Cesarean Section Under General Anesthesia
When most women think about having a cesarean section (or c-section), they usually think of the common regional anesthesia procedure that is administered in the form of either an epidural or spinal block where the mother is conscious as the baby is born via an incision in her lower abdomen. …
Monitoring Training During Pregnancy
What should my heart rate be? How much weight is too much? What can I do to monitor myself? These are the million dollar questions for monitoring training during pregnancy. However, there is no one-size-fits-all model for training throughout pregnancy and the initial twelve months postpartum. Tools we use …
Pregnancy After Loss – Rainbow Baby
“Rainbow baby” is the term given to a baby born after loss, whether from miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. This blog is in no way an intention to provide a magical recipe on how to navigate a pregnancy without any hurt, fear, sadness, or grief of your previous loss. Any …
Top Five Tips on Preparing Your Older Child for Birth
When I was pregnant for the second time and not wanting the same experience as the first, I began searching for more information and alternative options regarding birth. We brought midwife, Terri Payne, CNM, on as our doula and she asked where I would like to birth and if our …
Navigating Important Relationships with a New Baby
When a child is born, so is a mother. Getting to know yourself as a mother can be challenging, and on top of that add in the complexity of how this transition impacts your other relationships with a new baby. Let’s examine some of the ways that your relationships may …
Preparing For A Vaginal Birth After Tearing Or Episiotomy
In an ideal world, no birthing person would suffer vaginal or perineal trauma during birth, either spontaneous or by episiotomy. The reality is, these things do occur and can be quite traumatizing. If you are among those that has had to recover from a vaginal/perineal tear or episiotomy, the thought …
Must Reads for Birth Partners
Is your birth partner wishing they could learn more to support you during your motherhood transition? Check out this list of “must reads!” The Birth Partner – This birth classic written by Penny Simkin talks about preparation for labor, when to know labor has started, epidurals and other medications …
Nursing Through Tongue and Lip Ties
When most people think of the term “tongue-tie”, they think of someone’s inability to speak or stick their tongue out. But in reality, it basically means the tongue’s motion is restricted, otherwise known as anklyoglossia. With the rise in the United States breastfeeding rates, tongue ties are gaining recognition. More …
Standing Alone and Asking For Help
Mom Crush Monday #MCM Why is it that we, as mothers, so often feel the need to conquer the world on our own? Although for some, it may be an issue of control (who doesn’t like to be in control?), I think many women feel pressure from some archaic, socially …
Birth Based in Love, Not Fear
Mom Crush Monday #MCM It is with tears in my eyes looking at my children that I feel a sense of duty to write this blog. I share their birth stories because I do not want any woman or partner to feel the way we did after their births …