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Natural Family Planning: How To Chart Your Cycle

Charting Your Cycle can be helpful in both preventing pregnancy and getting pregnant. There are many different types of birth control and multiple herbs, oils and substances which have been used to help prevent unwanted pregnancies all throughout time. However, if you want to postpone getting pregnant naturally, the best way to accomplish this is to understand how your body works and learn to recognize the signs, so that at any given time, you will know where you are in your cycle and what your body is doing. With this knowledge, you can either avoid your fertile time or you can use it to become pregnant when you are ready to have another child.

Women's Health, Pregnancy CareSandra Ellis, MHJune 8, 2020pregnancy, Women's Health, FertilityComment

The Miracle of Mother’s Milk

There is no more perfect food for a human infant than its mother’s milk. A cow makes the perfect food for a growing calf. A goat makes the perfect food for a growing kid and a horse makes the perfect food for a growing colt. Each baby has different needs and growth expectancies – each mother makes the perfect formula to help meet those needs. So, how does human milk differ from other animals?

Women's Health, Pregnancy Care, Dr. MomSandra Ellis, MHJune 1, 2020pregnancy, PostpartumComment

How To Love Yourself & Your Body

Growing up, I continually found myself having a negative view of myself and I was stuck in a web of negative self talk. As an adult I have finally been able to be released from some of that through finding methods that encouraged me to view myself in a positive light and it led to confidence within. As humans that are in a community, we are prone to experience self doubt and we may even deal with body image issues. Whether you are a teen, pregnant, a new mom, or single, these are things that can cross our minds and take control of our actions.

General Health, Women's HealthStephanie ReyesMay 11, 2020General Health, Women's HealthComment

Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy

When you become pregnant, your body goes through a lot of amazing changes. Every system in your body is affected – respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, musculoskeletal, urinary, gastrointestinal – orchestrated by the release of hormones, your entire body adapts and changes to support and care for your baby. In order for your body to proceed forward through a healthy pregnancy – it needs proper nutrition. This will include carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fats, etc.

Pregnancy Care, Women's HealthSandra Ellis, MHMay 1, 2020pregnancy, prenatal, Healthy Living, weightComment

How to Empower Mothers to Take Control of their Care

I really struggled with writing this. It all seems really easy, just tell someone that they should do something. “Hey woman, be empowered” but life rarely works that way. Years of paternalism (a system where the person who has the authority makes the decisions for another person because the authority figure knows what is best) has given women the false idea that the provider (doctor or midwife) knows entirely what is best for her body. How is it that a woman’s body knows exactly how to grow a whole person, but all the details and the birth should be given to the provider to “handle”? Now, I am not saying that providers are not needed. Certainly nature has flaws and providers can guide the woman and help prevent complications, but the key here is guide.

Women's Health, Pregnancy Care, General HealthCrystal Uptain, CNM MSNApril 27, 2020Motherhood, Women's HealthComment

3 Ways to Be a Successful Work at Home Mom

Recently I wrote an article while my toddler was not exactly in the best of moods. He was fussy, not due to sadness, but due to (fairly successfully) fighting nap time. Which brings me to the title of this article, three ways to be a successful wahm (work at home mom). If you are reading this and wonder if it will apply to you, please know that this article is applicable whether you work for a company outside of your home, whether you work for yourself, or whether you spend all of your time taking care of home. Taking care of home and family is something that is definitely a 24 hour job that doesn’t typically pay as much as it should—though each night we see our children safely tucked in at bedtime makes it all worth it!

Women's Health, Children's Health, General HealthImani ColesApril 8, 2020Working, MotherhoodComment

Lower Your Chances of Induction and C-Section With These Tips

As you prepare to bring your child into the world, any class or book you can find on relaxation, breathing techniques, focal points, etc. can be helpful in preparing you for labor and birth. The reason labor is called labor is because it is hard work. However, it was never meant to be more difficult than we can handle and especially not impossible. Women have been giving birth on this planet for thousands of years and they have been successful doing it. We know this because all of us are here.

Pregnancy Care, Dr. Mom, Women's HealthSandra Ellis, MHJanuary 24, 2020pregnancy, labor, induction, c-section, home birthComment

How to Prepare for Postpartum

Women are amazing! Our bodies grow tiny humans, birth them, and recover while caring for our families. However, pregnancy and delivery can take its toll and can lead to a longer and harder recovery. Preparation for the postpartum period does not get the attention it deserves! Women often have ample advice to have better pregnancies and births, but are left wondering what to do to make things better in the wake of all that hard work. I have compiled some helpful hints to prep your body both before and immediately after birth to lead to a better recovery and a happier postpartum mama.

Women's HealthCrystal Uptain, CNM MSNDecember 30, 2019Women's Health, Pregnancy, Postpartum

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