The Birth Lounge Blog

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...

[This is also an episode on The Tranquility Tribe Podcast on iTunes. Listen  here .] All about Holly Holly Grill-Spall is the author of the bestselling book Sweetening The Pill: Or How We Got Hooked On Hormonal Birth Control , which began as a blog and is now being developed into a documentary! She’s been featured She’s been featured in publications all over ranging from The Guardian to NPR to the Washington Post to Vogue, and Vice called her “the poster girl for a movement of women abandoning the pill in favor of contraceptives that don't wreak havoc on their body and mind.” Holly has travelled all over the world leading workshops to empower women to take back their bodies from synthetic birth control. Holly’s passion for the subject came out of her own experience taking Yaz for 10 years, starting at age 17. Holly experienced very serious side effects, including effects on her mental health, leading her down a path of research into ev...

{ Snag your seat in our  FREE TRAINING  to master your mindset for birth without the fear and anxiety! } 10 Apps Every New Parent Needs Apps make life easier. That is a no-brainer. Wanna lose weight? There's an app for that. Wanna find a hot date? There's an app for that! Wanna order food so you don't have to leave your lulu's and the couch? No problem, there's an app for that. There's even an app that you see a doctor when you're sick and you never have to leave home! Now, THAT is concierge service and I'm here for that. While I can't move in with every Tranquility by HeHe family, although that would be fun, I can offer you a list of apps that I use in my daily life as a Maternity Concierge and recommend these to every single one of our clients. These apps will get your more sleep, help you support your child's development, and carve out a bit of self-care time for yourself! I wouldn't dare ...

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’...

What is Seed Cycling and Why Should You Do it? How Do You "Seed Cycle?" Seed cycling is when you rotate different types of seeds in your diet to align with the part of your menstrual cycle you are in. In the first half of your cycle you consume seeds which contribute to estrogen production and in the second half of your cycle you consume seeds which are naturally more progesterone producing in the body. Follicular Phase (Days 1-14) Starting on Day 1 of your period add 2 tablespoons of raw ground flax seeds or pumpkin seeds to your diet. You can add them into a smoothie, top your oatmeal, or add them to your salad. Everyday until ovulation, you’ll have 2 tablespoons of raw ground flax seeds or pumpkin seeds. You can alternate between pumpkin and flax or have them both, it’s up to you. If you don’t get a regular period or you haven’t been getting a period, start seed cycling on the first day of the full moon an...

Advocating for Yourself During Birth with HeHe Hey Tranquility Tribe! This week, HeHe told the story of Caroline Maletesta of Alabama, whose nurses aggressively prevented her from birthing how she needed to, leaving her traumatized and permanently injured. While situations like this are rare and unfortunate, it’s important to arm yourself with information and techniques to advocate for yourself in birthing situations extreme or small. Things to Know HeHe wants you to know that it’s rare to not be able to have a choice in almost all aspects of your maternity care! Outside of special situations like having a medical condition that requires certain stipulations, you truly are the person in charge in the labor and delivery room. That’s why it is so crucial to arm yourself with knowledge concerning evidence-based care regarding all sorts of situations that may arise during your birth, so you can walk away from your birth feeling confiden...