When a baby is born, everything shifts. The baby’s arrival has a permanent impact on every relationship in a family structure. Truly, every baby is here to change the world.  To say that relationship dynamics between parents will be affected by a child joining the family is an understatement. Having a baby together could be a bonding experience in many ways, but on the other hand, early parenthood might offer significantly less opportunities for intimacy. If sex was an integr

Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of my major sources of inspiration when it comes to traditional postpartum healing practices and food as medicine. I have had the great honor of learning about East Asian postpartum traditions from Naomi Jansson, Doctor of Chinese Medicine and traditional postpartum care practitioner. I want to acknowledge that this wisdom belongs to East Asian cultures where it is a living tradition that dates back thousands of years. The three phases of

Here's how you get back into your workout routine after birth, without risking injuries while your body is still healing.

After birth, it is beneficial to eat little and often, rather than going long hours between meals. In the East Asian traditions, mothers are often encouraged to eat 6-8 times a day in the weeks following birth. Eating regularly will keep your digestive system going and it could also help you avoid those terrible blood sugar crashes. For inspiration on what to eat, I have put together a list with both savory and sweet postpartum snack ideas. Sweet postpartum snacks Porridge ba

Many parents have concerns related to their baby's night-time sleep. Sleep deprivation is a serious problem for many parents of infants, and turning to sleep trainers who promise quick solutions, may seem like the best, and sometimes only, option. In this article, I clarify what sleep training is, I give a brief explanation of the biology behind infant sleep and I offer some alternative ways to improve sleep in early parenthood. What is sleep training? Sleep training is based

Have you considered what you can do in advance to make things easier for yourself during the first weeks of motherhood? Being responsible for a newborn baby around the clock can sometimes feel overwhelming. Many new parents also face challenges related to things like sleep deprivation, the body's recovery after childbirth, and initiating breastfeeding. Below, I've listed my best tips for how to mentally and practically prepare for this special time and promote a positive star

In Sweden, most certified birth doulas cost between SEK 12 000 and SEK 20 000 depending on the doula's experience, location and services. Understanding what is an isn't included in a doula's price is important as some may charge for extras that others include in their packages or even offer services without any formal training/certification. In Sweden, most certified postpartum doulas cost between SEK 350 and SEK 850 per hour. How much does a birth doula cost in Sweden? The c

Bed-sharing means that the baby sleeps in the same bed as the parent or parents. Despite prevailing recommendations to avoid bed-sharing in the first three months of a baby's life, many parents opt for it to enhance family sleep. The innate sense of security that comes with keeping your baby close is hard to ignore. Interestingly, this closeness echoes an evolutionary norm – mothers across cultures slept with their babies until the early 1900s. The trend of separating infants