Birth Plan, Doulas, Motherhood, Newborns, Postpartum
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
The Magical Golden Hour

In the quiet hush of the labor & delivery room, where the air is charged with anticipation and the scent of earthiness and birthyness, a new chapter in your life unfolds. The rhythmic cadence of your breath is mirrored by the gentle whispers of your doula, a reassuring presence in this oh so sacred moment. The culmination of nine months… maybe more, leads to this: the first hour with your newborn.

The Magical Golden Hour
Decision Making, Pregnancy, Parenting, Newborns, Our Favorites
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
A Doula's Eco Friendly Baby Registry

When I was selecting items for my baby registry, it was really important to me to not go overboard. As a doula of 14 years, I’ve seen families get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff in their homes and nurseries and I knew I wanted to keep things on the simpler side. I also wanted to be mindful of the impact on not only the environment, but also my baby’s microbiome - which meant finding a lot of eco-friendly products to keep waste down and keep our home as “low tox” as possible. Here you’ll find some of my favorite sustainable and most useful items that I registered for.

A Doula's Eco Friendly Baby Registry
Community, Doulas, Doulas of Orange County, Local OC Resources, Our Team
Lauren Foster, Co-Owner
Calling all amazing Doulas & Newborn Care ...
Calling all amazing Doulas & Newborn Care Specialists!
Birth Plan, Decision Making, Newborns, Parenting, Postpartum, Pregnancy
National Baby Co
Early Signs That You are Pregnant with Twins ...
Early Signs That You are Pregnant with Twins or Multiples
Newborns, Motherhood, Parenting, Postpartum, Postpartum Doula, Baby Sleep
National Baby Co
Are My Twins Too Old For Postpartum Doula Care?

The Doulas of Orange County office phone rings.


I pick up. “Hello! Doulas of Orange County. Lauren speaking.”

A strained voice sounds relieved to hear me, and it sounds like she has been crying. She’s an exhausted new mom of 12-week old twins and a 20-month-old toddler (who won’t let her out of his sight). She’s drained from her twin pregnancy, a difficult birth, and breastfeeding challenges. She struggles to keep up with laundry and wash enough dishes to have plates for the next meal. Her partner has been trying to feed the baby at night, but she’s still waking up to pump for multiples and can’t help but feel guilty about how tired her partner will be at work the next day. She really needs a postpartum doula in Irvine, CA.

“Can you help me, even though my babies are so old?” She asks.

Are My Twins Too Old For Postpartum Doula Care?

Classes & Events

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Save the Date :: Doulas of OC Grand Opening!

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It is our extreme pleasure to announce that we'll be having our Grand Opening event on January 20th from 1-6pm. This "Open House" style event will be fun for the whole family! We invite you to join us for food, drinks, hourly giveaways, and a raffle in our new and improved space in Irvine, CA. 

Friends, family, clients, community members, care providers, and fellow birth workers are all welcome! The first 75 people in the door will be gifted a curated swag bag full of items to support pregnancy, birth & postpartum. Each attendee will be automatically entered into our hourly giveaway and given additional chances to win prizes and gifts during our event-long raffle. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at and prior to the event and 50% of the proceeds from our raffle with go to benefit Postpartum Support International. PSI provides resources for those struggling with postpartum mood disorders, as well as comprehensive training for therapists and practitioners to better treat new parents. We are honored to partner with PSI to shed light on the importance of mental health and access to resources during the postpartum period. 

As we prepare for this special event, we are seeking sponsors, food vendors and giveaway partners. With varying levels of involvement, we invite you to join us in sharing your business or your service with our community.

Not sure what you could contribute? Here are just a few ideas!

  • Gift certificate for your service (Massage, Photography Session)
  • Tickets to your venue (Symphony, Playhouse, Movie Theater)
  • Gift card for an amount of your choosing (Restaurant, Retail Store, Service)
  • Pregnancy or postpartum products (Skin Care, Breast/Bottle Feeding Support)
  • Baby products (Swaddle/Blankets, Skin Care, Toys)
  • Healthy & delicious treats 

Whatever your unique product or service, we welcome your collaboration! More information and a sponsor application is available on our website. Please contact us directly at hi@doulasofoc.com with any questions. 

We eagerly count down the days to share this joyous occasion with all of you!

