babies

Today we speak with Ketura’h Edwards-Robinson, a native Bostonian who is currently working in her home city as a Nurse Practitioner, primarily in Women’s Health. In the past year, Ketura’h also trained to become a birth doula and is now serving clients in her community through Accompany Doula Care—a local doula agency that has developed a model of care in which doulas are reimbursed by… Read more

Although today’s topic is not only utilized by LGBTQIA families, they are one of the biggest groups that do! This episode was recorded at the start of June, which is Pride Month, and with this episode we are celebrating just one of the many different ways to make a family.

Our guest today is Certified Nurse Midwife Marianne Pelletier, who was inspired to enter birth work after the birth of her… Read more

In this episode (a continuation of Episode 63), our guest, Arlene Lammy, birth and postpartum doula, elaborates on how she would like to “change the narrative of the fourth trimester” and how postpartum is actually forever…and how we need to embrace a longer recovery and a new phase of life.

We discuss how comparing our experiences to the experiences of others and comparing our baby’s… Read more

In this episode we're talking with birth and postpartum doula Arlene Lammy of New Wave Perinatal Services. Warning: this episode is full of beautiful stories and laughter!

Arlene shares how she came to be invited to her nephew’s birth, the loss of her mother to breast cancer, the moment during her nephew’s birth which inspired her to start working in the birth world and the concept of… Read more

Today we’re talking about Placenta Encapsulation! Our guest today is Michaela Shaw, the woman behind Ostara Birthwork & Botanicals. Michaela is a full spectrum doula serving families in Central & Eastern Massachusetts as well as Rhode Island.

Michaela is also a graduate of the Holistic Herbalism Program at Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine, Asheville, NC and has studied permaculture +… Read more

Recorded Sunday, April 11, 2021. We are talking with Liz Sheehan Castro about the legislative effort that has been launched to get childcare to be FREE in Massachusetts.

Liz works for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Education and Support Fund (ESF), a 501(C)3 non-profit organization founded for the purpose of developing and managing worker-centered education, training and… Read more

Today we are talking with our friend Emma O’Brien, long-time birth and postpartum doula and clinical herbalist. In this episode, we talk with Emma about how her interest in herbs started and her journey to become a clinical herbalist.

We discuss contraindications for herbal use, important facts about using medicinal herbs, and specifically herbs in pregnancy like red raspberry leaf and black and… Read more

On today’s Babies in Common Show, we interview our friend Brittany Falcone, a chiropractor in Worcester, Massachusetts, who specializes in pregnancy and pediatric care.

Brittany shares the story that inspired her to become a chiropractor, and we discuss what chiropractic care is—and isn’t. We also explore what certain chiropractors with specialized training can do for pregnancy, including… Read more

Today we spoke with two special guests about the new Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law (abbreviated PFML) and how to best prepare for parental leave after the birth of your baby! Our guests are Amanda Hemm and Sarah Douglas from Soutiens.

QUESTIONS we asked Amanda and Sarah:

While this law offers a variety of family and medical leave benefits, today we’re going to focus… Read more

Our guest today is Kelly Bowen, DO, an obstetrician/gynecologist who practices in a community hospital in Central Massachusetts (and used to work with Melissa!).

Today, Dr. Bowen will answer many questions, including:

• What is the difference between a DO and an MD?
• How long should someone wait to get pregnant again?
• What is an IUD and why is it a great option for busy parents?
• Postpartum sex: why…

Recorded Saturday, February 20, 2021. Our guest today is Becca Parrish Snowdon, a psychologist who specializes in evaluating children to determine if they would benefit from additional services at school.

Becca earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Development from Duke University, then worked in a private school for children with special needs. She went on to earn her master’s… Read more

Recorded Saturday, February 13, 2021. Our guest today is Caitlin Calonge (pronounced Ca-LAWN-gee).

Caitlin grew up in Cambridge and Everett, MA. She found out she was pregnant with her first baby the summer after high school, at just 18 years old.

