Author: Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

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Let’s get real about Postpartum Bodies

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

What’s the biggest mistake to make after giving birth?

Rushing to lose weight.

A real postpartum body

It is my biggest pet peeve, as a women, that so many of us feel such intense pressure to look model ready 24/7.

If you don’t like the way you look after spending 9 months growing your baby, I get it. Your body has been completely taken over by the process. It’s not just yours anymore. And if you believe what you see in the media, you’d think that you should have your old body back immediately after your baby is born. That plus the lack of sleep of new motherhood can leave anyone feeling like they aren’t adequate.

 

 

But what you see in the media is not reality.

Let me break it down:

Your weight gain during pregnancy consists of this:

  • Baby ~7lbs
  • Uterus 2 1/2 lb gain
  • Placenta 1 lb
  • Mother’s breasts 3 lb gain
  • Mother’s blood 4 lb increase
  • Mother’s fat 5 + lb increase
A real postpartum body

So, most of this weight isn’t even fat! It will come away on its own. You just need to give it time.

Remember too that your core has undergone significant changes. Even if you don’t have a vaginal birth, your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles have a lot of stress just from carrying baby for so long. These muscles and ligaments need time to heal.

Basically, your body needs rest and rehab. I truly believe that every pregnant person should see a pelvic floor physiotherapist.

Rushing into exercise can lead to injury, including pelvic floor complications like incontinence. No physique is worth peeing yourself.

Coming from a kinesiology background and a competitive athlete background I always tell people there is no such thing as over-training its actually under-resting.

A real postpartum body

Cutting back on calories or “dieting” can be a big problem too. Breast milk production may also be affected, but more often we see exhausted women exhausting themselves even more. Your baby needs you as nourished as possible, that means eating nourishing foods. In nourishing amounts.

Growing your baby took you 9 months, assume it will take at least that long for your body to adjust afterwards.

So, give your body the rest and nourishment it truly needs.

Your body, mind and soul will thank you in the long run.

 

A real postpartum body
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Birth without fear

Think about the last movie you saw that featured someone giving birth. I’m guessing there was a woman screaming, a man freaking out, and a doctor yelling “Push, push push!”

Now tell me how many of your friends are terrified by the thought of giving birth? Maybe you’re included in that group!

Popular culture does a really good job propagating the culture of fear around birth.

And that translates into our everyday lives.

You hear negativity about birth all the time. Even friends who haven’t had kids say things like “oh, you’ll be screaming for the meds” or “are you ready for your body to be destroyed”. Seriously, Sarah heard both of those things while she was pregnant.

I remember in my first maternal and newborn care class, so many of my friends whispered to each other during lecture about how scared they were.

I was scared too - how could I block out all that negativity?

But those lectures taught us about physiology. About how pregnancy is not a medical condition, it’s normal.

This drove me to look further, to learn more.

So, I dove head first into the birth world. Reading books, articles, watching videos. This lead me to a doula training. Everything confirmed what I learned in those first lectures.  

Birth doesn’t have to be scary. It doesn’t even have to be painful!

My education and understanding of physiology took away my fear.

It also got me incredibly excited! I NEEDED to learn how to help parents achieve empowering birth experiences.

Get our Top 5 Tips for LOVING Your Birth!

This lead me to HypnoBirthing. This training taught me techniques that help parents remain calm and relaxed. Techniques that work WITH our physiology, to facilitate empowering birth regardless of circumstances.

How we view things matters.

So, that crazy pop culture birth scenario doesn’t have to be my experience. It doesn’t have to be anyone’s experience.

The more I go to births, the more I see how beautiful these moments could be. Labour can be a sacred space. Parents can connect with each other and welcome their babies into warm, nurturing environments.

All of these experiences have completely change my outlook about birth. Now, I look forward to becoming a mother and naturally birthing my baby. There is no more fear.

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Lactation 101

 

Breastfeeding 101

Many new parents assume that breastfeeding is instinctive. This might have been true once, when children saw their mothers and aunts and friends of the family feeding their babies regularly and in public. Now, breastfeeding is stigmatized and parents are made to cover up or move to a less visible location. Not only is this a terrible experience for new parents, it also means that many have no idea where to start when it comes to breastfeeding. So, let’s start with some basic baby facts and move on from there.

