This week on Yoga|Birth|Babies we’re taking a break from our expert lead interviews and focusing on a birth story from the community. Eliana Balk reached out to me to share her story and ideas about how to talk about birth trauma from the birthing person’s perspective. Most conversations around birth trauma are from leaders and […]
Community Birth Story: How to Talk About Birth Trauma Read More »
For the past few months, I’ve been gravitating towards the subject of motherhood devouring podcasts, books, and articles on the subject. Possibly because I am knee-deep in early childhood as the mother of two young children or because the subject is so deep and vast and I like many parents thirst for some guidance and
Ups and Downs in Motherhood with Dayna Kurtz Read More »
Why does society accept the deeply embedded belief that mothers can’t be sexy? Saturday Night Live just re-aired their “Mom Jeans” skit poking fun at “moms”. Emphasizing that once someone because a mother they trade in the sexy body, cute clothes, and sense of self for a frumpy bodied person with poor fashion sense who
The Ultimate Guide to Sex After Baby with Debra Pascali Bonaro Read More »
Pregnancy, birth and early parenthood, are often a time of family gatherings and celebrations. But now during this unprecedented time, these milestones are being experienced in isolation. This massive departure from how one may have originally envisioned the transition into parenthood can lead to feelings of loss and grief. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I
Loss, Grief, Anxiety and Isolation During Pregnancy and Parenthood Read More »
Everyone who gives birth shall forever carry their story imprinted deep within. For some, the memories brings joy, others unresolved feelings and for many, they are somewhere in between. Time will take someone further from the experience but what happens when your birth goes unprocessed? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with co-director of
Processing Your Birth Story with Nikki Shaheed Read More »
Bringing home a baby during a pandemic has unique challenges. New parents can no longer rely on the help and support of family, friends, or a doula to share the workload and take the pressure off of learning how to care for a newborn. For those expecting a baby during COVID-19, this special episode of
Preparing for Postpartum During COVID-19 with Grace Veras Sealy Read More »
The path to creating a family can differ for everyone. For some it may require fertility assistance, others a surrogate, and others no assistance at all however for approximately 135,000 families it involves adoption. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with adoptive and assisted reproduction lawyer, Rebecca Mendel. As an adoptive parent, Rebecca offers
All About Adoption with Rebecca Mendel Read More »
Can you imagine the need to be the main advocate for yourself in the middle of labor and directly postpartum? Or being pushed into the situation to go head to head with the hospital staff just to see your baby? That is exactly what happened to Jessie Katz. In the middle of her labor and
Community Birth Story: The Importance of Self Advocacy with Jessie Katz Read More »
What do you do when you realize your child has special needs and considerations? For some parents of children who have special needs, they may feel isolated and overwhelmed by living outside “the norm.” In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with Bridget Tichar. Bridget is the mother of Teddy, her 2 1/2 son,
Parenting a Child With Special Needs with Bridget Tichar Read More »
It’s possible you’ve never heard of “tongue tie,” but 5% of babies are born with this condition. If your little one has a tongue tie you likely understand how it impacts feeding your baby, from the bottle or breast. And if undiagnosed, it can affect speech development. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies,
Why is it that so many pregnant people wait until 12 weeks to share the news of their pregnancy? This silence retreat may be comforting for some, but isolating for the 1 in 4 people who do not see their pregnancy go past the first trimester. In this episode of Yoga|Birth |Babies, I speak with
How would you react upon finding out you were carrying twins? Shock? Excitement? A bit nervous? A combination of all three? If are one of the 3.35% of parent having twins you may be looking for some support and guidance as you welcome your new expanded family. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with
Nobody ever enters parenthood and thinks having a baby would land them in the psych ward. But that is exactly what happened with Lisa Abramson. On this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, I speak with executive coach, mindfulness teacher, best selling author, and mom of two girls, Lisa Abramson. Lisa is also a survivor of postpartum psychosis,
Postpartum Psychosis Read More »
Few experiences in life create such a sudden shift on so many deep levels like entering parenthood. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with writer, women’s mentor, doula and founder of MotherSHIFT, Jessie Harrold about embodying the rite of passage into motherhood. Jessie helps guide women through the transition into parenthood through her program
MotherSHIFT: Supporting Women Through the Identity Shift of Motherhood Read More »
It’s not often during an interview I have such a major a shift in perspective on the topic of discussion. But that is exactly what occurred during my talk with author and RIE method teacher Janet Lansbury. The RIE method floated around in a distant hemisphere somewhere in my awareness. I had heard of an
RIE Parenting: Is It For You? Read More »
I reached out to Hannah Sarah Faich Dini to be a guest on Yoga | Birth | Babies because chatting with her and simply knowing her is a true delight. I also, in my many years of working with the pregnant population, have not encountered three pregnancies quite like hers. For all three pregnancies, Hannah
Community Birth Stories: Overcoming Disappointment & Embracing the Uncontrollable Read More »
If you’re a parent, or simply have been around children, you know the how hard it can be to stay calm when a child is whining. I’m almost 8 years into parenthood and still, I find myself hungrily looking for expert advice on this issue! In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Clinical Psychologist and
