I recently had the privilege of interviewing Mary Ann Stoltzfus, owner of Three Strands, LLC.  Three strands provides support for moms, before, during and after the birth of their baby!  I had a lovely time chatting with Mary Ann.  She has a very caring, nurturing personality that is well suited for the job she does.  The passion of Three Strands is to equip families to do life well; to thrive and not just survive motherhood.  They want you to know that it’s okay to ask for help.

Photo Credit: Char Co

Three Strands offers many different services to new moms, including birth doula services, post-partum doula services, placenta encapsulation, babysitting, mother’s helpers, and recently post-partum planning.  They truly believe that it “takes a village” to help raise a child.  Three Strands desires to come along side you and support you in your journey of motherhood.

Photo Credit: Char Co

The following are a few of the questions from my interview with Mary Ann:

Where did you get the name “three strands”?

There is a verse in the Bible in Ecclesiastes 4:12 that says “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  In our company,  the first two cords represent baby’s parents.  The third strand represents one of Three Strands’ helpers.  This could be a birth doula, a post-partum doula, or a mother’s helper.  We believe that families are much stronger when they have the outside support of that “third strand”.

Why should I hire a doula?

A doula is someone that will support and guide you during your pregnancy and labor. They will encourage you, coach you, and provide resources for you.  They are there to help remind you of your goals and desires during labor and to encourage you to keep going.  Most doula services begin when you go into labor.

What does a post-partum doula do?

A post-partum doula is someone who will come help you at your home AFTER the birth of your baby!  The goal of a post-partum doula is to “mother the mother.”  She will do anything that needs to be done around the house including laundry, cleaning, childcare, etc.  You can choose what package best suits your needs!  You can choose to have several hours a day for a few weeks, or once a week for a few months, or whatever best works for you!

(Laurie speaking here…  This sounds so amazing to me!  I would have loved to have someone come to my house and do all the housework for me while I had time to bond with my baby and relax.)

Photo Credit: Char Co

What does a mother’s helper do? Is this different than babysitting?

Mother’s helpers are the most sought-after service provided by Three Strands!  A mother’s helper is basically like a “second mom” in the house.  And how many times have we said “I wish there were more of me to help out around here!”  A mother’s helper can do anything from childcare, to house work, cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping etc.   Babysitters tend to be younger girls (ages 14 and up) and only focus on childcare.  Most babysitters are available on evenings and weekends only.

Photo Credit: Char Co

What are the benefits of Placenta Encapsulation?

Three Strands has a certified Placenta Encapsulation specialist on staff!  Placenta Encapsulation provides many benefits to healing mothers – plentiful milk supply, quickened healing, increased energy, positive mood, decreased postpartum bleeding, and decreased chance of postpartum depression.

What will I learn if I sign up for birth classes?

Birth classes meet one night a week for 6 weeks. They cover topics that are relevant to pregnant moms such as nutrition, exercise, labor and delivery, breast feeding, post-partum care, and more.

How many women are on your staff? 

There are 20 women on our staff, ready to serve you!

What geographical areas do you service?

We mainly serve Lancaster county and parts of Chester county, but we will soon be expanding to the Pittsburg area!

What is your personal passion in this business? Which part do you love the most? 

Mary Ann started out as a birth doula, but her main role now is to train and equip the girls on her team to better serve the families with whom they are working.  Mary Ann’s passion is to pour herself into the women on her team so that they are healthy, joyful individuals who can then impact the lives of those they are serving.  She desires to see her employees serving out of the overflow of a heart full of joy, confidence, and contentment.

Photo Credit: Char Co

Is there anything else you’d like people to know about Three Strands?

We are here to serve our community. We want to foster the growth of healthy families.  We want young moms to know they don’t have to do it alone.  It’s okay to ask for help!  We want new moms to know that they have permission to “stay in bed” for three weeks after the baby is born.  They need this time to heal and to bond with their baby.  This is a sacred time of intentional connecting.  As a mom, we don’t want you to be burdened with house-work during this time.  We want to free you up to be present for your family and to love them well.

If you would like to learn more about Three Strands, you can visit their website  https://three-strandsllc.com/  or contact them HERE.

If you are interested in booking a newborn portrait session with LVR Portraits, please contact me HERE.  I am currently booking due dates in January through March of 2019.