Things to remember about breastfeeding baby

The breast crawl: On their own, your newborn baby will crawl to the breast and begin to root. This is a completely natural process and is guided by your baby’s sense of smell. Your baby will do this in their own time and there is no need to rush.

Early Skin to Skin: The best way to ensure a smooth transition to breastfeeding is to allow immediate skin to skin contact between you and your baby. This will give your baby the opportunity to calm their nervous system, bond with you and get hungry!

Know your cues: Your baby will give you lots of cues to tell you they are hungry before they start to cry. These could include bringing their hands to their face, making sucking motions with their mouth or moving their tongue.

The magic of colostrum: In the first few days your body makes an ultra-nutritious substance called colostrum. It is more dense than breastmilk so you will produce less of it, this is totally ok! Your milk will naturally come in over the course of the next few days.

Your new baby has a tiny tummy: Newborns have small stomachs, with very little space, they fill up quickly and empty quickly. This means that in the first few days your baby will eat very frequently! Don’t worry, in a few days the feedings will spread out.

No “right” feeding schedule: Feed your baby when they show signs of being hungry, this could be every 30 minutes or every 3 hours. A newborn infant will not cry looking for comfort.

Breastfeeding basics

Just like there is no “right” feeding schedule, there is no “right” position in which to feed your baby. The most important this is that you are comfortable and your baby’s latch is good. But, there are some guiding principles that you can use to ensure that both of these things happen.

A Really Good Latch

  • Support your baby at the base of their head and shoulders to allow their head to gently tilt back (think the position you would put your head in to chug a drink)
  • Wait until your baby has a wide open mouth to try to latch, you can encourage them to do this by running your nipple along their upper lip
  • Your nipple should be aimed at the back roof of your baby’s mouth
  • Lead your baby to your breast, not the other way around
  • The latch should be asymmetric, which means your baby’s nose should be pointing away from your breast and their chin should be in towards your breast and more of your areola should be exposed on the top of your baby’s mouth than underneath it
  • There should be no pain
  • Allow your baby to come off the breast on their own
  • Offer the other side once they come off one breast, or if they are fussy at one breast, you can switch sides as much as needed and don’t need to “finish” at one breast in order to start the other one

Really Good Drinking

It’s important to learn the difference between sucking and drinking. This will come more easily with practice, but in essence you are looking for frequent pauses in their chin as they let their mouths fill with milk. Mouth open. Pause. Mouth close.

Barriers to breastfeeding

Many people struggle with breastfeeding, the two most important things to remember:

Your most important job is to feed your baby, however that looks. This doesn’t make you a bad parent

Certain perinatal procedures can make initiating breastfeeding more challenging. These procedures include the use of narcotic pain medication, IV fluids administered during labour and general anesthetic.

A poor latch can make breastfeeding painful and this makes it much more difficult. It may just be the mechanics of the latch or there may be an underlying issue such as a tongue tie or a lip tie, these can be diagnosed by your paediatrician or a lactation consultant. Remember that breastfeeding should not be painful.

External factors can also make breastfeeding difficult. Social pressures and feeling that you shouldn’t breastfeed in certain places may make you feel self-conscious. Remember that you are legally allowed to breastfeed anywhere that you are legally allowed to be. Returning to work can also cause stress. It is possible to work with employers to find you a place to pump and store milk while you are at work. In Ontario, employers are legally required to give you these things.

Start your breastfeeding journey off right with our FREE Breastfeeding Basics Handout. Grab it here!

What to do if you’re having trouble breastfeeding

If you are having issues, there are a few things you can do to trouble shoot. The first is to look at your latch, check out the info above, is your baby’s nose far away from your breast and your nipple deep in their mouth? See if you can adjust your latch and if that results in less pain and better drinking. If you are satisfied with your latch, and your still concerned that your baby isn’t getting enough, you can try using breast compressions as outlined below.

