First things first: Pitocin is not oxytocin. Oxytocin is the "love hormone" generated in labor that primarily contracts the uterus, but as a brain-based hormone its influence spans the body. It's very active in the birth giver's brain, and plays a role in protecting certain receptors in the baby's brain, too.Pitocin is a synthetic form … Continue reading Pitocin & Postpartum Depression/Anxiety
Here are my suggestions for things a freshly postpartum person may find quite handy, in no particular order… Organic EVOO Apply organic extra-virgin olive oil to your newborn’s bottom; this keeps meconium from sticking to skin and makes for much easier cleanup. Peri Bottle If you birthed at a hospital, they will let you take … Continue reading Top 10 Things You Need Postpartum
It's a magical time of year... yet still, also a season that sees even the most laid-back of new parents preoccupied with planning around the weather and others' germs, among other relevant winter concerns. A FEW BASIC BABY CARE TIPS FOR WINTER MONTHS: First, resist the urge to overdress your baby as babies can overheat … Continue reading Winter Baby Care Tips
What does your care provider's bedside manner in prenatal appointments say about their disposition in the birth room? Well, it can give hints, or it can say nothing at all... When you meet in pregnancy, you're clothed, you usually meet one-on-one, you have your head on relatively straight, you're not in pain (hopefully!), and you're … Continue reading Care Provider’s Disposition in Pregnancy vs. Approach to Birth
I'll start with this: baby-feeding questions tend to be high on a new parent’s priority list! Breastfeeding is an important part of the baby-making continuum that includes pregnancy and birth and is extended with the growing of baby outside the womb. Understanding how to feed your baby is crucial to learn during pregnancy, and knowing … Continue reading Book Review: “Breastfeeding Made Simple” by Kendall-Tacket & Mohrbacher
