January 2025 | Doulas of Baltimore

Carrot Fertility: A Guide to Flexible Coverage

In recent years, fertility benefits have become an important and sought-after part of employee benefits packages. Carrot Fertility is a global fertility benefits provider that helps employers support their employees with reproductive health services. Whether you’re considering fertility treatments, egg or sperm freezing, adoption, or surrogacy, they offer financial and educational support to make these journeys more accessible.

What is Carrot Fertility?

Carrot Fertility is an employer-sponsored benefit program that provides financial assistance and expert guidance for reproductive health and family journeys. Unlike traditional health insurance plans, Carrot offers more flexible coverage tailored to a wide range of fertility and reproductive needs, including:

Fertility treatments (IVF, IUI, egg freezing, etc.)
Adoption and surrogacy support
Pregnancy and postpartum care (hint: that means us!)
Menopause and hormonal health support
LGBTQ+ family assistance

Who Can Benefit from Coverage?

Carrot Fertility is designed for individuals and families at various stages of their reproductive health journey. The program is particularly beneficial for:

Employees seeking treatments like IVF or egg freezing
LGBTQ+ individuals or couples looking to expand their families through surrogacy or adoption
Individuals with medical conditions that could affect reproductive health
Those who want to preserve their eggs or sperm for future family planning
Employees experiencing menopause or hormonal changes and seeking specialized care

By offering this type of coverage, companies can show a commitment to employee well-being, inclusivity, and work-life balance. Many businesses are adding these benefits to attract and retain top talent.

How to Apply for Carrot Fertility Benefits

If your employer provides Carrot Fertility as part of its benefits package, applying is simple:

Check Your Eligibility – Log into your company’s benefits portal or contact HR to confirm benefits are available to you.
Sign Up – If eligible, you’ll receive access to the Carrot platform, where you can explore your available benefits.
Consult with the Experts – Connect with fertility specialists, adoption advisors, or hormonal health consultants for guidance on your next steps.
Use Carrot Benefits – Depending on your employer’s plan, you’ll receive financial assistance, reimbursements, or direct payments for eligible services.

For those whose employers do not yet offer these benefits, consider advocating for it in your company’s benefits package by discussing it with your HR department. You could also request it directly from their website!

Does Doulas of Baltimore work with Carrot?

Yes! We have had the pleasure of caring for many families whose employers provide coverage for families. If you’d like more information, please reach out to us and we’ll discuss your options!

Conclusion

Carrot Fertility has created a simple solution for companies to support reproductive health and family planning. By offering financial assistance, expert guidance, and a broad range of services, Carrot makes care more accessible to employees of participating companies worldwide. If you’re considering fertility treatments, family planning, or reproductive health support, ask if your employer provides Carrot Fertility and take advantage of the benefits available to you!

5 Tips for When Your Newborn Meets Friends and Family

Parenthood

What should you consider when your newborn meets friends and family? Are you introducing your baby to family and friends soon? Warm indoor gatherings can be the perfect cozy setting to meet and we can all imagine what happens next: everyone wants to hold baby, give them lots of love, and share in the joy. Lots of stimulation can be exhausting for both you and your baby! We’ve gathered some of our best tips for keeping everyone happy when your newborn meets family and friends.

Manage Expectations When Newborn Meets Friends and Family

More and more, new parents are setting boundaries early by sending a kind text message with information ahead of having guests meet baby. Within the first month of bringing baby home, you may not want to have visitors at all because it can be exhausting. If you choose to have loved ones come to call, don’t be afraid to ask guests for help. They can bring a meal, help with household chores, or care for pets and siblings. If you’d rather they spend time with baby, set them up in the living room with anything they need so you can focus on you. This might mean taking a shower or a nap, eating a meal, or running an errand.

Be Aware of Germs

There are many common illnesses that can be very serious in newborns and infants even if they’re just a runny nose in an adult or older child. The minimum hygiene requirements for someone holding baby should be thoroughly washing hands and not touching or kissing baby’s face or hands (as hard as that might be for them!). When your newborn meets friends and family, having visitors wear a mask during their visit may also be a good idea! Consider what it might look like to limit the exposure to germs carried by younger children who are in daycare or school. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask about family member’s vaccination status. If you are uncomfortable being around someone unvaccinated, it’s OK to say so.

Think About How Your Baby is Going to React

You know your baby and their routine best! Even if your baby is just a month old, you’ve already learned how they react to different situations. Keep what you know about your little one in mind as you plan meeting friends and family members. Routines are important for baby, make sure feedings are consistent with their comfort and routine. If you’re chest or breast feeding, consider where you’ll do so or pump if necessary where you’re going. It’s a good idea to pack a bag with all the essentials and comforts of home if you’re meeting up outside the house!

