What You Should Know About Recovery From A Cesarean Section.
Whether preparing yourself for the unexpected or researching what to expect after a planned cesarean, it can be hard to find reliable information on what to expect from the recovery. The reality is that nearly 30% of babies born in the US are born by cesarean; while this rate is astronomically and unnecessarily high (the…
Continuous Labor Support Was Left Behind When Birth Moved Into Hospitals.
The support of a continuous labor support person. As human beings, we fare better, especially in new or stressful situations, when we are surrounded by those we have a trusted and loving relationship with. Historically, labor and birth support persons were friends and family members who had gone through childbirth themselves, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters.…
Prenatal Yoga: Becoming a Parent one Class at a Time
This is a very special blog post. First, it is my first (of many) guest blog posts; but, certainly more importantly, it is written by someone that I respect, appreciate, and love more than I would think possible of someone who I really just met. Brigitte’s background in dance, pilates, yoga work, midwifery studies, lactation,…
Oxytocin: so much more than the hormone of love!
Oxytocin & Pitocin, what’s the difference? Oxytocin is perhaps the coolest hormone that I know of. Not only does it regulate social interactions and sexual behaviors and play a key role in maternal-infant bonding and breastfeeding, it is also so much more! Here’s a fun list of what oxytocin does in our bodies {1}: stimulates…
Redefining “doula”
The engineering of words. All of you who know me know that I am a complete geek. I love to figure out the mechanics of things, how they work. When I was a kid, I used to take apart electronics and put them back together again to figure out how each part functioned. The same…
Anxiety and Depression During Pregnancy
I promise my next post will be more lighthearted; but, today I want to write about anxiety and depression during pregnancy. I hope that all of the readers of this blog will go and talk to someone else about this topic so that we may begin to understand and normalize these experiences like we have…
Vaginal Seeding?! Sounds Bizarre. What the heck is it?
Your baby’s microbiome. Did you know that when a baby is born vaginally, they are exposed to all of the bacteria that reside in the vagina? Wait a minute. Aren’t bacteria what cause infections? Doesn’t bacteria = bad? No! beneficial bacteria = very good! In fact, recent evidence shows that exposure to these beneficial bacteria (the…
My baby, my body, my birth preferences!
YOU are the boss of your birth! Not your friend, not your cousin, not your parents, and not even your care provider. Am I arguing that you shouldn’t listen to their input? No. Am I arguing not to listen to your provider, especially in an urgent situation? Absolutely not! What I am saying is you know…
ACOG released a statement recommending limited interventions in childbirth!
I can hardly believe what I am reading. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which for years has recommended various interventions in childbirth, has released an official committee opinion that many common obstetric practices are of little or unknown benefit for low-risk women in spontaneous labor. Here are a few key points: For pre-labor rupture…
Favorite recipes for lactation (cookies)!
Those of you who know me personally know that I love cooking. The joy of being in the kitchen with the smells and sounds of food being made is unbeatable. When I had children, I feared that my time for cooking would get pushed aside. And it did, for a while. Both of my daughters were…