Posts by Christie Rinder
The Childbirth Course with Buddha Belly Doulas was fantastic – Mayrel, Oldsmar
My husband and I took the childbirth course with Buddha Belly Doulas and it was fantastic. Both Christie and Amy are awesome; they are very professional, knowledgeable and always offer prompt customer service. The course’s curriculum was very informative, sourced from science based content, and taught at a good, relaxed pace, allowing us to absorb…
Read MoreWhen Should Baby Start Solid Food?
I was so excited to start solid foods with my first baby. With ingredients from our community-supported agriculture delivery, I made her baby food with love. I ordered special spoons (to help with her ergonomics) and bowls, plates, cups and storage containers. And then guess what? She hated pureed food. Finally I tried giving her…
Read MoreThe Best Toys for Your Baby
When I was expecting my first baby, I had so much fun buying baby things! Each item was researched ad nauseum, compared, considered and chosen with care. One purchase category got extra time and effort: toys. Of course, I wanted my baby to have the best. I was influenced strongly by natural parenting circles and…
Read More“Mommy, I Pooped My Pants”
The story of a Christmas tree excursion that didn’t go exactly as planned. It was a dark evening in the Christmas tree tent, as 3 year old Jack and 8 year old Shane ran around giggling with glee during their annual hide-n-seek game. The other tree-shoppers didn’t seem to mind. They had also been touched…
Read MoreWhat’s the Best Formula for My Baby?
We are often asked, as lactation counselors, what formula is best for my baby? (Yes lactation counselors are experts in ALL modes of infant feeding, not just breastfeeding.) This also comes up when we are supporting families as postpartum doulas. For us, the best baby formula should follow three simple rules. As a reminder, we…
Read MoreAdventures in Morning Sickness
Morning Sickness. If that isn’t a misnomer, I don’t know what is. Morning Sickness, or as I like to call it, All Day Sickness, should really just be labelled pregnancy nausea and vomiting. A lot of pregnant folks experience it and there are various different degrees of severity. It can happen in the morning, or…
Read MoreExtremely Enlightening – Samantha H., New Port Richey
HypnoBirthing was the best decision for preparing for labor! Candice was an excellent instructor and far exceeded my expectations. Reading the Hypnobirthing book is one thing, but nothing compares to experiencing it with someone who is as knowledgable, passionate and experienced as Candice is. Would recommend to any and everyone looking to have any kind…
Read MoreTampa Bay Hospital VBAC Rates 2019
Planning to have a VBAC? (VBAC = vaginal birth after cesarean.) Do you know the VBAC rate for your hospital? I know we say this a lot, but it bears repeating: the hospital that you choose to deliver your baby at has a huge impact on the outcome of your birth experience. In fact, it…
Read MoreHealing Damaged Nipples
Breastfeeding should never hurt. Breastfeeding should never hurt, but that doesn’t mean it actually never does. How can you heal damaged, cracked and bleeding nipples? Fix That Latch! First, you’ll need to take corrective measures to stop the damage from reoccurring. This almost always means encouraging your baby to latch more deeply. In a shallow…
Read MoreTampa Bay Hospital C-Section Rates 2019
Do you know the c-section rate for your hospital? Without a doubt, your hospital of choice has a huge impact on the outcome of your birth experience. There are numerous factors to consider when choosing your hospital, and their cesarean rate should be at the top of the list. Experts explain more in this article…
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