Spit-up On My Shoulder

Dear Readers,
I recently came across some pages I had written when I was in the worst of my postpartum depression. The entry is dated 11/29/95 when my daughters were 3 (Danielle) and 6 months (Linda). It’s still painful for me to read these words, but I’m hoping sharing them will help any of [...]

From 2001-2004, 344 women with gestational diabetes (GD) - high blood sugar during pregnancy - were tracked by Dr. Michelle A. Russell, MD, of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Vermont.
Dr. Russell found that less than half of the women were checked for blood sugar levels at their postpartum visit. [...]

Do you have days where you really need to get your emotions out on paper, but don’t know how to start? I love the journaling prompts below from Melissa Gayle West’s book, If Only I Were a Better Mother: Using the Anger, Fear, Despair, and Guilt That Every Mother Feels at Some Time, as [...]

Today we’re continuing our discussion about the benefits to you of joining a pregnancy or postpartum support group.
Our guest is licensed clinical psychologist, Dana Paskowitz, Ph.D., who runs support groups and has a special interest in working with women around issues of pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, and parenting. To see Part 1 of [...]

Today I’m talking with Dana Paskowitz, Ph.D., and licensed clinical psychologist. Dana has provided psychological services to individuals, couples, families, and groups within a variety of settings and across a wide range of clinical issues, since 1995.
She is also a trained doula, and has a special interest in working with women around issues of [...]

Next Wedneday, August 15th, I will be the guest host for a chat sponsored by Mothering Magazine. The chat time will be: 10 a.m. Pacific, 11 a.m. Mountain, 12 p.m. Central, and 1 p.m. Eastern.
We will be chatting about motherhood and, in particular, the postpartum year. Go here to find out [...]

Do you sometimes feel self-conscious about parenting or your role as a new mom? Martha Beck, one of my favorite writers, wrote in the July issue of O, The Oprah Magazine about tackling those low-confidence moments. She encourages us to say So? when we’re worried about how we’ll look.
Afraid to share [...]

If you’re pregnant or considering conceiving soon, are you worried about handling the pain of labor? I know I was, but I think my fear made me experience the pain at a higher level than I had to. I recently read some new information that neuroscientists have found about the way your brain [...]

Thank you to Julia Fessler, Labor and Birth Doula (and my buddy), for sharing the following affirmations for new moms. They are excerpted from Julia’s upcoming book, Birth Wisdom and Everyday Mothering.
Print up some copies and post them around your house for whenever you need some inspiration. You can modify the [...]

It’s my birthday, so hubby and I are going on a date tonight. Yea! Date nights are so important to a relationship, but I sure remember how hard it was to fit them in when we had a baby in the house.
Here is some information about a recent survey on new moms and [...]