07Feb 2020 by Sarah Glenn

Meeting Your “New Mom” Needs

Health, Infants, Life, Pregnancy, Relationships
Integrating your baby in your life while meeting your "new mom" needs can be tricky. Everyone wants to be part of those first few weeks, but quickly lose interest after the first month. Check on your new mom friends after week four, and you'll find some of them chomping at the bit to "feel normal again." Incorporating that balance will take time. Finding something that can help improve your new daily regimen AND keep your baby with you can be challenging. As a new mom, you're always looking for a small window of opportunity to duck out and exercise, meet friends for lunch, groom at the hairdresser, read a book, run to the store or take a bath without 487 interruptions. It becomes especially important when your health could be…
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29Jan 2020 by Sarah Glenn

Milk Coming In

Breastfeeding, Health, Infants, Parenting, Pregnancy
Milk-coming-in is part of the changes you experience after the delivery of your progeny. Your body has been making all the necessary preparations since egg and sperm met. Possibly you've even seen a discharge from the nipple occasionally during pregnancy. Remember you've spent 40 weeks creating life and now you need to sustain that life. At first, women worry whether milk will come in but after a few days, they realize how bountiful their yield is. Engorgement is when the breast tissue overfills with milk, blood, and other fluids. It may cause your breasts to feel very full, to become hard and painful, and your nipples to flatten and tighten. Engorgement is a temporary stage to the milk-coming-in part of breastfeeding. Milk-coming-in is part of the changes you experience after…
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10Jan 2020 by Sarah Glenn

Quick Tips to Help with Painful Nipples

Breastfeeding, Infants, Parenting, Pregnancy
These quick tips to help with painful nipples can be used in conjunction with or without lactation support. There is no shame in asking for help. Many times we just need someone to tell us we are doing everything right. Please seek the advice of your healthcare practitioner if you are not healing or feeling secure in your feeding. Hopefully, you’ve already asked and answered the questions relevant to understanding pain issues and breastfeeding. You may find you need to get professional help, but in the meantime, you could try a few tips below. The suggestions listed can aid in the healing process of sore nipples. Always check for proper latch first. Change positions.Check for proper fit of your pumping kit/flanges (look on the website of brand you own).Stay topless as much…
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09Jan 2020 by Sarah Glenn
How to Keep Breastfeeding Comfortable

How to Keep Breastfeeding Comfortable

Breastfeeding, Health, Infants
To master how to keep breastfeeding comfortable can take time and patience but feeling pain shouldn't be part of the equation. It's hard to know what breastfeeding should feel like if it's your first time. You've probably heard women tell stories of nipple and or breast pain at one time or another. Maybe you've witnessed someone wincing or crying out while feeding. Or perhaps you have experienced this yourself. Some women think suffering is part of the natural process of being a successful breastfeeding mother. What no one tells you is that breastfeeding should not be painful. Sure, you've never done this, and you may feel "tender" for the first week or two, but that's it. Typically, in the first minute of the feeding. A strong tugging and pulling sensation is appropriate.…
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02Jan 2020 by Sarah Glenn

When You Need More Fertility Help

Health, Infants, Life, Pregnancy, Relationships
When you need more fertility help it can be confusing. The medical jargon and technical terms are beyond the layperson's understanding. Infertility is already stressful so let's unveil the puzzle in simpler terms. We've covered a lot of ground on a subject that should not be this burdensome. As I mentioned in the beginning, humans grow up believing that it is a right of passage to produce offspring, not a difficult feat with blood, sweat, and tears. If you're reading this and have seen your tale told here, I'm sending you a hug and positive energy. While that may not be enough, getting the people you associate with on board with your dilemma could change your passageway. Surround yourself with a supportive, loving, and understanding community while you navigate this…
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26Dec 2019 by Sarah Glenn

Reasons You’re Not Getting Pregnant

Health, Infants, Life, Pregnancy
There may be many reasons you're not getting pregnant that you haven't explored yet. Aside from the low odds of sperm and egg meeting due to lifestyle factors, let's take a more in-depth look at other arguments, often overlooked, that couples struggle with when trying to conceive.  Men and Reasons they're not Getting you Pregnant Healthy sperm are made and transported effectively to meet the egg for successful conception. Some of the below conditions are irreversible, but almost all have alternative ways to achieve their goals. Lifestyle changes can help with other sperm conditions. Read everything to give yourself the best odds for success. The most common cause of infertility in men is varicocele (overheating). When the veins in the testicles are too large, similar to varicose veins in your legs, this,…
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20Dec 2019 by Sarah Glenn

The Magic of Cervical Mucus

Health, Infants, Life, Pregnancy, Relationships
The magic of cervical mucus is part of a series of fertility blogs. Be sure to read them all to gain the most insight and have the best chance of success. Cervical mucus (CM) is a fluid or gel-like discharge from the cervix (the neck of the uterus), the production of which is stimulated by the hormone estrogen. You are aware of this by feeling “wet” in your underwear. Its’ purpose is to accept, filter, prepare, and release sperm for successful transport of the egg for fertilization. Throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, hormones will predict the amount and thickness of this fantastic material and let you know when ovulation is optimal. Without CM, the sperm will not be able to reach the ova. In this part of fertility enlightenment, we will learn about…
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