Recognize When Your Baby is Overwhelmed

For a baby who is used to being at home with one or two primary caregivers, a room full of people could easily get overwhelming. Use the 5 S’s (swaddle, suck, side, sway and shhh) to help calm baby. Also considering creating a relaxation space if you are traveling for your newborn to meet friend and family. This can be a space for you, your baby, and partner to relax and get away from the crowd. Consider inviting in one or two people at a time, rather than passing baby around. Bring a portable crib or bassinet to make this space a safe one for baby to sleep in. Just like feeding times try to make nap times as consistent as possible.

Make an Exit Strategy

One easy way to make sure you and your baby stay relaxed is by setting parameters for the visit ahead of time. If someone is coming over to your house, ask them to come for a specific amount of time like dinner, a walk, or an afternoon nap. Be straightforward with your communication, and don’t be afraid to say, “We are going to get ready for bed. Thanks for coming over and bringing us dinner. Please don’t forget your dish!” If you are traveling, you can also say when you have to leave by or make it clear what times you will be visiting. If you are staying with a family member or friend, you can also say you are going to bed (or put baby to bed and slip away, too).

Your new baby meeting friends and family members is such a great time to make memories. The memories are even sweeter when we are as relaxed and healthy as possible.

Top Positions to Try During Labor

Childbirth Education

Our top positions to try during labor? Childbirth is a process that can last a varied amount of time based on many factors. During labor, the birthing person might need to try a variety of different comfort measures. Even moving between each of these positions can help ease discomfort and be a welcome distraction. We’ve put together a guide on some of our top recommendations complete with variations and things for a support person to consider.

Positions for laboring in bed

This photo is property of Lamaze International.

Throne

Description: Throne position is a secret weapon of doulas everywhere! This position utilizes the movement of hospital beds to get the laboring person into a comfortable position for resting or waiting. This one is easy to remember, since the very idea of the position is in the name. We’ll be putting our birthing individual on a “throne”.

How to Get There (hospital bed): Have the birthing person sit in the bed. Using the controls on the hospital bed, raise the back up between 45 and 90 degrees. Have the birthing person lean forward for the initial adjustment and lean back to raise or lower the back to a comfortable position. Drop the lower part of the bed all the way to create a “throne”. The goal is a seated position.

Especially Helpful for: After an epidural or medication! This position is perfect for when you’re waiting for dilation but are comfortable enough with medication on board to rest. This is also helpful for getting baby to descend by letting gravity work its magic.

Variations: While this can be great for medicated births, this seated position is also excellent for non-medicated births in other spaces. One notable variation is sitting backwards on the toilet! Since our pelvic floors are trained to relax on the toilet to allow us to use the bathroom, often we’ll use this position to move dilation along. Note: this position can get intense very quickly as baby descends, make sure someone is nearby to help the birthing person off the toilet quickly if needed.

Side Lying

Description: As the name suggests, this position is very simply lying to the side for the birthing person. Another resting position, this helps take the pressure off of the pelvis and back for the birthing individual. We highly recommend a pillow or two between the legs. This one doubles as an excellent pushing position! The top leg can be held by the individual, their birthing partner, a nurse, or a doula to allow the pelvis to open in a more comfortable position.

How to Get There: Simply turn gently to one side or the other! To keep labor moving, a great idea is to move from one side to the other periodically.

Especially Helpful for: This is a great position for early labor, resting after an epidural, or while waiting for pushing urges to emerge.

Variations: Adding a peanut ball or a stack of pillows that brings the upper knee facing upwards is a surefire way to help with dilation and progression of labor. This position is well-loved by our clients who choose medication as it allows them to rest well while laboring down. This can also be used for an unmedicated birth but, just as with the throne position on the toilet, it can get intense very quickly. Ensure someone is nearby in case a shift needs to happen quickly.

Hands and Knees

Description: Put those arms and legs to work! Laboring on all fours is an excellent way to open the pelvis. This position also could be great for getting baby oxygen and some physicians recommend it for easier positioning of monitors.

How to Get There: Very simply put, this position is fairly simple to get into! In the bed, rotate a little bit at a time with some support on one or both sides. Have someone nearby to move pillows or blankets as needed until the birthing person is in position.

Especially Helpful for: Active laboring! This position is a very active one and gives the birthing person the sensation of doing something instead of being swept away by laboring. Note: this one can get tiring! This is a great position to prepare or “train” ahead of time by lifting light weights or doing movements that strengthen the arms.

Variations: Lean over something to give your arms a rest! Our best suggestions are a stack of pillows, a birthing ball, or the back of the hospital bed. This position could also translate well to water if choosing hydrotherapy with the birthing person leaning over the side of the pool or bath.

