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3 Things You Need to Know About Postpartum Depression

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*DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST ON BEHALF OF INSPIRA HEALTH. THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN. AFFILIATE LINKS CONTAINED IN THIS POST.

I have been very open about my own personal postpartum depression experience in the past, but it is still a question that we receive emails about asking for us to expand on more.  I think that it’s one of those things where most people are still afraid to even talk about it for fear of being labeled as a bad parent. 

Luckily, it does seem like more and more people are being more open to discussing what it looks like and how it affects individual families. 

Postpartum depression isn’t a cookie cutter.  It doesn’t look the same for everyone.  Some people may experience mild symptoms while others may be in the thick of it daily. 

That doesn’t mean that one person has it easier.  

What I think I have learned throughout this journey of parenting is that what may derail me or completely upend my own life or how I handle situations, another person may not be affected by that at all. And vice versa. 

It’s important for us as parents to realize that being a new parent (whether it’s baby #1 or #8) can affect each of us differently. 

I had a chance to ask Dr. Josephine Urbina from Inspira Health about postpartum depression and I wanted to share with you 3 things that I feel like could help all new parents in the beginning of trying to understand it. 

How do you know it’s postpartum depression and not “baby blues”?

Dr. Urbina said that up to 75% of birthing parents will have experience with crying, anxiety, mood swings, and even restlessness during the first few weeks after giving birth to their baby. 

This is known as “baby blues” and completely normal.  Hello, complete shift of hormones!

These feelings can even escalate when you are tired or anxious.

According to the National Institute for Health, 10-20% of birthing parents will be affected by postpartum depression.  

After two weeks of baby blues symptoms, if you are still feeling overwhelmed or like you can’t take care of your baby, then something more serious may be happening, like postpartum depression. 

Some common signs, according to Inspira Health and Dr. Urbina are: 

  • feeling of hopelessness
  • anxiety and panic attacks
  • loss of appetite
  • feelings of failure
  • thinking your baby or family may be better off without you
  • lack of concentration 

If you have any of these signs, it’s important to follow up with your care provider to get help. Always seek help immediately if you feel like you may hurt yourself or your baby

I’m afraid if I reach out, they will take my child away. Is this true?

It’s embarrassing to ask for help, especially if you feel like you aren’t living up to being the best parent. Even more so if you are feeling helpless, having anxiety attacks or even postpartum rage. 

Inspira Health doctors, nurses, and care team members, along with other hospitals just want to assist parents in getting the help they need. 

They work to help identify how the parent is suffering from postpartum depression and then update their charts, get them connected with behavioral health team members the same day they reach out, and provided resources, groups, and assistance in helping the parents get through postpartum depression.

Dr. Urbina says that things like eating well, getting rest, exercising, and medications can all help with postpartum depression and their goal is to get you the help you need. 

In the case of postpartum depression, a trained professional can find you the right treatment for yourself and your family. 

I feel like I have postpartum depression, but my care provider told me no. What now?

Inspira Health doctors, nurses, and midwives actually screen for postpartum depression throughout pregnancy. If you have any concerns you can reach out during or in between any visits. Their goal is to provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to help you understand the changes before, during, and after birth. 

This way you can get the right treatment and support immediately. 

If you still feel like you need more, you can always reach out to another provider for a second opinion.

We know that having a baby, let alone having a new baby with postpartum depression isn’t easy. We hope that this helps in answering some main questions about postpartum depression.  Do you have other questions?  Let us know and we will be sure to answer them below. 

Read more about postpartum depression from Inspira Health.  

THANKS TO INSPIRA HEALTH FOR SPONSORING THIS SERIES OF POSTS ABOUT OWNING YOUR PREGNANCY YOUR WAY.  WE WILL BE SHARING MORE WITH AND FROM THEM OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, INCLUDING THE OPENING OF THEIR BRAND NEW FACILITY IN MULLICA HILL, NEW JERSEY. STAY TUNED FOR THE FUN!

Mom’s Delivery Bag Essentials

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Mom’s Delivery Bag Essentials is a no-fluff list of things you actually need to pack for once you have the baby.   

*DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST ON BEHALF OF INSPIRA HEALTH. THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN. Affiliate links contained in this post. 

If you are anything like I was when preparing to have my two children, then you are likely 38 1/2 weeks and just realized that your baby is literally coming any day and you should probably pack.  Therefore, you definitely need this list of mom’s delivery bag essentials. 

Also, if you happen to be 20 weeks or so and looking at this, then kudos to you, I’m so proud of you!  Can you teach me and the others ready this how to not procrastinate? 

But seriously… Why is it so overwhelming to think of what to pack into of a bag that you are only going to use for hopefully a day or two?  It seems so much more complicated that if you were just packing to go away for 2 days.  

Today, I’m going to be sharing my must haves in mom’s delivery bag for postpartum.  We’ll share our newborn baby bag essentials in another post! 

For reference, Dr. Vivian Vega, Chair of the Department of OB-GYN at Inspira Medical Center Woodbury
and the new Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill, recommends that your bags be packed by 36 weeks. 

So what do we bring? And more importantly, maybe what’s not even needed.  Because let’s just all go ahead and admit that when we overthink things, we end up packing too much. 

We don’t need to do that here. 

Promise me that you aren’t going to do that here. 

I’m waiting…..

Promised? Okay, good. Moving on. 

Listen, I’m not going to fill your list with a bunch of fluff and be unrealistic.  So here’s your perfect, no-
fluff, mom’s delivery bag essentials list for non-scheduled vaginal births.

Mom’s Delivery Bag Essentials Must Haves

  1. Important documents –

    • A lot of hospitals have you fill out forms ahead of time now; however, it’s still important that you being along your ID, medical insurance card, and list of your medications.
    • I’d also throw in that if you have a written birth plan, bring that along as well. 

  2. Lip Balm 

    • You will see this on every single hospital bag packing list that you ever read. And for good reason.  Hospitals tend to be dry and this can crack your lips.  Bring the balm every time! 

  3. Hair Tie

    • My hair is always up, however, if you always wear your hair down, ensure that you have a hair tie in the bag.  Trust me, most moms don’t want their hair in the way during delivery. 

