By now you’re probably familiar with Dr. Ginevra Mills. She's an obstetrician gynecologist with a specialty in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, a special interest in PCOS and lifelong health, and she's got three young kiddos of her own! We’ve been talking to her about fertility: how it changes with age, causes of infertility, and today we discuss what the next steps look like if you’ve been referred to a fertility specialist.

1. Initial Consultation: this initial meeting with a fertility specialist, such as Dr. Mills, will take approximately 30-45 mins and will largely be a discussion about your medical history. Have you had any surgeries, have you been pregnant in the past, have you or your partner had children before with other partners, have you had any terminations of pregnancy, and any history of sexually transmitted diseases, to name a few. 
1. Please know that none of these questions are asked with judgment - they are there to inform the...

Tongue ties are such a vast, controversial, and often misunderstood topic that we brought in pediatric otolaryngologist (ENT) surgeon Dr. Elise Graham to help us wade through the topic. She is also a mom to two boys with a complex breastfeeding journey of her own, which has brought her to shine a postpartum lens onto her field that she admits can gain from providing more support to patients, especially as information about tongue ties can vary greatly and specialized support can be hard to find. In addition to being a pediatric surgeon, Dr. Graham is also working towards becoming a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) and earning a fellowship through the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, which is why we’re very excited to have her guide us through the evidence-based truth about tongue ties!

Basic Oral Anatomy

Infant airways are actually designed differently than adult airways! The main differences allow babies to breathe through their nose while they nurse - an evolutionary...

In Part II of our three part series on fertility, Dr. Genevra Mills, an obstetrician gynecologist with a specialty in reproductive endocrinology and infertility with three kiddos of her own, discusses with us causes of infertility. She gives us a most helpful breakdown of the main reasons for infertility in both the male and female partner.

Often causes of infertility can be somewhat obvious and easily identified, and most times patients have an idea that something's going on even before they get to that point of twelve months of trying without success. Here are the main medical conditions that can affect fertility between heterosexual partners.

Issues with Ovulation

There are multiple reasons why an egg may not be released every month, and issues with ovulation make up about 15% of a couple’s cause of infertility.

1. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): the first and most common ovary dysfunction is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in which ovaries have too many follicles in them causing...

Fertility is a fascinating topic that touches almost everyone’s lives in one way or another. It is an evolving field of study that can be clouded with misinformation, lack of education, and new findings that have altered some of our fundamental understanding of the science behind it. This is why we have brought in Dr. Ginevra Mills, an obstetrician gynecologist with a specialty in reproductive endocrinology and infertility with three kiddos of her own, to help us wade through some of this information starting with: Fertility as we Age!

Let’s define infertility.

While this may seem like a basic place to start, many people may carry some misconceptions about how infertility is defined. The true definition of infertility is the failure to conceive after twelve months of intercourse without contraception. This doesn't mean that you're actively trying to get pregnant for a year. This means that you are not taking a birth control pill or using any type of barrier...

Consider this a bonus episode to our three part series on Pregnancy Care. We talked about how to choose a pregnancy provider, what to expect at your first prenatal appointment, and what a routine timeline of pregnancy care looks like. We are also huge proponents of empowerment through education, and often advise our patients and listeners to take a prenatal course to help them along their pregnancy to parenthood journey. But how do you even begin to find a course that’s right for you!? We’ve put together this quick guide with our top three things to think about when you're choosing your childbirth education class, to help you along in the process!

Top 3 Tips for Choosing a Prenatal Course

1. General Philosophy of the Instructor

This is really important. If your instructor's values and thoughts around childbirth education are not aligned with yours, you're just not going to jive. It can feel uncomfortable, reduce engagement, and you won't get out of it what...

In the third and final part of our three part series on pregnancy care, today we are providing you with an overview of what routine pregnancy care looks like, after the first prenatal visit we discussed last week! After the initial visit where we do a deep dive into your and your family’s medical history and a long survey of health related questions, we'll ask you to come back in about two to three weeks later for a complete physical exam. 

In today’s post, we’ll do an overview of what you can expect at your first physical, but subscribers to our Pregnancy to Parenthood Podcast Series get a much more in-depth look at what conditions we look for and tests we do, and what certain prognoses can mean for you. For the low, one-time cost of $47, get full access to over 40 informative episodes supporting you week by week, focused on the trimester and stage of pregnancy you are in. Tune in every week, or binge listen all at once and come back to the episodes you found...

This is Part II of our three part mini-series on Pregnancy Care! On today’s episode, Drs. Alicia and Sarah share with us what you can expect at your first prenatal visit. Generally speaking, maternity care providers would like to see you between your sixth and ninth week of pregnancy for your first visit. If you're experiencing significant nausea or other concerning symptoms, don’t hesitate to reach-out to your provider sooner and they will try to address your concerns and manage symptoms! 

What to Expect?

The simplest answer is: lots of questions from your maternity care provider! Expect a longer appointment depending on your medical and pregnancy history. Your clinic may even have a hand-out for patients and care providers to complete together. An example of the types of questions you may be asked include, but are not exclusive to:

• Getting to know you and your partner: age, what you do for work, any pertinent personal beliefs, etc
• Pregnancy history: have you been...

This is Part I of our three part mini-series on Pregnancy Care! On today’s episode, Drs. Alicia and Sarah address a question they get asked a lot: how to choose a pregnancy care provider! It’s one of the first major decisions you make in pregnancy, and often an overwhelming one as you try to navigate the different options and which one is best for you. Read on to review the different options and how to choose the best one for you. 

Top Three Types of Pregnancy Care

There is an underlying expectation that all types of care providers provide the same basic standard of care to all pregnant patients, regardless of where you are or who you choose as your care provider. You should ensure that the care provider you are considering is licensed to provide pregnancy care and is in good standing. There are other care providers who may support you through your pregnancy, such as physiotherapists, naturopaths or chiropractors, but they are not medically trained to support you...

Pregnancy may feel like a long nine months at times. But sometimes the arrival of baby and consequent planning and preparation can catch you by surprise! One such surprise can be feeling unprepared to go on maternity leave. It can be a big pause in a person’s career at a pivotal time, and transitioning into and out of it can be a tricker maneuver than it seems. This is precisely why today’s guest, Sonja Baikogli Foley, co-founded Maturn,  Canada’s first comprehensive program supporting self-identifying women throughout their entire maternity leave. Sonja co-founded Maturn out of a desire to support women and turn maternity leave into an intentional year. A proud mother of two, she is driven to build a more equitable, compassionate and inclusive world for future generations. Join Sonja and Dr. Alicia as they discuss how to prepare for maternity leave.

Top 4 Tips for Preparing for Maternity Leave

1. Create an intentional transition plan.  

Ask yourself...

Let’s talk about herpes! Between 60%-80% of the population has been exposed to the herpes virus. Genital herpes caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) is generally contained to the area around the genitals, vulva, vagina, penis, scrotum, and anal rectal area. Oral herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) and generally occurs on the oral mucosa; the lips, around the mouth, and even the nose. But the two herpes viruses can be transmitted between their respective areas and not necessarily in a sexual way - they do not discriminate! 

Diagnosis

If you have an active legion, the simplest way to diagnose it would be with a swab. However, some people who are exposed to the herpes virus will never actually get an outbreak. We can test blood and if there has been an exposure, immunoglobulins against that virus are present.

Symptoms

Symptoms that are consistent with a herpes outbreak include:

1. A tingling or burning where you've previously had lesions or they are...