Pregnancy

What is a freckle and how do you get them? Ephelides, also known as freckles, are clusters of skin cells that have browned due to high exposure to sun and results in overproduction of melatonin. They are appear most commonly on humans with light...

2018 was the year of elaborate Pinterest-inspired gender reveal parties. Let’s hope 2019 is the year that ends this unnecessary trend. These parties are over the top, costly, and force newborns to subscribe to gender norms. Baby showers and spr...

*/ Genes come in pairs, and each gene in a pair may differ slightly. One gene may be dominant, and override the other gene, which is recessive. A recessive gene only has an effect if both genes in a pair are recessive. An example is eye color. A...

Autism may be linked to the consumption of processed foods during pregnancy, according to a new study. Dr. Selah Naser of the University of Central Florida has investigated the relationship between an acid added to packaged foods and fetal brain ...

CBD oil is touted online as a one-stop remedy for relieving inflammation, stress, anxiety, nausea, and more. Many of those ailments could be symptoms of pregnancy, but you may want to do a bit of research before giving it a try.  More: Do You R...

It seems like every social media platform is filled with pictures of babies, pregnant bellies, and family photoshoots, but it doesn’t mean you have to participate. To say having a baby is a big life event is an understatement. It’s life-chan...

Pregnancy: When to Go to the Hospital Fake Contractions (Braxton Hicks) Most women will experience "fake" contractions sometime in their pregnancy – not all women, but most. Fake contractions, more commonly known as Braxton Hicks contractions, a...

When a soon-to-be-parent learns they’re expecting a child, their brains go into overdrive—including wondering what—or who!—their child will look like. Brown hair? Blonde hair? Red hair? No hair? Which may trickle into pondering about heig...

Many women have shared stories of birth trauma with me and almost always there’s manipulation of some sort sprinkled throughout. Sometimes, it’s outright and sometimes it’s truly disguised as “caring advice” or a “gentle nudge.”   ...

There are many things that could use a facelift within the birth world, but one of the most disturbing things to me is the language that is used to speak to and of pregnant people. It’s absolutely incredible the level of disrespect and twisted ...

For your baby to be born the cervix (comprised of firm muscle that forms a strong base at the bottom of the uterus) needs to stretch and soften so that it can open, or dilate, and your baby can pass out of the uterus and into the vagina. Toward t...

Shopping is fun but tedious. And shopping while you’re pregnant is that, plus it’s exhausting. Trying to find clothing that will carry you through your entire pregnancy (plus postpartum if you’re lucky) can be a challenge, but so worth it....

I am one of three sisters; my mom has three sisters, and my dad has three sisters. My husband and I have two girls. Most of my first cousins are female—in fact, it’s a long-running joke that women dominate both sides of my family and that if...

Miscarriage. Just the word alone makes some people shutter. It makes the warmest friendships turn ice cold. It makes the coziest love turn into a desert. It leaves the most fulfilled people as brittle shells. In the book, Navigating The Land Of ...

Have you decided where your new bundle of joy will sleep when she comes home? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping your infant in the same room where you sleep (but not in the same bed) to greatly reduce the risk of Sudden ...

A robe is a hospital must-have for postpartum moms. They not only keep you warm in the chilly hospital, but they’re so practical for nursing, using the bathroom, and for your prenatal care. Overall, wearing a cute robe instead of an ugly hospit...

As a birth professional, I often get asked about traits and my opinion on if babies will come here with this or that! Most people ask about things like eye color and birth weight, but sometimes it’s things like hairline and webbed toes. More: ...

After becoming a mom, it can feel as though not much changes anymore. For your kids, sure. But for you? It often seems as though you’re trapped in the routine of changing diapers, picking up toys and crumbs and random socks left in the middle o...