  4. Cell Phone Charger

    • Not during delivery, but afterwards, you are going to be taking photos and videos and making calls — your phone will drain that battery quickly.  If you can, having a portable battery pack is even better since you have no idea how far away outlets are in your hospital room. 

  5. Any of your favorite things 

    • If you wear make up, bring it. If you have a favorite toothpaste, bring it. Or, if you have to sleep with a certain pillow every single night, DEFINITELY BRING IT. 
    • Whatever your MUST HAVEs are in your day to day life, you should absolutely bring any of them.  Don’t go overboard, but if you must brush your hair and moisturizer during the first 10 minutes after getting out of bed, then those are two things you should absolutely be bringing. 

  6. Flip flops for the shower

    • After you deliver, you’ll certainly want flip flops for the hospital showers. You don’t
      want to risk falling/slipping.

  7. High protein snacks for after delivery 

    • I remember that with our second, she was born in the middle of the night and the hospital cafeteria wasn’t open.  Luckily, I was prepared with some high protein granola bars. 
    • Even if you don’t give birth in the middle of the night, depending on how long your labor is and how long it takes to get everything done, it could be awhile before you are able to eat.  Packing snacks helps so much! 

  8. Nursing pads 

    • Even if you aren’t planning to breast feed, your boobs are still going to leak a bit of milk
      and nursing pads can help.

  9. Nipple cream 

    • Nipple cream is a lifesaver.  Your hospital will likely have some, but it will be in those individual use packages.  We like bringing our own so we can use as much as we want and also to reduce our waste.

  10. Sitz spray 

    • Thank. Me. Later. 
    • This stuff is AHHHH-Mazzinggg.  And your lady parts will be so grateful that you have this both at the hospital and once you get home. 

  11. Super loose clothing to wear home

    • Repeat after me: “I will not bring clothes that I fit in before getting pregnant”
    • Postpartum, especially the first few days after is not glamorous.  Your body, for most people, doesn’t just snap back. Therefore, bring that super comfy, baggy clothes in order to wear home. 

Bonus 1: Boppy pillow. If you are planning to breastfeed, absolutely bring your nursing pillow in with you. If will help you start to practice using it and always be able to ask the lactation consultant if they have any tips if you aren’t getting it right away. 

Bonus 2: If you are planning to need to be at the hospital for an extended induction or stay, packing a robe and slippers to walk around would definitely be useful. 

Now go prepare to enjoy that beautiful baby! 

We hope you found this list of mom’s delivery bag essentials helpful.  What would you add to the list?

THANKS TO INSPIRA HEALTH FOR SPONSORING THIS SERIES OF POSTS ABOUT OWNING YOUR PREGNANCY YOUR WAY.  WE WILL BE SHARING MORE WITH AND FROM THEM OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, INCLUDING THE OPENING OF THEIR BRAND NEW FACILITY IN MULLICA HILL, NEW JERSEY. STAY TUNED FOR THE FUN!

Setting Yourself Up for a Positive Breastfeeding Experience

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These tips for Setting Yourself Up for a Positive Breastfeeding Experience will help you in your breastfeeding experience no matter what goals you have.   

*DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST ON BEHALF OF INSPIRA HEALTH. THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN. 

We recommend reading this while you are still pregnant, but if you have already delivered, or even if you are still in the planning stages of your pregnancy, there are still benefits in setting yourself up for a positive breastfeeding experience. We hope you’ll save this and refer back to it as needed. 

First and foremost, I want to start by saying whether you breastfeed only once or for five years, every drop of breastmilk that your child receives is a gift.  

The second thing I want to say is that breastfeeding is HARD. Listen, I’m not going to sugar coat it: it’s not easy, and it takes work. The first few days (even weeks) as you adjust can hurt. These are the things that I truly wish someone told me when I started breastfeeding my first child. 

To be quite honest, I never thought I would ever reach my original goal of breastfeeding for six weeks. I remember crying to Andrew, saying this was too hard. I remember telling him I just wanted to give up. Luckily, I had done a few things ahead of delivering my baby that set our breastfeeding dyad up for success and, despite those tough first days, we went on to nurse for four years. 

How to Set Yourself Up for a Positive Breastfeeding Experience 

There are plenty of things that you can do to ensure that you have a positive breastfeeding experience. Even if you are unsure about whether or not you want to breastfeed, it’s worth taking the time to prepare so that, if you decide to do so, you are ready. 

Before Baby Arrives

The most important thing you can do is prepare yourself before your baby even arrives. 

According to International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Deborah Frye of Inspira Health, this preparation should be happening at your doctor’s office. In a recent phone interview, Frye said that one of her goals is ensuring that doctors are discussing breastfeeding in their practices with mothers well before delivery even happens. Her prenatal office training program enables doctors to set families up for success before the baby arrives. 

But it’s not all the doctor’s responsibility. Ultimately, it’s up to you to educate yourself. 

My top three reading resources before your baby arrives are: 

  • The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
    • Known as the Breastfeeding Bible – it covers pretty much everything you could possibly want to know about.
  • KellyMom 
    • Basically, the internet form of a breastfeeding bible. Read as much as you can on the entire site and then bookmark it to refer back to constantly once baby is here.
  • 50 Breastfeeding Myths Busted
    • Definitely not as comprehensive as the first two listed above, but it’s a quick read that will help a lot of moms realize that a lot of what they’ve been told isn’t true.

Also, look into whether or not your hospital offers a breastfeeding prep course. Frye explained that every month, there is at least one breastfeeding course open to all expecting mothers at one of Inspira Health’s hospitals. Going to a meeting like this and being able to ask and have your questions answered is highly beneficial. 

Support Systems

It’s also important to set up support systems before your baby arrives. It’s truly one of the most important things that you can do. 

You need people who are going to be supportive of you, your baby, and your breastfeeding relationship. Ideally, this system includes your partner and maybe your mother, MIL, or best friend. 

However, we know that’s not always possible for everyone. If that is the case, we highly recommend seeking outside support systems. 

