Cloth Diaper Service

There can be a lot of hesitation around cloth diapering (mostly the DIY part) and especially a cloth diaper service as it feels like just another baby expense. However, it might surprise many to know that a typical family can spend $2,000-$3,000 on disposable diapers per baby for 2 years while cloth diapers run about $800-$1,000 if you wash them yourself and $2,500-$2,800 if you go with a diaper service. (Not to mention the other ways you’re helping to save the environment.) If you’re on the fence, I highly recommend signing up for a service for the first 1-2 months. It’s a great try-it-before-you-buy-it option especially in those early newborn/postpartum recovery days. This is also a wonderfully practical gift for parents-to-be, so add it to your registry!

New Baby Door Sign

In addition to the New Baby Visitor’s Guide (see previous post), this is a sign intended to be placed on the front door for friends and family. Feel free to download and use! :)

New Baby Visitor's Guide

Here is some basic etiquette before arriving at the home. Please share with friends and family and feel free to add any personal preferences to the list!

Gut Prep for Group Beta Strep (GBS)

About 30% of pregnant people will be colonized with Group Beta Strep, a bacteria that typically does not present any signs or symptoms. It is usually only found on a routine and standard vaginal/rectal swab done between 34-37 weeks of pregnancy.

GBS is screened for because if a newborn comes into contact with this bacteria, likely during labor and birth, there is an increased risk of that baby getting very sick and possibly (very rare) even death. The standard of care is to be offered IV antibiotics in labor to treat the bacteria in both the pregnant person and baby (via antibiotics crossing the placenta) prior to the birth. While it may not seem like a big deal to receive antibiotics, nothing is 100% risk-free as antibiotics come with its own set of (small) risks of developing yeast or thrush in the baby and is one less consideration and intervention in labor.

In my practice, I have seen the rate of GBS positive pregnant folks go down to 10%. Much of one’s microbiome stems from the balance of bacteria in the gut. Start implementing gut balancing foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso, kefir, garlic and a multi-strained probiotic) around 32 weeks and continue until the birth for prolonged prevention and protection. 

Headaches During Pregnancy

Headaches and migraines during pregnancy can be common due to surge of hormones, fatigue, stress, low blood sugar and/or dehydration. However, if headaches are persistent especially in the third trimester, please contact your health care provider to rule out other underlying conditions. Some natural remedies for headaches include:

• Hydration with electrolytes

• Eating a protein-rich snack

• Adequate rest with either daily naps and/or going to bed earlier

• Assess stress level and try to implement daily practices of self care even if it’s small ie stop and take 5 deep breaths

• Essential oils: peppermint, lavender, rosemary

• Magnesium supplement

• Caffeine: a cup of green or black tea and/or coffee

• Regular body work: acupuncture, chiropractor and massage to ensure proper blood flow

• Medications: Tylenol and Benadryl but inquire with care provider before using.

Pregnancy & Postpartum Insomnia

It’s very common to have bouts of insomnia during pregnancy. This can come from surges of baby's growth hormones (they do their growing at night), life stressors and/or some say it’s the body’s way of preparing the pregnant person for life with a newborn. You can also experience insomnia in the postpartum phase especially with the frequent night feedings. See below for some helpful daily rituals and tips/tricks when having trouble sleeping.

Daily rituals to help with sleep:

• Take a 60 minute walk

• Remove computer/phone at least 30 minutes before going to bed

• Drink CALM before bed

• Lay on the floor and put legs up the wall before bed. This helps flush blood upward and tends to relax body and mind.

• Read before bed

If you can’t sleep or wake in the night after having been asleep:

• Eat something. Sometimes one wakes up from low blood sugar.

• Use Bach’s Rescue Remedy Sleep Spray

• Drink more CALM as long as it doesn’t cause gastric issues

• Listen to Hypnobirthing guided visualizations

• Take 10 long, slow deep breaths to help focus any racing or nervous thoughts

• Read a book and don’t use your phone

• Aromatherapy in the form of an essential oil or a relaxing pillow sleep spray

• Use white noise app or machine.

Top 5 Books To Help Prepare the Older Sibling For A Home Birth

Children’s books dedicated to pregnancy and birth are a sweet and gentle way to inform and prepare children for the experience of welcoming a new baby into their family. 〰️ Whether you plan to have your child present at the birth or not, it’s still helpful for them to read, visualize, and role play to better integrate this soon-to-be big change in their life!

Postpartum Bedside Essentials

When immediately recovering from the birth, it’s helpful to have these essentials at your fingertips. Put everything in a basket which not only declutters the space but also makes all of your must-have items transportable wherever you find yourself nursing, pumping, napping and/or just off your feet.

Remedies for Pregnancy Nausea

Nausea can be the most uncomfortable and yet reassuring sign of a viable, normal pregnancy. Typically, it presents itself anywhere from 6-8 weeks of pregnancy and can last 1-2 months. Here are some remedies to help curb the discomfort.

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• Graze and snack all day as best not to let blood sugar drop as you will then feel worse. Try to eat a lot of protein rich items (pieces of plain chicken, rice and beans, bone broth, protein smoothies). You tend to want to eat very nostalgic foods in the first trimester especially a lot of white colored items ie crackers, bread, potatoes, pasta… and that’s okay as it helps with the nausea but try to add in the protein so as to sustain blood sugar. 

• Sour/tart things make you salivate more so it helps with digestion and curbs the nausea.

• Stay hydrated especially in the hot weather. Coconut water or water with lemon and a pinch of salt helps your body hold onto the minerals it needs to stay hydrated. 

• Ice cold water is helpful for ‘freezing’ the nausea however, ultimately not the best for digestion.

