Your Coziest Winter Meal Yet
Postpartum Support After a NICU Stay
Bringing a baby home after months in the NICU is not the same as bringing a newborn home from the hospital.
While the baby may be medically stable, parents often arrive home emotionally depleted, hyper-vigilant, and carrying unprocessed trauma from weeks or months spent in survival mode.
The homecoming—so long awaited—can feel tender, overwhelming, and surprisingly quiet after constant alarms, schedules, and oversight.
As a postpartum doula, my role with NICU families is not to teach you how to care for your baby—you already know how to advocate, observe, and persevere. My work is to help you stand down from emergency mode and re-enter your own family life.
Postpartum Broths
While my client labored on New Year’s Eve, I prepared my homemade postpartum broth for her. Sipped slowly, it will warm, nourish, and soothe her when the hard work is done. This simple mug will be a gentle invitation to slow down, rest, and recover.
Vibrant and Warm Winter Salad
My favorite winter lunch recipe - warm roasted protein and veggies with over greens.
My legacy
I want my clients to see themselves as I see them: successful, capable, superheroes to their little ones, and intentional, wonderful families striving to thrive. I hope my excitement over small postpartum moments is contagious and leaves a lasting sense of joy and possibility in my clients’ homes.
Mom Fuel For All
Coastal Doulas homemade mom fuel can be ordered individually for moms as a gift, separate from postpartum doula visit packages. It’s the perfect present for a new or experience mom in need of a pick-me-up!
Why Warming and Grounding Foods Are Essential for Postpartum Recovery
After birth, the body has lost heat, shifted fluids, and expended enormous energy. Warm foods—such as broths, stews, porridges, gently cooked vegetables, and meals seasoned with warming spices—help restore balance by supporting circulation, easing digestion, and conserving energy for recovery and milk production.
From a physiological perspective, warm foods are easier for the body to digest and assimilate. Digestion itself requires energy, and cold or raw foods can place additional strain on an already tired system. When digestion is supported, nutrients are more readily absorbed, allowing the body to access what it needs for tissue repair, hormone regulation, immune support, and sustained energy during the postpartum period.
Postpartum Superfoods
Postpartum Misconceptions in the US
Postpartum is not a moment—it’s a season, and mothers deserve care for the full length of it. We plan endlessly for babies, but rarely for mothers—and postpartum support shouldn’t be an afterthought or considered a luxury.
12 Favorite Children's Books Read Aloud By Coastal Doula Kristen
Read-aloud stories are a timeless tool for connection, learning, and calm—especially in homes with young children. In this blog post, Coastal Doula Kristen Curtin shares her curated collection of 12 favorite children’s books read aloud, available as over 100 minutes of recorded storytelling. Designed with busy parents in mind, these read-aloud videos provide gentle support during mealtime prep, caregiving moments, and the beautiful multitasking of family life.
My Postpartum Doula Origin Story
My own postpartum experiences were shaped by my mother, who modeled quiet, joyful, long-term postpartum support. Becoming a mother of two was a profound life change, and I deeply loved the season of young motherhood—the tenderness, intensity, and transformation it brings.
Long-term Family Success
These three pillars create a foundation for long-term family success.
A Typical Day As A Postpartum Doula
A typical visit is centered on creating a home environment that feels joyful, calm, and deeply supportive of recovery. I bring a quiet, positive productivity that lifts the entire family while ensuring the mother’s only priorities are rest, healing, and bonding with her baby.
What Is A Postpartum Doula?
When a mother is truly supported and thriving, the whole family can thrive. Every new mother deserves someone firmly in her corner—a hype woman for the fourth trimester