Positions for out of the bed

Partner Supported

Description: Lean on me! Standing can get tiring but letting gravity do its job can be very helpful. Enter: partner support! Whether you lean on someone standing in front of you, behind you, or use a bedsheet or rebozo, getting support from someone else can make standing or squatting much easier.

How to Get There: For partner-supported sitting, simply have the partner stand in front of or behind the birthing person to support. It may be helpful for the partner to have their back supported against the wall.

Especially Helpful for: Taking a break from walking or while a contraction is happening.

Variations: Use a bedsheet or rebozo under the birthing person’s arms to offer extra support that is easier to manage for the partner.

Hands and Knees Redux

Description: This position is a great one to do outside of the bed as well! Enjoy all the same benefits of hands and knees in the bed but with more freedom of movement.

How to Get There: Simply sit on the floor swinging legs around and using support to evenly distribute weight onto both hands and knees. Consider putting down a yoga mat or folded up blanket to support the knees and soften the surface.

Especially Helpful for: Active laboring and hip squeezes!

Variations: Lean over a birthing ball or chair to ease the strain on wrists.

Birth is not a one-size-fits-all and your comfort is a top priority. When practicing these positions, take note of what feels comfortable and what feels like too big of a stretch. Remind yourself and your birthing partner that what feels good outside of labor may change very quickly and vice versa. Stay in tune with your body as labor progresses and move naturally. Your body is wise!

Doulas of Baltimore 2024: A Year of Education & Connection

Doulas of Baltimore

This year was one of tremendous growth for Baltimore families and the Doulas of Baltimore family alike!

Our Doulas of Baltimore Team

2024 was a huge year of growth for our team that expanded from 10 to 17 members. This year our team has grown again – we now have 23 amazing birth and postpartum professionals!

A team that values balance, we enjoyed outings (like lunches and sports games together) alongside professional development together. We also gathered to celebrate DOB’s 10th Birthday!

Childbirth Education & Parenting Workshops

Our classes and workshops were a big focus of this year and we were able to serve 45 families! We held 18 classes and workshops this year.

The coming year will feature our incredible curriculum in both the in-person and digital format as well as a one-day Yoga and Educational Retreat for Pregnancy hosted in conjunction with Deanna Houston and Jody Barnes. Follow us on social media for updates and find more details on Embrace the Journey here!

Doulas of Baltimore in Frederick

In 2023 we saw a need for high quality, unbiased education for expectant parents in the Frederick area. We made plans to launch in 2024 are proud to say we now offer classes and workshops inside Indigo Physiotherapy! We’re glad to partner with an incredible resource for Frederick birthing individuals.

You can find all of our one-day workshops (Baby 101, Birth Basics, and Comfort Measures) in Frederick year-round.

Birth Doula & Postpartum Doula Support

Our doulas had the opportunity to serve 126 families in 2024! That’s 35 more families than 2023.

We saw the most babies born at Mercy this year with 26 families served. Nearly tying with a difference of one was Hopkins at 25 families. We also were able to serve 19 families at our former top hospital, GBMC, and 13 at St. Joe’s. Overall, we supported families at 15 different birthing facilities!

Our team worked over 6100 hours of in-home postpartum doula and newborn care support. We were honored to serve over 2100 additional hours over 2023! *

(*That’s over 254 days!)

Doulas of Baltimore turned 10 Years Old

We have a full write up on our 10th Birthday Party but turning 10 really had us reflecting this year! After a decade as Doulas of Baltimore we decided it was high time for a birthday party. We planned a fun gathering at UNION Craft Brewing Co and invited all our past and present clients, team members, and our professional network.

Attendees enjoyed appetizers, desserts, and everyone left with a custom engraved beer glass! Taking a pause to celebrate our accomplishments was an incredible and important task this year. Cheers to 10 years, here’s to 10 more!

Giving Back

In addition to maintaining our longstanding commitments to Maryland Families for Safe Birth, Fluid Movement, and The Family Tree, this year we were fortunate to be able to donate over $3500 to both local and national initiatives that support racial birth justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and LGBTQAI+ Families.

We also had a hugely successful supply drive as part of our 10th Birthday Party at UNION Brewing Co.

We collected shelf-stable foods, diapers, and baby hygeine products to benefit two organizations who also celebrated 10 years in Baltimore this year – Baltimore Hunger Project and ShareBaby. Many thanks to all of our generous guests and donors!

We are so grateful to each and every one of you who has joined us on our path to providing the warmest unbiased support for Baltimore families.

Find out our busiest birth month, zip codes with the most DOB clients, and more of our 2024 stats on our Instagram page!