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The Doula’s Top Five • Swaddling blankets. These can be big, Velcro wrapped, thin or intricate, but the key is that you have to wrap them tightly to imitate the secure feeling they have from the womb. I recommend at least two of these, one for use and one for the wash. Here is a link to a video helping you learn how to swaddle your baby. • A pouch or soft carrier. Kangaroo Korner fleece pouches are by far my favorite, but really any sling or pouch that cradles the baby and allows the wearer to comfortably go about their daily work while baby sleeps and grows is worth it’s weight in gold. In the Portland area, Milagros sells many varieties of slings and carriers. • Burp cloths. This may seem silly, but having something to wipe up extra milk coming and going is really important. Let’s face it, babies are messy eaters sometimes and a burp cloth can keep you in your most comfortable shirt a bit longer (spit up stains are not the rage, even in comfort clothes). These also are great for putting under babies during changes, and they are oh-so-easy to wash compared to all the other contraptions. • A good-fitting nursing bra. Can’t say enough about good fitting! Please go and get measured, and feel at ease forking over the big bucks for something that doesn’t allow you to droop more than you like, doesn’t give you mastitis, and has easy hinges for repeated uses. You will not be sorry. In Portland, you can get fitted at Providence Portland Breastfeeding Center, Zenana Spa, Just Like a Woman, or Nordstroms. • Good people to be around. So this is not one that you shop for, but rather tend – like a precious garden full of yummy things. Raising a baby is all about building a new community, and I encourage new parents to get connected to other new parents, to a mom’s group, a faith community, or even to just meet your neighbors. Good people will sustain and support you through the many changes that a baby brings (and they can buy all those other things that didn’t make the list)! Kimberly Beppler of ABC Doula Service http://www.mothersource.org/blog/item/64/