When you hear the term “belly dancing,” you might imagine a seductive dance performed by scantily clad women in flowing outfits for the pleasure of men. But the roots of these traditional dances are far removed from this purpose.

Across time and cultures, young women at puberty learned about birth through dance (as well as by observing other women labor!). The practiced movements of the birth dances would then be used naturally during the woman’s own labor and birth for mom’s comfort and baby’s progress.

Women are meant to stay active during labor – research shows that movement helps open the pelvis and move the baby down. When allowed to find their own comfort during labor, women typically sway, squat, shift, and dance. If a laboring mom relaxes into her birth dance, her muscles (and her emotions) are loose and open, allowing birth to happen.

Labor is itself depicted in the progression of the movements of belly dancing. Labor starts with the woman as relaxed as possible. Then contractions become more intense – longer, stronger and closer together – until, at the climax, the woman is unaware of the outside world and the baby is born. So too with belly dancing – the dance starts relaxed and the dancer isolates muscles one at a time, moving in tempo. The dance builds, much as the contractions do, and finally at the crescendo of the dance, the dancer is lost in movement and music.

Renowned author and childbirth educator Sheila Kitzinger once wrote, “A Bedouin Arab girl learns a pelvic dance during the puberty…and will belly dance, when she is in labour. The belly dance represents the power of women to produce life.” The benefits of dancing and using your womanly power include:

• Improved posture, flexibility, balance and co-ordination: As your belly grows, you may become less-than-graceful. Your center of gravity is changed, pulling your lower back forward. Your body is releasing hormones that relax your ligaments, which may make your pelvis (and everything else) ache. Many of the movements of belly dancing – such as hip rolls, circles and figure-8s – are useful for relieving back and pelvic pain during pregnancy and labor. Those movements may even help baby move into a favorable position for birth when used during labor.
• Maintaining general fitness: Doctors recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily during pregnancy. The non-jarring, non-contact nature of belly dancing fits the bill. In addition, through its connection with deep abdominal muscles, belly dancing helps to maintain the pelvic floor. Try belly dancing instead of doing Kegels! Belly dancing also improves physical endurance, which will be necessary during labor.
• Better breathing: The movements of belly dancing integrate different types of breathing. Labor requires changes from lower abdominal breathing to chest breathing to panting – and if you’re already used to these changes in dance, you’ll be more prepared in labor.
• Relaxation: Tension is released when you move your wrists, shoulders, ankles, hips, and spine in circles, all movements familiar to those who practice belly dancing.
• Improved focus: When belly dancing, you often focus on moving only one body part in isolation. This focus can be especially helpful during contractions and when pushing your baby into the world.

As with any exercise program, check with your healthcare provider before you begin to be sure there are no reasons you should avoid certain movements. Avoid back bends and sudden movements, as well as any exercises on your back after the first trimester. Keep your pelvis in a neutral position to avoid strain. Start with a warm up and end with a cool down. Avoid overheating, and stay hydrated before, during and after exercise. If you develop pain, bleeding, shortness of breath, headache, faintness, nausea, contractions, or fluid leakage from the vagina, stop exercising and check with your healthcare provider.

Learning belly dancing while you’re pregnant can be a fun way to meet other pregnant moms while you prepare for birth. Check with your healthcare provider or childbirth class instructor to see if there are any prenatal belly dancing classes in your area. Or consider online videos or DVDs that will allow you to learn in the comfort of your own home.

Have you danced for birth?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

For 9 months, your baby is kept at a toasty temperature, comfortably protected all around by amniotic fluid, hearing your voice and the metronome of your heartbeat. At birth, this all changes and your baby needs to quickly adapt to the outside world: from weightlessness to gravity, from the warmth of your body temperature to the cooler room temperature, from the constant contact with you to the openness of the world.

One of the most important plans you can make for your birth is arranging to spend the first hour or so after birth skin-to-skin with your newborn. Research shows that babies kept skin-to-skin have a steadier heart rate and temperature, better respiration, normal blood sugar levels, and less crying.

Experts have also found that newborns display a distinct progression of behaviors in the first hour after birth that facilitate adaptation to the outside world, as well as initiation of breastfeeding.

