Nurture welcomes Lena Wood

We would like to warmly welcome Lena Wood to Nurture. Lena is a doula with Cascadia Birth Services, and she has a special interest in supporting families who are adopting. Lena is also involved in many other projects and organizations; read more about all of her activities below! Welcome, Lena!

Cascadia Birth Services, LLC

lena@cascadiabirth.com
503.307.8614

Welcome!

I am thrilled to be a part of the Nurture community. As a doula and Montessori-trained educator, I love collaborating with families to support the full potential of human development.

I offer labor and postpartum doula services, with a specialization in adoption support. I am available to attend births for women who are considering or planning on placing for adoption, and for adult adoptees who may be processing emotions around the experience of pregnancy and birth. I also provide post-placement support for adoptive families in both domestic and international adoption. As a trans-national adoptee, I believe strongly that all members of the adoption constellation benefit from compassionate, non-judgmental support as they move through their experiences around adoption.

I came to doula work through several close friends who are midwives. Their excitement and passion for serving women’s birth needs resonated deeply for me. The more I learned about their work, the more I considered how I might be able to use my skills and experience as a Montessori teacher to give individualized support to new families. I completed my postpartum doula training with CAPPA, and my labor doula training at Birthingway College of Midwifery, in Portland, OR. I am also completing the Certified Lactation Educator program through CAPPA, to better serve the needs of my breastfeeding postpartum clients. It is an honor and privilege for me to be able to provide support to women and their families during such an intense and intimate transition of their lives.

Aside from my own practice, I am the Portland coordinator for Full Spectrum Doulas, which will provide abortion doula services based on the model of the Doula Project, in NYC. Currently I am collaborating with Adoption Mosaic to develop training opportunities for doulas interested in working with birthparents and adoptive families. I also volunteer as an advocate for Backline, a locally-based nation-wide pregnancy options counseling phone line.

When I am not doing doula work, I train in an Indonesian martial art form, Poekoelan Tjimindi Tulen, and instruct in the transported after-school and summer youth programs at One With Heart Tulen Center in SE Portland.

For more information, visit my website [www.cascadiabirth.com], or email me at lena@cascadiabirth.com

Honeybee Doula Meeting

Calling all Doula's :)...are you a doula who is interested in becoming apart of a community of doulas? Honeybee Doula's was founded by two beautiful Portland women who are interested in helping women have the births they desire. Just as bee's work together in community, Honeybee Doula's is a growing community of doula's who share similar view's on birth and who trust the birth process. As a community of doula's, we can help support one another, educate one another and reach more women!

If you want to Bee :) a Honeybee Doula or if you are interested in learning more about what it will look like working together as a community of doula's, please join us at Nurture...

When: Sunday June, 27th from 1:30-3:30 pm
Where: Nurture 1614 NE Alberta St. www.nurturepdx.com
Contacts: Serena Lynch 971-221-6251 or Leah Hansen 503-730-3577

Honeybee Doula Meeting

Calling all Doula's :)...are you a doula who is interested in becoming apart of a community of doulas? Honeybee Doula's was founded by two beautiful Portland women who are interested in helping women have the births they desire. Just as bee's work together in community, Honeybee Doula's is a growing community of doula's who share similar view's on birth and who trust the birth process. As a community of doula's, we can help support one another, educate one another and reach more women!

If you want to Bee :) a Honeybee Doula or if you are interested in learning more about what it will look like working together as a community of doula's, please join us at Nurture...

When: Sunday June, 27th from 1:30-3:30 pm
Where: Nurture 1614 NE Alberta St. www.nurturepdx.com
Contacts: Serena Lynch 971-221-6251 or Leah Hansen 503-730-3577

Are you searching for a doula?

Join us for a late afternoon mixer and meet several pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas all in one place.

We will have a screening of The Birth of Sabine,

a henna artist to adorn bellies or hands,

and delicious refreshments.

December 5, 2009
4:00-6:00pm
1614 NE Alberta St.
in the large red house
Hosted by Nurture: Center for Growing Families

Are you considering hiring a doula?

Are you overwhelmed by the number of doula options in Portland?

