Comfort nursing can be a tool to promote a bond and closeness between mother and baby, and it can continue after breastfeeding stops for as long as you and baby both enjoy the process. Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be all or nothing. I comfort-nursed my baby until she was just over three years old, and it was only because she eventually stopped asking. One mom’s story with comfort nursing Comfort nursing is often described as babies going to the breast when they need comfort and not receiving a full feed. But you don’t often hear of comfort nursing without nutritional value. You probably liste ..read more

You knew your baby would come home from the hospital in diapers, but were you prepared for the reality that you would be, too? Here’s our pick for the best postpartum diapers for life after birth. Preparing for the postpartum period can be overwhelming for new moms that don’t fully know what to expect or what the best postpartum products are. As you navigate the world of motherhood, there are a few different things to consider, such as the type of postpartum diaper that best suits your needs when healing from birth. Finding the right postpartum diaper can make all the difference in your daily ..read more

You knew your baby would come home from the hospital in diapers, but were you prepared for the reality that you would be, too? Here’s our pick for the best postpartum diapers for life after birth. Preparing for the postpartum period can be overwhelming for new moms that don’t fully know what to expect or what the best postpartum products are. As you navigate the world of motherhood, there are a few different things to consider, such as the type of postpartum diaper that best suits your needs when healing from birth. Finding the right postpartum diaper can make all the difference in your daily ..read more

After birth, we’re told to be vigilant about signs of postpartum depression, but not many realize that postpartum mood disorders can occur up to 18 months (or more) after birth. Welcoming a new baby into the family can be among the most joyous times imaginable. Still, for many mothers, the reality of the situation ends up being so far from this. Postpartum depression is a condition that affects about 1 in 7 women, and every mother’s experience is likely to be vastly different from the next.   Editor’s note: this article is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. If you ..read more

While the hospital or birthing place typically provides a birthing gown for you, there are many benefits to packing your own. Here are the best birthing gowns and why we love them. The list of things you must prepare before your baby arrives into the world might seem like it never ends. When packing your hospital bag, you want to bring items that offer you the most comfort and convenience. The gowns that hospitals provide are typically unimpressive; they’re stiff, poor quality, and not ideal for what you’ll want to wear when you’re in labor. Quick shop: the best birthing gowns All-Around Best ..read more

It’s no secret that pregnancy and birth can do a number on our bodies, but you might not have expected digestive issues (past that first postpartum bathroom visit) once your baby was born. Focusing on optimal digestion postpartum is so important, especially in early postpartum. Still, many new mothers face postpartum digestive issues and can’t determine why or what to do. Is it normal to have digestive problems after pregnancy? It’s pretty well-accepted that digestive issues happen after birth, including (but not limited to): constipation, excess gas (especially with cesarean births), and feca ..read more

One mom shares her transition story with a blended family, including her newborn daughter and older stepdaughters, and the “secrets” she learned to make it work. I had just finished a delightful forty-five minutes with a smiley, alert, eager-to-greet the day three-month-old on her changing table. The sun was finally shining in Western New York after days of gray. We FaceTimed with my parents, sang our new morning song, and discussed animal decals on her wall. In short, it was a morning unlike many I’d had since giving birth: calm and joyful. My phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize but ..read more

It can be tricky to figure out if you’re dealing with postpartum anxiety, and some common anxiety-induced scenarios might surprise you. This postpartum anxiety quiz can help. We hear a lot about postpartum depression but not so much about postpartum anxiety. Recent studies have found that only 20% of OBGYNs screen for postpartum anxiety, so it’s up to you to share your symptoms with your doctor. They are not likely going to ask. So how will you know? Maybe you had a few weird moments of panic or worry when you were pregnant, but doesn’t every mother go through a bit of that at the beginning ..read more

With a new baby in the picture, knowing where to place your time and energy outside of motherhood can be overwhelming. Learn a three-step process to help you gain clarity. For many, before the baby came along, your primary focus was probably your career. You would spend long days at work and have everything lined up when you came home. You did everything “right” and took time to think about what you wanted in life. And then the baby came along… And while you prepared endlessly for what car seat and stroller you wanted, you probably didn’t stop to think about how your values or sense of self-w ..read more

If you hope for a vaginal, unmedicated birth, here are five tips to help you prepare and feel supported throughout labor and delivery. Preparing for childbirth can be overwhelming. Experiencing all the changes in your body, choosing a provider, deciding where to deliver, and what birth interventions you want to pursue or avoid–it’s a lot! I decided to deliver in the hospital during my first pregnancy, but I also wanted to avoid as many interventions as possible. But as I researched, I felt most information on unmedicated and low-intervention births was written towards women planning to delive ..read more