Empowering births and new parents, through pregnancy, labour & birth and beyond.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is common in South African women and affects about one in 10 women globally. It is caused by a complex imbalance of hormones in the ovaries. Charlene Yared West spoke to Life Kingsbury endocrinologist, Dr Jocelyn Hellig and gynaecologist Dr Philip Zinn to find out more about this condition. So what… Continue reading Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A lifestyle-related disease?
In pregnancy, your skin can exude a truly healthy glow because of a combination of factors, such as greater blood volume, which can give the cheeks a flushed look and more sebum on the skin, which can make the skin shine. While every woman experiences hormone changes in pregnancy, not every woman will get that… Continue reading Do you have the pregnancy glow?
Urinary incontinence is common in pregnancy and is reported by about 60 percent of women. For these women, the severity of their condition can increase during the course of their pregnancy, especially peaking in the second and third trimesters. Of these women who experience incontinence in pregnancy, 70 percent go on to resolve the condition… Continue reading Healing from incontinence
The birth plan: a tool pioneered by childbirth activist and midwife, Sheila Kitzinger in the 1970s, who believed that women and not their caregivers, should be the focus of childbirth and be able to advocate for themselves with this document, which detailed their wishes for the delivery. In the wake of birth plans, the Better… Continue reading Own your birth: Why you need a birth plan
Knowing what medication is safe to take in pregnancy is very important when considering over the counter and prescription medications. There will be times in your pregnancy when you simply don’t feel well – and wonder if it’s safe to take the same medication you took before you got pregnant. Life Healthcare delves a bit… Continue reading Medication & pregnancy
Tasha and Wayne McKenzie wanted a baby even before they said their vows on their wedding day. After four years of trying to fall pregnant naturally and after six unsuccessful rounds of IVF, their friend Lee-Ann Laufs said she would be their surrogate. Charlene Yared West sat down with Tasha, Wayne and Lee-Ann to learn… Continue reading ‘Surrogacy gave us the gift of twins’
Have you been diagnosed with gestational diabetes? While that might sound overwhelming at first, it turns out the condition is more common than you may think. / Recent studies indicate that gestational diabetes is on the rise. How can you protect yourself and your baby during pregnancy from this condition? Gestational diabetes only happens during… Continue reading Pregnancy and Diabetes
What a pleasure to be Tamlyn's birth doula. From the moment I met her quite early in her pregnancy, she embodied a certain positivity and exuded a confidence I rarely saw in a first time pregnant mama. She shares her story of trusting the process for her home birth, which I loved being at with… Continue reading Tamlyn’s Birth Story