the sown seed

01/03/2020

Followed me at The Sown Seed? Now follow the work I'm doing with Gather Birth Cooperative!

We shared our favorite photos from 2019, all shot by the Gather Birth team.

What a year! In 2019, we had the honor of attending hospital births, births at birth centers, and home births. Surgical births, surrogacy deliveries, and a few sets of twins. Water births, standing births, kneeling births. Birth attended by homebirth midwives, obstetricians, family practice doctors,

08/12/2019

As a first-time mother, I can add contractions to the roster of things I've felt in life. I know what a small one feels like, what a big one feels like, and

08/07/2019

Photographer Meredith Westin captured the exact moment that one laboring mom was seized by a contraction and the result is stunning

07/11/2019

Meredith Westin Photography: Birth Stories and Films makes everyone look good.

My business partner Gina of the sown seed is the best doula I know. We had the privilege of attending two births together in the last week and I am always so impressed by how invested, intuitive, and fun she is at births. In this photograph, she’s sitting with our client as she works through contractions on our favorite labor spot: the dilation station (also known as the toilet! 🤣). Her gentle touch let our client know that she was supported, and her words reminded our client to keep her body soft and her shoulders relaxed.

Let’s make this a doula appreciation post! Who was your doula? What’s something about them that will always stick with you?

meredithwestin.com | Twin Cities Birth + Postpartum Photographer

At Health Foundations Birth Center + Women's Health Clinic

04/29/2019

02/11/2019

Meghan Markle made pretty big waves last week when it was discovered she hired a doula!

I thought I'd take some time and talk about one of the biggest concerns about hiring a doula: will my partner be forgotten about?

Check out my latest blog about why hiring a doula can help your partner have a better birth experience.

https://www.thesownseed.com/the-blog/why-you-should-hire-a-doula-much-needed-support-for-your-partner

Photo by Meredith Westin Photography: Birth Stories and Films

02/11/2019

Come hang with me this Thursday at Health Foundations Birth Center where we can talk all things pumping at work!

I'll share how you can prepare to be a breastfeeding and pumping parent while working, as well as tips to make it work for you and not lose your marbles!

Thursday, Feb. 14th at 1:30 p.m. at Health Foundations on Grand Ave. in St. Paul. Free and baby/kiddo friendly!

What are the keys to successfully pumping at work? Join our Health Foundations Moms Group conversation with Gina from the sown seed on Thursday, February 14th @ 1:30pm.

👩‍👦Moms Group is safe, relaxing, non-judgemental environment for you and your baby. No reservation is necessary ~ there's no fee ~ and it's open to the public.

02/07/2019

Had a blast chatting with Shelly Mettling - Life After Miscarriage about doulas on her podcast!

My episode dropped today and I’d love if you checked it out. While you’re at it, be sure to follow Shelly as she gets real about what life is really like after miscarriage.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/life-after-miscarriage/id1445592983?mt=2&i=1000429380127

Episode 16: Gina Dolski In this episode: * What …

02/06/2019

Have you been following along with the Eco Simple Challenge?

Last week I made my February swaps to products that are more eco friendly, non toxic and zero waste.

Check out what products I swapped on my blog!

https://www.thesownseed.com/the-blog/eco-simple-challenge-february-swaps

Check out which products I swapped to be more eco friendly, non toxic and zero waste in February.

01/23/2019

Behind the scenes of birth work.

I hold a lot of hands. I give a lot of pep talks.

Sometimes these pep talks are quiet whispers of encouragement.

Sometimes they're steady reminders of how far you've come.

Sometimes I’m staring into the eyes and with a steady voice telling you "You ARE doing this and you're going to finish all the hard work you started."

Doulas aren't always crunchy peace keepers.

Sometimes we pull you through the fire to help you make it out victoriously on the other side.

Shout out to my partner Meredith Westin Photography: Birth Stories and Films who not only manages to capture the most beautiful birth photos, but also shots of me in action.

Did you have a doula? How did they impact your birth story?

01/21/2019

If you really wondered what doulas do...

01/18/2019

I'm 30 today, people!

I thought I'd take some time to share the 30 things I learned before I turned 30 over on the blog.

https://www.thesownseed.com/the-blog/30-things-i-learned-before-30

01/17/2019

Mom Hack: Make leftovers really work for you.

I always make WAY too much rice every, single time.

Now, I've started to do it on purpose and then use those leftovers the rest of the week to make meals so much easier.

I'll use it for breakfast to make congee or add it to stretch Tess' scrambled eggs.

