Infertility Journey

At the age of 32 I was at the highlight of my life. Newly married, starting a new job, and excited for my future of being a wife and soon to be mother. Our conception plan was to wait a year and start trying in the fall of 2015. Although the plan was to “wait” we did not try to prevent having a child. I started to grow a little concerned after not conceiving 6 months into our marriage, so I started doing a little research.

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Self-Care during a quarantine 

As we are in the depths of a global pandemic, we all have been doing our part in flattening the curve which means stay home. There is no better time to practice self-care which is necessary for our mental, emotional and even physical well-being. While we have all been ordered to stay home

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Jacquelin Knighton
Surrogacy, IVF and COVID-19

After months of waiting, finally getting a transfer date, and starting meds, our frozen embryo transfer has been cancelled. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic our fertility clinic, CCRM, has decided it would be safer to postpone our transfer for two months.

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Jacquelin Knighton
Surrogacy FAQs

When I first inform people that I am a gestational surrogate, there are usually a million questions that follow. However, generally, the first thing that people say is “that’s amazing”. I think that people have a vague understanding of what it is but know that in some way I am helping someone.

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Jacquelin Knighton
Jacquelin's Gestational Surrogacy Journey Intro

In July of 2019, I finally decided to start the process of becoming a gestational surrogate. I had been juggling with the idea of either doing this or donating my eggs. While I ultimately decided that egg donation wasn’t for me, I did decide that surrogacy was right for my family and me.

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Jacquelin Knighton
Donor Milk for Babies

Breastfeeding with a mothers’ own milk.  Donated breast milk. Formula. The World Health Organization says that when a mother’s own milk isn’t available that milk from another mother should be the next choice.  

There are a list of reasons that a parent may not be able to feed breastmilk to their baby or babies. Adoption, breast surgery, chemo, Illness, IGT (insufficient glandular tissue), NICU separation, surrogacy, and prematurity are just some of the reasons people may use donor milk.

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Top 5 Halloween Treat Alternatives

Many families are on the lookout for Halloween treat alternatives to pass out for trick-or-treat.  With food allergies, choking-hazards for little ones, and the overall sugar glut that comes with the holiday, we know many of you are looking for options.  DPG has compiled a list for you of our Top 5 favorite treat alternatives.

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Be sure to use your BRAIN!

There are so many decisions that you have to make in regards to your body and your birthing experience. It can be difficult trying to decide what is best and medically necessary or if your providers own agenda is steering your birth experience.

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Jacquelin Knighton
Diary of a Black birth worker

As a birth worker, I am honored to be allowed into the sacred birthing spaces of the women I serve. I get to see the power of their bodies as they bring life into this world. As a black birth worker, I also get to see how prevalent racism and prejudice still are within hospitals and white providers.

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Jacquelin Knighton
5 ways to celebrate your baby’s first Christmas

Baby’s first Christmas is exciting and important. Your family will be turning from a family of two to a family of three and your new addition comes with lots of new exciting adventures. It’s a milestone to mark and to be remembered and with the help of Pinterest, we have come up with 5 ways to help you do just that

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Jacquelin Knighton
Natural Birth Center "virtual tour" at Prince George's Hospital

With the recent hospital closures in the District and other hospitals becoming busier, and removing options such as tubs for waterbirth, the DMV area seems to have fewer options for patients planning a hospital birth. However, University of Maryland’s Prince George’s Hospital is working to expand options by welcoming women and families to tour their two “natural birth suites.”

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Emily Smith