Parenting
Helpful Tips from your Postpartum Experts
Parenting has no single roadmap. This section gives you research-backed strategies, real-life ideas, and practical tools to help you in the everyday mess and magic. You’ll find posts on things like emotional coaching, behavior strategies, communication, self-care for parents, and family rhythms. Think of this as your toolkit: you pick what fits, adapt as life changes, and grow with your child rather than chasing perfection.
The Mental Load of New Parenthood [And How Smart Support Systems Reduce Burnout]
New parents often talk about the new parent bliss. The cuddles, the milestones, the overwhelming love and adoration for their new baby, and so on and so on. However, there is another side of becoming a new parent. [Besides the sleep deprivation-obviously!] You may have heard it called “the mental...
What Intended Parents Can Expect in the Hospital After Surrogacy
Bringing your baby into the world through surrogacy is an incredible moment, but the hospital experience can feel unfamiliar, emotional, and full of questions, especially if this is your first time navigating birth from an intended parent perspective. Unlike a traditional birth, you’re stepping into a space where medical protocols,...
Your Newborn’s First 90 Days: The Early Parenting Transition
The early parenting transition is the period from the last weeks of pregnancy through the first 90 days home with a newborn. It can be physically exhausting, emotionally intense, socially isolating, and far more demanding than most parents expect. At Well Supported Family, we work within this phase every single...
Your guide to baby's first Thanksgiving
It’s hard to believe it’s already November, the season of cozy meals, family gatherings, and, of course, baby’s very first Thanksgiving. Whether you’re celebrating with grandparents or introducing your little one to extended family for the first time, this holiday can feel both exciting and a little overwhelming. Here are...
13 Best Christmas Gifts 2025 for New Moms
The first holiday season with a newborn is nothing short of magical—and exhausting. Between late-night feeds, diaper marathons, and the relentless loop of “eat, play, sleep,” most new moms aren’t hoping for more baby gear. What they really want is comfort, a little ease, and maybe just a few minutes...
Budgeting for Baby: Costs to Expect in the First Year
Bringing a new baby into the world is an incredible experience, but it also comes with real financial planning. Whether you're a first-time parent or expanding your family, understanding the cost of having a baby in the first year can help you prepare for what’s ahead and ease some of...
RIE Parenting: Raising Confident, Independent Babies Through Respectful Care
When I was 21, I thought I knew all I could possibly know about how to raise a newborn. My mom took in dozens of foster babies as I was growing up. And by this time I had worked as a nanny, a Newborn Care Specialist, Sleep Consultant and as...
Nanny vs. Daycare: Cost, Care, and Choosing the Right Fit for Your Family
So you need to go back to work? Childcare decisions are among the most important choices you’ll make as a parent. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of hiring a nanny versus enrolling your child in daycare, you’re not alone. Both options offer valuable benefits depending on your family’s...
What to do with a baby all day? Daytime activities for a newborn routine
I hear it all the time: “What am I supposed to do with this baby all day?” “If I sing itsy bitsy spider one more time, I’m going to scream!” “What can I do to enhance my child’s development?” “Am I a bad parent for being so bored?” What the...
Creating a fun Halloween with little ones
How cute is this little dude here? (Answer: quite cute.) If you have young kids, or just had kids, Halloween is a special time. Kids love Halloween -- then they maybe grow out of it for a few years around teenagedom, and then they love it again in their 20s....
How to Find a Local Pregnancy Support Group in Orlando
Are you newly pregnant or a veteran parent? No matter the stage of pregnancy, having a solid support system is important for your mental and physical well being. There are many unknowns of pregnancy month to month and every pregnancy is different, so having like-minded professionals and peers can help...
Where to Celebrate Father’s Day in Chicago
Looking for fun ways to celebrate Father's Day in Chicago? Whether it's his first Father's Day or his 30th, the Windy City offers plenty of fun ways to honor the dads in your life. From delicious brunches to active outings and one-of-a-kind experiences, there's something for every dad to enjoy....
Best Online Newborn Care Classes
Becoming a new parent is one of life's most exciting and overwhelming experiences. Whether you're welcoming a baby through pregnancy, surrogacy, or adoption, those first few months can feel like a whirlwind of immense joy - and stressful uncertainty. That's where Baby Care Classes comes in - providing expert guidance...
Welcoming Home a Baby: A Guide for Intended Parents
Are you expecting a baby by surrogacy? As in intended parent, that long-awaited day you finally get to bring your baby home is full of many emotions. Joy, excitement, relief, and most likely some nerves, too. No matter how your baby comes into your life, welcoming a newborn into your...
How to Choose the Right Pediatrician
A pediatrician plays a crucial role in providing medical care, guidance, and support for your child from birth through adolescence. Choosing a pediatrician for your child is a big decision. Who you choose to be your child's doctor can have a significant impact on your little one's well-being. But your...
