Samantha Mae Ashley 8/21/26 Samantha Mae Ashley 8/21/26

Finding Alignment in Your Birth Prep: Mind, Body, and Care Team

Once you have clarity, it's time to put your ideas into action. Learn how getting your mind, physical body, and care team moving in the same direction builds lasting birth confidence.

Samantha Mae Ashley 8/18/26 Samantha Mae Ashley 8/18/26

Finding Clarity in Your Birth Choices: Filtering Out the Noise

So many moms know what they want deep down—they just second-guess themselves. Here is how finding clarity helps you quiet the outside noise and stand firm in your choices.

Samantha Mae Ashley 8/12/26 Samantha Mae Ashley 8/12/26

"Too Old?" Reflections at 26 Months of Toddler Nursing

Reflecting on 26 months of toddler nursing, surviving sleep shifts and biting, and what medical science actually says about the benefits of year-two breast milk.

Samantha Mae Ashley 8/8/26 Samantha Mae Ashley 8/8/26

Galacto-What? The 10 Days That Rewrote Our Postpartum Plan

When our newborn's routine screening came back flagged for a rare genetic condition, our breastfeeding journey came to a sudden halt. Here is the raw, honest story of our first 10 days postpartum, navigating false positives, and finding our footing through the unexpected.

Samantha Mae Ashley 5/29/26 Samantha Mae Ashley 5/29/26

Silverette Nursing Cups: My Honest Experience with Natural Nipple Healing

Can 925 sterling silver truly heal sore nipples without creams or ointments? I put the popular Silverette Nursing Cups to the test. Discover my honest review on how they work for pumping discomfort, on-demand nursing, and low-intervention postpartum healing.

Samantha Mae Ashley 5/28/26 Samantha Mae Ashley 5/28/26

Wildbird Ring Sling Review: My Honest Babywearing Experience as a New Mom

Is the popular Wildbird ring sling worth the hype for a new mom? From navigating the initial textile stiffness to mastering the ring sling learning curve with a newborn, here is an honest, postpartum-tested review of this aesthetic linen baby carrier.

Samantha Mae Ashley 5/27/26 Samantha Mae Ashley 5/27/26

Welcome to Doula Mae: Embracing Intentional Birth & Motherhood!

Birth can and should be a positive, joyous, and empowering life event—not a medical condition to be managed. After supporting over 150 families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, I’m sharing the heart behind Doula Mae Birth Services and how we are shifting the narrative around maternal health. Welcome to a space built on clarity, functional alignment, and instinctive power.

Samantha Mae Ashley 10/19/24 Samantha Mae Ashley 10/19/24

From Doula to Mama: My Unscripted Birth Journey – Part Three

After hours of listening to my body, pushing, and changing positions, I was ready to meet our baby. With my midwife’s reassurance and my husband’s hand on our baby’s crowning head, we embraced the final moments of labor together. Our baby boy arrived, and in those precious seconds, our lives were forever changed. From his quiet arrival to his first cry, these moments of love and strength will stay with us forever. Join me in Part Three of my unscripted birth story as I share the final stages of labor and the pure joy of meeting our little one.

Samantha Mae Ashley 10/13/24 Samantha Mae Ashley 10/13/24

From Doula to Mama: My Unscripted Birth Journey – Part Two

It was 6 am on Monday, June 17th, 2024. After five days of my water being ruptured with no strong signs of labor, I had settled into a calm state of denial. It was a quiet comfort, allowing me to enjoy a peaceful Father’s Day with my husband and giving us both the rest we needed before things intensified.

The hours felt like minutes as my body worked in harmony with the baby, moving in and out of the birth pool, trusting my instincts. By 10:30 am, I was laboring in bed, feeling closer to meeting my little one.

Samantha Mae Ashley 10/4/24 Samantha Mae Ashley 10/4/24

From Doula to Mama: My Unscripted Birth Journey – Part One

On June 12th, 2024, one day after my husband Jarrod’s birthday, I was 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant. While doing a birth ball workout, I lost my mucus plug, sparking curiosity about whether labor was near. Hours later, after a chiropractor visit, I felt another gush of fluid but wasn’t convinced it was the start. The next few days passed without much change until Father’s Day, June 16th. That night, I noticed cramping, but it wasn’t until 10 pm that the contractions gained a rhythm. Quietly, I began timing them—wondering, could this really be it?