After struggling through the depths of post-partum depression following the birth of my son 7 years ago, I was curious when I heard that there might actually be a way to prevent a repeat of that scenario. I was a little skeptical at first. Was it really possible to prevent post-partum depression (PPD)? Isn’t that just “one of those things” that some women go through following childbirth?

Prior to conceiving again, I was right smack in the middle of the certification process to become a childbirth educator…which meant I was doing lots and lots of reading! It seemed only natural to do further research in the prevention of PPD along with all my other studying. So what was this new-fangled way to prevent PPD? Well, it wasn’t really anything “new” at all, but rather an age-old concept that has been practiced for thousands of years, cross-culturally. It’s called placentaphagy.

“Placenta-what?!” It’s a big word but the concept of placentaphagy is quite simple: a female consumes her placenta following the birth of her child. Ok, don’t bail on me just yet! Hear me out on this one because it is such an important practice that most Americans know little about. I know the grossness factor may have about bowled you over at first, but stay with me.

The placenta is often referred to as The Tree of Life. The placenta is an amazing organ created by the mother’s body. It does a magnificent job of sustaining and nourishing her baby for 9 months…but it doesn’t stop there! Here are some of the benefits of consuming the placenta post-partum:

• Stabilizes the mother’s fluctuating hormones post-partum
• Helps prevent PPD and even the more common “baby blues,” as well being a mood-booster
• Helps prevent excessive post-partum bleeding and anemia (the placenta is rich in iron)
• Promote post-partum healing (placenta is chock-full of protein and vitamins)
• Boosts energy levels
• Boosts mother’s milk supply

So maybe you’re thinking, “Sounds great! Sign me up! But wait…I have to eat my placenta?!” Believe me; I know the grossness factor may turn some people off. But there is a very simple, easy way for a mother to “consume” her placenta without “eating” it: encapsulation. During the encapsulation process, a healthy placenta is carefully cleaned, slow-cooked at a low temperature, freeze-dried, pulverized and put into individual capsules. All the mama has to do is take a couple pills a day—simple as that.

Fast-forward to the birth of my last child and I was all set to encapsulate and consume my amazing placenta. In barely 24 hours after my daughter’s birth, I was already starting to feel a tremendous shift in my emotions. Then my placenta capsules were hand-delivered to me in a pretty blue jar by Briana, a certified placenta encapsulator. Just a few hours after taking the first dose, I already started feeling more stable. Suddenly I could think more clearly and didn’t feel on the verge of tears anymore! And for 7 weeks, those suckers made my post-partum experience a night-and-day difference from my experience after my first birth. I felt wonderful: I had so much energy, even while being sleep-deprived, I healed quickly from my birth and best of all, I didn’t have the teeniest inkling of PPD. I would do it over again in a heartbeat. (I even told ZenMommy about my experience and she wrote about! She decided to take the plunge and have her placenta encapsulated, too.)

For more information or to find a placenta encapsulator in your area, check out Placenta Benefits.

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from Expert Mommy, Sarah Baker

Postpartum depression is a devastating mood disorder which strikes many women during and after pregnancy.  It is a serious and disabling condition that affects anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of new mothers.  In the United States, there may be as many as 800,000 new cases of postpartum conditions each year.  These mothers often experience signs of agitation or depression and may lose interest in friends and family, feel overwhelming sadness or even have thoughts of harming the baby or themselves. (Excerpt from Senator Menendez’ site)

Did you experience PPD? If not, you probably know someone who has. Here on My Mommy Manual, we’ve had the honor of sharing Heidi Howe’s story of her battle with PPD. And, we’ve talked to psychotherapist, Shellie Fidell who specializes in helping women with PPD.

So we were honored when we were approached by Senators Menendez and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) to support The Melanie Blocker Stocks MOTHERS Act, which will help provide support services to women suffering from PPD. Find our more about the MOTHERS Act and spread the word!

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Practical Mommy is Ria Sharon, co-creator of the Yogi Parenting course. If you are ready for parenting to be easier, more fun and less stressful, sign up for a free Yogi Parenting lesson.

If your baby has experienced a traumatic birth, this can lead to further complications like difficulty breastfeeding or breathing issues. What can you do to help? (Video 2:39)


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This series of helpful pregnancy/post-natal tips is published in partnership with Due Maternity, an online retailer of maternity clothes.

