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 …
General Prenatal Training Recommendations
I’m pregnant. Now what? This is the most common question we get in regard to prenatal training. Most people that send in this question embrace movement of some type and train regularly. And they are tired of guessing with training. They want a trusted source for prenatal general strength and …
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 …
Current Events in Maternal Health Care: August 2020
Once per month we discuss current events in maternal health care. In this installment, we are reviewing recent research and news in the maternal health world. A recent post on the Evidence Based BirthⓇ Blog , titled Evidence on: PitocinⓇ During the Third Stage of Labor, discusses: the three …
Morning Sickness Mindset
Morning sickness can make it difficult to maintain a positive mindset. “Morning” sickness can actually be evening sickness, or all day sickness, and for many women, it doesn’t end at 12 weeks. Here’s my experience flipping the script when pregnancy sickness takes over. As I write this, I’m six weeks …
Current Events in Maternal Health Care: July 2020
Once per month we discuss current events in maternal health care. In this installment, we are discussing work that is taking place right now on the subjects of reproductive justice and maternal infections. Take a closer look at these topics in the blog posts below: A recent blog from …
Minimizing Risk of Perineal Tears During Labor
The thought of perineal tearing causes shivers to run down most mama’s backs. The perineum is the area between the vaginal opening and the anus that sometimes tears during labor. In fact, 53-79% of women who have a vaginal delivery will have some type of tearing or laceration to the …
What Is Prodromal Labor? How Do I Know If I’m Having It?
Much to my amazement, significant evidence-based research on the topic of prodromal labor, historically and unfortunately termed “false labor,” is lacking. There is nothing false about the preparatory work of the maternal body and baby. As midwife Anne Frye states, “false labor” lends “credence to the myth that one is …