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 »
In my Prenatal Yoga and Childbirth Education classes, I stress the importance of having plan A, B, C and D. You never know how the wild nature of birth will flow. Teachers and educators encourage expectant parents to not skip the “scary sections” they may wish to avoid. But many people are unprepared for the
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 »
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 »
We all know about the common physical issues of pregnancy and postpartum, an achy back, sore shoulders and tight hips. But what about the other issues that are often kept quiet, hidden in confusion and shame. Incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, finding some sense of connection to the postpartum core! These are huge physical barriers that
Incontinence, Prolapse, and the Core, Oh My! A Discussion of These Common Issues. 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 »
Most people who recently birthed a baby experience some level of trying to reignite a relationship with their core muscles. Some people feel a huge disconnect and have little understanding of why their abdomen remains soft even after the rest of their body has started to regain some semblance of it’s former self. In this
Understanding Core Strength During Pregnancy and Postpartum 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 »
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 »
Planning for Postpartum and How to Handle Family and Guests! You had a baby! Great! Now what?? There are so many things to consider when planning for postpartum. What kind of support do you need? Who is giving you that support? Are you breastfeeding, bottle feeding or both? Where is your baby sleeping? How do
Planning for Postpartum: How to Handle Family and Guests 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 »
Navigating a satisfying sex life with your partner during pregnancy and postpartum can be a bit challenging for many. Fear of hurting the baby, working through body image issues and share logistics can create a gap in a sexual relationship. In this episode of Yoga| Birth| Babies, I speak with New York City based sex
Sex During Pregnancy & Postpartum with The V Club 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 »
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 »
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 »
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 internationally-acclaimed yoga educator and pelvic floor specialist, Leslie Howard. We speak about the importance of a healthy pelvic floor and how things such as constantly tightening the pelvic floor and abdomen can be detrimental. Everyone deserves a healthy, functional body and Leslie’s insight
Pelvic Liberation with Leslie Howard 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 founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement, Dr Debra Bingham. Recently in the news there have been articles discussing the study “Nurses’ Knowledge and Teaching of Possible Postpartum Complications” highlighting the wide range (often lack) of knowledge postpartum nurses
Taking Charge of Postpartum Health with Dr. Debra Bingham Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with journalist and author of the book, The Big Let Down– How Medicine, Big Business and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding. Kimberly and I discus the role of big pharmaceutical companies and the push for baby formula in doctor’s offices and hospitals and how they undermine
“The Big Let Down” author Kimberly Seals Allers Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with new mother and yoga teacher, Chantal Eder. We discus the the challenges and joys of pregnancy and new motherhood. Chantal also opens up about her surprisingly unique birth and processing the experience. New and expectant mothers will enjoy Chantal’s candor and relate to
Community Birth Story: Chantal Eder Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with owner and founder of the The Functional Pelvis, occupational therapist, Lindsey Vestal. This is Lindsey’s second time on the podcast and it is always such a joy to geek out with her as we discuss women’s health issues with the pelvic floor. Today
Belly Binding with Lindsey Vestal of The Functional Pelvis Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies I speak with acclaimed yoga educator, founder of Sequencology, and mother of 2 Lori McAlister. We talk about how Lori’s practice has evolved over time, how she was able to use yoga to deal with unexpected pregnancy complications, and how she uses the tools of her
Lori McAlister founder of Sequencology & Mother of 2 Read More »
On this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with author and 5th Trimester Movement founder, Lauren Smith Brody. Lauren and I have a lively conversations about the challenges and struggles many mothers face when heading back to work after the birth of their baby. Enjoy some incredibly useful tips on how to
