 Finding a caregiver who respects your parenting choices is key Whether you are looking at a return to work after maternity leave, or just need a sitter for an occasional date night, leaving your baby in someone else’s care for the first time can seem like a daunting task. Will they be safe? Will they get the same level of attention as they get from you? What if they don’t take a bottle? Will they cry? Will you cry? Here are five things to consider when finding a caregiver for your baby: 1. Determine the type of care you need and want. You will have different expectations of an occasional babysitter than that of a full time caregiver. It may not matter that an occasional sitter has a little trouble putting your child to sleep at his usual time, because his routine isn’t greatly affected by one late nap. However, you may want a regular caregiver to follow the same routine as you do at home. Depending on your budget, your child’s needs, and your personal preferences, you may be looking at the following types of care:
2. Get referrals and check references. When looking for care, ask your friends, family members, and neighbors for referrals. No matter what kind of care you are looking for, if you can get a referral from a family who has had personal experience with a caregiver, you may have more peace of mind about leaving your child with them. If you can’t get personal referrals, you can get referrals from local parenting groups, or you can view ratings on child care sites like care.com. You can use a child care agency; they screen their caregivers in advance, conduct background checks, and may require them to have a minimal level of experience or training. When you find potential caregivers, ask for references from families with whom they have worked in the past. If they can’t or won’t offer references, this can be a sign that they are inexperienced or have had negative experiences you may want to avoid. 3. You make the decisions. You have the right to choose a caregiver who will respect your parenting choices, including how and when to feed your baby, how to respond to crying and other cues, how their sleep is structured (or unstructured), how often they are held, how they comforted, how they are disciplined, and more. Look for child care providers who will work with you to accommodate your preferences. Sometimes they may have limitations due to the number of children they care for. Know which areas are the most important to you, and find a care provider who can meet your needs in those areas. When your care provider is a family member, your parenting choices should be respected. A family member who ignores your instructions may not be the best person to watch your child, even though they may be more emotionally attached to your baby than a professional caregiver. Also consider an out-of-home caregiver’s policies on dropping in to see your child. If a facility limits your ability to visit your child, or requires advance notice, this may be a red flag that they will present a different picture to you of the care your child is receiving when you are not around.  4. Ease into a schedule. If you have the flexibility, consider leaving your baby for small increments of time with their caregiver, and build up to a regular schedule over a period of weeks or months. This period of transition will help both you and your baby get used to being apart. A slower approach can also apply to occasional or part-time care. Have your sitter watch your child in your home while you are there before you leave your baby alone with them for the first time. The sitter can become familiar with your home and the baby’s routines, the baby won’t consider the sitter a stranger, and you will get a sense of how the sitter will care for your baby when you are gone. If you are breastfeeding, easing back into work may help you maintain your breastfeeding relationship while you pump to build up a supply. It may also give a baby who is reluctant to take a bottle time to adjust to a new method of feeding.  5. Consider alternatives. Sometimes, the needs and priorities of your family change after your baby is born. When pregnant, you may have had a plan to return to work after six weeks but now that your baby is here, you feel you need an extended maternity leave. Or maybe you planned on hiring a nanny, but you found an in-home daycare that seems like a better fit. Some families re-evaluate their need for a two-income household, and one parent decides to stay home to care for the baby full time. Or one parent transitions to work from home for a time, to be more available to help with child care. If you find yourself re-thinking your child care needs, there are many options available to parents these days. Start a discussion with your employer about what flexible options may be available to you. Examine your family budget to see if one or both parents can stay home with the baby, or work from home for a while. See if a family member is available to help out on a regular basis. Make the choices that are right for you new family, even if those choices are different than what you thought they would be when you were pregnant! I am a certified labor doula (birth doula) and postpartum doula serving clients in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, and the greater Treasure Valley. Planning for birth and postpartum can be just as stressful as choosing child care. Find out how a doula can help you as you bring your new baby into the world. elevated birth
