We’re not going to lie—it’s a weird time. All around the world, people have to miss out on important events like graduations, holidays, and even weddings due to COVID-19. That also includes some of the things you were probably looking forward to if you’re pregnant like showers and gender reveals. Thankfully, we live in the digital age! You can still stay connected even if you can’t physically get together. You can still have your perfect baby shower—virtually! It might be a little different than you imagined it, but it’ll still be a celebration of you and your baby with your favorite people. Keep reading for what you’ll need. 

A Way to Connect

Of course, you’ll need a virtual place to get together! There are tons of options out there. You can use standard video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc. but there are also baby-specific sites like WebBabyShower—doesn’t that sound like exactly what you need? You pick what free video service you use, and WebBabyShower handles everything else. You’ll get access to a customizable site, unlimited invitations, a virtual guest book you can print out and keep later, games, quizzes, a scoreboard, private photo and video album links, and a link to your baby registry. It costs $80, but hey, that’s cheaper than the average in-person baby shower. 

As long as you have a computer or phone and a strong internet connection, you can totally have a great baby shower you’ll never forget. 

Baby Shower Games

You can still play games and give out prizes—you just might have to tweak things a little. Here are a few games that are easy to play virtually. 

JackBox Games

These are great—tons of multiplayer games that just about anyone can play from their gaming system, computer, or phone! People can join in or watch. One of the best things about these games is that they’re just as entertaining when you’re in the audience. 

The Price is Right

Hold up a series of baby items and have people write down how much they think they cost! Then all at the same time, they can hold up their answers to the camera—whoever gets closest to the actual price is right! 

Who’s That Baby?

You can still have fun with classic baby shower games! Have your guests send you their baby photos ahead of time—they can even email them to you. Then show them all on your camera, and have guests see if they can figure out who’s who. If you want to make it harder, throw in some celebrity babies!

Baby Names

Get a list of the most popular baby names from the year you were born. Have your guests try to guess the top 10! This game is great because it doesn’t require a whole lot of talking—that can get confusing with big groups on video chat. 

Common Questions

While you can still enjoy a lot of the same things during your virtual baby shower, some obvious questions come to mind. 

Who Hosts?

Typically someone close to you plans and hosts your baby shower for you—but under these circumstances, it’s completely okay if you host your own! You could also have a close friend or family member help you anyway, especially if they live with you. Thankfully, it’s incredibly easy to coordinate and plan things virtually these days. 

Do You Decorate?

Why not! While we don’t suggest decorating an entire room, decorating around and behind you and your partner will make things feel and look festive—it is a party after all, even if you’re technically all alone in your house. Wall hangings and balloons are great options, and will make things look special on camera. 

Do I Open Shower Gifts?

Absolutely! Have your guests mail you their presents ahead of time, and open them one by one on camera like you normally would! You can still have those sweet moments and give out heartfelt thank yous on camera. 
For more tips on adapting to these crazy times while pregnant, check out our blog page. Have more questions? Feel free to reach out.

Milk production typically begins around the middle of your pregnancy. For more mothers, their milk will come in—meaning it will increase in quantity and begin the change from colostrum to mature milk—between two and five days. 

Colostrum

Is there any milk present at birth? Absolutely! Colostrum, which is the early concentrated milk that’s chock-full of important nutrients and disease-fighting antibodies, is being produced from about 16-22 weeks of pregnancy. Many mothers aren’t aware that it’s there since it might not leak at all. This provides everything your baby needs in the early days after birth—your baby’s stomach is very small, so the amounts of colostrum produced at this time are perfect for their needs even if it doesn’t seem like much early on. 

The average colostrum intake by healthy babies increases from 2-10 mL per feeding in the first 24 hours to 30-60 mL per feed by the end of day three. 

When Will Your Milk Increase?

Milk production typically begins to increase between 30 and 40 hours after delivery of the placenta. It might take a little longer than this actually to notice the changes in your milk production. Your milk “coming in” generally refers to when you notice increased breast fullness or other signs, as milk production really gets going! This fullness occurs usually two to three days after giving birth, but as many as 25% of mothers it takes longer than three days. 

