Positive Birth

09/26/2015

There is no point at which the benefits of breastfeeding suddenly “run out”. Breastmilk does not turn into water overnight on your baby’s first birthday. As long as you nurse, your baby gets valuable immunities, as well as the security and emotional advantages of nursing.

09/26/2015

It's a question that scientists (and mothers) have wondered for a long time: what causes labor to start? Find out the latest information from researchers.

09/25/2015

Feeding your kids during illness: a guide for nourishing and soothing foods

09/21/2015

http://www.thevaccinereaction.org/2015/09/the-religion-of-anti-science-fanaticism/

People who use the term "anti-science" and claim to have sole possession of the "true science" should be called out. Science is a method of study, not an ultimate truth.

09/21/2015

Content Warnings: in**st, r**e, and sexual violence) Two of my good friends had their first baby late this past year. From the get-go, Baby was a cuddly little girl. (Or, as her two moms say, “We assume she’s a girl, but we won’t know for sure until she tells us herself.”) She was all about being …

09/21/2015

From an early age kids are bombarded with messages that rigidly define gender: Boys like pirates and sports and being rough, and girls are sweet princesses who love all things pink and sparkles. Even many children’s books still promote harmful gender stereotypes for both boys and girls; limiting how…

09/21/2015

"A fresh perspective on autism research with the developing "Bacterial Theory" of autism. The fastest-growing developmental disorder in the industrialized world, autism has increased an astounding 600 per cent over the last 20 years, and science cannot say why. Some say it's triggered by environmental factors and point to another intriguing statistic: 70 per cent of kids with autism also have severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Could autism actually begin in the gut? The Autism Enigma looks at the progress of an international group of scientists studying the gut's amazingly diverse and powerful microbial ecosystem for clues to the baffling disorder."

09/18/2015

He looks up at me, ‘But I don’t want chicken for dinner. I want apples.” Um, child, what on earth gave you the idea that this was up for discussion?

09/18/2015

What you NEED to know ... DON'T retract :) "Remember the intact p***s is completely natural and it’s designed to take care of itself!!!"

So you’ve decided not to circumcise your son?! That’s great! Circumcision is an unnecessary often traumatic procedure for a newborn and studies now show that it does not protect males against...

09/18/2015

If you’re breastfeeding a baby and worried that you aren’t making enough milk, there’s something you need to know: You may not actually have a problem with your milk supply—and if you do, there are better solutions out there than the quick fixes that friends and family might offer.

09/15/2015

09/03/2015

You'll be shocked to see how French kids eat compared to kids here in the U.S. And did you know that picky eaters should be a big red flag for a parent?

09/01/2015

Dr. James J. McKenna is a professor of anthropology and the director of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. He is a world-renowned expert on infant sleep -- particularly the practice of bed sharing in relation to breastfeeding. In our conversations, he shared…

09/01/2015

08/27/2015

To produce breast milk, mothers melt their own body fat. Are you with me? We literally dissolve parts of ourselves, starting with gluteal-femoral fat, aka our butts, and turn it into liquid to feed our babies. Before and after giving birth to my daughter 10 months ago, I was inundated with urgent di…

08/25/2015

This week, I want to share 11 of my favorite birth-related TED Talks with you. There is so much wisdom here--it's like a mini-childbirth education course..for free! We're covering the birthy gamut here. I've included talks on pregnancy, labor, doulas, US birth culture, delayed cord clamping, breastf…

08/25/2015

"Although each sensation has purpose and is moving her closer, she may not yet be in ‘established labour’ and shouldn’t put any pressure on herself. A long latent phase is usually behind those birth stories where women report being in labour for days and days."
"There is nothing to 'fix'!!"

What is the latent phase? The latent phase of birth (sometimes known as pre-labour) is the stage leading up to established labour. Established labour is typified by strong regular contractions from...

08/25/2015

We love Pyramid Ferments sauerkraut and eat it daily!! We can find a way to add it to pretty much any meal, especially breakfast :)

Raw, fermented foods packed with health-promoting probiotics and have been staples of the human diet for centuries. Sauerkrauet is the probiotic king. It is  is the superior source of LIVE probiotics and enzymes, and due to its pre-digested state brought on by the fermentation process, these nutrien…

08/22/2015

My partner for placenta pick ups this summer! But, at 5 months and 60 lbs, her days in the front seat are winding down! She's old enough to stay home or chill in the back (we own a Subaru Outback for a reason!). It has been a VERY busy summer of babies and we're covered some serious travel time together

08/22/2015

Nature! Works wonders for children ;)

08/21/2015

A babymoon is beautiful and important! Lots of great info here :)

Babymoon. In my experience as a doula and educator, I see more people focus on the lovely things that they'd like to have at their births and less on what the days and weeks afterward will look lik...

08/21/2015

Sweetness

"Nursing this long has nothing to do with being "mom enough" and it isn't "extreme". We don't do it for sport, to win an award, or to be recognized above anyone else. We don't do it to prove a point, to make a scene or to be praised. We are just mothers nursing our children." Below…

08/21/2015

Researchers compared the costs of planned low-risk home births with a midwife to planned hospital births with a midwife or doctor between 2001 and 2004.

08/20/2015

as a midwife and herbalist, I get lots of calls from women who are in the midst of a miscarriage and from friends or loved ones who want to know how to support someone through this tough time.

08/20/2015

A f***l sample analysis of 98 Swedish infants over the first year of life found a connection between the development of a child's gut microbiome and the way he or she is delivered. Babies born via C-section had gut bacteria that showed significantly less resemblance to their mothers compared to thos…

08/18/2015

07/31/2015

No Pushing Required: "My body took over and my baby flew out"

07/27/2015

This poster, created by the Women's and Newborn Services of Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, highlights a human baby's hunger cues - her way of communicating to parents that she needs to eat.

As highlighted in the 2010 article, 7 Breastfeeding F