Fertility and Pregnancy Nutrition

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Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin, which helps your body build healthy cells. Studies have shown that for women of childbearing age, taking 400 micrograms of folate (folic acid) every day can reduce the risk (up to 70%) of having a birth affected by a Neural Tube Defect, such as Spina Bifida.

Consider taking a good prenatal vitamin recommended by your maternity care provider and ask about ingesting concentrated fruits, grains and vegetables for added insurance. Consider using Dr. Brewer's Pregnancy Diet or the many recipes and ideas listed with tips and guidelines for pregnancy nutrition by Dr. Sears. During pregnancy, there are certain foods to avoid but generally, food is safe for most healthy, soon to-be-mamas.

Are you worried a doula will kill the intimacy of labor?

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Unless you plan to have an unassisted birth at home, you will be interacting with many people during your labor day at the hospital. After you've been admitted, a representative from hospital admissions may come knocking for additional information from you or to have you sign more paperwork. Sometimes a tech from the lab comes in to take blood samples from you, otherwise your assigned Labor & Delivery nurse will do this while inserting your IV port. Your midwife or doctor (or whoever is on call that day) will be checking in with you throughout your labor either in person or over the phone with your nurse.

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Common Labor Positions with Pros and Cons Listed

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During labor, your body will tell you how to move and which positions to try. You want to be sure to keep your body loose and limp throughout each contraction and during the breaks. When a break is ending, take a deep cleansing breath, lower your shoulders, wiggle your jaw a bit or simply open your mouth, and if you’re standing up, or sitting on a birth ball, keep your hips wide open and moving. This will help your cervix open faster and the shorten the overall length of labor.

The positions shown here facilitate the normal, natural process of labor. Keep in mind that you'll want to change your position at least once an hour to stretch - usually I suggest that mamas use the break to visit the bathroom to uriniate and labor on the toilet for 15 minutes each visit. My back-up doula, Alice agrees that the bathroom is magical - read her suggestions for comfort and progress. 

Create A Registry For Your Baby and Shop For Diapers Online

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I love to shop using the convenient iphone app (or website) for Soap.com/Diapers.com, etc. The service is easy to use and for orders costing at least $49, two-day shipping is free. I create shopping lists of regularly purchased products and the items are shipped from one service (unlike Amazon that has multiple individual sellers) so tracking packages is simple. They also have a customer service number, which offers you the opportunity to speak to a live human being if you have questions about anything. Friends of The Happiest Doula get $10 off their first purchase by using the code CYNT663086 at checkout. I tell everyone I know about Soap.com/Wag.com/Diapers.com since I think it is such an easy way to shop and now they offer an online baby registry service, which is perfect for the new or soon-to-be parents that I meet all the time!

A Breastfeeding Guide For Your Hospital Stay

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At the website for Best StartI found a wonderful printable guide for breastfeeding. I recommend that you print pages 15, 16 and 17 (in Section 3) to use as a handy referenceduring the first few feedings at the hospital. Also, on page 11, it explains what baby-led latching is and how-to support your baby while he or she moves around to breastfeed. If you haven't seen a breast crawl yet, you are in for an awesome surprise! I was truly mesmerized the first time I saw it and enjoy each time I get to witness it. Life is miraculous. 

Prenatal Exercises and Birthing Positions for Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction

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A condition called Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction occurs when the ligaments that keep your pelvis aligned during pregnancy become too relaxed (due to the hormone relaxin) and causes excessive movement of the pubis symphysis. This can make walking or sitting difficult, and sometimes extremely painful, affecting approximately, one out of four pregnant women.

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Baby Gift Idea: SobaPop Ink Onesies

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Expecting a baby soon? Or are you looking for a present for the little cuddlebug in your life? Soba-Pop Ink has new baby onesies (bodysuits) available in four unique designs. The 3-6 month size fits most newborns! 

Soba-Pop Ink is a project that my friend, Matthew Crouch and I started in 2012. Together, we created unique type and printed the design on two sizes of onesies. We've been excited to share our work and sell online at Etsy. Please visit our store and tell your friends about our products - let them know that we accept gift card purchases too.

Your Happy Nest: Atlanta Nanny and Night Nurse Agency

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Finding a nanny that meets your family's unique needs can be a challenging process, especially when a new baby is on the way! Let Your Happy Nest do the work for you. They are a locally-owned and operated full-service nanny agency that specializes in matching families with their ideal nanny, night nurse, or babysitter. Unlike most nanny agencies, their placement providers personally meet with each and every family to get a feel for the family's dynamics, expectations, and needs. Your Happy Nest carefully selects qualified nannies that match your requirements and begin the process of making the perfect match!

