11 Sep

Posted at 12:57h in Diet, Food Safety by

For children under 5 years old, avoid serving raw, undercooked, and unpasteurized foods.  September is National Food Safety Education Month with the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.    At 6 months old, most babies are developmentally ready to start supplementing their human milk or formula diet...

07 Aug

Posted at 09:36h in Breastfeeding by

Trying different breastfeeding positions can help resolve nipple pain, difficulties with latch, and promote more complete emptying of milk from the breast.   Hey Mama! It’s World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) with the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and a great time to review the top five...

25 Jul

Posted at 10:57h in Medical Concerns by

Mothers who test positive for GBS and receive antibiotics during labor have a 1 in 4000 chance of a baby with GBS disease. Mothers who test positive for GBS and don’t receive antibiotics during labor have a 1 in 200 chance of a baby with GBS disease.² 

  July is Group B Strep (GBS) Awareness month; a good time to shed a little light on what it is and how to reduce the risk of GBS affecting your newborn. 

20 Jul

Posted at 13:07h in Hepatitis B by

9 out of 10 pregnant women with acute Hepatitis B infections pass the infection on to their babies.¹

In many regions of the world, viral Hepatitis infections are common. Some people become sick from the infection while others do not. Without screening, many people do not know if they carry the infection or are passing it to their families and communities. This is why July 28th is celebrated as World Hepatitis Day; a chance to bring awareness to the disease, its prevention and treatment. 

14 Jul

Posted at 11:19h in Baby by
It’s your first summer with the new babe and you may be wondering about the latest guidance on sun protection for newborns. We got you Mama! The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommend keeping babies 6 months old or younger out of direct sunlight. When adequate shade or clothing isn’t possible, applying a small amount of mineral based sunscreen (containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) on exposed skin is okay. 

05 Jul

Posted at 10:22h in Cord Blood by

Cord blood contains unique cells called hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) that can be used to treat genetic, metabolic and immune system disorders, as well as blood cancers.²

  Years ago, the medical community didn’t know the value of a newborn baby’s umbilical cord blood. It was thrown away with the placenta after birth. Now, we know the potential life saving benefits of umbilical cord blood; for use by the person it comes from, family members, and the general public. 

26 Jun

Posted at 08:50h in Support Team by

When a mother feels supported by her partner during pregnancy, she experiences less stress. This is great for both mother and baby!

  During the month of June, we celebrate Father’s Day and we are shining a light on all the wonderful ways partners can support pregnant Mamas. When a mother feels supported during pregnancy, her stress level is reduced and her partner is more likely to be active with the baby after it’s born. This benefits both Mom and baby and Mommyato is here to support you both. It’s important to form a  support team; you don’t have to do it alone.

12 Jun

Posted at 09:33h in HIV by

Know Your Status! HIV positive women who know their status and take HIV medications during pregnancy and delivery significantly reduce transmission of HIV to their babies.¹

Hey Mama! June 27th is HIV testing day! If you’re of childbearing age and are at risk of exposure to HIV due to sexual history, an infected partner or IV drug use, then this information is for you. It’s also for you if you know you have HIV and want to get pregnant.

31 May

Posted at 09:45h in Mental Health by
Hey Mama!  New motherhood, or repeat motherhood can sure pile on the stress. Sometimes it’s so gradual that we don’t notice it until we’re barely hanging onto the confluence of work and family schedules, and those pesky expectations we put on ourselves! In honor of Spring and new beginnings in May - Maternal Mental Health month - let’s look at realistic ways to reduce stress and risk of depression and anxiety in motherhood. 

22 May

Posted at 08:39h in Health, Preeclampsia by
Hey Mama!  May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). It’s time to focus on the signs of high blood pressure, the risks, and what you can do to avoid it. This is especially important information for pregnant and postpartum women!   High blood pressure during pregnancy is called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a part of a spectrum of high blood pressure disorders that occurs during pregnancy:  gestational hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy), preeclampsia, eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome. 

15 May

Posted at 10:49h in Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychosis by
No family, friend or partner wants to think about the possibility of their loved one suffering from postpartum psychosis. And, the truth is, it’s rare, affecting 1-2 women out of 1000. Perhaps the most famous case of postpartum psychosis is that of Andrea Yates, a mother of 5, who drowned each of her children in the family bathtub. They ranged in ages from 7 years old to 6 months. 

08 May

Posted at 09:50h in Health, Postpartum, Postpartum Depression by
In honor of Maternal Mental Health in May, let’s look more closely at postpartum anxiety, panic, and obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD). Postpartum anxiety, panic and OCD is part of a broader classification of postpartum mood disorders, which also includes postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.  Postpartum anxiety disorders are very common in women, often occurring immediately or within 4-6 weeks after giving birth. Postpartum anxiety is characterized by fearful and distressing thoughts or feelings after the birth of the baby.

10 Apr

Posted at 11:50h in Health, Postpartum by
Mamas sometimes forget… that since it took 9 months for your body to grow and develop a baby, it can also take months to feel “normal” again after giving birth. If you’re breastfeeding, you may not feel “back to normal” until after you’ve weaned. Many women never look and feel the same after giving birth. And, truly, why should we? A woman has grown, nurtured, and given birth to another person from her own body. As a result of this physiological process, some bodily changes will be temporary, others permanent. We encourage new mothers to embrace this reality and accept it as a loving initiation into motherhood.

04 Apr

Posted at 12:17h in Delivery by
Have you ever thought of what kind of childbirth you’d like to have? In one study about childbirth choices, almost half of women say they know what kind of childbirth they want before pregnancy.² Often these choices are influenced by friends and family, social conditioning, and exposure to birth information online, on TV or in movies. Some of these Mamas have thought about their preferred birth place, types of childbirth providers, pain control methods, and medical interventions commonly used in birth practices. You may have had thoughts about this too or imagined the type of childbirth you’d like to have.