Sweet Welcome Birth & Postpartum Services

10/23/2021

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

BREAKING NEWS! Congress just passed the strongest lactation workplace support legislation ever. The PUMP Act expands protections for breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and lactating parents. Right now, four out of five U.S. mothers start out breastfeeding, but less than half are still breastfeeding at six months postpartum. One of the main causes for the drop-off in breastfeeding rates is the lack of break time and a private place to pump in the workplace. The PUMP Act closes the gap in the law and expands protections for all lactating parents who work outside of the home.

10/23/2021

There’s so much good information here.

I always suggest trying tummy time on your chest first. And remember you can start in (seemingly, to us) *tiny* increments of time. One minute. Two minutes. Tummy time is hard work, and takes time to get used to.

Babies NEED tummy time! At 11 months old, this little cutie should have a nicely rounded head, developed S curves in his neck and low back, and flexible legs that move in and out of various sitting positions. But, largely due to lack of time on his tummy and OVERUSE of "baby containers" such as bouncy seats, swings, and car seat carriers that go from car to grocery store to restaurant, he has positional plagiocephaly (flat skull) a big ol' C curve in his spine preventing him from getting on hands and knees to crawl, and hips and legs so tight he can't even straighten his knees! And these are only the outwardly visible problems...too much pressure on baby's spine and vision centers of the brain from lying on their backs are detrimental to development! So....tummy time, tummy time, tummy time! Do it!
ADDITIONAL INSIGHT:
Tummy time IS absolutely important for development! It doesn't have to be on the floor, but can be on the caregiver's chest, supported over their lap or bent knees, or on a nursing pillow for younger babies. Many of the comments we've read are stating babies shouldn't be placed in "unnatural" positions or those they can get out of. As developmental therapists, we specialize in the timeline of babies moving from the flexion posture (fetal position) through anti-gravity extension. The ONLY "natural" position for a baby is flexion. If you lay an infant on their back, i.e. In extension their arms flail and they think they're falling (this is the Moro reflex) and is why we swaddle babies to keep their arms and legs tucked in close like they were in the womb. The flexion tummy time provides is in fact very safe and natural. We urge you to find a specialist in your area if your baby struggles with reflux and isn't tolerating tummy time that can help develop strategies that will promote being off of their backs. AGAIN, this post is directed to parents and caregivers of babies who are typically developing and not those with special needs or other medical diagnoses. The baby in the picture fits this description. It is not meant to be judgmental but informative on what CAN happen. We are so pleased that it has opened up conversation between parents and health care providers to help prevent these issues from occurring.

05/14/2021

❤️❤️❤️

This will always be one of my favorites.
Happy Mother’s Day! www.Lunarbaboon.com

12/31/2020

I haven’t posted in a while- it’s been a season of some depression and self-care, along with this regular 2020 life.

I love this message though, and had to share! ❤️❤️❤️

Great information here.

Tell me again how breastfeeding my toddler is just for myself? Doing loads of laundry with a child hanging off my breast is just for me right? Breastfeeding a monkey-swinging, gymnastics-tumbling, handstand-attempting child while your ni**le is in their mouth is what us self-absorbed mothers are constantly longing for!

No one is breastfeeding their toddler or older child just for themselves. It is for their child. I repeat: it is for their child. No one is forcing their child to breastfeed and not wean.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love breastfeeding—the bond and those quiet moments when my toddler is nursing and cuddling with me fills my heart with joy. The fact I can cure any tears in a matter of seconds, knowing that they are taking in antibodies and immunities that are tailor-made for them, is so amazing. However, for whatever reason, some people have gotten it into their heads that mothers who practice natural-term weaning are doing it for only themselves and are just not willing “to cut the cord.” Those people are wrong.

Breastmilk continues to provide antibodies, immunities, white blood cells, and hormones that are so important for a child to grow.

