Shalom Birth Beginnings

08/18/2026

We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Hayden Panettiere 💙

Hayden used her platform to speak about her experience with postpartum depression at a time when few public figures did. Her honesty about the stress, the anxiety, the isolation of feeling like "nobody around understood" gave voice to what so many new parents feel but rarely say out loud.

By sharing her story, Hayden helped normalize the conversation around perinatal mental health and let countless parents know they weren't alone in their struggle. That kind of courage leaves a lasting impact.

Our thoughts are with her family, her daughter, and everyone who loved her.

If you are struggling, please know help is available and you don't have to carry it alone. We are here for you, always.
🔵 Call or text the PSI HelpLine: 800-944-4773
🔵 Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262
🔵 In a crisis situation, call or text the National Su***de & Crisis Lifeline at 988
🔵 Visit Postpartum.net for free perinatal mental health resources and support programs
🔵 Download the Connect by PSI app

08/13/2026

🙌👏👏👏

Dr. Claudio Celentano MD and Dr Rixa Freeze PhD and the others on the research team are thrilled to announce the publication of their paper on VBA2C!

"Maternal and neonatal outcomes for women with a history of two caesarean deliveries undergoing a trial of labour vs elective repeat caesarean: a retrospective study with two delivery protocols."

Article link: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1nZoT14VD60dtt

The article is open-access and free for everyone to read!

If the link doesn't work on a phone/tablet, try this one: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301211526004215

08/10/2026

We will be here waiting for you today at 10 am for our lactation support group. in Zeeland.

08/01/2026

08/01/2026

This sweet art greets my families on the patio of my home midwifery office. It was a gift from my sister after our miscarriage loss in 2010. 🤍

08/01/2026

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08/01/2026

🤱🏼🤱🏼🤱🏼🤱🏼🤱🏼

04/05/2026

03/14/2026

🧠✨ A drop of breast milk… in the nose?
Science says it might help protect the brain!!!

A newly published clinical study explored intranasal administration of fresh mother’s breast milk for babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

HIE is a serious condition caused by reduced oxygen and blood flow to the brain around the time of birth and is a major cause of neonatal mortality and long-term neurological disability. 

Researchers investigated whether giving a small amount of fresh breast milk into the nose could be safe and feasible for these infants.

Here’s what they did:

• Fresh mother’s milk expressed within 4 hours was used
• 0.4 mL was placed in each nostril
• Given twice daily starting within the first 48 hours of life
• Continued until day 28

The results from the clinical study showed:
✔ The treatment was feasible in both the NICU and at home
✔ It was well tolerated with no adverse events reported
✔ Parents were able to safely continue the therapy after discharge 

Why might this work?
Breast milk contains stem cells, neurotrophic factors, growth factors, immune cells, and anti-inflammatory compounds that may support brain repair and neurodevelopment. 

The intranasal route is particularly interesting because it may allow substances to reach the brain through pathways connected to the nasal cavity, potentially bypassing the blood-brain barrier. 

This early clinical study mainly demonstrated safety and feasibility. Larger studies are still needed to determine whether it improves long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Still, it highlights something remarkable!!
Human milk is not just nutrition. It’s biologically active medicine.

Science is still uncovering just how powerful it can be. 🧬

Tarjanyi E, Jermendy A, Szabo M, Brandt FA, Szasz B, Nyilas N, Meder U. F-NEO-BRIGHT: feasibility and safety of intranasal fresh breast milk in neonatal encephalopathy. Pediatr Res. 2026 Mar 3. doi: 10.1038/s41390-026-04847-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41776367.