Your Guide for The Parenthood Journey

How would it feel to have an experienced guide
to count on through every step of your parenthood journey?

Pregnancy, birth, & parenthood change you — forever.

No matter how you become a family, once you begin this journey it leaves a permanent mark on your heart.

It’s common to have LOTS of different feelings on your parenthood journey…

And while there are tons of information available about pregnancy, birth, and parenthood all at the touch of a button, what about that information? Is it current? Is it evidence-based? Is “Dr. Google” a reliable and unbiased source of support when searching for guidance about the realities of raising the next generation?
That’s where I come in…

With over twenty-five years of practical experience inside and outside the classroom, I can help you navigate all the normal twists and turns that might happen as you make your way through pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

My passion for all things bellies, birth and babies has been lifelong and I’m excited to share that passion with you! I’d like to be your confidante – someone you can trust to share the realities of what is means to raise the next generation and encourage you to trust that you already have what you need to do this most important work. I’d love for this to be a safe place for you and your partner to gain the skills and necessary information so that you feel truly prepared for pregnancy, birth, & parenthood.

The road ahead might seem super scary at times...

Working with me as your guide will make all the difference! Together, we’ll determine which path is the right one for YOU.

Barb Buckner Suárez

Here are just a few comments from the many families I’ve guided through their parenthood journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m so glad to hear you’ve been referred to me! Former families are my BEST ambassadors! Check out my “Work With Me” page where you can schedule and register for the services that seem right for you. Still have questions? Schedule a free 15-minute call with me and we’ll figure it out together.
Schedule a free 15-minute call with me and we can talk about where you are in your parenthood journey and tailor something specific that will meet your needs. I’m certain that we can find a way to connect! Still have questions? Schedule a free 15-minute call with me and we’ll figure it out together.

How to work with me

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Destination:Parenthood

I'm Pregnant? Now What?

To get you started on your journey, I offer an online, on-demand webinar. This is perfect for those thinking about getting pregnant, actively working towards getting pregnant or still in their first trimester.

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Getting ready for the big day

My Childbirth Preparation Class 4-Week Series can be taken as a small group online offering during the lunch hour or as a private 3-Week Series at your convenience. It’s designed to help you approach the big day feeling excited and empowered rather than frightened and overwhelmed.

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What do I do again?

This is a class for those who have already given birth before and need a refresher or those who are wanting more hands-on practice for the experience of labor and birth.

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Tools for the Journey

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The Connection Bubble

No one can predict how your birth will unfold. In this Couples Connection Class, the focus is on helping couples strengthen the relationship they share prior to birth so their baby can be born into that shared connection – no matter what.

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Becoming Us

Becoming Us (Before OR After Baby) is a 4-Week Series of either small-group or private sessions designed to help couples navigate the normal challenges and changes that happen after starting a family. 92% of couples report increased conflict after the birth of their first baby. Becoming Us classes help babyproof your relationship.

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Re-prioritizing our relationship

These private Couples Coaching Sessions are geared for couples who are wanting to reprioritize their relationship. I work directly with couples on the unique issues coming between them so they can grow closer together as they learn communication skills and how to handle conflict better as a team.

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Trekking Ahead

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Who am I now?

Becoming a parent can have profound effects on your self-identity and the transition to parenthood brings both joys and struggles. These private sessions are designed to help you integrate who you were – with who you are now.

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Adding to Our Family

These private sessions are designed to help couples considering expanding their family (or already on their way) but could use a little extra support around what to expect. Part counseling, part mediation, the work we do in these sessions will help you prepare for what it means to add a new baby to your family.

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I need to tell my story

It's perfectly normal to feel grateful for having a healthy baby, and still need to process the challenging emotions of a birth that was not what you expected. Lingering feelings of anger, grief, frustration, and disappointment can prevent you from adapting to and enjoying your new role as a parent. Birthing people, partners (even birth workers!) who have gone through a challenging birth, can work with me in these private sessions to integrate one of life’s most transformative experiences.

This might not be a popular opinion, but...​​​​​​​​​
Ya'll, I'm all about keeping your relationship strong and helping you stay connected and co-regulated with one another during labor and birth! But something that can work against both of these things is...

YOUR PHONE.

There's a time and a place for your phone on the day you have your baby: when you're trying to figure out if there's a  pattern of contractions to help you decide when to call your doula or midwife, or maybe when to head into the hospital or birth center. 

But as soon as your person is in ACTIVE labor, I'd encourage you to do more than silence your phone... TURN IT OFF!

Your biggest job as the partner or support person is to co-regulate with the person in labor. And every time you answer ANY texts - especially the ones that sound even a little bit anxious - it's almost impossible for you to remain totally chill.

And if YOU start to feel anxious, your laboring partner will feel it. And this could transfer to them and impact the progress of their birth. 

Also: there's literally NOTHING more important happening in the world than the birth of your baby - period.

So, for the love of all that is good in the world - can you please turn off your phones when active labor finally kicks in? Just focus on being there. And if that idea freaks you out, think about registering for one of my Couples Connection Classes!
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(And THIS is where I piss off all of the Grandmas-to-Be!)​​​​​​​​​
Hear me out before you get mad... No one really remembers how long it can take to have a baby - especially if it's your first!

Quick story... I asked my Mom when I was preggo with my oldest how long she was in labor with my oldest sibling, Jeff, and she quickly responded with, "I think it was around 6 hours or so." 

I was ecstatic! Sometimes, it can follow that daughters might labor like their mothers did before them. So, I went through most of my pregnancy convinced I was going to have a labor that was fast and easy!

With only two weeks to go, I called my Mom and asked with much more specificity: "Mom, are you telling me that from the very FIRST contraction to delivery with Jeff was only 6 hours TOTAL?" 