Breastmilk doesn’t lose its benefits with age. In fact “human milk in the second year postpartum contained significantly higher concentrations of total protein, lactoferrin, lysozyme, and Immunoglobulin A, than milk bank samples, and significantly lower concentrations of zinc, calcium, iron, and oligosaccharides,” (Perrin, 2016). In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
* 29% of energy requirements
* 43% of protein requirements
* 36% of calcium requirements
* 75% of vitamin A requirements
* 76% of folate requirements
* 94% of vitamin B12 requirements
* 60% of vitamin C requirements (Dewey, 2001)

Pretty awesome, right? ☝🏼 Besides all the benefits mentioned above, breastmilk provides all the immunoglobulins the immune system takes to develop, which takes around 5 years.

Humans are also the most immature at birth and need the most intensive caregiving for the longest duration to reach maturity. In fact, a human baby would need a gestation period of 18 to 21 months instead of the usual 9 to be born at a neurological and cognitive development stage comparable to that of a chimpanzee newborn (A. Portman). Yet human parents are encouraged to wean much sooner and carry their babies much less than any other mammal. Breastfeeding continues to be important for years as the child’s brain and body slowly continue to grow.

Let’s not forget that breastfeeding is more than just food. It provides comfort, it is a 100% all-natural anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, medicine, sleep aid, and more—not to mention an absolute amazing bonding mechanism.

Call me crazy, but maybe that’s why the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until at least 2 years and beyond? Maybe that’s why the natural weaning age worldwide is between 2-7 years old? 🤷🏼‍♀️

I’d also like to mention there is nothing wrong with a mother continuing to breastfeed for her own benefits and desires. As mentioned breastfeeding can be an amazing bonding experience and there is nothing wrong with wanting to continue that special bond. Mothering through breastfeeding has made mothering less stressful for many of us.
There’s nothing easier than being able to calm a child simply by breastfeeding. It also provides many health benefits for the mothers including lowering the risks of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, early menopause, postpartum depression, and the risks continue to lower with longer the mother breastfeeds. (WHO)

So again, we aren’t continuing to breastfeed past infancy just for our
own selfish reasons or we aren’t scared “to cut the cord.” We are doing it for our child’s optimal health and comfort. We are doing it because it’s what works best for our families and it’s what we, my children and myself, both desire to do.

Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/milkitivity_/

https://milkitivity.com/the-reason-for-natural-term-weaning/

10/08/2020

You should never assume a mom wants you to take her baby. You should assume she wants you to mop the floor and round up the other kids to go outside and play. ❤️❤️❤️

If you *do* need a break from your baby that’s totally ok! What most moms need is a break from *all the things* so they can focus on babe.

09/19/2020

Yessss! ❤️👍🏼

🤠 A lot of mainstream advice says to start talking to your provider about your birth plan a few weeks before your estimated due date.

🤚 But---that's not enough time at all! What if you're 37 weeks and your provider says, "Nope, sorry, we can't do that"?? Or, “We don’t even have the ability to do that.” Then what?

👥 A birth plan is a super powerful tool to guide discussion between a patient and provider... for the birthing person to figure out if that provider is a good fit. If they respect you as a decision maker. If they trust you. If you can trust them. If they are comfortable practicing the way you've decided you want. If they are experienced at it. If they communicate well. If they are willing to be a member on your team, rather than the captain of your team.

🌛 Remember, birth plans can't be enforced after the fact. They may be a list of your medical decisions--and that's important!--but they really depend on the promises of other people to follow through on their future support.

🌸 SOOO the earlier you can identify any disconnects or pushback, the earlier you can adjust your plans accordingly. If that means switching care is in your best interest, you're going to want to know that as early as possible. The last thing you need in pregnancy is more stress--so communicate early and often, and know your options.

😘 ^^ Real talk from "3 Things Every Parent Needs to Know About Hospital Birth"--the short on-demand video course for parents, available now for doulas and birth pros to purchase in bulk. Use coupon SPECIAL10 for $10 off, limited time only! Link in bio and @
https://birthmonopoly.com/3-things/

09/14/2020

This is SUCH a great info graphic!