Surrogacy: A Journey to Parenting
Every journey to parenthood is unique, no matter how your baby comes into your life. Surrogacy is a path to parenthood for those who cannot or choose not to carry a pregnancy themselves. During surrogacy, one person - the surrogate - carries a fetus through pregnancy and gives birth to...
Parenthood Tips for Intended Parents
All roads that lead to parenthood are beautiful ones, and parenthood through surrogacy is one of them. If you are an intended parent through surrogacy, or are considering using a surrogate, you likely have many questions about how to navigate this process, such as: What is it like to use...
New Dad Checklist
Becoming a new dad is both exciting and overwhelming! You're about to embark on a journey that will change your life forever. To help you prepare for this new role, we have compiled a comprehensive new dad checklist that covers everything you need to handle before and after your baby...
New Dad Groups in Massachusetts
Community is so important as a parent. But many new parents today lack that essential network. Raising a baby without peers and mentors is incredibly difficult, and often lonely. This can hit new fathers especially hard when our culture expects them to jump right into this huge new role without...
First Father’s Day Gift Ideas
Father’s Day is coming in hot! Do you have a brand new dad in your life? Looking for first Father's Day gift ideas? You've come to the right place. Here are our favorite first Father's Day gifts for 2023. There's something for every kind of dad! Lalabu Dad Shirt -...
10 Creative Mother’s Day Ideas
Being a mom takes a whole lot of energy, patience, and love. On Mother's Day, you want to show the Mom in your life that you love and appreciate her. Whether it's her first Mother's Day or her 30th, you want this special day to be memorable. But... it's getting...
How to keep your relationship strong with a new baby
Having a baby is a huge milestone for couples. Becoming parents together brings depth to your relationship, but the transition isn’t always easy. Having a baby with your partner can make you fall more deeply in love, but it can test even the strongest couples. If you’re wondering how to...
Mindfulness for New Parents
Mindfulness for new parents, really? When you hear the word mindfulness you might picture someone sitting peacefully and uninterrupted, meditating. Now imagine the haze of raising a newborn - endless diaper changes, mountains of used burp cloths, sleepless nights - and the two just don’t mix. You know that mindfulness...
The Secret to Enjoying Your Baby
It’s no secret that parenthood is hard. Between sleep deprivation, huge new responsibilities, and shifting relationships, becoming a parent is one of life’s most stressful transitions. But it’s also one of the most absolutely rewarding ones. The secret to enjoying your baby is having the practical and emotional support to...
Spring Fun Activities for the Whole Family
Springtime is here! It’s the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy these beautiful days with family. Spring can bring unpredictable weather, but rain or shine, there’s something fun to do with family in spring. Quality time with family is the key to healthy relationships between parents and kids alike....
The Link Between Baby Playtime and Naptime
Parents know that newborns spend a LOT of time eating and sleeping. In the early days, parents dutifully record baby’s pees and poops, spend weeks getting the hang of breastfeeding or bottle feeding, and try to squeeze in as much sleep as possible. But when the haze of the newborn...
Baby Hunger Cues: How to Know if Your Newborn Is Hungry
“Mom, I’m hungry!” While you'll hear this phase endlessly throughout your years as a parent, it will be quite some time before your newborn can tell you verbally that they’re hungry. Thankfully, young babies give us other cues to let us know they need to eat. Crying is a late...
10 Best Books for New Parents
New parenthood comes with a steep learning curve. And while it’s true that your baby doesn’t arrive with a how-to manual, thankfully many insightful authors have written lots of great books on just about every aspect of parenting. Sometimes, a good book is just what you need to dive deep...
Baby CPR Classes
Infant CPR. It’s the last thing a new parent wants to think about, but taking a baby CPR class could mean the difference between life and death. As a new or soon-to-be parent, it’s unlikely that the ins and outs of cardiopulmonary resuscitation are fresh in your mind, but thankfully...
Top 5 New Year’s Resolutions for New Parents
The last two years have been hard. Parenting was already difficult before COVID, and the pandemic has made it an even more challenging and isolating experience. New Year’s resolutions of the past like “drop the baby off at the gym daycare four times a week and work out” are laughable...
Top 5 Fun At-Home Holiday Activities
Being a parent during the holidays is a big job. Between gift shopping, decorating, and meal-planning, it’s easy to let the stress of making the magic happen overtake the magic itself. These simple, fun at-home holiday activities are the perfect way to reconnect with the true meaning of the season:...
Best Christmas Gifts 2021 for New Dads
The holidays are here! The perfect Christmas gifts for new dads are the ones that simplify this life, make parenting easier, and make him smile. Read on for gift ideas for new fathers for any budget. Christmas Gifts for New Dads Under $30 OXO Tot Space Saving Drying Rack -...