Frye informed me that at Inspira Health, every mother receives a follow-up phone call checking in a few days after leaving. Additionally, moms always have a phone number to reach her during normal business hours. 

Knowing that you have that kind of consistent support is highly beneficial, but we know that not all moms are afforded that luxury. 

Hospital breastfeeding support groups are another great option. According to Frye, there is a weekly support group at Inspira Medical Center Vineland open to women who deliver at any Inspira location.

Seeing other breastfeeding moms, meeting with an IBCLC, and truly feeling at ease in their breastfeeding journey is helpful for every mom. 

If your local hospital does not offer this, my next advice would be finding a local La Leche League near you.  

Wherever you find a group, I actually encourage going to a meeting or two before your baby arrives so that you can see and be around other mothers nursing, and ask any questions upfront that you may have. 

It was valuable to me to become comfortable around other mothers who were nursing so that when I went out in public around people I didn’t know, I had more confidence.  

Once Baby is Here

Once the baby is here, it’s all over after that. JUST PLAYING! 

In all seriousness, once the baby arrives, it’s likely that everything I told you to do above is going to fly out the window (at least for the first few days). It’s important to remember to stay calm and remember that you already have support systems in place. 

It’s good to enlist your partner to help with breastfeeding the new baby. Simple tasks like bringing you the baby when you are in a comfortable position or grabbing you water to drink while you breastfeed are ways your partner can make you feel supported and reduce your stress.

I’d encourage you to set a goal of breastfeeding for at least six weeks and try to stick with it. By using all the tools in outlined above, you should be more than capable of making that happen, and any goals you set after! 

We hope you found this post on setting yourself up for a positive breastfeeding experience helpful! Leave a comment below. Let us know what your favorite tip is or, if you have another helpful tip, we’d love to hear that as well! 

THANKS TO INSPIRA HEALTH FOR SPONSORING THIS SERIES OF POSTS ABOUT OWNING YOUR PREGNANCY YOUR WAY.  WE WILL BE SHARING MORE WITH AND FROM THEM OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, INCLUDING THE OPENING OF THEIR BRAND NEW FACILITY IN MULLICA HILL, NEW JERSEY. STAY TUNED FOR THE FUN!

Healthy Pregnancy Tips to Own Your Pregnancy

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Congratulations! If you are reading this, you are likely expecting (or know someone who is!). We are going to be discussing healthy pregnancy tips to own your pregnancy. 

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Inspira Health.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

From the moment you find out that you are expecting, tons of thoughts flood your brain.  The goal that we have here is to quiet those thoughts a little and help you come up with a creative plan of healthy pregnancy with tips that are specialized to fit your lifestyle. You really need to have a plan for all three trimesters of your pregnancy (we’ll get into owning your birth experience in another post!).

What do I mean by own your pregnancy?  Well, it’s quite simple. You should be in charge of all aspects of your pregnancy and this experience should be joyful for you from start to finish.  We are going to share with you 10 tips for having a pregnancy experience that you dream of having. 

Now, we know that if this is at the beginning of your pregnancy, maybe only one or two people know, so it’s really your own thoughts that are all over the place.  Once you get further along and tell more people, lots of people start having opinions and ideas with what you should or should not be doing with your own body and pregnancy. 

We don’t want this to be overwhelming for you, especially when it comes to others, so the best thing to know is to tell yourself from the start and often throughout that this is your pregnancy and you are going to do what you see is best fit for both you and your child. 

10 Healthy Pregnancy Tips

1- Find a practice that is onboard with the lifestyle that you live. 

As soon as you get a positive pregnancy test, you should make sure that you find a practice that will suite the pregnancy that you wish to have.  For example, if you know you want a natural birth without an epidural, a midwife may be something you consider.  

It’s important to try to get prenatal care as early as you can.  You will be checked for a variety of things like blood pressure, weight, lab work, and urine sample, all to make sure you have a safe and healthy pregnancy. As well as an ultrasound to get close to an accurate due date for you. 

The sooner you are able to build a trusting relationship with your care provider, the better you will feel about this aspect of your pregnancy. 

2- Make sure that doctor or midwife is able to assist in delivering at the hospital of your choice 

In addition to the first tip, you want to make sure that the hospital that your care provider has rights to assist in delivery with, is on board with your pregnancy and birth plan. Check into their c-section rates, rooming in policies and rates of breastfeeding success and more if those things are important to you. 

At hospital maternity centers, like the three Inspira Health offers in southern New Jersey, they believe that you should have it all. From high-end amenities to award-winning nurses, they want to provide the best experience for expecting mothers.  

3- Ask questions and then ask some more

Part of owning your pregnancy and making healthy pregnancy choices, is to ask all the questions.  And if you don’t remember an answer, don’t be afraid to ask again.  Remember that this is supposed to be a joyous occasion for you and if you aren’t sure of an answer or not sure why the answer would be what your practitioner says is the answer, ask follow up questions.  You are paying someone to fully understand you.

This also goes back to the first healthy pregnancy tips idea above.  If you feel like your concerns or questions are being dismissed or not answered to your liking, never feel like you have to stay.  Find another care provider that is going to allow you to own your pregnancy your way. 

4- Eating for Two 

I know. I know. You get pregnant and then the joke is always, “it’s okay, you’re eating for two.”  While you are actually eating to feed two, you want to make sure you are fully nourishing your own body and your growing baby with the right nutrients.  This doesn’t mean that you should have a half dozen tacos every night because you used to eat three and now you double it. 

You want to make sure that you are making healthy choices like plenty of water,  as well as enough fruits and vegetables.  Fully cook food, limit caffeine and avoid a lot of sugar. Your care provider can come up with a plan for you for the right tip of diet, especially if you have food allergies or preferences, like a vegan or pescatarian diet. 

5- Exercise

If you didn’t exercise before, you are probably already rolling your eyes at me when you read that.  But unless there is a concern, you should try to get regular exercise during your pregnancy.  This can actually help ease some discomfort of pregnancy.  30 minutes of exercise a day is perfect and it can be anything from taking a walk or swimming safely.

Never overdo exercise, especially if you weren’t active before pregnancy and avoid contact sports and activities that may make you fall. Talk with your provider about a plan that works for you. 

