REAL Touch Massage and Postpartum Doula

Skin-to-skin care isn't just for babies, it supports mom too.

A new 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis found that kangaroo mother care (prolonged skin-to-skin contact, often paired with breastfeeding) was associated with a significant reduction in postpartum depressive symptoms.

While skin-to-skin isn't a replacement for mental health care when it's needed, it's a simple, low-cost, evidence-based practice that may benefit both parent and baby.

The greatest effects were seen among parents of preterm infants, but the overall findings reinforce what we've long known: nurturing the parent-infant connection matters.

Skin-to-skin contact isn't only for releasing the placenta or the first couple days. This contact is beneficial long term.

📖 Read the study: Impact of kangaroo mother care on maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials (Pediatric Research, 2026).

URL below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DaTqNWjETp0/?igsh=ZTh6ZmdvMXRhOW0x

TCMoFA is proud to share our upcoming show “MOTHER,” an evocative exhibition curated by the self-taught visual artist Fern Tallos opening July 24th. “MOTHER” explores the complex identity of mothers, challenging societal expectations while highlighting the artistic expression found in the nuances of caregiving. Through the lens of various participating artists, it casts light on the often-overlooked intersections of creativity and motherhood, showcasing works that illustrate themes of joy, pain, transformation, and resilience. As mothers, we live under the pressure and expectation that our identities will cease to exist outside of the parameters of what society dictates of us: that we will morph into the shape of what our families need at any cost; that we will contort our bodies until they concede the necessary and sometimes devastating personal sacrifices asked of us to maintain normalcy. As artists, our work persists; the poetry of biological reproduction opens portals into new dimensions of expression. Participating artists include: Anna Okrasinski Maddox Ellen Tommila Sophie Geist Alcamy Henriksen Lizzie Mithrandir Holly Stevens Mikaela Shafer Yvonne Kunz Kelsey Smith Kelly Watson Vida Hannon Julia Reed Kirsten Miller Shelly Seder Maria Nemorosa Phoebe Wahl A’misa Chiu Fern Tallos Mariella Luz Graphic design by THE amazing @dgrza

Support a right to eat.

UnitedHealthcare Is Cutting Lactation Coverage on September 1. Here’s How to Fight. – Paperless Lactation On September 1, 2026, UnitedHealthcare is changing how it pays for lactation care, and if you don’t know what HCPCS code S9443 is, that’s fine, because the people making this decision clearly don’t either. Here’s what’s happening. In UnitedHealthcare’s June 2026 Commercial Reimbursement ...

to those that support their families with love and care.

Infant formula recall alert in Thurston County.

Happy Month!

This Pride Month, we celebrate the many families who nurture, love, and care for their babies.

Families come from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and identities. They may also use different words to describe feeding their babies, including breastfeeding, nursing, chestfeeding, and other terms that feel right for them.

At La Leche League USA, our focus is supporting families in meeting their feeding goals with accurate information, compassionate peer support, and a welcoming community. Respecting the words people use for themselves helps more families feel seen, heard, and supported.

We are proud to support families from all walks of life during Pride Month and throughout the year!

[Image Description] Rust colored background featuring a the words Breastfeeding, Nursing, Chestfeeding, Expressing, and Pumping in colors of the rainbow.

at the library!

Happy Pride Month! 🌈 Stop by to see our LGBTQ+ book display and pick up a Pride button while supplies last. We look forward to seeing you at the library!

everyday! 🌈

Healing hands. Open doors. Inclusive spaces. More love. Happy Pride Month to the massage and bodywork community. ABMP is proud to be in your corner. 💖🌈