Copyright 2018  Modify your plans, minimize your stress It’s the holiday season, and that means interaction with family members you may see just a few times a year. Even if you have wonderful relationships with your extended family, if you are pregnant around the holidays, conversations can get difficult when talk turns to your plans for birth. Everyone seems to have an opinion to share about what you should or shouldn't do, or they offer a prediction of how your birth will go. Here are five tips to navigate the holidays while pregnant: 1. Modify your holiday plans. Modify your plans, and minimize your stress. If you usually host a family gathering, ask someone else to host this year. Plan on bringing in prepared foods instead of cooking, or make the dinner a potluck event. Can you limit family time this year? Use your pregnancy to your advantage. Perhaps you stay for just a few hours at your sister’s house instead of the whole day. Or take a nap while everyone else is watching football. If you are nearing your estimated due date, your care provider may actually warn against you traveling more than a couple of hours from your home. That means you can avoid a prolonged visit with family altogether, if that is your preference. 2. Prepare for difficult conversations. Chances are, your family members are excited about the new addition to their own extended family. But instead of only sharing in your excitement, they may also feel the need to share their opinions. Conversation will inevitably turn to your pregnancy, and will likely consist of three topics:
If you are making choices for your birth that are different from those your family members have made for themselves, be prepared for push back. You might hear things like, “Just you wait! You have no idea!” or “You’ll change your mind!” If your choices are vastly different, you may even hear things like “You are putting your baby’s life in danger!” or “You are being selfish.” With pregnancy hormones at play, and if you yourself are still navigating your birth options, these conversations can get heated, emotional, and very difficult. If you anticipate these conversations in advance, you can avoid feeling blindsided. You might tell your family before the event (or have your partner tell their family) that you don’t want to have these conversations at all. Or, you may choose to be more selective or vague in your answers to probing family members.  Expect difficult conversations about your pregnancy 3. Practice disengaging. Sometimes these difficult conversations can’t be avoided. Maybe your relatives already know your plans for birth and they are using this holiday gathering as one more instance to voice their disapproval. In these situations, don’t try to defend your choices, or try to convince your family members to accept them. Instead, answer their questions or comments with a neutral phrase, like, “Hmmmmm” or “Huh!” Or you can make them feel heard and say, “You know, that gives me something to think about.” Sometimes, you may feel the need to stop the conversation entirely. You can say, “Thank you for your concern. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Or redirect the conversation to another topic: “Okay. Hey, congrats on your promotion. How do you like your new job?”  Do whatever you can to relax during the holidays 4. Make time for self care. Taking care of yourself is always important, but especially so during the busy holiday season. Book a prenatal massage, take a long bath, make time to exercise, or plan a night out with your partner. Enjoy the time you have now that is all yours. Whatever brings you relaxation and calm increases your oxytocin levels. Oxytocin is the "love hormone" that plays a role in labor, attachment, bonding, and breastfeeding. Taking deep breaths, centering your mind, and finding ways to relax amidst the tension around you is also excellent practice for managing labor. 5. Create your own holiday traditions. With a baby on the way, your life will be changing in just a few short weeks or months. Whether this is your first baby, or you are adding a sibling, take the time to reassess what you and your partner want for your growing family. What traditions will you adopt? What will you let go? What is important? What’s not? These answers look different for everyone. They may not fit into what your extended family has chosen. But when you take the time to pause and think about what you want for your own family, the stress and furor that accompanies this time of year lessens-- which makes for a better holiday season, and a better pregnancy. I am a certified labor doula and professional postpartum doula serving clients in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Nampa and the greater Treasure Valley. This holiday season, ask for doula support! Elevated Birth gift certificates are available in any denomination and can easily be added to your baby registry. elevated birth
Copyright 2018  These gorgeous photos are courtesy of Natalie Koziuk Photography. Clients of Elevated Birth get discounts on sessions with Natalie! New Baby? Pregnant? Trying? |
 | Today, I hand over my blog to talented Treasure Valley lifestyle photographer Natalie Koziuk. Natalie offers full-service photography, specializing in creating a fun, relaxed, low-stress photography experience with a stylish, high-end result. |
My clients receive 50% off a maternity or newborn session with Natalie ($200 value). For a short time, she is offering my clients a fantastic discounted package for maternity, birth, and newborn photography. Contact me for details!
Check out Natalie's work at http://nkoziukphotography.com. And check out the details on our collaborative Mother's Day Giveaway at the end of this post!
Check out Natalie's work at http://nkoziukphotography.com. And check out the details on our collaborative Mother's Day Giveaway at the end of this post!
Boise Newborn Photographer - 5 Tips Before Your Newborn Lifestyle Session
I get a lot of questions about newborn lifestyle photography and what to expect. Let's do a quick refresher on what lifestyle photography is and why I'm completely obsessed with it.
Let's set the scene. You just brought home your new baby and instantly that little human starts growing (oh, so much faster than we'd like to admit)! What will you want to remember when that little human is all grown? Perhaps those tiny fingers wrapped around yours or how easy their head fit into dad's palms? Possibly the way you and dad looked at him completely in love and thankful that he's finally here? Here's the thing, life as you know it is complete now. The moments and details are what I capture and what you'll love years and years from now.
Props, beanbags, and wraps oh my!