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Practical Mommy is Ria Sharon, co-creator of My Mommy Manual and the online parenting course, Yogi Parenting. Click the links for Practical Mommy’s recommendations for travel car seats, affordable and fun diaper bags (skip hop bag), and the best-selling crib brand, Da Vinci Crib.

About six weeks ago my dearest friend had her first baby. Her pregnancy and delivery went very smoothly because she was so prepared. When she was finally home with her brand new beautiful daughter, reality sets in. Babies are a lot of work. Who knew that this tiny lovely creature could create so much exhaustion?  My friend told me that she felt so great before the baby and now, not so much. She said, “ Why didn’t anyone tell me I’d be too tired, and tied to my baby due to breastfeeding?”  It can be a very solitary and lonely existence of feeling like a zombie for two months. I told her “this too shall pass”. It seems that two months is the time it takes for the baby to begin to sleep longer and their adorable personality to emerge.  She talked about not even being able to imagine having more kids and how does everyone do it? Do these comments sound familiar? Have they been said to you? Or, have you murmured those words yourself? I have! I think one of the keys here is to realize that all new moms go through this! We are not alone and it is so important to have a special someone you can tell all your thoughts to. Just getting it out makes a huge difference in our psyche. We can have organized surroundings and schedules, but having an organized mind and thought process helps us deal with life. I have some ideas for you to let go and be able to organize your thoughts so you can face some of those solitary moments better.

1. Find a friend, sibling or parent you can just let it all out with. Someone who will just listen without judgment as you unravel all those feelings and thoughts.

2. Take a shower. You may feel like a slob in your post baby body, but a shower wakes us up and just makes us feel better.

3. Have two or three “go to outfits.”  They don’t have to be fancy or expensive,  they just have to fit right and make you feel presentable. For example,  a pair of yoga pants and matching shirt all in black or your favorite color. A set that is the same color is sliming and you can get dressed in a flash.

4. Get a great uplifting book that you can pick up and just read a couple pages. This helps you relax your mind and go to a happy place.

5. So much of early motherhood can be solitary. Try to have your phone or computer close by to call a friend, facebook and twitter to feel that you are not the only person on the planet.

6. A fabulous wash and dry haircut is key to these days of zombie like tiredness. Leave the curling or straightening for later. Get a great ‘do, that you can wash, comb through some product, and look like a million bucks for a new mom.

7. With new babies we are constantly washing our hands before feeding, after diaper changes and everywhere in between. Place hand cream by every sink in your house so you can be properly moisturized and comfortable.

8. Keep a notebook to write down items you need. Since you will be spending a lot of time in your home, this helps you keep track of areas you’d like to change or need tweaking. You may not be able to do it right away, but when your babe starts to take longer naps you will have more time to accomplish small projects.

9. Get out of the house. Enlist the help from a friend, spouse or parent and go to the mall, get a coffee, talk a walk, whatever it is, it will help you feel like a grownup again.

10. Have you heard that question “If you could only take one beauty item to a desert island, what would it be?” What is it? Lipstick? Concealer? Mascara? Chances are if you have that one thing, you should wear it everyday, even at home, it will make you feel great.

Here we have it. Ten things you can do to make yourself feel human again. Remember it takes time and give yourself a break. You just brought a new life into this world. Enjoy, breath and take care of you. Cheers.

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by Expert Mommy, Julie Verleger

Our Expert Mommy, Shellie Fidell helps us figure out when postpartum sadness is more than the Baby Blues.

It’s 9:30 in the evening. The baby has been asleep for at least a couple hours and your other kids are tucked in bed. What’s next? The dishes, a load of laundry and pick up toys? You know, I’m just tired writing about this. Those are the last things you feel like doing aren’t they? I can’t help you have less dishes or laundry, but I can give you a couple tips and sure fire ways to make some of those tasks easier to handle. Yes, even your tired mommy self can do it, get to bed and be the “bestest” Mom in the world the next day.

