Nurturing Journeys

03/13/2025

"And the cord was around his neck..."

"It's a good thing I was in hospital/had a caesarean because THE CORD WAS AROUND HIS NECK"

Have you ever heard stories like that?

Let me put my dark glasses on, and steeple my fingers and ask...

What if I told you....

That the cord being around your baby's neck was EXPECTED?

Think of all the boogying around in there they do. Wouldn't it be a bit weird if it wasn't looped around them?

What if I told you...

It's pretty common. It happens in around 1/3 of births, and it's not usually a cause for concern.

What if I told you...

It's not strangling your baby. He's not breathing with his lungs yet, remember. And it's coated in Whartons jelly to protect it even if it's knotted.

What if i told you it's a GOOD thing!

Around the neck is infinitely better than around the head! It would get very squashed there as he moved down and out.

Please see the commments for a l i n k to more information about this :D



📸 Image credit .birth

10/27/2024

05/09/2024

Parents need good information to help them to spot the signs of infection in babies.

I wrote about this in my book, Group B Strep Explained.

This is also a key point in the UK guidance on preventing early onset group B strep (GBS) disease (Hughes et al 2017).

That document called for all pregnant women to be provided with appropriate information about GBS.

This is both to support decision making and to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of the infection in babies.

I have just updated my blog post on this topic, and sharing a graphic which I use in my teaching.

It's a tool for discussion of the signs and symptoms that professionals may wish to discuss with parents.

And you can find out more in my book, Group B Strep Explained, at www.sarawickham.com/gbse

As with all of my resources, you are welcome to share this post, but please share the original, give credit, and link to my site rather than taking it to promote your own work.

And if you find my resources useful, please consider supporting my work by buying and recommending my books, and/or buying me a coffee. You can do that at https://ko-fi.com/drsarawickham

03/03/2024

02/08/2024

And proof of my “to be read” books too. Hard to believe there are 50+, but maybe not so hard to believe either.

02/08/2024

My current reading pile.

02/02/2024

Yes!

When you look at yourself in the mirror during those postpartum weeks and months, figuring out who you are now, compared to who you were before — remember, it’s still you.

Take a moment, each time, to say “thank you” to yourself.⁠

Thank you to...⁠..your body for doing something so hard, however, you did it. ⁠
..your wider hips, your softer curves for carrying the weight of your precious baby then — and now. ⁠

⁠...your belly, loose skin, stretch marks, and all, for growing to accommodate your baby, right along with your heart.⁠
.. to YOURSELF for making it all happen...⁠

If we can accept the beauty of our bodies as they are, not comparing ourselves to others, or to our ‘before’, instead, celebrating the incredible things we have accomplished... how much more at ease we’d be in our transition into this new phase in our lives! And how much more empowered we’d feel about what we can accomplish. No matter how you birthed - you grew a human!

If you’re searching for more support, whether you’re journeying through pregnancy, birth, or postpartum — Mama Pathway is coming in February - right around the corner!

How did YOU find gratitude for your body during your postpartum season?⁠

Xx, Dr. Aviva⁠

Photo by ⁠
‘Thank you’s’ and post inspired by

02/02/2024

“In the first half of the 20th century, birth was dominated by a perversion of the masculine element of control—the control was external and imposed. Mothers were sometimes forced to be unconscious, and professionals took over. This form of control was absent of knowledge, respect, or trust for the natural physiology of the body. It led to suffering and a cultural wound that still exists today. ⁣
⁣
The pendulum began to swing in the second half of the 20th century, when midwives and women renewed a trust for the birth process to let it happen naturally. Once freed to do so, many families began to re-discover birth, unearthing physical, emotional, and spiritual gifts along the way. Soon, many families wanted a similar experience of a natural birth.” ⁣
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Click here to keep reading “A Message From the Editor: Love of Birth” by Pathways Editor John Ohm: https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/a-message-from-our-editor/a-message-from-the-editor-love-of-birth.html

01/24/2024

A great resource if your partner or family isn't quite on board for a home birth.

12/19/2023

11/20/2023

🍲✨ Join us at our Winter Wellness Gathering, hosted by our Moms of Benson Support Group at We Care Pregnancy Center!

👁️🥘 Discover invaluable insights that empower families with tools for deep nourishment, budget-friendly meals, and stress-free cooking.

🆓☕ It's a FREE event on 12/09, Saturday, from 1 pm to 2:30 pm with complimentary snacks and drinks.

😌👯 Enjoy the experience, worry-free – childcare for kids 5 and under will be provided.

❄️👩‍🍳 Let's turn your kitchen into a hub of culinary wisdom in Cochise County!