Ask any Baton Rouge mom what she wants for her children, and health + wellness will be one of her first responses. Whether it’s the mental health of her teenagers, how much screen time to allow her toddlers or struggling with breastfeeding, moms simply want the best outcome for their children’s overall health.
Doula: What, Why, And How
On August 1, 2023 Louisiana House Bill 272 was signed into law and will go into effect on January 1, 2024. This bipartisan bill requires private insurance in Louisiana to cover maternity services provided by a doula. Some Medicaid plans are already covering doula services, but what is a doula, and what exactly does she do?
I asked Baton Rouge doula Ashaki Tobas, BA, CBS and Co-Owner/Founder of Maternal Love BR to shed some light on some common doula questions.
What is a doula?
Doulas are trained and experienced labor companions. Doulas provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to women and their families before, during and after childbirth.
What is a doula’s role?
The role of a doula is to...
So NOT Instagram Worthy
I am often overwhelmed. I often find myself dreaming about the far away days when I don’t have someone always needing me. I imagine nights spent sleeping instead of chasing away bad dreams. I imagine stretching out without little feet in my back. Days spent in quiet, contemplative peacefulness. The ability to do whatever I want, whenever I want and to be able to take a bath without an impromptu audience busting down the door at any time.
Am I the only one? Why do I feel like I am? WHY AM I NOT ENJOYING THIS?!
I find myself comparing myself and my parenting to what I see on social media. You see, I know I’m looking at...
Wobbling Toward Grace, Part 2 :: The Days of Beautiful Chaos
*This is a Part 2 of a series. Read Part 1 here.
I was old when I became a new mom, and maybe that was what isolated me from the colleagues I had called friends. Also what made me overly protective and what motivated me to take 58,000 photos of my baby every week. I am also an introvert who found myself pregnant at 43, filled with a delight I had never expected I would, or could, experience, and which I had talked myself out of believing would ever be part of my life, talked myself into believing I, for some reason, didn't deserve. And, like many new moms, I kept...
You Snooze, You Win! :: Life Hacks For The Time-Management-Challenged
I was once given an art assignment that consisted of a blank sheet of paper with the word “TIME” at the top in bold letters. Our only instruction was to draw in the space below based on the word prompt. I stared at the paper and felt a flood of mixed emotions - both positive and negative.
When it comes to four-letter words, this one might be the most sensational.
I have many positive memories regarding the word time; the way my Cajun Granny would always say, “Well, y’all got time ...” when we’d announce we were about to head home after Sunday lunch. She’d start a pot of coffee or get...
Magic Does Exist :: Work-Life Balance
As we enter into the new school year, I am acutely aware of my ability to support my kids in a way that I was not able to previously as a working mom. As a full-time businesswoman, I’ve always had to juggle home life and work life, and up until about two years ago, I dreaded the constant battle between priorities. The struggle caused stress and mom-guilt galore. I didn’t realize how much control I had in doing something about my career when it came to prioritizing my family.
I have two kiddos, ages ten and seven, and they have attended two different schools for several years now. Their summer schedules did not grace my...
Around Baton Rouge
Following The Pink and Gold Sparkly Road : How Joining a...
The Pink and Gold Sparkly Road : How Joining a Local Dance Krewe Enhanced my Life
Three years ago, I was recovering from a devastating...
