As new parents, is there anything more terrifying as driving home from the hospital with your first baby? Wouldn't it be great to have a calm and reassuring expert by your side as the little bundle of joy is integrated into the family?

Thanks goodness for Elizabeth Burgos McGee, a licensed mental health professional and trained postpartum doula who's started Beyond the Stork. Providing support during the first few months of parenting. McGee combines her professional and personal experience to offer encouragement, coaching, and light therapy services to new parents.

"From breastfeeding and bathing to the baby's sleeping (or lack thereof)," McGee says, "we provide answers to the constant questions that parents have in the first months following delivery, and coach them through the basics of caring for a newborn."

This could be the ultimate baby gift for first-time parents. Beyond the Stork offers weekly home visits in two packages. The Original Stork Package (six weeks) costs $750; and The Welcome Home Package (three weeks) costs $400.

All packages include an interview, a prenatal visit, one to two hour visit in your home each week, and unlimited email support. Visits consist of whatever the parents may need, including hands-on baby coaching, breastfeeding tips and assistance, or emotional support/light therapy. Individual visits are available for $125 per hour.

Elizabeth will be speaking at Xpecting in Costa Mesa on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. In a talk titled, "Your Next Adventure: Parenthood," she'll discuss expectations, anticipations, and realities of bringing home a new baby. Attendees can enter a raffle to win a Stork package with every $50 purchase during the event. Xpecting is at 369 E. 17th Street, #20 in Costa Mesa.

For more information about Beyond the Stork, call 562.233.6616.

www.beyondstork.com

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