The decision to start or grow your family is never an easy one. Throw in the first global pandemic in nearly a century, and there’s even more to think about. If you’re pondering this decision, you’re not alone. Dr. Chantel Roedner, an OB/GYN with WakeMed Physician Practices – OB/GYN says it’s a question she’s heard […]
Bonding with a newborn baby after giving birth is one of the most pleasurable parts of infant care. Labor may have been painful or even riddled with complications, but for most moms, all the agony is instantly forgotten once she gets to hold her baby. It’s instinctual for the mother, father and other caregivers to […]
With newborn babies, there’s no shortage of worries. From wondering if they are eating enough, to what’s in that diaper, to childproofing the house, to knowing when to call the doctor — new parents have a lot to think about. And it doesn’t help that some infections in babies can start even before birth, as […]
Pregnancy can be both exciting and scary, especially if it’s your first child. But there are things you can start doing today to keep your baby healthy and make your pregnancy easier. The first step is to schedule a visit with your doctor, if you haven’t already. There will be a lot more of these […]
Recovering from surgery is tough on anyone, but for a mom who’s trying to care for a brand-new baby – it’s a more challenging scenario than most. Plus, managing pain after a surgical procedure often involves the use of narcotics – which isn’t an ideal situation for a breastfeeding mom or a newborn baby. That’s […]
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year an estimated 15 million infants worldwide are born preterm (over 3 weeks early). The Global Challenge of Preterm Birth Preterm birth affects families in every country. While more than 80 percent of preterm births occur in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the problem is universal. In fact, […]
I am a planner. My plan was to have a completely natural birth with exclusive breastfeeding. It was a plan written in stone, to the point of me refusing a butterfly catheter when I first got to the hospital for my delivery. Long story short – my birthing plan flew out the window. I had […]
Although I had taken a birthing class and previously delivered at WakeMed, I had no idea the Mothers’ Milk Bank was there, let alone that it provided much-needed breast milk to so many NICU babies. On November 7th, 2017 that changed. At 39 weeks gestation, during the early stages of labor, my daughter’s heart stopped […]
My fourth child, a beautiful sweet baby girl, Lyra Noelle, was placed into our arms last October. I was so relieved labor was over, yet one look in her tiny face told me something was different from my other children. “Down Syndrome” were the two words not yet spoken by anyone in the delivery room, […]
Today more than ever, women have a wide variety of non-surgical contraceptive options for preventing pregnancy. Research tells us that the most effective methods in preventing pregnancy are long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), which includes 5 types of intra uterine devices (IUDs) and the contraceptive implant (Nexplanon). Benefits of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) LARCs are better […]