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5 Reasons to Take Baby & Me Yoga

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Let's be real... as a new mom, you have a lot going on. Not only have you just birthed an entire human, but you're adjusting to sleepless nights, sore boobs, raging hormones, and learning the ins and outs of your baby's own unique cues. The first few months postpartum can be overwhelming and even frightening for some, often resulting in a lack of self-care and intense feelings of isolation.

Getting out of the house can be tough and finding time for yourself even tougher. What once took very little energy or thought, now requires a check-list just to get out the door in one piece!

  • 5 Million Diapers & Wipes - check!
  • Bottles - check!
  • Change of clothes for baby - check!
  • Is my bra on? - check!
  • Do I have spit-up anywhere on my shirt? - double check!

Leaving the house can be utterly exhausting, but getting out and about in the community might be just what the doctor ordered for your postpartum physical & mental well-being. And what could be better than mom groups where babies are welcome with open arms! Baby & Me Yoga is just one of the many events we host to help moms get reconnected to themselves and meet other parents in the community! 

So what's all the fuss about Baby & Me Yoga? Why is it so great? 

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Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

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Growing that “baby belly” can be a wonderful, joyous experience, but it is often mixed with challenges for the body and mind. Developing a consistent yoga practice during pregnancy is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body & your baby in preparation for childbirth. By linking yoga postures with breath as well as the use of guided meditation; yoga during pregnancy can help bring awareness to the mind, body, & spirit, as well as help connect you to the spirit of your baby.

Prenatal Yoga is specifically designed to help alleviate the most common pregnancy ailments. The postures chosen by an experienced, educated teacher will assist in adapting to the many emotional & physical changes that occur during pregnancy. Specific postures help strengthen & tone the uterus and pelvic floor, improve circulation in the legs & pelvic area, aid in digestion, exercise the spine, and increase overall comfort during pregnancy. Yoga can also help alleviate other discomforts such as low back pain, sciatica, swelling, varicose veins, and nausea.

An oft forgotten aspect of yoga is the social one, specifically in regards to prenatal yoga. It's not uncommon to build a strong community within these classes as you bond over heart burn, swollen feet, and waiting for the day your babies arrive. Prenatal Yoga can be a safe haven for many parents-to-be as they connect with others who truly understand the challenges they face in pregnancy. Many moms and moms-to-be find their tribe in yoga classes and create lasting friendships for years to come!

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The Magic of Infant Massage

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In honor of our upcoming Infant Massage series at Doulas of Orange County, our wonderful instructor Kathleen Thomas-Sarles is sharing more about the magic this healing and bonding activity provides. Kathie provided a lovely hands-on demo at our New Mama Cafe this week and we weren't surprised to hear that everyone LOVED it! Learn more about Kathie and her expertise in Infant Massage on her website. 

According to Infant Massage USA, there are many benefits to regular infant massage:

1. Stimulation: Skin sensitivity (touch) is the earliest developed function which is most crucial for all the sensory systems, for muscle development, and overall health.

2. Relaxation: Massage helps balance our autonomic nervous system. Massage helps to relieve tension built up from all the stimulation in our baby’s environment. It can help your baby sleep better: (longer and deeper sleep) and helps with self-regulation and self-soothing.

3. Relief of Physical Discomfort: such as gas and colic, constipation, muscular tension or stiffness and sensitivity to touch or disorganization of the nervous system.

 4. Interaction: Touch is one of the most critical elements to the bonding process.  Learn your baby’s cues and build trust.

Babies are touchable, squeezable, kissable and overall intoxicating! Our babies have the power to make us touch, hold, and care for them!  That touch-communication begins at birth or even before, (pregnant moms are always rubbing their bellies), and continues as the baby grows and develops. The question is often asked, “Why should parents learn infant massage when they touch their babies often throughout the day anyway?”  

Infant massage USA uses a systematic method of touch that incorporates two types of strokes: Indian and Swedish, and combines that with a heightened awareness of the cues our babies give us. Observation and “being present” with our baby is the cornerstone of this process.   Massage begins with a question directed to our baby,” Would you like a massage?”, and continues with non-verbal communication that builds trust between the two participants. We never massage a crying baby, we do however, respond to that cry with another method of touch and love.  

There are many benefits to infant massage, but the one that stands out as crucial is the deep bonding that occurs through this one-on-one time. Finding the time in your day when you and your baby are ready for this interaction and setting aside all other concerns, allows you and your baby to get to know each other more completely. When touch is offered lovingly and respectfully it is most often accepted. As parents we gradually learn when our baby is not ready for this touch and note the cues. This skill of reading cues is beneficial throughout our child’s life, as children do not always use their words to tell us what they want.