For lunch I'll use it to bulk up soups or add it to salads.

Dinner, I can use it to stuff peppers, make fried rice or add other spices to use as a side.

Leftovers can be such an easy way to make meal time less stress, but is also an eco friendly way to reduce your food waste!

What are you favorite things to make in bulk?

01/15/2019

Tea is magical. A hot cup of tea can help you feel better when you're down, warm you to your soul after a chilly walk, and help boost your spirits and immune system when you're sick.

One of my favorite combinations is lavender and chamomile. When I'm feeling a bit stressed or need to unwind before bed, I'll steep a cup, sip and enjoy.
Tea can also be super helpful during pregnancy.

Morning sickness starting to get to you? Try brewing a big pot of ginger or peppermint tea, pour into a large pitcher, add honey and stick in the fridge. Next time you're feeling queasy, pour yourself a cold glass on tea to help settle your stomach.

What is your go-to tea and why?

01/14/2019

Women in labour are increasingly being subjected to unnecessary and unwelcome interventions such as caesarean sections, warns WHO

01/13/2019

The Honest Company is one of the biggest names in ecofriendly, nontoxic and wellness-focused brands.

We supplemented our cloth diapers with diapers, we've used their sunscreen, v***r rub, and even formula when we really needed to supplement for my daughter when she was really little. I absolutely love this brand.

For me, digging into making my house more nontoxic started with this book. I picked up from Target years ago, but didn't really dive in until 2015 when we were expecting Tess.

This book was a game changer.

Now as a certified eco lifestyle educator, I look to this book with same reverence as I did when I first read it. So much of the information in here is not only spot on and evidence based, it's also incredibly accessible!

I love how Jessica Alba doesn't make it seem like you need to empty your house to start fresh. She shows making small changes, many that are super affordable, can help move your family and home in the right direction.

This month, my book you MUST read is "The Honest Life" by Jessica Alba. Need a copy? The Sown Seed clients get free access to my lending library and this on the shelves!

01/12/2019

You guys, I love a good vision board. LOVE. THEM.

I just pulled together a new board because I have a lot of ideas and changes for The Sown Seed over the next year. Big, exciting things will be happening.

Plus, it's National Vision Board day! So, pull up Canva or get out the magazines and glue sticks and get to visioning.

What would you include on your vision board?

01/11/2019

Herb tinctures can be a great way to help ease symptoms before escalating to other common medical alternatives.

I started taking kava tincture before the start of the New Year and I have noticed a significant improvement in my anxiety and mood! I know CBD is the big thing right now, but I'm loving the Kava tincture from

My anxiety pops up in unique ways. Often times, I won't notice it until it boils over, making me quick to react to frustrating situations. I don't love that feeling. So, I thought I'd try kava to see if it could help ease those episodes and it's really done the trick.

Unlike other herbs that help your nervous system, kava is specifically good at promoting feelings of peace, reducing stress and frustration.

You can find this tincture at along with a ton of other options!

It's important to mention that kava isn't recommend for pregnant or nursing people. Not nursing or pregnant?
Go for it! But as always, be sure to run it by your provider first to ensure you don't have any conditions that could be worsened by taking kava or medications that could interact with the tincture.

Have you tried kava or other herbal tinctures? What do you think!?

01/10/2019

It's been a bit since I've introduced myself, so here it goes!

I'm Gina! I'm the owner of The Sown Seed, a birth doula, prenatal yoga instructor, breastfeeding educator, birth photographer (only for Meredith Westin Photography: Birth Stories and Films when she needs a "hail Mary") and certified eco lifestyle educator.

I started The Sown Seed because I really believed doula work was missing a big focus on self care and wellness throughout the entire childbearing season, from pregnancy to the first years of parenthood.

I learned first hand how easy it is to completely lose yourself in being a parent, only to look back a couple of years later and wonder "where have I gone?" That's why I like to work education on self care and personal wellness into every aspect of the work I do with families!

When I'm not at a birth, I can be found enjoying quality time with my amazing husband and daughter, Tess. I can't quite think of an adjective to describe her, the personality she has is just that big. Being her mom is my favorite job.

I'm a musician at heart and love to find time to play music. My dream retirement goal is to be in a Fleetwood Mac cover band.

You can usually find me stuffing my face, because food is life, or daydreaming about my retirement goals of owning a hobby farm in Northfield.

It's nice to meet you! Now, tell me a little bit about you and how we met ;)

01/09/2019

Hygge, the Danish word for a feeling of coziness, contentment and well-being, is really in right now.
I talk about how I've incorporated hygge into my winter self care routine in my latest blog!
https://www.thesownseed.com/the-blog/what-hygge-taught-me-about-winter-self-care

01/08/2019

Baths are one of my favorite forms of self care.

