Welcome MomsBloom to the Blog! | Grand Rapids Maternity, Newborn, Family Photographer

Occasionally, I get a request to photograph a wedding, or branding, real estate etc. There are lots of photography genres, and they each take a significant amount of time to master. I knew early on that I didn’t want to be a Jill-of-all-Trades, I wanted to stay true to what I was drawn to: motherhood. From maternity to newborns to babies to families, they all focus on mamas (and dads 😉 ) and their babies. And motherhood truly is a tribe, and a tribe needs one another to succeed. So when I was thinking over the West Michigan and Grand Rapids based businesses and supporters I wanted to feature on my blog, MomsBloom was at the top of my list. This non-profit embraces the raw, difficult side of bringing a baby into this world that isn’t talked about enough, and supports each new mama through it. I asked Carrie from MomsBloom to give us a closer look into everything they offer and how new mamas can benefit from them:

Greetings, Carrie, and welcome to the EBP blog! Thanks so much for taking time to talk more about MomsBloom. For those that may not have heard of MomsBloom, can you tell us more about what you do and offer the community?

We offer families in-home postpartum support services! That means a volunteer will come to your house once per week, for a few hours at a time, and help you with whatever you need help with. They can hold your baby so you can get a nap or shower, care for older siblings, dishes, laundry – or just be a listening ear and someone to talk to! We can also help get you connected with other resources you may need to help you in this often challenging transition period of your life.

How long has MomsBloom been around?

MomsBloom was started about 13 years ago by two women who had difficult postpartum experiences and wanted to address how isolating and overwhelming this time can be. They came up with the idea to have an organization that would recruit & train postpartum support volunteers, and then match them with families who reach out and ask for help. Over the years, this idea has grown into an organization that now serves Kent and Ottawa Counties and has helped thousands of moms, dads, and babies to thrive!

And who would benefit most from working with you all?

Families with newborn babies benefit from MomsBloom! Many parents find themselves isolated and without the emotional and physical support they need after bringing home a new baby. Our organization is here to make sure they don’t have to walk the path alone!

Finally, what parenting advice would you love for other families to know?

Make yourself a priority! You matter! So often parents think that being a good parent means sacrificing your own wellness and happiness for the sake of your children. I actually have found the opposite to be true. So much of parenting is simply about being present and responsive to our children, and I’ve found the only way I can do those things really well is to be as happy and healthy as possible! Take good care of yourself. Reach out and ask for help. Use your community. Do things that bring you joy. Your own internal joy and peace will effortlessly spill over into your children. If that means your kid can’t have absolutely everything they want: that’s okay! Maybe your kid wants to play three sports but you can’t execute that while still keeping up your yoga practice and having time to rest on the weekends. It isn’t gonna kill him to pick one sport! Maybe the doctor recommends 12 hours of sleep for your daughter, but going to bed that early would mean your husband wouldn’t get time with them after getting home from work, and that makes you all sad. She can survive on 11 hours! Maybe you haven’t spent much time with the kids this week, but by Saturday night what you really need is a night out with friends. Get a babysitter! You get to decide. No one is going to advocate for your happiness but you, and your kids need you to be happy so they can focus on being kids.

Thanks so much, Carrie! For families looking to learn more or donate, please visit: https://momsbloom.org/ or email bloom@momsbloom.org

Ellie B Photography

Maternity | Newborn | Babies | Family

Serving the West Michigan area including Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Rockford, Ada, East Grand Rapids and Hollan

WELCOME

I’m Ellie, and I specialize in maternity photography and newborn photography here in the Grand Rapids area.

Whether you’re welcoming a new member of the family, or want to capture the essence of your crew in this very moment, I know how important these photographs are. My goal is to leave you with beautiful, timeless images and an experience you’ll never forget. From tailoring your session to fit your vision, to delivering stunning, heirloom products, I’ll help guide you every step of the way.