Hands and Hearts Birth & Wellness

05/01/2026

It’s the ridiculous ChatGPT for me.

I LOVE ChatGPT apps, I do. They can help hone in on specifics in a much more efficient manner than anything.

But the should not be your primary education tool.

They are shortsighted and incorrect more often than not. They are just plain dangerous in the hands of most people.

But the are a great tool to help flesh out a foundation and use as the beginning framework of your existing knowledge.

But for the love of everything STOP USNG THEM AS YOUR VOICE AND EDUCATION.

No one sees your Chat work and hears your voice. Chat is everywhere these days and is making people look like pretentious idiots at best, and dangerous idiots at worst.

Use it. Learn it. Build it out prompt by prompt to help you be more you if that’s what you want. But keep it as a tool. It does not replace your actual knowledge of a topic 💚

05/01/2026

Unfortunately true.

Not everyone is a home birth candidate. Not from a midwifery perspective and not from their own perspective.

Midwifery care is not OB care at home.
Midwifery care is not OB care, period.

They are not the same. They should not be the same. We dilute the history of midwifery by comparing it and its practices to those of obstetrics.

"If your instinct when anything goes wrong, is to look for someone to blame or sue, community birth probably isn't for you. Independent attendants don't have hospital legal machines protecting them from scapegoating. O--Bs are for pathology. Hospitals are for people who want to outsource responsibility. That's just reality. Midwives would fail if they accepted everyone low risk." Ashley Nicole Brimm

05/01/2026

So let's kick off the new series, Family Health Friday, with one of my most used health tools suitable for the entire family...Bach Floral Remedies

A quick history lesson -- the original flower remedies were recognized in the 1930's by Dr Edward Bach, a physician, bacteriologist, and pathologist because he had a belief that emotional and physical health were deeply intertwined. He noticed patterns in his patients and how emotional patterns were a key influence to their healing. He began looking into healing by factoring in how their emotions were affecting their health.

The 38 original Bach Floral Remedies are classified into 7 categories of the most common emotional imbalances:

Fear -- Rock Rose, Mimulus, Cherry Plum, Aspen, Red Chestnut

Uncertainty -- Cerato, Scleranthus, Gentian, Wild Oat, Gorse, Hornbeam

Disinterest -- Clematis, Honeysuckle, Wild Rose, Olive, White Chestnut, Chestnut bud, Mustard

Loneliness -- Water Violet, Impatiens, Heather

Easily Influenced -- Agrimony, Centaury, Walnut, Holly

Despondency/Despair -- Larch Pine, Elm, Sweet Chestnut, Star of Bethlehem, Willow Oak, Crab Apple

Over Concerned with the Welfare of Others -- Chicory, Vervain, Vine, Beech, Rock Water

What makes these remedies such a valuable system and widely used, They are gentle, safe for all ages, easy to use alongside other healing modalities, and they are focused on restoring emotional balance. They restore balance to whatever emotional state your are currently experiencing. Each remedy is matched to a specific emotional pattern, not a diagnosis.

Flower Remedies don't treat anxiety. They help treat how anxiety shows up. Because fear is not just fear, it's how fear shows up --
...as the fear of something specific (Mimulus)
...as the fear of something nonspecific (Aspen)
...fear of losing control (Cherry Plum)

Flower Remedies support the emotional state so the body can return to balance and help to heal itself. Over the next month or so Family Health Friday will break down each remedy, how to use them in real-life, everyday family care, and more importantly, how to differentiate between similar remedies. And of course, we will cover ways to use them for pregnancy and postpartum.

05/01/2026

04/29/2026

Minerals are more important than you might know.

Most of your normal pregnancy signs and symptoms are actually flags from your body telling you to increase your mineral intake.

Think about magnesium, sodium, potassium. These insufficiencies can create outward signs like headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, even poor sleep.

