Recent Articles
How Women Hold Themselves Back
It is clear that unconscious gender bias is still pervasive in corporate America and that a great deal of work needs to be done to advance women's career development. Women still experience sexism and sexual harassment in the workplace, and many organizations do not offer maternity leave or childcare flexibility. In addition to these external hindrances to career development, women are impeded by their own internal barriers to success. This article intends to address how women hold themselves back from advancing in their careers and provides tangible strategies for overcoming them.
Let’s Talk About Maternity Leave in California
Let’s Talk About Maternity Leave in California.
Employers are not required to pay employees their wages during maternity leave, but many do. In some cases, you may still be eligible for some form of paid leave as most California employees have a right to California’s state disability insurance during their leave. Yes, as weird as it may seem, pregnancy and childbirth are considered disabilities.
Unconscious Gender Bias
Although women in the United States are better off than they’ve ever been, they are still considerably underrepresented in the corporate and political arenas. An examination of the corporate ladder shows the number of women diminishes with increasing hierarchy. To put this in perspective: out of 195 countries, only 17 are led by women, and only 22% of women hold parliamentary seats globally. Furthermore, although more women graduate with college degrees, only 23% of S&P 500 companies have female CEOs.
Breastfeeding and Cavities
The composition of breast milk is unique and complex and contains naturally-occurring fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and sugars that are crucial for developing an infant. Studies show that breast milk alone does not cause cavities. At around the six-month mark, when a baby starts with solids, they start developing plaque on their teeth. This plaque activates the bacteria in an infant's mouth, resulting in cavities.
Can You Be Pregnant and Still have a Period?
Some women may experience spotting in the first few weeks of pregnancy. The blood is usually light pink or dark brown in color. But, even intermittent bleeding that seems like a period during pregnancy is not the same as menstruation. Read on to find out more about the causes of bleeding during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding and Baby Poop - What’s the Scoop?
Knowing the signs of healthy baby poop helps you keep a handle on whether your baby is feeding enough and if there may be indications of an illness. There is no 'normal' pooping frequency in a breastfed newborn. Some babies will poop after every feed, while others poop once every three days. As long as your baby is producing soft, mustard-colored poop with a seedy consistency and is steadily gaining weight, you have nothing to worry about.
Stay in Touch With the Office While on Maternity Leave
Don't let yourself be side-lined when you return from maternity leave, but also don't let staying in the loop stress you out while you should be bonding with your infant. Take time to clarify your own career goals, considering how motherhood may affect you. Once you have decided on the path ahead, start putting things in place to make the return to work after maternity leave easier.
Heat Rash in Babies
Heat rashes can be difficult to deal with. In addition to keeping your little one up all night, scratching those itchy bumps, it can be uncomfortable and downright painful. In this article, you will learn about heat rashes, what to do when your baby has a heat rash, and how to avoid them.
Caring for Your Baby’s First Teeth
We receive a lot of conflicting advice about how to care for our baby, teeth included. This article outlines the measures you should take to help your baby deal with the discomfort of teething, when to start brushing, and when to visit your pediatric dentist.
Everything You Need To Know About Breastfeeding vs Formula
There are so many reasons why a breastfeeding mom might need to add formula into the mix. Contrary to popular belief, supplementing with formula isn’t the end of the world. Doing so doesn't have to wreck your breastfeeding relationship, and you can still retain many of the benefits of breastfeeding. Read on about breastfeeding vs formula.
The Power of a Meditation Habit
Research has proven that meditation provides positive effects on our health and happiness, even if it’s not a daily habit. However, studies show that we can unlock even more benefits when we meditate for consecutive days. In fact, completing just one 10-minute session a day enhances our focus and decision-making, and lessens our feelings of anxiety and depression. It essentially shifts the way we relate to feelings and thoughts, making us more emotionally resilient and allowing us to experience a greater sense of calm, clarity and focus.
This Too Shall Pass
Everything is cyclical, ever-evolving, and ever-changing. No moment in our lives is the same as any other moment. As women, we are more prone to experiencing these changes than men. Women’s bodies ebb and flow, and each menstrual phase brings with it a transient set of emotional and physical qualities. This constant flux gives rise to a cascade of emotions – from sadness, frustration, and depression during menstruation – to feelings of elation and optimism when we are ovulating.
How to be Assertive Without Being Seen as Aggressive
Our assertiveness and strength can unfairly be construed as aggression. This is in part due to the fact that according to stereotypes, women are expected to be acquiescent, ask for permission, and be polite; and so they feel they have to fight for recognition and respect. Furthermore, strong leadership requires firm decision-making, being directive, and holding others accountable. Our ideas what it means to be ‘female’ do not fit our ideas of what it means to be ‘leader’. This disconnect often manifests as an unconscious preference for male leaders, putting women in a very difficult position.
Postpartum Loss of Hair
Postpartum hair loss is a fairly common phenomenon. It occurs in the first year after giving birth and usually peaks at around the four to six month mark. Hair loss is generally nothing to fret about, but you may want to take some measures to make your hair appear healthy and full. Eating a varied diet and taking vitamin-supplements, focusing on self-care activities, skipping the styling, and only shampooing when necessary can help prevent excessive loss of hair.
Loving Yourself
For just a minute, imagine what your life would be if you fully accepted yourself. Instead of beating yourself up and judging everything you feel is wrong with yourself, take a moment to meditate on true self-acceptance. Focusing on self-compassion will allow you to tap into the knowledge that’s hidden deep down in your core: you are perfect just as you are. Right now.
How Meditation Can Help Boost Your Milk Supply
Many mothers find that their milk flows more readily after a meditation or guided relaxation session. Read on to find out how meditation can help improve your milk supply.
When Not to Follow the Rules
As women, we’ve been conditioned from a young age to follow the rules. These are often centered around us being feminine, polite, looking after other people, and not challenging authority. While the topics addressed here are by no means comprehensive, this article intends to address some of the most pervasive social rules women unknowingly follow..
Can Breastfeeding or Breast Milk Cause Jaundice?
After the birth of your baby, exclusive breastfeeding is advocated for the first six months of his or her life. However, it has been found that the yellowing of skin, medically termed, jaundice, is higher amongst breastfed babies than those who are bottle-fed. Patterns of jaundice that are associated with breastfeeding are called ‘breastfeeding jaundice’ or ‘breast milk jaundice’.
Guided Meditation
Life can be overwhelming and stressful, especially when we are projecting stress from the past into the future. Meditation is a powerful practice that can bring you back to the present moment and allow you to objectively view your mental and emotional processes. This has the effect of creating new neural pathways that increase your empathy, compassion, self-awareness, and improve your ability to learn, plan and make clear decisions. Guided meditations are especially useful for beginners, and can help direct you to develop an effective meditation practice.
Postpartum Depression Action Plan
Postpartum hormonal changes and depression can make it extremely difficult to care for yourself or your baby. Affecting around 1 in 7 women after childbirth, postpartum depression is usually much more intense and persistent than the baby blues. The following lifestyle changes and self-care activities can help to relieve your symptoms.