Signs that your milk is coming in:

• Breast fullness, swelling, heaviness, warmth, engorgement, or tingling
• Leaking milk
• Changes in your baby’s feeding patterns, or their behavior at the breast
• Gradual changes in appearance—from thicker golden colostrum to thinner, white mature milk

Something important to remember is that a lot of women experience their milk coming in as a gradual change, rather than something sudden and super noticeable. Research has also shown that the timing of your milk coming in is completely hormonally controlled. That means your baby doesn’t have to be breastfeeding at all for your milk to come in. Skin-to-skin contact is associated with increased milk production.

Risk Factors that come with Delayed Onset of Lactation

When a mother’s milk does not undergo the expected increase in volume within three days of birth, it’s referred to as delayed onset of lactation or DOL. First-time mothers tend to have milk come in about a day later than mothers with more than one child. 

Labor and delivery factors that can be affected by DOL:

• Pain medications during labor—regardless of your delivery method
• Large amounts of IV fluid during labor
• A stressful, exhausting, or traumatic vaginal birth
• A c-section
• A long pushing stage during birth (over one hour)
• Blood loss (more than 500 mL/1 pint)
• Retained placenta, or anything that affects placental function

What if My Milk Doesn’t Come In by Day 4?

If your milk doesn’t come in by day four after birth, here are some things you can try and/or look out for. 

Optimize your breastfeeding management to make sure that your breast empties frequently and thoroughly. Skin-to-skin contact with your baby can also help with milk production. 

Be sure to monitor your baby’s weight to make sure they’re getting enough milk. If your baby loses more than 7% of their birth weight, your breastfeeding should be evaluated. If your baby isn’t getting enough milk, it might be recommended that you try supplementation. 

Schedule a visit with a local, board-certified lactation consultant. They can help you create a plan to increase your milk production, as well as monitor your baby’s progress. 

If you’re struggling to breastfeed after a difficult start, remember that a lot of mothers are able to slowly bring in a full milk supply after a week or two—and sometimes even after many weeks!

For all things maternity, visit our Materinity Care center today.

Being pregnant comes with so much excitement—gender reveals, beautiful nurseries, the cutest baby clothes—and of course, meeting your little one! It’s no secret; however, that pregnancy can also put a damper on certain parts of your life. Your body is changing, there are a lot of things you can’t have, and sometimes you don’t feel your best. You might even think that a fun, romantic, even sexy Valentine’s Day is out of reach—but we’ve got you covered. There are tons of ways you can enjoy your v-day while pregnant! 

Indulge a Little (or a Lot)

Whether you love to cook or you love going out to eat, this is the perfect time to give in to your pregnancy hunger. A healthy diet should be one of your top priorities while pregnant, but there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself every once in a while. You are, after all, human. You’re also a human creating another human—you’re allowed to take a break. 

Get Fancy

Pregnancy can often leave women feeling…well, gross. You might be feeling sick or tired all the time, or you can’t sleep well at night, or you’re stressed—whatever the reason, it might feel good to take some time for you! Do a face mask, take a nice long bath or shower, use a leave-in conditioner, etc. Put on your favorite maternity dress and some nice (comfy) shoes. If you wear makeup, do it a little darker than normal or throw on some red lipstick. You’ll be surprised what a little TLC can do! 

Maternity Photos

Maternity photos are an amazing, sentimental, and beautiful way to document your pregnancy. Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to schedule a photoshoot! Not only will you be able to look back at the photos and remember this time, but it can make a very special, intimate gift for your partner. Get dolled up, wear something that makes you feel beautiful, and savor this time in your life—you might miss it later! 

Lean In

Pregnancy, as mentioned above, can leave you feeling tired, emotional, and maybe even a little cranky. Why not lean into your feelings? Throw on your stretchiest sweatpants, order takeout from your favorite restaurant, and watch your favorite guilty pleasure movie or show. With your partner or alone, this unconventional Valentine’s Day isn’t one you’ll forget soon. 

