What is COVID - 19:

This is a virus, which is present across the world at this point.  It is a new virus, which we do not have much information on; but rest assured we are learning every day. 

What we think we know includes that it is spread by large droplets (coughing, sneezing) and comes in to our bodies by our mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth etc).  It is extremely contagious, and for the most part, in young healthy people, will cause mostly mild symptoms.

 However, we also know that people over the age of 60, and those with chronic medical conditions, are at a higher risk of having more severe symptoms. 

So what we need to do as a population is implement measures, which we can all do, to help slow the rate of transmission.  We need to do this as our resources to help people are limited. 

 Why? Well, if we all get sick at the same time, there will be a large spike in people who need hospitalization and intensive...

Miscarriage, which should really be called Natural Pregnancy Loss (NPL),  is a tough topic to think and talk about. This is despite the fact that we know it is incredibly common in women of child bearing age.  So common, in fact, that most women have had at least one miscarriage in their lives, and if they haven't then they almost always know someone who has. 

What is it?

Natural Pregnancy Loss happens in about 30% of pregnancies...that's right...1 in 3 pregnancies end in the first half of the pregnancy.   Most of the time this occurs prior to 9-10 weeks of pregnancy as a result of something having gone wrong with the fertilization of the woman's egg or the implantation into the uterus that would have resulted in something going very wrong with the pregnancy. 

It is nature's way of giving us the best chance of having a normal healthy pregnancy and baby. But nonetheless, it is still tough to deal with. There are certainly some medical...

So we are going to dive deep into the normal menstrual cycle, how it is controlled, and some of the common things that can make it go a bit "wonky". 

Check out our free preparing for pregnancy guide here! 

What is it?

The menstrual cycle generally starts in early adolescence - average age around 12, and occurs until menopause - average age of 51.  It occurs every 21-35 days, lasting for 3-8 days and amounting in between 2-3 tablespoons of blood per cycle.  

As you can see, there is a wide variation in what is considered normal, and that is OKAY! 

Why does it happen?

The lining of the uterus builds up every month in preparation for a potential pregnancy.  When your body has been signalled by hormones that it is not pregnant (a drop in progesterone) and the lining of your uterus is shed....

We thought we would post a little update on Coronavirus and include what we know about it and how it might affect pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as our kiddos!

What is it? 

Coronavirus is actually a family of viruses that can affect humans, animals and birds. What we are calling coronavirus is actually known as COVID-19.  COVID-19 was first described in the Wuhan province of China and was thought to have spread from live animals sold at this market.  It is a respiratory virus (like influenza or the common cold) which we think is spread by droplets, like from a cough, which is then transmitted to the mucosal surfaces (eyes, nose, mouth) of close contacts.  This is important information to know for when we discuss how to help prevent transmission.  

As of March 1, 2020 when we are writing this post there are a total of 87,701 cases if COVID-19, with 2995 deaths worldwide.  This gives us a mortality rate of between 2-4%.  This needs to be put...

Hey all you soon to be new mommas and poppas....little babies can be scary, so many things you have no idea you need to know until you are in the middle of it!! So, we compiled a list of the top 5 things you need to know about your newborn, and some tips on Newborn Care.  

1) Babies are born Blue!

Babies have quite the journey from their cozy home in your uterus to life in the big bad world!  They go from getting everything they need through the umbilical cord to needing to breathe, eat and manage all their needs on their own (with lots of support from you of course!). 

This transition goes surprisingly well for most babies, but until they get those lungs working they start off a little blue! They should start to pink up within the first minute of life, but sometimes they need a little extra support from us to get things working properly. 

Most babies have it all sorted by 10 minutes of life, so don't be too worried if they need a little extra...