1. Dishes – I wish I had some magical way to eliminate this task, but alas it has to be done by the best of us. In the days of baby daze don’t sell yourself short, it’s okay to use paper plates. At least for a while until you have more of your wits about you. If you are using bottles (this works with sippy cups too) be sure to have them easily accessible. Holding a crying baby while trying to get a sippy cup of juice for your toddler or a bottle for the baby can be a juggling act. Isn’t it amazing how many things we can do with one hand? In the drawer or cabinet that houses these items, storing in an open bin is very useful. The bottle nipples with the plastic rings can be placed in a smaller container while the bottles in a larger one. Easy to grab and easy to put away, yes with one hand and half asleep.
2. Laundry- I think most of us know that doing laundry a little here and there throughout the day eases being overwhelmed. It is helpful to separate the folded laundry into individual baskets for each member of your family. This way distributing the laundry to bedrooms and putting it away takes less time.
3. Toys – When we have little ones running around our home, keeping tabs on all the toys can be a challenge. At this point ease it the key. A complicated toy storage system would be more work for you.  Keep toys in a basket or bin in a central area. This works especially with young children when you have to keep an eye on them at all times. Baby toys should be kept in a separate bin to control spreading of germs. Plus it is easier for you to grab them on the go and toss them back in. Once in a while dump the whole bin in a sink full of hot soapy water to clean and let air-dry.

Breaking down tasks into small bit size pieces keeps order and sanity in your home. Don’t be afraid to take short cuts to help you keep up. While your baby is little keep toys, pacifiers, and bottles with in arms reach. This flow allows us multi-tasking Mom’s to accomplish as much as we do. You can do it!  Focus on what is necessary and the other things can be taken care of later. Your little ones will remember hanging out with you and not the dust bunnies under the sofa.

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Expert Mommy, Julie Sprouse Verleger is the owner of Organized Home.

May this 59 second clip inspire you to lighten up… and GIGGLE your head off today. Laughter, it’s not only contagious, it’s good for the soul.

Tell Me More – Tell Me More…

MY LITTLE SISTER had her baby at 3:33 a.m. this morning!!! It’s a girl and I am so excited for her and her husband. She called me from her hospital bed just now, 7 hours post birth… and we talked for all of 43 seconds. I got some important details… her JOY, how hard it was, how perfect her new baby is, how she looks alot like her dad, what time she was born and her beautiful new name, Audrey Elizabeth… and then, my blissful download of new baby information was cut short as I could hear the distraction in my sisters voice.

I imagined a helpful hospital person standing there waiting for me to stop gushing and for my sister to hang-up the phone. I was right. In the background I could hear a sweet and chipper lactation consultant introducing herself, “I came to introduce myself and to see how breastfeeding is going!” I wanted to hug this lady right then and there; to tell her to take good care of my baby sister. (I so want nursing to go well for her because SHE so wants it to.) But instead of a phone hug, hard with a complete stranger, I opted to get off the phone quickly. “Call me later! I love you!”" and with that, I let this eager to help lactation consultant have my sister all to herself.

It was not easy to stop the gushing mind you, so early in the game. I still know nothing about how the birth went other than it got an “OMG” when we started to talk. There’s so much my sis and I still need to talk about, but I remember this important first meeting with MY sweet and chipper lactation consultant in the hospital, and it was really helpful.

Virgin Breastfeed-er

In honor of my sister, her hours-old newborn baby girl and her sweet and chipper lactation consultant, I’d like to offer some Breastfeeding DO’s and DON’Ts for new-mamas-to-be:

DO:
Drink water like it’s going out of style. I recommend creating an unwritten policy with your hubby that if in the next month or so he catches you nursing, he will immediately get you a nice tall glass of water (without you even having to ask!). It never failed to happen to me. The second I’d hunker down with boppy and baby to nurse, the most incredible thirst of my life would sweep over me and of course, I’d never have a glass in arms reach!!@! It only took a week or two of me asking my hubby for water every time I sat to nurse, and he began to predict this need for me, getting me a glass without my having to ask; a prince to be sure. It might sound like a small thing, but for me it made a BIG difference. I felt like my husband was supporting OUR choice to breastfeed in this small way. Though I couldn’t just hand the baby over to him and say, “Here, it’s your turn to feed the baby!” I could enjoy a glass of nice fresh water without having to ask. :)

DON’T:
Start things off with a funny latch-on, like baby NOT getting enough of you into that tiny little baby mouth, or else it’s “hell-ooooo sore nipples!!@#!” I’m going to be honest with you, it’s pretty much ”hell-ooooo sore nipples” any way you slice it; just how sore is in question here. That said- breastfeeding has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done and is way worth the temporary discomfort. Just know, a certain amount of discomfort is normal, but get professional help early on and make sure your babies latch on isn’t adding insult to injury!

