Embracing Birth Childbirth Education

08/31/2026

For an illustration of the effect of this approach, see my Resource Library article "How to Prevent a Preventable Cesarean for Failure to Progress." https://hencigoer.com/how-to-prevent-a-preventable-cesarean-for-failure-to-progress/

08/24/2026

Articles on postpartum depression would make you think the stress of caring for an infant is the sole cause. Financial worries, though, are a big contributor. It’s true for new moms, and a new study shows it’s true for new dads too. The study found that fathers taking unpaid leave reported more anxiety symptoms than those taking paid leave, wanting but not taking leave increased both anxiety and depression, and the most commonly cited obstacle to taking leave was a financial barrier. As one of the study’s authors put it: “Our findings underscore that paternal leave is not just a workplace benefit, it's a public health issue that can deeply impact families and children,"" to which I would add: And that goes double for maternal leave!

https://bit.ly/4fIgbxG

08/23/2026

Two people can experience births that look remarkably similar **on paper**.

Same intervention.
Same change of plans.
Same outcome.

And yet their internal experience can be completely different.

One woman may remember that moment and feel supported, capable and at peace with what unfolded.

Another may carry anger, grief, shame or a lingering sense that something was taken from her.

Another may not even describe her birth as traumatic, but years later, there is still *that moment* she thinks about.

Because we don't experience birth only through **what happened**.

We experience it through what it meant to us.

*Was I heard?*
*Did I have a choice?*
*Could I trust myself?*
*Did my body fail me?*
*Was I safe?*
*Did I matter?*

This is why a birth story can't be understood simply by looking at the events.

The outer journey matters.

But so does the inner one.

And sometimes it is the meaning we carried away from birth, rather than the event itself, that continues to live quietly in how we see ourselves, our bodies, our parenting and even the world around us.

A Birth Story Medicine session offers a space to explore **your experience of your birth**.

Not how it looked on paper.

Not how someone else thinks you *should* feel about it.

But the story as it lives within you.

🌿 **Book a Birth Story Session and discover what your birth story may still be holding.** DM us.

08/21/2026

Wanting exercises to ease an aching back? This article has seven of them. Hopefully, one or more will help.

https://bit.ly/4w5B0ta

08/20/2026

For up-to-date news and research on pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding issues, join my mailing list today!

https://hencigoer.com/newsletter-sign-up/

08/18/2026

It’s a common belief that breastfed babies sleep less than formula-fed babies. Because adequate sleep is important for healthy physical and psychological development, researchers studied the relationship between feeding practice and sleep per day at age one year. https://bit.ly/4w6DuHG They compared four feeding practices: 1) exclusive formula feeding, 2) breastfeeding for less than six months, 3) mixed breast and formula feeding in the first six months, and 4) exclusive breastfeeding for six months. At one year, differences between rates of inadequate sleep per day were small but correlated with amount of formula feeding. The takeaway? If anything, once past infancy, breastfeeding in the first six months fosters adequate sleep.

Want to know how to get more sleep when breastfeeding an infant? See my article: https://hencigoer.com/breastfeeding-a-newborn-heres-how-to-get-more-sleep/

08/14/2026

August is home to both World Breastfeeding and Black Breastfeeding Week. Planning to breastfeed? Henci’s Resource Library includes breast feeding resources, including tips on how to get more sleep, an overview of the benefits of breastfeeding, and just for fun, a link to a laugh-out-loud video on breastfeeding in public.

Organized by topic, Henci’s Resource Library is a collection of her research summaries and data-based articles on best practices to help you make informed decisions and develop a birth plan.

Check out the “Breastfeeding” category: https://hencigoer.com/postpartum-newborn-breastfeeding/breastfeeding-post-partum-newborn-breastfeeding/

08/13/2026

08/13/2026