Posts by Christie Rinder
I Was Scared to Give Birth
Second pregnancies go so fast. Between keeping up with my toddler, Annie, a career and busy family life, before I knew it, I was eight months pregnant. At first, I felt sad that I hadn’t had a moment to be “present” mentally while growing this new baby. Then one day, I was driving home from…
Read MoreNewborn Care: Why Delay Clamping Baby’s Umbilical Cord?
Once your baby is born, at some point, his/her umbilical cord must be clamped and then separated from the placenta. Many families are now considering delaying when this clamping happens because of the benefits offered to the newborn. Approximately one-third of a baby’s total blood volume is in the placenta and/or umbilical cord at birth.…
Read MoreGiving Birth at AdventHealth Tampa
What is it like to give birth at AdventHealth Tampa? We recently toured and met with Birth Designer, Emily Sullivan, RN, BSN. Here are some of the things we learned about this hospital: Birth Designer The Birth Designer works with each mother-to-be to customize her birth experience and act as a liaison between her care…
Read MoreMade me feel heard and loved – Sara, Tampa
I had a great experience with Buddha Belly! I had an extremely difficult twin pregnancy and anytime it was getting too hard, or overwhelming I would reach out to them through text messaging. They always had kind and well-educated responses to my questions and made me feel heard and loved for months before my delivery.…
Read MoreNot-so Private Parts: Should You Shave or Wax Before Birth?
If you’re currently pregnant, have been pregnant previously or thinking about getting pregnant in the future, chances are you have wondered about this. Given the incredibly personal nature of this topic, though, you most likely didn’t talk about it with anyone. Maybe your sister or a very, very close girlfriend who has given birth. Most…
Read MoreTo VBAC or Not to VBAC?
If you are here, you are probably asking yourself “Should I try to have a VBAC or should I choose a repeat cesarean?” Always speak to your doctor or midwife to get their professional medical advice. But, if you are anything like me you may also want to do your own research. When I was…
Read MoreGiving Birth at Clearwater’s Morton Plant Hospital
Tampa Bay is fortunate to have many different excellent birth options, including Morton Plant hospital in downtown Clearwater. Today we had a private tour and are pleased to share what we learned! Before You Go into Labor You’ll be able to pre-register and meet with a special “family admission nurse” to talk about your choices and…
Read MoreBreastfeeding Advice from a Tampa Bay IBCLC
First, congratulations on choosing to learn more about breastfeeding! Getting educated on breastfeeding will help you get off to a great start. Read books, talk to friends and professionals and ask questions; you are going to do great at this! You probably already know that breastfeeding is the biological norm. This is how we have…
Read MoreVaricose Veins Postpartum
For more info check out the first two blog posts in this series here: Varicose Veins in Pregnancy Comfort Measures for Varicose Veins Will your varicose veins will go away after having the baby and if so, how soon? In my experience, there is not one straightforward answer. After my first baby, yes, completely gone,…
Read MoreComfort Measures for Varicose Veins (updated July 2022)
How to find comfort through a pregnancy with varicose veins, my tips below! About 28% of women will develop varicose veins in pregnancy. While they are mostly harmless in the short term they can cause pain and discomfort. Here are my recommendations and best comfort measures to try if you are dealing with varicose veins in…
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