The Preemie Parenting Experience
The preemie parenting experience is like no other. From the unexpected early dive into parenthood, to the steep learning curve that comes with learning how to care for your preemie, parents of premature babies are in for an emotional rollercoaster. Feelings of guilt, anger, and sadness are part of the...
Postpartum Depression Affects Fathers, Too
Depression is a serious mental illness that affects how a person feels, thinks, and acts. People with depression can experience feelings of persistent sadness, numbness, irritability, or hopelessness. Some people are more prone to depressive episodes than others, based on genetic factors. But this disease does not discriminate: anyone can...
5 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate His First Father’s Day
Is your man celebrating his first Father’s Day this year? You want to make it a special occasion for him, but don’t know where to start. Don’t stress - there are countless simple and meaningful ways to let your guy know he is loved and appreciated. Read on for 5...
How to Minimize Holiday Stress with a Newborn
Having a baby in the fall or winter is the sweetest. Cozy snuggles, the cutest little fuzzy outfits, and no guilt whatsoever on gloomy days spent entirely indoors, nursing by the fire. But for parents welcoming a baby in the colder months, an already stressful time of year can be...
Make a Mom Friend
Did you know that Feb 11th is Make a Friend Day? Let's learn together how to make a mom friend! I work with a lot of parents, mostly with moms. I also have been a mom for 6 years and thus, have six years of first hand experience with other...
Inclusive Parenting Terminology
If you’ve ever read a baby book, a parenting blog or a magazine- you’ll likely be reading the same family terminology: Mom, dad, mom and dad. Most of the parenting population is, in fact, a cis boy and a cis girl that got together, made a baby and birthed said...
Bonding with baby after Surrogacy
The call came at 2:30am from our surrogate, who quietly informed me, “Are you ready to be parents tomorrow?” Our son, who was being carried by a gestational carrier, was about to make his entrance into the world...3 weeks before the induction date, and over 1,000 miles away. So there...
Equality In The Household
How to understand and set up systems to prepare for equality in the household as new parents. The baby industry tends to focus a lot on the mom. It’s understandable seeing as it’s mostly moms that are carrying and birthing the babies. And it’s mostly moms seeking out baby products,...
How to Keep Your Baby Warm and Safe in Fall and Winter
Dealing with a baby in the summer months can be tricky. The sun is dangerous but you can’t sunscreen your newborn. The mosquitos are carrying scary viruses but you can’t use chemical bug spray. You take your baby out of the car only to find him red faced and sweaty....
The challenges of being a single dad
Single parenting is tough no matter your situation, but raising kids as a single dad has a whole set of problems in itself. The number of single father homes has risen substantiallysince the 1960s and continues to gain ground. But despite greater social acceptance, solo dads still struggle with issues...
Turn motherhood into a community
Three examples. Ready? Set? Go. The Professional Example Interesting how this executive frames up SoulCycle here: One of the key values at SoulCycle is non-competitiveness. Cyclers don’t compete with each other. Rather they share the burden of the exercise together, pressing down on their peddles and bopping on their handlebars...
What documents does a new parent need?
Great article here on The Washington Post about this topic. With so much going on as a new parent, the forms and logistics can often slide to the back of your mind. No bueno. The items: Birth Certificate: No brainer. Here are the vital records centers in Massachusetts. Social Security Card: Cool thing is...
Paternity leave seems to be on the rise
Paternity leave on the rise is logically a good thing, I'd argue. Here's some new-ish stats: in 1994, men in the U.S. were taking two weeks or more of paternity leave at a rate of around 5,800 per month. In 2015, it was 22,000 per month. That data is from the...
How to rock being a working mom
I actually don't want to belabor this point, because there are entire sections of bookstores on this topic. This is just meant to be a short blog post. I'm not out here trying to solve the problems of the world. Plus, I don't like to get political here. I just...
Tips for kids on airplanes
One of my friends was on an airplane recently with a screaming baby/toddler. She herself is going to fly NYC to Seattle with her baby (currently about 7 months; he'll be 9 months at the time of the trip) and was mortified. On this particular flight, everyone was moaning, groaning,...
The best apps for new parents!
Give or take -- and rising every day -- there are about 2.2 million Android apps and 2M+ Apple store apps. Remember the initial marketing of the Apple Store? “There’s an app for that?” Well, by this point we have apps for virtually every major moment in life -- from...
Helpful tips from your team at Well Supported Family.
Expert postpartum and newborn advice you can trust.
Since 2016, Well Supported Family has provided newborn care to thousands of families. Our team of certified Postpartum Doulas and Newborn Care Specialists offer daytime, overnight, and 24/7 in-home support across 12 U.S. states. Whether you're recovering from birth, establishing feeding routines, or just trying to get more sleep, we're here to help—one family at a time.
Want to explore in-home care for your new family? Reach out today.