​Happy Friday!  Grab your beverage of choice and get comfy. Here's a roundup of recommended reading from this week and beyond!


C-sections Are Best With A Little Labor, Study Says

More squats and fewer kegels for a strong pelvic floor.  Plus, how to squat correctly and how to squat for birth.

Good news for Valentine's Day!  A new study suggests that consuming chocolate each day may be beneficial to mom and baby during pregnancy.  

What to expect when you're expecting (100 years ago)

8 reasons why doctors recommend delaying baby's first bath.  Some local hospitals are beginning to delay the first bath as standard procedure!

So cool!  Series of images reveals what is inside the birth bags of women around the world.

Study shows bedsharing has a positive effect on breastfeeding rates.

Think baby's hands get in the way during breastfeeding?  Baby's hands actually play an important biological function.

Largest study of water births finds no additional risk


Thoughts on these topics?  Any other recommended reads from this week?  

Happy Friday!  Grab your beverage of choice and get comfy. Here's a roundup of relevant reads from around the interwebs from this week and beyond!

A new recommendation issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task force that all pregnant women and new mothers be screened for depression and related mood disorders.

CDC statement issued that all women should avoid drinking alcohol unless they're using birth control. (And a follow up post on the topic that's too good not to share.)

Microbiome seeding in the news!  Study confirms that a mother's beneficial microbes can be partially transferred to babies born via cesarean using a vaginal swab.

The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention talks about the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects in infected pregnant women.

Coolest maternity shoot photobomb ever!

The breastfeeding deduction and other tax breaks that all new parents should know about.

Enough with birth shaming.  Homebirths, midwives, hospitals, and the battle over being born.

New research out of Notre Dame shows that children of affectionate, responsive parents grow into healthier and happier adults.  Snuggle those babes!

The smell of newborn babies triggers the same reward centers as drugs.

​Doulas for all!
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Thoughts on these topics?  Any other recommended reads from this week?