When I found out I was expecting my first child as a longtime vegan, my excitement was quickly followed by anxiety. I knew my plant-based diet was healthy, but I also knew that pregnancy demands nutrients that are harder to get from plants alone. After talking to my midwife and spending weeks researching the best … Read more
When I was pregnant with my second child, staying hydrated felt like a full-time job. Between the nausea that made plain water unbearable and the constant fatigue that had me reaching for coffee I could not drink, I knew my body needed something more. That is when I started researching electrolyte drinks safe for pregnancy … Read more
Up to 80% of pregnant women experience morning sickness, and if you are reading this, you are probably one of them. I have been there. The queasiness that hits the moment you open your eyes, the way certain smells suddenly become unbearable, and the frustration of trying to function at work while fighting nausea. After … Read more
When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, one of the first things I worried about was stretch marks. Like most expecting moms, I had seen the purple and silver lines on friends and family members after their pregnancies. I wanted to do everything I could to prevent them, so I started … Read more
When I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I researched was the best belly butters for stretch mark prevention. Like most expecting moms, I wanted to do everything possible to keep my skin smooth and comfortable as my belly grew. After testing dozens of products across two pregnancies and talking with … Read more
Preparing for childbirth brings countless questions, and one that keeps coming up is how to reduce the risk of tearing during delivery. After talking with dozens of expectant mothers and reviewing clinical research, I can tell you that perineal massage during pregnancy has shown promising results for many women. The Cochrane Review found that perineal … Read more
If you are expecting a baby and researching natural ways to prepare your body for labor, you have probably heard about red raspberry leaf tea. As a longtime staple in midwifery traditions, this caffeine-free herbal tea has been used for generations to help tone uterine muscles and support a smoother delivery. But with so many … Read more
When I packed my hospital bag for the first time, I stared at that flimsy paper gown they hand you at triage and thought — there has to be something better. That is exactly why I spent weeks researching the best labor and delivery gowns for hospital births, comparing options side by side, and talking … Read more
Packing a hospital bag is one of those tasks that sneaks up on you during pregnancy. You read the checklists, save the blog posts, and then suddenly you are 36 weeks pregnant staring at an empty duffel bag wondering where to even start. I have been there, and I know the feeling of wanting to … Read more
I remember the moment I found out I was expecting my first child. My hands shook holding that positive test, and within hours, a thousand questions flooded my mind. What will this journey look like? How will I remember these nine months when they are over? That is exactly why I started researching the best … Read more