How much time did you spend on planning your wedding? Wish you could have had a wedding planner to help you navigate a completely new world? Had her on-call at your fingertips as your ideas flooded in and when your plans needed to change because of circumstances out of...
It’s Spring! Well that’s what the calendar says anyway. With the change of season there are many people who decide to declutter their house. Out with the old, in with the new. As we make space in our homes we also make space in our minds too. Feels good...
Drew is our go-to for pretty much everything at Helping Hands. As our Client Experience Coordinator she connects everyone with the resources they need. From the first touch in setting up your consultation to scheduling your postnatal support, she is there to assist. She also keeps the entire team...
In the last few decades we have relied on the amazing resource of Motherisk, funded by The Hospital for Sick Kids. The website and helpline could be accessed 24/7 and was the go-to for both expecting & new parents as well as many health professionals. The most up to date information...
Curious about cloth diapering and what the benefits are? See what new mom Cayley loves the most about her decision to cloth diaper her little one. Durable Cloth diapers are adjustable and can grow with your baby! They can be reused over and over again, lasting the wear of...
So often we are asked why we do what we do. Being a Doula is quite a unique profession. We work at all hours of the day and night, see clients at their best and most vulnerable, and share such a strong bond at the end of it all....
In Common Myths, Preparing for Birth
/best birth, birth, birth plan, birth preferences, Epidural, natural, unmedicated
Let’s get things straight right here and now. Birth Doulas support birth. ALL births. Being a Doula for a long time, I have had to debunk the myths of what kind of support we provide on a regular basis. “I have an OB’. To which we reply “Great!”. “I’m...
When planning for baby, many things come to mind that need to be put in place before your little one arrives. Baby clothes, diapers, somewhere to sleep are usually the first things that come to mind. One of the most imporant items to have for your baby, is you &...
We love Thanksgiving as it is a time to reflect and feel grateful for all the wonderful blessings we have in our lives. Time with family and friends, yummy food and pumpkin spiced anything make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. We also started thinking that it’s a...
In Helpful Pregnancy Tips, Info for Moms, Postpartum, Preparing for Birth, Services We Endorse
/fit mom, postpartum body, postpartum fitness, postpartum journey, pregnancy workout, prenatal exercise, prenatal fitness, prenatal workout, prenatal yoga, strong moms
One of the most common questions we receive from clients is surrounding what is a safe level of working out, both in pregnancy & after baby. Here is what our go-to personal trainer & holistic nutritionist, Denise Chiriboga, has to say. It’s so important to get moving in pregnancy. Here are...
‘There’s an App for that!’ This comment is true for everything in our lives and pregnancy is no different. Apps are a great way to organize and learn on a daily basis. As experts in the field of pregnancy, we thought we would share our top 5 Apps that we find...
In Info for Dads, Info for Moms, Services We Endorse
/conception, fertility, naturopath, naturopathic doctor, Pregnancy, secondary infertility
We have all heard about Infertility, but what is Secondary Infertility? Secondary infertility refers to a person with a uterus who previously carried a pregnancy to term and had a successful live birth, but now is unable to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term. At the time...
In Childbirth, Midwives, Services We Endorse
/Alongside Midwifery Unit, Birth Centre, Markham Stouffville Hospital, Midwife, Midwives
On July 9th the Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) opened the Alongside Midwifery Unit (AMU), the very first of its kind in Canada. Our Birth Doula and Co-Owner Kristi Clements had the pleasure of assisting with the first baby born in the unit, on opening day. Now that’s a birthday party! One...
When having a baby we know there are lots of costs and typically think of things like diapers, car seats, strollers etc. There are other things that our clients have told us they wish they had known about so they could budget. Maternity Clothes As baby grows your body...
In Helpful Pregnancy Tips, Induction, Info for Moms, Preparing for Birth
/amniotic sac, cervix, induction, internal exam, pelvic exam, stretch and sweep, third trimester
Stretch and sweeps are something that your midwife or Doctor may suggest at some point during your third trimester. It is a method to stimulate labour to begin, or done during in labour to help aid in dilation. How it is performed? During an internal pelvic exam, your health...
In Childbirth, Preparing for Birth
/birth, birth plan, getting ready for birth, hospital bag, preparing for childbirth
You read that title correctly. In our experience we see that doctors don’t love when their patients come in with birth plans. This tends to make them think that you have rigid ideas about your birth and it might get in the way of their medical care. We do...
In Helpful Pregnancy Tips, Info for Moms, Postpartum, Preparing for Birth, Services We Endorse
/how to prevent tearing, how to push, pelvic floor physio, pelvic floor physiotherapist, preparing for birth, recovering from birth
Pelvic floor physiotherapy (PT) is a specialized type of physiotherapy that has been growing in popularity over the last number of years. In fact, in France, Belgium, and many other countries, pelvic floor rehabilitation is a typical component of postpartum care, for every women that has a baby. We...
In Helpful Pregnancy Tips, Info for Dads, Info for Moms, Preparing for Birth
/childbirth, childbirth education, contractions, getting ready for birth, labour signs, prenatal classes, when to go to the hospital
Unlike what you see on television, a woman’s water breaking as the sign that labour is starting only happens in approximately 5% of cases. With that being said, how will you know that your body is going into labour? Let us take this in stages, of what happens before baby...
Happy 150th Birthday Canada! We truly live in an amazing country rich of culture, history and pride. Your baby’s name could be found with some national inspiration!
Gone are the days where dads were expected to go to work, come home, play with their child for 10 minutes and that’s it. Today dads are expected, and wanting, to be more of an active participant in raising their children. The positive effect is that dads are creating...