As the executive director of Lamaze International, I am pleased to see “Lamaze” mentioned in media publications. Some recent publicity, while exciting, was also a bit disappointing due to the erroneous and dated information about the organization. On August 2, 2023, the New York Times (NYT) crossword puzzle answer included the association. The clue, however, was “breathing exercises.” A revised clue is needed. The foundation of Lamaze is and always has been more than “breathing exercises.” It's time to bury it once and for all, six feet down and three across. The Lamaze Board of Directors and ..read more

You have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), have been medicated for a while, or recently started treatment. And you are pregnant. One of your most pressing questions might be whether it is safe to continue with medication. The stimulants help you function during the day. They successfully tame your ADHD symptoms. But do they put your baby's brain development at risk? Unfortunately, pregnant people are often excluded from research on medication. The ADHD community, though, received some welcoming news. A long-overdue study investigated children's brain development after exposure t ..read more

Adapted from Giving Birth with Confidence, 3rd Edition.  Research supports the traditional practice of keeping parents and newborns together. Evidence shows that this is a key element of nature's plan. People experiencing natural birth have high levels of catecholamines, oxytocin, and endorphins. Catecholamines ensure that parent and baby are alert and ready to get to know each other. Oxytocin helps raise a birthing parent's body/chest/breast temperature and helps them feel calm and responsive. As they hold baby skin to skin, baby's hand and head movements stimulate more oxytocin and endo ..read more

Welcome to the first four weeks of postpartum in this month-by-month checklist guide to a healthy pregnancy, birth, and postpartum! This to-do list with a twist contains key tips and action items for optimal health and birth and post-birth preparation, in addition to reminders for fun things, too.  Take a look at the checklists from months 1-10 of pregnancy. Healthy Pregnancy & Birth To-Do List: Postpartum, Weeks 1-4 Weeks 1-4 post-birth is the beginning of what is referred to as "postpartum." While postpartum is often defined as the first 6-8 weeks after birth, some po ..read more

Adapted from Giving Birth with Confidence, 3rd Edition.  Many doctors and nurses discourage laboring people from pushing until their cervix is completely dilated and/or encourage them to hold their breath and push as hard as they can without a natural urge once their cervix is fully dilated (called "directed pushing"). There's no research to support these practices. Breath holding without the natural urge to do so is exhausting and deprives a baby of much-needed oxygen. In fact recent research suggests that directed pushing is more stressful for the baby and is associated with increased r ..read more

Instantly quitting alcohol for pregnancy can feel challenging and disappointing. It's common to feel like you're missing out on the fun. The good news is, alcohol itself isn't the source of "fun," but rather it's the event and time spent with others that produces good feelings. If you're feeling down about being sober, focus instead on the ritual of drinking with a fun mocktail instead. Here are some suggestions for what to order (instead of just water or soda) when you're out: Soda water with lime/lemon and/or cranberry Virgin versions of alcoholic mixed drinks on the menu Non-alcoholic beer ..read more

Welcome to Month 10 of your month-by-month checklist guide to a healthy pregnancy and birth! This to-do list with a twist contains key tips and action items for optimal health and birth preparation, in addition to reminders for fun things, too. Looking for later months? Stay tuned as we post about the postpartum month in the coming weeks! Take a look at the checklists from previous months. Healthy Pregnancy & Birth To-Do List: Month 10 Weeks 37-40 of pregnancy: your 10th month! Notice I didn't say, the "end" of pregnancy? That's because not all pregnancies end by 40 weeks. In fac ..read more

Welcome to Month 9 of your month-by-month checklist guide to a healthy pregnancy and birth! This to-do list with a twist contains key tips and action items for optimal health and birth preparation, in addition to reminders for fun things, too. Looking for later months? Stay tuned as we post months 10 through postpartum, in the coming weeks! Take a look at the checklists from previous months. Healthy Pregnancy & Birth To-Do List: Month 9 Weeks 33-36 of pregnancy: your 9th month! You might be wondering why this is the 9th month and yet, not the end of pregnancy (aka, around 40 weeks). Though ..read more

Decades ago, the hallmark of Lamaze childbirth education was a type of breathing ("hee-hoo, hee-hoo"). Over the years, Lamaze has evolved into a comprehensive approach to childbirth, part of which includes comfort measures for labor, of which different types of breathing are a part. So, what does it mean to "breathe?" We hope the following information helps (excerpted and adapted from The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence by Judith A. Lothian and Charlotte DeVries): Breathing in Pregnancy: A Daily Check-in Finding the time, energy, and peace to face your fears ..read more

Adapted from Giving Birth with Confidence, 3rd Edition.  Humans, unlike other mammals, don't naturally labor alone. Why? Because our upright posture makes it more difficult for a baby to move through the pelvis. The position changes that help our babies rotate and descend often require physical help. And in childbirth, as in many aspects of life, we humans do better when we're surrounded by those we trust, people who tell us we're doing well and encourage us forward.  According to Sheila Kitzinger, "Woman-to-woman help in childbirth is the norm almost everywhere in the world." The Un ..read more