6 Postpartum Essentials You’ll Want To Have
Whether you are a first-time mom or not, the postpartum period can always surprise you. It is helpful to have an idea of what postpartum essentials you may need during this time. You might have ambitious plans for your maternity leave or high expectations for yourself as a new mom. While it’s perfectly fine to…
What No One Ever Talks About: Hormone Imbalance After IVF
You know that infertility is… Hard. You know that single parenthood is… Hard. IVF is hard too. We get it. However you arrived at undergoing IVF treatment… It isn’t for the faint of heart… and truly for people who want nothing more than to be a parent! We see you. So, if you’re reading this……
Is This Normal? 5 Postpartum Red Flags To Keep In Mind
The postpartum period is a magical time. You’re somewhere between recovering from a battle wound and falling in love all over again. Think: Love Actually meets Saving Private Ryan. So much love. So much pain. Sleep is basically a mythical creature and the days seem to string along like an unraveling ball of yarn. You’re…
Pregnancy After Loss
Losing a baby through miscarriage or stillbirth is one of the hardest things any parent will ever go through. When I was pregnant with my 2nd child, I went into preterm labor at 17 weeks. Having made it to the 2nd trimester we had already announced the pregnancy to friends and family. My husband and…
Recovering from a Traumatic Birth
Childbirth is a powerful and transformative event, but sometimes the experience can be traumatic. Things don’t always go as planned and the feelings you have during and after the birth can be emotionally challenging. On a personal level my first baby’s birth was very difficult and I experienced a degree of PTSD afterwards. I worked…
Postpartum Perineal Care
During pregnancy we do a lot of preparation for birth and baby. One part of the experience to add to your postpartum planning is healing your bottom. Postpartum perineal care will be a daily part of your recovery for the first couple weeks. How sore your bottom is after birth often depends on how your…
Postpartum Bleeding: From Padzilla to Panytliners
Yes, unfortunately after giving birth you will have to endure several weeks of postpartum bleeding. The more informed you are, the better prepared you will be for your postpartum journey so here we go. What is Lochia? Lochia is the term used to describe the vaginal bleeding that occurs after childbirth. It is a natural…
Cesarean Birth: What to Expect
Learning about cesarean birth, even if you are hoping to avoid it, is always a good idea. When I was taken for an emergency c-section, there was little time for anybody to explain things to me. I was grateful I had gained knowledge about cesarean birth in the birth classes I attended. As a first…
All About Childbirth Afterpains
Childbirth afterpains are one of those things that: “nobody tells you about!” So let me be the one to rectify that. When I first heard about childbirth afterpains, my mind went to the perhaps grim analogy of an earthquake. Forgive me. I grew up in Los Angeles, California where we did earthquake drills regularly in…
Bringing Your Baby Home – Steps to Success
As you reach the end of your pregnancy the reality that you will be bringing your baby home soon is starting to set in and is exciting! Like most new parents in the nesting phase, you are probably busy preparing and getting things ready. Here are some things to consider getting done in advance to…
The Golden Hour After Birth
The Golden Hour (or hours) refers to the immediate hour after you have given birth to your baby and the connection that takes place during this time. This quality time between you and your baby will have lasting effects on your relationship and how your baby adapts to their new environment. Your beautiful baby arrives…
When Should I Hire My Postpartum Doula?
It’s no secret that finding a spot at the best local daycare or preschool requires booking months in advance. Sometimes it even means putting your name on a wait list. You’ve heard about this before, right? “Infant care tends to book up fairly fast and several months in advance. In order to find one that…
5 Postpartum Nutrition Tips from a Certified Nutrition Coach
One of the biggest concerns with many new mums postpartum is to “get their body back.” In this article we will talk about that and nutrition during your postpartum recovery. While “getting your body back” is an understandable goal, too many women lose precious time with their baby by worrying about losing weight. Weight loss goals can…
Frequently Asked Questions about Placenta Encapsulation
We have been providing the highest standard in placenta encapsulation services in the Tampa Bay area for many years. Over time we’ve heard and answered lots of questions from our clients. Below are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about our placenta encapsulation process: 1. Why do some people choose to…
Caring for Baby After a C-Section
Healing from a c-section can sometimes be overwhelming. You, a warrior, just had major surgery. Now you not only have to care for yourself, you have to care for your baby! This is a challenge that is sometimes forgotten. Once you’ve left the hospital, how can you easily care for your newborn? First of all,…
Why Is Postpartum Support Important?
