Bornbir Blog

Pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum articles for parents, doulas, lactation consultants, and other perinatal care providers.

Breastfeeding Lactation Consultant

Lactating 101: A Practical Guide for New Parents

At its heart, lactating is the beautiful, biological process of your body making breast milk to nourish your baby. It’s an intricate system driven by hormones that signal your breasts to produce milk right after birth, perfectly adapting to your baby’s hunger on a supply-and-demand basis.This whole process doesn't just switch on the day you deliver. Your body is cleverly preparing for lactation all throughout pregnancy.What Does Lactating Mean for Your BodyYou can think of lactation as a conversation between your body, your hormones, and your baby. It's a finely tuned biological symphony. Long before your baby arrives, your body...

Mental Health Therapist Doula Training

Perinatal Mental Health Certification Alternatives: PMH-C (PSI) vs. C-PMHS (DNT Network)

As interest in perinatal mental health grows, more professionals—including doulas, therapists, nurses, lactation consultants, social workers, and support specialists—are seeking credible certification programs. Two well-known pathways are: The Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) from Postpartum Support International (PSI) The Perinatal Mental Health Specialist Certification (C-PMHS) from DNT Network Both programs help professionals support families experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), but they differ in structure, cost, time commitment, level of rigor, and accessibility.Below is a side-by-side comparison to help you understand which path may be the best fit for your goals.Overview: What Each Certification RepresentsPMH-C by PSI PSI’s Perinatal...

Breastfeeding Lactation Consultant

How to Put Nipple Shield On

If you’ve found your way here, chances are you’re looking for a way to make breastfeeding more comfortable, and you're wondering how to put on a nipple shield. The basic idea is simple: You flip the brim, center it over your nipple, and smooth it down so it creates a light suction. This little maneuver helps your baby get a much deeper, more effective latch.Understanding When a Nipple Shield Can HelpLet's be real. Sometimes breastfeeding doesn't go as smoothly as we'd hoped. A nipple shield can be a total lifesaver in those moments. It’s a tool designed to help with...

Breastfeeding Lactation Consultant

A New Mother's Guide on How to Stop Breastfeeding Pain

Let’s get one thing straight. While a bit of initial tenderness can be part of the learning curve, ongoing, sharp pain during breastfeeding is your body’s way of saying something isn’t right.You are not supposed to just grit your teeth and bear it. And you're definitely not alone.Why Breastfeeding Hurts and How to Get Relief NowPain is one of the most common hurdles nursing mothers face. Studies show that somewhere between 64.4% and 68.5% of mothers deal with breastfeeding pain, and for many, it's so intense that it becomes a primary reason for stopping sooner than they’d planned.It's easy to...

Sleep Coach

How to cope with sleep deprivation: Tips for new parents

Getting through sleep deprivation requires a two-pronged attack. You need in-the-moment survival skills for those really tough nights, plus a bigger-picture plan to actually improve your sleep and lean on your support system. Just admitting that this brand of tired is different is the first, most important step.The Unique Challenge of New Parent Exhaustion Let’s be real. The exhaustion you feel as a new parent is on another planet. It’s nothing like pulling an all-nighter in college or staying out too late with friends. This is fragmented, unpredictable, and just… relentless. You’re not imagining it; your body and mind are...

How to Become a Doula in Illinois? (2025 Guide for Aspiring Birth & Postpartum Doulas)

If you feel called to support families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum healing, becoming a doula in Illinois is a meaningful and rewarding career path. But unlike many states, Illinois has a formal process for doulas who want to work with Medicaid-covered families. To be fully recognized as a professional doula across the state, you must complete a state-approved doula training program and become an Illinois Medicaid-Certified Doula through the SIU School of MedicineSIU School of Medicine.The good news? The process is clear, accessible, and designed to ensure doulas are well-prepared to support families. And if you’re training through DNT...

Newborn Newborn Care Specialist

Newborn sleep schedule by week: a gentle, week-by-week sleep guide

If you're searching for a newborn sleep schedule by week, you might feel like you're looking for a map to a hidden treasure. But here's the honest truth from someone who's been there: newborns (think 0-3 months old) don't really do "schedules." Their world revolves entirely around their immediate needs for food, comfort, and connection. They sleep when they're tired and eat when they're hungry, in short bursts all day and all night.Understanding newborn sleep before you even think about a scheduleBringing your baby home is one of life's most incredible moments, but it usually comes with a huge question...

Childbirth Education

When should you take childbirth classes?

Trying to figure out when to take childbirth classes can feel like just one more complicated decision on your pregnancy to-do list. The short answer? Most expecting parents should aim to start their classes late in the second trimester or early in the third.Think of 28 to 34 weeks pregnant as the sweet spot.Why Timing Your Childbirth Classes MattersScheduling your classes in this specific window is all about memory and readiness. It's a bit like studying for a big exam. If you start cramming months in advance, you’re likely to forget the important details by the time the test rolls...

Breastfeeding Lactation Consultant

Understanding Low Milk Supply Causes

Worrying about low milk supply creates a mountain of stress for new parents, but here’s the thing: a true, medically diagnosed supply issue is far less common than simply thinking you have one. For most families, any supply dips are tied back to how effectively and frequently milk is being removed from the breast.The good news? These challenges are almost always fixable with the right support and a little know-how.Understanding Perceived vs. True Low Milk SupplyOne of the biggest anxieties of early parenthood is that constant, nagging question: is my baby getting enough milk? It’s a completely valid concern. But...

Doula

Do Hospitals Hire Doulas? Here’s What You Need to Know (2025 Update)

If you’re pursuing a career as a doula, one of the most common questions you’ll run into is whether hospitals actually hire doulas as part of their staff. With doula care becoming more visible across the United States—and with more states beginning to reimburse doula services through Medicaid—hospital-based doula programs are slowly becoming more common. Still, the majority of doulas today work independently rather than as hospital employees.This guide breaks down how hospitals work with doulas, what the research says, which states are leading the trend, and what this means for your career.Do Hospitals Employ Doulas?The short answer is yes:...