Baby on Board: Navigating The Finances of Parenthood
Plan for parental leave – If you are eligible for employment insurance, you may be entitled for up to 78 weeks of parental leave. You can find more details about this program on the CRA website here. Also ensure you determine your employer’s parental leave policy and plan how you will financially manage the time off. You may be eligible for a top up which can supplement your income during this time.
Brood’s Family Referral Program
For any current or previous clients who refer new families that book with Brood, we are offering a $50 cash reward. Alternatively, referrers can choose to donate that amount to our Brood for Equity Fund, which supports families in need across the Lower Mainland. It's a win-win situation where you can both do good and feel good.
Mental Health During the Postpartum Period
Giving birth to a child is one of the most physically and emotionally challenging experiences a person can go through. The period after giving birth, known as the postpartum period or the 4th Trimester, can be both overwhelming and rewarding. As a new parent, taking care of your baby can take up most of your time and energy, but it is also important to prioritize your own mental health and support during this time.
Vancouver Prenatal with Brood
Looking for a prenatal class in Vancouver Lower Mainland that isn’t boring, way too long or full of gendered language? Don’t want to spend a whole weekend sitting on terrible plastic chairs, in a cold unfriendly environment? We don’t either so we created a class just for you!
Top 8 myths about C-Sections & Belly Births
A cesarean or c-section (also known as a belly birth), is a surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through incisions in your abdomen and uterus. Scheduled c-sections may be suggested if your baby is breech, you have placenta previa, you are expecting multiples, or you need a guaranteed delivery before you reach full-term gestation. Unscheduled cesarean sections are when there is a reason for imminent birth and it is necessary to have a surgical birth within the next few minutes to hours.
A doula’s guide to c-sections
While c-sections can be life-saving for parents and babies in certain situations, they are also associated with higher risks of complications compared to vaginal birth. Additionally, c-sections and its ensuing healing can have long-term health consequences for both the parent and baby. In saying this, belly births continue to be one of the most stigmatized journeys to birth a family can take.
My weird and wonderful pregnancy
This actually happened BEFORE I officially knew I was pregnant, that in a matter of days, my chest grew exponentially. I thought I was either pregnant or finally hitting puberty at age 30. If I was pregnant I had imagined this would happen over time, but it seemed to happen overnight, and was painful! So painful that I couldn’t even sleep on my stomach for a few weeks. The pain is no longer there – but they are still growing – and don’t show signs of slowing down!
Top 8 Doula Myths
As our friend, LC and doula Allie Mennie says, “A doula is someone who is there for you. The medicine is out of our scope, so we are there as someone supporting you and your partner. We make sure you’re fed and hydrated, you’re remembering to pee, your room/environment is calm and supportive for the birth process
Brood’s Birth Story
The name Brood was inspired by visions of a large group of squishy babies, toddlers and kids — sunkissed, muddy and laughing. It’s also inspired by the concept of creatures caring for their own, in order to survive - and thrive. Collectively caring for one another through knowledge sharing and hands-on support while finding joyful moments along the way — that’s the spirit of our Brood. It was co-created by two new parents and a full-spectrum doula who not only saw, but intimately understood how in-person care during pregnancy and early parenthood can positively transform the family AND the care worker.
Is Sleep Training Worth It?
At Brood, we believe that parent’s know best — for their babies, families and themselves. This includes how parents and their babies sleep for the duration of the parenting relationship. For some parents this includes sleep training, co-sleeping, night nurses, sleeping in shifts and much more! Sleep arrangements tend to shift based on your own needs and your babies’ ability — this blog post outlines some of the ways this can look, while using sleep training as a tool.
Living Wage for Care Work
We're thrilled to be one of the first doula care agencies to become a certified Living Wage Employer one of the 400 Living Wage Employers in BC. A living wage is the baseline hourly amount for families to be able to afford a decent life. With recent economic pressures, especially in the care economy, this movement is powerful and important. And it’s made even more relevant by the City of Vancouver’s recent end to their commitment as a Living Wage Employer.
“Gender neutral terms take away from womanhood” and other myths about queer-inclusive language
I don’t know about you, but I would rather save lives than complain about how difficult it is to make a switch in language. If gender affirming language means I have to go through mental shifts in order to learn how to be more of a respectful person who is rooted in community care – then count me right in.
8 ways to become a queer inclusive doula practice
My answer is always: Why? Why do you want to be queer inclusive? Is it because you’re queer yourself and want to find more supportive ways to care for your community? Is it because you’re cis and/or straight and want to make sure you want to provide safer spaces for people? What drives your needs and wants to make your practice queer inclusive? What are your priorities? Let’s start there first.
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We work and live on the unceded and occupied territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Since time immemorial, the original peoples of these lands have cared for their families and communities. We are committed to honouring their teachings, legacy and their sovereignty.