“Infants communicate through their bodies. When you engage an infant in a massage, you begin to listen to the infant: you listen to sounds, you watch movements, you listen with your eyes, your ears and your heart. “Infant massage, or touch communication nurtures the most important relationship the child will ever have: the relationship between the parent and infant”. Elaine Fogel Schnieder, Ph.D

Vimala McClure founder of Infant Massage USA tells us,”Touch is the first sense to form in-utero and the last to leave us in death.  It is the only sense we can’t live without.” Infant massage when incorporated into your daily schedule, has the added benefits of better sleep, better digestion, muscle and brain development and increased self -soothing ability of your baby.  Massage gives parents more confidence due to their successful response to their baby’s needs, and the baby learns to trust that their needs will be met.  Both parent and child benefit from the massage not only in the moment, but for a lifetime of communication. Infant massage creates a space where baby and parent come together to communicate through touch and learn the wonders of each other.

Kathie's 4-week series launches Sunday, September 3rd at at 10:30am in Irvine. These hour and a half sessions are held at our baby-friendly office. Each class will include guided understanding and modeling of strokes, education regarding temperament, relationship, development, behavioral states and touch as a first communication. You will learn how to create a sense of trust, respect and confidence for you and your baby and maximize your bonding time. This class is great for moms, dads, and grandparents! 

Check out Kathie's Intro to Infant Massage session on Sunday, August 27th at 10:30 or join us for  New Mama Cafe on Tuesday, September 5th at 11:30am to learn more. This info session will provide you with everything you need to know to sign up for the 4-week series and includes a hands-on demo! Registration is required. 

Read more about this new series and instructions on how to register on our events page. For questions, please email Kathie directly at ktsarles@gmail.com. 

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DOC August 2017 Schedule

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You may have heard by now that Doulas of Orange County has moved to Irvine! Our bigger, more accessible class space provides the perfect setting for Parenting & Childbirth Education, Yoga, Play Groups and more!

We are proud to offer a full schedule for the month of August with additional classes being added to the calendar in September!

YOGA

Weekly yoga classes are the newest addition to our calendar! Taught by co-owner and yoga instructor, Lauren Jacobs, our weekly prenatal yoga class gives you regular opportunities to relax, stretch, and bond with your baby as your nurture your pregnant or postpartum body. Classes begin late August! Registration is now available! 

THE POTTY SCHOOL

Michelle Swaney of The Potty School is now teaching regular classes at our office in Irvine as well! Featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, and MSN, Michelle's expertise and techniques are a must have for all parents looking to gently and effectively teach their children how to potty train.  Classes are appropriate for ages from 0-18+ months and include Elimination Communication, Potty Training 101 and Parent+Me Potty Training. Classes begin August 28th!

NEW MAMA CAFE :: WEEKEND EDITION

We've had the joy and delight to meet many of you at our weekly New Mama Cafe gathering on Tuesdays! We always love seeing your smiling faces and watching your sweet babies grow week by week. As the weeks & months have gone by, we know that some of you have returned to work or varying nap times make it a challenge to come to the Tuesday mom & baby group, so we are excited to announce a monthly gathering for new moms in OC. We call it the Weekend Edition of New Mama Cafe! 

Held on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 9:30am at Tewinkle Park in Costa Mesa, this group offers an opportunity to meet other new moms and share the ups and downs of mom life! Check out the Dad version held on the 3rd Saturday of the month at Mariners Park in Newport Beach!

PARENTING & CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION

Doulas of Orange County offers the largest variety of prenatal & parenting programming in all of Orange County. Our monthly classes include Babywearing 101, Breastfeeding 101, and Baby Care Basics. Other classes, such as our Confident Birth 4-week series and Comfort Measures workshop are offered every other month. 

With curriculums developed by DOC owners, Lauren and Chelsea, these informative and enjoyable classes provide you with all the knowledge and skill you need to walk into your birth & parenting journey with confidence! Group classes are great for those that are interested in creating community and meeting new parent friends, while Private classes are fully customizable for those that want to focus on the topics that matter most to you!

Check out our Classes & Workshops page for more information and to register!

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This is just a glimpse of what August holds here at Doulas of Orange County! Stay tuned for more offerings in September like Infant Massage, Infant & Family CPR, movie screenings and more!