THE MILK

Ep. 27 What Does a Night Doula Actually Do? Newborn Sleep, Postpartum Support & Building Your Village

• Tayla Burke

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Everyone talks about the newborn phase, but no one really talks about what happens at 2 a.m. when you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering how you’re possibly going to do it all again tomorrow.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Marianella Mendoza, founder of Laguna Baby Collective, to pull back the curtain on what a night doula actually does and why so many families consider overnight postpartum support one of the most valuable investments they make during those early weeks with a new baby.

Before we dive in, I want to acknowledge that hiring a night doula is a luxury and something that isn’t financially accessible for every family. This episode isn’t meant to suggest that anyone needs a night doula to be a great parent or survive the newborn stage. I wanted to have this conversation because I think every mom deserves to know what support options are available when building her village—especially if you don’t live near family or have extra hands to help. Whether your support comes from a partner, friend, family member, postpartum doula, or night doula, my hope is that this episode helps you feel less alone and more informed.

Marianella walks us through exactly what overnight support looks like, from feeding and diaper changes to sleep shaping, tracking routines, and helping parents get the rest they desperately need. We talk about how support differs for breastfeeding, pumping, and formula-feeding families, what a typical night actually looks like, and the small things that can make a huge difference when you’re running on very little sleep.

We also discuss dream feeds, newborn sleep, safe sleep practices, how to know if a night doula is the right fit for your family, and the questions every parent should ask before inviting someone into their home. Whether you’re currently pregnant, deep in the newborn trenches, or simply curious about what postpartum support can look like, this episode offers an honest, practical look at one of the most talked-about—but often misunderstood—forms of help available to new parents.

In this episode, we cover:

• What a night doula does (and doesn’t do)

• What overnight postpartum support actually looks like

• How night doulas support breastfeeding, pumping, and formula-feeding families

• The benefits of sleep shaping versus sleep training

• Tracking feeds, diapers, and sleep patterns

• Dream feeds: when they help and when they don’t

• How overnight support benefits moms, partners, newborns, and older siblings

• When to book a night doula and how long families typically use one

• Budget-friendly ways to make overnight support work

• Green flags, red flags, and questions to ask before hiring a night doula

• Safe sleep practices and newborn care expectations

• Building your postpartum village and asking for help

If this episode resonates with you, please share it with a new or expecting parent and leave a review. Your support helps more moms find these conversations and feel empowered during one of the biggest transitions of their lives.

MORE FROM MARIANELLA:

Laguna Baby Collective

Website: HERE

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Welcome And Why Night Doulas

SPEAKER_01

Welcome to The Milk, the podcast that pours it all out, the messy, the magical, and the mildly unhinged moments of motherhood and womanhood. Real talk, honest stories, and reminders that none of us really know exactly what we're doing, and that's kind of the best part. I'm Taylor, your host and soon-to-be mom of three. So let's laugh, learn, and milk the season of life for all that it's worth. Hi ladies, welcome back to another Tuesday with the milk. So today we're talking about something I feel like so many moms have heard of, but also might not fully understand, and that is the topic of night doulas. What they actually do, are they just for sleep training? Do they take over the baby all night? And is it only for people with unlimited disposable income? So I want to be really clear from the top that I absolutely do not think that every family needs to hire a sleep doula. It is 100% a privilege to be able to hire support. But I also think that moms deserve to know that options exist, especially during one of the most physically and emotionally taxing seasons in our lives. So whether you hire a night doula, budget for one early, ask family to help, or simply just use this episode as education to better understand newborn nights. I just really hope this conversation helps you feel more supported. So I have a very special guest who just sat down with me, Marianella Mendoza. She is the founder of Laguna Baby Collective. She and I have been in each other's lives since Aspen was born, and she's been an integral part of our family. And she is now with us on our third baby, helping us through some of the nights together. And it's funny because we laugh at just how different each baby is.

SPEAKER_02

Totally.

SPEAKER_01

And so she has genuinely seen all three of my kids grow up, and I would not trust them with anyone else but you and your team.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, honey, thanks so much. Um, good morning, Taylor. Great to see you. You too. I saw you I saw you a few hours ago when I woke up. Another setup. Um, yes, great. Thanks for the opportunity. It's nice to see you again. Um, yes, so we start with Aspen, just for a small contract of four weeks.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, we well, we what, three days, three nights a week for four weeks.

SPEAKER_02

Three nights a week, four four weeks. You said that's okay, I don't know, no problem. And then we ended up um being with Aspen for three months and they ignite actually, because you know how our little friend Aspen was. But um great, and then Bash came, and then we came support with Bash as well, and then now um little Scarlet. Little Scarlet. So we it's an honor to be in um in your family's alive for these three babies.

Meet Marianella And Her Agency

SPEAKER_01

So when Marinelle and I first met, she was working under an agency. True. And now, four years later, she has her own agency.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And so tell us a little bit more about you, how long you've been doing night dueling. It used to be called, I used to call it night nursing, and apparently you cannot call it that anymore. There's a difference.

SPEAKER_02

Um, yes, because nurses lament, you have to be um a nurse nurse. Nurse nurse, and then licensed by the state.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so how long have you been doing that? And then tell us about everything that your agency offers because you're not just you don't just place night doulas. You have so many different services, and I want you to brag about that for a little bit.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, oh great, thanks. Um, so I came to the state as a no-pair. So I no pair in 2008, and living with the family for two years in Chicago, freezing Chicago from Panama, that was a big change. Um, and then I moved to Orange County, I got married, moved to Orange County, and then started nanning for twins. Twins only. I did couple family with twins, and then um I had a friend, close friend, it says like a night to line. Like, what what is that? You know, in those times, like today the trainings are more available for um our colleagues and friends that would like to get into the business. But in that time, like the training worked over the weekends and San Francisco, San Diego, they were not all online. So I was like, um, there's no way I will work overnight. I was very happy with them um with being an annie. But things changed. And then um I was like with this unicorn family, and I was like, you know what, I'm gonna explore that. And I started taking my trainings and um, you know, getting into all those things breastfeeding, sleeping training, new world care specialists, doula, birdula. You also have the bird doula um training as well. Um and then I had no more friends to send to the clients, and then I saw the opportunity, like I started investigating how you started an agency. And then we did that, and first I built um Bellissima Care, which was only um overnight, overnight support, and um new work specialists and doula, and then there's those people start asking for nanny. Do you know a nanny? Because I was a nanny too. So and do you have a day night like somebody for the day night? And then I said, Well, the sitter sounds well. And when we call it sitter, honestly, it's because you say it's temporary service, but our sitters are nannies that are looking for a job, nannies that like to take extra um hours over the weekend or day nights, but they have a ton of experience. So we just call it sitter because it's a service, it's a quick service, but not because they're just um on experience and stuff like that. Yeah. So then I said, well, uh Bellissima won't match all the service that we have, and then two years ago in 2023, I uh re bring on everything, new logo, new everything, and then Laguna Baby Collective's born with more services. So today we do nanny um matching, um sitters, we also do like you know private events and stuff like that, weddings and you know, birthday parties, whenever you want to enjoy the the party, and then you need trust hands to see and over your kids we have that too.