Finally, there is lots of help, lactation consultants are amazing at their jobs and there are many practicing in Toronto. If you gave birth at a hospital you may even have access to free breastfeeding clinics. You can also check out the International Breastfeeding Centre website for excellent videos and handouts to help you troubleshoot.

The biggest piece of advise I can give is not to wait. If you are having trouble, don’t suffer through it alone, there is lots of support.

Breast compressions

As mentioned, if you are having trouble getting your baby to drink well and you are satisfied that the latch is good, you may want to try using breast compressions. They can be used to increase the speed of milk flow. During a feeding you can use breast compressions when you notice your baby has stopped drinking and is mostly nibbling.

  • Hold your baby with one arm
  • With the other hand take hold of your breast, close to your chest wall and away from your baby’s mouth
  • Apply pressure and hold
  • Keep the pressure until your baby starts sucking/drinking again
  • Release the pressure if your baby stops drinking again
  • Repeat until your baby doesn’t drink even with the compressions

You may have to experiment with how these work best for you. The International Breastfeeding Centre has a great handout and videos on this too.

This article is meant to provide information only, it does not substitute for personalized medical care.

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Holiday Tips for Nursing Parents

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year. But with a new baby in the post pandemic world, the holidays can be downright stressful. Between navigating your newborn and trying to decide what events to attend, you’re also worried about you or them getting sick. 

As a Naturopathic Doctor and board certified lactation consultant, parents often come to me with concerns at this time of the year. Things like “can I have a drink or two at this holiday party?” or “how do I reduce the risk of my baby getting sick?” So, I’ve put together my top tips for navigating the holiday season with a newborn baby!

Attending parties and events.

First and foremost, don’t feel pressure to attend anything. You’ve just had a baby, your primary job is to rest and recover. Pairing down the expectations on yourself can make things a lot more manageable. It’s also totally okay to cancel last minute if you’ve had a rough day or if baby is having an especially hard time. 

But, if you have something you’re looking forward to going to, it can be a refreshing change of pace! Just take it easy on yourself. Don’t expect to stay the whole time and be ready to bail quickly if you need to. 

Expect that baby will get over stimulated, especially if they’re getting lots of attention. Busy environments can make feeding them less efficient. You may find that they are hungry more frequently or that they make up for it by cluster feeding after the event. If you’re visiting family or friends, it can be helpful to have a quiet room to feed and change your baby in- ask about this before you go! 

A quiet room may be just what you need!

Minimising germs

Parents are often worried about people holding and kissing their newborns. And rightly so. I highly recommend wearing your baby. A soft wrap can be easy to get them in and out of and isn’t super bulky for you. It will take some practice before hand but there’s so much benefit to this. 

  • Baby will feel safe and secure close to you, even in a crowded environment
  • People might come up to baby in a stroller or a bassinet, but they probably won’t get their face right up into your face to see your baby
  • It’s easier on your body than holding them in your arms the whole time

Be choosy about who can hold your baby and don’t feel bad saying no, you can always say that baby has been having a rough day and you’d rather no one hold them! If there are people that you’d like to see your baby, make sure they wash their hands first and that everyone knows not to kiss them.

If you are worried about a potential exposure, nursing is your best friend. Your body makes immune factors to help baby fight off anything in the environment. The trick is, this communication happens through your gut, you need to get those germs into your mouth (weird, I know). But, the easiest way to do this is by kissing your baby! That way, any germs that they have on their face get into your body and your milk can start making immune factors. 

Baby wearing means your hands are free to enjoy the party food!

Alcohol

This is one of the most common questions I get postpartum- “Can I enjoy a drink now that baby is born?”. The answer is yes, you can!

Alcohol gets into human milk in the same amounts as it’s in your blood. That means that if you’re at the legal driving limit your blood contains about 0.05% alcohol. If you feed your baby, they will then metabolize that alcohol, so the amount that gets into their blood is very very small. 

You don’t have to pump and dump either. As alcohol leaves your blood, it will also leave your milk. Pumping doesn’t make this happen any faster. 

In general, when it comes to alcohol, if you can drive you can nurse. And, if you’re ever unsure, you can always wait an hour and then nurse. 

