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Category Archives: Sleep

25Sep/19

The science of newborn sleep: changing our perception

25/09/2019SleepDulce Piacentini

In the beginning of May, just 2 days after Meghan Markle gave birth to a baby boy, she was asked during interviews if her baby was sleeping well and if he wasRead More…

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05Jul/19

Attachment Parenting X Sleep Consultants: a battle forged on false grounds

05/07/2019SleepDulce Piacentini

The other day I was asked by a friend how “on Earth” could I, being a postpartum doula, have become a sleep consultant? How could I manage what – she thought –Read More…

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22Mar/19

Every tear must be comforted

22/03/2019SleepDulce Piacentini

When a baby is born, a MOTHER is also born! Everyone has heard this saying, but in daily life not many people seem to remember it. After birth, the mother finds herselfRead More…

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20Mar/19

Sleep deprivation X postpartum depression

20/03/2019postpartum, SleepDulce Piacentini

When a baby is born, there is a sudden hormonal change in the woman’s body, and in addition to that, the first contact with the “real” baby occurs, which may be differentRead More…

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28Feb/19

More acceptance, less judgment!

28/02/2019SleepDulce Piacentini

Are you exhausted and need to see improvements in your child’s sleep? The Sleep Consultant does not judge you, she welcomes and accepts you! Would you like to have help in yourRead More…

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18Feb/19

Sleep quality = quality of life

18/02/2019SleepDulce Piacentini

SLEEP is a physiological NEED for the human being, especially for infants and children, who are going through an important phase of growth and development! Some people believe that one should notRead More…

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08Feb/19

A Holistic Approach to Sleep

08/02/2019SleepDulce Piacentini

I did my “Maternity and Child Sleep Consultant” course and certification through the International Maternity and Parenting Institute (IMPI), from California. I chose them because of their holistic approach, their “NON-one-size-fits-all” approach,Read More…

