Emergency Preparedness for Families with Babies & Toddlers

September is National Preparedness Month and during that month the United States Breastfeeding Committee  provides information and resources related to feeding your infant and young child during an emergency. While it is obviously not September, the recent international disasters and emergencies have gotten me thinking about preparing my family in the event we are affected by an emergency or natural disaster. In US and most of the developed world we often take things like electricity, clean water, and access to …

Get To Know Dina Piccioni, Birth & Postpartum Doula

Dina is a passionate, dedicated birth and postpartum doula. She believes strongly in a mother’s instinct and decision making process. She is non-jugemental and opened minded, supporting a mother’s choices 100%. Read on to learn more about Dina! Where were you born? Toronto, Ontario Canada How long have you lived in the DMV? Since July 1999 Tell me about the moment you wanted to be a doula.I knew it after the birth of my granddaughter. That was the first time …

Get to Know Danie Crofoot, Balanced Birth Support’s Traveling Doula!

Its so obvious that Danie has an immense, strong calling to supporting birthing families. They are a full-spectrum doula, and supports families in all circumstances and outcomes. Having moved away from their childhood home on an adventure to New York City, Danie is no stranger to uncertainty and unpredictability, and as a Traveling Doula, they will be there to your support you during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum wherever you are, near or far. Read on to learn more about Danie! …

Get To Know Angie Smith; Birth Doula, Lactation Consultant, and Childbirth Educator

Angie Smith has been a birth doula with Balanced Birth Support for nearly a year now, and in that time has exponentially increased not only her birth training, but significantly expanded her  services. In addition to comprehensive birth doula services, she also offers red tent ceremonies, placenta prints, and breastmilk jewelry. She is also a certified Reiki II practitioner.  As I write this, Angie is at The Farm in Tennessee training to be a midwife’s assistant.  She is incredibly passionate …

Want to Teach Lamaze? Take Jamie’s Teacher Educator Class This October!

Birthing Babies Virginia is the Seminar program and it is being taught by Jamie Mueller, a local Lamaze Educator and Doula who lives in Lovettsville, VA and is a contracted doula with Balanced Birth Support. The first step to becoming a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator is to take the 3 day educator seminar. This seminar also comes with a free year of membership to the Lamaze DC Chapter which will mentor you, provide you with CEUs, and advertise your classes …

Breastfeeding Resources & Where To Find Local Support

If you are planning to breastfeed, it’s important to have good, solid resources available to you both before and after the baby is born. Breastfeeding is natural, but it doesn’t always come naturally and support is essential if you want to achieve your goals, no matter what those goals are.  I’ve listed several go-to resources below; check them out before you go into labor so you know what to expect in breastfeeding from the moment your baby is born.  Books*Links …