Chick Chat

The third trimester . . . the final three months before baby's arrival! Mary Alice is at the very end of her pregnancy, due December 25th, and I am officially in my third trimester, 31 weeks! We both have been experiencing a lot of different things throughout our pregnancies. We’ve already covered what to expect in the first trimester and second trimester on our podcast and today we are chatting about the third trimester; what we are experiencing as well as what you may expect from your third trimester. Some of these symptoms will sound familiar -- hello again, first trimester symptoms! But each change should encourage you since each is bringing you closer to meeting your baby. Here's what you can expect from your third trimester of pregnancy.

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Here on Chick Chat, we are all about getting a good and healthy night’s sleep. But a question that many parents ask is when should they transition their babies out of swaddles? And not only that, how can they do that smoothly and successfully. Well, today, I'm chatting with Cara Walker, a certified infant & toddler sleep consultant, and the founder of Well Rested Mama. Cara is a wife and mother of three and she used gentle sleep training techniques on all three of her babies. She loves to talk about sleep and assist frustrated and sleep deprived parents with their baby and toddler sleep issues. With Cara’s experience and training, she’s answering your questions and sharing her tips about swaddling.

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Over the past 10 years, I've attended hundreds of births. Some of my clients choose to have unmedicated births and some choose pain medication. Whichever you choose, do your research and decide which birthing experience is best for you. We want everyone to know that one way of giving birth is not better than the other and one way does not make you a better or stronger woman or mother. All birthing options are good options for different circumstances and it's up to you to do your research so that you can determine which is best for you and your baby.

So why would someone want to have a “natural” or unmedicated childbirth? Mary Alice and I are discussing the reasons why some women choose to forego pain medication during labor and delivery. We're also sharing the different kinds of pain medications that are available should you decide on having a natural birth but change your mind during labor.

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Montessori is becoming more and more popular but there are still families who don’t know what Montessori is and why it might be a good option for their child. Today, I'm chatting with Theresa, the founder of Montessori in Real Life, co-creator of The Montessori Guides, and mom to a 3-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy. Prior to momming and blogging, Theresa received her graduate degree in developmental psychology and then her AMS certification to become a Montessori infant/toddler teacher. Though not every child can attend a Montessori school, any parent can incorporate Montessori practices into their home, starting as early as birth! With Theresa’s knowledge and experiences, she is bringing the joy of Montessori accessible for all. We’re thrilled to have her here on today's episode with us to break down what Montessori is and what parents need to know.

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Mary Alice and I are both currently pregnant and are here to talk about the second trimester: what to expect and what we are experiencing during our pregnancies. We hope that you listened to our episode about the first trimester. It should give you a good idea of what to expect and what is normal. In the future, we will also share what to expect in the third trimester, birth, and postpartum. Everyone’s pregnancy and parenting journeys are different, but we hope you find some comfort in what we’re sharing with you so that you can feel more prepared and less alone if you are also experiencing these symptoms. Thankfully the second trimester is normally the best trimester, but there are a few things that aren't so fun. But our babies are always worth it! So let’s chat about what to expect from your second trimester. Here we go!

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Did you know that only about 8 percent of U.S. births are attended by midwives? Many women in the states are unaware of who midwives are, what they do, and where they practice. In the United States, most women never even think to consider hiring one as their maternity care provider. This breaks my heart because in many other developed countries, like France, the U.K., and Australia, midwifery is common as obstetrics. Why is this? Studies show that births attended by midwives are just as safe as physician-attended births. In fact, midwifery care is associated with lower rates of C-sections and other interventions, yet it is still not as popular. In my opinion, it's the best-kept secret of maternity care in the United States and the world.

Last week was National Midwifery Week. To shed some light on this significant role, I'm chatting with Mary Love about midwives and their care. Mary is a certified nurse-midwife, family nurse-practitioner, and Clinical Director of Heart of Houston Birth & Wellness Center. With Mary’s many years of experience in multiple settings, I knew she would be a wonderful person to answer the most common questions.

And more.

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Choosing a crib mattress may not sound like a big deal, but it’s more important than parents think. Today, I have the pleasure of chatting with Barry Cik, the Founder and Technical Director of Naturepedic, a manufacturer of award-winning certified organic mattresses. Barry knows all too well the important decision of choosing the right crib mattress for your baby. Years ago when Barry was shopping for his first grandchild’s crib mattress, he was troubled to discover the state of the baby mattress industry. From that moment, Barry was inspired and determined to create mattress products that are safer and healthier for every child. And he was the perfect person to do so. (Others agree! Check out this Mattress Still Mattress report!)

Barry has had a lifelong interest in preserving the environment, not only for us, but for all future generations. As a board-certified environmental engineer, Barry is an advocate for legislative reform and has four decades of experience investigating and assessing hazardous materials/contamination, resolving environmental problems, and protecting human health, safety, and the environment. When he discovered the alarming materials used in the majority of crib mattresses, he knew he could do better. And that’s how Naturepedic was born in 2003.

Today’s episode is about the important decision of choosing your child’s crib mattress. Barry is sharing with us how and why crib mattresses play a part in safe sleep, the history of safe sleep, what parents should look for when choosing a crib mattress, and what he wants all parents to know. He has a wealth of knowledge and we are honored to have him on our show.

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Naturepedic and they are offering all of our listeners a discount!

15% off on their website www.naturepedic.com with discount code: BabyChick15

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Car seats can be confusing. What should we look for in a good car seat when making a purchase? What are the common car seat mistakes that we can avoid? We know that they keep our children safe in the car, but it's more than just buying the car seat. We need to know how to use it properly. I’m chatting with a nationally certified car seat technician, Michelle Pratt, for today's episode. Michelle is the owner of Safe in the Seat, which handles all things car seats; like online courses, custom car seat selection, phone-a-friend inquires and support, as well as full car seat installation and consultations -- in office, in-home, or virtual. Michelle is also a proud mom of two and lives in South Tampa with her children. You can find her on Instagram @safeintheseat.

With National Child Passenger Safety Week approaching, we thought Michelle would be an excellent person to talk to about car seats so that we can get the scoop on what parents need to know. She’s sharing with us the most common car seat mistakes parents make as well as answering our questions!

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Welcoming a child into the world is one of the greatest days of a parent's life. However, if that newborn child ever has to be separated due to being preterm, having health complications, or for other reasons, that separation can be scary for parents. If the baby needs more medical attention, they are taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Most parents are unfamiliar with NICUs so this too can be scary. But it doesn't have to be.

Today’s episode is about the NICU and what parents need to know if their new baby ever has to go there. As a NICU occupational therapist for years, Dr. Aimee Ketchum is breaking it all down for us and giving us parents all the details. Dr. Ketchum is a pediatric occupational therapist and has been working in pediatrics for 20 years. She works in the NICU at UPMC Pinnacle Hospital and lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. She is also the owner/operator of STEM Starts Now, an early child development company.

Dr. Ketchum mentioned during our episode that if you are interested in learning more about the history of NICUs and premature birth to check out this book:

We hope this episode brings clarity and relief to any families who have babies in the NICU now and in the future.

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Mary Alice and I have a little surprise to share with all of you . . . We are both PREGNANT! That’s right! Mary Alice is expecting her first baby and I am expecting my second. We have been experiencing a lot of different things already so we thought it would be fun to chat during each trimester and share with you what we are experiencing and what you may expect. Here's what's been going on with us during our first trimesters. Here we go!

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