Would you like an opportunity to meet several doulas, face-to-face, to get a sense of compatibility, but don’t have the time to attend several meet and greet appointments?

Highlights:
Meet local pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas

Film screening: The Birth of Sabine

Henna adornment
Connect with other expecting parents
Learn more about our services
Enjoy light refreshments

(Plus, doulas are just some of the nicest people to be around!)

Film Screening hosted by: Jennifer Murdock

Doulas attending the event:

Baby My Sweet Baby http://www.babymysweetbaby.com/
Sacred Arrivals: http://www.sacredarrivals.com/
Sacred Pathways Doula Services: http://www.sacredpathwaysdoula.com/
MotherTree: http://www.mothertreebirth.com/
Renaissance Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals: http://www.renchildbirth.com/
Birth Journeys Doula Collective http://www.birthjourneys.com/
Nurture: http://www.nurturepdx.com/
Mama Bear Healing Care

Meet a Doula: Nurture hosts a community Doula Meet and Greet in December

Are you considering hiring a doula?

Are you overwhelmed by the number of doula options in Portland?

Would you like an opportunity to meet several doulas, face-to-face, to get a sense of compatibility, but don’t have the time to attend several meet and greet appointments?

Join us for a late afternoon mixer and meet several pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas all in one place.

December 5, 2009
4:00-6:00pm
1614 NE Alberta St.
in the large red house
Hosted by Nurture: Center for Growing Families

Highlights:
Meet local pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas
Connect with other expecting parents
Learn more about our services
Enjoy light refreshments

Doulas attending the event:

Baby My Sweet Baby http://www.babymysweetbaby.com/
Welcome With Love Family Care: http://www.welcomewithlovefamilycare.com/
Sacred Arrivals: http://www.sacredarrivals.com/
Sacred Pathways Doula Services: http://www.sacredpathwaysdoula.com/
MotherTree: http://www.mothertreebirth.com/
Renaissance Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals: http://www.renchildbirth.com/
Birth Journeys Doula Collective http://www.birthjourneys.com/
Nurture: http://www.nurturepdx.com/
Mama Bear Healing Care

Nurture Welcomes Deb Thornton

We are excited to welcome Deb Thornton to Nurture. Deb wears many hats and will be offering several different services at Nurture including craniosacral therapy, lactation support, Respectful Connection Parenting support groups, and doula services. The Connected Parenting Support Group starts on October 13th; come and find support from other families as you create strong coonections with your children. Deb tells us about herself and her services...

I have really just wanted to be a wife and mother since I was a child. And that is just what I became at a fairly young age. Thank goodness, because that amazing experience opened up the entire world for me. Now I want to be EVERYTHING when I grow up...

I believe that parenting is all about connection. Parenting is the BEST thing that is ever going to happen to you. This new little person, this miracle, this JOY, is going to absolutely rock your world. I am passionate about supporting new families through this dynamically chaotic, divinely delicious, supremely scary, world rockin' journey.

Here is a bit about my background:
I am a parent and family coach with a degree in social work, and I am passionate about connecting with families and helping parents find respectful ways to enjoy their parenting journey. I am a retired La Leche League Leader of 13 years and a Certified Lactation Educator who takes great joy in helping new mama's develop their own unique personal nursing relationship with their newborn babies. I have been a doula for friends and families before the word doula was coined and has never yet been to a birth where I haven't cried. I am a strong believer in preparation for birth, and an active advocate for making researched educated choices for all decisions regarding pregnancy, birth and parenting. Becoming a Certified Infant Craniosacral Therapist has been the best addition to my lactation and doula practice. I am so amazed by the gentle yet powerful healing that happens with craniosacral therapy and am so honored to be able to offer it to families.

Right now I offer:

• Birth and Doula Services
• Lactation Support
• Craniosacral Therapy
• Parent and Family Coaching
• Respectful Connection Parenting Support Group
• I am also available to speak or teach at your high school, community center, conference, workshop, or parenting group.

I am also a mama to 4 fantastic children, a neurotic chocolate lab and two kitty brothers born at home (where else?) one of whom is still alive due to my amazing lactation skills. We live in an enchanted old Ne Portland home where the birds clean the toilets and the squirrels do dishes. Somebody has to do it.