Photo: My mom, Liz, with my newborn baby, Shane, in January 2007 “All you need is one person, just one person who trusts and believes in you, and then you feel you can do anything.” Esther Wojcicki Here is a little story about how postpartum support was important for me. My first son was born…
Healing with a Baby Postpartum: Tips for New Parents
Healing postpartum with a baby on you can be challenging! For the first few weeks, it often seems like your baby spends days attached to your side especially if you’re breastfeeding. Handing your baby to a trusted caregiver isn’t always an option nor a desire. You worked hard to grow and birth that baby and…
5 Things a Women’s Health Physical Therapist Can Help With
We recently met with Christina Noonan, a local Tampa Physical Therapist who focuses on women’s health. We learned all about the services she provides and are happy to share more information here in our latest guest blog post: As we all know, having a baby is not an easy task. It is also not easy…
Honoring Your Postpartum Body
We recently met with Brooke Tompkins of BirthFit South Tampa and learned all about their great programs. We asked Brooke to write a post for our readers regarding postpartum recovery and we are happy to share this with you now. – Christie You hear it all the time. “Get your pre-baby body back”… “Lose your…
Doula Help in the Hospital
One of the different ways that families can use postpartum doula support from Buddha Belly is while still in the hospital, before discharge. Here are a couple of scenarios where we have provided help in the hospital as postpartum doulas. After a cesarean birth. Recovering from this major surgery can be very difficult, especially when caring…
I Wish I Had a Postpartum Doula When…
Postpartum doulas can help new parents in a number of ways. Their job includes being an assistant, a friend, a consultant, a confidante and so much more. Parents need support during this major transition in their life when a new little human is relying on them for everything day and night. We asked a few…
Chiropractic Care Postpartum
Our guest blogger for today’s post is Dr. Shannon Whitlock of Happy Healthy Spine in St. Petersburg. In addition to receiving chiropractic care during pregnancy, many families continue with chiropractic care even after birth. Dr. Whitlock provides great insight into the benefits below. Let us know if you are looking for a recommendation for a…
What is a Postpartum Doula?
The idea of having a labor doula support you during labor and birth is growing in popularity. But what is a postpartum doula? What does a postpartum doula do? A postpartum doula is a trained professional support person that can assist you after your baby is born. Her duties may include: providing newborn care expertise,…
Recovering after a Cesarean (updated July 2022)
Cesareans are so common these days that we sometimes forget they are major abdominal surgeries. In addition to recovering from this surgery, the mother is also taking care of a brand new baby. It’s a lot to cope with at the same time. Here are some c-section recovery tips from the doulas on our team.…
Getting Back in Shape After Baby with Music
Doing your best to do any form of exercise that elevates your heart rate for 20 mins a day is a great way to start getting back in shape after baby. The same goes for maintaining good health at any time of life. But there are two kinds of people. Those who love to exercise…
Recovery Tips For the New Mother (updated July 2022)
A few recovery ideas for the new mother from Moms and doulas that have been there: 1. First, plan to rest for at least a month or more. You just had a baby. THIS is the biggest physical task you will probably ever achieve. REST! Get in bed and stay there for as long as…
Six Naked Truths About Postpartum (updated July 2022)
You can count on the doulas of Buddha Belly to always give you the truth about pregnancy, postpartum and all things baby. Knowing what to expect will help you get prepared mentally for the changes and reality of life after giving birth. Yes, you will adore your brand new baby and want to show her…
The Low-Down on Tearing ‘Down There’
You just had your baby! Yay! Congratulations! You also have a … (cue scary music) … tear. Try to relax, perineal lacerations, aka “tears,” are a common occurrence during vaginal birth. Yes, it’s common; in fact, it happens in more than two out of three vaginal deliveries. These lacerations are classified into four categories: First-degree:…
I’m Not Depressed – Why Do I Need a Postpartum Doula?
Are postpartum doulas for people with postpartum depression? Postpartum doulas are not postpartum depression doulas. Postpartum doulas support women after the birth of a child, with or without postpartum depression. From the Merriam-Websters online dictionary: postpartum: adjective | post·par·tum \ˌpōs(t)-ˈpär-təm\ 1. Relating to or happening in the period of time following the birth of a child. It…
A Postpartum Doula Is…..What? (updated in 2022)
Many people are just learning what a doula is. Some people are familiar with the idea of what a birth doula is. (A birth doula is professional, trained and experienced in childbirth, and offers physical, emotional and educational support to women in pregnancy and during labor and delivery.) But did you know there are also…
Don’t Let Anybody Steal Your Thunder (updated in 2022)
Your feelings about your experiences in childbirth are your own. Whether it was good or bad, women should not be judged or shamed for feeling either satisfied or disappointed with the experience. Let me paint this picture: After experiencing an unsuccessful three-day long induction resulting in a cesarean followed by hemorrhaging and blood transfusions to…
Birth Story Healing
Birth is a highly emotional experience. How we are treated and the joy or trauma that we go through can stay with us forever. Nearly every mother I’ve ever met, no matter what age, remembers and easily shares details of her experiences giving birth. Just as it takes time to heal physically it also takes time…