Blissed Out Mamas

11/24/2025

Please be very careful about who kisses your baby.

11/22/2025

An incredible study found that women who ate 6 dates a day in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy were...

• 74% more dilated when they arrived at the hospital
• Had a 77% shorter first stage of labor
• And were 42% less likely to need a C-section

So what makes dates so powerful?

Dates are packed with nutrients that actually prepare the cervix and uterus for labor.
They influence oxytocin receptors, which means the body responds more effectively to the natural hormones that trigger labor.

They also contain prostaglandins that help ripen (soften and thin) the cervix,
and tannins that encourage stronger, more efficient contractions.

On top of that, dates provide natural sugars and fats for energy during labor,
plus calcium and serotonin to support the body through the intensity of birth.

Some studies even suggest dates make the uterus more sensitive to oxytocin—
leading to smoother, more effective contractions and shorter labors.

This is also why women who eat dates late in pregnancy are far less likely to need a C-section.

The most common recommendation is to start eating 6 dates a day from 37 weeks until birth.

I’m a midwife and a home birthing mama,
and I was encouraged to eat dates in my own pregnancy and honestly, I think it helped me.

Share this with a pregnant mama, or save it for later 🖤

Did you eat dates in late pregnancy?
What was your experience?

11/20/2025

Simple truth.

Research tells us that babies who co-sleep in infancy, especially in those early years get around 13,000 extra hours of touch.

Thirteen thousand.

Because when you keep your baby close, day and night, they’re getting 10 to 12 extra hours a day of your skin, your warmth, your presence.

That’s not spoiling.
That’s wiring.

Touch is brain food.
It releases oxytocin, serotonin…
It lowers cortisol.

It teaches your baby’s body how to feel safe.
How to come back to calm.

We actually have studies showing
co -sleeping babies have lower stress reactivity meaning their little bodies bounce back from stress faster.

That’s not dependence.
That’s coregulation.
That’s safety being built from the inside out.

So the next time you’re contact napping,
bed sharing, doing whatever gets you both some rest and someone tells you you’re creating bad habits, remember this ~

You’re not creating a clingy baby.
You’re creating a resilient one 🖤

The Breastmilk Queen - Amy McGlade 🥰

11/20/2025

Having a glass of wine is ok too. You don't need to "pump and dump", and no one is allowed to shame you.

11/06/2025

🧠 New Research: Breastfeeding and Long-Term Brain Growth

Ottino-González et al. (2025) found that longer breastfeeding duration was associated with greater cortical thickness and improved cognitive function.

Researchers looked at over 5,000 children between the ages of 9–12 years. They analyzed brain scans, thinking skills, and breastfeeding history.

What they found was powerful: the longer a child had been breastfed, the stronger and healthier their brain structure appeared…. even years later.

💡 Here’s what they found:

Children who were breastfed longer had:
✨ Thicker brain cortex — this is the outer layer of the brain responsible for memory, attention, perception, and awareness.
✨ Larger brain surface area — which is connected to intelligence, emotional regulation, and learning.
✨ More myelin in key areas — myelin is like “insulation” that helps brain cells send messages quickly and efficiently.

Even more fascinating? Those brain differences were directly linked to better cognitive function, meaning stronger memory, focus, and problem-solving skills.
And this was still true almost a decade after they’d been weaned.

We often talk about breastfeeding benefits in terms of early life… immune support, fewer infections, lower risks of allergies, and reduced hospitalizations. But this study reminds us that human milk is brain food in every sense of the word. It’s not just about calories. It’s living tissue, filled with fatty acids like DHA, hormones, stem cells, antibodies, and over a thousand bioactive molecules that support brain development.

Think of it as communication milk: every feed delivers microscopic messages that tell your baby’s brain how to grow, connect, and adapt.

Of course, this doesn’t mean breastfeeding is the only factor, genes, environment, and education all play roles. But it shows that the effects of breast milk don’t just fade after the newborn stage… they keep echoing into childhood and beyond.

Every drop, every feed, every ounce matters.
Whether you breastfed for a week, a month, or several years, you gave your baby something their brain will remember. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about protection. Breastfeeding is one of the most profound ways the body nourishes both body and mind, a biological design that’s stood the test of time.

You don’t have to compare your journey to anyone else’s. Just know this: when you nurse your child, comfort them at your breast, or pump milk for them you are helping build their brain in ways that science is still discovering.

10/28/2025

A new groundbreaking study provides the first global quantification of breastfeeding’s role in preventing chronic diseases.

The data is stunning 📈 and reinforces what we have long advocated: breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support are lifesaving, cost-effective, and essential.

Read the full results here: https://bit.ly/49fcYEc

10/14/2025

Babies really be out here like… “is this a b**b? 👀”
Shoulder? Arm? Nose? Doesn’t matter — they’ll check just in case 😂🍼
👉 Tell me: what’s the funniest thing your baby has mistaken for a b**b?

10/13/2025