6- Take the Nap. Go to bed early!

As a mom of two, I can’t recommend this enough.  Bank those sleep hours while you can; however, sleep is extremely important while pregnant.  Pregnancy is demanding and it’s normal to feel more tired than usual.  Take the nap when you can if you are feeling tired and try to make a habit of going to bed around the same time every night (not 2am though!). 

7- Take Your Vitamins

If you didn’t take vitamins before getting pregnant, it make be hard to remember now. The best way to remember is to set a reminder in your phone to go off at a time when you know you’ll always be able to take it.  

Ask you care provider what prenatal vitamins they recommend and take it regularly to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients that your growing baby needs. 

8- Avoid the Big No-Nos

There are definitely a few things that you want to avoid while pregnant.  No smoking, illicit drugs, or alcohol. 

Depending on your dietary preferences, you also want to avoid listeria that can come from eating the following foods: 

  • deli meat and hot dogs
  • raw or undercooked meats (like sushi)
  • raw eggs or recipes that call for raw eggs
  • soft cheeses like feta, Brie, and bleu cheese

Ask your care provider for a full list of foods and other products to avoid during your pregnancy. 

9- Track Your Mood Levels

It’s normal to feel swings in your moods as your hormones are drastically changing during the 9 months; however, it’s not uncommon for anxiety and postpartum depression to happen during the prenatal time and not only after giving birth.  Talk with your care provider about any concerns you have often and never be afraid to ask for help. 

If you have thoughts of suicide, please contact your care provider right away or call 1-800-273-8255 24 hours a day. 

10- Indulge in Self-Care

Once baby comes, your time is going to be even more limited.  Take the time now to get your hair done, get a prenatal massage, go on a last (or few last) vacations with your significant others and just enjoy the time you have before baby makes their arrival.

We hope you found this healthy pregnancy tips to own your pregnancy helpful!  Leave a comment below and let us know what your favorite tip is or if you have another helpful tip, we’d love to hear that as well! 

Thanks to Inspira Health for sponsoring this series of posts about owning your pregnancy your way.  We will be sharing more with and from them over the next few month, including the opening of their brand new facility in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. Stay tuned for the fun!

10 Ways Dads Can Help with New Baby

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ParentingWithPrimoH20 #CollectiveBias

Dads are an integral part of parenting and there are plenty of ways that dads can help new moms. We discuss 10 ways dads can help with new baby that will truly help mom, and the family as a whole. 

Parenting is no joke. Everyone thinks it’s going to be easy until the day that a baby is placed in their arms and then things get real.  You realize that someone is entrusting you with a whole actual life and there’s no manual.  It’s all up to you and no matter how many classes you took or books you read, that all goes out the window. For many decades, the main parenting roles have been left to mom. However, as we move into a new era, dads are helping more.  For many, they simply don’t know how to help because they were never shown. Luckily, there’s dozens of ways dads can help with new baby whether it’s baby number 1 or number 10.

The most important thing for dads to remember is that moms need their help more than ever during the first 6-8 weeks after childbirth. If a mother had a vaginal birth it’s a minimum of 6 weeks. If she had a c-section, it’s a minimum of 8 weeks. However, beyond that the first 6 months, especially after the first child, are a transition period that all mothers can use as much help as possible.  Mothers are known for being strong, so it’s important that you save this list and try to help as much as you can, even if she says she doesn’t need the help.

10 Ways Dads Can Help with New Baby

This list is great for whether this is the first baby or baby number seven.  If there is a new baby in the house, these are ways dads can help a new mom.

1. Know what postpartum depression and anxiety are and how it differs from postpartum blues. 

Baby blues are a period of a few days up to two weeks after baby is born that mom may be sad, scared, or feeling overwhelmed. Often times, mothers cry because of these feelings.  Learn more about how to distinguish between the postpartum blues and more serious diagnosis of postpartum depression so that you know when you need to reach out to her medical care provider for assistance. Never judge her for feeling this way.

2. Listen to her 

When someone has a baby, their hormones are shifted all over the place.  There are lots of emotions that come along with this, including anxiousness, fear, and guilt. Being able to open up and have someone by your side is critical during the first few weeks.  You can really help by just offering to listen to how she feels.

3. Tell people that want to visit that they need to bring a meal or do a chore

Lots of people want to come over, but rarely do they want to do anything but hold the new baby.  Speak up and ask for help from anyone that asks to come over, especially if someone asks if you need anything. “We would love if you could help with dinner tonight” or “I could really use some help with the dishes or laundry”.  Most people are willing to assist and it takes a load (pun intended) off of the new parents.

4. Do the household chores and errands 

The more you do, the less she’ll feel stressed.  If you remember only this line, it will help everything so much. Remember she just birthed a baby. Yes, you are learning the ropes too, but your organs aren’t shifting back into place after being moved for the past 9 months approximately.  Things you can do are the dishes, laundry, dusting, sweeping, mopping, and more inside the house.  Outside errands include going grocery store, grabbing household necessities like toiletries and cleaning supplies, more diapers, or dropping things off at the post office if needed.  Any way that you can reduce the amount she has to do will help.

5. Make the meals (breakfast, lunch, and/or but especially dinner)

By the end of the day, the last thing a new mom wants to do is prep dinner. If you do nothing else, helping to make dinner every night for the first few weeks will be a huge help. Ask family to help by bringing or having dinner delivered, make easy meals like bbq sliders or pasta salad.

6. Set up some type of home self care appointment.

Self-care is a thing most moms fail at. Moms constantly feel like they have to take care of everyone else, which leaves no time to take care of her. After having a new baby, self-care is critical because mom needs to feel like she still is somewhat of the same her that she’s always been, even though she’ll forever be different.  This is especially true after the first baby.

Some ideas would be to set up a postpartum massage, hair appointment or mani/pedi but with someone that comes to your house. Local Facebook groups are great for finding someone like this.  Make sure to get references and/or reviews of people. Another option would be to ask her if she’d prefer to get out of the house to do this.  Sometimes if moms have postpartum depression, being away from her baby terrifies her so having this in home will help.  However, some moms would love to have an hour or two out of the house and this is the perfect way.   Offer to drive her if she’s still under the driving restriction.

