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A doula is a professional trained in childbirth who provides emotional, physical, and educational support to a mother and her birth partner during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. They do not have any formal medical training and do not perform any medical procedures. There are doulas that specialize in every type of birth, from home birth to a planned cesarean at a hospital. There is substantial...

If you have a dog, you may be wondering what you should be doing during pregnancy to get your dog ready for your baby on the way. The good news is there are simple steps you can take to prepare your dog for a harmonious transition when your baby arrives. Learn how to focus on positive attention and avoid negative reinforcement to modify your dog's behavior, not just suppress it. This episode/artic...

Even if you plan to breastfeed exclusively, there is value in learning about bottles and formula if you decide or need to incorporate them to feed your baby at some point. You will use a bottle to feed your baby if you pump breast milk. If you stop breastfeeding before your baby's first birthday, you must supplement with formula. You have many options for bottles and formula, and choosing the best...

Breast milk is liquid gold. It is so valuable and amazing that scientists cannot reproduce it in a lab, and only you can make it. Your body perfectly formulates your milk for your baby, and pumping allows you to provide milk even when you are not there. This episode   covers the fundamentals of pumping breastmilk to meet your goals, whether an occasional pumping session or building a serious freez...

Your newborn is hard-wired to breastfeed and is born with instincts to help them latch right after birth. Despite these instincts, breastfeeding doesn't always come naturally or go perfectly right from the start. In reality, breastfeeding can take practice and patience as you and your baby navigate your nursing relationship. Many issues can come up during breastfeeding in the first few days and ev...

A lot of moms expect breastfeeding to come naturally, and that is not the case for many new mothers. Despite all the evidence supporting breastfeeding, most parents supplement or switch to infant formula within the first year. Educating yourself about the basics of breastfeeding is a fantastic way to prepare to reach your breastfeeding goals. This episode covers the basics you should know about br...

You will have many opportunities to opt in or out of interventions in your pregnancy, birth, or with your newborn. You always have options when it comes to your prenatal care and birth as long as you know what your options are. In a perfect world, every procedure comes with informed consent, and you have all the information you need to make an informed decision confidently. In the real world, cons...

Your doctor or midwife is your trusted partner and has the education and experience to guide you through all the intricacies of pregnancy and birth. You can expect to have somewhere around 14 appointments throughout your entire pregnancy. The limited time you spend with your doctor or midwife will shape the tests you take, the procedures your care provider performs, and your preparation for birth....

Vitamin D is sometimes referred to as a hormone because the activated forms are hormones. You utilize this essential vitamin in nearly all parts of your body. Vitamin D is crucial for absorbing other nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate, and zinc. Vitamin D also regulates immune function, cell growth, neuromuscular function and affects thousands of genes. Your baby relies on you to s...

If you enjoy the water, you don't have to give it up when you are pregnant. Enjoying the water can be a great workout, relaxing, and even therapeutic. Along with the benefits, there are also risks you need to be mindful of to keep you and your baby safe. This episode examines the evidence on the benefits and risks of enjoying the water during pregnancy including swimming, pools, hot tubs, baths, a...

When you have made it through most of your pregnancy and are in the final stretch, you enter the waiting game of waiting to go into labor. This can be nerve-racking for two reasons. First, you do not know when you will go into labor. Second, you may not know how to tell that you genuinely have started labor and that it isn't just a false alarm. There is a typical path that all labor follows, but t...

Finding out that you will be a parent is super exciting but can also be intimidating, especially for dads and partners. Most of what people know about having a baby is from movies or what they have heard from friends. That will not adequately prepare you for what is ahead. Understanding pregnancy, birth, and birth recovery basics will significantly impact your ability to support mom. Most importan...

Whatever your long-term goals for weight or health, you have one priority when you are pregnant – to ensure you and your baby are healthy. What you eat plays a significant role in this. While a lot of research is available, there is no definitive evidence to support one ideal diet for everyone. There are many varying opinions on diet, and nutrition is very individualized. This episode overviews po...

As soon as most expecting mothers hear the words postpartum depression, they tune out and skip over this topic. If you have never experienced depression, it is the last thing you think you need to know about, especially at a time in your life when you expect to be the happiest. Baby blues and postpartum depression are a complication of birth. The baby blues are estimated to occur in about 50% or m...

The sun emits UV radiation which comes with both evidence-based benefits and risks. On a positive note, UVB light allows your body to make vitamin D. The downside of UV light exposure is that it damages the DNA in your skin cells, increasing your risks for skin cancers and accelerating the effects of aging. During pregnancy, some changes to your skin create additional considerations for sun exposu...

We all deal with some level of stress daily. Pregnancy can be a time of additional stress as you are experiencing many physical changes and preparing for birth and a new baby. In a sense, everything you expose yourself to during pregnancy also can affect your baby, and stress is not an exception. Stress during pregnancy can affect your baby in many ways. Physiological changes can impact your devel...

There are tremendous physical demands during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding. Motherhood is also incredibly mentally and emotionally demanding. You can do so much to prepare for being a parent. You can stock up on supplies for your baby, plan for maternity leave and your return to work, and learn about breastfeeding. These tasks are all necessary, but none will mentally prepare you...

Finding out you are pregnant is one of the most exciting times of your life but can also be overwhelming. There are endless choices, and every decision seems critical when you are responsible for growing, birthing, and caring for a baby. Many decisions require additional inputs like information, research, or expert opinions. Even the most minor decisions can seem significant given the high stakes...

Staying hydrated is crucial for your overall health, and water is always the best beverage. In reality, some of your daily fluids will come from other liquids. The obvious drinks to be cautious about during pregnancy and while breastfeeding are coffee and alcohol. There are also other beverages that come with risks, like tea, soft drinks, juice, and kombucha.   This episode examines the concerns o...

The health and safety of you and your baby are a top priority. Certain foods come with risks, and you need to know what to avoid and how to make informed choices. It is easy to pull up a long list online of foods to avoid during pregnancy. It may be challenging to cut these items out of your diet. Especially if there is something on this list that you consume regularly or really enjoy. Rather than...

Many changes during pregnancy affect your cardiovascular system, which includes your heart and blood vessels. While some changes in blood pressure are normal during pregnancy, hypertensive disorders are among the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide.   Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy include chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, HELLP, and eclamp...

You have an increased need for specific nutrients during pregnancy, and it is challenging to meet these requirements with your diet alone. Taking a high-quality prenatal vitamin is one of the easiest things you can do to ensure you have all the vitamins and nutrients you and your baby need during pregnancy. There are many choices when it comes to selecting a prenatal vitamin. How do you know which...

When your skin is stretching during birth, it can tear. It is common for first-time mothers to have some tearing during vaginal birth, and there is also the possibility that you could have an episiotomy, which is a surgical incision. The good news is that you can do some things to prevent this leading up to and during your labor and birth. I know this can sound scary, but it shouldn't be. The bene...

Ideally, towards the end of your pregnancy, your baby is in a cephalic presentation, positioned head-down, facing your back, with their chin tucked to their chest and the back of their head ready to enter your pelvis. Although humans are designed to be born head first, some babies will be breech, meaning they are bottom first rather than head first. In recent decades there has been a growing trend...

Most expecting parents are aware that babies are ideally head down. As you get closer to your due date, your baby's position can significantly impact your labor and birth. Few doctors and midwives have training and experience in vaginal breech birth. As a result, most mothers with a breech baby will require a cesarean delivery. Your baby's position is much more nuanced than being head down or bree...