Parenthood in Bloom

12/23/2025

Consent can sound like many things but consent is always:
🤗 Freely given
🔄 Reversible
💡 Informed
🎉 Enthusiastic
📍 Specific

12/20/2025

We get it — it’s freezing outside and those big fluffy coats are tempting. But when it comes to car seats, bulky jackets and thick coats can actually put kids at risk.

Here’s why 👇
❄️ Puffy coats create extra space in the harness
❄️ In a crash, that padding compresses
❄️ Straps that felt “tight” suddenly aren’t

The safer move:
✔️ Buckle kids in snug without the bulky coat
✔️ Do the “pinch test” — no slack means you’re good
✔️ Then place the coat or a blanket over the harness

Cold kids = uncomfortable
Loose car seats = dangerous

Stay warm, stay safe, and make sure everyone arrives buckled up the right way. 🚓💙

12/19/2025

When I arrived at this mother’s home, she was lying on the couch, laboring so peacefully that it was hard to believe she was in active labor (7cm and not a peep from this woman).

There were no mantras being chanted, affirmations on the walls, candles lit, or anything else to create a serene space – all of the strength was carried directly within this family that trusted the process of birth.

As she got closer to delivery and the midwife arrived, mom transferred to the tub. After a relatively short amount of time and a quick pushing stage, dad helped catch the baby.

Have you considered having your partner assist with delivery? While this is largely up to the care team you are with, I have seen providers in both, home and hospital settings give space for partners to step in and catch the baby, which always makes for such an extra special moment!

12/19/2025

It's okay, there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

Art by

12/16/2025

One of the most effective tools we have for managing labor discomfort is interestingly enough also one of our fundamental needs: water! 💧

What are some of the key benefits attributed to laboring in water? 🚿
* Significant pain relief
* Enhanced relaxation
* Shorter labor
* Less interventions
* Lower risk of tearing

Not all hospitals offer hydrotherapy as an option, especially in the form of a tub, unfortunately. If this is something important to you, it’s definitely worth finding a facility supportive of you!

These facilities in Northeast Ohio and Western PA offer tubs for laboring: 🛁
* Summa in Akron
* The Midwife Center in Pittsburgh
* Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest in Mayfield Heights
* UPMC Horizon in Farrell
* AHN Wexford in Wexford
* UPMC Magee in Pittsburgh
* Home!

Did you use a shower or tub/pool during your labor? If so, did you find it to be therapeutic?

12/16/2025

“U.S. News evaluates how well hospitals perform in childbirth using C-section rates, newborn severe complication rates, routine vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC) rates, episiotomy rates, best practices to support breast milk feeding, whether a hospital meets federal criteria for "birthing-friendly" practices, and whether a hospital tracked and reported disparities in outcomes. In 2026, 495 top hospitals for Maternity care have been recognized as High Performing.”

Local hospitals that ranked
• UMPC
• Cleveland Clinic
• MetroHealth
• Summa
• UH

Full List Below ⬇️

Compare hospital ratings for Maternity and Perinatal Care. Find hospitals that provide high-quality labor & delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies.

12/16/2025

We are thrilled to announce that we have been named a 2026 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report, the highest designation possible in the publication's annual Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ranking.

U.S. News awards the High Performing designation for maternity care as measured by factors such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, birthing-friendly practices and breast milk feeding rates, among other measures. The annual study evaluated about 900 hospitals across the United States.

“This recognition is a testament to the incredible dedication and expertise of our entire maternity care team,” said Donald Wiper, MD, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Every day, our physicians, midwives, nurses and support staff work tirelessly to provide safe, compassionate and evidence-based care for mothers and babies. Being named a High Performing Hospital by U.S. News & World Report reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence and to the families we serve.”

Learn more: https://www.metrohealth.org/en/newsroom/2025/metrohealth-named-one-of-best-hospitals-for-maternity-care/

12/16/2025

UPMC Horizon has received recognition from U.S. News & World Report as a 2026 High-Performing hospital for Maternity Care.

12/15/2025

When interviewing your homebirth midwife, make sure she has these skills and that she talks in depth about them.

12/14/2025

When we are experiencing major life events, we often look for signs to guide us through moments of uncertainty; that little shove to send us off the fence and into a confident decision.

Finding out baby is breech is a tough pill to swallow for most families. Even with specific maneuvers, chiropractic care, acupuncture, procedures, and so on, we cannot guarantee baby will rotate head down. And quite frankly, sometimes there is a good reason baby chose that position, in which we should respect that.

I accompanied mom to a scheduled ECV. Dad was able to get the day off of work and join us, as well, and even their favorite OBGYN happened to be in the hospital that day!

But what is an ECV? An ECV is formally known as “External Cephalic Version.” It is a non-surgical maneuver where a provider uses their hands on the birthing parent’s abdomen to gently rotate a breech or transverse baby to a head-down position, increasing the chance of a vaginal delivery. ECVs are successful more than 50% of the time, and, as any intervention, does come with risks, including emergency c-section due to distress or imminent vaginal delivery due to factors like ruptured membranes.

Together, mom and dad prayed over their decisions – over their baby, the health of the mother, the connection of the family.

Unified and surrounded by their chosen support, they welcomed a beautiful little girl into the world that day 🌸

12/14/2025

No one ever mentioned how deeply I’d ache for all the little people you’ve already been.

The newborn who curled into me like you were still learning the world…
those tiny, folded fingers,
that whisper–soft breathing,
the way your eyelids danced while you dreamed.

Then came the baby who could barely crawl but still paused to check that I hadn’t gone far.
The brand-new one-year-old who explored everything with a grin,
who beamed when I sang,
who clapped along with that silly song until laughter took over your whole body.

Every season of you seems to vanish right when my heart finally settles into it.
And it’s not just the memories I long for —
it’s the versions of you I’ll never get to hold again.

12/12/2025

Have you ever heard of the term “walking epidural?”

It refers to a type of epidural that uses lower medication doses in such a manner that the birthing person can experience pain relief while retaining mobility.

It is a truly fantastic option that I wish was more widely accessible. One of the biggest downfalls of an epidural is the limited mobility, and how that alone can impact baby’s descent, as well as pushing.

This mom was able to stand on her own and squat while pushing with her epidural in place 🤯

I have now seen what I would argue to be “walking epidurals” at AHN West Penn in Pittsburgh and Summa in Akron. Hopefully more hospitals will get on board soon!