Ask any Baton Rouge mom what she wants for her children, and health + wellness will be one of her first responses. Whether it’s the mental health of her teenagers, how much screen time to allow her toddlers or struggling with breastfeeding, moms simply want the best outcome for their children’s overall health.
While I am no birth expert, I have had 2 (almost 3) medicine-free, natural deliveries. (I say almost because after 8.5 hours of pitocin-induced labor, I got an epidural 17 minutes before I delivered my oldest daughter.) It was through lots of reading and researching that I determined that a natural labor and delivery was my “perfect birth”. There are essentially 3 options for labor/ delivery: medicine-free, epidural, or scheduled cesarean section. In no way do I feel a medicine free delivery is the “right” way to have a baby. In fact, I feel it is more important for every woman to do their research and design a birth plan that describes their “perfect birth.” That being said, I have become...
It's that time of year again. The leaves are trying to change (or rather fall off here in south Louisiana), pumpkin spice flavored everything is stocking the store shelves, moms everywhere are pulling out their kids' winter clothes from last year (praying they fit for just a few more wears), and everyone around is sniffling, coughing and sneezing. Before I was inducted into the "special needs moms club" I LOVED this time of year. However, I now dread it. Okay, I don't dread it, I HATE it.
You see, my kiddo is part of the approximate 20% of children in the USA who are considered to have complex medical needs. My Connor was born with multiple "specialties" that cause him...
It starts at the very beginning. Are they eating enough? Are they in pain? Why are they crying? Are they "normal"? Will this be harmful to them? The endless questions about what is best for our children. We worry about everyone who gives our children a sideways glance, comes a bit too close, feels just a bit "wrong". We worry about them if they don't gain enough weight, if they don't reach a milestone, if they disappear for 2 seconds and we can't find them. Life is scary. The world is scary. It feels as if there is danger lurking at every turn (and in reality there might be...) But we, as mothers, can do things to prepare. We...
So, I guess this is my official blog announcement that we're pregnant! I'm 13 weeks as I write this post and already, I'm finding that SO much has changed since my last pregnancy nearly five years ago. At my first OB appointment at 7.5 weeks, the doctor started going over prenatal testing options, which I typically opt out of due to the invasiveness of some of the procedures. But when she started talking about this one new test that is set to become the gold standard in prenatal testing and how I could learn the gender of my baby after 10 weeks gestation, my ears perked up a bit. It's called the Harmony Test. She went on to explain that...
Disclaimer: This is a guest post from Dr. Leanne Redman, associate professor of women’s health studies at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. You can get to know her more here and read her first post here. Her facts and opinions are based on her personal research. Red Stick Moms Blog was not paid to promote any specific medical viewpoints or studies. Always consult your physician with any medical questions.
Remember those whimsical moments as a child? No responsibilities. Imagination running wild. High energy. What you may not remember is a national concern for our children’s weight and the impact it may have on their health and well-being. New challenges can be intimidating, but awareness of the situational factors that may contribute to...
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Football :: A Huddle Of Blessings
Football :: A Huddle Of Blessings
Since my son Maison could walk, he loved playing sports. His first sport was basketball, and he played his...