For more information about my services please visit Sacred Arrivals.

To schedule and appointment or for more information about the Connected Parenting Support Group, please call 503.250.2973 or e-mail me sacredarrivals@gmail.com.

ICTC Book Sale

ICTC Book Sale!

Wednesday, October 3, 2009
9am-11am
2823 N. Rosa Parks Way, Portland, OR 97217

Fabulous find on hundreds of books and magazines
(**Many from Barbara Harper’s private collection**)
Pregnancy, Prenatal care, Labor, Birth, Home births, Water births, Medical dictionaries, Breastfeeding, Postpartum care, Parenting, Twins, Triplets, Depression, Sexual abuse, Cookbooks, and much more

Hardbacks & paperbacks priced to go at .50 - $2!!

ICTC IS A NON-PROFIT AND NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY AND TRAIN DOULAS
CONTACT AQIYLAH AT (503) 460-9324
OR AQIYLAH@ICTCMIDWIVES.ORG
FOR MORE INFO

Meet a Doula: Nurture hosts a community Doula Meet and Greet

Are you considering hiring a doula?

Are you overwhelmed by the number of doula options in Portland?

Would you like an opportunity to meet several doulas, face-to-face, to get a sense of compatibility, but don’t have the time to attend several meet and greet appointments?

Join us for a late afternoon mixer and meet several pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas all in one place.

October 3, 2009
4:00-6:00pm
1614 NE Alberta St.
in the large red house
Hosted by Nurture: Center for Growing Families

Highlights:
Meet local pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas
Connect with other expecting parents
Learn more about our services
Enjoy light refreshments

Doulas attending the event:

Baby My Sweet Baby http://www.babymysweetbaby.com/
Welcome With Love Family Care: http://www.welcomewithlovefamilycare.com/
Sacred Arrivals: http://www.sacredarrivals.com/
Sacred Pathways Doula Services: http://www.sacredpathwaysdoula.com/
MotherTree: http://www.mothertreebirth.com/
Renaissance Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals: http://www.renchildbirth.com/
Birth Journeys Doula Collective http://www.birthjourneys.com/
Nurture: http://www.nurturepdx.com/
Mama Bear Healing Care

BirthJourneys Doula Collective is hosting a meet the doulas night at Milagros on

Tuesday, July 21st from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.

They will provide information about doulas and answer questions such as:

• Why do you need doula support?
• How does a doula support a woman and her partner during childbirth?
• What does the research say about how doula support helps to decrease the use of pain medication and the risk of cesarean section?
• How do you find the right doula for you?
• How much do doulas' services cost (and how to afford one on a limited budget)?
• How are doulas different from doctors and midwives?

Attendees will have the opportunity to speak with our doulas one-on-one to learn more about the difference a doula makes. Refreshments will be served and we are having a raffle to win a basket full of labor goodies!

Milagros Boutique 5433 NE 30th Avenue, Portland, OR 97211 http://www.milagrosboutique.com/

What is a Doula?

What is a doula? 

The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.

Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

A Birth Doula

• Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life

• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor

• Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth

• Stays with the woman throughout the labor

• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get        the information she needs to make informed decision

• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers

• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience

• Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level

Research evidence shows that the quality services of a postpartum doula can ease the transition that comes with the addition of a baby to a family, improve parental satisfaction and reduce the risk of mood disorders.

*This information taken from the DONA website.

Full Moon's Daughter

Courtney Jarecki, a Nurture Family Wellness Collective doula and women's health advocate, has launched her new practice: Full Moon's Daughter. Congratulations, Courtney!

Courtney Jarecki, Doula and Health Advocate
503.737.8834
courtney@fullmoonsdaughter.com

Support. Compassion. Energy. Birth. Dance. Movement. Ceremony. Freedom. Life. Joy. Love.

There is nothing on earth more amazing and humbling than witnessing a mama give birth. I strongly believe in the beauty and power of a woman’s body to birth and am honored to be a part of this experience.