SPEAKER_01

That's so smart. So if I had my birthday coming up and I just wanted an extra set of hands, I could reach out to you to just find someone to for like a one-day event.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, yes. So our minimum is four hours. You can have us for three, but that you know, um, to book a sitter, they they prefer to four hours. So our minimum is four hours, and we come and we bring toys, we bring entertainment for the kids, so that's what we when you quote us, so we ask you the age the age of the kids, and you know what access do we have to do we have a pool? So then it has to be somebody for that thing too, like in case somebody who knows to swim, in case a kid jumps in the pool and know CPR, I'm assuming. We all know CPR. That's the standard and that's non-negotiable when you apply to the agency. Yeah, yeah, they have to have CPR.

SPEAKER_01

And what's what areas do you service? So obviously in Orange County, do you go to LA at all?

SPEAKER_02

Yes, so for the postpartum services, the overnight and daytime, because postpartum can be day and night too. So we do Orange County in LA because for the team that we have, they serve over in Orange County in LA. For the NAN service, Southern California. Yes, so that's more like as a bigger service. Yeah, we cover more areas with the Nanny services.

SPEAKER_01

And I don't think I've ever asked you this. How many people are in your system, like your database of nannies, night doolas, sitters?

SPEAKER_02

I know that's a big number, but not everybody that's in the system get plays. Yes. Because um, some people like they get in the system, they apply and everything, but we ask for things. So it's not just come and then you just get sent to people or sent to an event. There's higher, yeah, you have to be serious and you have to, you know, outlook all your documents that we ask for. And so people won't do it. So in our roster is like 2,000, 3,000 people.

SPEAKER_01

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

They sign up in those two years, but not everybody is placed out there or not everybody's in the roster to go to an event, for example, or the weekends.

What A Night Doula Actually Does

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so focusing on night doulas right now. Do you want to just explain what exactly a night doula is, what you're in charge of, what a typical night looks like? Because I feel like there's a little bit of kind of controversy or just misunderstanding the role of a night doula. And if it's necessary, do they help with the the baby, or do they help with the mom? And just some some moms are like, I want to be the one bonding with my baby in the middle of the night. I don't want a stranger doing it. So there's a little bit of misunderstanding from I think there's been a learning curve because night duels have really only become more of a thing in the last what five, ten years.

SPEAKER_02

True. And then um, yes, and I think it's just part is then it like where do you get your information from? Because I feel like, I mean, we didn't have I didn't have this 14 years ago when my kids were born. But I have that in my country. It's called different. Like it's the as your grandma, is your is your aunt, is the neighbor who dropped your food or stuff like that, or hope with the baby, right?

SPEAKER_01

So in here, um we don't have we don't have as much of like the village, of a village, especially from family. Like you look at different cultures and different countries, and a lot of the time it's so much of like the grandparents, the mothers of the mother, the the the aunts, the uncles. Like there's it's such a family system.

SPEAKER_02

It's an event. Yeah. And then everybody prepares for that and to support, and then you're the queen, like you've been served and everything.

SPEAKER_01

And here, over here, it's like you gotta bag to be cre treated and and throw out a lot of money.

SPEAKER_02

You have to go back to work.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02

So it's hard, and over there, like in our countries it's not, it's 40 days you're totally bonding with your baby. So in here, um, I will put I will put it this way. So, like you hire a person, that's why it's very important to who you hire, the company you go through, and to get those people. Because I mean, if first of all, it's your house. You you're putting a stranger in your house. So it has to be fully, you have to be fully um, you have to fully trust this person. Um, and you have to ask the rest question right questions. And you need to interview these people not like once, probably two or three times, and meeting it for the coffee shop and ask ask a lot of things.

SPEAKER_01

And it's dating for for your baby and your family.

SPEAKER_02

For your baby, and then dating for for the contract, like three months, four months, or whatever, like you have to um make sure who you bring into your house. Now you bring this person in your house, your baby's here, and all the the hormones and the roller coaster for you. Like, okay, I'm gonna hand my baby to this person. But then um, if you've been dating with the right person, you trust that person, and then you know that like if I get enough sleep and if this person is supporting me, like you need to talk. The middle of the night, we need we need to talk to somebody, like it's breastfeeding sessions lonely, like no, why, right? There's support for that, and if you pick the right person, it's it's like oh my god, like I have this, and then we can do this together, and like it's it's it's a better outcome for everybody too. Because if you rest during the day during at night, the next day you are have energy to spend a quality day with your baby. And if you have older kids, then you more function, you're more happy because you know how like um lack of asleep affects not only the mom, it's the whole family. Yeah, like without sleep, like you you can't function well.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's interesting because I feel like I've needed your help for different reasons each time. Like this the first time around with Aspen, we hired you, like we said, it was three days for four four weeks, that's all we could afford. And um and we're like, oh, that'll be more than enough. Surely it was not. We were, you know, I was asking my parents to do my birthday gift or my Christmas gift, like that could be an IOU towards that. Because the help was just so useful. I think, especially as first-time moms, everything is new, everything's so overwhelming. I remember I would be pumping at night to give you the milk, and I would just be leaning on you in the middle of the night, like venting to you or telling you about my worries, or if how as we was in the day, if breastfeeding wasn't going well, and you would just be such like a kind of just like a foundation and like a guiding force of like knowledge to like make me feel better. And just like I always thought a night doolo would mainly just like take care of the baby, but I felt like you were taking care of me simultaneously, yes, and just talking me off a ledge in the middle of the night, and we just giggle and laugh and have so much fun in the middle of the night, and you're like, Taylor, go to bed. This is your time to sleep. I'm like, but I have so much time fun talking to you.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, and then you said it right, like um, this is you you so you probably got that information, like, no, the baby, the the the niners just come and take care of the baby, and you just go, and no, see, you're bonding with the baby too. You're breastfeeding, we're talking. If you have any questions, and then I'll if I don't have the answer, Tyler, one second, I will come and get it for you. So, like all those things are important overnight, and that's what um niners uh over um do us too too. And then also we help you and we make your day the next like you make your time the next day easier. So, for example, we help you if it doesn't bother you, the laundry room is um away from the room, we do the baby's laundry, we wash your pom parts, like we make things and the next morning you say, like, oh, okay, great. I don't have to woke up and get bottles dirty and pom parts and things everywhere.