Make it Special

Amp up your regular date night by doing something new! Check out what your city is offering in terms of theater, ballet, symphony orchestra, etc. You can even go to your regular bars and see what local bands are playing! Make sure wherever you’re going is free of smoke, and has somewhere for you to sit. You could go dancing, to a gallery opening, get a couples massage, etc. You could even book a hotel room—in your city—just for fun! There are lots of opportunities to try new things, think outside the box. 

Get It On

Unless stated otherwise by your doctor, sex is completely safe during pregnancy, usually up until delivery. Even if you don’t feel top notch all the time, there is still room for romance (and pleasure) during pregnancy. There’s a lot of very sexy maternity lingerie out there—and the great thing about Valentine’s Day? There’s no such thing as “over the top.” Make the bed with fresh sheets, put on some romantic music, light some candles, and enjoy some one-on-one time with your partner, or yourself! 

For more maternity advice and access to state-of-the-art maternity care, visit our website today.

Back pain is pretty common during pregnancy—you are, after all, carrying a lot of extra weight on the front of your body. Sciatica is one of the most severe types of back pain you can get, but there are several ways to ease the aches and pains that come with it. Stretches, gentle massage, and other remedies can help. 

What is Sciatic Nerve Pain?

Sciatic nerve pain is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve; the nerve branches off of your spinal cord in your lower back and runs through your buttocks and down your legs. This very large nerve helps the lower part of your back, legs, and feet feel sensations like pressure, temperature—and yes, pain. 

During pregnancy, sciatica can arise if your growing baby and expanding uterus put pressure on your sciatic nerve; pressure on this nerve can cause inflammation, irritation, and pain. You’ll know it’s sciatica if you’re experiencing shooting pains that start in your lower back, and radiate down your legs. Sciatica is most likely to occur later on in your pregnancy as your baby gets bigger; the extra weight puts pressure on the nerve. 

Sometimes sciatica is caused by other conditions such as a slipped disk or a spasm of the piriformis muscle deep in your buttocks. 

Symptoms of Sciatic Nerve Pain

The primary symptom, as mentioned above, is pain that starts in your lower back and radiates down your legs. Some other symptoms could point to sciatic nerve pain, though:

• Leg pain
• Poor bladder control
• Numbness, tingling, or pins and needles in your legs
• Burning sensation in your lower extremities
• Pain that worsens with coughing, moving, or sneezing

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should let your doctor know at your next appointment. They’ll be able to provide some safe ways to relieve your pain or some over-the-counter pain medicine. Until then, here are some great stretches you can try at home to ease the pain. 

Stretches for Sciatic Nerve Pain

Light back stretching is a great way to relieve sciatic nerve pain. If you’re further along in your pregnancy, remember to avoid any stretches that involve lying on your back—this causes your uterus to press against a large vein that leads to your heart, which can make you feel lightheaded or weak. 

Seated Piriformis Stretch

The piriformis muscle is deep in your glutes, and spasms in these muscles can lead to sciatica pain. 

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground
• Lift your left leg, and place your left ankle on your right knee
• Lean forward slowly, keeping your back straight
• You’ll start to feel the stretch in your lower back and glutes
• Hold the stretch for 30 seconds
• Repeat with your right leg

Child’s Pose

This yoga pose is popular for a reason—it’s meant to be restful and restorative, as well as to give your back and thigh muscles a good stretch. Prenatal yoga in general is an excellent, low impact way for you to stay active, and relieve pain, while pregnant. 

• Kneel on a soft surface, like carpet or a yoga mat
• Touch your big toes together and spread your knees apart to make room for your belly
• Keep your back straight, and rest your forehead on the floor
• Reach your arms out straight, past your head, while you inhale
• Sit back on your legs, bringing your bottom towards your heels, while you exhale
• Keep taking deep breaths, stretching your arms farther forward with each breath
• Walk your hands back slowly to return to a kneeling position

Standing Hamstring Stretch

This stretch will help you maintain flexibility in the muscle surrounding the sciatic nerve, which will reduce irritation. 