One more tip- if you can get the timing right. The best time to nurse is while you’re having the drink. It takes about 20 minutes for your blood alcohol levels to start to rise, and then your baby will hopefully have a longer stretch while you’re digestive system does its work.

You don’t need to skip out on the holiday cheer!
Sarah Winward
CO-FOUNDER: DR. SARAH WINWARD, ND IBCLC Hi! I’m Dr. Sarah, Naturopathic Doctor, Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Infant Craniosacral Therapist (mouthful, I know). What all those titles really mean is that I live and breath babies and lactation. I’m also mom to 2 boys, one of whom breastfed until he was 3 and the other is still going! Background and experience: I completed an Honours Bachelor of Science in Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences at McMaster University. About a year into my Masters in the same field I realized that I was meant to work with people, not with machines and computer programming. Searching for a path in the health care world led me to Naturopathic Medicine- the perfect blend of science and traditional wisdom that focuses on the patient as a whole person. I graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2016. After graduation I went on to study lactation, first at the International Breastfeeding Centre, then among a number of community practitioners. With 500 hours of hands on lactation support under my belt I wrote my IBCLC exam in 2020, while in lockdown.

Are you preparing for your best possible birth? 

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Top 3 Pregnancy Reads

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

Given the MILLIONS of books out there on pregnancy and childbirth, it can be hard to decide where to invest your time as you prepare for this new adventure!

Here is a list of my top 3 favourite pregnancy reads that I recommend to my clients.

The list is short & sweet but packed with great information to help you feel prepared!

1) MAGICAL BEGINNINGS, ENCHANTED LIVES: A HOLISTIC GUIDE TO PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH

By: Deepak Chopra M.D.

Available on Amazon for about $21

Why I love it: This book combines the latest in evidence based medicine and the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic medicine in a way that only Deepak Chopra can. Providing a holistic and spiritual approach to pregnancy and childbirth, including simple exercises you can do in your home to help you feel more connected and aware during all stages of your pregnancy and 4th trimester.

2) INA MAY’S GUIDE TO CHILDBIRTH

By: Ina May Gaskin

Available on Amazon for about $20

Why I love it: Ina May Gaskin is single-handedly responsible for reviving the midwifery movement in North America, with more than 30 years of experience she is a veritable guru. This book starts with a fantastic collection of birth stories written by women from every walk of life that really help to normalize the whole process of birth and inspire incredible confidence in what a woman’s body can do. The second half of the book is full of information from Ina May on everything from inducing labour to pain management to orgasmic birth, all with an emphasis on restoring woman’s faith in their ability to navigate natural childbirth

3) THE NATURAL PREGNANCY BOOK:YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO A SAFE, ORGANIC PREGNANCYAND CHILDBIRTH WITH HERBS, NUTRITION AND OTHERHOLISITIC CHOICES 

By: Aviva Romm M.D.

Available on Amazon for about $20

Why I love it: As an MD with many years of experience in alternative medicine, Aviva Romm is staple in the field of holistic women’s health. This book provides a knowledgeable introduction to the world of natural remedies during pregnancy.

BONUS: MY FAVOURITE BOOK FOR BIRTH PARTNERS

THE BIRTH PARTNER: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO CHILDBIRTHFOR DADS, DOULAS, AND ALL OTHER LABOR COMPANIONS

By: Penny Simkin

Available on Amazon for about $25

Why I love it: I consider this book to be an essential read for anyone who is attending your birth. It covers every topic from how to prepare for labour right up to newborn care, in a wonderfully inclusive way. It provides invaluable information on every possible birth path including medical interventions so that you and your partner are in the know before you need to make decisions. The also has pages marked for quick reference, so it’s great to have on hand during that birth itself.

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How Can My Partner Prepare for My Birth?

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

Is my partner truly prepared to help me in childbirth?

Do a quick google or amazon search on “childbirth preparation” you will get a list of results that are overwhelmingly geared towards you, the pregnant person. You might notice that there are very few books written that would help prepare your partner for childbirth.

Why is this a problem for me?

How you are cared for and supported during childbirth affects how you give birth and how you feel about it. How you feel about your birth experience can also influence how you feel about your own ability in being a mother as well as affect your chance of developing postpartum depression and anxiety. Knowing this, it’s pretty clear that ongoing emotional and physical support during the very transformative experience of birth is of the utmost importance.