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  • postpartum (9)
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motherly.hug
Instagram post 2155527114441518229_4777897251 Soooo true!
Instagram post 2154931790031118385_4777897251 The postpartum period is an intense one, when lots of different things happen at the same time: your body is recovering from all the changes from pregnancy and birth, and is going through new changes so that new Mamas can breastfeed, some of the hormones are down low while others are up high. The life of the new mother suddenly changes completely: They have a newborn baby totally dependent on them, they’re learning how to take care of him/her, they deal with sleep deprivation, they don’t have time to do what they did before (house chores, for example), among other challenges. Thinking about this whole situation Mamas will face after their baby is born, Dulce has prepared a 2-hour workshop entitled: “Preparing for Postpartum: The 4th Trimester”, where she will be showing families what they can do that will help them have a smoother and more positive postpartum experience, in spite of the intensity that is typical from this period. We will cover: - what the postpartum period is & its characteristics - how to prepare the house - how to find your support network - how to deal with visitors - how to prepare for breastfeeding - professionals you may need - the role of the partner This course will be helpful for both pregnant families and couples with new newborns who don't feel well prepared. About Dulce Piacentini Dulce is a postpartum doula, a holistic sleep consultant, and a breastfeeding counsellor at Motherly Hug, the organisation she founded in 2015, after a change of career that came with motherhood. She’s a mum of two who went from a master’s degree in human rights to working with Mums and children, with a focus on the well-being of the Mothers. Her passion is to empower families at postpartum and beyond with the knowledge they need to make their own choices and to be confident and happy in their unique parenthood journey. More info and tickets: link in the bio!
Instagram post 2154723891400973852_4777897251 Yes, usually this will happen around three months after you give birth. Simply put, during pregnancy hormonal changes prevent the normal daily hair loss we all have. So when the hormones return to their "normal", hair falls out to make up for the period when it didn’t fall! But if you notice holes in your scalp, get medical help.
Instagram post 2152047355191487906_4777897251 One more lovely Friday afternoon at Plunket's Mums and Bubs group! Check some of the cute faces! 🤗😍👶
Instagram post 2151334360832498618_4777897251 There’s this misconception that sleep consultancy = sleep training = cry it out. This might have been like that in the 1990’s or beginning of 2000’s. But science on sleep has improved greatly and with it the work of the sleep consultant, especially those that call themselves HOLISTIC or INTEGRATIVE (as in any profession, there are different styles of sleep consultants out there). I know several schools that form sleep consultants whose work goes far beyond sleep training, many times not even touching it. CIO is out of question for them (for us). And even gentle methods (methods where babies are not left to cry alone) are only applied (if they ever are – it all depends on the family specificities like baby’s and mother’s wellbeing and temperament, how comfortable the mother would feel, etc, etc) after a deep assessment of all the factors science tells us interfere with sleep and after respectful strategies are put into place to guarantee baby and mum are having their needs met. The base for a healthy sleep is: all needs attended to and emotional wellbeing. So when I see people condemning the work of the sleep consultant as if it was all about cry-it-out, I see they don’t really know what they’re talking about. And, sadly, often people end up totally disregarding the physical and emotional wellbeing of the parents (by trying to normalise sleep deprivation) or yet they don’t take into consideration the Western style of life and the world we live in. One more conception that needs updating in our society. Get in touch if you want to know more about the work of a holistic sleep specialist!
Instagram post 2150454469723386275_4777897251 And being a "good enough mother" (expression coined by the British pediatrician and psychoanalyst D. W. Winnicott) is perfect for your baby development!
Instagram post 2149269780983685058_4777897251 Yes, they may do that for a period of time! Newborn's stomach is tiny and breast milk is the fastest digesting food in the world. Also, breastfeeding is not just nutrition; it’s warmth, security, love. There are babies who, at the beginning of their lives, cannot stay away from the breast for too long! Besides, babies go through growth spurts periods, which will make them feed more frequently for a couple of days! Another reason is that it’s very common for babies, especially between weeks 3 and 6, to cluster feed in the evenings. Think of that as a preparation for a longer sleep stretch afterwards! 😊 So, have support, go with the flow, and feed on demand. With time, everything will get easier and you will have more time for other things too.
Instagram post 2146858292062946941_4777897251 "Amidst so many changes and the enchantment of becoming parents for the first time, we found ourselves trying to do our best for our baby. There is a whole world of discoveries to come. At that moment questions and doubts arise. Having Dulce’s support was essential for those doubts and questions not to become guilt and uncertainties. For our family, all the support and knowledge learned from Dulce made the difference, such as showing us the importance of establishing a flexible routine for the baby, understanding about sleep windows, learning to recognise the signs baby gives when she’s tired, hungry or sleepy. After putting the recommendations into practice, we came to understand various situations and behaviours of our baby. This gave us an injection of courage and the assurance that everything would be all right. I am very grateful to Dulce/Motherly Hug for providing us all with more understanding, comprehension and quality of life so that we can focus on being better people and strengthening family ties." (Vanessa Lage, mother of two, Wellington/NZ)
Instagram post 2146174799406308340_4777897251 Sleeping through the night is actually a myth!! Nobody sleeps through the night! We all sleep in cycles, and in between cycles we all go through brief awakenings before starting a new cycle. We might just change position, hug hubby or fix the pillow and blankets, and we may not even remember that in the morning. Or it’s when we actually realise we need to go to the toilet or drink some water. So there we go: our society is so fixated on sleeping through the night – a myth! And when we’re talking about babies, the obsession goes as far as the absurd of people asking mothers of a newborn if baby is sleeping through the night… It’s more than time we update our conceptions regarding sleep. For your baby to not need you all night long, there are several things to be considered: their health, emotions, physical needs, development, social factors, etc. It’s definitely not about their self-soothing skills – this is to simplify and reduce such a complex subject like sleep. If you’re going through sleep challenges, talk to a holistic sleep specialist. The approach will be thorough, scientific and effective!
Instagram post 2145357757342222270_4777897251 ♥️
Instagram post 2144245756670940470_4777897251 #postpartum Yes, your uterus will take six weeks to get back to its usual size and place. When breastfeeding, oxytocin is released and this can stimulate the contraction of the uterus, which will make you feel light cramps! Very normal!
Instagram post 2141150304828148096_4777897251 MYTH!! I think it’s terrible when people put together the words “breastfeeding” – such a wonder of nature – and “negative”. First of all, there’s no such a thing as a positive or a negative sleep association – I don’t even use those terms. There are sleep associations that can be helpful or not depending on the specific situation of the family. Falling asleep while breastfeeding is very natural, especially during the newborn months, when hormones that help with sleeping are not yet produced by baby’s body and they come to baby through breastmilk, as science has already made clear. For older babies or toddlers, it still can be very natural to fall asleep on the breast – this might create a challenge if it’s the only way the baby knows to fall asleep, and only if it’s a problem for the family. There are babies that fall asleep while breastfeeding in the beginning of the night and they can still sleep through the night (meaning, they won’t need the breast again when they go through the normal arousals we all go through in between sleep cycles), as there are babies that need to be put to the breast to fall back asleep overnight and mum is fine with that (especially if they bed-share and mum doesn’t need to wake up fully for it to happen). So, as you can see, falling asleep on the breast is a normal sleep association. If you think it’s creating a challenge in your family and you would like to change that, there are gentle ways to do it, always after preparing the child (and the mother!) physically and emotionally for the change so that it happens in a smooth and respectful way. Get in touch if you need help! #MotherlyHug
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