DO:
Swaddle your little bundle of joy so as to keep little baby fingers and hands from baby’s mouth while you are busy perfecting the perfect your (non-sore-nipple inducing) latch-on together. This takes team work and little hands in mouths just complicate matters. Swaddled, your baby will be all about the boob and get right down to business; exactly how we new nursing moms like it. *wink*

DON’T:
Wait for your baby to cry before nursing. When you start to see the “I’m hungry” body language (i.e. mouthing their hands or turning their head back and forth in search of your nipple; subtle, I know…) bring on the milk mama! You are working to establish your milk supply and your baby’s working on building trust for their very new surroundings (I do this, mommy does this…I like this new world!) It’s a perfect match. Besides, getting a hysterical baby to latch on properly? Not easy.

And finally…I like to end on a positive note:

DO:
Be confident. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world. No worries of it makes your grandparents or in-laws a little nervous, they’ll get over it! Make good eye contact with people in the room even if they seem to be uncomfortable with nursing. This lets them know that it’s O.K. to look you in the face when they talk to you, even when you are nursing.

Well, those are my DO’s and DON’Ts anyway. For a more complete listing of breastfeeding tips go here and for a groovy printable breastfeeding log (which I highly recommend keeping for at least the first week) go here.

I wrote this for you, my little sister whom I LOVE so much… and for you, expectant moms out there planning on breastfeeding once your baby is born. It’s an awesome thing.

If you have breastfed or ARE breastfeeding and have a helpful tip or story, please share it with all us moms below. Or if you have any questions about breastfeeding, I’d love to hear those too! Now I’m going to go read-up some more about breastfeeding online and how the heck I’m going to nurse two babies! As thirsty as I was all the time nursing one, I might just have to buy myself a camelbak.

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Baby Watch is published in partnership with Kolcraft

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Suzanne Tucker, aka Zen Mommy
In addition to mommying to two magical girls born in 2000 and 2003, Suzanne co-owns a holistic health center with her husband Shawn in St. Louis, Missouri  where she practices as a physical therapist, Certified Infant Massage Instructor and health education teacher. Certified in a number of healing and life education approaches, Suzanne is a Co-creator of My Mommy Manual and the online parenting course, Yogi Parenting, a positive parenting approach for raising kids of all ages.

This VIDEO (2:39) is the third in a series of three in which Heidi shares how it feels to have postpartum depression. One of the challenges of PPD is that it goes unrecognized by many women who suffer from it, making it challenging for them to reach out and find support. It is very rare that a new mom says, “I think I have postpartum depression.” More often and very often, women feel what Heidi describes in her videos.

“That’s the hardest thing to remember when you’re in the thick of feeling so awful: that this too shall pass! And on the good days, remembering that THIS too shall pass… that I must be grateful for this good day right now and not take it for granted and pour my love out for my children because this day, this GOOD day may not be here tomorrow.” ~ Heidi Howes

Can you relate? Please leave a comment, audio or written and share how you felt after your babies were born.

My name is Heidi Howes and I have postpartum depression. I usually say “severe” postpartum depression because that’s how it feels to me, very severe.

Take the PPD screening on WebMD

This VIDEO (3:06) is the second in a series of three in which Heidi shares how it feels to have postpartum depression. One of the challenges of PPD is that it goes unrecognized by many women who suffer from it, making it challenging for them to reach out and find support. It is very rare that a new mom says, “I think I have postpartum depression.” More often and very often, women feel what Heidi describes in her videos.

“In the weeks prior to going to the hospital, I was very emotional, very down. Crying a lot. I had stopped being able to take care of my newborn daughter. I was nursing her still but there was no eye contact and when that happens with a young baby, they start to become despondent.” ~ Heidi Howes

Can you relate? Please leave a comment, audio or written and share how you felt after your babies were born.

My name is Heidi Howes and I have postpartum depression. I usually say “severe” postpartum depression because that’s how it feels to me, very severe.

Take the PPD screening on WebMD