You’ve heard of breastfeeding, you’ve heard of bottle feeding, but what about 3-STEP FEEDING? 3-step feeding is when a lactating parent nurses their baby, then pumps, then bottle-feeds using the freshly pumped milk. It’s a strategy to help ensure the baby is getting enough to eat and the lactating parent is stimulating enough milk production,Continue reading “3-Step Feeding”
Author Archives: bodywisebirth
Mentally Preparing for Medically Induced Birth
Induction means any action we take to start labor. There are many cultural/traditional induction methods, but usually when we say “induction” in the US, we mean medical induction. Medical induction is used when continuing the pregnancy poses risks to the parent or baby, such as when the parent has pre-eclamspia. It’s also frequently offered asContinue reading “Mentally Preparing for Medically Induced Birth”
Why you DON’T want a doula who will stay by your side not matter what
This is a big selling point for many doulas: “No matter how long your birth is, no matter what day it is or what’s going on my life, I’m going to be by your side from the start of active labor through the first couple of hours postpartum.” I get the appeal – That soundsContinue reading “Why you DON’T want a doula who will stay by your side not matter what”
What Breastfeeding for 2 Years Looks Like
Consider this: Many parents will spend more months breastfeeding than they spend being pregnant. It shouldn’t come as a shock; breastfeeding for two years or longer is a well known recommendation from the World Health Organization. But, when you’re still pregnant, it’s hard to wrap your head around the reality of two years of breastfeeding.Continue reading “What Breastfeeding for 2 Years Looks Like”
How to Talk so your Doctor will Listen
As a doula, one of the most valuable skills I offer my clients is facilitating effective communication with their doctors. That means when the doctor leaves the room, my clients aren’t thinking to themselves “Darn, I forgot to ask about _______!” It means my clients don’t tell themselves things like “I was going to bringContinue reading “How to Talk so your Doctor will Listen”
Gestational Diabetes is Not a Failure
Let’s talk for a minute about gestational diabetes. (And by “talk,” I mean “I write, you read.”) Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (also called hyperglycemia) during pregnancy, and it occurs in up to 10% of pregnancies in the United States. It can cause the developing baby to grow larger than they otherwise would. ItContinue reading “Gestational Diabetes is Not a Failure”
How long should your baby nurse at each session?
How long should your baby nurse at each session? Until your baby is full!
The Toxic Myth of “Getting Your Body Back”
You know what I wish? I wish that postpartum parents and the people who love them would abandon the notion of “getting your pre-pregnancy body back.” Just forget about it! Not because postpartum parents can’t be fit, strong, healthy, beautiful, and sexy. Rather, because the idea of going back to before your experience of birthContinue reading “The Toxic Myth of “Getting Your Body Back””
A healthy mom and baby is NOT all that matters!
If you’ve heard even just a handful of birth stories, this probably sounds familiar: “Mom and baby are both healthy, and that’s all that matters.” If you’ve been pregnant yourself, you may have heard people say that your health and the baby’s are all you need to worry about. And if you’re like me, hearingContinue reading “A healthy mom and baby is NOT all that matters!”
Consent During Birth
This is a post about consent, and I know you’re probably sick of the subject. But if you stick with this and read all the way to the end, you will be rewarded with a shiny purple box, and humorous post-scripts! Most of us learn the word “consent” in the context of sexual intimacy; we’reContinue reading “Consent During Birth”