As I grabbed a book from the bookshelf today, the thirteen year old asked why I was grabbing a children's book.  I responded that I was writing a blog about it.  She then demanded that I use her favorite book from childhood, Small Pig.

I have probably read/heard this story over a thousand times.  As I re-read it today, I was filled with memories of my children being young. The ability I used to have to comfort them with a kiss or nurse them to sleep.  How I was their entire world.

  How things have changed over the years!

Now my parenting is filled with discussions on driver's licenses and  on which swim suit will be appropriate, yet fashionable enough for a 13 year old girl.  A kiss won't fix the hurts they experience anymore. I'm only a guide now rather than the director of their lives.

 Don't get me wrong, I love teenagers! I own three of them right now. But every once in a while, it's fun to look back and remember days that were a little more simple. When a kiss and a hug were magical.

Life is about finding comfort in the small things.

So just like Small Pig, who gets comfort when he "sits down and sinks down into the good, soft mud." I get comfort in the memories of a children's story.



​authored by Deb Pocica

  I have hips AND I'm a little on the short side.   Combining the two makes jean shopping a challenge to say the least.

I would love to hire a professional jean shopping doula!

My professional jean shopping doula would support me through the entire jean shopping experience.

She would first be able to educate me on which stores to shop that fits my personal wants and needs. Many stores stop clothing sizes at 12 or 14 and I need a size 16. She would be able to look at my body and tell me what styles look the best. Do I want the skinny jeans, the wide leg trousers, the boyfriend cut? Then what shade of jeans?! I had no idea how many choices there were!

 I'm sure she would ask me questions like, "Where do you want to wear your jeans?" so she could guide me in making the best decision for myself.  She would also talk with me about having jeans potentially shortened (I never even thought about that! Thanks, Jean Doula!) and gives me a few references for the job.

Then the big jean shopping day would come! First she would come to support me at home by looking through my closet to see what I already own and what tops I might be choosing to wear with my jeans. Then when we decided I was ready, we would head out to the mall!

She would have our day planned out, knowing which stores to avoid and which stores to head inside. This is where my jean shopping doula would start the physical support.  She would go through the racks for me to find the correct sizes and bring them to the dressing room for me. If I needed a size up (or maybe even down) she would  grab them for me, so I didn't need to come out and get them.

She might even bring in some belts or grab some shoes that would look perfect with THAT pair of jeans. "WOW! I never even thought about a belt with those. It totally makes the outfit!"

 I don't know about you, but after about 5 or 6 pair of jeans don't fit me right, the overwhelm starts to set in. I start questioning myself and my jean decisions! "Can I really find a pair that fits in the length, but doesn't have the ugly gap in the back?"  "Maybe I should just give up and come back after I loose that 10 pounds?"

​My jean doula sees what's going on and starts the emotional support.  She reassures me that I do NOT need to wait to loose that 10 pounds and that we will find the perfect pair of jeans for me. She brings me some water and a bite to eat, which allows me to take some time to refresh and start anew.

Finally we find them! They are perfect! They fit in the waist without that gap. They actually flatter my figure! She helps me take them to the car. We hug and she's off. I did it!

Here's a few things that my professional jean doula would never do:

Tell me I need to wear a certain style because that's her style. Even if she personally thinks that straight leg trousers are the worst idea ever, if I like straight leg trousers, then she supports me in my decision.

Tell me that I need to loose weight or change my appearance prior to purchasing my jeans.  She supports me where I am at in the process.

Just purchase the jeans for me. This is MY process, so she's supporting me along the way, but not taking over.

Now, don't you wish you had a jean doula, too?!


Authored by Deb Pocica 

They say (whoever *they* are) that a business should re-brand and update to keep up with the times! So that's just what happened. But first who are we and where did it begin?

Deb Pocica has been around the birth business block now for almost a decade.  She began as a doula in 2008 as www.DoulaDeb.net. She quickly fell in love with childbirth education and placenta encapsulation.  These became her mainstay for business, which led to a new and improved business www.PlacentaChicago.com.  

In 2013, she stopped working as a birth doula to focus on training new placenta encapsulationists and running her own placenta business.  In 2015, she partnered with ProDoula to create Placenta Prep to train birth professionals and others to have the highest standards in the industry all the while continuing to build her personal business.

While Placenta Chicago served her well for 5+ years, she realized it was time for an update!

Presenting to you   Birth:  Before and After and owner Deb Pocica

Birth:  Before and After's focus is on childbirth education, postpartum planning, and other postpartum services including placenta encapsulation.

Thanks for stopping by,

Deb Pocica