I recently spoke with a postpartum mom who is participating in a specific online support group. While I can’t reveal its title, it did get me thinking about a topic I have pondered since I conceived my first daughter Lo those many years ago. It’s a little something I like to call The Label Trap. …
Continue ReadingMyth-Busting Pregnancy Edition
In honor of all parents-to-be, we bring you a few fun facts about family-building. While there is so much serious news to digest these days, we thought a break might be a welcome distraction. Myth #1: Every woman’s water breaks before her labor begins. Truth: Only 11% of all women experience a leak or gush …
Continue ReadingPregnancy Questions? You Deserve Answers…Now.
Nothing burns me up more than when a pregnant woman says she asked a question of her provider at her most recent appointment, only to be told “Oh, we don’t discuss that until (fill in the blank)”. What kind of care is that? Yes, the gestation of your baby and the changes in your body …
Continue ReadingWhen & How to Announce Your Pregnancy to Your Boss
Sharing pregnancy news is an intensely private decision. Timing is an important consideration, as are the specific people you decide to tell. And if all this isn’t complicated enough on a personal level, the question of how to approach this professionally can be very, very sticky. The process is NOT made easy for moms. Often …
Continue ReadingWe See You
Loss comes in all kinds of intensity and darkness that can be both fleeting and stagnant. Many of us in our time of grief seek support from family and friends and perhaps other resources. But it astounds me that even in this day and age, parents who suffer miscarriage often feel like they have to …
Continue ReadingPrivate Lives (and the Not So Much)
Once upon a time, women didn’t have to fret a great deal about keeping their pregnancy to themselves, at least not in the first trimester. When social media wasn’t (gasp!) a thing (and unless a woman chose to share her news with others), the general public was kept in the dark until she began to …
Continue ReadingDoula? Baby Nurse? How Do I Choose?
What’s the difference between a Baby Nurse and a Postpartum Doula? If you’re considering professional help for your family, how do you choose? Let’s compare the two so you can better understand the type of help each professional can provide: Baby Nurse: this is someone who has been trained in newborn care and primarily takes …
Continue ReadingA Note to the Partners of Pregnancy
Dear Partners: Partners of pregnant women come in all shapes, sizes and support styles. Some are eager to read all the books, attend all the classes, shop for all the gear and even help to plan the gender-reveal. And others…? Not so much. This can be disconcerting to women, and a cause of unwelcome prenatal …
Continue ReadingPrepping for Birth in Unprecedented Times
So much of life seems to be out of our control right now. It’s difficult for anyone to experience, but especially agonizing for women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Studies have shown that during times of inordinate stress, it’s best to focus on what we can secure with confidence. While having a baby is …
Continue ReadingMedications and Safety During Pregnancy
Medications and Safety During Pregnancy Women who take medication for anxiety, depression or other behavioral health conditions worry about whether they’ll need to discontinue use when they conceive. For years, well-intentioned care providers believed this to be the only clinically responsible solution. The reason for this was simple: because it’s considered unethical to test medication …
Continue Reading