SPEAKER_01

I'm always a significantly happier person the next morning when I wake up after having help because the laundry is folded, the the bottles are cleaned. I don't have to wake up and go immediately into bottles, or like there's just such a difference where I feel the nights when I'm alone versus when I have the support. Oh, it's so noticeable.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, oh, great, honey. I'm happy to hear that. Yes, so that's um overnight doula role. So um we'd only not support the baby, we're only not carrying the baby and just lack the baby with us, we support the mom as well. And the entire family. Sometimes like the dads also like don't go to sleep early and they would like to be involved in the conversation and why not, right? Like everybody, and that's when we come in, we talk to the parents, like on how the day went, how do you feel today? How was today? How was the naps? How did she nap and when did was last time that she ate and stuff like that? Those are um a lot of data that we help us to do the night.

A Typical Newborn Night Explained

SPEAKER_01

And from the very beginning, so let's talk about like what a typical night with a newborn with your help looks like, like how many hours, the wake-ups, the feeds, the burp, like everything that you guys, because you are meticulous with all your notes of everything. Like I I know when my baby has burped or pooped or peed, the difference between those. I have it all written down. Okay. But then also I thought it was nice when you came in with that folder the first time we met and was like, this is for you to write down every feed, every poop, every pee. So you really start understanding your baby's schedule or a lack of a schedule at the beginning, but it also helps set them up for nights. Night duel is on top of just helping support the baby and the mom and the family, you guys also help guide them to a solid schedule during those first weeks.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. And then, yes, and then four years ago, like we have the folder, you know. Today there's more apps.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

There's more apps where you can record that. Either way is fine. I still in the old school, I love to write things down and pass the notes. I feel more personal, but the apps are great too. So the important thing is record every single thing, and as you said, those days impacts the night for sure. And um, we take all those notes, we walk in, and we talk to the how the day went and stuff like that. How the hours and depends on the family. Very common schedule is nine to six, very common. But we do 12 hours, we do 10 hours, and our minimum is eight hours per shift.

SPEAKER_01

We're doing eight hours because we we wanted to put that extra one hour each time towards an extra night.

SPEAKER_02

But we did um nine hours with aspen.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, it didn't work. Within nine to six.

SPEAKER_02

It was aspen and bash. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so I think eight, nine plus hours, it's it's it's very helpful because I know there's like an end time of like when I have to get her towards it's like the bathtime, the bedtime. It's like we have the routine, and then it's almost like we put her to sleep. And then I I've been typically trying to go to sleep before you guys arrive.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

So then I can wake up for when you guys leave, because our little Scarlet loves to wake up at 6 a.m. 6 a.m.

SPEAKER_02

It is so funny. And yes, you um you mentioned that um just right now that um that we help, you know, set up a routine and it's not a schedule because sometimes moms are like, okay, oh, you're gonna cry out my baby at such a young age. No, it's a routine, it's a guidance. Like we just work with the baby and work with you, like very gentle. It's not not about cry cry out or anything like that. Like we don't we do a sleep training to service, but that's 16 weeks or 14 pounds, whatever hits first, and then that's a parent's decision.

SPEAKER_01

So a newborn night. So you guys come in, yes, they're probably sleeping already, the the baby.

SPEAKER_02

Depends because remember that we do seven to seven, we do six to six, we do a night. So let's say in a nine to six schedule, the baby probably is going to sleep, or maybe having the last, if the baby's breastfeeding, maybe the last session or the last

Breastfeeding Pumping And Formula Nights

SPEAKER_02

bottle.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so what is the difference, I guess, because a lot of moms are probably like, oh, I'm breastfeeding, I don't need the support of a night dueler.

SPEAKER_02

That's a great question.

SPEAKER_01

What's the difference, or how do you approach different moms and their wishes? Of it, do they want to breastfeed through the night? What does that type of night look like? Are they pumping through the night? How does that change? And are they, you know, formula, same bottle, and do the moms just sleep through the night?

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. There is there there is that, and there is three different things, right? The breastfeeding moms, the moms that pump is still breastfeeding right during the day, it just pump at night, and the formula babies. They were straight, like they come, we're not gonna deal with breastfeeding. We're just okay with formula, no problem, right? And we support everybody. Our main point here, and our mission is support, no judgment, no questions asked. Whatever you want to do with your baby, we're here for you and to support you and your family. So with breastfeeding moms, it's it's more been common being breastfeeding today, like thanks goodness, like all more help, and um even doctors are saying, like, you know, insurance and paying for um hours of breastfeeding, which is fabulous, you know, for consultants to come and um and help you with the breastfeeding part. So breastfeeding, so we come in with the same thing. We talked when was the last time they you fed the baby this time? So breastfeeding is at the beginning, is is every two hours. We're building supply, everybody is learning, mom and baby is getting to know each other, so it's like every two hours. So to make it like as you said, like probably mom says, like, we don't need a doula, so we bring the baby to you. You don't get up from bed, getting up from bed every hour, you finally falling asleep, and then get up to go to the nursery, you go pick up the baby.

SPEAKER_01

We get the baby to you, you wake the mom up when the baby's getting ready.

SPEAKER_02

See the mom is already sleeping. We get the mind, the mama up, like I'm gonna bring the baby, she's already like we change the diaper, bring the baby to them to the mom. Yeah, we start chatting, and then you know, at the beginning, it's you know, thin position, um, latching, and if anything is ours, our scope, then we recommend it to um an IBCLC and a specialist. But and we can work with the very um, we help you with the very um, you know, common things, positioning, latching, and all that stuff. Like mom is feeling a little bit of pain, okay. Do this little things like that you can do at home um to avoid mastitis and stuff like that. So we bring the baby to you, and then we take the baby right away to um to burp and to put it back to sleep. So you don't have to do it. So our main point is you go back to sleep right away.

SPEAKER_01

So you literally just wake down and then just go back to breastfeed and then you lay back down again. You lay back down. So no diaper changes, no burps.

