NICE TO MEET YOU!
Alyssa Atkins,
CMA, CLC, CBS, PD
CERTIFIED
MEDICAL ASSISTANT,
LACTATION COUNSELOR,
BREASTFEEDING SPECIALIST, &
POSTPARTUM DOULA
Welcome to Find Your Flow Co. My name is Alyssa, mom of two, and passionate lactation + postpartum professional. I've been working with newborns and their families for the last 15 years in a creative capacity, specializing in posed newborn portrait photography. Hundreds of mothers have come into my studio with their newborns and spent anywhere from 2-6 hours with me each session. As you can imagine, I've heard countless stories of birth and postpartum struggles and joys, but a glaring common thread running through them all was the critical need for more support. I knew I wanted to work with mothers in a deeper and more impactful way and lactation and postpartum care seemed like a very natural next step. Over the last 2 years, I have gained the education and experience necessary to become an asset to any mom's postpartum journey. My goal is that each mother I work with feel adequately held and supported, in the way she prefers, during one of the most physically and emotionally challenging transformations a human can undergo. We're supposed to do this motherhood journey with many experienced hands and hearts. Having had two pregnancies of my own and having breastfed (and struggled through without adequate lactation support), I recognize how easily a mother can feel unheard, unseen, exhausted, frustrated, and isolated during the roller coaster that is the postpartum period. I want to be a part of the movement bringing back the village of women supporting women with a balance of knowledge, experience, softness, kindness, and understanding so she can, not just survive postpartum, but thrive in finding the flow that works best with her new baby and her growing family.
My goals are your goals. If you decide we are a good fit, I will quickly get to know how best I can help and get to work to be your extra set of hands. I offer a variation of services including virtual breastfeeding classes for expecting moms, full lactation and infant feeding couseling and support from in-hospital to weaning (including pumping, soreness, latch, bottle feeding, positioning, weaning, supplementation, referrals, and safely stopping lactation). Postpartum Doula support is perhaps the most requested service with ranges of a few hours of support to full-on weekly support with newborn, mom, and family care to make the transition home with a newborn much less overwhelming! Read below for services and examples of each.
My postpartum doula training and dual certifications in lactation compliment my clinical medical background training and experience to provide a comprehensive, skilled support scaffolding for moms, newborns, and their families to thrive and enjoy the transition of welcoming home a new baby.
For the highest level of dedication to your family's safety, I am fully background checked, certified in adult and infant CPR, First Aid, & Basic Life Support, and I am fully insured. Proof of all are included in all new client inquiry packets. Browse my services in-depth below and reach out via phone or text me personally to chat about your specific needs! 321.652.9524 Never forget-- you are NOT alone. You're just one text or phone call away from the support and encouragement you may need during this challenging, transformative time!
SERVICES
Daytime 3-8 hours
Morning, afternoon, or evening shifts.
Reserve a time of day when it feels most overwhelming for you-
Examples: partner leaves for work and older kids have to get ready for school // middle of the day when you need a solid meal and a nap or you feel most isolated // evening when siblings get home from school and homework, dinner, and bed time need attention
All daytime shifts include laundry catch-up, dishes catch-up, meal prep and light cooking, bottle washing/sanitizing, nursery re-stocking and tidying in general, if it's helpful.
Nighttime - Partial
3-5 hours
Any 3-5 hour stretch of the night that feels most challenging.
Examples: baby wakes up at 3 am every single night and so does your 3-year-old // beginning of the night, I keep the baby fed and soothed so you can get a solid stretch right in the beginning // Wee hours of the morning - 2am, 3am, or 4am - where it's so challenging to keep your eyes open and you need urgent sleep relief, but your partner also needs sleep to be able to get up for work.
Depending on the length of the shift, baby, and mom's goals, nighttime shifts include laundry catch-up, dishes catch-up, bottle washing/sanitizing, nursery re-stocking, and tidying in general, if it's helpful. Some nighttime newborn caregivers sleep when baby sleeps, but I choose to stay awake.
Full Night Care
Any stretch of 6, 8, or 10 hours overnight.
These shifts can be entirely customized with full newborn care while parents sleep - mom may only get up to pump and leave the milk and pump parts at the door for me to collect, feed, and store the rest (then sanitize parts and get them ready for the next pumping session). Mom may only have baby in for breastfeeding or bottle feeding, then I burp, diaper, soothe, and put baby back to sleep. I may take over full newborn care for the entire shift - this can be restorative rest for many parents, even booking just one full overnight session within the first couple of weeks!
Depending on baby and mom's goals, nighttime shifts include laundry catch-up, dishes catch-up, bottle washing/sanitizing, nursery re-stocking, and tidying in general, if it's helpful. Some nighttime newborn caregivers sleep when baby sleeps, but I choose to stay awake.
Lactation
Lactation support sessions can be booked independently, but each postpartum newborn shift, day or night comes with a brief, basic lactation consult (if requested) to make sure mom is getting the most out of the very hard work of breastfeeding or pumping for baby. Some moms cannot breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed, and I can also offer support with safely and gradually reducing milk supply to help prevent common complications. If deeper lactation struggles need addressing, dedicated lactation sessions and troubleshooting concerns are available.