For a lot of people, the concept of a Doula is a very new thing. Often, women don't have built-in family support and a Doula can fill the gap for the new family by providing knowledge, compassion and practical support during this very important childbearing year.

I am director of Full Moon’s Daughter and trained to provide Doula support during three different times of your childbearing year; pregnancy, labor and postpartum. My ongoing academic and professional experiences include training at Birthingway College of Midwifery, working as a Postpartum Doula at an established birthing center and research and training as I attend Ancient Art Midwifery Institute to become a Midwife. Throughout my work and responsibilities, I maintain a flexible schedule to ensure you will never be without Doula support.
Outside of the birthing world, I love spending time with my amazing husband Dave and puppies Satchel and Maji. Dancing, cooking, meeting friends for tea and hiking are favorite activities of mine.

I look forward to speaking with you about your baby and birth. Please feel free to call or email to ask questions.

Antepartum Doula
As an Antepartum Doula, I will support you later in your pregnancy. Antepartum services can be especially helpful if you are a single or teen mom, have multiple children, are on bed rest, have severe morning sickness or have emotional trauma. I will provide informational, emotional, physical and practical support during your pregnancy with pregnancy massage, meal planning, education labor preparation.

Labor Doula
My work as a Labor Doula means I will provide you with continuous physical, emotional and informational support before, during and just after birth. I will be there for you, your partner and baby after delivery to help in whatever way best serves you.

I can assist with birth plans, birth art, pain coping techniques (massage and touch, positioning, breathing, meditation and visualization, vocalization, aromatherapy and healing energy techniques), pregnancy and postpartum diet and fitness designed to ease labor and recovery, Reiki healing, and creative expression and relationship / birth coaching. This time is all about you and what works best for your family.

If time allows, we will meet two-to-three times prenatally where we will get to know each other. We can incorporate any modalities that you and your family need.
Postpartum, we will meet once, during which we will share your birth story and discuss all the challenges and joys that lay ahead. You will also receive any needed breastfeeding support during this time.

Postpartum Doula
Postpartum is a special and sometimes trying time for a new family. I can help ease this transition by providing lactation consulting, infant care techniques, meal planning and cooking, gentle yoga and exercise options, natural healing, light housekeeping, dog walking, nanny care and companionship.

Fees
I believe that all families should be able to afford Doula services and all Doulas should be able to pay their mortgages. Therefore I offer my services on a sliding scale, based on what each family can pay. I am happy to discuss pricing options and payment plans with each family and am open to barter and trade.

Antepartum & Postpartum Doula Services: $25 - $35 per hour with a 4 hour minimum.

Labor Doula: During certification process I only ask for reimbursement of transportation and food expenses, usually between $50 - $75.

After certification: $400 - $700. Includes 3 prenatal visits (if time allows), full labor and delivery support, 1 postpartum visit. Additional prenatal visits are available, based on a sliding scale.

Gift certificates are available.

Nurture Welcomes (with love) Sarah Nuxoll

Nurture welcomes Sarah Nuxoll to our Family Wellness Collective. Sarah offers many services for the postpartum period. She will soon be hosting a new mama group at Nurture as well as a down-to-earth postpartum workshop series. This is what Sarah says about the services she offers:

I believe that what babies need from us most of all, is heartfelt connection with us. It is to be acknowledged and related to as the unique and conscious beings they are, to be welcomed fully and lovingly into our community.

Yet, having a child doesn't always happen the way we imagine. Sometimes intense emotions about our pregnancy, birth, or just the realities of parenting a newborn, can make it feel difficult to be fully present with our baby.

If we can ask for and allow ourselves to receive help from others during this intense time of transitioning into parenthood, we can then relax more deeply into this intuitive emotional connection with our baby.

I would like to help nurture you and your family, by offering:

• Ideas for welcoming your baby. I can help model ways of deeply relating to your child and welcoming them with love and consciousness.
• Tools for healing to help you identify and unwind difficult emotions from your pregnancy or birth that may block this natural connection with your baby
• Postpartum doula care, including breastfeeding assistance and help with your physical needs, to help you transition into parenting and allow you the time to bond with your baby
• Parenting workshops to help you embrace emotional healing and take responsibility for your own happiness as a parent

About me
After several years of feeling frustrated as a parent, I began working toward deeper body-mind clarity and emotional and spiritual healing. Now I feel excited about engaging life, moving with my creativity, and allowing myself to feel happy as a parent.

