Breast Pump Rentals & Sales

Before, During & After Doula Service is a now a proud supplier of Hygeia Breastpumps!

We have pumps for rent and pumps for sale, as well as the necessary accessories. Hygeia pumps have been approved by the FDA to be multi-user equipment. What this means is we are able to rent our pumps to moms that are of hospital quality and grade (if not better!) to you. All you are required to do to make the the pump your "own" while leasing is to purchase your personal accessory set. This is the same situation if you were to rent a pump from the hospital or any other lactation consultant. At no time does "anything of yours" come in contact with the machine! All of your milk goes through your personal tubing that you purchase for your personal use.

What Before, During & After also offers that a baby store or the majority of other lactation consultants do not is door-to-door concierge service! If you decide to rent or buy Hygeia equipment through us, we come to you!

We can also have the company drop ship directly to your home.

For $45.00 a month (which is about $1.50 a day) you can rent the EnDeare, a high-quality, satisfaction guaranteed pump! The accessory set (which comes with all the tubing, flanges, collection bottles, etc.) is a one time fee of $35.

If you decide you like the rental model, we have models for sale as well! Hygeia's ENJoye pump is comparable, if not better, than the leading retail competitor. This means quality, satisfaction AND price. For the pumps and all necessary accessories (car adapters, carry bags, et al) Hygeia's ENJoye comes in, depending on what accessories you'd like to buy, at $220 to $350. The comparable model at a retail store is well over $300.00; for the pumps alone! Plus, if you don't like the Hygeia for any reason, you can return it for a refund!

Please contact Jenn Mossholder, jenn@doulamom.com or 610-529-3249, or come to the Open House on July 17 in King of Prussia, to see what Before, During & After has to offer you! We will also be having an Introduction to Breast Pump Drop Ins on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, August 2 in King of Prussia, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Is Birth a Feminist Issue?

Women in childbirth have a variety of experiences. As a doula I try to make that transition into motherhood as positive as it can be. The biggest obstacle to having a “good birth” is the mindset we have inherited from not only our families but from society. Mothers are told to expect pain and suffering and to embrace narcotics to avoid the natural sensations of labor and birth, Instead of being taught good coping skills and making labor and birth a team effort. The medical establishment has taken birth as their own away from women, from mothers and from midwives and from montrices, and made it more paternalistic and interventionist and modern.

To think of giving birth as a feminist issue takes some people a little getting used to. Labor and birth are parts of many women's lives but even those who are not mothers can take to heart this issue on other levels. By modernizing or medicalizing a natural event and perverting it does not empower women to make sound choices in their healthcare. It teaches them to be afraid of their bodies and of change and of trusting their internal minds and instincts. Some women have become so frightened of the labor process they are seeking out voluntary cesarean sections, i.e. major abdominal surgery, to forgo trusting their bodies.

With my efforts, and the efforts of many other women in my area, we are trying to bring the focus of labor and birth back to where it began. Making babies is messy. Having babies is messy. Life is messy.

July 2009 Events for www.doulamom.com

Events

JULY 2009

Healthy Pregnancy & Birth Class (8 weeks long, start date is listed)
Start date of Wednesday, July 1: 6:45 pm to 9:15 pm
Jenn Riedy, jenn@knittedinthewomb.com, teaches this intensive 8 week course, covering: pregnancy nutrition, exercise, normal labor, complications in labor including cesarean birth, informed decision making, and comfort techniques for labor. Expectant women may choose to take the first two classes of this series in early pregnancy to aid in having a healthy pregnancy.

The cost of this course is $150.00 per couple and it is best started in the middle of second trimester to the beginning of the third trimester.

Meet the Doulas Open House Night!
Friday, July 17, 2009, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm - The Healing Point, King of Prussia, PA 19406
Come out and meet some of the doulas of Before, During & After and see our "new digs" at The Healing Point, 215 W. Church Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406. Free gift bags to the first 50 guests; filled with information, gifts and offers from Before, During & After and local businesses. Get a chance to see some body henna art, relax with a foot massage and bid on a small silent auction.

Items so far are signed books by Parenting Authors, a Motherlove Product Basket, handmade infant girl hats, a Burt's Bees Baby Product Basket, a sling from Hotslings, an Infant Scale, Homemade Blankets from babymomo and Two Professional Photography Packages. Admission is FREE!

5% of the Silent Auction will be donated to Fox Chase Cancer Center; the links between the benefits of breastfeeding and the reduction in risk of breast cancer are fairly definitive.

The silent auction will be held for the whole Open House so please stay and enjoy meeting other expectant moms in the area and learn about doulas, acupuncture, massage, reflexology and all other benefits you can take advantage of at The Healing Point!
For full information about the Open House, click on the Open House link to your left!

Introduction to Breast Pumps: Saturday, July 25, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
The Healing Point, 215 W. Church Road, Ste 112, King of Prussia PA 19406
This is a FREE, drop-in event. See what Before, During & After has to offer you in the Hygeia line of breast pumps!

Small Group Childbirth Ed: Saturday, July 25, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
The Healing Point, 215 W. Church Road, Ste 112, King of Prussia PA 19406
Pre-registration and pre-payment is required. Please email jenn@doulamom.com three (3) days prior to the class or the class is in jeopardy of being canceled. This is a 2 to 3 hour session (ONE CLASS) and class size is limited. Small Group is a great environment to learn in. The benefit to limiting the class size and it being in a small environment is the personalization and having the ability to get all your questions answered or addressed. Light snacks and beverages are included in the tuition. The cost of this class is $60 per couple.

Open House - Meet the Doulas

*NB* Please be prepared to pay for your item THAT evening! Bring your checkbooks!

