Wellmama

Research has shown us that delaying a newborn’s first bath for at least 24 hours (and no less than 6 hours) after birth has a direct impact on breastfeeding success rates. Delaying the bath encourages plenty of time for skin to skin and establishes bonding and breastfeeding, while reducing the risk of unnecessary stress on the baby. Bathing too early can cause instabilities in temperature and blood sugar. Your baby is born with a protective layer of vernix, which contains antimicrobial properties that protect against infection, and immune proteins similar to those found in breast milk. Rubbing the vernix into baby’s skin is the only bath she needs! Some parents will choose to delay the first bath until at least 24 hours postpartum (which is in line with the World Health Organization’s recommendations), when mom is feeling well enough to participate and learn from the nurses. Other parents choose to wait up to a month or more, only carefully wiping down baby as needed.  Delaying...

We assemble our birth team with careful research; we know who we want in the birth room with us and who can wait to be invited in later. We curate the mood with music and lighting, we read books and take classes and do our best to educate ourselves about how best to prepare for pregnancy and labor.  And then baby arrives and we are sent home. In some cases recovering from major surgery, or an unplanned transfer from the birthing place you chose. Often times the whirl of emotions, huge fluctuations in hormones, and sleep deprivation create a perfect storm, and we are left wondering how we can keep it all together while being responsible for a human life entirely dependent on yours.  There is no routine postpartum checkup until 6 weeks, at which point you are typically told you can resume physical activity and be on your merry way. Who is checking on you during those 6 weeks and beyond? Who is there to answer your feeding questions not if but when they occur? Does your partn...

Planning for postpartum begins during pregnancy. It’s an excellent time to meet with a postpartum doula and start making and talking through your list! Preparing for the Fourth Trimester: ▫️ Do your research. Feeding, sleep, vaccines, circumcision, diapering, baby products and gear. There is obviously A LOT to consider before baby comes! Talk to professionals or other trusted parties who can help you find current, research-based information. ▫️ Prepare your nest. Stock up on healthy snack foods to keep in baskets near your nursing zones. Invest in a good water bottle. Set up and stock your diaper changing station(s). Stock your freezer with meals you can pull and reheat. Make sure you have plenty of comfortable, soft, stretchy clothes such as leggings, pajamas, nursing camis, robe, etc. You will be spending a lot of time at home, so have a few things that make you happy to look at (flowers, naturally scented candles, photos, salt lamp)! Make a list of podcasts, audiobooks, and ...

Babywearing is a beautiful way to incorporate attachment parenting into your daily life. It gives your baby (or toddler!) the security of being close to you as well as the numerous physiological benefits of touch: Stronger immune system, lowered stress levels, and oxytocin-boosting...just to name a few! All of this while freeing up your hands. Babies who are too distracted or fussy to nurse will often happily breastfeed in a soft carrier, and many babies love to nap in them as well. There were a several months when I could only get Milo to sleep in the sling and then I would either sit down and loosen the wrap but keep him on me, or transfer him to bed. It is completely normal for your baby to prefer to fall asleep (and stay asleep) on you! Contact naps are a great way to enjoy some quiet time for yourself with baby snuggled close, or you can wear your snoozing baby while catching up on chores or playing with older children.  There are so many different kinds of baby carriers a...

There is much healing to be done after you have a baby, and keeping a stash of freezer pads (or “padsicles”) can bring some much-needed relief in the early days. The cold is temporarily numbing while the herbs or solutions can reduce swelling and inflammation and speed up tissue recovery. You can make a beautiful herbal concentration using a mix of calendula, plantain, chamomile and marshmallow; using about a half cup of each dried herb, boil about 8 cups of water, add the herbs and let steep covered for at least 20 minutes or preferably longer. You can then strain and add this concentrated liquid to sitz baths or peri bottles, or pour over several overnight maxi pads and freeze them on a piece of foil. Alternately, if you don’t have dried herbs (mountain rose and heart of herbs are both good places to order from), you can simply use alcohol-free witch hazel (available at any drug store) and pure aloe vera gel (no fragrances or dies). Soak the pads with the with hazel first (maybe ...