SPEAKER_02

You don't do anything of that. So we do it for you. So you you probably save at least half of half to 40 minutes because remember breastfeeding, you sometimes take like 20 minutes or until like babies are crying and stuff like that, and then you finally lash. So see, like you are right there 40 minutes, 40 to 45 minutes per session. So then pumping, how does that work? And then the moms at the beginning, some moms like to pump from the beginning. That's not recommended, like they're recommending now you at least four weeks or only like getting to know your baby and then go to pumping. But we don't go into that, that's mom's choice. Um, if moms do the breastfeeding and then at the end, like four or six weeks she decides to pump, the same thing. You pump, you put the baby, you pump um your breast milk next to your nightstand, we go get it, um storage the meal for you. Wash those pump parts and put it right back there. So you don't have to get up from bed, do the washing and storage and everything in the middle of the night. You just pump quick, 15, 20 minutes, and then put it back in there, and then we take it, take it over and feed the baby.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's what I th I remember doing that with Bash, where I would set alarms every three hours and I would pump and I would just put the milk bottle outside my door and you'd pick it up.

SPEAKER_02

And then storage, label it and everything. Yeah, then feed it. And then you go back to sleep.

SPEAKER_01

And then I would set my alarm for three hours and then I'd pick up the parts from the door and I would do it through the night until the morning. And it did, I mean, I was up for only 15, maybe 20 minutes because my supply was low. So I'd pump for that long. Um, but that saved a lot of time as well. Absolutely. And I got a lot more sleep that way as well.

SPEAKER_02

Great. So now um the moms that are listening to us like know that like it's helpful to have um overnight help even the UR breastfeeding.

SPEAKER_01

And so then for moms that want to just do formula, are they they're pretty much just sleeping through the night then, right?

SPEAKER_02

They're pretty much sleeping through the night, and they just we just get there and when was the last feed of the baby, and then we go from there because we are in charge the whole night. And we chart for you everything that happened through the night, you know, when she ate and you know, diapers and everything like that. And yeah, we chart it for you so the next morning you have what happened overnight for your sleeping.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

Common Newborn Night Worries

SPEAKER_01

So for first-time moms that are thinking of hiring a night doula, what are common things that you see moms or just parents in general panic about that tend to be so normal that you can like talk them through during your time with them?

SPEAKER_02

Um, I feel like there is more like it the trust part, like bringing somebody new, like, or do we really need this? Like it. Um my friend says that her baby sleep through the night at six weeks, and then we are like signing an agreement for 12 months for 12 weeks, and then we were like, Well, every baby's different, you know, like um at least eight weeks and stuff like that. I would say three nights a week is the minimum that we do, and then four weeks is our minimum.

SPEAKER_01

But four weeks, it's not gonna give you anything. Nothing. Like they won't be sleeping through the night. Yeah. Aspen was sleeping through the night at eight weeks. Yes. Her days were trash, but at least But she was sleeping through the night. We would do a dream feed at you taught us a dream feed. We gotta talk about the dream feed too, for for people who have never never heard of one. But yes. We would she was doing so pretty much at four hours, they could have the capacity to sleep four hours through the night. Then five weeks, five hours, six weeks, six hours, right? Yes. And and so on. And so I think around six weeks, Aston started doing six hour stretches. And so I think after that, you're like, let's do a dream feed. If her her bedtime was, I think, seven, we'd do a 10 p.m. dream feed, which essentially is the baby stays asleep. You literally just pick them up. This was Scotty's favorite thing. Like he we fought over the dream feed because it was so silly. Like she would she was her cutest little smileiness, smiliest in the middle of the night. She'd stay asleep, we'd feed her the bottle, we'd burp her, and you put her straight back down, and it would help them do long stretches. Yep. So around 10 or 11, we'd do that and she'd last till 7 a.m.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. And the dream feed is a thing that um doesn't work for every baby, actually. No, bash, it woke him up and it was exactly we regretted that. So we know that for a fact. That Anna that not every baby works in the dream feed, it works fabulous. So Dream Feed for me is I test it out three or four nights, and the baby is still waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. in the morning. That doesn't work. Then you just add in another feed, yeah. Um that it is not working out. So, but for for Aspen did. So we did that Dream Fit at 10 a.m., 10 p.m. And then she lasts until 7 a.m. I was working great. So then we switched to the daytime with me because she was sleeping through the night. You said dream feed is very Scotty can do it, like you were sleeping already, Scotty woke up doing the dream feed, and then she was sleeping.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and then not every baby um tried on the dream feed. And so after Aspen, we're like, oh great, you know, we only need a night doula for eight weeks. Bash will be sleeping through the night at the same time. Absolutely not. Yes, he was waking up every three hours on the dot till 16 weeks. Yes. Until we then sleep trained him. And so nothing, nothing works.

SPEAKER_02

So that's things that parents come, you know, like, okay, what we do, what we ask, and stuff like that. Oh, maybe just use this because my friend says, oh, I heard this, and and like we just need to know the every baby, like a reminder, like every baby is different. We don't know. Um, they can come early, they can come to the NICU, then and then there has to be like in set schedule, like three hours because they have to gain weight. So, like, there's so many factors that we can predict for every single baby. Yeah. Also, like have your person like, you know, call those references. If you're not hiring through an agency, we do that for you. But if you hire on your own, like call the references, what works for you. Like, look for the the person that um is just um aligned with your values and and stuff like that. Like where you were you're really looking into the um in the service. Yeah. If you don't hear about the service, like just ask what the it looks like. Um ask your friends what the look service looks like for you. Is it something that I will um have in mind for me as well?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. One of my favorite things about, or I guess favorite, but also like the most beneficial things I got from hiring you as a night duela was you just utilizing you as a source of knowledge for anything I was going through. Like being able to ask questions, because you know, if I'm awake and I have questions, like now we have chat GPT. When we had Aspen, we didn't have chat GPT, so you were you were my chat GPT, where I was going through something, either me personally or the baby, and we'd talk through it, and I would just be like a sponge as a first-time mom because I felt like I knew nothing, even though you know, you do the research, nothing teaches you more than like being in the moment of that. But even just learning the the nighttime routine before bed and doing the same thing over and over and over again every single night, like you guys really did help set my kids up to sleep better through the nights. And so that's something that I think people listening, like they're not just there to get you through the nights, they're there to help the babies set up healthy sleep patterns to get them to start sleeping through the night. And a lot of that stems from that night

Routines Sleep Shaping And Dream Feeds

SPEAKER_01

routine. Do you want to talk about like the night routine of like when it's the bottle, the bathtime, the book, if it's like doing the same thing over and over again?