And it's National Bubble Bath Day... so you just KNOW I'm going to take that and run with it.

It's amazing how much a warm bath can completely reset my mood. Sitting and soaking helps me feel like I'm truly doing something 100% for myself.

Especially when you're a parent, so much of what you do is for your children, it's easy to forget about what you need to feel like a whole person again!

Do yourself a favor tonight: draw a warm bath, slide right in and show yourself a little kindness.
Also, how much do you want to jump right in this bath from ?

01/07/2019

Hope for a healthy baby is always the number one birth goal for families I work with. One way to help insure that is by taking prenatal vitamins that contain folic acid.

It's National Folic Acid Awareness Week. Many people still aren't aware of how important increasing your folic acid intake is during pregnancy.

Folic acid is important for cell growth, which means it's super important as you try to conceive and during early pregnancy.

400 mcg of folic acid a day (the amount in a common prenatal vitamin), can help reduce the likelihood of many birth defects by up to 70%. That's a big difference.

What was your favorite prenatal vitamin?

Photo by Meredith Westin Photography: Birth Stories and Films

01/04/2019

There will always be something "more important
to do. But there is nothing more important than you.

01/03/2019

Getting outside during the winter can be so tough, but it's so worth it!

The art of hygge is getting a lot of love recently. One of the biggest pieces of that cuddly practice is actually getting outside!

Bundle yourself and your kiddos in lots of warm, wooly layers and enjoy a crisp walk in the woods. It's amazing how refreshing the cool air can be, plus it really makes you appreciate that cozy home as well.

We love to get out at places like or explore the outside trails at the .

What are you favorite outdoor spots during the winter?

01/02/2019

The first eco swap is here!

I started 2019 out with some pretty easy product swaps to more eco friendly, non toxic and zero waste products.

Check out my latest blog for details on what made the cut and why the products I was using are not so awesome.

https://www.thesownseed.com/the-blog/eco-simple-challenge-january-eco-swaps

What swaps have you made to start 2019? Share below or tag your swaps with

01/01/2019

New Year, lots of reflection on the last one, but even more excitement for the year ahead!

I'm not sure if you feel the same way, but it can be really hard to check expectations for just how amazing a new year can be with reality.

I'm really looking forward to setting new challenges for self growth each month, ones that feel attainable and not just what I think I want to make me happy.

In January I plan to start with a goal to nurture my body. Rather than setting goals that keep me in boxes, like work out every day, I want to set a goal that allows me the wiggle room I need so I stay mentally excited and on the right path.

What goals have you set in the past that quickly ended because you'd boxed yourself in too much? What goals would you like to try instead? Can't wait to start this brand new year with you!

#2019

12/31/2018

I started 2018 waiting to jump. Waiting to leap into taking seriously what I’d known my true calling was: supporting new and expanding families.

I set a goal to be fully invested in my business by the end of this year, hoping to have taken then leap by the fall.

Instead, I let my heart lead me early, knowing there would be the opportunity to fail and feeling extremely blessed I had the space to. So, I left my job and started focusing on The Sown Seed full time in May, way ahead of my original goals.

I’m so glad I leapt. I’m so glad I never looked back. If I would not have made that scary choice, I wouldn’t have supported half the families I’ve had the privilege of working with, learned an ounce of what I have, met an amazing business partner (I’m looking at you ), learned from genius peers in my field or been even a tiny bit as happy as I stand today.

So much gratitude goes to my husband, who has believed in me more than I could myself sometimes, and sails our ship fearlessly when I’m with other families, even on Christmas.

I can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store, especially because I’m walking in fearless.

Let’s do this.

12/30/2018

Supporting this birth with my photography partner was one of the most emotional, amazing and awe-inspiring things I’ve done.

What a strong mama and amazing pictures, especially the shots of her reaction to learning the s*x of her baby!

December 27th, 2018 | 1:44 am Welcome to the world, sweet girl. We’re so glad you’re here!

12/20/2018

I'm getting my Eco Simple Challenge rolling before the holidays by taking a look at all the products I currently use.

Spoiler alert, there's a lot of "natural" products that aren't exactly natural and it's pretty bad.

https://www.thesownseed.com/the-blog/the-eco-simple-challenge-lets-start-at-the-very-beginning

What products are you considering swapping this year? Do you have some natural offenders on your list? Share below or with the hashtag