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After birth: Now what?

mamasmaternalhealth

Aug 13, 2019
3 min

After birth: Now what?

The wait is over, you now have your little one in your arms after 40 long weeks. But now what? The attention has shifted from you to your newborn--- and in most ways, rightly so. This baby needs lots of love and attention while he/she grows and learns about the world around them. Unfortunately, often times you mamas take a back seat and may not give yourselves or be given the love and attention you need to recover. Your body has gone through some major changes and now you hav

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Creating your support system

mamasmaternalhealth

Aug 12, 2019
2 min

Creating your support system

For today's #mondaymotivation we would like to motivate you to identify and challenge yourself and your support system. Your support system is more important than many realize, especially during pregnancy and thereafter. Some women have countless friends they can rely on, some have one really close friend. Some have many family members, others may have their partner. Some may have a great team of healthcare providers, some may have one great one. Some women may have all of th

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Avoiding Perineum tears during labor.

mamasmaternalhealth

Aug 8, 2019
2 min

Avoiding Perineum tears during labor.

Perineum tearing or cutting is too common during birth, and may be avoidable for some women during birth--- preventing unnecessary pain and need for healing. If you are unfamiliar with what your perineum is, it is the space between the vagina opening and the anus. In most cases the baby’s head will move down from the birth canal to the pubic arch which will stretch to accommodate the head size. There are a few reasons why your perineum may tear or need to be cut, also known a

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Cord blood banking

mamasmaternalhealth

Aug 7, 2019
2 min

Cord blood banking

Last week we discussed donating breastmilk to milk banks. This week we wanted to discuss another donating option. One of the new areas of medicine is using stem cells for a variety of immune purposes. Both the cord blood and the placenta are full of stem cells which can be turned into different kinds of blood cells. The umbilical cord is attached to the placenta and is the main way your baby receives blood and nutrients in the womb. Those blood cells can then be used to treat

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World Breastfeeding Week

mamasmaternalhealth

Aug 5, 2019
2 min

World Breastfeeding Week

If you follow along with our social media, you may have seen that starting on August 1st began World Breastfeeding Week! It will continue until August 7th and each year there is a slogan and theme to promote and support breastfeeding worldwide. Breastfeeding is the optimal way to provide nutrition for your baby and provides health benefits for you and your baby. This year's slogan is "Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding". This is the emphasis on inclusion for all parents in

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What is the labor process?

mamasmaternalhealth

Aug 1, 2019
3 min

What is the labor process?

As we know, the labor process is unique to every woman. It is exactly what the name implies--- an adventure that requires time and dedication. For some women, labor takes over 24 hours, while others may take only a few hours depending on certain factors (such as having previous pregnancies). Labor does not necessarily mean unbearable pain throughout the entire process---your body will go through stages. Some women describe labor as a marathon or a hike with an unknown ending

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WIC and what they can do for you...

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 26, 2019
2 min

WIC and what they can do for you...

In this post we wanted to talk a little bit about one of the most widely known maternal and childhood community organizations, WIC. WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children and is organized under Maternal Family Health Services. Many people think that WIC is 'food stamps for pregnant women' which is an aspect of what they do, however, it is so much more. For a woman who meets eligibility requirements, as soon as she finds out she is pregnant, she can go into her local WIC

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What is actually in your baby food?

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 25, 2019
2 min

What is actually in your baby food?

Lets talk baby food, what is actually in the food marketed for your little one? There are hundreds of different brands out there with fortified this and enriched that... everything claiming the best health for your baby. But what is the best thing to actually give to your baby? If you decide that baby foods made from a company is the way to go, make sure you are checking the labels and ingredients, it may not just be fruit or vegetable puree. Many baby foods are full of other

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How does weather effect your baby?

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 23, 2019
2 min

How does weather effect your baby?

Besides vitamin D levels, the weather can effect the growth of your baby. In this heat wave and also during the freezing temperatures of the winter, extreme temperatures have been found to affect risks of lower birth weight. Our bodies crave balance, whether it is a balanced diet, internal homeostasis, or perfect weather. We thrive in these environments because in other extreme polar environments our bodies have to actively work to try and create a balance. In this case it ma

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How many dirty/wet diapers should your baby have?

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 18, 2019
2 min

How many dirty/wet diapers should your baby have?

The amount of diapers a baby goes through can be daunting, but it can also be an indicator of proper milk transfer and nourishment. Here is the amount of diapers your baby should be soiling for each stage after birth. Your baby should have their first urination within the first 8-24 hours of life. They will have 2-6 wet diapers per day for the first 2 days, and can be up to 20 times per day after those 2 days. This is because infant's kidneys during this time are unable to co

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Is following a vegetarian/vegan diet the 'healthier' option?