SPEAKER_02

Other thing that we did with aspen, yes, what we did with aspen. So, um, and that depends, it's a very personal thing. Yeah. Because some people like are scared or come like, oh no, I we don't want routine, like no, until they are into with the baby here and they they're oh okay. But um, yes, so routines I would say are very important and work for every um not for every family, but I feel like babies like to know what's coming next.

SPEAKER_01

Because it signals that it's it's bedtime. Yes, they'll be so.

SPEAKER_02

So if we do little things that teach the baby like what is coming next, you don't have to let your baby cry. We don't have to, all those things. No, it's a very gentle way. It's just doing the same thing every day. And so that for example, with Aspen, that's what we did. Like we did the bathtime. We did the bathtime, and then we do the book, you know, the little massage, the thing, the lotion. The lotion massage. And everything, the point is like at every day at the same time. So Aspen knew what was coming next because we were doing daytime. So we were doing like the bath and then the massage and then the pajamas, and then she we read the book. And the book doesn't have to, cannot be a big book. Like, no. They they can barely see, they don't know what's going on too much. They can barely see, it's a black and white thing, and it's just like you do you do their own story, but like they're listening to you, and they get too used to those things, and um that sets a pattern for the next day and the next day and the next day. And it's a successful pattern, like they they know where it's coming, and they get so used to that that becomes a schedule. And you didn't let them cry out, you know. So if we work from the beginning with those little things, you know, doing the same thing every day, consistency, consistent, consistent, and consistent, you will have a successful night by 12 weeks. 12 to 16 weeks, those babies should be sleeping um eight to twelve hours.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I've also noticed that uh every time we've done that, the babies have gotten much more calmer around that time because they just are so used to it. And I got it now where it's coming. At first, you know, they're like, What is this bath? Then I get out, then I'm cold, then I get wrapped, then it's you know, and then they just seem much more confused, I guess. But then by I mean, now Scarlett's eight weeks, and like she's chilling during this time. We do the bath, we do the lotion, I wrap her up, I have a lullaby song on my Spotify that she likes.

SPEAKER_00

Nice, it's relaxed her.

SPEAKER_01

It relaxes her, so it signals like, oh, I'm listening to this song, I'm starting to get sleepy. Oh, that means it's bedtime.

SPEAKER_00

Yep.

SPEAKER_01

And so I've noticed that now that we've been doing it for a while, she's so much more chill during that time, and she's not just like crying, trying to fight it, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_02

Correct. Yes, that's that's that's how it is. And then what what happened with the night? Like with the night, we do the same thing. That's why we talk to the parent. Like, when was the last feed? How the day went. We need to see how calories, how much calories she ate during the day. For example, let's scarlet, it isn't um it is in formula only, so that's an easy way to count calories, right? And um overnight, so like, okay, Scarlet is just wants to be, you know, a bird probably, or she poo, or something like that. So we know it's not every time the baby cries as food, because we have the data from the daytime. So the day and night work together, they cannot go separate, and one impacts the other. So the daytime impacts the night, and then how the night went impacts the day. Because if the baby's been having a rough night, the next day he's gonna be asleepy. And if you don't feed the baby because he's so sleepy, don't wake the butt and feed the baby, then then it's gonna go backwards again.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. So it's making sure that they have enough calories in in the day to help support a healthy night by less wake-ups.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, like organic stretches. Yes, exactly. So like it's just by they're eating well, they're sleeping uh where they need to sleep, and they're start or stretching organically. You don't have to let them cry and stuff like that. They do their self-sooting on their own and they do all those things on their own.

SPEAKER_01

So when do you so it's sleep guiding, and then when do you recommend more of a tight schedule? Is that around 12 weeks, 12 to 16 weeks?

SPEAKER_02

Um, yeah, well, yes, if we if we start working from the beginning with those little things, you were as I said, like we start in a routine, consistent routine every day, same time, same thing. By 12 weeks to 16 weeks, you actually build in a schedule and you you're not even noticed. Like now this is Scarlet goes to bed at 7 and she woke up the next day between 6:30 and 7. And she's happy. She's just waiting for me to get there.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. No, that makes sense. Okay. Oh, sorry, what were you gonna say?

SPEAKER_02

No, no, no. I just gonna say, like, you actually don't have to build a tight schedule between 12 and 6 um between those 16 weeks. It's just if you start working from the beginning with those little things. It's as I said, it's not a sleeping training, it gets a lot of confusion. And then it's a lot of like, oh sleeping training. No, no, no, it's not a sleeping training, it's we call it sleeping shaping from the beginning, like little things and do the same thing, same routine every day at the same time. I I don't know, but it works. So you build in a schedule and you're not even um thought you will do, but um just following all those little things.

SPEAKER_01

Amazing.

When To Book And How Long

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so for families thinking of hiring a night doula, because you guys are very sought out. And I think when I first decided with Aspen to hire one, I waited till what, two weeks before Aspen came? Yeah, like and you were like, you know, it's supposed to be like months before, if not from the very beginning. So, like, when should families start seeking out wanting a night doula?

SPEAKER_02

Yes, and that happened with that with Aspen, it's a great example because you were like, Oh, yeah, just I said, Okay, I'm between contracts, I can help you three nights. But then you got extended and extended, right? Yeah, so that's where it's important to book your doula, like honestly, after you find out that you're pregnant. 12 weeks, start calling. Yeah, because um we get booked in advance.

SPEAKER_01

And you don't have to pay everything up front or anything, it's more of like signing a contract, putting a deposit down, probably.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but you're securing time. Yeah, just securing the time, and then because we you know we build our schedules so the doula knows what she has available. If you only ask him for five nights, if she wanna work another extra night, she will she will know that when in advance and you pay your deposit and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_01

So the most common how how many weeks? Like eight weeks, is that the most common for families?

