In some ways, breastfeeding is an instinctual art, but in other ways, it is a learned skill that takes time and space to master. Have you ever looked in a breastfeeding book and the images looked blissful? Well those women have mastered breastfeeding. It takes time and lots of practice to master something. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Have you ever looked at a yoga book and thought that the poses looked easy? What happened when you tried the poses for the first time? Did you wobble and topple over? Right! We all do. The woman doing yoga has mastered the poses. She practiced and practiced for months and maybe years before she got the confidence up to have someone photograph her for the book.

It’s the same with breastfeeding. It looks natural and easy, but it is a learned skill that requires perfect practice to master. This type of mastery requires patience and persistence.

All birth is beautiful, and no two births are alike. Similarly, healing in the postpartum phase is unique to each mama, baby, and birthing experience. C-sections are often overlooked in this. Now that you are home with your baby, knowing how to heal and recover from a cesarean section as you step into the new territory of motherhood is crucial to your well being and wholeness as a woman. 

Breastfeeding after a caesarean birth, in many ways, is the same as breastfeeding after a vaginal birth. However, there are a few things you will want to be aware of, and perhaps a few things you may be concerned about. It is always best to prepare ahead of time, make sure you have the support that you need, and get all your resources in place so that you can be successful breastfeeding.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with appreciating the beauty of a woman’s body, this single focus can make things confusing when a woman breastfeeds. When you have only experienced your breasts as sexual, breastfeeding can lead to some conflicting feelings. 

There is a wide range of what is normal in terms of your sexuality after you have a baby. Some women do not feel the return of sexual desire for many months or even years after childbirth. Some women wait impatiently for their caregiver to give them the go-ahead to engage sexually again. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, sexuality will most likely become part of your life. If you and your partner have enjoyed your breasts as part of your sexual experience in the past, incorporating your lactating breasts into your sex life is a new experience that requires patience, clear communication, and a sense of humor.

I want to take time out and acknowledge all the awesome dads out there. Today's post is dedicated to the beautiful men in our lives. We will explore loving ways to communicate and how you can include and involve your partner in meaningful ways during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) pronounced Sin-sish-ul is a common viral infection.  It can be mild with cold like symptoms lasting 1-2 weeks, or it may require hospitalization.  In fact, RSV is the number 1 reason babies are hospitalized each year. There are outbreaks every fall through spring. The vast majority of babies under 2 years old will get RSV.  Fortunately only 2% of babies with RSV will need a high level of care.

Learn about how to manage mild to moderate RSV symptoms at home with naturally with herbal remedies. Also learn about high risk infants that may require hospitalization.

In many ways, the first days and weeks with your new baby are just the two of you—mama and baby, learning each other and figuring out your new normal. Sure, there are usually others around. Your partner, grandparents, maybe baby’s siblings. But it’s hardly “breastfeeding in public.”

There’s something of a bubble around mama and baby. No matter what’s going on around you, there’s always going to be a different sort of bond between the two of you. The rest of the world fades away. For awhile, as you’re resting and recovering from birth, it really can be just the two of you. But eventually, the baby moon will end and you’ll need to venture into the outside world, and that’s when the question of breastfeeding in public arises.

We all have beautiful lives, and yet we have days when we feel like crap. Some days are better than others. And somedays are so crappy that it's hard to remember that things will turn around and we'll feel better. All the great days and challenging days are temporary. 

I realize that I don't know w the exact problem you are dealing with, and I can't fix or solve the problems. But, I can help you shift your mood. So, on today's episode of Apothecary Wisdom, I will share 25 simple tools that you can use immediately to improve your mood and your perspective.