According to Widström and colleagues, here are the 9 stages you can expect when a baby is placed skin-to-skin with mom after birth:

1. The Birth Cry occurs immediately after birth, as your baby’s lungs expand.

2. Relaxation comes quickly in a baby skin-to-skin with mom as the baby reorients. This is a brief period of no mouth or hand movements from baby.

3. Awakening occurs about 3 minutes after birth, when baby will begin to thrust head and shoulder, open his eyes and start making small mouth movements.

4. More Activity starts about 8 minutes after birth with an increase in mouth and suckling movements, including a more pronounced rooting reflex. Baby’s eyes will be open; he will be searching visually and may look at the breast. You may notice him moving his mouth from side to side on mom’s skin, rubbing his cheek against mom, salivating, and sticking his tongue out. He may move his hand to his mouth and even to mom’s breast and back to his mouth. He may massage the breast with both hands, and may lift part of his body off of mom in an effort to get closer to the breast.

5. Periods of Rest typically follow periods of activity throughout the first hour.

6. Crawling motions start about 35 minutes after birth. Baby may use his legs and arms to propel himself toward the breast – this might include leaping, sliding, or crawling.

7. About 45 minutes after birth, a stage of Familiarization starts where baby might lick the nipple, touch or massage the breast, look at mom, or move his hands from mouth to breast and back. This stage might last for as long as 20 minutes.

8. About an hour after birth, the baby begins Suckling – self attaches and suckles at the breast.

9. Finally, baby starts recovery with a period of Sleep. This may start 1 ½ to 2 hours after birth.

Babies will complete these stages at their own individual pace, and shouldn’t be forced or rushed. Mom may need to provide some support so baby doesn’t flop off of her body, and she can guide the breast when baby is ready to begin suckling. If you have used pain medications during labor, it may take your baby longer to complete the stages and start to suckle. If you have had a cesarean birth, this first hour skin-to-skin is still possible, but may take more preparation before the birth to get everyone onboard and a plan in place.

If the facility where you plan to give birth does not routinely practice skin-to-skin at birth, you may need to make arrangements ahead of time. Your time skin-to-skin will work best if:

• Baby is placed belly-down, directly on your chest or abdomen, right after he is born.
• Baby is dried while skin-to-skin. Both of you can then be covered with a blanket, if necessary.
• Baby’s hands are not b wiped, and your breasts are not washed or wiped before feeding.
• Newborn assessments (such as APGAR scoring) are completed with the baby skin-to-skin with mom.
• Complete interventions (such as suctioning) while baby is skin to-skin or can be delayed until after the first breastfeeding has taken place, barring any emergency situations.
• Raise the head to the bed or giving mom extra pillows may help with visual contact between mom and baby and with supporting her as baby begins to move.
• You continue skin-to-skin contact until the first breastfeeding has taken place.

Have you planned for spending time skin-to-skin with your baby?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

Imagine trying to be intimate with your partner in a bright, sterile room with strangers walking in and out. How do you think that might go? Now imagine intimacy in a warm, candlelit bedroom with the door locked. Which scenario is more likely to lead to the best outcome? The same aspects can affect your birth.

One of the most significant factors in your labor and birth is how you react to your environment. Experts in childbirth know when a laboring woman feels safe, secure, private and relaxed, she will progress well toward birth. But a mom who feels threatened will release hormones that can slow labor.

Privacy and safety are the keys for creating an environment conducive to birth. What will it take to make you feel protected, comfortable, supported and relaxed? As you write your birth plan, imagine how you can use all of your senses to create an atmosphere that will help you to feel these attributes, so your body can do the work it needs to do to birth your baby.

Sight: Women do best during childbirth with dim lights, which create a sense of seclusion. Consider the room you are laboring in: do you need to close the blinds or turn the lights off to achieve the privacy you need? In addition, having something to focus your attention visually can help you maintain your attention during contractions, or even in between. Make it something that creates a sense of serenity for you – a piece of artwork, a photograph of your favorite vacation spot, a sonogram picture, a labyrinth or maze, etc.

Smell: Did you ever notice how connected your olfaction is to your emotions? Scents may remind you of certain people or situations – both positive and negative. And when you catch a whiff, you may have a very physical reaction – changes in breathing, heart rate, hormone production, etc. Aromatherapy can reduce anxiety, boost energy, and reduce pain. And there are no side effects that could affect your baby or your labor. What are your favorite scents? Are there ones that relax you, like lavender? Or others that energize you? Will the antiseptic hospital smells bother you? Will you need to find a way to mask them?

