The Birth Lounge Blog

How an Active Pregnancy Fosters an Enjoyable Pregnancy As a physical therapist and mother of two, I am passionate about helping other women have an enjoyable pregnancy. As a society, we need to take better care of our mothers. We are the caregivers of the world and should be treated as such. Growing and birthing a human being is a freaking super power. I’m here to empower you to enjoy this monumental time in your life. Being pregnant is hard work. Pregnancy can be draining emotionally and physically. Our bodies are adapting to different hormones and a different weight distribution. Our sleeping patterns are changing and our stress levels may be rising. You might be taking care of other children or working outside the home. So, how do we get through nine months of growing a baby and a changing body while still feeling well mentally and physically? Pain and leakage--common but no longer the standard! Low back pain, pelvic pain, hip pain, and urinary incontinence are all common sympt...

Cesarean Recovery Written by: Sarah Everly No matter how we bring our children into this world, our bodies will have some healing to do. Bringing a baby earthside is physically taxing, and involves so many different systems of the human body. In the case of cesarean delivery, there are a few more steps added to the recovery process. We tend to neglect these steps when leaving the hospital, but it’s important to know what tools are available in your recovery toolbox. Here are the five most impactful tools that ensure a faster and more complete recovery.  1. Walking - After surgery your epidural or spinal will be removed and over the next few hours the numbness will begin fading away. While you may leave the OR expecting to take it as easy as possible, you will quickly find that the first task on your “to-do list” is getting up and taking a walk through the hospital corridor. While this can be painful and feel like it adds insult to injury, ambulation is imperative to proper recovery...

What You Really Need to Know About Formula and How to Choose the Right One for Your Baby Ignore the labels, it’s all about the ingredients The red-bolded words “anti-colic remedy” on the front of a formula tub can seem pretty promising when you’re standing in the formula isle of Target after several evenings with a fussy baby. This is exactly what the manufacturer intends when marketing their formula brands to parents. They knowingly get paid by targeting vulnerable new moms who are sleep deprived and desperate. Formula brands will advertise products made specifically for things like reducing spit up and gas or to help improve sleep. But, like most things baby related, it’s not a “one size fits all” solution. The ingredients and how they react to your baby’s specific dietary and digestives needs are most important to understand when you’re in the process of choosing a formula. And I say process because you are most likely going to need to change formulas at least once or twice, and t...

How to Choose a Good Prenatal This is one of the most common questions we get! It can be so overwhelming to dive into what seems like hundreds of brands. How do you know what to look for? How do you know what brands are trustworthy? Let’s dive in because the answer might surprise you! What are you looking for? Choline : This is one of the most important nutrients that pregnant people need, yet so many providers don’t share (or know?) that it is SO important! Many older docs don’t keep up with updated research and their patients pay the price! (This is a shameless plug for yet another reason to join The Birth Lounge so you have direct access to all updated research to make your own choices about your care + know what questions to discuss with your provider.) Choline is essential in brain and spinal cord development-- specifically the hippocampus which is involved in memory! Most pregnant women in the U.S. are not achieving choline intake recommendations of 450 mg/day. The yolk of eggs...

Giving Birth during the coronavirus? Here's what you need to know, mama. (This was an article Hehe wrote originally for Motherly, you can view the full article  HERE . Pregnancy brings so many questions, but giving birth during a pandemic can be plain overwhelming. It likely seems as if your questions are never-ending, and the more answers you get, the more questions come up. There is likely so much on your mind right now: Will I need to give birth without my partner? Will I have limited pain relief options? Am I going to be separated from my baby? It's so much to think about, and it can feel scary. As you think about your birth, one of your biggest fears is likely a sense of having a lack of control throughout this process. Mama, you are not alone. Thousands of couples are in the same boat, and I want to share some ways to cope with this shift.  For HeHe's advice and support for those feeling anxious about their pregnancy and upcoming birt...

Nationwide Childbirth Classes Leave Millions of Parents in a Scramble (This was an article Hehe wrote originally for Pregnancy Magazine, you can view the full article  HERE . Having an online community is more important than ever with the spread of COVID-19. We all know babies don’t stop coming just because there’s a pandemic . Limiting social contact means planned events, meetings and classes are being canceled all over the country. For expecting parents, this includes their childbirth education classes.. A class meant to inform, prepare and reduce anxiety around becoming a new parent, but so many have been canceled without information on rescheduling. Talk about anxiety! Studies also show that postpartum depression becomes much more of a concern if there is a lack of social support after childbirth. This current medical outbreak has taken social support right out the window and new parents all over the country are desperate for connections with other new parents. F...

This was written by HeHe Stewart M.S., FLE, IFS,  Founder of Tranquility by HeHe Maternity Concierge  Update on Covid-19 China : 80,932 confirmed cases, 63,901 recoveries, 3172 deaths Italy : 12,462 confirmed cases, 1,045 recoveries, 827 deaths US : 1,663 confirmed cases, 6 recoveries, 33 deaths which 31 were in Washington state (hotspot due to the nursing home outbreak) Totaling : 117 countries and regions, 55K active cases For the US numbers, keep in mind that we are still in the beginning stages of collecting dates and not all states have tests yet. The sample size isn't really large enough or accurate enough (consider all the folks who have likely had coronavirus and didn't get tested or didn't realize it was corona) to get an accurate read on what the US looks like right now. If you look at the big numbers, there's less than five thousand deaths and the recovery rate is only rising. These are positive things.  You can view all of these number...

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 ...

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 ...

Hey Tranquility Tribe! This week we’re going straight for the gut - HeHe has enlisted Liz Bane, a wellness concierge and a holistic health coach certified by the Institute of Integrated Nutrition to help us understand this often mentioned yet often misunderstood system in our bodies. Liz is here to share all her best tips and tricks to helping your gut function at its optimal ability! Gut 101 So what exactly is your gut? Your gut starts at the back of your throat in your esophagus, goes down to your stomach, through  your large and small intestine and out the back where you go to the bathroom. It is the largest organ in your body, second only to your skin! The health of the gut impacts your entire well-being, from your brain to your muscles to your moods. By caring for your gut, you’re caring for your entire body, and this is why it’s so important for a pregnant person to care for their gut! A healthy gut is an essential aspect of...

Do You have a Hormone Imbalance? Hormone Imbalances come in all different shapes, sizes, colours. From acne to heavy periods, from stubborn weight gain to light or no periods, your hormonal imbalance could look completely different from Sally’s down the street. Now, you’re probably asking yourself, “what the heck is a hormonal imbalance?” I’m so glad you asked! Hormonal Imbalance is a term thrown around a lot in the wellness world, but it’s not defined or explained very often. Hormonal Imbalance simply means the ratio of hormones in your body (i.e. estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) is out of balance. Ideally, in the first half of your menstrual cycle Estrogen should be dominant, then as you get into the second half of your cycle progesterone takes over and rises. This seesaw should happen every month (or 21-33 days) but what a lot of women struggle with is progesterone not taking over in the second half of their cycles. That’...