Current Events in Maternal Health Care: November 2020
Once a month we discuss current events in maternal health care. In this installment, we look at a report on associations between maternal and paternal common mental disorders (CMD) before and during pregnancy and offspring preterm birth (PTB) and small for gestational age (SGA). Keep reading for more details! …
B!RTHF!T + WHOOP
BIRTHFIT has recently partnered with WHOOP to optimize training performance and recovery for our clients. WHOOP is a wearable performance tracking band that measures strain, sleep, respiratory rate, and heart rate variability. Currently, there is little data on strength and conditioning training for women, and even less on pregnancy and …
Top 4 Warning Signs for PMADs (Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Anxiety Disorders)
In the past ten years of working with clients during the motherhood transition, we have had the honor of supporting people through many highs and lows. We’ve had the opportunity to observe many warning signs for PMADs early on so that we could ensure support. The motherhood transition can be …
Black Doulas Matter: Why Minority Representation Matters in Birth Work
Historical Context Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhumane”(9). The relationship between Black women and healthcare has been strained for centuries. History tells us that physicians were the hired guns of slave owners. Physicians …
7 Ways to Support a Newborn’s Microbiome
The topics of gut health and the microbiome have been at the forefront of wellness recently, and for good reason. We are each covered in bacteria — trillions of microbes. In fact, about three pounds of our body weight is made up of those microbes. The balance, or imbalance, of …
Eight Things to Consider During a Twin Pregnancy
One sentiment I often hear from other moms before or after their first ultrasound is, “Oh my gosh! What if I’m having twins?” I have twins myself, so I’m not sure if I hear this regularly because they want my opinion on what it would be like, or if there …
Clean Beauty: Does It Really Matter During Pregnancy?
Clean beauty. What is it? In short, clean beauty includes products made without ingredients that are known to be harmful or questionable. Some refer to it as non-toxic beauty. Clean beauty includes cosmetics and personal care products (shampoo, lotion, body wash, etc.). Surprisingly, the U.S. has very few regulations in …
Current Events in Maternal Health Care: Sept. 2020
Once a month we discuss current events in maternal health care. In this installment, we first take a look at the research on COVID-19 and its likelihood of perinatal transmission. Next, we examine the potential impact of phthalate and bisphenols during pregnancy. Keep reading for more details! Neonatal Management …
Labor and Delivery With a Prolapse
“Is it okay for me to try and have a vaginal delivery since I have a cystocele?” “Should I schedule a c-section since I have a prolapse?” “Is it safe for me to get pregnant since I have a prolapse or will it get worse?” Like most things surrounding …
I Got Hemorrhoids: Tips to Heal and Provide Relief
Hemorrhoids are a sign of pelvic floor dysfunction. Your pelvic floor consists of three layers of muscles — superficial perineal layer, deep urogenital diaphragm layer, and pelvic diaphragm. Anything that affects these layers is known as a pelvic floor dysfunction. Hemorrhoids like to make their appearance during pregnancy or immediately …