The Birth Lounge Blog

What to Expect: 20 Weeks Look at you! You've made it half way through this journey! This is an exciting time because your belly has most likely popped out by now making you look visibly pregnant (i.e.: people can stop wondering if you're just a little pudgy). It also means that the risk of complications goes down as you've been able to sustain a healthy pregnancy for 5 months. The second trimester is filled with a series of tests so buckle up! The 20th week, specifically, has tons of tests that you need to be aware of and prepare for. I also want you to know the what and why of the tests/screenings. At this point in your pregnancy, your medical provider will want to see your baby which is exciting for you, too! You get to see your baby, hear their heartbeat, and learn about their anatomy! Yes, this means find out whether you're expecting a little bit or a little girl. If you're wanting to keep the gender of your baby a secret, you will want to share this wi...

Hey Tranquility Tribe! When the excitement of a possible pregnancy rolls around, you want to be sure you’re getting the most accurate result when it comes to a pregnancy test. With so many tests lining the aisles of any given drugstore or supermarket, it can be overwhelming trying to find a test that you can trust. Today, we’re going to break down what goes into an accurate home pregnancy test so you can be ready next time that you’re in need!  While digital and traditional both detect pregnancy the same way - by detecting the presence of a hormone produced by an embryo, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), in urine. Digital tests can detect it at a lower level than traditional tests, meaning they may able to detect a pregnancy earlier. Digital and traditional tests differ also in the way that the test results are displayed . With traditional tests, you get the one line or two lines to indicate the results like you see in movies, ...

Hey Tranquility Tribe! In the mama-to-be world, there’s always tons of focus on medication-free childbirth and avoiding an epidural at all costs. However, there are plenty of women who get an epidural and make the choice to do so from the start. Today, we’re going to explore some of the reasons that a woman may want to get an epidural - it’s as valid of a choice as the one some women make to avoid an epidural at all costs! Fear  While childbirth is a natural part of life, it can still feel so unknown and simply be scary as heck! The pain of labor can be a huge cause of anxiety and the numbing of that pain can help relax a woman and calm those anxious thoughts.  Feeling in control  With the pain of birth, it can be nearly impossible to focus on anything besides either the grips of a contraction or bracing for the next one. This can leave some women with a feeling of loss of control over themselves, which can be even...

Hey Tranquility Tribe! When you’re an expecting mama, you’ve probably been anxious and ready to meet your baby since the day that test came back positive! Pregnancy is quite the journey, and as you get closer and closer to your due date, you may be counting down the seconds for that day to finally come. But what about when the big due date arrives and there has not even been a sign of labor starting anytime soon? Your mind need not automatically start to prepare for an induction - there’s another option too! Today we’re going to be giving you all the information you need to know in order to know if a membrane sweep is right for you! First of all - what exactly is a membrane sweep? The name sounds a bit terrifying, but it’s a fairly low-key process! The sweep is done physically by your provider’s gloved finger, who inserts it in your cervix to physically, manually separate the membranes of the amniotic sac away from the uterine wall. The ...

Plus-sized Pregnancies 101 Hey Tranquility Tribe! Pregnancy can be a tough journey for anybody, but if you’re plus-size, the journey can be even tougher. However, there are so many things you can do as a plus-size mama to help yourself along this journey, and we’re here to give you the low-down on that today! 50 percent of today’s pregnant moms are overweight and 1 in 4 are obese. The higher body mass index, or BMI, you have, the higher your risk for complications like pre-eclampsia, blood clots and premature birth becomes. One of the most common complications plus-size women face in pregnancy is gestational diabetes - overweight women are anywhere from two to eight times more likely to develop it, and unfortunately the condition can lead to further complications like preterm labor and increased risk of c-section.   While this may sound frightening, it’s important to remember that being plus-size doesn’t automatically make ...

Continuing the Conversation: Perinatal Mental Health with Jess Vanderwier Part 2!   (This is a two part episode! To catch up and check out Part 1, click  here !) Hey TBH Village! This week, we’re back to continue our super important conversation with mental health therapist Jess Vanderwier about postpartum mood disorders. Let’s dive back in! When it comes to treatment, it all loops back into the risk factors that cause  postpartum depression  and  anxiety  issues in the first place. A professional can help you evaluate all the aspects of your postpartum life that can contribute to these issues. For example, in terms of biology, it would be important to get a physical checkup, especially concerning your thyroid, to make sure there is not an underlying issues causing symptoms.  Sleep  is another important factor to look at it, as lack of it can both cause and exacerbate issues - yo...

Hey Villagers! Let’s be honest - there’s nothing quite like the excitement of brand new baby rolling into town. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or neighbor who has added a new tiny human to their home, you may be waiting on the edge of your seat to meet the new babe. Before you go running to get your share of baby snuggles, there are a few unspoken rules you should keep in mind when it comes to visiting a newborn and we’re going to break those down for you today. First of all - when exactly is it okay to come knocking on their door? Ask when it would be a convenient time for them and never come over unannounced.  Definitely come with a practical gift in tow - you can never go wrong with food for a busy new family! Maybe pick up some fruit or something else fresh as they’re probably relying on the freezer for most of their meals. Always lend a helping hand during your visit. Offer to take care of those dishes in the sink ...

Mucus Production & Pregnancy Doesn't sound awesome, but doesn't sound too bad, does it? You're probably thinking a runny nose and you're not too far off, but it can also look like ear infections and sinus infections. During pregnancy, your hormones rage (duh!), but the specific surges in estrogen does helpful things like increasing blood supply to your vaginal area and creating your mucus plug. Since you're pregnant, you can't take most medications. Even if you could, many people choose to limit medication consumption during pregnancy and nursing. So what are you to do? Just be a walking snot factory for 9+ months? No, not at all. Like everything else, you have some choice here on your approaches. Here are a few remedies to clear mucus : - Chiropractic care - Drinking lots of water - Adding electrolytes to your water - Eating garlic + onions - Cutting down (consider eliminating) dairy - Netti po...

(This is also an episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, listen here  for part 1 of this series!) The transition to motherhood is an exciting time, but what’s often not talked about in our culture is how scary and lonely that transition into the unknown can be. In this two part series, we’re going to be going into the nitty of gritty of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in hopes of erasing the stigma and increasing your awareness of these postpartum possibilities.   Jess Vanderwier is a mental health therapist and mother who experienced a pretty rough transition to motherhood herself. She had a pretty normal pregnancy until about 22 weeks, when she started feeling some really strong cramping. In the emergency room, she found out she was at high risk for preterm labor and her life quickly transitioned from one of a busy, working woman finishing up graduate school to someone stuck on bed rest. While she thankfully carried the b...

[This is also an episode on The Birth Lounge Podcast on listen  here .] Hey Villagers! Y’all requested this topic like no other and HeHe is so excited to sit down this week and talk all things CBD and motherhood! From the history and science of hemp to the stigma surrounding using CBD to get your body and mind optimized to be the best mom you can be, we’re covering it all. HeHe enlisted the help of Ashley Reynolds, mom of two and the president and cofounder of Elmore Mountain Therapeutics in Vermont. EMT is a CBD company founded by Ashley and her husband in 2017 and they specialize in whole hemp plant CBD rich extract. Using evidence-based knowledge, they’ve produced their own topical balms and sublingual tincture - HeHe uses the balm and swears by it for everything from period pain to belly aches to scrapes and cuts! Ashley’s Journey Shortly after the birth of her 2nd child in 2016, Ashley began to struggle with postpartum anxie...