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Flu is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. The flu typically isn't severe in healthy adults, and symptoms usually subside in about a week. When you are pregnant, your body's inflammatory response to the flu during pregnancy puts you at a higher risk for some complications. The medical community recommends that pregnant women get the flu vaccine to protect them and give their babie...

A vaccine contains a weakened or killed form of a disease-causing micro-organism that causes your body to produce antibodies. This provides immunity without actually inducing the disease. Vaccines are a very controversial topic. This episode introduces what vaccines are and gets into specifics on the Tdap vaccine during pregnancy. In addition to different types of vaccines, they contain many ingre...

Ophthalmia neonatorum is a newborn eye infection and in the United States occurs in 1-2% of newborns. This infection can be caused by sexually transmitted infections, viruses, and bacteria. Administering erythromycin eye ointment to newborns is standard procedure in the United States to prevent ophthalmia neonatorum. As with any intervention, there are pros and cons to consider. This article exami...

At birth, babies naturally have low levels of vitamin K. The danger in having low levels of vitamin K is the risk of vitamin K deficiency bleeding. This is a rare but serious complication. You can decrease the risk for vitamin k deficiency bleeding with the vitamin K shot. Administering the vitamin K shot to newborns is standard procedure in the United States and many other countries. As with any...

Prenatal care is healthcare from a medical professional for you and your baby during pregnancy. It is well established that women who receive prenatal care are more likely to have healthy infants. Your doctor or midwife is your trusted partner and has education about all of the intricacies of pregnancy and birth. An important point to keep in mind is that you are in complete control over what happ...

Some of the best breastfeeding resources lack great information on weaning. What you find instead is information on why you should keep breastfeeding and anxiety-inducing articles on all of the things that can go wrong when you stop nursing. Breastfeeding is important and thankfully there are many resources for this, but it can be stressful when you are ready to wean and have limited evidence of h...

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. If you pump breast milk, you will be using a bottle to feed your baby. If you stop breastfeeding before your baby's first birthday, you will need to supplement with formula. You have many options for bottles and formula, and cho...

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 for your baby 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 s...

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...

The evidence in support of breastfeeding is overwhelming. There are decades of documentation on the positive effects of breastfeeding on immunity, health, and the connection between mother and baby. Despite all of the evidence supporting breastfeeding, most parents supplement or switch to infant formula within the first year. Many factors contribute to a lack of encouragement for exclusive breastf...

All of the changes your body is going through during pregnancy may give you a beautiful glow. For many expecting moms, pregnancy can cause some challenging skin issues. The good news is the majority of these skin issues are temporary and will disappear after your baby is born. This episode examines common skin issues during pregnancy like skin sensitivity, stretch marks, acne, melasma, linea nigra...

Think about everything you put on your skin and hair, from when you step in the shower to when you step out your front door. We use a ton of products every single day; shampoo, conditioner, body wash, shaving cream, lotions, face wash, toner, moisturizer, deodorant, sunscreen, makeup, hair products. All of those products you use add up to a very long list of chemicals you introduce to your body. P...

There are many things you can do to prepare your dog for life with a new baby. From introducing new gadgets like breast pumps to making sure your dog is taken care of while giving birth at a hospital or birth center, many families experience issues acclimating their dog to a new baby. To troubleshoot these topics and more, I talk to John and Jaime Caponetta. They are experts in dog behavior and ha...

Hydrotherapy is a broad term that encompasses many different treatments around the physical properties of water like temperature and pressure. In this episode, we explore the use of water during labor. Proponents of water birth claim that it is beneficial in managing discomfort from contractions, that it promotes relaxation and eases stress for your baby during birth. Critics of the practice raise...

If you enjoy the water, you don't have to give it up when you are pregnant. Pregnancy impacts your body by weight gain, increased blood flow, and many more changes that can exert pressure on your cardiovascular system, joints, and spine. Enjoying being in water can be a great workout, relaxing and therapeutic. This episode examines the evidence on the risks and benefits of swimming pools, hot tubs...

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...

There is so much attention on mom and baby during pregnancy. Even if you are not the pregnant person in your relationship, there is so much you can do to prepare for becoming a parent. Dads and partners play a huge role in pregnancy, birth, and parenting. This episode will bring you up to speed on everything you need to know about what changes mom is going through during pregnancy, the lowdown on...

You put a lot of time and energy into learning about pregnancy and preparing for birth. Once you cross that finish line and are holding your baby, a whole new adventure begins. Although being a parent is a lifelong journey, you can get started on the right track now. Learn about evidence-based parenting on some of the most important things for the first year. This episode covers topics like attach...

Factors like genetics and some health conditions can impact your body weight. Your weight is primarily a function of diet and lifestyle. By definition, diet is the kinds of food you habitually eat. We also know diet to mean a specific course of food you restrict yourself for medical reasons or lose weight. Diets restrict calories, limit certain foods or increase particular foods. There are many va...

There are many reasons people choose to eat a plant-based diet, including environmental, ethical, or health reasons. Regardless of your reasons for eating a plant-based diet, there is no denying that many animal products are rich in vitamins and nutrients. If you avoid meats, seafood, eggs, or dairy, you need to get nutrients from other sources. While it is possible to eat a healthy diet that does...

The sun emits UV radiation that comes with both risks and benefits. An estimated 90% of our vitamin D comes from the sun. Vitamin D is critical when you are pregnant for both you and your baby. During pregnancy, you may experience some changes to your skin that can make you more sensitive to the sun. Too much sun can damage your skin, increase your risks for skin cancers, and accelerate the effect...

There are a lot of physical demands during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding. Motherhood is also incredibly mentally and emotionally demanding. You can do so much to prepare for being a parent, like stocking up on supplies for your baby, planning for maternity leave, or learning about breastfeeding. A big part of mentally preparing for motherhood is setting your expectations. This episode covers...

Physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy increase your risk for a urinary tract infection. UTIs are the most common bacterial infections during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that if you are pregnant and think you may have a UTI, call your OBGYN right away because severe infections can cause problems for both you and your baby. The good news is...

You experience many physical changes during your pregnancy. Higher levels of hormones, like estrogen, can even change the texture, color, or amount of hair you have. Many expecting mothers enjoy fuller, thicker hair during pregnancy then experience some hair loss postpartum. Learn about how your hair can change during pregnancy and after having a baby and what you can do to keep your hair healthy....

Group B streptococcus is a type of bacterial infection. This bacterium naturally lives in the gastrointestinal tract. GBS is common and is in 10%-30% of pregnant women. Once you have this bacterium, it does not mean you will always have it, and it can come and go. Most women with group B strep do not experience any symptoms, and usually, this is not a big deal. However, it can create some complica...