In my practice, I hear a lot of questions about the “fourth trimester.” I specialize in perinatal mental health and this subject is near and dear to my heart. What does the fourth trimester refer to exactly? Dr. Harvey Karp started referring to the “fourth trimester” as the first three months of a new baby’s life….
I was born at home and both of my sisters have had natural childbirths in the hospital. I was planning to have a birthing center birth with midwives but at my ultrasound I was told that I have complete placenta previa and I will need to have a c-section. I’m now 30 weeks, I have…
The first trimester is such an exciting time. You have life growing inside of you, everything is changing, and it’s a whole new adventure. At the same time you may feel exhausted, be experiencing all sorts of emotions, and just beginning to navigate your new normal (that will only change just when you get…
If you look around online, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the sheer amount of “must-haves” and “to-gets” when searching for baby items. And for a new parents, and can be downright confusing! Sometimes it’s nice to keep it simple, and in the spirit of that, here is a very short list of my favorite…
Advocating for yourself sounds bizarre right? As a first-time pregnant mother, you are probably wondering why you need to do this as your doctor is completely supportive and you trust them completely. As a mother who has had very healthy complication-free pregnancies, it was an utter shock when I ended up with 3 c-sections. The…
So you’re having a baby. It’s such an exciting time! Your due date is getting closer, and you’ve packed and unpacked your hospital bag more times than you can count- folding and refolding that first, cute outfit for baby to wear home, tiny socks, a nightgown for you…but what do you really need? How do…
Body image is an issue that’s really close to my heart and I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how it affects new moms. It seems to me that women’s feelings about their postpartum bodies often get overlooked, likely because there’s rarely discussion about it. To start the conversation, I reached out to my amazing…
In preparation to write an earth-shattering piece on nutrition for pregnancy, I realized the recommendations we give to pregnant women are suspiciously close to ones we give to regular people. There are the pregnancy-specific no-no’s (no alcohol, smoking, caffeine, raw fish, or lunch meat), but the do’s are common recommendations for a healthy lifestyle: Eat…
1. Be Open Minded Expectant parents have a lot on their plates. From researching and interviewing pediatricians, to reading about the stages of pregnancy and development, and then everything in between, it’s easy to see how overwhelming and stressful it can be to bring new life into the world. Oftentimes new moms and dads blaze…
Patiently awaiting the arrival of your new bundle of joy can often be easier said than done. Many soon-to-be moms in their third trimester are more than ready to have their baby join them on the outside of the womb. But how will you ensure you’re prepared to bring that baby home and have as…