Appointments
Any 2-3 hour stretch where mom needs a second set of hands during an outing. Babies have a lot of appointments in the first couple of weeks and I offer a ride-along to help soothe baby during the car ride and be helpful for mom getting ready beforehand and getting re-settled once home. This is especially helpful for moms with lift restrictions after birth and partners who must return to work.
Frequently asked questions:
Q. what is a certified postpartum Doula?
A. A certified postpartum doula is a trained professional who has attended and completed a postpartum doula certification program. A postpartum doula is seen as a postpartum supporter who is an extension of you and your wishes for the postpartum period. They offer personalized support for the birth mother's recovery, newborn transition to life outside the womb, and the whole family's transition to welcoming home a new baby. Postpartum doulas work day and night doing, essentially, whatever the particular family needs. Duties include: newborn feeding, burping, diapering, soothing, bottle prep, bottle and pump-part washing and sanitizing, interacting with and helping siblings adjust to a recovering parent and new baby, dishes, light cooking, tidying, restocking the nursery, and laundry. The postpartum doula makes daily life easier for the whole family during the postpartum period.
Q. why do I need a postpartum doula or newborn caregiver when i have family in town to help?
A. You may not, however, a postpartum doula + lactation care specialist is trained to be a comprehensive addition to your postpartum care team. They look out for you and protect your birth recovery (both mentally and physically), your other children (if applicable), and the household in which your partner may need to be returning to return to work soon, helping everything go more smoothly. They work closely with you and your other caregivers/visitors, taking some of the pressure off of them so they can take in more time with you and your newest family member!
Also, if you had a complicated pregnancy or birth, it can be more helpful to have someone there who is trained in the medical, postpartum, and lactation fields to offer peace of mind and an extra set of eyes on the recovery and transition for you and/or baby. This is especially true if there are lift restrictions after birth.
Q. How do you handle different family decisions regarding controversial topics like circumcision, formula vs. breastfeeding, use of pacifiers, sleep training, etc?
A. My goals as a postpartum doula are to care for you and your newborn safely. Outside of that, your decisions are yours to make for your new baby and family. I will always do my best to take care of you and your family in a way that wholly respects and aligns with your parenting style, decisions, and preferences. As long as I can care for you and your newborn safely, it is my job to do so as closely as you prefer as possible. That being said, I am quite knowledgeable on certain postpartum and lactation topics and can provide the latest evidence-based information for parents to make informed decisions, but will only do so if prompted.
Q. Some Newborn night caregivers rest when baby rests. do you sleep during a shift?
A. While other newborn night carers may sleep when baby sleeps, I choose not to do this. When I arrive at your home, I consider myself "on the clock." This means I am fully awake and aware at all times during my time in your home and with your family and newborn. I will always come to shifts in professional attire (medical scrubs) and be awake and ready at any minute or hour to help you or your baby.
Q. Why don't you take my insurance?
A. Unfortunately, insurance coverage has not caught up with extensive need for postpartum support yet. Some insurances do have limited reimbursement for postpartum care, but you would need to contact your insurance company to verify coverage on your specific policy.
Q. Why are your services so expensive?
A. There are a few reasons why my services are so valuable. I have not only spent years training and gaining experience to be a comprehensive postpartum carer dedicated to providing the safest and most complete support for the postpartum family as a whole, but as a self-employed small business owner, all of the overhead of running a certified, legitimate, and fully insured business falls directly to me. After expenses incurred from normal business operation are paid (like taxes, insurance, uniforms, fuel, website, marketing, recurring certifications, fees, fuel, and more), I need to make a livable wage to be able to support my family as well. Every time you use my services, I am so appreciative to be chosen and will always do my absolute best to provide the highest quality care and support for your whole family!
TESTIMONIALS
Parents Recommend
Angie S.
“Alyssa was kind, caring knowledgeable, and did not hesitate to jump in and take on tasks that kept our household and family running.”
Luke M.
"My wife was so nervous when I returned to work, but we hired Alyssa to step in and help and it allowed my wife to relax and feel fully supported while I had to be out of the house."
Michelle B.
"Alyssa helped me get the rest I needed to recover while respecting my feeding choices, parenting style, and the way i run my household. I could not be more grateful for her expertise and support!"
Postpartum Doula Service RATES
(Full Overnight Newborn Caregiver or Daytime Mom, Newborn, & Family Support)
Take Advantage of my New business launch rate for the first 6 hours of support!
Daytime support (minimum 3 hour shift)
the first 6 hours: $35/hour, then $41/Hour Addtl
Nighttime Support (minimum 3 hour shift)
the first 6 hours: $39/hour, then $45/hour addtl
Bundle pricing for multiple visits and weekly care are available as well as weekly payment plans and gift certificates to add to any baby shower registry - you can literally give mom the gift of Postpartum care for her whole family!