Welcome with Love family care was born from the interweaving of my desire to assist others with emotional healing, and my passion for helping birthing families. What I share with you comes from insights from my experience as a mother of two, as a spiritual practitioner, and as an apprentice homebirth midwife. I look forward to meeting you!

Scheduling information
Location: I am happy to serve families in their homes in the Portland metro area. I am also available for phone consultation for those who live further away.

Days/Times: At present, my preferred availability is from 9am-3pm Monday thru Friday, though other times or days may be possible by prior arrangement.

Rates: I offer the first half-hour of our initial meeting for free, to be able to relax and spend some time simply getting to know you and your baby. After that, I request $25 per hour for my services, with a two-hour minimum per visit. If I need to travel more than 20 minutes to reach your home, I may request a small additional donation to help cover my childcare expenses during that time. Please contact me so we can talk together and feel if what I can offer is a good match for your family's needs.

Sarah Nuxoll 503-285-4906 http://www.welcomewithlovefamilycare.com/

Natural Parenting Postpartum Class

Having your first baby soon?

Come to our next Natural Parenting Postpartum Class!
on Wednesday April 1st, 2009
from 6:00 - 7:30pm
at Nurture (1614 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211)
$15 per couple, resource booklet included

Led by DONA-trained postpartum doulas (and experienced mamas) Emily Troper and Juliette Authier
(to learn more about Emily and Juliette, see http://compassionatemothercare.com/profiles.html )

Topics include:
Getting organized before the birth – what you need, what you don’t

Protecting the mama-baby bond, importance of skin-to-skin contact, responding to baby

Mom’s recovery (nutritional and herbal resources for emotional and physical care), and coping with stress and change

Breastfeeding

How to calm a fussy baby

Sleep – where, what to expect, etc.

Diapering and/or Elimination Communication

Relationship/marital issues

Babywearing


to register please email Emily at emtroper@earthlink.net or call (503) 753-9091

Force of Nature

Vicky York passed the news about this wonderful play...
Actress, storyteller, and postpartum doula, Carole Groobman performs thirteen characters in a play about the social, political and cultural issues of childbirth. Force of Nature, written and performed by Carole Groobman, directed by Kathleen Edwards, will be at Lewis and Clark College, Council Chamber on March 12, 2009 at 1:15 p.m. and includes a post-show panel starting at 2:15 p.m. It is free to the public. For more information: visit www.lclark.edu/dept/gender or call 503-768-7678

A Doula Story

Doulas mother mothers in their journey into motherhood in so many ways beyond labor support. Loretha Weisinger works tirelessly to support young mothers throughout their pregnancies, labors, and postpartum to become the mothers that they really want to be. When I saw a link to this movie, A Doula Story on Citizens for Midwifery's blog, I felt compelled to share it. It is free to watch on-line and is about an hour long. It is such a touching story, I really hope you have a chance to watch it. Loretha is an amazing woman, so full of tenderness, understanding, and strength. She has taken her personal experience and used it as a source of energy for the work that she does.

From Black Public Media's Website, a description of the film:

A Doula Story
Produced by Danny Alpert
A Doula Story documents one African American woman’s fierce commitment to empower pregnant teenagers with the skills and knowledge they need to become confident, nurturing mothers. Produced by The Kindling Group, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization, this powerful film follows Loretha Weisinger back to the same disadvantaged Chicago neighborhood where she once struggled as a teen mom. Loretha uses patience, compassion and humor to teach “her girls” about everything from the importance of breastfeeding and reading to their babies, to communicating effectively with health care professionals.

Friday Feature Provider: Tia Rich

To celebrate the fabulous family-friendly community we enjoy here in Portland, now and then we will be featuring local mamas and professionals using an interview-style or, when we are feeling wild, some other format. Featured Mama on Monday and Friday Professional Features.

