Recent Articles
Caring for Your Baby’s First Teeth
We receive a lot of conflicting advice about how to care for our baby, teeth included. This article outlines the measures you should take to help your baby deal with the discomfort of teething, when to start brushing, and when to visit your pediatric dentist.
Everything You Need To Know About Breastfeeding vs Formula
There are so many reasons why a breastfeeding mom might need to add formula into the mix. Contrary to popular belief, supplementing with formula isn’t the end of the world. Doing so doesn't have to wreck your breastfeeding relationship, and you can still retain many of the benefits of breastfeeding. Read on about breastfeeding vs formula.
The Power of a Meditation Habit
Research has proven that meditation provides positive effects on our health and happiness, even if it’s not a daily habit. However, studies show that we can unlock even more benefits when we meditate for consecutive days. In fact, completing just one 10-minute session a day enhances our focus and decision-making, and lessens our feelings of anxiety and depression. It essentially shifts the way we relate to feelings and thoughts, making us more emotionally resilient and allowing us to experience a greater sense of calm, clarity and focus.
This Too Shall Pass
Everything is cyclical, ever-evolving, and ever-changing. No moment in our lives is the same as any other moment. As women, we are more prone to experiencing these changes than men. Women’s bodies ebb and flow, and each menstrual phase brings with it a transient set of emotional and physical qualities. This constant flux gives rise to a cascade of emotions – from sadness, frustration, and depression during menstruation – to feelings of elation and optimism when we are ovulating.
How to be Assertive Without Being Seen as Aggressive
Our assertiveness and strength can unfairly be construed as aggression. This is in part due to the fact that according to stereotypes, women are expected to be acquiescent, ask for permission, and be polite; and so they feel they have to fight for recognition and respect. Furthermore, strong leadership requires firm decision-making, being directive, and holding others accountable. Our ideas what it means to be ‘female’ do not fit our ideas of what it means to be ‘leader’. This disconnect often manifests as an unconscious preference for male leaders, putting women in a very difficult position.
Postpartum Loss of Hair
Postpartum hair loss is a fairly common phenomenon. It occurs in the first year after giving birth and usually peaks at around the four to six month mark. Hair loss is generally nothing to fret about, but you may want to take some measures to make your hair appear healthy and full. Eating a varied diet and taking vitamin-supplements, focusing on self-care activities, skipping the styling, and only shampooing when necessary can help prevent excessive loss of hair.
Loving Yourself
For just a minute, imagine what your life would be if you fully accepted yourself. Instead of beating yourself up and judging everything you feel is wrong with yourself, take a moment to meditate on true self-acceptance. Focusing on self-compassion will allow you to tap into the knowledge that’s hidden deep down in your core: you are perfect just as you are. Right now.
How Meditation Can Help Boost Your Milk Supply
Many mothers find that their milk flows more readily after a meditation or guided relaxation session. Read on to find out how meditation can help improve your milk supply.
When Not to Follow the Rules
As women, we’ve been conditioned from a young age to follow the rules. These are often centered around us being feminine, polite, looking after other people, and not challenging authority. While the topics addressed here are by no means comprehensive, this article intends to address some of the most pervasive social rules women unknowingly follow..
Can Breastfeeding or Breast Milk Cause Jaundice?
After the birth of your baby, exclusive breastfeeding is advocated for the first six months of his or her life. However, it has been found that the yellowing of skin, medically termed, jaundice, is higher amongst breastfed babies than those who are bottle-fed. Patterns of jaundice that are associated with breastfeeding are called ‘breastfeeding jaundice’ or ‘breast milk jaundice’.
Guided Meditation
Life can be overwhelming and stressful, especially when we are projecting stress from the past into the future. Meditation is a powerful practice that can bring you back to the present moment and allow you to objectively view your mental and emotional processes. This has the effect of creating new neural pathways that increase your empathy, compassion, self-awareness, and improve your ability to learn, plan and make clear decisions. Guided meditations are especially useful for beginners, and can help direct you to develop an effective meditation practice.
Postpartum Depression Action Plan
Postpartum hormonal changes and depression can make it extremely difficult to care for yourself or your baby. Affecting around 1 in 7 women after childbirth, postpartum depression is usually much more intense and persistent than the baby blues. The following lifestyle changes and self-care activities can help to relieve your symptoms.
When Can I Stop Burping my Baby?
In general, it has been found that you can stop burping your baby at around the age of 4 – 6 months old. At this stage, the baby's digestive system is mature enough to handle the air that is swallowed, and they will be able to release it themselves. At 4 – 6 months, your baby also has more control of his body, can turn from side to side, can hold his head up effectively, and has started eating solids.
Postpartum Depression Management
Postpartum depression is defined as “any major or minor depressive episode during pregnancy or in the first year after childbirth.” Around one in seven women will suffer from postpartum depression in their lifetime. This article discusses treatment options for postpartum depression.
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum blues due to hormonal changes are common after childbirth. These feelings arise because of a sharp drop in the pregnancy hormones and an increase in hormones that cause anxiety and depression. Severe and prolonged symptoms may be a sign of postpartum depression for which you should seek medical help.
Phototherapy for Jaundice
Phototherapy, or "light therapy," is a treatment doctors prescribe if your newborn appears jaundiced. Phototherapy involves using light, whether sunlight or a similar form of light, to remove accumulated Bilirubin in the body. Read on to learn more.
Postpartum Hormonal Changes Explained
Postpartum blues due to hormonal changes are common after childbirth. These feelings arise because of a sharp drop in the pregnancy hormones and an increase in hormones that cause anxiety and depression. Severe and prolonged symptoms may be a sign of postpartum depression for which you should seek medical help.
Are All Fevers in Your Baby Due to Infections?
Fever is one of the most common reasons parents bring their child to visit a doctor. While fevers usually indicate infections in babies, they can be caused by external factors, teething, and vaccinations. Read on to learn more.
Why Do Babies Spit Up So Much?
Spitting up during or after a feeding is common. The Mayo Clinic estimates that half of all babies spit up during the first three months, and most babies outgrow spitting up by a year. Most cases of spitting up have to do with the fact that your baby’s digestive system—specifically the muscle between their esophagus and tummy—isn’t fully mature yet, so the milk they consume is more likely to come back up.
Is Breastmilk Different on Each Side?
It is common to have one breast that is smaller than the other and which produces less milk. While this is nothing to fret about, it is possible to even out the milk supply of both breasts. This can be achieved by starting your breastfeeding sessions on the less productive side, nursing your baby on that breast more frequently, pumping that side more often, and taking steps to improve your let-down reflex.