Resources
Postpartum Resources
Wonderful Welcome has had the honor to personally work with or has received positive feedback about the following individuals/organizations whose missions align with ours - to provide encouragement and support as a family welcomes a new baby. Please do not hesitate to reach out to anyone on the list, even to just say hi. Remember that reaching out does not commit you to anything, so you might as well make the connection or see if further evaluation is warranted. Additionally, we are always looking to expand our list, too, so if you’ve met or worked with someone you recommend in any area of perinatal or postpartum support, we would love to know of them!
Antenatal:
Birth Without Fear - Offers birth stories of all sorts (unmedicated/medicated, home/birth center/hospital, assisted/unassisted, vaginal/Cesarean, singleton/multiples, premie/term, etc.) with a focus on the birthing person’s empowerment and experience.
Spinning Babies - Highly recommended for positional help, especially with babies who remain breech later in pregnancy.
Holistic Living:
If you are interested in supporting your pregnancy, labor/delivery, or postpartum recovery with herbs, or wish to have your placenta encapsulated, reach out to these folks as soon as you can so they can help plan with you.
Lavandoula (offers placenta encapsulation plus herbal support) - Emma O’Brien
Health and Hearth - Rivka Swartz
Hillside Herbals - Rachel Ross
Meant to Be Loved (offers placenta encapsulation) - Amanda Forgit
Mountain Rose Herbs - high quality, organic herbs, spices, teas, etc.
WishGarden Herbs - tinctures
Cambridge Naturals - local supplier of herbs and products for natural living
Lactation Professionals:
Working one-on-one with someone for an appointment or two can have a huge impact on the course of your breastfeeding journey.
Caitlin Inglis, CLC - Living Lactation
Caitlin offers virtual and some in-home consultations, before and after baby arrives, and is usually able to see new clients the same day for immediate support. She facilitates parent groups, as well.
Jeanette Frem, IBCLC - Babies in Common
Jeanette specializes in lip and tongue tied babies, as well as providing exceptional general lactation support.
Online list of consultants.
Pumps: Some of these companies will deliver to your home and communicate with your insurance company to figure out what they will cover, and/or help you purchase a pump covered by your insurance.
Local stores that routinely stock lactation supplies: Please shop small, local businesses if you can. Many have free shipping and/or curbside pickup!
Diaper Lab – nipple balm, nursing bras, nursing pads, Haakaa products, bottles, and more
Cambridge Naturals - Silverettes, nipple balm
Magic Beans - Nursing chairs, nursing pillows, nursing covers, nursing bras, bottles, pumps and pump parts
Groups: Several organizations run lactation groups on a regular basis, facilitated either by trained volunteers or credentialed lactation professionals:
Baby Cafe USA
We recommend the chapter in Dorchester, facilitated by Jenny Weaver, IBCLC
Dentists specializing in lip- and tongue-tie evaluation and treatment:
Lindsey McElligott, DMD
922 Waltham Street, Suite 202, Lexington, MA 02421
Martin Kaplan, DDS
563 Main Street, Bolton, MA 01740
340 Fuller Road, Albany, NY 12203
Questions about whether a medication is pregnancy- or breastfeeding-compatible?
Infantrisk - This is the most comprehensive and well-researched resource out there. You can even call them and speak directly to someone about your particular situation.
NIH LactMed database - A dense read to get to the info, but direct from the National Institutes of Health
Donor milk:
New England Milk Bank - Donate or receive human milk from a certified, pasteurized source. Please discuss with your pediatrician; you will likely need a prescription for the milk.
Other options may be available as well.
Mental Health Support:
Many new parents and families find it helpful to check in with a mental health practitioner in the form of a counselor or therapist - ideally, one who specializes in maternal mental health and/or the postpartum period.
Rebecca Thompson, LICSW (she/her)
617.301.8369; rctsocialwork@gmail.com
Anne Olinick, LMHC (she/her)
857.997.9029; annieolinick@gmail.com
This organization specializes in the postpartum period, including a multitude of resources for families, a monthly dad support phone group (first Monday of the month), and much more. You can connect with and find clinicians on the website as well.
Support groups for parents, crisis resources, loss support, and more for expectant and new families.
Parenting Support Groups:
Moreso than other categories, parenting groups come and go (let me know if you find good ones, or discover the ones I've listed are no longer meeting!) and are offered in different iterations at different locations. Check your local library bulletin board for other potential local groups.
Caitlin Inglis, CLC - Living Lactation
Caitlin runs a new parenting group out of various community locations, all are welcome. Contact her for details.
JFCS has a variety of different groups - for newborns, for multiples, for adoption, postpartum depression, parenting after loss, etc.
LGBTQbirth - Tuesdays, 1:00-2:00 PM, meets via Zoom. Sign up on the website.
Sleep: (See also, “Sweet Sleep” below in Books)
Baby Sleep Science: Erin Flynn-Evans, PhD, MPH and Meg Casano, BSN, MA
Nightweaning and Sleep Patterns for Older (6+ Month) babies: Dr. Jay Gordon
Mother-Baby Behavorial Sleep Laboratory: Dr. James McKenna
Swaddling Videos: ABC Postpartum Doula Service, Portland, OR
Breast/Chestfeeding While Co-Sleeping: Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine protocol (2023)
Babywearing:
Babywearing, in a wrap, ring sling, Asian-style carrier, or soft-structured carrier, can be a great tool in your parenting toolbelt for helping soothe baby as well as enable you to have a hand (or even two!) free to do other things, all the while knowing baby is comfy, with you, and secure.
Diaper Lab - Workshops for novice and experienced babywearers, as well as consults and drop-ins to help with carriers.