No need for posing and waiting hours for me to wrap, swaddle, and pose baby on a beanbag. I'll capture your family doing what it does best, being real, raw, and you. Lifestyle photography captures those authentic moments that can’t be planned or staged.
Let's talk wardrobe
Mom, start with what you feel comfortable in first. Either a dress, or something light, comfortable and casual. Light neutrals photograph beautifully, but I don't discourage darker colors mixed in. You’ll want to avoid bright colors like apple red or orange so they don't reflect onto that sweet newborn's face.
Pairing simple basics with textured overlays, such as a robe or a slouchy open sweater are always encouraged. From there you can coordinate the rest of the family.
Let's set the scene. You just brought home your new baby and instantly that little human starts growing (oh, so much faster than we'd like to admit)! What will you want to remember when that little human is all grown? Perhaps those tiny fingers wrapped around yours or how easy their head fit into dad's palms? Possibly the way you and dad looked at him completely in love and thankful that he's finally here? Here's the thing, life as you know it is complete now. The moments and details are what I capture and what you'll love years and years from now.
Props, beanbags, and wraps oh my!
No need for posing and waiting hours for me to wrap, swaddle, and pose baby on a beanbag. I'll capture your family doing what it does best, being real, raw, and you. Lifestyle photography captures those authentic moments that can’t be planned or staged.
Let's talk wardrobe
Mom, start with what you feel comfortable in first. Either a dress, or something light, comfortable and casual. Light neutrals photograph beautifully, but I don't discourage darker colors mixed in. You’ll want to avoid bright colors like apple red or orange so they don't reflect onto that sweet newborn's face.
Pairing simple basics with textured overlays, such as a robe or a slouchy open sweater are always encouraged. From there you can coordinate the rest of the family.
Courtesy Natalie Koziuk Photography
A sleepy baby
I can't tell you how often I arrive and baby is up and ready to party. Feeding baby right before your session gives us a good chance we’ll have a sleepy newborn right from the start. If not, no need to stress. More often than not, I'll catch those eyes closed at some point. Bottom line...Whether your baby is awake or asleep during your session, remember that those moments caught on camera happen organically.
Natural light
Keep an eye out in your house where and what time your rooms have the most light. I typically photograph in three areas-- the living room, your master, and the nursery. I ask that you send me photos of your rooms before the session if I don't come to visit you beforehand. Depending on your home, usually around 10am-2pm we get the best light.
If you only have one room that works, that's great! I’m happily surprised with the sessions I’ve had with only one window to work with.
I can't tell you how often I arrive and baby is up and ready to party. Feeding baby right before your session gives us a good chance we’ll have a sleepy newborn right from the start. If not, no need to stress. More often than not, I'll catch those eyes closed at some point. Bottom line...Whether your baby is awake or asleep during your session, remember that those moments caught on camera happen organically.
Natural light
Keep an eye out in your house where and what time your rooms have the most light. I typically photograph in three areas-- the living room, your master, and the nursery. I ask that you send me photos of your rooms before the session if I don't come to visit you beforehand. Depending on your home, usually around 10am-2pm we get the best light.
If you only have one room that works, that's great! I’m happily surprised with the sessions I’ve had with only one window to work with.
Courtesy Natalie Koziuk Photography
Siblings
Usually we'll start with the whole family if big brother or sister is happy and ready to go. If they're not excited yet, I’ll start with baby and we’ll add them in later. Photographers have quite a few tricks to keep things moving right along. Many times, they're so excited about their new role that they'll want to hold and kiss all over their new best friend. If they really don’t want to be involved, I still try my best to get them in the frame. Nine out of 10 times they'll change their mind. ;)
Usually we'll start with the whole family if big brother or sister is happy and ready to go. If they're not excited yet, I’ll start with baby and we’ll add them in later. Photographers have quite a few tricks to keep things moving right along. Many times, they're so excited about their new role that they'll want to hold and kiss all over their new best friend. If they really don’t want to be involved, I still try my best to get them in the frame. Nine out of 10 times they'll change their mind. ;)
Courtesy Natalie Koziuk Photography
Timing is everything
I always advise parents to contact me in their second trimester to guarantee their session. I leave a healthy gap in my calendar open from before you're due to two weeks after you're due so we don’t miss the sweet spot. I’m in and out within an hour (sometimes 90 minutes) so you can get back to your newborn life as soon as possible.
Are you excited yet?! If it’s time to schedule your newborn session let's chat soon. Email me at hello@nkoziukphotography.com or call 208.794.7916 to ask questions or to check availability.
