A free, monthly newsletter with a roundup of the best the internet has to offer about mom-to-be and baby.

Pregnancy

Prenatal and perinatal psychology - What is it?

Prenatal and perinatal psychology explores the psychological effects and implications of the earliest experiences of the individual, before birth (prenatal), as well as during and immediately after childbirth (perinatal).

How pregnancy shapes a child’s health

As an embryo develops during pregnancy, the developing DNA is susceptible to change. While the actual DNA received from each parent is set in stone, the expression of the DNA is fluid and can be impacted by the mother’s diet, environment, and experiences. Is it possible to maximize this time to give your future children the best possible outcome for health? Epigenetic science tells us that yes, this is not only true for impacting the health of your future child, it can also impact the health of future generations. Understanding this impact at the generational level means there is much greater responsibility, than most consider, to maintain a healthy lifestyle while pregnant.

Birth

Birthing in the Time of COVID-19: A free Birth class on YouTube

It’s science: Women need time to birth—so doctors shouldn’t rush labour + delivery

When writing birth plans, most expectant mothers don’t anticipate they will need interventions during delivery - which includes everything from hormonal induction of labour to the use of forceps to a c-section. Yet current rates for caesarean births in the United States hover around 32%, more than 20% of births are medically induced and approximately 5% of vaginal births occur with “instrumental tools.” According to a new study, many of these birth interventions are not only unnecessary, but have long-term implications for mothers and babies.

Skin to skin

Biological nurturing

This video clip begins with a still image for about 30 seconds. In this time you can note the reclined and fully supported position of the mothers and the baby “tummy ON mummy” working with gravity. This mother seems to be enjoying holding her sleeping baby and the initiation of breastfeeding is not hurried and set in a relaxed atmosphere.

Breastfeeding

The Raw Reality of Breastfeeding… and some tips to help you persevere

I recently searched the web looking for breastfeeding pictures for a workshop. I was particularly looking for a picture of a mother crying while breastfeeding. I found ONE! All the other pictures were serene beautiful pictures of mothers smiling while cradling their calm baby. Most mothers were dressed, had make up on and some had beautifully manicured hair and hands. I’m afraid this is a bit of a fallacy. When it comes to social media platforms we tend to put our best foot forward. I’d even go as far as to say we show a side of ourselves that doesn’t necessarily exist.

Parenting

Transitioning from Birth to Parenting with Dr Heather Maguire

An interview with Dr Heather Maguire, a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D) with a doctorate in educational psychology. Dr Maguire has spent over a decade studying behaviour and working with children, parents and educators. She’s a proud mom of two kids, a professor teaching school psychology, and the founder and CEO of Prism Behaviour, which helps parents manage challenging behaviours with confidence. She also hosts the Prism Behaviour Podcast. We discuss the transition from birth to infant and toddlerhood, parenting while pregnant, perinatal depression, tantrums, discipline, and the seasons of parenthood.

Postpartum guide for Fathers

Did you know, if your partner is depressed after the birth of your baby, then there’s a 50% chance you will be too?  When you become a dad, you undergo an incredible amount of change. There’s a shift in your intimate relationship and your personal identity and you experience new emotions. It can be demanding and overwhelming. And it can lead to paternal postpartum depression. Below you will find a checklist which you can fill out and share with your healthcare provider. It will help you discuss your situation so you can determine if you need professional help.

Stress in babies: How to keep babies calm, happy, and emotionally healthy

Why should we care about stress in babies? Nobody wants a stressed-out baby. The stress is contagious, making everyone miserable. And when the stress is chronic - a regular feature of everyday life - children face long-term health consequences. If babies are exposed to high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, they are more likely to develop behaviour problems and stress-related diseases later in life (Asok et al 2013; Luby et al 2013).

Music activity ideas

Looking for a few new, easy activities for your family? Music activities are perfect to get everyone up and moving!

Inspiration

Want young children to PLAY music?

Twenty-year-old college sophomore Sam was just two when his mom picked up a $5 guitar at a yard sale. She wanted Sam to have a real instrument to see, hear, touch, and explore. It wasn’t until nine years later that Sam started guitar lessons. At the end of the fourth lesson, the teacher said to his mom, “I’ve never had a student learn so much, so fast!” It’s easy to assume that Sam had some kind of “musical gift,” but here’s the truth: While Sam started lessons to learn to PLAY the guitar at eleven, he’d been playing WITH the instrument since age two. That’s when his guitar–learning truly began.

Humour

Five-month-old babies know what’s funny

Before they speak or crawl or walk or achieve many of the other amazing developmental milestones in the first year of life, babies laugh. This simple act makes its debut around the fourth month of life, ushering in a host of social and cognitive opportunities for the infant. Yet despite the universality of this humble response and its remarkable early appearance, infant laughter has not been taken seriously.

COVID-19

With COVID-19 on the rise should one prepare for the possibility of contracting the illness?

How to cover your bases in the event you contract the virus With thousands of new Covid-19 infections occurring daily in South Africa and the possibility of contracting the virus likely to increase over the next few months, have you thought about what would happen if you did catch the infection and would have to self isolate for two weeks, or, even worse, require hospitalisation? “While more than 80% of people are only likely to be mildly ill with Covid-19, there are still things that you should plan and organise if you have to self-isolate at home for the obligatory 14 days. So it is well worth doing a bit of ‘scenario planning’ and considering the things that need to be put in place in the event that you do contract the infection. This is particularly important for those who are living alone, a single parent living with young children, or someone who is at risk of developing a more serious Covid-19 infection.

Birthing in the Time of COVID-19: A free Birth class on YouTube