A few years ago, one of my kids choked on a whole nut in the car. It was terrifying even though it ended up okay. I've been vigilant ever since! Here's a little food choking prevention 101 for ages 1-4 to give us all a refresher! Top things to keep in mind:⁣⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀
- MODIFY hard or round foods until age 4⁣⠀⁠⠀
- Eat SITTING at a table⁣ with supervision⠀⁠⠀
- AVOID some foods until 4 (below)⁣⠀⁠⠀
- Be PREPARED if choking does happen. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
🔪How to modify⁣⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Cook things that are hard, to make them softer - like raw apples or veggies.⠀⁠⠀
Also cut foods lengthwise to make a long skinny piece. Here's the rule of thumb I use, but always go conservative when you think about what your child needs:⁣⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀
1️⃣Cut in 1/8s (and grind seeds & nuts) for age 1. Think 1/2 a pinky finger size.⁣⠀⁠⠀
2️⃣Quarter (and smash seeds & nuts) for age 2⁣⠀⁠⠀
3️⃣Half (or slivered nut pieces) for age 3⁣⠀⁠⠀
4️⃣Most kids are fine to eat unmodified food at or after age 4⁣⠀⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
🚫Some foods to avoid until 4 (partial list)⁣:⁣⠀⁠⠀
- spoonfuls of nut or seed butter⁣⠀⁠⠀
- popcorn⁣⠀⁠⠀
- chewy candy, hard candy, or gum⁣⠀⁠⠀
- tortilla chips⁣⠀⁠⠀
- marshmallows⁣⠀⁠⠀
- whole hot dogs, whole nuts, whole grapes or cherry tomatoes, raw whole carrots, whole apples, whole cheese sticks, large chunks of cheese, other whole round or hard foods⁣⠀⁠⠀
⁠⠀
🙌Be prepared⁣. It is great to take an infant/child CPR class if you have that resource available to you! ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Would you tag another mom who would like this information?⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⁣

09/07/2020

Wow! This gender reveal smoke bomb has caused a raging wild fire. So heartbreaking. It’s at over 7,000 acres now and uncontrolled.

Even though this same thing happened back in 2017 as well I somehow didn’t know about it. (In that instance it did in excess of 8M$ in damage and burned 47,000 acres. 😞)

If you’re having a gender reveal party it would be a wise choice to opt for something other than the smoke bomb.

One of the multiple wildfires burning in California was started during a gender-reveal party, officials said.

09/06/2020

Did you know that monitoring doesn’t improve outcomes? 😱

In a healthy pregnancy and labor there is no reason for this to be the norm.

How can we move and do the work of labor with scratchy, squeezey, and pokey interventions? These are SO uncomfortable.
Being uncomfortable (or anxious, or afraid) blocks the flow of oxytocin and can delay labor.
Comfort and movement are key to labor progress and good positioning.

Did you know you have the right to have intermittent monitoring?
They don’t need to “allow” you to go belt-free!
(Though sometimes it’s hard to find someone comfortable with manual intermittent monitoring- or with the time to attend to moms individually- if you’re birthing in a hospital. Often this is left up to the preference of the nurses in my experience.)

You can ask for auscultation. 😀❤️ It is intermittent monitoring, done usually by a midwife, montrice, or nurse, periodically.
It can be done several ways:
*A special hollow stethoscope called a Pinard device.
* A handheld Doppler device, like what is used at appointments during pregnancy.
* The transducer that’s usually put in place with a belt can be held on mom’s stomach to find the heart rate.

Did you have many wires and attachments during labor?
Did they explain the risks vs benefits?
That it is not evidence based or that being continuously monitored raised your chance for a surgical birth by 63%? 😱

More info here with many studies and facts and other options to keep an eye on baby and know they are doing well 👇🏼

https://www.sacredsagebirths.com/sacred-sage-doulas-blog/2020/1/17/qbju3ubocn50uq5dt7uwalxfkj36aa

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/tag/intermittent-monitoring/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4010242/

https://m.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Approaches-to-Limit-Intervention-During-Labor-and-Birth

Questions? I’ll try to answer them all in the comments. ❤️

of photo from N.E. Ohio Doula, Midwifery and Postpartum services