I always advise parents to contact me in their second trimester to guarantee their session. I leave a healthy gap in my calendar open from before you're due to two weeks after you're due so we don’t miss the sweet spot. I’m in and out within an hour (sometimes 90 minutes) so you can get back to your newborn life as soon as possible.
Are you excited yet?! If it’s time to schedule your newborn session let's chat soon. Email me at hello@nkoziukphotography.com or call 208.794.7916 to ask questions or to check availability.
Don't Miss Out!!!
Natalie and I have teamed up to offer a Mother's Day Giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a photo session with Natalie, and a birth planning session and postpartum doula support with me. Visit Elevated Birth on Facebook or Elevated Birth on Instagram for details on how to enter. We will pick a winner on May 10, 2018 so enter now!
Natalie and I have teamed up to offer a Mother's Day Giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a photo session with Natalie, and a birth planning session and postpartum doula support with me. Visit Elevated Birth on Facebook or Elevated Birth on Instagram for details on how to enter. We will pick a winner on May 10, 2018 so enter now!
elevated birth
Copyright 2018
Copyright 2018
I don't want to think about a baby registry-- I just want a nap.
TRUTH: Babies don't need much when they arrive. They need to eat. They need a place to sleep. They need a few items of clothing, and of course, diapers.
ALSO TRUTH: You will still create an extensive baby registry because:
UNSPOKEN TRUTH: Creating a baby registry can be stressful. There are so many items to choose from. You don't know what it is you really need, and what you could live without. There are so many options within a category (strollers, breast pumps, diaper brands, etc.) and you are afraid of making the 'wrong' decision.
Plus, where do you register? You don't want to register at too many places, because you want to make it easy for the people buying things for you. Yet there isn't one store that has everything you need. And you need to consider return policies, long distance buyers, customer service, product availability, potential discounts or coupons, etc. It's no wonder many people put off building their registries.
Here are some tips to make this experience a little easier--and even enjoyable!
1) Don't attempt to register on an empty stomach. When I was pregnant with my first child, I made the mistake of not eating lunch before I started my registry at a large retailer. I thought the process would take an hour or so; over two and a half hours later, I was ravenous and shaking from low blood sugar. At that point I probably wasn't making the best decisions either, as I scanned random baby items in an attempt to fill out my registry.
2) Enlist the help of an experienced friend. Make a date of it! Go to lunch beforehand, and have your friend help you choose your items based on the realities of your situation. For instance, when I accompanied my pregnant sister-in-law as she shopped for a stroller, I was able to steer her away from the large, bulky jogging strollers she was eyeing toward a Snap-N-Go stroller, since it was one of a handful that would fit into her compact car. I had seen friends of mine disassemble their large strollers to fit in and out of their car trunks every time they went out-- a big hassle. A smaller stroller to get her through the first year with her new baby was probably the better option.
A friend or relative who has recently had a baby may be more up to date on the newest baby products, as well. This Haakaa silicone breast pump wasn't a thing when I had my kids but it is now the rage of breastfeeding parents, as it allows you to catch overflow from one breast while baby is latched onto the other breast.
3) Go online. Every large retailer enables you to build a baby registry online. The Amazon Baby Registry enables you to tap into the vast array of products sold on Amazon, with free shipping, easy returns, and loyalty discounts.
Smaller boutique stores offer the ability to create online registries, as well. Pi Baby, a boutique retailer in Boise, offers an online registry. The advantage to registering with a local retailer is that you can physically see and feel the products you are adding to your registry, and you can get the expertise of the sales staff in choosing those products.
One of my favorite registry sites to recommend to my pregnant clients is Babylist. With Babylist you can add items from any website, from big box retailers, to your local boutique, to the online-only store. You simply install their browser button onto your computer, or download their app onto your smartphone, and begin adding products from any website. To add Elevated Birth doula services or Postpartum Services to your Babylist registry, first go to our Gift Certificates page. Then click the "Add to Babylist" browser button, enter the dollar amount you want to add to your registry, and let your family and friends help pay for your doula support!
Or, you can create a Cash Fund to go towards doula support, a newborn photography session, pet sitting, large purchases like baby furniture, fitness classes, etc. and friends can contribute any amount toward those funds.
4) Go minimal. Babies truly don't need a lot. Perhaps you find that purchasing baby items second-hand feels better to you from an environmental standpoint, or because you know your baby will outgrow his or her use for certain items in no time.
Instead of registering for 30 newborn sized onesies, a swing, bouncy seat and Rock n' Play, and that designer set of crib linens that go unused because you end up co-sleeping, register for the basics. Create a cash fund that people can contribute to for future purchases, or things that will really help you settle into life with a new baby-- doula support, meals, housecleaning help, and anything that allows you to rest, heal, and enjoy your new baby.