What about a doula?

A doula is a person who provides continuous and on-going emotional, physical and informational support for the labouring person. It has been shown that doulas help to reduce the rates of interventions, including epidural use and c-sections and help to increase reported satisfaction in birth experience. In other words, having a doula increases the chance of having HEALTHY AND HAPPY parent and baby.

But what if I can’t have a doula?

Not everyone can access a doula. Even though having doulas would actually reduce health costs, increase positive outcomes and would be a good basic addition to any healthcare system, hiring a doula is not possible for everyone.

At the time of this writing, COVID-19 virus (simply referred to as coronavirus) is emerging as a global and local public health concern that is resulting in changes in hospital policies. Hospitals are restricting the number of people who can attend births, in some cases reducing it to only one person, usually just your partner. As a doula, when I attend births, the more support the birther can receive, the better their experience. Sometimes, in addition to their partner and me (their doula), their own mother and/ or a friend will be there too. So this change in policy can greatly impact your birth experience and well-being.

How should my partner best prepare to support me? 

Here are some tips to help your partner be your “doula”:

Communication! Be honest about your fears around childbirth and be honest about your partner’s strengths and weaknesses in handling high stress situations. Play up those strengths and how they can be best used to help you during labour and childbirth

Take a high quality prenatal class that focuses on teaching techniques and skills that your partner can use to help you during labour and childbirth. We at Your Downtown Doula offer the Confident Birth Prenatal Class for a comprehensive approach to help you feel relaxed and confident during childbirth and labour.

Labour at home for as long as possible. If the concerns around infection still exist at the time of your childbirth, then reducing your hospital stay is a good idea. Your partner can help you with relaxation, help distract you, do massage and attend to your basic needs. Doing most of your labouring at home can also reduce unnecessary interventions.

A great book for partners is Penny Simkin’s The Birth Partner. It is specific to doulas and partners and contains very comprehensive information.

Want to learn more about our Confident Birth Prenatal Program?

Click here to sign up for a complimentary virtual Meet & Greet with one of our instructors (by the way, did we mention that they’re all Naturopathic Doctors!)

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Finding Comfort During Labour

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

Labour is intense, to say the least. But does it have to be painful? It can be helpful to reframe the sensations you are feeling. In the words of Ina May Gaskin “labour is an interesting sensation that requires all of your attention”. Many people prefer to refer to surges or rushes as opposed to contraction, HypnoBirthing follows this tenant as well.

Labour is an interesting sensation that requires all of your attention.

Ina May Gaskin

The Pain-Tension-Fear Cycle

It’s very common to have fears surrounding birth. When we experience fear it releases adrenaline which in turn can cause ineffective muscle contractions around the uterus. As a result the production of oxytocin and endorphins decrease and the muscles in the uterus start working against each other. All of this restricts blood flow to your uterus and is a trigger for pain. It also lowers your pain threshold. In dangerous situations, this fear-pain-tension cycle allows for response and survival, in birth it can become a complication. Often, as the pain increases the fear increases and then the tension increases resulting in a repeating, and counter-productive, cycle. So, reducing pain really comes down to reducing tension in your body.

Breaking the Cycle

In her book “The Birth Partner” Patty Simkin discusses the 3 R’s of labour. These are Relaxation, Rhythm and Ritual. Engaging in all 3 of these brings you into the present moment and allows you to move through each contraction without being overwhelmed by them. Often rituals will arise spontaneously during the course or your labour and they can change as your labour progresses. The best rituals involve rhythm and repetition, which lead to relaxation. Things to incorporate in your rituals include: focusing on the breath, staring into someone’s eyes, “slow dancing” with your birth partner, dancing to music, or anything else that feels good to you in the moment.

Helpful hints for your birth partner

Penny Simkin’s book The Birth Partner also outlines a great tool for partners. It is called the Take-Charge routine and is outlined in detail in her book. It is great to use when the birthing person is having difficulty maintaining their ritual or is appearing to be overwhelmed or distressed.