Tia Rich

My life has led me through many different paths, but oddly enough they have all offered valuable insight and learning to exactly where I am today, which is exactly where I planned to be from about the age of 16. I am a mother of 3 and soon to be grandmother. I work currently as a Birth Doula and teach both childbirth education and hypnobirthing. I believe knowledge is important for families to know in order to empower themselves toward a natural, positive birth. I am also a Midwifery student with Ancient Art Midwifery Institute and cannot fully express the joy I get from finally embarking on the journey to becoming a Midwife. I have spent my time working as a nurse spanning both life and death having worked in Labor and Delivery seeing the beauty of birth as well as working in Oncology (cancer) learning about and experiencing the incredible beauty of release into death. There truly is a vast number of similarities in birth and death and the way it is treated in our society. In the midst of this work I became trained as a Reiki master healer, and a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

Business name/service:

Inner Serenity Childbirth Services

Tell us a bit about the wonderful work you do:

I feel honored as a Doula when I am invited into the sacred and intimate space of a couple or mother that is their birth time. I support birth first by offering education, depending on the type of doula support I offer 3-4 prenatal visits which are full of childbirth education. I feel for me that a key to successful support during the birth process is to have both knowledge and connection to the family I am there to support, which is not something I feel I could foster in just one prenatal visit. I offer hypnobirth as a way for many women to access their more primal, self aware selves. In our society which is so very analytically oriented, surrendering to our intuition and primal self is not necessarily easy. Hypobirthing offers the tools for mothers to surrender and go within. Hypnosis can also be very beneficial for healing, which again is very often needed today. Healing from sexual and medical traumas that have been done to us that may hinder birth release energy. One key to the support I give is the comfort and belief that even if a family is choosing to birth in a hospital that they can successfully spend the majority of their time at home safely supported and monitored.

How did you discover this path?:

Discovering the path of being a Doula began 5 years ago as I began to research how I could support birthing while working towards becoming a Midwife. I decided to no longer work as a nurse feeling that the manner in which medical birth was being given did not fit with my beliefs about birth. I discovered Childbirth International and received my certification as a Birth Doula and trained locally with a clinical hypnotherapist to receive my certification.

What do you cherish most about your work?:

I cherish every healthy baby who is allowed to journey into this world at their own time. I cherish every mother and family who has been able to embrace their pregnancy as the sacred journey that it is, to feel empowered and healthy. I love that I get to share in these moments. I would love that my support was not needed, that this was a standard of care all families could expect to receive, but at this point in time, I find the support I give is very important for such natural births to occur.

Share a family-friendly tip:

One tip I always give to pregnant women is to tell family and friends the due date that is actually 2 weeks past her actual due date. This aids her in not being bombarded with the many comments of "hasn't she had that baby yet", or continual contact for updates. I believe this takes the pressure off, if just a little bit for mothers.

Contact info., hours, etc.

www.inner-serenity.org
birth@inner-serenity.org
971-533-6496

Nurture Welcomes Courtney Jarecki

Nurture warmly welcomes Courtney Jarecki to our group. Courtney is a doula offering services throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Support. Compassion. Energy. Birth. Dance. Movement. Ceremony. Freedom. Life. Joy. Love.

There is nothing on earth more amazing and humbling than witnessing a mama give birth. I strongly believe in the beauty and power of a woman’s body to birth and am honored to be a part of this experience.

For a lot of people, the concept of a Doula is a very new thing. Often, women don't have built‐in family support and a Doula can fill the gap for the new family by providing knowledge, compassion and practical support during this very important childbearing year. I am trained to provide Doula support during three different times of your childbearing year; pregnancy, labor and postpartum. My ongoing academic and professional experiences include training at Birthingway College of Midwifery, working as a Postpartum Doula at an established birthing center and research and training as I move towards becoming a Midwife. Throughout my work and responsibilities, I maintain a flexible schedule to ensure you will never be without Doula support.

Outside of the birthing world, I love spending time with my amazing husband Dave and puppies Satchel and Maji. Dancing, cooking, meeting friends for tea and hiking are favorite activities and most recently learning to crochet has occupied much of my time as well. I look forward to speaking with you about your baby and birth. Please feel free to call or email to ask questions.

