Doula Essentials

Beautiful

Out on the dry grasslands and desert margins of Mongolia, a herding family's survival can hinge on whether a mother camel accepts her calf. When she rejects it, refusing to let it nurse, the newborn's chances drop fast. No amount of pushing the two together tends to change her mind.

So the herders turn to a ritual that treats the problem as emotional rather than mechanical. A singer sits close to the agitated mother and begins a slow, repetitive chant, often joined by the deep drone of a horse-head fiddle. That two-stringed instrument anchors so much Mongolian music, and the performer watches the animal closely, bending the melody to her changing mood.

The session can stretch on for a long while, the music circling and softening as the camel's resistance wears down. Herders describe the mother gradually calming under the sound and standing quieter. They say that at the crucial moment she sometimes sheds tears before lowering her guard and letting the calf reach the milk it needs.

The ritual, known as the coaxing ceremony, was captured on film in The Story of the Weeping Camel and inscribed by UNESCO in 2015 as heritage worth protecting. In a part of the world where people and animals depend on each other completely, the tool that saves a calf's life turns out to be a song.

We didn’t win, but we didn’t get mastitis!’ 🍼

Honestly, give Taylor Cox the award for most iconic red carpet accessory. The writer and mum-of-two turned up to the Emmys in an orange dress (complete with a bedazzled breast pump) and made postpartum practicality look seriously glam.

"We expect better from the Edmonton Oilers."

"As a sexual assault survivor and longtime Oilers supporter known as Mama Stanley, I cannot support or cheer for this team while Formenton remains an Oiler."

A Change.org petition started by Mary Loewen, known to fans as Mama Stanley, is calling on the Edmonton Oilers to reverse the signing of Alex Formenton. Formenton was one of five players charged in connection with a 2018 sexual assault allegation involving members of Canada's world junior hockey team. All five were acquitted in July 2025.

"This is not about abandoning the other players we have loved and supported," she says. "It is about holding the organization responsible for a decision it willingly made."

Should the Oilers reverse their decision? If you agree, sign the petition: https://vist.ly/5hzsp

One of the most underrated Joey and Rachel moments in Friends happens in “The One With The Secret Closet,” and it is actually a lot more emotional than you might remember.

The episode starts with Joey having a bizarre dream about Rachel giving birth to his baby. But in true Friends fashion, the baby turns out to be little Ross, who looks at Joey and says, “I hope you’re a better father than you were a friend.”

Then Rachel suddenly walks in, and the joke becomes reality. The baby is kicking for the first time.

Ross is frustrated because he keeps missing these little moments of Rachel’s pregnancy. He asks her to call him whenever anything happens, but when Rachel later has Braxton Hicks contractions, it is Joey who is there. He calms her down, takes her to the hospital, and stays by her side.

Ross arrives late once again. The doctor even assumes Joey is the father, which makes Ross feel even more left out.

Joey eventually suggests that Rachel move back in with Ross. Rachel is hesitant, but eventually agrees.

And Joey takes it harder than expected.

He loved having Rachel around, and suddenly the apartment feels empty. He admits to Chandler that he hates the idea of living alone, and gets so depressed that he simply asks Chandler for a hug.

Chandler immediately gives him one.

For all the comedy in this episode, that little moment might be one of the sweetest Joey scenes in the entire series.

Just to be clear…not having a baby lol

Social media makes it look like you’re supposed to be rich, ripped, successful, and financially free by 27. Real life does not work that way.

The average successful founder is in their 40s.

First-time homebuyers are now around 40.

Career pivots happen later than people think.

Building a strong body takes years.

Building a real business usually takes years too.

The problem is social media compresses everything.

You see somebody’s highlight reel and assume they got there overnight.

You don’t see the 8 years of bad ideas, missed opportunities, boring repetition, failed launches, awkward career moves, or months where nothing seemed to be working.

That mess is usually the part that creates the result.

So if you’re 35, 40, 45, even 50 and still figuring things out, that does not mean you missed your window.

You might just be in the middle of the part nobody posts about.

Indigenous Birth Keepers are so important. We love learning from them 💜

Today is International Day of World Indigenous Peoples and this year the theme is to honour Indigenous midwives.

In historic Batoche, many Metis women were midwives and healers. It was these women who took great care of pregnant women, monitored their health, knew what to do in times of distress, and safely delivered babies. Their extensive knowledge was passed down to their daughters, nieces, and so on.

The work of these midwives ensured that future generations could thrive.

.. 🌧️🫂🕊️☁️