7. Try to soothe the baby yourself 

Mothers are known to naturally have maternal instincts. Women are raised to play with dolls, be babysitters, and natural nurture. So it’s only natural. However, that doesn’t mean dad can’t. Not only do dads need to learn to do this so they can bond with babies themselves; but, soothing a baby helps a mom’s stress levels.  If mom is the only one who can care for a baby’s cries, it becomes exhausting and overwhelming.  Offer to try to help.

8. Let mom have some me time

Whether mom wants to take a shower alone or take a walk outside, let her. Don’t ask her how long or rush her when she’s doing what she’s decided on.  You can and will successfully be able to take care of a baby.  If you need help, call another woman figure in your life whether your own mothers or another friend that is a parent you know, but let mom have a little peace of her own.

9. Bring her snacks

You may think that as soon as she stops eating for 2 people that she won’t be as hungry but that’s not true.  Having a newborn is demanding, especially if she is breastfeeding and/or has more than one child to attend too.  Here’s over 100 postpartum snack ideas for you to make and bring her when she’s hungry.

10. Keep her water bottle or glass filled up

Moms need to stay hydrated! This is especially important if mom is breastfeeding. You can easily keep her water bottle filled up with a Primo® First Steps Bottom-Loading Water Dispenser. It allows for the perfect temperature of cold water that is always readily available.  You can even set it up right in your room so you never have to worry about make long treks down stairs or hallways in the middle of the night.  It seems simple, but mothers are usually parched and need to make sure they are getting enough liquid. Primo water has a purification process that removes the presence of chlorine, bacteria, parasites, heavy metals, and travel levels of pharmaceuticals which means mom is drinking healthier and safer water for her.

About the Primo First Steps Bottom-Loading Water Dispenser (link)

  • If you are formula feeding, this water dispenser actually has a warm water option automatically dispenses water at 98.6-104oF, that is specially designed for mixing formula bottles. No more worrying about heating it over the stove at 2am…one touch of a button and it’s the perfect temperature for your baby bottle, every time, which if you’re a parent, you know babies are not patient when they’re hungry. The dispenser even has a LED night light to keep you out of the dark during late night feedings!
  • There is a child resistant safety feature for the hot water, so no worries if you have other children.
  • There’s a self-sanitizing function to ensure quality.
  • Set up took less than 15 minutes without tools or having to hook up to plumbing, and the 5-gallon water bottles easily slide in with the bottom-loading design. This makes it easy for you to move it from the bedroom to the kitchen once your baby has gotten older! 
    • The dispenser takes pre-filled or refillable 3 or 5-gallon water bottles (sold separately) and it was so convenient to find it at a retail location near me!

Whether you are on baby number one or you are a seasoned expert, these are all ways that you can help.  If you have older children, the Primo water dispenser makes it easy for everyone to help mom in the smallest of ways all while keeping everyone healthy.  Learn more and see your closest Primo location for pickup today! (link)

100+ Protein Packed Postpartum Snacks

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All new moms need healthy and delicious snacks after having a baby! Grab our list of more than 100 protein packed postpartum snacks to keep moms energized and fueled. 

Congratulations!!!! If you are reading this list of 100+ postpartum snacks, you likely just had a baby. You are now going to be hungry non-stop. Think you were hungry when you were pregnant!? Wrong.

via GIPHY

Before you continue reading this, I want you to learn from my experience. While I only have two kids and some would say that’s not a ton of experience, I do know how I felt during postpartum days.  No one can understand that unless they have kids.  And no matter what happened the first time around and how much your brain has pushed out of your memory, the second time around doesn’t make postpartum any easier.  So I want you to follow these few simple steps no matter if this is your first baby or your 9th.

  1. Scroll down through the list and pick your Top 5 choices
  2. Send the ideas to your partner or family member helping you
  3. Ask them to make it for you

Part of becoming a new mom is learning to ask for help. Especially if you have other kids, you need all the help you can get.  One of the most important things that you can during postpartum time, is making sure you keep yourself hydrated and fueled to take care of baby.

Now, back to the hunger….

There is nothing like newly postpartum mom hunger. I understand why some mother mammals eat their young. THEY’RE FREAKING HUNGRY. Give them a bit more to eat!

As a new mom, you also don’t feel like cooking anything. This means you need quick, simple, healthy, delicious. We’ve complied a list of great postpartum snacks for anyone.

If you happen to be here and you are not a new mom, you are likely looking for something that you can put together for them.  Kuddos! You’ll definitely want to save this list and over the next 6 months to a year, any time you see this mama, take her a snack.

Why Does a New Mom Need Healthy snacks?

Umm, she just gave birth to a whole human being. That took a lot of energy! In all seriousness, birthing a baby vaginally or by Cesarean is a lot of work.  For the last nine months, mama has had all her organs pushed and shoved, grown new organs, and then expelled all of them for the sake of a tiny little being that is now going to keep her up for hours and hours every night.

It’s exhausting giving birth AND having a newborn. Her body is going to expend a lot of energy getting her body’s organs back into place and realigning other bodily functions. This takes a minimum of six to eight weeks to happen, but often even longer.

Now, if the mama is breastfeeding, she’s going to need even more. She’s physically producing milk which is burning a ton of calories.  In order to continue to make milk, she needs breastfeeding snacks that are healthy for her.

How Many Healthy Snacks Does a New Mom Need?

Overall, a new mom needs between 1800 and 2200 calories a day.  Because moms are always on the go, some of these could be in snack form, like the protein energy bites or avocado toast listed below. If a new mom is breastfeeding, she’ll need to increase her calories by another 500-800 a day. Also, if cleared for working out or tandem nursing (either twins or an older children), she’ll need even more. It’s best to talk to a lactation specialist if breastfeeding or other care physician, like a dietician to get a correct number of caloric intake for each specific person.

What are the best healthy snacks for a new mom? 

We’ve rounded up 100+ Protein Packed Postpartum Snacks that are amazing and just what you need as you transition into this new time in your life. Whether this is baby #1 or #6, you still have to eat. Most of these recipes are easy to make or no bake, but there are a few that requires baking. Make sure you have someone else make those ones for you!