And you know what she said? "From the very FIRST contraction? Oh, no... I would guess it was closer to about 24 hours!" 

Ya'll - there's a BIG difference between a 6-hour labor and a 24-hour labor. An 18 hour difference, to be exact.

Here's the deal - once you've given birth, you only count ACTIVE labor moving forward. So, my Mom didn't share the previous 18 hours of her labor because it wasn't really all that hard - just long.

Your friends and family will be SO excited to hear the good news, that I can *almost* guarantee they won't be mad at you (and might even thank you?) for letting them get a good night's sleep while you labored a lot longer than they'd ever remember is normal to give birth to your baby!
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#bbsuarez #barbisms #keepittoyourself #grandmasdontremember #connectioniseverything #itbeginswithbirth #raisingthenextgeneration #hereforyou #pregnancy #birth #parenthood #childbirtheducation #comfortinlabor #earlypregnancyclass #becomingus #couplesconnection #birthhappens #podcast #oneononesessions #couplescoach
I wish this weren't true, ya'll... But it is.​​​​​​​​​
Anything as important as raising the next generation - which involves one or two very unique individuals (who may not have had the best role models to look to for this hard work) trying to manage/guide/teach/learn from/help/support an equally unique little person grow from infancy to adulthood, is most definitely going to involve making some big ol' mistakes.

Cut yourselves some slack,. eh? Every mistake made is an opportunity to learn, pivot, and then try something new next time. Will it work? Who knows?! Maybe... for this particular kid, and this particular situation. But maybe not. 

AND THAT'S OKAY.

More and more I'm seeing the similarities of parenthood to spiritual practice. Hear me out, ya'll because I'm not talking about religious spiritual practice, per se.

The textbook definition of spiritual practice is this: any regular and intentional activity that establishes, develops, and nourishes a personal relationship (with the Divine) in which we allow ourselves to be transformed.

What if we inserted the name of our child in the parenthesis above? Are you still with me? And I really want to emphasize the word PRACTICE when talking about parenthood. I get up every day and I practice parenting my children. 

Sometimes, I kick ass, not gonna lie... But sometimes, I mess up - BIG time. What do I do? I try to learn from my mistakes. I allow myself to be transformed by my personal relationships that I regularly and with great intentionality try to nourish.

What do YOU think? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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#bbsuarez #whatibelieve #parenthood #spiritualpractice #makemistakes #learnfromthem #goodenoughparent #connectioniseverything #itbeginswithbirth #hardafwork #raisingthenextgeneration #support #moresupport #bettersupport #hereforyou
But here's the deal... That means that OTHERS should ALSO feel free to parent THEIR way.​​​​​​​​​
Instead of sizing up and squaring off with parents who make decisions that differ from the way that you would do things, open up and get curious about how each and every family is unique.

We all enter into this important work of raising the next generation with our own family histories - the good, the bad, and the ugly. We have different likes and dislikes, different temperaments and personalities. 

Hell, ya'll. we have lots of different expectations about how we're going to DO parenthood before we've ever experienced it! (And many of us will end up having to change one - or TEN - of those expectations once we're actually doING parenthood)!

What I can tell you for certain is that MOST parents want to and are trying to do their best for their littles. And it's so much easier to figure out what that "best" is, if we feel free to parent our children in a way that's working for OUR family. 

Who cares how everyone else is doing it?!

(Easier said than done, I know... But if you needed a reminder today to focus on what is/isn't working for YOUR family - consider this your reminder, ya'll! Parenthood is hard AF and you are killing it - if I do say so myself!) XO
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#bbsuarez #freetobeyouandme #parentyourway #igotyou #yourekillingit #childbirtheducation #comfortinlabor #earlypregnancyclass #becomingus #couplesconnection #birthhappens #podcast #oneononesessions #couplescoach #writer #lamaze #educator #presenter #manifesto #whatibelieve #connectioniseverything #itbeginswithbirth #raisingthenextgeneration #support #moresupport #bettersupport #hereforyou #pregnancy #birth #parenthood
Have you ever been on the receiving end of unsolicited advice? Who am I kidding?! People are ALWAYS offering up their advice regardless if you've asked for it - especially if you're a parent.​​​​​​​​​
What's that about? 

It's MY belief that the emotion of parenthood is: VULNERABILITY. Which I think might be where all the magic of connection happens, but... that's just my opinion. (LOL)

My point is, that most parents are never 100% convinced that the decisions they're making are the *right* ones when it comes to raising the next generation.

So in order to shore up some of those feelings, to feel a little less vulnerable and little more sure about themselves, they might offer up some advice about how YOU are doing things. (Especially if it differs from THEIR way of doing things.)

This results in advice that comes off as anything but helpful. Instead it seems like there's an agenda dripping with judgment. And that ends up feeling crappy for everybody!

What to do? If you can, let it float in one ear and directly out the other - pausing only for a moment to say to yourself - "This person is probably feeling pretty vulnerable right now..." - before you let it go.

Then, SEEK OUT advice from folks you trust, folks who've won some and lost some, folks whose kids aren't assholes, folks who've come to terms with parenthood being one of life's most humbling pursuits.

We're NOT supposed to do this thing called parenthood by ourselves, ya'll. But we deserve to do it without feeling like crap for making decisions that work for OUR families. XO
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#bbsuarez #barbisms #unsolicitedadvice #icanthearyou  #noagenda #nojudgment #yourparenthoodguide #earlypregnancyclass #becomingus #couplesconnection #birthhappens #podcast #oneononesessions #couplescoach #whatibelieve #hereforyou #pregnancy #birth #parenthood

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