Why Children Whine and What to Do About It Read More »
The C.D.C. reports that black mother in the U.S. are 3 to 4 times more at risk of maternal mortality regardless of socioeconomic status and education than white women. These statistics are just the beginning of shining a light on the racial disparity seen in the birthing world. In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak
Improving Birth & Health Outcomes for Black Moms & Babies. Read More »
We’ve all met those people we start chatting with and instantly decide, I want to know more about you. As Krisitn and I casually talked during the breaks of Prenatal Yoga Center’s Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training, (which she was enrolled in) I started to realized how our personal paths mirrored one another and even intertwined
Getting Real with Peloton’s Kristin McGee Read More »
We’ve all heard “It take a village to raise a child.” And while it sounds like a cliche or catch phrase, those of us who’ve been through or witnessed the transition from maiden to motherhood can understand the incredible importance of a supportive community. In this episode of Yoga|Birth| Babies, I speak with the director of
The Importance of Community Read More »
I was recently sorting through old pictures of me “pre-children” and noted how cute and put together I was back then. My hair was cut regularly, my clothes were fun and fashionable and I had a very respectable handbag collection that never contained random lego pieces or pink hair bows. Why did becoming a mother
Avoiding the “Mom Rut” In Fashion Read More »
I wish I could say I have a very loving and peaceful relationship with my body and body image; unfortunately, I do not. However, with awareness of this personal flaw, I’ve made great efforts to be mindful of what I say about my appearance and any comments about the physicality of others in front of
Body Positive Parenting Read More »
One of my favorite parts of early motherhood was listening to the scrumptious babble of my new baby. That was, until a level of frustration grew from our inability to communicate effectively. My son was often trying to share his needs and it much of the time, it just went over my head. If you
Baby Fingers: Baby Sign Language Read More »
I’ll admit, I got a bit of zig when my husband and I went shopping to fill our baby registry. It was thrilling to see all the baby gear start to arrive. That is until we realized that our small one bedroom was not equipped to accommodate all the equipment baby’s require! Soon bottles, bibs
Embracing The KonMari Method to Declutter Your Life & Home Read More »
How amazing is it that the documentary, #Period. End of Sentence, a film about menstruation just won an Academy Award! For years talking about periods was a closed subject. But now tides are turning and many people consider menstruation the “5th Vital Sign.” Disruptions in one’s cycle can predict potential health issues, give us insight
The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles and Optimize Your Fertility Read More »
Between 25 and 34 per cent of women report that their births were traumatic. Given this staggering number, how many of these people have the support or tools to safely heal and recover from their birth experience? In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with childbirth educator, doula and author, Jennifer
Healing After Birth: Recovering from Birth Trauma Read More »
How confident are you with the security of your car seat and basic car seat safety? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 86% of families positioned the newborn incorrectly in the seat and 77% incorrectly installed the seat. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Child Passenger Safety
For those who have been caught with out their breast pump or expectantly separated from your baby, you may have turned to hand expression as a last resort. But did you know, that hand expression of breast milk can boost milk supply and often reduce sore nipples and engorgement and it can save you time-
TheMilkinMama: Hand Expression with Francie Webb Read More »
Bringing home a newborn baby for the first time is perhaps one of the most daunting tasks many people face in their life. I clearly remember the moment my husband and I were alone with our new baby. All we could think about was, “when is our postpartum doula going to arrive and could help
Practical Advice on Caring for Your Newborn with Ayelet Kaznelson Read More »
Have you ever felt like you don’t understand your changing pregnant body? Perhaps you no longer feel like you can find good, supportive posture, or take a satisfyingly deep breath? If so, then this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies will help you understand how your inner structure, what Jill Miller, yoga teacher and
Your Inner Baby Carriage Read More »
Approximately 10-25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. With such a high percentage of pregnancies naturally terminating, why is this subject often talked about in whispers behind closed doors? When any personal loss is experienced, support is often desired and needed and subsequent pregnancies may be approached with more apprehension then joy. In this episode of
Rainbow Babies with Jessica Mougis Read More »
One of the three pillars of Prenatal Yoga Center methodology is community, also knows as sangha. Feeling part of community, especially in such a transitional time like pregnancy and parenthood, can help assuage fears, feel supported and find a general camaraderie. In an effort to deepen our community connection, Yoga |Birth |Babies continues to share
Pregnancy, Parenthood, and Eating Disorders Read More »
With the myriad of nursery decor, strollers and baby gadgets, it is not surprising the amount of time and effort new parents spend on preparing for the arrival of their new family member. Unfortunately, the check list of preparation rarely makes it to setting up support for the new parents postpartum. With the current rate
Plan To Support Yourself: The Necessity of A Postpartum Mental Health Check In Read More »
As parents our actions have a lot of power. We are constantly modeling the behavior our children mimic and setting the environment for their developing minds. Recently I found myself having one of “those days.” The kind of day when you’re super frustrated, everyone and everything is pissing you off and nothing seems to be