SPEAKER_02

Um, yes, I will say yes, between eight to twelve weeks is very common. Yes, and obviously there's people who come for four weeks, that's our minimum. And then we we serve everybody. Yeah. Like if you want four weeks, but we let you know. Like, you know what, four weeks we just barely come from the hospital. So you might would like to extend, but we don't guarantee the same per the same person is gonna extend with you if you really love it, because she might just sign an agreement. You just said four, so we cannot wait until right? No, it's true.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, okay. Question because I feel like I had no idea about this until even this last time around, I don't think we did it this way.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

But we did almost like a waterfall effect with the weeks with you guys where we front loaded more nights a week for the first four weeks, and then you taper back. So maybe you're doing four nights a week for or five nights a week for the first four weeks, then you go down to three when they're sleeping a little stronger stronger. If a if a family came to you and was like, we've never done this before, yes, what do you recommend? Do you recommend front loading nights just because the baby's waking up more and then going down nights, if that makes sense? Like just say someone's like, This is our budget, we want to maximize our time with you. What would you recommend? Right.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, yes. So if they come like that, I will say, we'll see the budget and stuff like that. And then we say, okay, okay, the more time with us is the better. Like at least three nights, at least with us, you know, that you said. Like we we help with moms, we help with the baby, we have around, you know, with the baby stuff and all the house and stuff like that. So let's say we're gonna start with more at the beginning. I'm coming from the hospital. Some people have um c section, they have needed more help at the beginning. So let's do four nights and then type her down, or five nights the first two weeks and then type her to four, three, and then two. So it's not from you go from having so much help to just nothing. So we type her down. So for sure, yes, we'll work with family lies down. I will recommend that five, four, three, and then two, so you don't feel it drastic um out of help.

SPEAKER_01

Our our time is up with you after this week, and we were just talking about maybe we'll just do two nights a week for a couple weeks until our sleep trainer comes. Yes. Because Scarlett is giving us a run for our money. And to put it nicely right now, day and night. Usually you get lucky with your baby either being good in the day or good at night. She's being average at both. Actually, she's being really difficult in the day and average at night, where Bash was such a great napper. I would put him down awake from day one in the snoo, and he napped for hours. He was fine. Nights were hard with him. Aspen was the same as Scarlet, where days were terrible. And then she was sleeping through the night at eight weeks.

SPEAKER_02

So your kids are a perfect example that not every baby is the same.

SPEAKER_01

And we can do the same thing. We've had you each time.

SPEAKER_02

We have the same thing, we try to do routines, we try to do the same thing every day. We try everything.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And sometimes it won't work. Yeah. But um, but we try, and we try, and that's what we we offer, and that's why we cannot say, like, okay, in eight weeks, you book eight weeks, you book us for eight weeks, and your baby's gonna be sleeping through the night. We won't sign up for that. Because every baby is different, and they say teamwork and everything, but sometimes not even that. Like babies is like, nope. Yeah, like no. They have a mind of their own, they have their own.

SPEAKER_01

No, I'm asleep when I want. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

Budgeting Mental Health And Work Schedules

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so talking about family planning for this type of thing. So we kind of went over when to seek, you know, a night doula. Obviously, budgeting is a thing. I think for us, what I've learned as now a third-time mom is especially at the baby showers and stuff, I'd rather just have a budgeting pool of, you know, people donate towards a night doula, or I ask it from my parents for like a Christmas or a birthday gift, or this time around I did it for both to um to help just put it towards that. Because that for me personally, a night doula has helped me the most with sleeping, because if I don't sleep, my postpartum depression and anxiety is when it's at its rock bottom. Yeah. And that was something this time around where I really wanted to take care of myself the most for Aspen and Bash and be the best mom I could be. So this time around, it was more important than ever to hire a night doula to help me get more sleep so I could still wake up early to do school lunches and get them ready for school. And, you know, Scotty also works late nights, you know, he's been working. We're like we're two sh what is it, ships at night, pass passing in the night. And we still have you. Like he has been going to bed 3:30, 4 30 in the morning.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And then I wake up at six after you guys leave. And so it's been helpful for the men who also have to work if they work late or they're traveling. And so, but this time around, for me specifically, it was mainly to help avoid postpartum depression and anxiety from lack of sleep. Because I'm my worst version of myself if I'm not sleeping. Yes. So that's why it's been really helpful this time. But, anyways, my point was with the whole budgeting thing. That was something when we got pregnant, it was like, okay, instead of going on a baby moon, we're gonna be putting that money towards a night doula because I would much rather have the support of 12 weeks than just to go on a three-day vacation to have fun before the baby comes when you can't even enjoy like a margarita or a glass of wine.

unknown

True.

SPEAKER_02

And then trust me, a lot of parents go on with the same thing. Another thing is like this parents, like dad says, I don't want to get divorced. Yeah, like exactly I don't want to get divorced. Lack of sleep causes fighting, absolutely. Fighting, and then if they have older kids like you guys, like we want to be um, you know, our best for our oldest. They have no clue, they're probably under five, two, and stuff like that. That we have another baby, yeah. So, yes, um, I will say a lot of parents are doing that, like no baby moons, no expensive gift, no expensive nothing for the baby shower. They're asking for money. They said we put no, we want this to have an overnight support.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And the people who book the most weeks is the parent, the dads. Yeah. They say we want 12, 16 weeks.

SPEAKER_01

Can you come every night? Well, because the dads are off the hook, right? So the dads get a full night of sleep. Yes, and then the moms either get a full night sleep or they're breastfeeding or pumping, and they have they're getting more sleep than they would without it. Yes. But the dads are the happiest in the situation.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, and then but sometimes the dad has to go back to work right away. So that's what our common schedule actually to mention too is from Sunday to Thursday. Because dad is at work, and then so in the weekend they can do it both of them, and then for budgeting parts, you know, having five days a week, 12 weeks. Um, that's how we're like working um dads will do too. Very common.

SPEAKER_01

Okay,

Matching Green Flags And Red Flags

SPEAKER_01

question. When someone, so let's talk about like the the dating or like getting matched. Let's talk about getting matched with a night tool because I think it definitely has to be a personality match. You have to feel so comfortable with this person where and I'm such I'm a person that picks up on vibes. I'm very intuitive. Like the moment we spoke on the phone, I was like, absolutely, she's the one. Like, we're going with you. Thank you. And but I also can imagine that sometimes maybe your parents would have a call with one and be like, oh, like it just doesn't feel right. You can't put your finger on it, or maybe they there's certain, you know, everyone's trying to be a night doula nowadays, and like you see it on Facebook, or like how do you know how to find the right night doula? Obviously, through credible agencies like your own, but also like what are green flags and what are red flags in like talking with a night doula.

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. So well, I will say like come to a reportable agency like us, right? We do the full betting for you. We call the references, we make sure this um the um the training that they have are credible and then you know valid from the source. association and stuff like that. So and we CPR and you know we check also your background your background check your even your driving record because like do you drink do you have um the UI all those things like how is your driving um is going and all those things we do it for you but if you're looking on your own I will say you need to meet with this person and like face to face. Go for a coffee shop first and then have a conversation talk to everything about like what do you think about this how will you support me if I'm having a bad sometimes hormones are are not a joke and they can they can come with to everybody to anyone like that there's no exceptions and then you will have in a bad night then you come as the postpartum doula and you're not in a good mood and stuff like that. So how do you handle those things if I'm not in the right like hug that day.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah like or especially like if I'm having a breakdown a breakdown I want to I want to feel I want to feel comfortable like I would love a motherly figure as the night duel to you know talk me through it let let me vent you know like someone who you feel you're in the right hands. Like it's almost like talking with your mom type of thing.

