Mornings with a newborn can feel unpredictable and tiring, but starting your day with intention and mindfulness can set a positive tone for both you and your baby. A mindful morning routine doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Even small, consistent practices can help you feel more centered, present, and connected.

The Question Many Mothers Ask If you need medication for your mental health, is it safe to take it during pregnancy or breastfeeding? There is no zero-risk option. Not treating depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder carries risks. Taking medication carries risks. The goal is not eliminating risk — it is weighing relative risk with good information. A Personal Reflection When I experienced postpartum depression over two decades ago, I chose not to take medication because I w

Healthy attachment grows from repeated moments of presence, responsiveness, and repair — not from perfection. The infant nervous system learns safety over time, through consistency and attunement.

Infant Loss is a Family Event The death of a baby is a deep loss. Parents who have lost a baby to miscarriage or stillbirth are struggling to cope with their grief. And often these parents have young children who were looking forward to having a little brother or little sister. Infant loss is not only a parental loss. It's a family event. Even in their time of pain, parents are called to to help their surviivng children process at he level they can understand and to feel

Overview of Miscarriage and Stillbirth You have recently experienced a pregnancy loss. Along with crushing sadness, there are many questions. Was it something I did? Could I have prevented this? Why did this happen? Whether your loss was early miscarriage, second-trimester loss, or stillbirth, you lost your baby. And the grief and need to understand is natural. Pregnancy loss is medically complex. Causes vary depending on the stage of pregnancy. Often, despite testing, no cle

Research review on prenatal learning and fetal brain development, with a perinatal mental health perspective on stress, anxiety, and emotional wellbeing in pregnancy.

Originally published November 5, 2012. Unless you live under a rock and don’t go out at all, you have to know that Jersey Shore’s Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi is a mom! Her baby boy, Lorenzo, was born this August. Snooki has been showing him off in beautiful pics on her official Twitter and Facebook feed. Snooki became famous as a fightin’ boozin’ bad-girl with her group of pals on the show, Jersey Shore . Millions scrutinized her as she rumbled with her frenemies living in thei

Originally published April 2, 2012. Understanding how labor patterns have changed can help reduce fear, self-blame, and unnecessary anxiety around childbirth. Research was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Katherine Laughon, MD, and her colleagues, D. Ware Branch, M.D., Julie Beaver, M.S, and Jun Zhang, Ph.D., M.D., (2012) examined differences in childbirth labor patterns over the past fifty years, comparing data from a large study in the 1960’

Originally posted April 1, 2012. Science and Sensibility I am honored and hope that I can do a good job for Lamaze International for the month of April as their Guest Community Manager for the Science and Sensibility. Stop in here and take a look at my introduction and the the happenings over at Science and Sensibility for the month of April! thanks! Take care,

Originally published February 20, 2012. In this interview, a mother shares her personal birth story in her own words, offering insight into the emotional, physical, and relational experience of childbirth. Ann Kirchner, CD(DONA) has graciously agreed to share her personal story of her birth, birth trauma, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and her struggle to just get recognition and diagnosis and treatment for severe postpartum depression. Her story is very important. Sprea

Originally published February 11, 2012. You remember the intensity at the beginning of your relationship: you were enveloped in an...

Revisiting Attachment Parenting In Part Five of my Infant Sleep Series, I revisit Dr. Sears’ bed-sharing and attachment parenting books as I am today, the mother of a 17-year-old son and a trained and experienced Licensed Professional Counselor. I first read about Dr. Sears' philosophies as a new mother learning how to breast-feed and learning how to parent, so long ago. I approach Dr. Sears’ work with mixed feelings. I deeply respect his cultural contribution to restoring e

Originally posted October 9, 2011. This is a personal reflection shared in honor of World Mental Health Day, offered to reduce stigma and remind others that help, healing, and hope are possible. Hey there! Honored to be part of PsychCentral’s World Mental Health Day Blog Party! Today, as an LPC, I could write another professional blog about treatment options or family dynamics; like outline a specific self-care relaxation, expressive or cognitive re-framing exercise. But,