How did Seed to Sapling sprout?

It was somewhere around 3 am. My husband and I had maybe slept 2 hours, our son Andrew about 3 months at the time was crying again after eating for the millionth time and we were at our wits end. Even after everyone in the house was finally asleep my brain could not shut off. I felt I needed some more support - someone who could help me - explain why my baby was acting like this, reassure me it was going to be okay and give me some practical tools to help my baby and help me maintain my mental health. I knew I was in survival mode, barely keeping my head above water ,and I didn't know what to do.

My Googling resulted in professionals who helped specifically with sleep or lactation or maternal mental health. Specific services with each with an individual price tag. The cost made me feel like my problems weren't significant enough for these services and I didn't know if they would even be helpful and worth the fees.

The seed had been planted.

I wanted to build a personal, yet professional relationship with someone who could provide support to me as a mother and insight into raising my baby.

After less sleep deprived research I decided to fill the gap I found with my professional experiences as an RN in family practice. 

The seed sprouted.

As a registered nurse in a family practice I saw women with their babies on a regular basis. During ‘Well Baby Checks’ I would check in with mom as to how baby was eating and sleeping and ask how the moms themselves were doing. The answers were typically "good, good, fine", sometimes minor concerns were raised, but often mom hadn't thought about how she was functioning as she was focused on baby being cared for. Despite probing questions, moms thought processes would continue to circle back to baby's well being with minimal thought to how they were coping as individuals. Women who came in for themselves often had children who preteens or older, they were finally addressing concerns that they had about their own health for years.

I wanted to create a service where mothers were acknowledged as individuals with the understanding that their experiences, mental/physical health and well being is very much intertwined with their child.

The seed grew.

I took courses to become certified in perinatal mental health and child birth education to use in addition to my evidence based knowledge as a registered nurse and personal motherhood experience to journey with parents from pregnancy through parenthood. 

Personalized session, guided by questions and concerns of parents, incorporate the use of validated tools and evidence based practice to address the challenges in parenthood. Beginning personalized session in the prenatal stage allows for continued care from prenatal to postpartum, something lost in the medical system as care shifts from OBs or midwives to general practitioners. 

It is never too late to get support. Let Seed to Sapling join your circle of care in your pregnancy and postpartum journey.