Antepartum Doula
As an Antepartum Doula, I will support you later in your pregnancy. Antepartum services can be especially helpful if you are a single or teen mom, have multiple children, are on bed rest, have severe morning sickness or have emotional trauma. I will provide informational, emotional, physical and practical support during your pregnancy with pregnancy massage, meal planning, educational labor preparation.

Labor Doula
My work as a Labor Doula means I will provide you with continuous physical, emotional and informational support before, during and just after birth. I will be there for you, your partner and baby after delivery to help in whatever way best serves you. I can assist with birth plans, birth art, pain coping techniques (massage and touch, positioning, breathing, meditation and visualization, vocalization, aromatherapy and healing energy techniques), pregnancy and postpartum diet and fitness designed to ease labor and recovery, Reiki healing, and creative expression and relationship / birth coaching. This time is all about you and what works best for your family. If time allows, we will meet two‐to‐three times prenatally where we will get to know each other. We can incorporate any modalities that you and your family need.

Postpartum, we will meet once, during which we will share your birth story and discuss all the challenges and joys that lay ahead. You will also receive any needed breastfeeding support during this time.

Postpartum Doula
Postpartum is a special and sometimes trying time for a new family. I can help ease this transition by providing lactation consulting, infant care techniques, meal planning and cooking, gentle yoga and exercise options, natural healing, light housekeeping, dog walking, nanny care and companionship.

Fees
I believe that all families should be able to afford Doula services and all Doulas should be able to pay their mortgages. Therefore I offer my services on a sliding scale, based on what each family can pay. I am happy to discuss pricing options and payment plans with each family and am open to barter and trade.

Antepartum & Postpartum Doula Services: $25 ‐ $35 per hour with a 4 hour minimum.
Labor Doula: During certification process I only ask for reimbursement of transportation and
food expenses, usually between $50 ‐ $75.
After certification: $400 ‐ $700. Includes 3 prenatal visits (if time allows), full labor and delivery support, 1 postpartum visit. Additional prenatal visits are available, based on a sliding scale.

Gift certificates are available.

Courtney Jarecki,

Doula and Health Advocate

503.737.8834

courtney.jarecki@gmail.com

A Birth Day Celebration

Tiffany Ueltschi, a massage therapist and doula with Nurture, hosted a celebration to show her appreciation of her clients for allowing her to be a part of their miraculous experiences of pregnancy and birth. In addition to the many beautiful families, some professionals in the community came to celebrate and share information.

Tiffany's friend and photographer, Scott Mittmann, was there to capture some highlights of the evening:

Alexandra Demetro, ND, is a naturopathic doctor and a midwife. She shared about breastfeeding and baby's first foods.

Dominic Anaya, DO, LMT shared about gentle and healing craniosacral therapy. He believes that craniosacral is so important (as do we) that he offers a free session for infants up to 1 year old.

And Dr. Demetro's wonderful twin sister, Christina Demetro, massage therapist and sculptor.

Tiffany and a sweet doula baby with a hat made by Tiffany's mother.

More sweet babies!

Sarah Dykes, also a massage therapist at Nurture, sharing in the joy of the celebration.

A Safe Passage Training

A Safe Passage: Supporting Women Survivors of Abuse through the Childbearing Years

Advanced Practitioner Training

September 27 & 28th, 2008
9:00am-6:00pm
at Nurture 1614 NE Alberta St.
$250/participant

A Safe Passage is an Advanced Practitioner Training program designed to help caregivers gain an understanding of the special needs of women survivors of abuse and learn the skills needed to support them through their pregnancy, labor & childbirth and early postpartum.

Caregivers who would benefit from this training include counselors, doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, nurses and other health care professionals caring for women in the childbearing year.

Women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse, sexual violence and woman abuse have unique emotional, psychological and physical needs related to the abuse during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Trauma from the abuse can manifest itself into a variety of complex thoughts and behaviors through the childbearing year, which may pose particular challenges for caregivers and could have lifelong impacts on women and their children when appropriate and sensitive services are not available. Safety, both physical and emotional for both the care-provider and client can be in jeopardy.