• Stand upright with both feet on the ground
• Raise your left leg and place is on a stable object, like a bench, footstool, or chair
• Keep your leg straight and your toes pointed upward
• Gently bend forward until you feel the stretch in your hamstring
• Hold this position for 30 seconds
• Repeat with your right leg

Other Remedies for Sciatic Nerve Pain

A gentle massage over the lower section of your back can do a lot to help relieve inflammation and discomfort around your sciatic nerve. It’s best to go to a professional masseuse, who’s experienced in pregnancy-specific massages. A lot of spas even offer special mom-to-be massages to help relieve all of the aches and pains that come with pregnancy, while also making sure you and baby are safe. 

You can also use a tennis ball to give yourself a massage at home. If you’re early on in your pregnancy, you can lay on your back with the tennis ball under your lower back to roll out the tension. As your pregnancy progresses, we recommend you do this while sitting against the back of a chair.

Make sure you avoid sitting for long periods—if you have a desk job get up and take a walk regularly. It’s also a good idea to use heat packs on your lower back or buttocks while you’re sitting, to help keep tension from forming in those muscles. Being mindful of your posture while sitting will also help reduce irritation around your sciatic nerve. Taking a warm bath, using over-the-counter pain relievers, or using a foam roller on your buttocks and lower legs are all great ways to ease the pain. 

Interested in more maternity tips? Visit our website today.

Pregnancy can change your body in a lot of unexpected ways, but a lot of new moms are surprised to see how their bodies change after pregnancy—including their hair. Keep reading for everything you need to know about postpartum hair loss. 

Why Postpartum Hair Loss Occurs

Most women notice their hair changing while they’re pregnant—oftentimes hair will thicken up, become fuller, and maybe a little on the dryer side. After pregnancy, however, these same women might notice that their hair starts falling out in earnest. 

The simple explanation is this: there are a lot of different hormone shifts happening while you’re pregnant, one of them promoting hair growth. The hormones going on inside your pregnant body are actually preventing you from shedding. Everyone sheds every day, but that typically stops while you’re pregnant—something subtle that you might not notice. Instead, you’ll notice your hair getting thicker. 

After pregnancy, your hormones return to their status quo, meaning there’s a big drop in estrogen. This drop triggers your regular shedding schedule—which you haven’t been on for months. So, your body starts shedding more than usual to get rid of all the excess hair. This event is called telogen effluvium and is usually triggered by a significant event like giving birth. It normally takes about three months of all that excess hair to shed out, which is why most women notice shedding around three months postpartum. 

Don’t Worry—It Won’t All Fall Out

Postpartum hair loss is a temporary thing! While everyone’s postpartum hormonal shift acts differently, it’s very unlikely that you’re going from full volume to comb over after pregnancy. If your hair is feeling especially thin, there’s no need to worry. The time it takes to get back to your pre-pregnancy hair can vary from woman to woman—for some, it’s three months, and for others, it’s a year. 

While you probably can’t stop hair loss altogether, there are ways you can control it. For starters, proper nutrition is essential to managing your postpartum hair loss. Getting all the vitamins and minerals you need will help keep your hair strong, healthy, and intact. Pregnancy is not the time (not that there’s ever a good time) to skimp on your protein or iron. 

If your shedding genuinely seems out of the ordinary, you can always ask your doctor to air on the side of caution. 

Handling Postpartum Hair Loss

Sometimes postpartum hair loss means your hair falls out evenly all over your head. Sometimes it means that clumps come out when you’re brushing it or washing it in the shower. Oftentimes, though, women lose the most hair around their hairline, making their hair look very fine and as if they’re balding. Even if you know it’s temporary; postpartum hair loss can take a toll on you and your confidence. Here are some simple things you can try to help you with the transition. 

