We are starting a "Feature Friday" tradition here at Real Moms, Real Friends, Real Life. This will be where we share a featured business that we think could benefit the mamas out there!
Meet Ashley! She has been a loyal follower on our Instagram since we started. She has a really fun and down-to-earth vibe, and we love it! Ashley is a birth educator, but not just any birth educator! She also is a certified birth and postpartum doula and breastfeeding counselor. As the owner of Supported Season, she offers online courses and counseling so moms can live more freely in the moment throughout their pregnancy and beyond. Her guidance helps lessen the worries of pregnancy and childbirth. Her many videos and guides teach about what to expect and how moms can embrace their own unique situations.
Ashley is REAL, just like us, not pushing opinions on what you should do. She offers unbiased, non-judgemental, educational options to provide you with the best experience that fits YOU and your individual needs.
Not everyone needs a doula. And Ashley is here to show you what options are available. If you are on the fence about whether or not you want to go the doula route, take this quiz on the Supported Season website. Your results will help give you a little guidance on if a doula is right for you.
Ashley has been through the thick of it with the birth of her 3 children. She decided to learn more about what the body goes through during and after pregnancy, and she paired that with her passion to help others. You can read about her pregnancy and birthing experience along with her approach to guiding others on her About page.
Everyone's birthing journey is different, and Ashley provides you with the tools you need to make your experience an easier one. If you want to check it out before committing, she offers a few free sample videos so you can get to know the process.
Her Bump Up Birth course includes over 6 hours of on-demand videos, a 96-page booklet, a planner pack, and a birth guide. All of these materials are available to you in your own account for 9 months after the date of purchase. You can view the videos and use the booklet, planner pack and guide as many times as you'd like during that time frame.
Ashley also offers a birth guide for you to refer to if you need a little boost before the big day! Let's be honest, the big day is not glamourous, and it's nice to know someone's got your back through the whole experience! Especially someone who has been through it themself!
She also offers 1:1 support for those who are looking for even more personalized guidance.
Why I Wish I had this during my pregnancies...
I can tell you I wish I had this for at least one of my pregnancies. My first pregnancy was probably the toughest out of all of them. I was 27, I knew nothing about being pregnant or what to expect. I took a breastfeeding class at Motherhood Maternity, but it was anything but an individualized experience. There were about 10-15 couples in the room listening to a lady going through slides about breastfeeding - as if everyone's situation was going to be the same. Now that I'm thinking about it, I guess you could consider it individualized when the lady asked who in the class was planning on returning to work 6 weeks after their baby arrived. I was literally the only one who raised my hand. I could feel my face turning red as the lady said I would need to make sure there were proper accommodations in place for me to be able to pump at work. It was pretty embarrassing because I knew in my head that my job did not account for that sort of thing. I worked at a small flower shop, and the only person who had kids there was a lady who freelanced, and her children were already out of college. There was a tiny bathroom and storage shed. The only feasible option would have been for me to pump in the car...for all the world to see.
This sent me into a whirlwind of thoughts. Where was I going to breastfeed? Were they going to allow me the time to do it as often as I needed? Looking back, I really wish I had someone like Ashley to guide me and help me think of more customized practical options for my own situation.
Long story short, I ended up having to supplement with formula, which ended up being solely formula which I can't help but think was partially due to not having the support I needed at the time. Yes, I had a big baby (she was 11 lbs., 7 oz.) and she was hungry CONSTANTLY, but I believe if I had more individualized coaching, I would have been able to breastfeed with more success.
I am a strong supporter of fed is best, but for me personally, I would have liked to breastfeed a bit more to not only bond with the baby but to really experience it as a whole and get a chance to see if it was truly right for me and the baby. I wanted to come to that decision on my own, and not due to a lack of support or guidance. And unfortunately, I feel like a lot of moms succumb to being pressured out of it.
All my girls are healthy and happy, and in the end, that is what matters. In the back of my mind, I know if they ever want to have kids someday, I am going to tell them there are options for guidance and support, and that they don't have to feel alone in their journey.
Bonuses
Already had your little one? Check out the Supported Season Bump Up Intimacy Guide. This is a downloadable ebook that helps guide parents (new or seasoned) back into their love lives and intimacy.
Know someone who is expecting? You can give them a gift certificate to use toward the Bump Up course!
Want to follow her on social media?
Instagram - @supported_season
Facebook - Supported Season
TikTok - @yourdoulaashley
コメント