1) Remain calm, others pick up on your energy

2) Stay close, bring your face close to theirs

3) Anchor them by calmly holding their shoulders or hands

4) Get them to look at you, eye contact itself can help to bring them back to the moment

5) Talk to them in between contractions, make suggestions of rituals to try, such as concentrating on the breath

6) Help them regain their rhythm, move your body with theirs

It may also help to remind birthing persons that they are about to meet their baby!

Tips to use in the moment

Any of the following can be helpful during labour, but remember that the right thing for you to do is whatever makes you fell calm, safe and relaxed:

  • Discuss any fears that you are experiencing with your doula, partner or care provider
  • Progressive relaxation, guided meditation or visualizations
  • Make noise and breath with sound
  • Change positions: hands and knees, on a birth ball, walking around, slow dancing
  • Acupressure
  • Use water such as a shower or birthing pool
  • Ask for assistance and allow your partner and doula to support you with hip squeezes, low back pressure, massage, etc
  • Hot or cold applications to your face, back or neck
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Herbal Medicines during Pregnancy

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

There is a lot of wisdom in traditional herbal medicine, but with health food store selling more products than most people know what to do with, it’s hard to know what to take. This is why, if you are using herbal products, it’s important to have a practitioner, like a Naturopathic Doctor, who is knowledgeable and who is familiar with what is safe during pregnancy. Here, we’ve provided you with some good information and a place to start!

(This doesn’t replace individualized medical advice!)

Herbs that you may want to keep on hand during your pregnancy

Red Raspberry leaf

Why? Nutritive- nutrient dense, high in vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium and magnesium; uterine tonic- helps prepare the uterus for labour

How? Drink as a tea, 2-3 cups/day

When? Last trimester of pregnancy to help get your body ready for labour

Research: Shortens labour and leads to fewer interventions

Traditional wisdom: Speeds childbirth

Stinging Nettle Leaf

Why? Nutritive tonic, also high in vitamins and minerals, including chlorophyll, vitamin A, C, D and K, and iron; contains protein, helps to bring in mother’s milk, anti-inflammatory

How? Combine with red raspberry leaf to drink as a tea

When? Can be consumed safely throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding

Research: No clinical trials, but experiential and observational evidence show benefit in anemia, preventing postpartum hemorrhage and preeclampsia

Traditional wisdom: Pregnancy tonic, improves kidney function, prevents postpartum hemorrhage, reduces hemorrhoids, increases milk supply

Cranberry

Why? Urinary antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, preventing and treating urinary tract infections by blocking the ability of E. coli to stick to the lining of the bladder

How? As an extract in capsules form or as juice (not cranberry cocktail), 1-2 cups/day for preventing UTI, consider capsules for an active UTI

When? Good to have on hand for the first signs of a UTI/bladder infection, combine with increased fluid intake to help flush the urinary tract. **If symptoms don’t resolve in 1-2 days, or if you develop severe symptoms (fever, low back ache, visible blood in urine) contact your health care provider immediately.

Research: Preventing and treating UTI, safe for use in pregnancy

Traditional wisdom: Preventing and treating UTI

Ginger

Why? Antiemetic, helps with morning sickness, anti-inflammatory, carminative- soothes pain from gas/bloating

How? Fresh or dried root steeped in hot water, drink as a tea 1-2 cups/day

When? If you are experiencing nausea or vomiting in pregnancy. Caution with doses higher than 2 g/day as this is traditionally considered an emmenagogue (brings on your period).**If you are having very severe or frequent vomiting, contact your health care provider

Research: very strong evidence in favor of use in nausea and vomiting in pregnancy

Traditional wisdom: warming tonic, useful in nausea and vomiting in pregnancy

Chamomile

Why? Promotes relaxation, relaxes the nervous system, relaxes the smooth muscles of the digestive system, soothes pain from gas/bloating, anti-inflammator

How? Drink 1-2 cups as a tea, especially soothing in the evening

When? Can be consumed throughout pregnancy, at any time but especially if you are feeling nervous or anxious**Caution with this herb if you have a ragweed allergy, they belong to the same family of plants