Magnesium -- almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, black beans, quinoa, brown rice, spinach and avocado help supply much of your magnesium needs. Every cell and function in the body contains magnesium as a building block, supporting blood sugars, blood pressure, bone formation, nerve function and more.
Proteins -- yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, peanut butter are easy grab and snack proteins that supply building blocks for your muscles, skin, blood, and hormones.
Zinc -- oysters, meats and poultry, chickpeas, lentils and more. Zinc is required for DNA utlilization, cell division, immune function and stability, even tissue growth.
Omega 3s -- salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts are crucial for building cell membranes, brain and eye development and even heart health. ALA (Alpha-linolenic acid) EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) are all important tools for your and baby's growth and must come from food sources.
Selenium -- tuna, sardines, beef, turkey, eggs, and Brazil nuts all provide this antioxidant support to build optimal thyroid health and function as well as immune health.
Folate -- found in oranges, leafy greens, lentils and beans; essential for the production of DNA, specifically important to the first trimester to prevent neural tube defects of the brain and spinal cord. Synthetic folate or folic acid is found in most supplements and is generally more bioavailable (more easily absorbed in the body) than the natural food form.
Potassium -- bananas, sweet potatoes, avocado, cooked spinach, beans, and oranges all contain potassium and support electrolyte balance. Potassium also plays a roll in regulating blood pressure, preventing mescle cramps and spasms, and helps maintain proper muscle and nerve function.
Chromium -- whole grains, broccoli, potatoes, green beans, and nuts; support insulin function and glucose metabolism to help maintain stable blood sigars during pregnancy.
Iron -- red meats, kale and leafy greens, legumes, nuts and seeds; the primary transportation system for oxygen and energy in the body. During pregnancy, your body need more iron to match the increased oxygen needs of your growing baby. Deficiencies in iron can affect your energy levels, brain fog, fatigue and more, as well as increase your risks for preterm labor and low birth weight.

Calcium -- found in dairy products, greens, sardines, etc. calcium essential for bone health and nerve and muscle function. While your baby will get the calcium they need directly from you, your bones, teeth, nervous system and heart will take the hardest hit.

We would love to work with you to grow your best baby and help keep your own health the best it can be.

https://imahealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Prenatal-Nutrition-Guide-Womens-Health.pdf

04/29/2026

I too would put “most educated” in quotes.

Education location does not equal skill and often it merely reflects marginal knowledge. You are educated to the biases of not only your profession, but also to those of the institution and staff.

Education time is a bit of a misnomer. Education doesn’t stop after you’ve secured a piece of parchment with a stamp on it. Education is a continual work to deepen the base knowledge you’ve received, maintaining a skillset, updating and renewing certain skills and knowledge, etc.

You 100% need to choose a provider for your birth that aligns with your needs and understanding of birth in and out of a traditional location. If papers and time spent in an educational institute is something you value, choose that.

There’s zero shame or shade in choosing the right provider for you and your specific needs and wants. There truly is a provider for everyone, and a decent OB or Midwife will want you to find just that.

But education is a deep area and location and time spent don’t really mean that much. You can have multiple degrees behind your name and have graduated with the best grades…or you can have all that and barely peeked by with a point above passing 🤷🏻‍♀️

Both get those pretty papers and letters and still may not be equipped to what you need. Choose what you want first, then choose what best fits into that for you.

04/28/2026

Those contractions are exciting every single time. I totally get that.

But until they are building a pattern that feels close, IGNORE THEM to the best of your ability. Go for a walk, take a relaxing nap, eat light meals, visit with friends, go for a shopping/wandering trip.

Birth is a marathon, not a sprint.

You don’t push your mental, emotional, or physical energy into the start. That creates mental and physical exhaustion as well as unnecessary emotional stress.

You pace yourself, you conserve energy, you keep your head clear and open. You relax and rest to prepare for the work that builds into the contraction pattern to come.

Your rest and relaxation at the onset isn’t just for you, it’s for the benefit of your baby as well. A tired mom makes a tired baby. A tired mom slows baby’s progress as well as your body’s system works.

It’s exciting to see some pattern of contractions, even short and spaced apart. But the bigger prize is still ahead. We want you to be prepared for it 🩷

Please don't be timing contractions that are more then 10 minutes apart. GO TO SLEEP!!! Missing that first night of sleep when you think labor is starting is so detrimental to getting the job done

04/28/2026