Try a new cut or color. A professional stylist will be happy to help you work with your postpartum hair! A shorter cut, bangs, fresh color, or layers can all help camouflage any thinning you might notice in your hair. 

Keep it moussed and moist. Using the right product can go a long way in giving your hair some extra fullness. Volumizing mousse, for example, can help give your hair a boost. Conditioner is also essential during this time—do a deep or leave-in conditioner regularly to keep your hair soft and strong. 

Change up your part. If you normally part your hair in the middle but notice your hair thinning around your temples, don’t be afraid to switch your hair part around to cover certain spots you’d rather not show. 

Add texture. Sleek, straight hair can make thinning hair more visible. Try embracing your natural curl or adding some waves to give your hair extra body. 

Accessorize. Headbands, bandanas, and scarves are all very in right now, and can help you feel more confident if you’re feeling self-conscious about your postpartum hair loss—not to mention, it’ll save you time in the morning! 

Are you interested in more maternity tips and advice? Visit our website today.

Labor is stressful and hectic enough on its own without wondering what’s going on inside your body. That’s why we’re going over everything you need to know about your water breaking, so you know what’s happening and what to do ahead of time. 

What Happens When Your Water Breaks?

While your baby is developing, they’re surrounded and protected by your amniotic sac. Usually, at the beginning of or during your labor, the sac will rupture—that’s your water breaking! 

Your water breaking can feel a lot of different ways—that is to say, it’s not always the dramatic dump of water you see in movies or TV shows. Sometimes it’ll just be a wet sensation in your underwear, or intermittent leaking of small amounts of fluid, and sometimes it’s the classic gush of clear or pale yellow fluid. 

How Can You Tell For Sure?

If you experience the wet sensation or a little trickle of fluid, it can be hard to tell if your water has broken—not to mention, amniotic fluid and urine look pretty similar. If you think your water may have broken, the safest next step is to call your doctor right away and head to the hospital. There, they can give you a physical exam to determine whether or not you’re leaking amniotic fluid. Sometimes they’ll perform an ultrasound to check your amniotic fluid volume. Your doctor will let you know what the best course of action is from there. 

How Soon Will Labor Start?

If labor hasn’t begun by the time your water breaks, it will usually follow shortly after. Sometimes, though, your water breaks and labor doesn’t start. That’s when your doctor might choose to induce your uterine contractions to get labor started. You can read more about induced labor here. 

It’s important to remember that the longer it takes for your labor to start after your water has broken, the higher the chances are of your baby getting an infection—so if your water has broken, don’t wait until contractions start to call your doctor. It’s always best to be on the safe side. 

What if Your Water Breaks Too Early?

Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, or preterm PROM, is the term used to describe someone’s water breaking before their 37th week of pregnancy. There are a few things that could potentially be signs of preterm PROM:

• History of preterm PROM in a previous pregnancy
• Inflammation of the fetal membranes
• Vaginal bleeding during the second and third trimesters
• Smoking or using illicit drugs while pregnant
• Being underweight with poor nutrition
• Short cervical length

Some of the potential complications of preterm PROM include:

• Maternal or fetal infection
• Placental abruption
• Umbilical cord problems
• Complications associated with premature birth

If you’re at least 34 weeks pregnant and you have preterm PROM, your doctor might recommend that you deliver regardless to avoid infection. If there aren’t any signs of infection, your doctor might allow your pregnancy to continue as long as you’re monitored carefully. 

If you’re between 24 and 34 weeks pregnant, your doctor will do their best to delay delivery until your baby is further along in development. You’ll be given some antibiotics to prevent infection, as well as an injection of potent steroids to accelerate your baby’s lung maturity. If you’re less than 32 weeks pregnant, and at risk for delivering soon, your doctor might give you magnesium sulfate to protect your baby’s nervous system. 

If you have maternity questions, need maternity care, or more information, visit our website today. 

