Many of us are hearing this rather newly coined phrase “mental load” that surfaced very poignantly in a feminist comic in May of 2017 (see https://english.emmaclit.com/2017/05/20/ you-shouldve-asked/) entitled You Should Have Asked. It details a scenario wherein the mom is trying to feed toddlers, prep the house and meal for two guests, and all while the husband is somewhere in the background. He only appears when a mess has happened and as he sees his wife overwhelmed, he ex

The Golden rule: FEED EARLY AND OFTEN More is Better In the early days of breastfeeding, you are laying down the framework for future breastfeeding and milk supply. More nursing sessions = more milk producing glands = more milk production. Research shows that frequency has more effect on overall milk supply than length of feedings or pumps. Feeding On Demand After the first 24 hours, you will want to continue to feed your baby “on demand,” offering at least every 2-3 hours. S

Perhaps you’ve read all the books, taken classes, gathered your support system, registered for all the baby necessities and soaked up the good (and not so good) advice from everyone around you…That’s a great start! However, have you considered how to best prepare for breastfeeding if you’re going that route? I’ll let you in on a few little secrets about getting the best start with breastfeeding beginning with the very first hour after birth. Here we go! THE GOLDEN HOUR We are

A well-fitting baby carrier can be a caregiver’s best friend. It can get you through marathon trips to the grocery store, a much-needed hike, or even just a load of dishes. This often doesn’t happen right out of the box. The key to comfort in your carrier is K-I-S-S, who doesn’t love kissing the top of those sweet little heads? So, while you are going about everyday life with an infant or small child, here are some tips for making sure you and your baby carrier are on best fr

As I counsel couples with young children, the most common denominator is a feeling of disconnect in marital closeness. Of course having children brings a sweet bond that can’t compare to anything else. At the same time, never has the relationship been as tested as it is alongside sleep deprivation, the potential of special needs, postpartum emotional adjustments, changes in libido and intimacy rhythms, financial new normals, and the thousand other changes that happen as you g

Credit line: Excerpted from Breathe, Mama, Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Moms © Shonda Moralis, 2017. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com Letting good enough be good enough. Letting go of perfection. This one is so hard for most of us, and, well, why wouldn’t it be? Raising our children is often the most important endeavor we will ever undertake, so of course we take it seriously. I

Identity can be a crisis when our lives are put through the blender of becoming parents. The season of pregnancy often brings feelings of anticipation, excitement, nervousness, and a nesting in preparation for a new baby. For some mommas, birth means a temporary pause in vocation. For others, it can bring an ending of a particular vocation or an uncertainty. Whatever the case, a new and entirely different vocation is beginning; that of becoming a parent. Whenever there is a n

I thought I had more time to ease into the identity of motherhood, but my little one was born unexpectedly early at 36 weeks. This, on top of having a 2.5 hour precipitous birth where I felt like a freight train had hit me leaving my emotions and endorphins scrambling to catch up. On top of feeling isolated because Kevin and I were the 1st couple in both of our birthing classes and all of our local friend groups to give birth. On top of learning to nurse a premature baby whos

Look Mom! No Hands! Or in my case, Look grandma - No hands!! Rewind to seven years ago when I first picked up a baby carrier at the recommendation of a good friend. It was not a go-to item on our registries yet, popular parenting culture had not picked up on the awesomeness that is using a baby carrier. I got my trusty ergo because it was one of the only carriers easily available at the time. Little did I know, that it would be the first step in a long journey for me. But, th

I'll start off by saying that I've always been passionate about natural birth, so I knew exactly what I wanted and I was SO willing to prepare for it. I believe that if more women planned their birth like they prepared for their weddings, that an "unconventional" birth like mine may become the new normal! During my pregnancy, I worked hard to take care of myself and prepped for my dream birth by doing these four things: 1. I stayed active. I have always been a very active per

“I'm SO frustrated!” That is what I screamed at the top of my lungs as I stood in my kitchen in yoga pants. No one else was home. The culprit: a dirty dish pile. My husband had agreed to do them the night before {Huzzah!!}, but fell asleep on the couch moments later. His work was in a stressful season and he had very little margin. It's so understandable to skip dishes isn't it? Well, not from where I stood the next morning. I'm ashamed to say that what followed the initial a