Normal Newborn Sleep and Unicorn Babies

We get it. Sleep (or more accurately the lack of sleep) that comes along with a newborn can be stressful for many new parents. You may wonder if your baby's sleep (or lack of sleep) is normal, you may be wondering if there's something you should be doing differently (more of or less of), you may worry that you are creating "bad habits" in your baby. Ultimately, you may question everything you've ever known and find yourself in the middle of an existential crisis (a common side effect of sleep deprivation).

This is why we are so excited to share this guest blog post about normal newborn sleep by Andrea Galambos, a Gentle Sleep Coach and owner of local Calgary company Blissful Nights. Included are some of her best newborn survival tips (scroll to the end of the post if you need those first...)

Pregnant In Calgary: Now What?

Congratulations! You're going to have a baby. That's awesome. And probably, on some level, completely terrifying. You're probably already thinking about the million things you need to get done in the next nine(ish) months.

Breathe. You've got this. I promise.

Our maternity care system can be convoluted. Do you see your family doctor, a midwife, an OB/GYN? And when? What tests and procedures are usually recommended? What choices are available to you?

We wanted to simplify the process for you and have created these two handouts for you to print and use as needed.

Midwifery in Calgary: 5 Common Myths

Whether you've known since you were sixteen that you wanted to have a midwife attend your birth, or whether you're seven months along with baby #3 and this is the first time the possibility's crossed your mind, here are 5 common myths we hear about midwifery care in Calgary and the truth behind them...

Three Essential Items for Your Birth Bag

Packing your birth bag is a ritual of modern pregnancy.

Maybe you’re the type of person who packs your bag weeks in advance – you like to feel prepared, with lots of time to spare. Or maybe you’re the type to pack your bag during early labor – a practical busy job to keep you distracted during those first crampy contractions.

No matter when or how you pack your bag, you’ll likely have researched what to put in it. There are many sample lists available online (some of them pages long!) and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

We’d like to simplify things for you.

Why Dads Want A Doula

Woman-to-woman support has been a cornerstone of birth support throughout human history. Whether medically, physically or emotionally, women have long been depicted helping other women as they transition into motherhood.

The recent (in the grand scheme of things) addition of fathers to the childbirth process has been a welcome and needed evolution in birth support. But this can sometimes lead to concern about a trained and professional support person also joining the team.

Common fears/questions from partners often include: 

  • What will my role be if a doula is there? Aren't I enough?
  • Will she put pressure on me to aid my partner in a way I don’t feel comfortable with? 
  • That's a lot of money - do we really need her?

Instead of explaining my very biased (yes, doulas are amazing!) point of view, I reached out to some dads I've previously worked with. Here’s what they had to say...