The goal of any healthcare practitioner is to carry all pregnancies to term, or 39 weeks. This means that generally speaking, labor shouldn’t be induced electively before that time—however, certain situations can come up when your body’s natural processes need a little nudge in the right direction. 

What Does It Mean to be Induced?

Being induced simply means that your labor contractions are started using medications or other methods because they aren’t starting naturally. There are a series of steps your doctor will follow to try to induce your labor, and most women don’t have to go through all of them! 

Reasons Your Doctor Might Induce Labor

Your baby is overdue. 

If it’s time for your baby to make their debut, but there are no signs of action from your body, your doctor might induce labor around the 42-week mark. 

You’re experiencing complications. 

Conditions like preeclampsia, diabetes or gestational diabetes, issues with your placenta, or problems with your amniotic fluid make it risky to keep carrying your pregnancy. Your doctor may choose to induce your labor as soon as it’s safe to reduce the effects of these risks. 

Broken water, but no contractions.

If your water has broken, but your contractions don’t start on their own within 24 hours, your doctor might need to get them started for you. 

You live far from the hospital. 

If you live far away from your hospital, your doctor might choose to induce labor to minimize the risk of not making it in time. On average, second-time moms experience much shorter labor than they did during their first time—so if your first baby came very quickly, your doctor might decide to induce your second to make sure you’re at the hospital when you need to be. This is known as an elective induction because it’s planned ahead of time and occurs no earlier than 39 weeks. 

How Does It Work?

As mentioned above, there are a series of steps your doctor will go through to induce your labor. It’s fairly rare that a doctor has to go through every step to jumpstart your labor, but it is possible. 

The first thing your doctor will try is ripening your cervix. Typically in natural labor, your cervix will open up, soften, and thin out in preparation for your baby. Your doctor might have to move things alone themselves, and they’ll do this by applying a topical form of the hormone prostaglandin to your cervix. After a few hours, labor could be well on its way—if it isn’t, your doctor will continue down the chain of steps toward successfully inducing your labor. 

If your amniotic sac is still intact, meaning your water hasn’t broken, your doctor may get things started by swiping their finger across the fine membranes that connect it—the goal here isn’t to break your water, although that’s a possibility. Your doctor’s goal is to encourage your uterus to release prostaglandin as you would naturally if your labor was starting. This should cause your cervix to soften, and your contractions to start. This is called “membrane stripping.”

If your cervix has started dilating, but your water hasn’t broken yet, your doctor might break it artificially. They’ll do this with an instrument that looks like a long crochet hook with a sharp tip—but don’t worry, while it might not be the most comfortable experience, it shouldn’t be painful. 

If nothing your doctor tries is bringing on regular contractions, they will slowly start to give you Pitocin via IV. Pitocin is a synthetic form of the naturally occurring hormone oxytocin and should induce contractions. Contractions typically start about 30 minutes after you’ve been given the medication, and they’re usually stronger, more regular, and more frequent than natural labor contractions. If you’d like an epidural, you should ask your doctor about getting that started while the Pitocin is being administered, so that it’s ready to go once your labor starts. 

When is a C-Section the Best Option?

There are exceptions to every rule when it comes to pregnancy and the human body, which means that there are certain situations where labor shouldn’t be induced—in these situations, your doctor will recommend a c-section instead. Here are a few reasons you might have a c-section instead of being induced:

• If there’s a need for immediate delivery, i.e. there’s no time to waste
• If there’s any doubt at all that your baby can fit through your pelvis
• If you’ve had a c-section before, and now you’re attempting a vaginal birth
• If the placenta is near or covering your cervix
• If there’s a prolapsed cord, i.e. it has slipped down into the vagina before the baby’s head
• If you’re experiencing a genital herpes outbreak
• If you’re carrying multiple babies
• If your baby is breech

Keep in mind that your doctor’s goal is to minimize interventions as best they can, and will only induce your labor or recommend a c-section if they decide it’s necessary. 

Looking for more pregnancy advice? Visit our website today.