Side note: whether you are breastfeeding or not, these are all great snacks for postpartum mothers. Your body needs fuel to recover and heal and you need to make sure you are getting proper nutrition so you have the energy to keep going.

100+ Delicious Postpartum Snacks for New Moms


Best of luck on this amazing journey of motherhood!

Some things that may help you through the transition:


Other Posts You Might Be Interested In

breastfeeding myths

lactation boosting foods

This post was originally publish on 3/21/2017. Updated on 10/10/2018 and reupdated on 3/25/2019.

FREE Breastfeeding Pumping Signs

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Breastfeeding and being a working mom isn’t easy! We’ve made a few FREE breastfeeding pumping signs for your office or pumping area that you can easily put up while pumping. 

We realize that being a working mom outside of the home that needs to pump isn’t easy. Despite clear cut laws in most states about the rights breastfeeding/pumping moms have, you often have to jump through hoops just for adequate times and space to pump.  It’s as though people think leaving your baby is easy.  As though, you have nothing else to do than give someone a hard time about giving you a space other than a bathroom to pump in multiple times a day.  It’s really infuriating that we are still fighting for these simple things. These basic rights for our babies.

Why May You Need a Breastfeeding Pumping Sign

You finally get a pumping space and people decide to keep barging in the door. Talk about a let down mood buster. Constantly having to worry about people coming in while you are pumping is enough to stress anyone out on top of the already stressful situation that pumping at work presents.

Even if you don’t have the issue of people coming in and out of your space unannounced, you may just want a breastfeeding pumping sign for privacy or just because you are the type of person that loves decorating and want to put something up.  No matter your reason for wanting a breastfeeding pumping sign for work, we guarantee that you will love at least one of the signs that we’ve made.

We wanted to take some time and create a few signs for you to print out and be able to put on the door of your pumping space.  While we wish that we could ensure that no one will ever walk in on you, there’s always that risk.  Hopefully, our signs help!

They are completely FREE for you to print out as often as needed. Our only ask is that you share our link with your pumping friends so they have access to them as well!

Tip: On the signs that says “Come back in ____ minutes”, print these out and laminate them. Then, you can use a dry erase marker to write on over and over again.

Scroll down to get the FREE breastfeeding pumping sign(s) of your choice! 

Lactation Recipes – 

Breastfeeding is already hard.  If you would like some delicious lactation recipes, then check out our 15 Lactation Boosting Recipes.  Multiple smoothie amounts, cookies, muffins, pancakes and more.  These delicious recipes will knock your socks off.  Make sure to try the Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake — our #1 post for more than 5 years!  As well as our super popular lactation energy bites – just 6 ingredients and under 10 minutes to make, these are a huge hit!

Some breastfeeding words of encouragement: 

I know you are here looking for breastfeeding pumping signs for work, but as a mama who nursed both of her kids to 3yo and 4yo, I feel like I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence without sharing a little breastfeeding encouragement.  #1 – you are doing great.  I feel like I needed to hear that more than I did.  Breastfeeding is not easy.  It’s often secluded and shunned, which can cause moms to have a heightened risk of anxiety and nervousness. However, you are doing great.

Just remember that you are doing this for the most important reason ever – to feed your baby for as long as you can. Pumping is one of the harder jobs ever, but you can succeed. Just keep up doing all the hard work that you are doing! You got this mama!

Another post you may be interested in is 50 breastfeeding myths busted! 

 

Grab any of the breastfeeding pumping signs to print at this link.

 

Grab any of these breastfeeding pumping signs to print at this link.

Make sure that you save our breastfeeding pumping signs to Pinterest so that you always have them easily accessible. 

This post was originally published on 3/8/2017 and was updated with new signs and more information on 3/18/2019.

The Last Time She Called Me Mama

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The Last Time She Called Me Mama is a post about how the changing seasons of motherhood can hit us at the least expected times. 

I was stubborn as they come when I was little. My mom readily admitted when I was growing up that had I been the first child, I would have been the only. I am the last child. I’m still stubborn to this day. I am opinionated and usually voice my thoughts loudly, even when maybe I shouldn’t. Okay, a lot of times I probably shouldn’t. Yet and Still, my mom still calls me her baby. As stubborn as I may have been, there’s no greater love than hers. I didn’t understand that love and all that came with it until I gave birth to my first.

There’s something about becoming a mama that changes the way you love.

The deep, never ending, yearning love that you only have for your children. That makes you want to go to the ends of the world to protect them at all costs. The love that no matter how frustrating they can make you, if they get hurts 35 seconds later you will run to them. You will run fast and coddle them to ease their pain.

I should have known that I was going to get payback for being as stubborn as I was. But I never knew it would happen so quickly. My first daughter refused for the longest time to say mama. It was always dada this and dada that. I remember my heart bursting the first time I heard mama. It’s one of those moments that you go around texting and calling everyone, making sure to post on Facebook and Instagram. Somehow the first “mama” and your kid pooping on the toilet are both in that list, but I digress, that isn’t the point.

The first time I heard mama, my heart exploded.

I knew I was a mama, but hearing this tiny little thing say mama is something so damn special. There’s many moments in parenting that are like that. But this is one of the most special.

She’s 6 now, and a lot of things have changed during the last few years. There’s been many more firsts and watching her grow has been beyond amazing (and challenging). The other day though, in the midst of everything, as we were opening new Christmas toys and setting up new terrariums and building Legos, I heard “mom”.

“Hey, mom.”

It was like a punch in the gut. I wasn’t sure what in that moment really made me think about it or ponder the way things have been changing over the last few months. Teeth are falling out, she’s learning to read, and growing into her own personality. But I caught myself wondering, when was the last time she called me Mama? Or Mommy? When did I become mom?

I didn’t cry in front of her (though I do often), but later that night, I got her ready for bed, laid her down and got her to sleep.  It was in that moment that I really allowed myself to feel the weight of those earlier moments.  “Mom.”  Tears poured from my eyes as I thought that she’s 6 now. These moments are going to happen way more often now that she’s growing up.  Six now means that if we double that just 2 more times, she’s on her own.  I’m closer now to her being a teenager than being my newborn and the weight of those thoughts is just so heavy.

