Benefits of Kangaroo Mother Care

Guest Post by Neve Spicer of We The Parents.  May 15th is a day devoted to celebrating Kangaroo Mother Care, a bonding-focused method of infant care which prioritizes skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding, and early hospital release. Using KMC provides numerous benefits to all infants, but is especially adept at speeding the stabilization of premature babies, and has become a commonly used, inexpensive method of aiding their care in hospitals and homes around the world. One clinical study performed in 2004 …

Get to Know Danie Crofoot, Balanced Birth Support’s Traveling Doula!

Its so obvious that Danie has an immense, strong calling to supporting birthing families. They are a full-spectrum doula, and supports families in all circumstances and outcomes. Having moved away from their childhood home on an adventure to New York City, Danie is no stranger to uncertainty and unpredictability, and as a Traveling Doula, they will be there to your support you during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum wherever you are, near or far. Read on to learn more about Danie! …

Meet Drea! Birth & Postpartum Doula

Sometimes you can tell the genuine character of a person simply from a short conversation or even an email.  Drea is enthusiastic and throws her heart into whatever she is doing- whether volunteering, reading a book, singing at the top of her lungs in the car, or supporting families in birth; you know that she is all in.  I am a huge reader, so I LOVE that when I asked her about her favorite books she narrowed it down to …

Birthing at Washington Hospital Center

SummaryWashington Medstar Hospital is a nationally recognized research hospital and according to their website the “Women’s and Infants’ Services is dedicated to advancing health care through ongoing participation in the latest research on female health issues.” They offer many pregnancy and parenting related classes. In addition to providing routine care for uncomplicated pregnancies, Washington Hospital Center has several departments focusing on high-risk pregnancies, care for pregnant moms and babies with congenital health problems, specialized testing, teen pregnancy, cancer screening and …

Typical Newborn Screenings and Procedures: What, How, When

Whether you give birth in a hospital, birth center, or at home, there are many different newborn screenings, shots, and other procedures that will be offered to you or at least discussed with your care providers sometime prior to giving birth. Some tests are used to determine how well your baby is adjusting to the world outside your womb or screen for potential health problems; others are preventative against immediate or future health problems.  Depending on where you live, some …

Breech Birth: What do you need to know?

Breech birth is a common presentation of a baby at birth. It is estimated that 1 in 25 babies (3-5%) present bottom or feet first when labor begins. Vaginal delivery of breech babies had been the norm until the 20th-century when medical interventions and technology became widespread and cesarean sections became common. While many care providers only deliver breech babies via c-section, there are many obstetricians and midwives who are experienced in breech birth and will attempt a safe vaginal …