Pregnancy

To the Pregnant Woman worried about Zika, Days ago I read your comment under a news story on the Zika virus. You wrote, "I can't think of anything worse than having a child born with a horrible brain defect." Your comment was like a dagger to my heart. I can see you now sitting there in the doctor's office waiting for your monthly checkup while reading and commenting on that story. I can see the pregnancy glow you emit, but behind that glow I can see a fear. A fear that women before our generation never had to experience. A fear of the Zika virus--a virus spread by infected mosquitoes throughout South America and southern parts of the USA. A virus that can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus...

  Even before I was pregnant with my first child, I knew I wanted a natural birth. I watched The Business of Being Born and I was hooked. I wanted to experience all the sensations of labor and childbirth, and I was willing to forgo any and all pain relief. So when I finally did become pregnant, I did what any natural birth pregnant mama would do. I read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and was inspired by all the birth stories. I took a totally hippie natural childbirth class (we lived in San Francisco at the time, so when I say it was "hippie" I mean it was h-i-p-p-i-e!). I told everybody that I was going natural. I meditated. I did yoga. I hired...

Disclosure :: World Breastfeeding Week is recognized August 1 – 7, 2016. This year, the World Breastfeeding Week theme is about how breastfeeding is a key element in getting us to think about how to value our wellbeing from the start of life, how to respect each other and care for the world we share. Our World Breastfeeding Week is sponsored by Woman’s Hospital. Congratulations to all expectant parents! This is such an exciting time in your life. There is so much to do while you await your baby’s arrival. There are also so many decisions to make. Have you thought about how you will feed your child? Breastfeeding is the optimal nutrition for newborns. August 1-7  is World Breastfeeding Week, and we celebrate your...

"Mommy, I want a real baby. Emily has a real baby. I only have pretend babies." My almost four-year-old reminds me of this daily. I never intended it to be this way. My brother and I are 13 months apart. While I never thought I would have two children in just over a year, I love how close I am to my brother and expected my children to be fewer than three years apart in age. But alas, it's looking more and more probably that dear daughter will likely be in grade school before her "real baby" comes along. And my feelings about this are, in a word, complex. My girl is, and always has been, a strong-willed child. She...

We were so honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to gather approximately 80 Baton Rouge area moms last week in honor of motherhood. In partnership with Dr. Smith's, Baton Rouge General Medical Center and Zoes Kitchen we welcomed dozens of mothers and moms-to-be to Bloom, an event designed specifically for new and expectant moms in Baton Rouge. The Venue :: Baton Rouge General Baton Rouge General welcomed all of us with open arms. We loved being able to share their newly renovated birthing center with our guests, and all attendees left the event armed with some fun goodies thanks to our hosting venue as well. The best part? One Baton Rouge mom left with a crib that she won courtesy BRG!...