Research: Sedating, sleep inducing, some evidence in treating mild anxiety, decreases gas and soothes digestive spasms

Traditional wisdom: nervousness, muscle spasms, gas and colic

What to Take & what to Avoid

Safe Herbs

  • Garlic (Allium sativum)
  • Senna (Cassia senna)
  • Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
  • Echinacea (Echinacea spp.)
  • Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
  • Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
  • Ginseng (Korean) (Panax ginseng)
  • Raspberry Leaf (Rubus ideaus)
  • Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)
  • Bilberry Fruit (Vaccinium myrtillus)
  • Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

*Despite these herbs being listed as safe, it is important that you advise your medical practitioners regarding any supplements that you are taking. These herbs can have other adverse effects such as raising blood pressure that may be important in your individual case. This list may change based on ongoing research and safety studies.

Unsafe Herbs

  • Dong quai (Angelica sinesis)
  • Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
  • Arnica (Arnica montana)
  • Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
  • Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
  • Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)
  • Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus)
  • Guggul (Commiphora mukul)
  • Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis)
  • Chaparral (Larrea tridentate)
  • Gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus)
  • Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus)
  • Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
  • Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
  • Boldo (Penmus boldus)
  • Poke root (phytolacca Americana or Phytolacca decandra)
  • Jamaica dogwood (Piscidia erythrina)
  • Pasque flower (Pulsatilla spp)
  • Sage (Salvia officinalis)
  • Pau d’arco (Tebebuia avellanedae)
  • Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
  • Thuja (Thuja accidentalis)
  • Tylophora (Tylophora indica or Tylophora asthmatica)
  • Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa)

*Please do not take any of these herbs unless prescribed by a licensed practitioner that will carefully monitor your health and the health of your baby. This list may change based on ongoing research and safety studies.

This article is meant to provide information only, it does not substitute for personalized medical advice.

Are you preparing for your best possible birth? 

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Top 5 Tips for Self Care During Pregnancy

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

Real talk, the pregnant body is a weird place to live. Your skin stretches in ways you have no control over. You leak, if you’re lucky it’s just increased vaginal discharge and colostrum. If you’re unlucky it’s peeing a bit when you sneeze. Sometimes you sleep, sometimes you don’t, and sometimes you wake up so stiff that you wonder if you’ve been in a brawl and just don’t remember. To say the least, it’s a lot to get used to. At 32 weeks pregnant, I’m right in the middle of the third trimester, and the pregnancy weirdness is in full swing.

It’s become obvious to me that self care is extremely important, now more than ever. The more I take care of myself, the more comfortable I am with my ever changing body, the more I feel connected to my baby, and the more excited I get about giving birth. So, I wanted to share with you my top 5 favourite self care practices for pregnancy.

1. Positive Self Talk

I’m putting this one first and foremost, because you can’t do any of these other practices without speaking to yourself in a loving voice. Remember that you’re growing a human being! I’ve found it helpful to reframe the changes I’m noticing. For example, instead of thinking that the veins I’ve noticed in my legs are ugly, I remind myself that I have about one and a half times more blood than I used to and my body is working to accommodate it.  Plus, how cool is it that my body was able to make all that extra blood to nourish my baby.

2. Dry Brushing

Dry brushing is a simple technique used to increase circulation to your skin and promote lymphatic drainage. Using a coarse bristle brush, and light strokes, you brush from your extremities towards your heart. You can find a tutorial here. I love doing this right before hopping into the shower because my skin feels super soft afterwards and it gives me an opportunity to pay attention to every part of my body and notice how it’s changing. It’s also possible that it may help decrease your chances of getting stretch marks, so that’s a bonus.

Just remember, you’re body is doing a lot right now. You should be impressed!

Dr. Sarah Winward

3. Self Massage

I’ve added this as part of my shower routine as well, and it doesn’t have to be super complicated. I just take some extra time applying moisturizer, I use coconut oil, after I shower. I usually give my belly, thighs and hips a bit of extra love using a circular motion and light touch. Again, I love this because it gives me time to see how my body is changing. But it also means that I am touching myself with my own hands, getting comfortable with what feels different. This is another opportunity to be really loving to your body, and appreciate everything that it’s able to do to sustain a new life.

