Motherhood
Motherhood
October 28, 2024
As babywearing parents and carrying educators, researchers, and enthusiasts, I’m sure we all share the belief that everyone should be able to wear their baby. You only need to feel the magic of “sleepy dust” with your own baby, or see the joy of a caregiver successfully wrapping their baby for the first time to understand that this practice is important.
And that a well-used carrier is much more than just another baby gear product on a registry. But let’s face it: high quality carriers are out of the price range for many new parents. Thanks to lending libraries, secondhand sales, and hand-me-down gifts, often the “village” surrounding the new parent will ensure that the price tag alone isn’t prohibitive.
But that’s not the only barrier. Whether parents can afford a carrier or not, fully embracing this practice is not just an issue of economic access. It’s all about cultural access. Being able to fully adopt babywearing
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
August 02, 2018
Breastfeeding is a beautiful and natural way to nourish and bond with your baby, but it can also present its fair share of challenges. Whether you're a first-time mom or have previous breastfeeding experience, this ultimate guide aims to provide you with the knowledge, tips and techniques you need to navigate the joys and complexities of breastfeeding with confidence.
In this post, we'll address common concerns and dispel myths surrounding breastfeeding, helping you make informed decisions that align with your individual needs and circumstances. So, let's embark on this incredible journey together, arming ourselves with knowledge and unwavering support as we navigate the incredible world of breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding Myths
First, let’s address a few myths. It’s no secret that everyone has their own experiences and opinions when it comes to breastfeeding,
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
May 17, 2018
After healing and resting from pregnancy and childbirth, many moms feel the need to bring some more movement into their routine. Often moms are concerned about how this will affect breastfeeding. Luckily, studies have shown that moderate exercise will not affect your milk supply. Bringing more movement into your life can bring not only physical strength, but the mental clarity mothers need! Be sure to check with your midwife or doctor before returning to physical activity. New moms might find it helpful to think outside the exercise box. There are other options outside of going to the gym or starting a complicated routine. Physical movement that nourishes your whole body can be added throughout your day. Here are a few ways that have helped other moms bring movement into their lives with a new baby:
Start small and work up. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the work ahead that we don’t even want to start.
Motherhood
Postpartum
April 24, 2018
Please tell us a little about yourself and what you do for work.
I'm mama to two young children living in Austin, Texas where I host a birth stories podcast called The Birth Hour. My mission with The Birth Hour is to encourage women to be informed about pregnancy and childbirth and know their options while creating a community for moms to support one another through pregnancy and motherhood. The podcast has grown rapidly since its launch in 2015 with over 4 million downloads and a supportive Instagram community. This year The Birth Hour launched it's first online course
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
March 29, 2018
When I first got pregnant I had no idea what breastfeeding would be like. I just assumed it was a way I would feed my baby but didn’t even consider the difficulties or support a mother needed to get through that journey!
Now 3 children later, I STILL ask for tips/help sometimes. Breastfeeding is such a beautiful thing to be able to do but it also has it’s challenges. From the initial latch struggles, to the fatigue from nursing through the night, and just having to be there on demand to breastfeed. Nonetheless there are many ways to make it work well for you through the 2 years (or less or more depending on your situation). Here are 10 things that can help you through your journey.
1. A Strong Mindset
With each baby, the breastfeeding experience will be different. You supply will vary, it might hurt more or less, you might get tired more or less, your baby might keep you
Motherhood
Pregnancy & Birth
December 21, 2017
So you're having a baby. It's such an exciting time! Your due date is getting closer, and you've packed and unpacked your hospital bag more times than you can count- folding and refolding that first, cute outfit for baby to wear home, tiny socks, a nightgown for you...but what do you really need? How do you pack for something you've never experienced before?
If you're like many parents it can all seem a little overwhelming. Today I wanted to share five things I'm glad I brought along (or wished I brought along!) for each of my three children's births.
Comfortable pajamas. This was only something I packed with my third baby, and I was so happy I did. It was a wonderful, refreshing feeling to put on comfortable (nursing friendly) pjs after taking a shower at the hospital. I brought this set
Motherhood
Pregnancy & Birth
December 19, 2017
Body image is an issue that’s really close to my heart and I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how it affects new moms. It seems to me that women’s feelings about their postpartum bodies often get overlooked, likely because there’s rarely discussion about it.
To start the conversation, I reached out to my amazing community of women, “Hey mama friends, I'm writing a piece about embracing your beautiful postpartum body. Would love to hear your experience!” The poignant, real responses I received from my friends made me cry. I chatted with each of them, thanking them for their honesty and asked if it would be okay to share their stories. They all graciously agreed. In the words of my pal Lindsey, “Anything in the name of female empowerment.” I’m so honored to share their strength, humor, and open-heartedness with you.
Lindsey
I think the first step is just like the first step in any change - acknowledging that your body is different and that it’s okay to hate it. It’s okay
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
November 15, 2017
Whether you are a brand new mom or have been a mom for years and have a brand new baby, breastfeeding can seem overwhelming at times! I’m going to give my top five breastfeeding tips for new moms today– they’ll help you get off on the right start and know what to do if things get tricky.
1. Make sure you have a support system.
Research shows that Moms without support often wean in the first week postpartum. Create a small support circle you can call on in those early days, weeks, and months with a new baby. A supportive partner, family member, neighbor, or online forum can really be a game changer!
2. Don’t suffer in pain!
Some nipple soreness is normal, due to postpartum hormone changes and your breast tissue stretching. This is common the first few weeks. The pain should not last more than 60 seconds or be a toe-curling pain. This is called the “60 second rule”. If you have “ouch-ouch-ouch!” pain that lasts longer than 60 seconds, seek some professional help to make
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
October 20, 2017
I get asked many questions about increasing milk supply. When I meet with moms who ask how to increase their supply, I first like to ask WHY they are worried about their supply. Many times it’s because baby is signaling to increase feeds, which actually indicates a growth spurt rather than a problem with your supply. I like to help moms create confidence in themselves and their ability to feed their baby. So before you doubt yourself, trust the process! Remember that as you listen to baby’s cues and feed on-demand, it’s likely that your supply is just fine.
Below are some of my top tips for increasing milk supply. Remember that any one of these might make a difference with you, but usually a combination will be the most effective. Keep in mind that increasing breast stimulation is the best way to increase your milk production.
Here are my tips for increasing milk supply:
Motherhood
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
September 06, 2017
In preparation to write an earth-shattering piece on nutrition for pregnancy, I realized the recommendations we give to pregnant women are suspiciously close to ones we give to regular people. There are the pregnancy-specific no-no’s (no alcohol, smoking, caffeine, raw fish, or lunch meat), but the do’s are common recommendations for a healthy lifestyle: Eat A Rainbow of Foods! Drink So Much Water!! Don’t Drown Yourself in Refined Sugars!! Please Exercise!
Whole foods (those which are unprocessed and as close to their natural state as possible) are your best bet in giving your baby the best nutrients for growth. Our goal is to enjoy nutrition from all the different food groups in balanced amounts. Since you already know the basic tenants of nutrition (eat your fruits and veggies, etc.), let’s focus specifically on why you need extra protein and a bunch of nutrients during pregnancy and how to find them in whole foods.
Protein is Key
We learned in school that protein is a key