At the same time, as a caregiver you have the opportunity to become a trusted ally. Through continuing education and training, support persons can learn appropriate ways of screening clients for abuse related trauma, techniques to respond to disclosures, can learn how to work collaboratively with their clients to devise an action plan for coping with potential triggers that may arise during the childbearing year and offer referrals to supportive community services.

About the facilitator
Jodi has worked with women as a doula and childbirth educator since 1996, with a focus on the intersections between trauma histories and the experiences of women during the childbearing years. Since 2002 she has been employed in both residential and clinical settings as a full-time Woman Abuse counselor, providing counseling as well as facilitating groups for women whose children have been exposed to their abuse, and groups for children who are coping with the impacts of witnessing the abuse of their mothers. Jodi has a certificate in crisis intervention from Fanshawe College and an Honors Degree in Women's Studies from The University of Western Ontario. As of Fall 2007, she is again attending UWO, this time to obtain her PhD in Health Sciences-Health Professional Education.

Jodi's unique combination of skills from both the birthing community and the Violence Against Women sector has spurred a high demand internationally for her workshops aimed at informing other medical and allied health and social service professionals around the complex issue of trauma and the childbearing years. She was recently a guest presenter at The National Summit to Ensure the Health and Humanity of Pregnant and Birthing Women in Atlanta , Georgia , and provided specialized training in Vancouver at the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program's provincial conference Celebrating the Health of Our Children, Families and Communities.

Jodi resides with her family in London , Ontario , where she runs a private counseling practice for women, and operates A Safe Passage, the first and only website dedicated to supporting Women Survivors of Abuse through the childbearing year through providing women, their families and their care providers with information on the impacts of trauma on the perinatal period.

To register or for more information contact Mychelle at Nurture: mychelle@nurturepdx.com or (971) 344-7527

$250/person, some sliding scale spots available
$100 minimum pre-registration deposit

Upon receipt of your registration, your confirmation of registration will be sent to you, which will provide the details of your workshop location, maps, and, if requested, lodging advice.

Nursing infants are welcome in the workshop; however, the intense nature of the workshop precludes the attendance of older, more active children. We ask that you respect the learning needs of the other participants by attending to your child when necessary, and taking him/her out of the room if the need arises.

This workshop has limited enrollment and tends to fill up quickly, so please register early to hold your spot or call to confirm that space is available. A deposit of $100 (non-refundable) is required with your registration.

Fees include materials and certificate of completion.
CAPPA Canada, LAMAZE (therefore DONA), continuing education credits available (11 ceu’s)

If there are other organizations that you would like us to contact for ceu's, please let us know.

For full workshop details please visit:
http://www.asafepassage.info/

Welcome Tiffany!

We are excited to welcome Tiffany Ueltschi to Nurture. Tiffany is a massage therapist with training and experience in pediatric and prenatal massage, a birth doula, and will be offering infant massage classes. Tiffany brings a wonderful mixture of services to Nurture as well as her friendly, bright, and kind presence. Here is more information from Tiffany about her training, experience, and services...

I have been a massage therapist for two years and enjoy specializing in pediatric and pre-natal massage, feeling the baby calm down and sometimes play as I massage the mother’s belly and ease the physical discomforts during this time. I have also expanded this into being present during the birth as a birth doula.

As a doula, I am there to support you and your partner physically and emotionally and to help make labor as manageable as possible – in the hospital, home, or birth center. I also assist in creating and carrying out a birth plan as well as offer educational information, resources, and referrals.

I will also be offering infant massage classes for parents. I believe that through massage parents are able to bond, connect, and read their baby’s cues more effectively. I take pride with helping parents achieve this connection and assisting siblings with welcoming the new baby. I feel massage is the key element in this; building love, trust, and connecting everyone as a family unit. I am very excited about offering my services at Nurture!

Fees:
I am available Tuesdays by appointment and charge $55 for 1 hour, $75 for 1 ½ hours.

Please call regarding prices on doula services and infant massage classes. I also have a few openings for sliding scale clients.

Tiffany Ueltschi, LMT, Doula (OR #: 12737)
360-600-5869 (c)