It’s the first, I’m sure of many, gut wrenching moments in parenthood that I’m going to realize that my little girl is growing into a bigger girls. Sure, every season I’m changing clothes into bigger sizes, she no longer depends on breastmilk and her car seat is no longer rear facing, but it’s such a sucker punch when you realize that was one of most joyous moments of your life, is forever changed.

Since then, I’ve tried to make a mental note and while on occasion a Mama has slipped out, mom is usually the describing name that I get addressed as most frequently.

I’m not sure the last time she called me Mommy, but I know I’ll always be her mommy and forever and always she will always be my little girl. (As stubborn as she may be) 

 

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Lactation Energy Bites

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Lactation Energy Bites are the go to recipe for breastfeeding moms.  They are no bake cookie balls that are easy to make, just 6 ingredients, super flavorful and beneficial. These no bake lactation bites can be made Top 8 Allergy Friendly and vegan if needed. 

  lactation energy bites
My own breastfeeding journey, had plenty of ups and downs.  There’s lots of things that may have you questioning your supply. Before you continue reading, if you are a new mom or here because you think you have low supply, I encourage you to read 50+ Breastfeeding Myths Busted.

Watch how to make lactation energy bites:

Almost a year and a half into my first breastfeeding dyad, I heard about lactation cookies.  It seemed like ever since I first heard about them, I learned about so many other different types of lactation products– like bread, smoothies, and even energy bites.  I wish I would have known about these when we were early on in our nursing relationship and I was constantly looking for something to pop in my mouth.  I first learned about these from the Breast is Best Facebook page.  They are my go to recipe for myself and other new moms!

lactation energy bites recipe

Funny story about the first time I made lactation energy bites

The funniest story happened the first time I ever made these no bake lactation bites . Andrew came home and I was still working on dinner.  He was hungry and opened the fridge and saw the bites and popped one in his mouth.  He then asked what they were and I simply said “Lactation Energy Bites”.  His face was priceless and he ran to the trash can.  “Why didn’t you tell me your milk was in them?”, he shouted! I couldn’t stop laughing as I tried to tell him there wasn’t breast milk in them. Lactation energy bites are supposed to HELP with milk production. It was hysterical.

easy lactation bites recipe

What ingredients do you need for a lactation energy bites recipe?

These no bake lactation bites are seriously one of the easiest recipes you will ever make in your entire life.  You just need six total ingredients for this super easy lactation bites recipe. The ingredients that you need to make this recipe are:

  • old fashioned oats
  • chocolate chips
  • creamy peanut butter
  • ground flaxseed
  • raw honey
  • vanilla

Those are the only ingredients you need to make this delicious lactation energy bites recipe!

How can I make these lactation energy bites recipe Top 8 Allergy friendly?

Sometimes moms have their own food allergies, and other times, breastfeeding causes moms to have to do some sort of elimination diet.  Luckily, we can help with those allergies too!  In order to make these lactation energy bites Top 8 Allergy free, you are going to want to make a few changes.

First, ensure that the old fashioned oats that you are using are gluten free.  While oats themselves are gluten free, sometimes companies list cross contamination with gluten on their labels.  Make sure that you have a safe oat brand.

Next, pick a chocolate chip like Enjoy life in your recipe. Enjoy life chips are soy and dairy free (and all other Top 8+ allergens).

Lastly, swap the creamy peanut butter for sunbutter. It acts the same and it will taste different than our original recipe was written, but it will ensure that these lactation energy bites recipe is Top 8 Allergen friendly.

Of course, if you only have one of these allergies, you can always make the swap that you need.

Can I make these lactation energy bites recipe vegan?

Of course, you can make these vegan no bake lactation bites!  In order to do that you’ll again want to pick a chocolate chip like Enjoy Life in the recipe to ensure there’s no dairy in your chocolate.  Next, you can switch out the honey for the same amount of agave. With those two simple swaps, you will make these vegan lactation bites!

How do you make these lactation energy bites?

Once you have the ingredients that you are going to use to make these lactation energy bites, you need to grab a large bowl. Simply add all the ingredients into the bowl and combine really well.

Next, form into balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Finally, put them into the fridge to set up (about 2-3 hours) and then grab and go! That’s it! Told you, easy peasy!

easy lactation recipes

Can you freeze these lactation energy bites?

You absolutely can freeze these no bake lactation bites. In order to do so, make the recipe according to the instructions. Once you have the balls made, place them on a wax lined baking sheet instead of parchment paper.  Place in the freezer for 2 hours.  Once the time is up, you can place the balls into an air tighter container or ziploc bag. Leave in the fridge for as long as you need them (up to 3 months).  Remove desired amount from freezer and allow to thaw before consuming.

Do you have to be lactating to eat these no bake lactation bites?

I get these question often and the answer is 100% no. In fact, my children and even Andrew (now that he knows my breastmilk isn’t in them) enjoys them every time that I make them.  There’s no ingredients in these that isn’t safe for anyone.  It’s just that the ingredients combined together, just happen to be great for lactating mothers.

One important note though, children under 1 shouldn’t consumer honey for risk of botulism.  If you have a child under one that you would like to give these to, please follow the directions above for making these vegan.

What are other lactation recipes that are good for milk production?

You may be looking for other lactation boosting recipes in addition to these lactation energy bites.  Our favorite recipes are:

You may also be interested in these other lactation boosting recipes!

4.7 from 10 votes
Print
Lactation Energy Bites
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Lactation Energy Bites are the go to recipe for breastfeeding moms.  They are no bake cookie balls that are easy to make, minimal ingredients, but still flavorful and beneficial.

Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lactation bites, lactation recipes
Servings: 36 1in bites
Calories: 121 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients.
  2. Stir until very well combined

  3. Using a small cookie dough scoop or your hands, roll into 1" balls.

  4. Place on baking sheet.
  5. Place in fridge and let sit for 2-3 hours.
  6. Store in air tight container in the fridge.
  7. Eat as desired.
Recipe Notes

*Crunchy peanut butter will not hold these together well.

