This post was originally published by Perinatal Support Washington and has been edited for length. Kristin Kali, LM CPM, is a licensed midwife who provides care for “all families, all family structures, genders, and orientations,” with a focus on LGBTQ families through her practice MAIA Midwifery & Fertility. What’s unique about her practice compared to conventional medical/fertility clinics is the…
Jen started her family when most of her friends already had older kids. Soon after graduating from school, Jen and her partner moved across country to live closer to her family. When Jen went in for her first ultrasound, this surprise baby came with another big surprise – two babies! The move, the new jobs, and now the babies were…
PEPS launches overhaul of its volunteer experience By Shawna Gamache PEPS reaches more than 3,000 families a year in living rooms across the greater Seattle area. At the center of every meeting is a volunteer PEPS leader, guiding new parents through early conversations and coaxing them into community. PEPS is making life easier for the volunteers who are key to…
When you attend your first PEPS meeting, I think it’s natural to come in with a bit of anxiety – not sure what to expect and not sure who you will meet. You try your best to “come as you are” but at the same time, trying to impress…a little. Do you measure up to the other parents? Will they…
Melissa, Participant at Adjusting to Parenthood, a New Mom Support Group in Seattle This post previously published by Perinatal Support Washington. What was your reason for joining the group? My PEPS group had ended, and we hadn’t kept meeting up. As a result, I had no outlet to talk about the challenges of motherhood, and I started having more dark…
by Jessica Towns The question is always: what’s next? Two years ago, I was on a walk with my newborn daughter, beelining toward a much-needed Starbucks latte, when an elderly woman approached me at the crosswalk. She looked down and smiled at the baby. “Is this your first?” she asked. Life is always pushing us forward toward whatever’s next: finish…
by Zach Brittle There’s a dirty trick I play on couples from time to time, especially when they have kids. They come in, complaining about one another, and how they don’t have a shared parenting philosophy, and how their kids are taking up all their time and energy, and how intimacy has evaporated, and, and, and… And, here’s the trick…I…
Mike Schloss knows about parent support and the importance of community. Before he became a stay at home dad, he worked at Treehouse, a local organization that provides much needed support to foster children in Washington. When his daughter was born, Mike joined PEPS for Dads. Later, he joined Baby Peppers. He was the only dad in this daytime group…
According to family lore, my parents always just knew they were done after two babies. It was crystal clear from the moment my little sister was born: family complete. End of story. Throughout my own parenting journey, I’ve heard a similar refrain from other parents, usually uttered in a tone of outright certainty: I’m one and done. I’m two and through. Three…
by Jessica Towns Introversion is often thought of as a quiet nature, or just plain shyness, but there is more to it than that. Introverts are people who thrive in solitude, who function best when they’re able to process internally. They are energized by solo activities and drained by social situations. As an introverted mother, I am constantly being pulled…