Hearing: If you are in the hospital, the sounds of staff coming and going in the hallway, as well as announcements on the public address system, can be distracting. How can you minimize these? If you’re at home, will there be noises from outside that will intrude on your ability to relax? Music, headphones, and closed doors all help to block unwanted noise. If you’re planning to use music to help you through labor, remember that it doesn’t all need to be slow and relaxing. You may have points in your labor where you want something fast and energizing.

Taste: While this may not have to do directly with a secure, private setting, you may want to have gum or candy on hand throughout labor. These will keep you from getting a dry mouth, which can be distracting. Staying hydrated is extremely important, too. Your favorite soothing tea might serve the purpose – keeping you relaxed and keeping all of your muscles (including your uterus) working well.

Touch: Massage, gentle stroking, even a hand lightly on your shoulder – all can ground you and help you feel safe in the unknowns of childbirth. Skin is your largest organ, and all of those nerve fibers underneath can provide a direct route to pain management during labor. Remember to add some type of lubrication for any massage (maybe your favorite scented oil or lotion) so that you’re not bothered by friction (which can work against your labor progress!). Water – whether raining down on you in the shower or surrounding you in a bath – can also provide tactile stimulation that will help you relax (and the tub or shower can be very private!).

Keep in mind one method won’t work for your entire labor, so have a “goody bag” of supplies, or at least a mental list of methods, to try. Create a setting that feels good – in which you feel protected and secure – so you can relax and ease your baby into the world. Plan your childbirth comfort measures with all of your senses in mind.

Written by Michelle, childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

Beginning early in pregnancy, you will likely start to have monthly appointments with your doctor or midwife to assess your pregnancy progress, and help keep you and your baby healthy.

Most experts recommend scheduling your first appointment as soon as you find out you’re pregnant. At this first visit, your healthcare provider will take a full health history (including questions about your menstrual cycles, previous pregnancies, and overall health), and will calculate your due date. This first visit will typically take longer than later ones.

At each appointment you can expect some or all of the following:

• Height and weight
• Blood pressure measurement
• Urine screening
• Physical exam
• Discussion of lifestyle issues that might impact pregnancy

Around 12 weeks (sometimes sooner), your baby’s heartbeat might be heard with a handheld Doppler device – and you can eagerly anticipate hearing it at each appointment. If your provider doesn’t use a Doppler, the heartbeat can be heard with a fetoscope or stethoscope around 20 weeks.

Once you reach the halfway point of pregnancy (20 weeks), your doctor or midwife may begin to measure your belly at each visit. The measurement in centimeters from the fundus (the top of the uterus) to the top of your pubic bone should approximate the number of weeks pregnant you are. For example, if you are 25 weeks pregnant, your belly should measure between 23 and 27 centimeters.

In the last couple months of pregnancy, you may see your provider more often (every other week, then every week). Some providers will begin performing internal examinations in the final weeks to assess your cervix for changes that might signal labor is imminent.

In addition to the physical examinations, your provider may order screening tests at various points in pregnancy. Examples include the AFP screening (or TripleScreen), a glucose tolerance test, an ultrasound, and a beta strep culture. This is by no means a comprehensive list – your provider may suggest fewer or more based on your individual pregnancy. Further diagnostic testing may be performed if a screening test shows abnormal results.

Each visit to the healthcare provider is a time to ask questions and get the answers you need for a fully informed pregnancy and birth. Make a list beforehand so you don’t forget anything.

What if you disagree with your provider at some point, or if you find his or her philosophy of pregnancy and birth don’t match with yours? It’s never too late to switch providers. You want someone whose skill makes you feel confident, but whose personality makes you feel comfortable.

What made you choose your doctor or midwife?

Written by Michelle, writer, editor, childbirth educator, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

Tandem nursing is breastfeeding two different-aged babies during the same time period. Why in the world might that happen?, you’re thinking. Most of the time it isn’t planned – baby #1 just isn’t ready to wean when baby #2 arrives on the scene. Here’s what you need to know if you find yourself with the possibility of tandem nursing looming.

Can I get pregnant again if I’m breastfeeding?

