Elise Suthers
Prenatal & Post Partum Doula
I am the mother of two sons, ages 15 and 14. Having a Midwife as a support during both births was the impetus for me to follow my maternal instinct. As a young mother, seeing Woman's Wisdom in practice set the tone for the decisions I have made to this day. I nursed both my children for several years, and have been home educating for over 10 years. It is in this context that I continuously spend much time with gestating and lactating mothers with families of various sizes and dynamics. My goal is to help mothers feel comfortable with their abilities to gauge the needs of their babies and mete out appropriate responses. I would also help a mother with her breast-feeding questions and concerns.
I have gained extensive knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorders, chiefly Asperger's Syndrome, and Juvenile Onset Diabetes. I understand the challenges of having a special needs child in the family and how it affects the other members. I also have a lot of experience in trouble shooting and coming up with solutions to situations that create stress in family life with differently abled children.
I practice gluten free cooking and buying in my home, and understand GFCF, the Blood Type Diet, Genotype Diet, local/seasonal buying, vegetarian cooking, The Weston Price Foundation, the basics of macrobiotic cooking and Veganism. A big fan of the Slow Food movement, I try to be aware of where my food comes from. But, I also am keenly aware of budgetary constraints and the challenges that it poses on eating organic, local food. I love learning about foods and their health properties, how they are used in different cultures, and preserving the folk wisdom passed down through the generations. I enjoy preparing healthful delicious meals suited to the individual needs of a mother and her family.
I am familiar with and still learning about Attachment Parenting, homeopathy, naturopathy and the raw food movement. I speak fluent Spanish, having been raised in a Hispanic household in New York City. I am always giving and receiving feedback that helps me to gain a deeper understanding of all the factors that make families unique.