Blog
How Dehydration In Labour Can Increase The Likelihood Of Medical Interventions
I’ve had the amazing opportunity to support women in labour as a doula for 15 years. I know from firsthand experience how being dehydrated in labour can affect a woman's physical and mental stamina, her labour's progress and her need for medical interventions.
What You Need To Know About Iron Absorption From Food And Supplements
There are some key factors involved in how our body absorbs iron from both food and supplements. It's not as simple as ‘what I put into my mouth’ will ‘get into my bloodstream/body.’
From Cord Stump To Belly Button: Postnatal Care
Almost all first-time mums ask the same question about the cord stump: What do I need to do with it? Does it hurt my baby if I move it? Can I get it wet? Can I take that hard, plastic clamp off?How long does it take to fall off? Is that colour normal? Here’s everything I tell them.
Are Your Heavy Periods A Red Flag For A Thyroid Issue?
Heavy periods are a symptom of a hormone imbalance. The key is identifying where this imbalance is stemming from and/or what’s driving this imbalance in the first place. This triad: the OVARIES ~ ADRENALS ~ THYROID axis works together. Each influence each other and are constantly communicating with each other.
Low Magnesium In Pregnancy: The Potential Complications
Ensuring optimal intake of magnesium during pregnancy is essential. In fact, having low levels of magnesium in pregnancy has been linked to the complications for both mum and baby.
How Hashimoto’s Hypothyroidism Can Effect Your Digestion
Up to 40% of those diagnosed with the autoimmune, underactive thyroid condition (Hashimotos hypothyroidism) have low stomach acid. This can result in symptoms including ‘reflux’, gas, bloating, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), feeling full or tired after meals and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It can also contribute to low iron or vitamin B12 and/or anaemia.
Pregnancy: The ‘Ultimate Stress Test’ For The Thyroid Gland
A mother’s thyroid gland in pregnancy needs to increase its hormone production by at least 50%! This is for her own need for thyroid hormones, and to supply her baby with thyroid hormones. For up until 16-20 weeks, the baby relies completely on the mother’s thyroid hormones until it’s own gland is mature enough, in the 3rd trimester.
A Mother’s Vitamin D Status And Her Breastmilk
The prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in breastfed babies differs vastly between studies and nations at 0.6% - 91.1%! Breastfed babies are (or can be) ‘particularly vulnerable’ because breastmilk doesn’t naturally contain high levels of Vitamin D. Combine this with a mother having low Vitamin D levels herself, it further reduces the amount that passes through breastmilk.