Open House - July 17, 2009

Friday, July 17, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
The Healing Point, 215 W. Church Road, Suite 112, King of Prussia
Please Park Behind the Building, Towards "Sweat Gym"

Admission is FREE, The Only Paid Portion of the Evening is Our Awesome Silent Auction!
5% of the proceeds from the silent auction will be donated to Fox Chase Cancer Center

• Free Loaded Tote Bags to the First Fifty Guests
• Light Refreshments
• Opportunities for Henna Art Demonstrations and Reflexology
• Meet the Doulas and Other Expectant Mothers in the Area

Auction Items, In Alphabetical Order

Angela Pursell, Photographer - Custom Photo Session...Maternity or Newborn
2 8x10's, 4 5x7's, 25 Wallets - 25% off of all future sessions and prints for 1 year; on location or studio sessions available
Retail Value of $380.80

Anne Butler, NCTMB - Relaxing and Theraputic Pre and Post Natal Massage Package (one hour each)
Retail Value of $145.00

babymomo Chenille Blanket & Burp Cloths - Handmade 100% Organic Cotton Burp Cloths & Coordinating Blanket
Retails for $30.00

Burt's Bees Bundle of Joy Gift Basket - Includes 5 All Natural Products & a Comb
Retails for $26.00

Crabby Creations Soft Knit Hats - 2 Soft Brown with Cream Flower Accent, 1 Chocolate Brown with Ribbon
Retails for $21.00

The Doula Guide to Birth: Secrets Every Pregnant Woman Should Know - Signed by the Author, Ananda Lowe
Retails for $12.00 and it is a SIGNED COPY

Empowered to Birth Naturally: One Woman's Journey to Homebirth - Signed by the Author, OUR very own Patrice London. We have 2 copies available for bidding!
Retails for $13.00 a piece, and they are SIGNED COPIES

Hotslings Pouch Style Baby Carrier with Instructional DVD - La Vie en Rose, Size 3
Retails for $48.00

Hygeia Baby Infant Scale - Weighs Babies up to 44 pounds
Retails for $185.00

Kuttin Up Hand Crochetted Hat - Hot Pink Infant Hat with Detachable Flower Barrette
Retails for $7.00

Lisa Phillips Photography Session - Includes Seating, Two 5x7 prints, Two 4x6 prints & 8 Wallets
Retails for $175.00

Motherlove Mamacare Pack - Includes Pregnant Belly Oil, Pregnant Belly Salve, Rhoid Balm, Nipple Cream and a Sitz Bath. A must have for any new natural mama.
Retails for $20.00

Schedule of Events

• 7:00 p.m. - Doors Open
• 7:45 p.m. - Bidding Ends on Lisa Phillips' Photography Package and babymomo Blanket/Burp Cloth Set
• 8:15 p.m. - Bidding Ends on Hygeia Infant Scale, Hotslings Carrier and Burt's Bees Basket
• 8:45 p.m. - Bidding Ends on Massage Package, The Doula Guide to Birth Signed Copy and Empowered to Birth Naturally Signed Copies
• 9:15 p.m. - Bidding Ends on Angela Pursell's Photography Package, Motherlove Mamacare Pack and Handmade Hats
• 9:30 p.m. - Our Evening Ends

Post-Adoption Depression

Here is a great link to a suite101 Article about PPD in Adoptive Mothers:

http://adoption.suite101.com/article.cfm/postadoption_depression

What to REALLY pack for a hospital birth

You've seen the lists. They're in books, magazines, on-line - they're everywhere. The trouble is, which to adhere to?

Here are "Jenn's Picks for Labor and Delivery"

• Film or Digital Camera (can be of the disposable variety even).
  Don't forget batteries!!!
• Breath Mints and/or Chewing Gum. You ARE going to need them :)
• Socks or Slippers with Treads. The hospital socks are itchy and ill-fitting.
• Phone Book (written or digital) of those you'd like to share the good news with.
• Pillows are debatable. The "lists" say to bring your fave. I think this is a bad idea as your "favorite pillow" will soon become your "most disgusting pillow". If you're set on it, bring one you can part with at the end of it all.
• Decks of Cards - Uno and/or Standard.
• Chargers! Cell phone, PDA, Camera
• Rice Sock - this is very cool. Take a big men's sweat sock and fill it 2/3rds with rice. Knot the open end. When you encounter back pains in labor (or even while pregnant) just microwave the sock for no more than 2 minutes and presto, it fits nicely in the curve of your back.
• Music - another source of debate. Some people come with the boom box bigger than the bed and their whole CD collection. I suggest an iPod or Walkman. If you want others to enjoy music - send them to the cafeteria or nearest elevator.

The number one rule of all is, if it doesn't all fit in one medium suitcase (like the 14" x 24" model) you don't need it. And guess what? Other people can fetch you things at your command. They have gift shops and cafeterias. People "from the outside" may be summoned to bring you things as well.

If you over pack, you and your mate are responsible for getting "camp" moved to the recovery floor. And those rooms are small in comparison to the room you just had your baby in.

Trust me.

www.doulamom.com/whattobring.php

www.doulamom.com

What we offer: Childbirth Education, Birth Plan Preparation, Labor & Birth Support, Postpartum Support, Breast Pump Rentals & Sales, Breastfeeding Assistance...

so tired and worried

My youngest triplet getting her tonsils & adenoids out tomorrow. Mommy worry mode....

Open House - Meet the Doulas

Please com to open house on July 17, 2009, 7:00 pm at The Healing Point, 215 W. Church Road, Ste. 112, KOP PA,www.doulamom.com/openhouse.php