SPEAKER_02

But then um but then there's things that you won't tell your mom. Yeah you will see like oh yeah the nice conversation with the duel as the one that you really connect with um are totally different. Like I want I I want to kill my husband today like this happen.

SPEAKER_01

I want to strangle my husband I hate the way he's breathing I can't handle it.

SPEAKER_02

He's sleeping I'm not like those things like you know and then we laugh and then we cry yeah and then all those things so for that for kind of like a therapist in a way too yes to having that type of the the person in your house so there's no other way that you meet in person and not everybody's for everybody. They can look great in the resume they can look great in their um references we check the background and everything is great but if it's not a connection like that as you said with Bible people go by bye too like if it's not a connection at the first um you know first meet even over the Zoom because we do zoom first and then we suggest go to a coffee shop and stuff like that for um and in person and then if you feel that connection then you bring it to the house and walk to the nursery and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_01

I also think it's important to I know you guys do this with your agencies but just for a mom's peace of mind who is like I just want to do it myself is calling references. Like other other families that have used the exact same night doula and just get their perspective on what were their strengths. Were there any things that you were concerned about we've done I mean just how we we've handled any nannies or anything like that. But even though your agency does that I'm the type of person who would be like okay but I just want to ask myself oh you can do that.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah we we pass all this information to you the references and you can you know because sometimes you they'll find out that they become friends. They references become friends because your first time mom the other first time mom or twin moms. We do a lot of twins. So the twin moms call another twin mom how do you do this and they start a full conversation and then they got their phone numbers and then become friends. Just from the references I love that but yeah but um yes calling references for sure asking for um you know all the secure stuff that's CPR and what how do you handle this and how do you handle the baby you know it's anything in the middle of the night.

Safety Sleep And Home Setup Basics

SPEAKER_01

What about are there any red flags? Like obviously the most obvious one would be a night doula falling asleep and the baby's crying and it wakes you up and you have to go in there. Right? I know I've heard of that I've I've heard a story of a night doula falling asleep with the baby on her chest.

SPEAKER_02

It's been it's been a lot right now in Facebook group you see that and then um from actually from another agency that like were sending doula they were falling asleep and then and the job and I was because we you get the call like oh my doula just didn't show up and then run off with the with the with the deposit and stuff like that yeah not the baby. I thought you were gonna say ran off with the baby. No no no no like it goes to family yeah goes to family after signing an agreement and stuff like that. So those are things that's why you have to be very careful where you search your like is worth of mouse cray like your friend like send um send me because you know me already or send um your friend use another dool um pass it to other friend that's the best way to do it too or go to another um you know a credible um agency to send um people that are fully vetted how do you guys sleep during the night oh that's a great question yeah that's a great question because we don't offer a weight care yeah we don't offer a weight care and we deeply appreciate is the parents have like a couch or a bed for us but we can bring our own cut thing too so and family have to be comfortable with that and that's something that we have to really talk about to the mom because it's like oh okay then you're gonna be sleeping and we're all gonna be sleeping when no no no no we sleep and rest when the baby is resting and we're not fully asleep trust me we go home and sleep and rest and stuff like that. That's what's very important. If you do in seven nights we don't we recommend you are also meet the person who can back us up like our backup our trusted backup and stuff like that because seven nights is a lot for a long time especially if you're gonna do 12 weeks or seven nights and stuff.

SPEAKER_01

So you guys bring I guess so I the requirements I guess this is something that now is just coming could be in the requirements yes like requirements okay so do you need a nursery for the baby or what if you know families live in like a two bedroom with other kids like where what do you need what does a family need to be able to hire you?

SPEAKER_02

Great question. So we can be in the couch we just need a safe space for the baby to sleep. Okay. So like you can have a bassinet some people have this new and then just put it in the in the living room to just to use it as a bassinet. Gotcha and you also have the bassinet the yeah well the let's go because some people don't like some babies don't like the we gotta talk about that because did asp I Aspen didn't like that back in the day.

SPEAKER_01

Bash loved it oh bash loved it loved it Scarlett we we bought one I used got one secondhand off Facebook Marketplace. Not a single nap.

SPEAKER_02

No thank you no thank you for us so sometimes we just use it as a fancy assinant um because somebody just hand me down to them and stuff like that. But yes we as soon as we have something safe asleep for the baby we can be in the couch and and stuff like that. There's no problem to bedroom.

SPEAKER_01

Well you guys also brought this like roll up mat and we did that too.

SPEAKER_02

Appreciate the parents and let us bring something if they don't have um a bed for us.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. So you so you're you're not just staying awake the entire time I think my point here is like parents being freaked out that the the the night doula is awake the entire night and it's just gonna fall asleep. Like you're awake when the baby's awake and then when the baby's sleeping you take like a little cat nap rest.

SPEAKER_02

Yes and we're not yes that's um yes we're not fully asleep like we're not gonna go fully asleep snorting and and with the baby and then we're closer. So like if we are staying in a nursery we stay in a nursery with the baby. If we stay in the living room we're right there next to the baby. So every single peep that they make we hear it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I find it so interesting I also just want to shed some light on like your schedule of like because also Marianella is a mom of two. How old are they now? Oh my son my my son is 14 and my daughter is 12. Soon to be 13 they're 18 months apart. Crazy. And so she's still like a mom by day so she works at night and as a mom by day like you leave our house and you go be a mom. You go make breakfast get your kids ready for school take them to school and then what's your sleep hours? Let's talk about and then I come back to sleep. Yeah and then I run my agency now. So you go to what time?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah I drop nights now so you know I don't know many nights because I'm running my agency through the day and as you said it we all need to sleep and to deliver a better job also for my family and for my work overnight. I love my nights and I love twins and I get a lot of calls for twins. So I'm kind of typered out on nights but yes so I go home and I get my kids one kid to school my husband takes the other one he's very supportive on that part and then I come home and sleep until mid noon or one you sleep at what time like 9 30 you go to bed? No no no I come to home but like by 8 30 8 45 I'm I'm home already okay so by nine um and then I go to sleep until um noon or 1 p.m depends if I have a call then I take that call or do the interview and then go to sleep in the afternoon before the kids go to come home.

