From my personal experience, mentally preparing for birth is just as important, and maybe even more important than physical preparation. We exercise and eat right to prepare for birth. We make playlists and pack bags for overnights stays. We might set up nurseries and buy baby goods designed to make a new baby comfy […]
Natural Birth
Birth Centers: As safe as hospitals for low-risk mothers
The birth world was abuzz this week with the release of a recent review of birth center outcomes by the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. The study followed more than 15,000 moms-to-be who were planning to give birth within a midwife-run birth center. The conclusion of the review showed birth centers to be […]
IV Fluids Given At Birth Affects Newborn’s Weight; May Impact Breatfeeding
We’ve all heard stories, some of us have even lived them. Your newborn has lost more than 10% of their birth weight, causing concern in hospital staff. The concern is that your milk production is not adequate and you are told to supplement with formula. As you can imagine, this can be a huge blow […]
How Mother Nature Makes Your Baby A Brainiac
New research from Yale has identified that vaginal birth prompts the secretion of a special protein that promotes the development of the baby’s hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning, memory, and stress response. This protein is also a key component of breastmilk, possibly explaining the link between early nurturing from the mother […]
Heating Placenta To Revive Unresponsive Babies
It is believed in Ayurvedic medicine that if a baby is born appearing lifeless, the placenta can be warmed to restore life in the child. The practice of warming an attached (unclamped and uncut) placenta in hot water or by massage is thought to restore the jeeva, or life force, that is stored in the […]
Don’t Bathe That Baby!
Babies are born covered in a thick, white, cheese-like substance called vernix caseosa. In the hospital it is typical for babies to be bathed immediately to remove the vernix. However, an immediate postnatal bath may not be the best option for a baby and should be reconsidered. Vernix Caseosa has many benefits. Produced during […]
