not always the case....Read More

World Breastfeeding Week 2015

Posted on August 1, 2015 by Holly Yeager

Lancaster Doulas is excited to kick off World Breastfeeding Week!   We took to social media to ask women in our community their thoughts on breastfeeding. Here are there responses:   Jennifer Jacobs (Jennifer Jacobs) My favorite thing about breastfeeding is how easily it calms all of us.  If my littles are frustrated, or even if I am frustrated if we just sit down and breastfeed it gives us all a chance to calm down, but I do  sometimes get...Read More

WBH Celebrates 1 year of being Baby Friendly

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Holly Yeager

Women and Babies Hospital (WBH) Baby Friendly Hospital Task Force accepts the CEO Award on behalf of the WBH nursing and medical team. This award is given by Lancaster General Health President and CEO Tom Beeman (also pictured)     Please tell me a bit about your role at Women & Babies and your involvement with the Baby Friendly Initiative. I am the Clinical Nurse Specialist at Women & Babies Hospital (WBH) and my role is focused on implementing evidence-based...Read More

April is autism awareness month

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Holly Yeager

When I found out I was pregnant with our second child, I knew that hiring a doula was the right choice for me. Giving birth that time was the most amazing experience of my life. After only six hours of labor and 15 minutes of pushing, our beautiful red-headed girl slid out into the world. She was everything I had ever imagined she would be. Shortly after her birth, the midwife sat on my bed with a sad look on her face and told me there was something "funny looking" with her...Read More

A quiet April morning

Posted on July 28, 2015April 6, 2017 by Holly Yeager

  It's a chilly April morning. The sun is just starting to rise over the horizon. Silence. Then a low moan. Another contraction hits and Sarah instinctively knows what to do.  She grabs John around the neck and drops into a deep squat, rocking and moaning until the contraction passes. I look at my watch. I have been here only two hours. Sarah had called me the night before to let me know that her Braxton Hicks contractions were getting...Read More

Help ! I want a doula but cannot afford one !

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Holly Yeager

Photo Captured at Hershey Hospital   Hiring a doula is one of the best decisions you can make for yourself. The expertise and compassion she brings to your birth is worth its weight in gold. With a price tag of $800- $2,000,a doula can fit into even tight budgets. Sometimes you just need to get creative. Cut down on unnecessary baby gear: There are some baby items that you absolutely need, like a car seat. But you do not need...Read More

The Mighty V-Giny

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Holly Yeager

7 Awesome facts you may not know about your lady parts  Photo from DesignSwan.com 1. All the eggs you will ever have are produced between 16-20 weeks gestation. That means if your amazing body ever housed a daughter, it also housed every potential grandchild you will ever have. Woah, talk about mind blowing. 2. The word "vagina" comes from the Latin root meaning "sheath for a sword." Um, cough... That's what she said. 3. The vagina is a potential space....Read More

My Mom Bod

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Holly Yeager

I have seen it all over my news feed lately: the "Dad Bod" and how this miraculous unicorn of a man body is all the rage amongst twenty-somethings and housewives alike.  Why is it that having a soft, round figure is only hot on dudes? I call bullshit on that right now. Comic Credit of HowBabyComic.com   The day after I had my oldest daughter I stood naked in the bathroom holding her above my now deflated belly. I ran...Read More

So you want to have a VBAC?

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Holly Yeager

Successful VBAC at Reading Hospital       Did you know the most influential factor in a successful VBAC is the care provider you choose? There are three types of providers: those that support VBAC, those that do not, and those that are supportive until the last minute. It can be a huge red flag if your care provider says, "We can wait until later /until your third trimester /until 36 weeks to talk about that."  Your care provider should...Read More

10 Ways To Naturally Encourage Labor

Posted on April 19, 2015August 15, 2017 by Holly Yeager

10 Ways To Naturally Encourage Labor   Disclaimer: DO NOT try any of these methods without first clearing it with your primary care provider.  1. Sex: "The best way to get baby out is the way he got in there in the first place" I love saying that to first time parents and watching their faces react as my words sink in. Yes, it is not only okay to have sex at the end of pregnancy it can be good...Read More