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 16, 2019
3 min

Is following a vegetarian/vegan diet the 'healthier' option?

Many women begin to adopt healthier lifestyles and eating habits as they think about starting a family. This is a wonderful time for a future mother to adopt a healthier lifestyle because health no longer only effects her, but also her baby. These changes will then be translated to her child once they start eating solid foods. Since children adopt eating habits from their families very early on in life, this is a good thing! So lets break it down for you... One of the difficu

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Gestational Diabetes

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 11, 2019
3 min

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is found in pregnant women that have never had insulin insensitivity or resistance and were never diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Doctors usually test for gestational diabetes through a glucose test about midway through pregnancy. For many women, their symptoms go away after they give birth with no trace of insulin resistance. Unfortunately --some may persist. Gestational diabetes is mostly due to the fact that placental hormones are very strong

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Infant Jaundice

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 11, 2019
2 min

Infant Jaundice

Jaundice is characterized as a condition where serum bilirubin levels are high due to rapid breakdown of red blood cells. Bilirubin builds up in the liver and could result in damage to the infant. It is most often characterized by its physical yellow appearance on the infant's skin and in the eyes. Jaundice can indeed occur in adulthood, however mainly within the population of individuals that have impaired liver function. It is most common in newborn infants--- approximately

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Vitamin D during pregnancy

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 9, 2019
2 min

Vitamin D during pregnancy

Vitamin D is another nutrient that is very important both during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. This means that your body stores it for longer periods of time than water soluble vitamins-- which have no long term storage. Vitamin D helps increase bone mass which can prevent osteoporosis as well as help with the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. The main ways to get vitamin D are through the suns rays as well as through foods such as forti

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The fairness for breastfeeding mothers act

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 8, 2019
1 min

The fairness for breastfeeding mothers act

Great news Mamas! The US state Senate as well as the House of representative has passed a new bill that helps to protect and encourage breastfeeding in more public places! What the bill states: Select public buildings that have a public restroom will now be required to have a separate place to breastfeed that is NOT a public restroom. What does this mean for you? This means that mothers nationally will be able to find public breastfeeding rooms that aren't unsanitary public r

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Is cannabis (marijuana) safe during pregnancy?

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 4, 2019
2 min

Is cannabis (marijuana) safe during pregnancy?

Marijuana has become legal in many states both medically and recreationally. For this reason, the need to understand its effects becomes more critical-- especially in high risk populations such as pregnant women. Similarly to alcohol or nicotine during pregnancy, marijuana can effect birth outcomes. In recent years, marijuana has been praised for its medicinal effects, specifically for anxiety, pain relief, etc. It has ridden on the everything 'natural' fad because it is a pl

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Iron for you and your baby...

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 3, 2019
3 min

Iron for you and your baby...

Iron is incredibly important for physiological functions such as metabolism, growth, immunity and hemoglobin makeup. Because iron is so important in the transfer of oxygen and in total blood composition, deficiency could cause a number of side effects such as anemia (which if not taken care of could be fatal). This means iron is extra important while pregnant---due to higher blood volumes and the growth of your baby! So what are the recommendations? Pregnant mothers are recom

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Why Mamas Maternal Health?

mamasmaternalhealth

Jul 2, 2019
2 min

Why Mamas Maternal Health?

How can Mamas Maternal Health help you? We know how important this period of time is for both you and your baby. Instead of saying 'eating for two' we prefer the term 'nutrition for two.' This is because as your nourish your body, you are also nourishing your future child. As beautiful as this time is, it can also become incredibly challenging. Mamas Maternal Health is here to help for this exact reason. We are two registered dietitians and lactation counselors that are passi

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Bed wetting--what might be the cause?

mamasmaternalhealth

Jun 26, 2019
2 min

Bed wetting--what might be the cause?

Within the first few years of your child's life, bed wetting can be quite normal as they learn to 'potty-train'. Each child will learn at their own pace and it may come easier to some than others. After a child turns 5 and is still wetting the bed on a regular basis (at least once a month for 3 consecutive months), a health care provider should take a closer look at what else may be going on. Reasons that may lead to bed-wetting... There are many outside factors to bedwetting

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Breastfeeding reduces long-term risk of heart disease

mamasmaternalhealth

Jun 25, 2019
2 min

Breastfeeding reduces long-term risk of heart disease

Breastfeeding is protective of both acute and chronic diseases for mom and baby. We could write lists and lists of the benefits of breastfeeding!--- but don't worry, that isn't this post. However, new data has determined... There is some new data to add to the ever growing list. Based off of several current studies, the European Society of Endocrinology has determined yet another benefit for breastfeeding mothers. They stated after their annual meeting that evidence shows tha

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