Birth Photography Captures The Special Day

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Birth photography is a wonderful way to document the birth of your child! It is a beautiful reminder of one of the most important days of your life. Having a professional photographer capture your birth not only provides you with amazing art, it will free up Dad and/or other support person to be more available to you during labor and delivery. Your birth partner can freely participate and it will be captured on film! Just like a wedding photographer, a birth photographer catches the expression of people candidly, capturing their amazement and pure joy. Giving birth to three children of her own, Porcha Key is inspired to provide artistic birth images for her clients. For details and rates, visit www.pkeyphotography.com.

Get Rid of Your Backache and Postpartum Flab with the Belly Bandit

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A client told me of her recent experience with the Belly Bandit so I asked her to write an article about it for my blog. Here it is:

"I really recommend the Belly Bandit! I purchased mine and starting wearing it almost all day long at one week postpartum. After the first week, I wore it a bit less, but almost every day until my baby was three weeks old. This is my third child and until now, I hadn't had many people comment on how "tiny" and "amazing" I look so soon after a birth! By three weeks postpartum, I was back into my jeans and slightly fitted tops (even if they were my "fat jeans" they don't have elastic waists!). I was even able to tell my mother-in-law that I wore it for my sore back (not a total lie! It REALLY helped support my back!) thus keeping my secret to a quickly shrinking waist."

Alcohol Limits While Breastfeeding and Screening Kits

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The holidays are here and with many parties to attend, mothers may be wondering how safe it is to breastfeed after enjoying the spiked eggnog. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk. Ideally, it is best to avoid breastfeeding for about two hours after drinking one alcoholic beverage. Learn what is a safe amount for your weight or try a test kit, which can help you determine whether alcohol is in your breast milk. For more information about breastfeeding, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Labor Tips for Dads and Birth Partners

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Occasionally, I receive emails from an anxious partner who is looking for tips or tools that will help him or her support their loved one during labor. If the couple has skipped taking a childbirth education class then the birth partner may feel unprepared and need some "labor tools". My advice to clients are the following six points:

1. Be able to time contractions. Download an app for your ipad or iphone to accurately time contractions. I like iBirth or iDoula but anything will work, even a kitchen timer and notepad. Practice before labor begins to get the hang of it. (When I'm called to join a labor, I ask how far apart are the contractions, how long each lasts, and for how long the contractions have been going on for overall.) The iBirth app has videos showing labor positions and suggestions on what to say during labor and many other useful lists.

2. Know the stages of labor and what to expect during each one. The Birth Partner is an excellent guide for anyone supporting labor and birth. It covers the role of each member of the birth team, medical interventions and natural approaches, and what to expect in the event of a necessary c-section. 

3. Don't take anything personally. Women communicate with their whole body during labor and swatting a hand away, etc. is common! I once witnessed a dad get his face palmed so the mama could continue making eye contact with me. We all laughed about it later and no feelings were hurt.

4. Keep her relaxed, rested and nourished. Use music, provide water/tea and easily digestible foods, run a bath, give a foot massage, etc. Remind her to rest and that labor will progress on its own; there isn't a need to take long walks to "get things moving". It is a time to conserve energy and try to sleep between contractions.

5. Be supportive and present. Avoid watching TV, using your phone, etc. unless it is regarding labor. Here is a list of things to say and to avoid saying during labor.

6. Get support for the immediate postpartum period. Interview postpartum doulas ahead of time and sign a contract to secure assistance upon arriving home. All help is appreciated when a new baby is in the home but doulas are trained to facilitate the bond between mother and baby, help with breastfeeding and recognize the signs of postpartum depression. I like the video in this article and the printable list of postpartum depression symptoms. Educate yourself and take action before a problem embeds itself.

Nursing Bras: A Correct Fit for Comfort and a Flattering Shape

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I admit that for years I wore bras that fit poorly, caused back aches and made me look fat. After I was properly fitted for a regular bra, I looked like I had dropped 10 pounds! (People pointed this out to me too!) So many women wear bras that don't fit or flatter and worse, if she is pregnant or postpartum, an ill-fitting nursing bra can cause discomfort and problems with breastfeeding. Find the right size for you at Intimacy at Phipps Plaza.