As a soon to be mom, you make all sorts of sacrifices. Of course, expecting moms gladly and gracefully give of themselves with full awareness of the much greater rewards once the baby is born. During nine months of carrying your baby, you may get a bit tunnel-visioned on making everything perfect for baby’s arrival and neglecting your own well …

When it comes to support in the Postpartum time – there are so many things that are different now. Just a few years ago – our grandparents parented at a time when we were guessing on so many ideas without any factual, science-based evidence for the opinions being shared. Our ideas were shaped by religious culture, Dr. Spock and/or the …

Before the moment your baby is born, there are a number of things you can do to improve your chances for breastfeeding success…now is the time to figure out your community and who your support people are! Here are some of the tips for breastfeeding success with Lactation Consultant, Anita Butler from the Birth Education Center. Video Transcript: – So, …

You’re through the first two trimesters of your pregnancy, and now entering the “home stretch” – yaaaay!  This whole “I’m having a baby” thing is becoming more and more real!  You may have already set up the nursery (or not!), set up your gift registry, taken childbirth, breastfeeding, newborn care and CPR classes, and downloaded ALLLLL the latest new parent …

Allison’s Story “I think the majority of mamas hope to breastfeed. I had my heart SET on it. I grew up hearing stories from my mom about nursing my brother and me into our toddler years, and I expected it to be no different for me. She loved it so much, and knew I would too (but no pressure, right?) …

When I found out my daughter was pregnant I began to imagine what it would be like to be a grandma.  I fantasized about the kind of grandma I would be. I conjured up elaborate scenarios of teaching my grandchild about life, about the importance of paying attention and being full present in each moment.   I imagined myself teaching him …

We’ve all heard the stories, whether from friends, personal acquaintances, or on the news:  A postpartum woman has done the unthinkable, whether to her baby or to herself, leaving her loved ones and so many others in unimaginable shock and grief.  Seldom are we ever told her history: what were the dynamics of her marriage/relationship, what kind of religious background …

Innate’ is that which is natural and inherent. ‘Traditions’ are those teachings that are passed down from one generation to the next. Our innate physiological design offers us a map to health and wellness. We THRIVE when we follow that which has been laid out for us. Traditional medicinal knowledge is stored within our blood memory, within the Earth, Air, …

We all do it…all the time.  We anticipate, we project, we imagine, we fantasize; we EXPECT specific results to everything that happens in life.  This is a perfectly human thing to do, but we need to be aware that expectations more often than not lead to disappointment.   The birth plan you created with your partner before your baby was …

The original postpartum traditions throughout the world while specific to the cultural context in which they come—all share deep, common roots. Postpartum traditions all mandate: heat-inducing therapies; an extended resting period; specific foods that are warming in nature and easy to digest; and bodywork. These commonalities of postpartum traditions throughout the world are not a coincidence—these traditions are rooted in …

Through my work at a prenatal wellness center, I am privileged to see couples going through the joys and fears of pregnancy and new parenthood. It is an honor to share in these precious moments. This morning I saw a young man holding his 8-day-old daughter.  Her tiny body was snuggled on his shoulder, still in the fetal curl, almost fitting completely in …

Let’s face it; your whole life has been thrown out of kilter.  Your sleeping and eating patterns have been interrupted, your hormones have shifted, your relationship with your partner has changed and you’re not even sure exactly how just yet. All you know is you have entered a new stage of life and it is exhilarating, frustrating, delightful, exhausting, disorienting …

You’re home with your new baby.  What can I tell you that will help you through this most joyful and exhausting time of life? I can tell you that someday you will look back on your child’s infant years and be completely shocked by how quickly the time flew. But from where you are now you cannot see that.  You’re …