welcome to the club
Ah, postpartum recovery—a beautiful, magical time filled with baby snuggles, hormones that make you cry at insurance commercials, and…hemorrhoids. Yep, we’re going there. Because if you’re dealing with the unexpected joy of what feels like a cluster of angry grapes setting up camp in your rectum, you are far from alone. Postpartum hemorrhoids are incredibly common, yet they don’t get nearly enough attention. So, let’s talk about them—what they are, why they happen, who’s more at risk, and most importantly, how to make them go away.
Pregnancy is a transformative time, but it’s not all glowing skin and joyous anticipation. One of the lesser-known side effects of pregnancy is pregnancy gingivitis, a condition that can affect your oral health. Let’s dive into the science, symptoms, and strategies for dealing with this common issue.
Morning sickness—also known as nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP)—is often seen as a miserable but normal part of pregnancy. But have you ever wondered if feeling sick all the time is actually a good sign? For decades, researchers have studied the link between morning sickness and miscarriage risk, and the results are pretty reassuring: experiencing nausea and vomiting is associated with a lower chance of pregnancy loss. But why? And does this mean that if you don’t have morning sickness, you should worry? Let’s break it all down, using only peer-reviewed research and science-backed data.
If you’ve spent any time scrolling through pregnancy forums, talking to your birth team, or watching birth videos on YouTube at 2 a.m. (we’ve all been there), you’ve probably heard of delayed cord clamping. But what is it exactly? Why are so many people choosing it? Is it just another trend in the natural birth movement, or is there solid science behind it? Spoiler alert: The benefits are real, the history is fascinating, and yes—you have the right to request it. Let’s break it all down.
The short answer: because babies are constantly developing. The long answer: Your baby isn’t stuck in one long sleep regression, but rather going through a series of back-to-back developmental leaps that affect sleep. And since babies don’t exactly come with a “pause” button, their growing brains (and shifting sleep cycles) make it feel like you’re always in the trenches. Here’s a look at just how many times your baby’s sleep can go off the rails in the first two years:
It’s your first time taking the baby to the pediatrician. You’re visibly sweating, fumbling with the car seat straps, mentally spiraling about vaccines, nap schedules, and whether your baby is about to erupt into a poop explosion right before the weigh-in. And then — your baby starts to cry. You freeze. You whisper, “Can he smell my fear?” Your partner laughs. But you’re only half kidding. So… is that actually a thing? Let’s explore what science says about babies, fear, scent, and whether your anxious vibe is messing with your baby’s Zen.