4. Spending Time Naked

I’ve done this 2 ways. The first is that my shower routine has gotten longer, so I am spending more time naked with myself then. I also take some time to do yoga in the mornings. The mornings work for me because I’m not sleeping well (surprise, surprise) so I’m usually up much earlier than the rest of my house. I can get in a 20 minute prenatal flow without being interrupted. And I have been choosing to do this naked. Yoga is amazing because it connects you with your breath. It brings you into the present moment and it reminds you to be in your body without judgement. I’ve been enjoying this one, but there are tons out there that are free to access. I love this practice because it is super gentle, it reminds you to put your hands on your belly and to connect with your baby. Being comfortable at least partially naked will become important, because after your baby is born the best place they can be is skin to skin with you, you can find out more about that here. The more comfortable you are, the more you’ll want to hang out skin to skin, and the better for both you and your baby. 

5. Exercise

I have been lifting weights for years. So, it was natural for me to want to continue into my pregnancy. Although, I did take a bit of a break during the most exhausting parts of the first trimester. As long as you’ve been given the ok by your care provider it is safe to continue most exercises through pregnancy. But, it is important to check in. How do you feel while your doing it? How do you feel after? I love lifting because it really shows you what your body is capable of, you can see your own strength. But, you can also see how things shift. I stopped doing pushups  at around 25 weeks and started doing wall pushups because I didn’t feel like I could maintain good form. I’ve recently started feeling the same about deadlifts. And that’s ok, because my core is shifting to accommodate a tiny person.

In my second trimester, I also started attending prenatal exercise classes. I highly recommend this because it gives you a chance to connect with other pregnant people. And you get solid guidance from fitness professionals who specialize in pregnancy and postpartum, so they can help you modify appropriately when you need to.

Just remember, you’re body is doing a lot right now. You should be impressed! Take the time to thank your body and take care of it. 

This article is meant to provide information only, it does not substitute for personalized medical care.

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Nursing Positions

by Dr. Sarah Winward, ND IBCLC

If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, you’re doing it a lot. Like a lot, a lot. But so often I notice that parents are getting into weird and uncomfortable positions while latching, and then they have to stay there and hold that for the whole of the feeding. You’ve probably heard me say that breastfeeding should never hurt. That also means that it should never hurt in your neck or your shoulders either. So, I wanted to share with you my top two most comfortable positions for nursing. The best part about both of these positions is that they require no equipment – no nursing pillows, no blanket rolls, nothing. Just you and your baby.

The Cradle Hold

Dr. Sarah Winward and Dr. Olivia Chubey, ND

This position involves holding your baby with the same arm as the breast you’re feeding on. I love this position because it leaves your other arm free and because you’re supporting your baby’s weight with your biceps instead of with your wrist (as you would be in football or cross cradle). You can also lean back to put some of their weight on your belly and this is often even more comfortable. 

I’ve recently seen floating around the internet that this position is meant for older babies with more head control. I disagree. I frequently recommend this position to parents with newborns and have them report that they are much more comfortable. Babies are born with good instincts, it’s often easier to latch them in this position because they are able to guide themselves. 

Check out our video for exactly how to get baby latched in the cradle hold.

Side Lying

Dr. Sarah Winward and Dr. Olivia Chubey

Exclusive bodyfeeding means that you’re also feeding your baby overnight. It is exhausting enough doing night feedings, but add in the extra steps of having to get up and move to the couch or arrange all your pillows ‘just so every 2 hours’ and it’s too much. It’s normal for babies to continue to nurse overnight in the first year (plus) of life, having to do this for that long would be literally impossible. 

Enter side lying nursing. I love this position because all you have to do is put baby beside you, nurse, and then pop them back in the bassinet. You don’t even have to sit up. Even better, you can have a partner bring baby to you and put them back down so all you have to do is roll over and nurse and you can stay half asleep for the whole process. 

This position is what makes exclusive bodyfeeding possible. 

Plus, it’s super relaxing for both parent and baby. If baby is clusterfeeding or if you’re having trouble with milk flow, this position is a game changer.

Check out the video on how to latch in this position.