Time Outs; Not just for children Read More »
Community and support are a vital part of Prenatal Yoga Center. To help encourage relationships and get to know one another a little better, we like to introduce a new mom and her baby each month. This month, we are pleased to introduce you to Hannah Brenman and her daughter Rachel! Hannah has been a
Mom of the Month: Meet Hannah Brenman Read More »
Not every entrance into parenthood is easy and joyful with a soundtrack of birds singing blissfully as you walk carefree through the park. You may even mutter under your breath, “This is really f**king hard, what have I done?” In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak openly with co-founder of Soul Camp and Soul
Community Birth Stories: Getting Past A Bumpy Start with Soul Camp’s Michelle Goldblum Read More »
I left my house unusually early today which required quietly creeping out of bed while the rest of my family remained asleep. Trying not to disturb anyone, I quickly sprang out of bed when my alarmed chimed, brushed my teeth and swiftly dressed in the clothes I laid out last night. I was so quick-paced
The Delicious Surprise of Putting the DAMN Phone Down! Read More »
Community and support are a vital part of Prenatal Yoga Center. To help encourage relationships and get to know one another a little better, we like to introduce a new mom and her baby each month. This month, we are pleased to introduce you to Jessica Mintz and her son Bradley! Jessica frequently attended Postnatal
July Mom of the Month: Meet Jessica Mintz! Read More »
Matrescence, a seldom heard word that names the shift into motherhood, stemming from the word, adolescence. Funny that the metamorphosis into adolescence is socially viewed with compassion, support, and a general understanding of tremendous and uncontrollable change while the same slide into motherhood is often met with high expectations of “maternal instincts” and an innate understanding of
The day your child is born, you assume a completely new persona and identity. Many grapple with this shift from maiden to motherhood and embracing this new title and responsibility can be challenging. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, Dr. Britta Bushnell discusses working through the bumps of the 4th trimester and
Motherhood & Identity Read More »
Once the dust settles on the new expansion to your family, plans may need to be considered about child care and extra support. There are several options, day care, family help or hiring an in home nanny. In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Christa Nader, founder of Kith and
Nanny 101 with Christa Nader of Kith & Kin Read More »
In April 2018, ACOG, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, released a new recommended guideline for Maternal Care. This new set of suggested protocols has the potential to vastly improve maternal health, which currently has a bleak outcome of 17.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2011, 2012 and 2013 with non- Hispanic black
Deserving of Better Care for Expectant and New Parents; The New ACOG Guidelines Read More »
Community and support are a vital part of Prenatal Yoga Center. To help encourage relationships and get to know one another a little better, we like to introduce a new mom and her baby each month. This month, we are pleased to introduce you to Jada Strabbing. Jada is a mom of 3, she’s pictured
May’s Mom of the Month: Meet Jada Strabbing! Read More »
Baby stuff everywhere! Why does it feel like having a baby comes with so much equipment and accessories? Have you ever stopped to think about what is truly necessary and what is just really good marketing? In this episode of Yoga|Birth|Babies, I speak with Adriane Stare, owner and founder of the Brooklyn eco-friendly maternity, baby
What Do You Really Need For Baby? Read More »
In this episode of “Yoga | Birth | Babies,” I speak with accomplished author, health psychologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett. We dive deeply into an important and timely discussion about racial disparity and the effects of breastfeeding and infant mortality. Black babies are more then three to four times likely
Racial Disparity and its Effect on Breastfeeding and Infant Mortality Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with author and Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Nancy Mohrbacher about how to support breastfeeding women at work and help them navigate pumping. For any person facing the end of maternity leave and wondering about they will be able to manage keeping their supply
Navigating Breastfeeding at Work Read More »
Today on Yoga| Birth|Babies I speak with PYC community member, Emeline Foster. Emeline is a second time mother who openly shares her struggles with deciding if she should have a second cesarean or explore a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Emeline is open and honest about her experience and the challenges she faced along with
Community Birth Stories with Emeline Foster Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with licensed social worker and Program Director of the Motherhood Center of New York, Paige Bellenbaum. This deeply honest and moving discussion needs to be heard and discussed with all expectant women, partners and support people. It is reported that 1 in 5 women
Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders with Paige Bellenbaum of the Motherhood Center Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with founder of the CrunchyRadish.com, registered dietitian, and natural foods chef Miranda Hammer. We discuss nutrition, food preferences and aversions during pregnancy, and how to get optimal nutrition for mom and baby. We also talk about the reality of finding a balanced and healthy
Crunchy Radish founder Miranda Hammer on Nutrition for the New Mama Read More »
In this episode of “Yoga | Birth | Babies,” I speak with anthropologist, Dr. Meredith Small, about how our biology, culture and history influence how we parent our children. In this fun, lively conversation, Meredith and I discus and compare different cultures and their approach to child raring. Some of the way we care for our children come from
“Our Babies, Ourselves” Author Dr. Meredith Small Read More »