While breastfeeding is contraceptive, you need to meet certain criteria for it to work – your baby is younger than 6 months, is breastfeeding exclusively, and your periods have not returned. If any of these is untrue, you need to use another form of birth control to keep from becoming pregnant.

For some breastfeeding moms, ovulation doesn’t start until after weaning. But for others ovulation happens before the first period even reappears. The trouble is knowing which category you’ll be in. If you are hoping to get pregnant again, you can begin trying before weaning as the return of fertility is gradual (though when this happens varies from woman to woman).

Can I keep breastfeeding if I find out I’m pregnant?

Breastfeeding will not harm your pregnancy once implantation has occurred. In addition, you might worry whether the oxytocin released during breastfeeding might cause contractions. While the oxytocin may cause (mostly unnoticeable) contractions, these won’t be strong enough to start labor.

What about after the baby’s born? Will I make the right milk for my newborn?

Your milk will change during the months of pregnancy, eventually reverting to colostrum near birth. Your older baby may not mind the change in flavor, consistency or flow, but may decide he no longer wants to breastfeed. Nipple pain during pregnancy is fairly common for tandem nursing moms. Pay close attention to your older nursling’s latch and positioning (which may have changed a great deal since he was a newborn).

Shouldn’t I just wean?

Weaning is a personal choice. If your baby is not yet one, then you will need to replace nursing sessions with bottles (of formula or breastmilk). If your child is older than one year, you can be more proactive about weaning.

Your emotions surrounding tandem nursing matter, too. If you resent your older nursling’s continued feeding, it’s probably better to wean. You can constantly reassess and make adjustments to meet everyone’s needs, including your own.

Why tandem nurse?

Many tandem nursing moms find it rewarding to look down at siblings holding hands or cuddled against each other while nursing. Tandem feeding can also pacify some sibling rivalry, and may help your older nursling adjust to having a new baby in the house.

If you’re breastfeeding two and you need support, consider Hilary Flower’s book Adventures in Tandem Nursing. Flower shares information to support your choice as well as other mother’s stories (which are sometimes more supportive than any other type of information!). Her witty and comprehensive book will help you feel much less alone in your choice.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

As a breastfeeding mother, you may think you have a free pass when it comes to birth control. Many couples mistakenly presume that they won’t be able to conceive while the mom is still breastfeeding. In reality, however, plenty of breastfeeding mamas have fallen pregnant. There is no way of knowing whether you’ll be one of them, so it’s better to play safe if you don’t want to get pregnant. It seems unfair, doesn’t it? After carrying a baby for nine months, giving birth to it, feeding it and living up to your elbows in dirty diapers, you’d think mother nature would, at least, give you a few months break from worrying about getting pregnant while breastfeeding.

Whilst it’s true that many mamas find their cycles don’t return until they’ve stopped breastfeeding, there is no guarantee. If you want to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, you’ll need to use birth control when you’re breastfeeding. Some mamas find that their periods don’t return until after their child’s first birthday, but for other women, it can be just a couple of months after the birth when their cycle returns.

It’s not wise to wait until your periods start again before turning to birth control, because ovulation can occur first. Some women have already ovulated by the time they get their first period. If this happened, you could already be pregnant even before getting your first period.

Every woman is different and there is no fixed schedule to determine when your periods will return. For some women, their cycle doesn’t return until their baby is feeding less frequently, but for others, their periods return when their baby is just a couple of months old and still attached to the boob for most of the day.

How to avoid getting pregnant while breastfeeding

If you know now is not the time to add a younger sibling to your family, you’ll need to decide on a method of contraception to use. This is something usually discussed by your healthcare provider at your postpartum checkup. If it wasn’t discussed at yours or if you’d like some more advice, get in touch with your healthcare provider today. There may be some forms of contraception that are not advised for use during pregnancy. For example, estrogen can interfere with breast milk production, so your doctor may advise you to avoid the combination pill.

Trying to get pregnant while breastfeeding

If you are hoping to conceive and would like advice on how to achieve this while breastfeeding, ask your healthcare provider for advice. You may have to wait until your baby is feeding less frequently or sleeping for longer stretches until you can become pregnant, but remember, this is not always the case.

Have you spoken to your healthcare provider about contraceptive options?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.