SPEAKER_01

So you sleep from let's say so three to four hours in the in the midday and then the rest of your sleep at night like when you're working? Well sometimes I'm not working sometimes I'm home. But for the nights just say you do back to back. So you have like half of the sleep in the middle of the day and then half you kind of get rest through I yeah I I probably like if I have time I take another nap before coming to work.

SPEAKER_02

So for example with you are coming at 10 yeah so I have time to take a nap and then so you're a professional napper. Yeah I'm professional napper I sleep on top of a professional dual then I'm type per now night now before I was working you were working seven nights a week sometimes a week when I met you with Aspen because I said I okay I'll take those three nights because I have um a little bit of wheel of my schedule so Marion is one of the hardest working people I've ever met in my entire life.

SPEAKER_01

Oh thanks Taylor and so it's just been like such a blessing to see her go from just the stories you tell me about how old were you when you moved here from Panama Panama?

SPEAKER_02

I was 22.

SPEAKER_01

22 as an au pair yes and then now the language I did not speak English remember that yeah you yeah you learned English here and then you worked under an agency and then I remember telling you over the years I'm like you need to start your own agency.

SPEAKER_02

You are the most hardworking person I know and I can do that and say I want to do a partnership with somebody what do you told me?

SPEAKER_01

Can you do it on your own? And she said yes and I said then do it on your own.

SPEAKER_02

Yes and I said what's stopping you you have all the experience you have all the connections and now you are well thank you thank you for always being there for always being supporting from the day one from day one we met four years ago and I was in the whole this thing and yeah today uh we're doing that.

SPEAKER_01

I owe her my life with my my babies and I would not trust them with anyone else and her team I mean we've I haven't mentioned this yet but I've used what now four or five different women from your team like we would rotate. Yes um sometimes because Marinelle is a hot commodity obviously as the owner she she mainly does twins but I get lucky enough to have you like once maybe twice a week and then I have other ones from your team. So I recommend all of them. Oh they're all great I have not met one that I wasn't a fan of so they're all great.

Final Advice And Where To Find Her

SPEAKER_01

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02

For any mom listening just to kind of close it up like what is maybe a mom in the newborn trenches or one that is really nervous about the newborn nights coming up maybe she's about to give birth what is one thing you want her to hear or know um doulas are great and doulas are we work so hard to make those first days of parenthood as easy as possible as supportive and we want you to get love and support and if you go to the right channels you go through an agency um you call your friends who has used the service before and recommend you a great person go for it. Go for it is worth it. Lack of sleep is not is not a joke and um it is it is beneficial for the whole family. Even you just a first time parent you don't have older kids you can deliver better even for your own baby and recover faster um if you have an um a support overnight support.

SPEAKER_01

Especially for moms that don't live near family. I can't imagine how lonely that can feel is not having a village around that a night doula it just kind of fills that gap of feeling like you have family support nearby if you don't yes and that's what yeah that's when it comes like hiring the right person because as we talked about like we bent everything um and we we just listening ears yeah to support you and um I mean we see you in the most vulnerable yeah um phase of your parenthood. It's a very very vulnerable very vulnerable time you like you with your you know emotionally breastfeeding physically oh yeah bleeding you see me with my breast boobs out milk everywhere sweat exactly sweating when the sweating part comes you know that was one thing that you helped talk me through remember I was my postpartum sweats with aspirin I would wake up my hair would go be straight when going to bed I'd wake up and it was all curly and I was just drenched. Yeah so things that you just don't expect that you go through like is this normal I would come as normal in the hormones like this is happens to every single new mom.

SPEAKER_02

So so see don't don't regret to hire an Idula but you just have to go to the right channel because the same thing we just talk about those little red flags baby m um do lasping on the baby in their arms and stuff like that. It scares moms and I get it and I get it but if you do you go to the right channels you look for the right people um you won't regret. Yeah you won't regret having support is is is fabulous.

SPEAKER_01

And that's why I'm such a strong like I I I really tell people I'm not like okay you absolutely need this because I know it is a luxury and I know it is a big expense but I genuinely just think it is such incredible support for each mom especially first time moms or moms with multiple kids where they have to be a human in the in the day like I understand it's a luxury and I understand a lot of people cannot afford that. Yes. But if you if you have the capability of budgeting from the start putting away X amount every single month or asking for you know some money from for a as a gift for you know your birthdays or Christmases like I do I just I felt the benefit each time and like I understand it is a big expense but even getting the support for two three nights a week for even four night four weeks if that's all you can get it is it's been so worth it for me and just especially my mental health or if you struggle with those things before having kids and you're needing support after I've just felt the benefits and I owe you guys a lot.

SPEAKER_02

Oh thank you thank you yes for sure for sure and also parents now um companies offer them benefit which is carrots and another ones so make sure you look up to those things your benefits and your company because we have parents they call like my baby's five weeks I I want to use my benefits and they after six weeks you cannot use the benefits. So there's something also out there for um parents especially the dados they know where the benefits are so just take a look at those things and sometimes companies help you. Yeah they'll put money towards it right with six weeks.

SPEAKER_01

You have a client right now where the the boss is paying to help for for your services for their employee correct yes rare but I'm sure there are some people who can do it too.

SPEAKER_02

They help a lot you know because they they know that that that that employee is gonna be arrested work work hard um to the office and then that would way better for sure. For everybody.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah okay so where can people find you so is it just Laguna babycollective dot com? It's um um a website yes laguna baby collective dot com and social media same thing Laguna Baby Collective for Facebook and Instagram and if you reach out to Marianella tell her you found out about her on this podcast episode it would be so fun to see who from the milk community is going to be please there's a question there where you heard from us oh great yes great no we love I send all of my friends to Marianella. Yes and we serve we have served um a lot of your friends yeah with twins with singletons and stuff yep yeah well thank you so much this has been so fun I've been begging Marianella like when can we podcast together? When can we podcast?

SPEAKER_02

She walks in the door she's like it's video I was like oh Taylor is a video okay let's do it well thank you thanks for the opportunity I really appreciate and all your support and your being my cheerleader from the beginning. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01

Well thank you guys for listening make sure to reach out to Marianella for any support that you might need Orange County LA maybe one day you'll you'll start servicing San Diego that's not too far away that's not too far away. Yes and over there. Okay thanks guys and all of her information will also be in the show notes um so take a look and her Instagram also just offers knowledge like you can read a lot of posts educational stuff if you're a first time mom need information want to learn more about newborn nights newborn sleep all those types of things so talk to you next week

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Tayla Burke

Host