Baystate Babywearers - Volunteer-run, non-profit babywearing group in Massachusetts. Regular meetings (modified due to COVID) and a lending library of carriers.
Wonderful Welcome! Jen is happy to help with baby carriers or babywearing questions, free for all clients or fee-based for everyone else as a Wonderful One-Off consultation.
Pediatricians:
1337 Massachusetts Avenue, #118, Arlington, MA
617.855.8682 info@tovahealth.com
Offers home visits for your first 3 months
Purple Crayon Pediatrics: Sarah Sheldon, MD
22 Mill Street, Suite 206, Arlington, MA
781.867.9220 admin@purplecrayonpediatrics.com
Roslindale Pediatrics: Brenna Chase, MD in particular
2020 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02132
617.522.3100
Atrius Cambridge/Harvard Vanguard near Cambridge Hospital: Ellen Sigman, MD and associated NP
1611 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.661.5575
Car Seats:
Purchase:
Local in Wellesley as well as online, specializing in baby and kids’ gear. Purchase only.
Installation:
Wonderful Welcome! Jen is a CPST and car seat checks are free for Wonderful Welcome clients, and for a fee for everyone else. See the details here.
Online resources for reviews as well as other car seat information:
Car Seat Safety Statistics from Safe Kids
Postpartum Exercise:
When your postpartum recovery is underway and you are cleared by your provider, try some exercise, maybe even with baby!
Mama Ballroom - free movement classes for parents and babies
617.431.6393 mamaballroom@gmail.com
Fit4Mom - Stroller Strides and other Fit4Mom workouts
Mia Melendez - Pilates/personal trainer who offers prenatal/postnatal pilates classes
Bodywork:
Both pre- and postpartum bodies can benefit from physical therapy, chiropractic care, massage, and acupuncture treatments.
Physical Therapist / Pelvic PT for the birthing person:
Foundations Pelvic Health: Donna Chiao, PT DPT
Physical Therapist/Pelvic Health and Orthopedic Specialist
262 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02116
617.586.8597 donna@foundationspelvichealth.com
Marathon Physical Therapy: Ruth Hensley
425 Centre St., Newton, MA 02458
617.244.1990 rhensley@marathonphysicaltherapy.com
Chiropractic: The following practitioners have specialized training to work on infants:
Drs. Andy and Kandyce Mutter - High Point Chiropractic
83 Cambridge Street, #1B
Burlington, MA 01803
781.365.0400
Dr. Lisa Geiger - Village Family Chiropractic
126 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA 02446
617.566.2001 vfchiro@gmail.com
Massage Therapists:
Erin Sweeney, LMT - Bodywise Massage Therapy
Gordon Pilotte, LMT - Massage Medic
Acupuncture:
Household services:
House cleaner:
Angela - 857.888.2484
Cleans houses in Cambridge, Arlington area
Childproofing:
Animals:
Pets sometimes need help adjusting to a new member of the family.
Lori Lodato, CPDT - A Better Companion - ABCDogTraining1@gmail.com
Lori provides dog training, group and private obedience classes, and doggie daycare.
Julie Polvinen - Zen Animal Massage
Help relieve your pet’s anxiety about the transitions in your household through massage.
Provides “doggie daycare”, grooming, boarding, and transport. Locations in Cambridge, Belmont, and Charlestown.
Enrichment:
When you’re feeling ready to enjoy additional adventures with baby and maybe make some new friends, check out some of these options.
Library Storytimes - your local library will have storytimes, usually several, divided by age of child. Some require advance sign up. Call or check their website for details.
Music - take a class (usually meets once a week for several weeks) or join a sing-along
Jeff Jam - runs classes and sing-alongs, performs at birthday parties, etc.
Books:
If you’re interested in reading up on your newborn or other aspects of parenting, here are some of the books we recommend the most. (Links go to the book listing at Porter Square Books, a great, local, independent bookstore.)
Your Amazing Newborn by Marshall H. Klaus, MD and Phyllis H. Klaus, CSW, MFCC - Loaded with photographs, the book documents newborn behavior, with a focus on senses, in babies from birth through two weeks of age.
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou with Amely Greeven and Marisa Belger - Part guide, part recipe collection, this book reflects on the transition to motherhood and as a family, framed with an eye toward cultural traditions of healing and bonding.
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, MD - Techniques for soothing fussy babies.
Sweet Sleep by Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, Linda J. Smith, and Teresa Pitman - An easy-to-read yet comprehensive, breastfeeding-friendly volume of research-based, sleep information. Provides clear guidance on sleeping arrangements, including safe co-sleeping practices.
Your One Year Old by Louise Bates Ames, PhD - This is the first of a series that goes up through age 14. Each book is great for identifying traits of that age and normalizing developmental shifts. (These were written several decades ago, however, so keep that in mind while reading the discipline and other similar sections with very dated ideas! I have found the developmental and behavioral stuff to be spot on, however.)
What about books to read to your baby, toddler, or young child? Be mindful to include diversity. There are several subscription book clubs that feature inclusivity and diversity, if you're interested in receiving new books on a regular basis. (This can be a great gift from grandparents or other friends/family, too!!) Looking for just one good book to get started? Check out The Family Book by Todd Parr.
Miscellaneous:
Digital Wellness Lab (formerly known as the Center on Media and Child Health (CMCH))
Based at Boston Children’s Hospital, the Digital Wellness Lab focuses on media’s impact on children from infancy through college-aged, conducting, compiling, and distributing research from all fields to parents, researchers, and clinicians.
Emergency Services:
Poison Control - 800.222.1222
The website offers online help as well.
911
Want to be added to this list, or know of a business or individual we should include? Get in touch!