*Add an additional 1/4-1/2 cup of flaxseed if you really need an extra boost of milk production.

*Please see notes in post if you need to make these Top 8 Allergy Friendly or vegan.

Nutrition Facts
Lactation Energy Bites
Amount Per Serving (1 bite)
Calories 121 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 37mg2%
Potassium 93mg3%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 10IU0%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin these Lactation Energy Bites for later:

how to make lactation energy bites

You might also like our Chocolate PB Banana Lactation Smoothie

lactation milkshake recipe

or our Peanut Butter Apple Pie Lactation Smoothie.

lactation boosting smoothie

This lactation energy bites recipe was only published on 3/18/2014. Then updated on 2/23/2018 and again on 2/20/2019.

We’ve updated the pictures in this post. Original pictures below.

no bake lactation energy bites

no bake lactation energy cookies

how to make lactation energy bites

 

 

10 Ways to Help a Grieving Friend Through Pregnancy or Infant Loss [Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day]

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October 15th is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. No matter the day though, these are 10 ways to help your grieving friend through pregnancy of infant loss. 

*Disclosure: Affiliate links may be contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases. Thank you for helping us continue to run our site.

Trigger Warning: This post talks about pregnancy and infant loss. 

Fran Solomon, Founder of HealGrief.org says that a parent “will never get over the loss of {their} child”.  

Unless you’ve lost a child, you will never know what the experience is like as a parent who has. It’s also important to realize that every single mother and father processes a loss differently. Also, every single day may be different.  Some days will be easier than others. And the pain from loosing a child, will never go away. Every parent will always wonder about the child than is no longer on Earth with them.

Unfortunately, one in four pregnancies result in a loss. Not one in four women, but one in four pregnancies.  That means that many women experience loss more than one time. Since pregnancy loss is still a very taboo topic, many women go through this experience alone without telling others.

When speaking on infant loss, the rate of infant mortality in the United States in almost 6 births per 1,000.

Thankfully, more women are being brave enough to speak out their losses, helping other women know they are not alone. However, when they do this, they also being more vulnerable. As friends and family members, there are ways to help that can aid in the grieving parents.

Know that every Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day they are vulnerable and hurting. But also know that so many other days throughout the year they are too.

The Importance of Saying Grieving Parents

My closest friend is a grieving parent.  She has experience both pregnancy loss and child loss. Both things that a parent should never have to go through.

Read more about her sweet boy Beau in these posts: 

One of the most important things I’ve learned being her friend through these losses is that the father is often forgotten.  We always remember the mother. However, since we are a culture that thrives on tough masculinity, it’s often forgotten that these fathers are also grieving. They are reeling in the hurt of also what could have been and it’s so very important that we look at today as grieving parents and not only grieving mothers.

10 Ways to Help a Grieving Friend Through Pregnancy or Infant Loss

There are so many ways that we can truly help a grieving parent. On this Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, I’m sharing just 10 ways that you can help:

  • Just sit (and maybe listen)
    • Just sitting with a grieving parent to let them know they are not alone is a huge help. Sometimes they may want to or not want to talk.  Just letting them know they are not alone, is a tremendous way to help.
  • Cook Them Dinner (or order out for them/send them a giftcard for dinner)
    • Send over pizza from their favorite spot. Grab a giftcard from their favorite restaurant. Or cook something for them that you know they love. Food brings people together and comforts. This is one of the best ways to help.
  • Do Their Grocery Shopping (and other errands)
    • Sometimes a grieving parent just doesn’t want to be around others. Often times, being in a store with people buzzing around, can increase anxiety. Having these errands done for them is a tremendous help.
  • Clean up around the house
    • Do their dishes, the laundry, mop the floors, clean the bathrooms, pull the weeds out front. Anything that you can do to alleviate some of the stress from the grieving parent will be a huge help
  • Bring a basket of their favorite snacks, chocolate, ice cream
    • If you don’t know, ask. Sometimes something as simple as dropping off their favorite candy bar or bag of chips is one of the most simple but generous things you can offer.  It says, “hi, I see you and remember you,” in the most simple way.  Drop at their door and send a text letting them know it’s outside.
  • Bring a tree to plant so their can celebrate the life year after year
    • A butterfly bush is a beautiful way to do this.
  • Take their other children out for a playdate (even if it’s just to the backyard)
    • Children needs outlets too. In the case of pregnancy and infant Loss awareness day, if a mother had a miscarriage, she may not have told her told children she was pregnant yet. The other children still need creative outlets for their energy. This is a huge help.
  • Send a card
    • Just  one that says “Thinking of You” -1 month, 2 months, 3 months, a year after the loss just to let them know that someone else hasn’t forgotten.  They will never forget, but their fear is that everyone else has.
  • Make them laugh
    • Laughter makes everything better, even if just for a brief moment.  If you know a way, make them laugh.
  • Always keep asking them out
    • Whether it’s a week from the loss, a month, or a year. As stated above, every parent processes loss different. That being said, sometimes it takes longer for others. Never stop asking them to hang out, have playdates, etc.

A Few Don’ts on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

According to Solomon, you shouldn’t avoid talking to the family who lost a child. They need companionship so much more during this time. However, you should avoid saying any of the following:

  • I know how you feel (instead let them experience and express their own grief, even if you yourself have experience loss).
  • Shouldn’t you be doing…. (Let them grieve how they want).
  • Everything happens for a reason.
  • He/She is in a better place now.
  • God won’t give you more than you can handle.
  • Thank goodness you’re young and you can still have more children.
  • At least you still have (Insert name of other child(ren).

Instead offer support and understand and just be there as a friend, a family person, a coworker, etc. Everyone handles loss differently and it’s important to understand each person’s grieving process as it relates to them and their situation. And never forget.

On this Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, I hope that you reach out to a friend that is grieving and tell them you haven’t forgotten.

This post is in honor of my beautiful sister, my dear friend, and all other families that have experienced infant or child loss in their life.  

PIN THIS POST ABOUT PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS AWARENESS FOR LATER:

This post was originally published on 10/15/2014.

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