Doula Suzanne

10/07/2025

Hear me out before you eye-roll… this is from the Cochrane database of systematic reviews 2023 paper comparing homebirth to hospital birth.

In the article they explain that homebirth is not the ‘intervention’ that needs researching, in fact the move into hospital birth for all women is the experimental intervention that requires review.

Archie Cochrane awarded ‘the wooden spoon’ to obstetrics in 1989 because ‘the speciality missed its first opportunity in the sixties, when it failed to randomise the confinement of low-risk women at home or hospital… then having filled the emptying beds by getting nearly all pregnant women into hospital, the obstetrician started to introduce a whole series of expensive innovations without any rigorous evaluation’

Don’t shoot me, I’m just the messenger, it’s not my fault that hospital birth became the norm without rigorous evaluation…

I’ll discuss this more on ep.160 of podcast ‘Is homebirth a good option for you’

23/06/2025

I love a good Oligosaccharide 🥰

Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a group of complex sugars; the third most abundant component of human milk. Over 100 different HMOs have been identified in human milk so far.

Which ones are found, and in what concentration, is unique to each mother. Genetics, how many children the mother has had, the age of the nursling, and even the seasons, have been found to influence this unique HMO set in each woman.

Many HMOs cannot be digested by humans but instead act as food for bacteria in your baby’s tummy. These bacteria help your baby to resist infection from harmful bacteria and to develop a normal gut microbiome.

The microbiome plays an enormous role in making sure the gut and immune system develop properly. HMOs can also trick bacteria and viruses into binding to them, instead of the gut wall, preventing them from infecting your baby.

Some HMOs have the potential to reduce the risk of diarrheal diseases, one of the most common causes of infant mortality under age 5.

One HMO called DSLNT has been linked to a reduction in the risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is a potentially fatal disorder, most often affecting premature babies, in which tissues in the gut become inflamed and start to die.

Researchers say that this is likely only the beginning of our understanding of this remarkable set of breastmilk components.

Image: The Human Milk Oligosaccharides Constellation poster is back in stock. This image was imagined and designed by our Graphic Designer Lisa.

She took one look at the molecular shape of HMOs, and said “They look like constellations”. The moon is composed of the known components of human milk. And so it began.
Shop the poster: https://human-milk.com/collections/science-resources

More science, references, support and resources can be found at https://human-milk.com

06/06/2025

Important message for birth partners here!

02/06/2025

I had an interesting conversation today about this. The rates of induction are at an all-time high 😔

26/05/2025

To the new mother holding her baby all day, feeling like she hasn’t “done” anything...

The truth is, what you’re doing is everything.

Every time you hold your baby close, speak softly, and soothe their cries, you’re doing the most important work.

You’re building trust. You’re building safety.

The world tells us that productivity equals worth, but there is nothing more powerful than the way you are showing up for your child in these quiet moments.

You are laying the foundation for their nervous system to feel grounded and secure.

Your gentleness is never wasted.

And one day, they’ll carry that calm and safety with them, long after they’ve outgrown your arms.

🌱Want to find out how your love wires your baby’s brain and helps them to develop? My book BEGINNINGS - child Psychology for parents has 86% off today! https://amzn.to/3HowToi 🌱