Multiple Children

The Twins & Multiples Episode – What You Need To Know If You’re Expecting More Than One

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

No one parenting experience is the same as another, but one thing we can continually agree upon for all new parents is that support for the new family during their first few months with a newborn is paramount. Moms and Dads are better equipped to take care of their babies when they themselves are getting their needs met. And when it comes to twins, there is perhaps double the reason (or triple if you’re having three babies!) to make sure you’ll be well-supported during the first six weeks at home. 
We are excited to call this episode of the Fourth Trimester Podcast the TWINS episode. Here’s what we cover: 
Having twin babies prematurely and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience
Why it isn’t just a simple formula of twice the work 
Identifying and getting help for postpartum anxiety 
Feeding two babies at the same time 
Taking shifts between parents, and additionally with the help of a doula or someone else and how that can benefit everyone 
Preparing for the specific differences between preparing for having multiple babies compared to a single baby

Communication

Encourage Infant Speech Learning, Security & Confidence Through Communication and Play

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

It makes intuitive sense that communication and play during the first 0-12 months of a baby’s life help set the tone for the child’s relationship with the world around them. But how do we proactively and thoughtfully communicate with a baby in a way that encourages learning, emotional security and confidence? 
Here’s what you’ll learn on episode 51 of Fourth Trimester Podcast:
+ How to support early communication – from birth and beyond!
+ How to be musical with your baby (even if you don’t consider yourself “musical”)
+ Tips for raising a bilingual/multilingual baby
+ Why the tools to support your baby’s development are already in your home
 

Postpartum Support

What Postpartum Doulas Do

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

If you are even remotely considering hiring a doula to help you out after you’ve had a baby, we highly recommend listening to Monique Cowan (a.k.a. Monique The Doula) share her first-hand experiences in a typical day in her job. She talks through the practical offerings of helping families prepare for a birth and thrive after baby has arrived. 
Monique was inspired to become a postpartum doula after her own birth experience. She saw the potential to help women in her Southern California locale, particularly women of color and inner city areas.  She works with all people who need postpartum doula services and her website is https://moniquethedoula.wordpress.com/

Childcare

One Simple Move Parents Can Make To Save Money, Time & The Planet

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

One of the major contributors to that feeling of overwhelm for expecting parents is the notion of having to hurry up and prepare for their little one’s arrival.
A major tickbox for that preparedness is BUYING TONS OF STUFF. That can be a fun part, and also a hugely EXPENSIVE and EXHAUSTING experience.
So here’s the simple thing you can do: buy a charming, high-quality (new or pre-loved) clothing set that you can sell-back to a community of like-minded parents. 

Mental Health

The True Story About Postpartum Psychosis

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

Shortly after the birth of my daughter, I spent 10 days locked in the psych ward of the hospital after my postpartum depression and psychosis made me suicidal. In my altered psychotic state, I thought my house was bugged and the police were coming to arrest me for a crime for which I was wrongly accused. I thought the only way out of my crisis was to kill myself, so I told my mom and husband that I was going to go jump off the Golden Gate Bridge.