Whichever route you take in building your baby registry, opt for the one that minimizes your stress level. Any product you find yourself missing or wanting, is ultimately just free two-day shipping away, anyway.
ALSO TRUTH: You will still create an extensive baby registry because:
- There are products that will make life with a new baby easier
- Babies grow and there are other products that older babies need
- There are things you want
- Baby gear is expensive-- and other people want to buy it for you. Let them!
- You would rather that family and friends buy the things you pick instead of the things they would pick
UNSPOKEN TRUTH: Creating a baby registry can be stressful. There are so many items to choose from. You don't know what it is you really need, and what you could live without. There are so many options within a category (strollers, breast pumps, diaper brands, etc.) and you are afraid of making the 'wrong' decision.
Plus, where do you register? You don't want to register at too many places, because you want to make it easy for the people buying things for you. Yet there isn't one store that has everything you need. And you need to consider return policies, long distance buyers, customer service, product availability, potential discounts or coupons, etc. It's no wonder many people put off building their registries.
Here are some tips to make this experience a little easier--and even enjoyable!
1) Don't attempt to register on an empty stomach. When I was pregnant with my first child, I made the mistake of not eating lunch before I started my registry at a large retailer. I thought the process would take an hour or so; over two and a half hours later, I was ravenous and shaking from low blood sugar. At that point I probably wasn't making the best decisions either, as I scanned random baby items in an attempt to fill out my registry.
2) Enlist the help of an experienced friend. Make a date of it! Go to lunch beforehand, and have your friend help you choose your items based on the realities of your situation. For instance, when I accompanied my pregnant sister-in-law as she shopped for a stroller, I was able to steer her away from the large, bulky jogging strollers she was eyeing toward a Snap-N-Go stroller, since it was one of a handful that would fit into her compact car. I had seen friends of mine disassemble their large strollers to fit in and out of their car trunks every time they went out-- a big hassle. A smaller stroller to get her through the first year with her new baby was probably the better option.
A friend or relative who has recently had a baby may be more up to date on the newest baby products, as well. This Haakaa silicone breast pump wasn't a thing when I had my kids but it is now the rage of breastfeeding parents, as it allows you to catch overflow from one breast while baby is latched onto the other breast.
3) Go online. Every large retailer enables you to build a baby registry online. The Amazon Baby Registry enables you to tap into the vast array of products sold on Amazon, with free shipping, easy returns, and loyalty discounts.
Smaller boutique stores offer the ability to create online registries, as well. Pi Baby, a boutique retailer in Boise, offers an online registry. The advantage to registering with a local retailer is that you can physically see and feel the products you are adding to your registry, and you can get the expertise of the sales staff in choosing those products.
One of my favorite registry sites to recommend to my pregnant clients is Babylist. With Babylist you can add items from any website, from big box retailers, to your local boutique, to the online-only store. You simply install their browser button onto your computer, or download their app onto your smartphone, and begin adding products from any website. To add Elevated Birth doula services or Postpartum Services to your Babylist registry, first go to our Gift Certificates page. Then click the "Add to Babylist" browser button, enter the dollar amount you want to add to your registry, and let your family and friends help pay for your doula support!
Or, you can create a Cash Fund to go towards doula support, a newborn photography session, pet sitting, large purchases like baby furniture, fitness classes, etc. and friends can contribute any amount toward those funds.
4) Go minimal. Babies truly don't need a lot. Perhaps you find that purchasing baby items second-hand feels better to you from an environmental standpoint, or because you know your baby will outgrow his or her use for certain items in no time.
Instead of registering for 30 newborn sized onesies, a swing, bouncy seat and Rock n' Play, and that designer set of crib linens that go unused because you end up co-sleeping, register for the basics. Create a cash fund that people can contribute to for future purchases, or things that will really help you settle into life with a new baby-- doula support, meals, housecleaning help, and anything that allows you to rest, heal, and enjoy your new baby.
Whichever route you take in building your baby registry, opt for the one that minimizes your stress level. Any product you find yourself missing or wanting, is ultimately just free two-day shipping away, anyway.
I am a certified labor doula and professional postpartum doula serving clients in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa, and the greater Treasure Valley. Let's talk about what's on your baby registry!
elevated birth
Copyright 2018
Copyright 2018
Doula Raquel
I've worked in the forest, in the lab, and in an office cubicle. My favorite and most passionate work has been alongside clients as they reach inside to find their innermost strength, and give birth to their babies. Each birth is an honor to witness.
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