Hands of Love Doula Services

10/25/2022

03/29/2022

The drug metformin, widely used to treat diabetes, may cause ge***al birth defects such as undescended testicles and urethral problems in the male children of men who take the medication, researchers have found.

Taking metformin appeared to affect s***m that developed during a critical time before a male child was conceived. Female children were not affected.

https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20220328/diabetes-drug-metform-linked-to-birth-defects-in-boys

12/07/2021

  Father in Some Bonding Time to Increase Oxytocin A recent article expands on the need for oxytocin in paternal parent-child bonding.1 Oxytocin (OT) is an endogenous neuropeptide produced in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus and released into both the brain and peripher...

12/30/2020

Today we are pleased to unveil our annual impact report.
Read more about our impact here: http://ow.ly/9KJo50CWtoj

12/29/2020

Yes!

12/29/2020

...these 2 kids...
❤❤❤

THAT FIRST YEAR

The year that two became three
No. More. Hot. Tea.

The year of not leaving your side
For more than an hour
And feeling revived
From a two minute shower

The year of white noise
Cuddles and baby slings
As you slowly adjust
To the outside things

The year of sleep regressions
Monkey impressions
Panicked Google searches
Too many to mention

The year I realised that women
Really do hold all the powers
Rocking and pacing
For hours and hours

Being more selective of
The company I keep
And dreading that question
So how does he sleep?

The year of building
All the rods for my own back
Binning the baby books
And not looking back

Endless walks with the pram
To help you to nap
Pounding the pavements
Looking like crap

One whole year to realise
That there's no wrong or right
There's what works
What you need
In the middle of the night

The year of doubts and fears
And bending the ears
Of family and friends
He'll sleep eventually
But when?

But you're more than
Your sleep struggles
So much more

You're that look of wonder
At a knock on the door
Your giggles
Your protests
And that tiny roar

Beaming with pride
As you take in your stride
Learning to roll, crawl and stand
And wave your wee hand

A sudden respect for those
Who've done all this before
But with two, with three, with four
Or more

The year of grand plans and dreams
Of these homemade cuisines
But some days just called
For eggs, chips and beans

And yet somehow you thrived
And we just about survived
The hourly wake-ups,
And some almost-breakups

You really did shake-up
These two kids

------------------------------------------
Words: Karen McMillan (Mother Truths)
Image: Soosh

'MOTHER TRUTHS' The Poetry Book is available to buy now: https://linktr.ee/mother_truths

12/23/2020

Health psychology professor Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook and incoming grad student Jessica Marino have a new study suggesting that the breastmilk of mothers who have recovered from COVID-19 contains strong antibodies to the virus.

12/18/2020

Public service a la Google!

In an effort to address the rising rates of anxiety and depression in the maternal population, Google launched a postpartum depression (PPD) screener (the EPDS) on Tuesday. This screener is the 4th in the lineup of screening tools searchers can find on the tech giant’s search engine. (Google currently provides screeners for anxiety, PTSD, and depression.) Now, when a person searches for “postpartum depression” on Google, the standard search results will appear as well as the EPDS questionnaire on the right side of the search results. Check out the screener here: http://ow.ly/Hvrm50CL92Y

12/18/2020

Anybody else feel the burden of information overload?! It's your brain that has to manage all that!

Hey there I’m Bryce .therapist I share about motherhood and everyday mental health.⁣
⁣
I was talking with a member of our community recently about how parenting information is so different these days. She is a grandmother raising her grandchildren and we were chatting about the positives in regards to our access to information and research and also the stress it might cause.⁣
⁣
It’s kind of wild when you think of it. This access we as parents have to SO much information about our children and our role in supporting them as parents. ⁣
⁣
Apps on our phones to tell us about “leaps”, podcasts on different parenting techniques, digital courses on a variety of topics and so much more. It can be wonderful, but also a tad overwhelming maybe?⁣
⁣
As a provider in this space, I love that this information might help break cycles, introduce new strategies and provide support. But I’m also aware that it might also lead to overwhelm, comparison and this idea that there is a “best” way to navigate parenthood. ⁣
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It’s a lot to think about how we as parents choose to navigate this information.⁣
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How do you feel about having so much parenting information at you finger tips? Does it feel empowering to you? Ovewhelming? Help you feel less alone?⁣
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⁣

12/17/2020

Share your #1 night weaning tip or strategy for parents who are starting the night weaning process!

Many parents get overwhelmed by just the thought of night weaning. It's one of the most popular questions I receive from friends, parents of my little patients, and website followers. We know this transition can be hard on parents. To help in this transition, we are sharing 8 night weaning tips to gently stop all-night nursing.

To read this BRAND NEW article, click the link below.

"How to Gently End Night Feeding" >> https://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-eating/breastfeeding/night-weaning-how-gently-end-night-feedings

11/30/2020

💙💜🤱💙💜

“Kissing your baby changes your breast milk. Did you know that the undeniable urge to cover your baby in kisses serves a biological purpose? When a mother kisses her baby, she samples the pathogens on baby’s face, which then travel to mom’s lymphatic system. Mom’s body then creates antibodies to fight those pathogens, which baby receives through breast milk. What?! Amazing, right?” -Gentle Seed Doulas - Professional Birth & Postpartum Services

http://www.mothering.com/articles/10-things-might-not-know-breastfeeding/

📸: Dusktildawnphotography



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