Let’s take a journey back to high school biology class! As you know, the X chromosome is part of the pair of sex chromosomes. Women have two and men have …
W is for Water
Have you heard of hydrotherapy? It’s basically a fancy name for an aspect of alternative medicine involving the use of water for pain relief. In today’s blog we will only …
V is for Vernix
When we think of new babies, we tend to think of perfectly pink, clean bundles of love. So it may be surprising when your baby is born with white goo all over …
U is for Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging is a prenatal test that uses sound waves to obtain images of your unborn baby and check their development. They were originally used during WWII to detect enemy …
T is for Thrush
You probably know thrush as a fungal infection that breastfeeding mothers may have to worry about, but did you know that your bottle-fed baby can develop it, too? Thrush is …
S is for Sex
We’ve all heard it (and some of us may have tried it): sex induces labor. So we did some research, looked at the facts, and found that this may be true, …
R is for Rh Factor
The Rh Factor is an inherited protein that may be found on the surface of your red blood cells. You are Rh positive (Rh+) if your blood cells contain the …
Q is for Queasiness
If you’re reading this, you’re likely pregnant or planning to become pregnant. I’m sure it doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone reading this that morning sickness is common during …
P is for Placenta Encapsulation
What is Placenta Encapsulation? Placenta encapsulation is a process that turns your placenta into a supplement that can ease your postpartum recovery. What do I need to do? When you …
O is for Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a role in regulating: social interaction, sexual reproduction, maternal-child boding, labor, and milk production. They hypothalamus produces this hormone. Physical affection causes an increase …
N is for NICU
When you find out you’re pregnant, you may begin preparing: hiring a doula, booking a birth planning session, reading about breastfeeding and car seat safety. Nobody prepares for the news …
M is for Meconium
Meconium is the first substance that occupies your baby’s bowels. The substances your baby ingests while in utero makes up meconium. It may include: skin cells, lanugo (the fine hair …
L is for Lochia
Lochia is the term used for the bleeding occurring after giving birth. It is composed of blood, tissue, and bacteria and is akin to a very long, heavy period. You …
K is for Ketosis
With all the buzz about keto diets, I thought i would take some time to discuss the original ketogenic diet – breastmilk! Did you know that newborns are born in …
J is for Jaundice
Jaundice occurs when bilirubin, a metabolic product of the breakdown of red blood cells (RBCs) builds up in the blood. It manifests as a yellow tine to the skin and …
I is for Induction
“Induction” is any of a number of artificial methods, both medical and non-medical, for bringing on the start of labor. According to the CDC the induction rate in the United …
H is for Hyperemesis Gravidarum
As many as 70-80% of women experience some morning sickness during pregnancy. Fortunately for these women the nausea and vomiting tend to subside by around 12 weeks gestation. Unfortunately, there …
G is for Group B Strep
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria that is indigenous to the gastrointestinal tract and vagina. GBS colonization occurs in roughly 25% of healthy adult. A positive culture (done via …
F is for Formula
How you feed your baby is a personal choice that, depending on circumstances, you may or may not have much control over. If your baby will be formula fed, whether …
E is for Epidural
Epidural anesthesia is the most common form of pain relief during labor and delivery. An epidural is a medical procedure whereby a catheter is inserted into the epidural space of …
D is for Delayed Cord Clamping
Delayed Cord Clamping is the prolongation of time between the delivery of your baby and the clamping and cutting of their umbilical cord; the delay can range from 30 seconds …
C is for Car Seats
There are few things you will buy for your baby that will have more of an impact on their life than their car seat. A 2015 study by the Journal …
B is for Bishop Score
Have you heard of the Bishop Score? Dr. Edward Bishop developed this measure of cervical readiness in 1964. It assesses five criteria to ascertain the likelihood of a successful induction, in …
A is for APGAR Score
In the delivery room as your baby’s birth becomes more imminent, a nurse will come in who’s sole responsibility is your baby. Immediately after your baby is born, this nurse …
Oh, Baby! Take Your Shirt Off! | Skin-to-Skin
By now I’m sure you’ve seen the picture of “The Rock” skin-to-skin with his new daughter Tiana. It’s sweet, beautiful, and beneficial. You’ve likely heard about and researched the benefits …
No, Facebook, I Don’t Want to Check-In at the Hospital!
One thing you won’t see Blissful Birthing’s doulas doing is posting on Facebook when we are on our way to support a client or “checking in” when we arrive or …