The Fifth Trimester with Lauren Smith Brody Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with founder of the The New York Milk Bank, Julie Bouchet-Horwitz, FNP, IBCLC. Julie explains how milk banks work, how those who want to donate can, and how babies who need for breastmilk can receive it. In this episode: How Julie got started working with
The New York Milk Bank with Julie Bouchet-Horwitz, FNP, IBCLC Read More »
Hi Everyone! In today’s episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies I revisit a blog I wrote a few years ago “7 Steps to Surviving Early Motherhood.” With some additional time and an additional baby I’ve added two more steps to help you ease into this new phase of your life with sanity, grace, and
9 Steps To Surviving Early Motherhood! Read More »
In the episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Tamara Hawkins, FNP, RN, IBCLE, LCCE, CHHC, Director of Stork and Cradle. We talk about everything an expectant and new mother needs to know. We cover a wide range of topics from breastfeeding in the first few days of baby’s arrival to what
Breastfeeding 101 with Tamara Hawkins Read More »
This week on Yoga | Birth | Babies, I had the pleasure of speaking with licensed acupuncturist, Frances Goodwin. Frances helps demystify how Chinese medicine and acupuncture can help with fertility, pregnancy, induction, breech and postpartum. Hope you enjoy! In this episode: What drew Frances to acupuncture and Chinese medicine. The philosophy of
Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine with Frances Goodwin LAc Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Dr. Sonia Gidwani. “Dr. G”, as she is lovingly called, is a long time UWS pediatrician who’s caring approach has drawn thousands of children to her practice. (In full discloser- she was the pediatrician to my two children until we moved out of NYC). Dr. Gidwani
Pediatrician 101 with Dr. Sonia Gidwani Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with Postpartum doula, Meema Spadola. Meema dives deeply into the the profession of the postpartum doula and all the amazing support they offer. New and expectant moms, this podcast will be invaluable! Topics covered: *What led Meema to becoming a postpartum doula. *The difference between
Meema Spadola on Finding Support After Birth with a Postpartum Doula Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I speak with renowned breastfeeding expert, Dr. Jack Newman. My goal of this podcast is for new parents to make informed, educated choices about why they may or may not choose to breastfeed. We focus specifically on how to hep the parent who chooses to breastfeed get a good
Dr. Jack Newman of the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic Read More »
In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I had the pleasure of speaking with Aviva Romm, MD. A Yale-trained, board-certified MD, midwife, and herbalist with a specialty in women’s health, Aviva and I talked about her new book, The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution. She explained how thyroid issues affect fertility, pregnancy and postpartum moms and the
Aviva Romm, M.D. author of THE ADRENAL THYROID REVOLUTION Read More »
In this episode of Yoga| Birth|Babies, we bring back Dr. Michelle Canarick to discus childproofing your marriage! While starting a family is incredibly exciting for many, the addition of this new family member can greatly shift the status quo for the relationship of the existing couple. Today we are talking with Michelle Canarick Licensed Clinical
Childproofing Your Marriage Read More »
In this episode we discuss the hotly debated topic, Sleep Training. I often feel there is a lot of comparison and judgement around sleep training but it is very personal and has effects on the whole family. Jess and I discuss why someone would want to begin sleep training and when it is appropriate to
Sleep Training with Jessica Shapley Read More »
Originally published with Choices In Childbirth Many women find themselves surprised by the physical and emotional challenges of the “4th trimester.” This part of the journey into motherhood is often glossed over by friends and family. The focus often shifts from the pregnant mother to the new baby. This can leave the new mom in
The 4th Trimester: Making the Choice for Self Care With Postnatal Yoga Read More »
I have this weird fascination with people watching. Being a New Yorker for the past 17 years, I am endlessly entertained at slyly observing all the vast and diverse population around me. I am intrigued by body language, verbal patterns and general presence. During my brief moments of studying my fellow city dwellers, I try
Choose Wisely. Your Provider’s Anxiety Level Can Influence Your Birth Read More »
After teaching a postnatal class two weeks ago, a few of the mothers and I began talking about breastfeeding, and the support one may need during that period. One mother, Dina, who was bottle feeding, shared her story about why she was no longer breastfeeding. “About half my friends did not breastfeed so when I
Breastfeeding: Getting the Support You Need Read More »
