Doula
Lucy is a childbirth and postpartum mentor, doula, and advocate. She works in Sydney with families as they prepare for childbirth and postpartum, facilitates an Arts’n’Bubs parents’ group, and provides in-home care for new mothers. A mother of two, Lucy advocates better postpartum care in the mainstream systems and is connected to a worldwide network of doulas and postpartum professionals. She has trained with Julia Jones’ Newborn Mothers and Pam England’s Birthing From Within, which are the foundation of her practice. Lucy also works part-time in Arts Administration for the Australia Council for the Arts.
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Pregnant women may often experience body aches. To curb and manage these symptoms, women may consider indulging in a hot shower or soak themselves in a warm water tub. However, pregnant women may wonder if it is safe to use hot tubs in pregnancy. Read this post to learn about the safety, benefits, and side effects of hot water bathing in pregnancy. [mj-toc] Is It Safe To Take A Hot Water Bath During Pregnancy? It is safe to take a hot water bath during pregnancy if the water is not too hot. Generally, gynecology and obstetric experts recommend that pregnant women avoid hot water as it elevates body temperature, which could be risky for the baby. Also, hot water baths are not safe when you have vaginal bleeding or ruptured membranes. To prevent burns on the skin, exercise caution and check the water temperature with your wrist or forearm to test the water and make sure it's at a comfortable...
The 8th-week ultrasound is usually the first imaging scan in your pregnancy. It is very exciting for the parents as this scan gives you the first glimpse of your baby. This scan is also called the dating scan. It uses sound waves to create a picture of the fetus in the womb. Read this post as we tell you about the ultrasound procedure, what you can see at eight weeks of pregnancy, the fetus’ development, and what abnormalities may be discovered in the eight-week of pregnancy scan. [mj-toc] Why Should You Have An Ultrasound At Eight Weeks? The first ultrasound is usually done around the eighth week to check if both the expectant mother and the growing baby are fine. It might also be suggested to (1) (2): Calculate the gestational age and due date. It is also done when you are not sure about your last period date (which can give an approximate gestational age) Know the cause of...
Massages are beneficial for babies as they help improve their blood circulation and aid in their overall development. In this post, we tell you how to massage a baby the right way. The result of a study published in the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that a massage is compared to a crib vibrator and helps calm colicky babies (1). Moreover, the massage time can also be an intimate bonding time for you and the baby. Read more about the benefits of massaging babies and a few safe massaging methods in this post. [mj-toc] When To Start Baby Massage? There are no set guidelines regarding the minimum age to start massaging a baby (2). There is a general opinion that infants must complete one month of their life before they get a massage. The reason for this is that a baby’s skin barrier is underdeveloped at birth, and it takes 15 days for the skin to become water-resistant...