PVHC Childbirth Education

03/21/2026

What is in your milk?
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=796214930929479

03/13/2026

Nutrition makes a difference! How is your protein intake?

03/13/2026

Upright positions during labor allow gravity to help move baby down.

03/11/2026

Mom's movement during labor encourages baby's movement. Let gravity work for you!

For most of human history, childbirth happened in upright positions like standing, squatting, or kneeling. These positions worked with gravity, helping the baby move downward while allowing the pelvis to open more naturally during contractions.

In many Western hospitals today, about 80% of births take place with the mother lying flat on her back. Research shows this position can narrow the pelvic opening by around 30% and removes gravity’s assistance during labor. When gravity is no longer helping guide the baby, the body may need more effort to push, which can sometimes extend the first stage of labor by about two hours.

Medical historians say this position became common partly because it allowed doctors easier access during deliveries, even though other positions may better support the body’s natural mechanics.

03/09/2026

This hormonal shift is a major factor in the "baby blues" which most women experience in the first two weeks after the baby is born. This is not postpartum depression, but rather a time when the mother experiences a great hormonal shift as well as the many emotional adjustments of motherhood. Although most women have a better sense of equilibrium after the first two weeks, about one of every five continue to experience difficulties with their mood. Please don't hesitate to contact your healthcare provider if you have questions.

Shortly after a baby is born, a mother’s body begins an intense biological transition. Within about 72 hours, levels of estrogen and progesterone drop sharply as the body shifts away from pregnancy and begins supporting recovery and breastfeeding.

These hormonal changes directly affect the brain. Estrogen helps regulate serotonin and dopamine, chemicals responsible for mood stability and emotional balance. When those hormone levels fall quickly, many women experience mood swings, sudden tears, anxiety, or overwhelming fatigue. Medical researchers often describe this phase as the “baby blues,” and it affects a large percentage of mothers in the first days after birth.

Recognizing this shift helps families respond with understanding instead of confusion. Rest, emotional support, and reassurance can make a big difference during this adjustment period, reminding mothers that these feelings are rooted in biology and that support during the early days of motherhood truly matters.

03/03/2026

Some helpful exercises for the first postpartum year.

02/25/2026

Often everyone (even baby) sleeps more the first night after baby is born because they are exhausted. But the second night baby becomes more interested in this world they have been born into so they wake more. Sleep when you can, mama 😊

Did you find your confidence a little shaken that second night? You're not alone.

[Image Description] Photo of a sleeping infant. Text reads, "Nobody told me...the second night after your baby is born can be really difficult! The second night can take many parents by surprise. After a calm and mostly peaceful first night, some babies experience what’s known as “Second Night Syndrome,” a period when they seem to be fully waking up to life outside the womb." The LLL USA logo is in the bottom right corner.

02/16/2026

Babies need skin-to-skin time with dad as well as with mom.

Nothing resets a newborn faster than a warm chest and a steady heartbeat.

Skin to skin with fathers in the first hour has powerful science behind it. Studies show oxytocin rises sharply, crying drops, and babies sleep more deeply through their first day. This early contact helps stabilize their temperature, breathing, and heart rate. It also gives fathers a grounding role from the very beginning, strengthening their confidence and emotional connection. The newborn nervous system adapts quickly, and having both parents as safe anchors creates a strong foundation for regulation.

As babies grow, the benefits of that early closeness continue. Fathers who engage in skin to skin often feel more attuned to their babies cues, which supports calmer routines and smoother evenings. Families describe a deeper sense of teamwork when both caregivers share in the earliest soothing moments. These first hours are not about perfection but about presence. The simplest start often builds the strongest bond.

02/13/2026

Drink water. Some caffeinated beverages or juices are ok, but you need plenty of water to stay hydrated.

02/10/2026

Breastfeeding is good for mom, too!

A new observational study published in BMJ Open suggests an association between breastfeeding and lower long-term risks of depression and anxiety for mothers.

How do you think research like this should inform conversations around maternal health and long-term support for families?
https://www.ucd.ie/medicine/news/2026/breastfeedingmaylowermotherslaterlifedepressionandanxietyrisksforupto10years/

02/06/2026

Postpartum is something to work through, not fix. Your brain is primed for learning how to be a parent. It's a good change, but not necessarily easy.