• Take naps and make sure you are getting enough sleep at night as fatigue can exacerbate symptoms. 

• Go on small walks (again, in hot weather probably best early morning or evening) to metabolize and mobilize hormones so they are not sitting and building up in liver making you feel worse. 

• Acupuncture (a couple times a week, if possible)

• Acupressure bands you wear on wrists for motion sickness. While not always effective, somehow just comforting to wear.

• Homeopathic remedies, inquire if want to know more.

• Ask your care provider about Unisom/B6 combination or the option of prescribed anti-nausea medication

High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force with which your blood moves through the blood vessels in your body when the heart pumps. The blood pressure reading is a reflection of how hard the heart has to work to adequately circulate the blood. The systolic pressure (the top number) measures the heart contracting and the amount of pressure used to push blood through the arteries to the other parts of the body; and the diastolic pressure (the bottom number) is a measurement of the heart relaxing and the pressure it takes to refill with blood before the next contraction.

What determines high blood pressure aka hypertension?

High blood pressure is defined as two blood pressure readings of 140/90, taken at least six hours apart but no more than a couple of days. This is due to the fact that blood pressure is variable throughout the day and can be altered depending on your mood, environment, and interactions. In the U.S., hypertensive disorders (including pre-eclampsia and eclampsia) are the most common cause of medical complications in pregnancy, affecting 2-10% of all pregnancies.

How does one develop gestational hypertension?

The greatest contributors to high blood pressure are stress, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise. Although one could have chronic hypertension (pre-existing high blood pressure before the pregnancy) that she may or may not have been aware of, or it could be pregnancy induced which develops and increases after 20 weeks of gestation.

What are the risks to my pregnancy from having high blood pressure?

The risks associated with gestational hypertension are: lack of adequate oxygen flow to the baby, baby passing meconium, low-birth weight, and possible stillbirth. Furthermore, because the force of blood behind the placenta is increased, the risk of placental abruption (in which the placenta prematurely separates from the uterine wall), is a potentially dangerous situation for both the pregnant person and baby.

High blood pressure is one of the leading signs of pre-eclampsia — a serious condition that can arise at the end of pregnancy and during the early postpartum. Other symptoms include: general malaise, swelling in the pregnant person’s face, slow growth of the baby, visual disturbances, upper abdominal pain, and headaches.

Lastly, high blood pressure developed in pregnancy can become a life long condition that can effect one’s overall health.

How can I prevent developing or remedying hypertension?

* Maintain an adequate diet of 80 grams of protein, sufficient calories (2400-3000) salting to taste and drinking to thirst of at least an 8 oz. glass of clear fluid every 2-3 hours or so.

* Relaxation techniques i.e. hypnotherapy, visualizations of blood vessels expanding, trauma releasing exercise (TRE), stretching, meditating, taking a bath, deep breaths can be used several times daily and lifestyle modified as much as possible to reduce stress and anxiety.

* Moderate exercise can be very beneficial to improve circulatory function i.e. yoga, walking, swimming.

* Avoid stimulants such as strong spices (mustard, black and white pepper, ginger, and nutmeg), black tea, cola drinks, or coffee.

* Add foods and herbs to reduce hypertension:

• Watermelon has the richest edible source of L-citrulline, a type of amino acid that helps promote and regulate healthy blood pressure.

• Buckwheat helps relax blood vessels and improve blood flow and nutrient delivery. It contains almost 86 milligrams of magnesium in a one-cup serving which helps lower blood pressure.

• Raw garlic (causes vasodilation and inhibits platelet build-up and inflammation), parsley (a diuretic that increases the elimination of sodium, potassium and fluid by the kidneys), and onions (contains same nutrient, allicin, as in raw garlic that aids in vasodilation) in large quantities.

• Garlic oil capsules 2-10 or 800 mg daily. Discontinue 3 weeks before due date.

• Cucumber (natural diuretic) – 1⁄2 cup of fresh juice or a whole fresh one daily

• Juice of half a fresh lemon (blood vessels soft and pliable and removes their rigidity which in turn lowers the high blood pressure) or lime plus 2 tsp. cream of tartar (high potassium level which controls bp due to decreasing amounts of sodium in system) in half a cup of water, once daily for three days. This can be repeated once after a rest of two days.

• Hops tea (sleep-inducing herb that calms nerves) 1 tsp. to 1 cup of boiling water steeped 20 min. Can safely and effectively be used nightly during the last four months of pregnancy CAUTION: Hops is contraindicated for regular use throughout pregnancy, or for use during the first trimester, due to its hormonal precursors.

• Passionflower (a relaxant as it increases the brain’s levels of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that turns down the volume of activity in the emotional center of the brain.) 2-4 capsules daily or 15 drops of tincture three times daily; must be taken for several weeks to obtain the best result.

• Skullcap infusion (helps in reducing physical stress) 1 oz. to 1 qt. boiling water; cover and steep for 4-6 hours 1-2 cups daily as it builds and strengthens nervous system.

• Hawthorn berries (work cumulatively to strengthen the heart and is said to help improve and prevent congenital heart defects) 1 oz. crushed dried berries in 2 cups cold water steeped overnight brought quickly to a boil, strained and sipped 1 cup daily. Tincture dosage
  is 15 drops 2-3 times daily.

* Vitamin supplements containing magnesium, calcium, and potassium in a balanced formula

* Homeopathic remedies are chosen based on various specific details of the person seeking treatment, so consult with midwife or specialist.

* Adapted from “Holistic Midwifery: Vol. 1” by Anne Frye and “The Natural Pregnancy Book” by Aviva Jill Romm