She jokes that she has “literally had almost every job in the world.” Over the years, she’s worked as a waitress, in sales, as a public housing… Read more

Recorded Wednesday, February 3, 2021. 

Our guest is Jessica Shephard, who shares her experiences with two homebirths and how choosing homebirth came as a big surprise to her Ecuadorian family.

Jess was born in Ecuador and moved to the United States just before her tenth birthday. She now lives in Central Massachusetts with her husband and their two daughters, Gianna (2) and Lucia (7 months), both… Read more

Recorded Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Our guest today is Alicia Randall, a local nurse, homebirth mom, and friend!

Alicia grew up an Army brat and later served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army, providing medical care for wounded soldiers during two tours in Iraq (2006 and 2010). She met her husband, also a veteran, while serving in Iraq, and they married in 2009.

Alicia is now a mom to three… Read more

Recorded Wednesday, January 20,  2021. 

Our guest today is Dr. Prakash-Zawisza, an obstetrician-gynecologist who currently serves as the Medical Director of the MassHealth Payment and Care Delivery Innovation Division and is the president-elect of the National Perinatal Association.

She joins us to discuss being pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic—she is expecting her second baby—and… Read more

Recorded Wednesday, January 6th, 2021.

Our guest today is Yasmin is an IBCLC-lactation consultant in private practice in Mumbai, India. Yasmin is also a biodynamic craniosacral practitioner, international speaker, and filmmaker.   

In this episode, we learn what inspired her to make her film, Untying Breastfeeding, and discuss topics such as tongue ties, breastfeeding support, the role of care… Read more

Several hospitals across Massachusetts are routinely separating pregnant people from their partners or chosen labor support person — sometimes for hours, days, or even weeks. Discover why this is happening, and why it should never be allowed. Then, make your voice heard: sign our petition urging Governor Baker to issue an Executive Order to end this separation practice.

To read more and sign… Read more

Recorded 12/30/20

Join us as we interview Aline Bourdeau, Melissa's Memere! Aline, a mother of four, shares her experiences learning about menstruation, getting pregnant, and giving birth, before taking us back to what childbirth was like in the 1950s and 1960s.

You won’t want to miss this episode—she’s a wonderful storyteller and an absolute hoot! Yes, it’s a bit longer than usual, but… Read more

In this episode, Melissa Anne DuBois, one of the childbirth educators here at Babies in Common and co-host of this Show, shares her birth story...she gave birth to her first child on Christmas Day 2012.  
Happy Holidays to all! Join us for the holiday edition, some surprises included! Read more

Recorded Wednesday, December 16th, 2020.

Our guest today is Sheryl White, a well-known baby sign language teacher in our area. She’s also a certified infant massage instructor, Reiki Master, and trained in her father-in-law Dr. Burton White’s program, “New Parents as Teachers,” based on his book The First Three Years of Life.

Sheryl has been teaching classes to parents, teachers,… Read more

Recorded December 9, 2020

We thought it would be interesting for our audience to hear our birth stories. In this episode, Melissa interviews Jeanette about her births. (You’ll hear one of Melissa’s birth stories later this month.) Read more

The words we use matter! Join us today as we explore the words we use when talking about feeding and parenting.  We're joined by International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Renee Beebe, who lives and works in Seattle, Washington. You can find out more about her at http://www.second9months.com Read more

Listen in as Emily—a nursing mom of more than five years—shares her experience planning to breastfeed while taking a significant medication, navigating postpartum depression, nursing the same child for five years, and exploring the concept of respectful parenting. Emily has been a middle school English teacher for 14 years and recently completed her second master’s degree in Counseling… Read more

In this episode we continue answering listener questions about feeding babies. Read more

Today is Wednesday, October 21, 2020, and we are discussing the TummyTime™ Method with its creator, occupational therapist Michelle Emanuel. Michelle brings more than 20 years of experience as an occupational therapist working with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit and in pediatrics. Over time, she recognized the need for a private practice where she could also integrate her passion for… Read more

Recorded on Wednesday, October 14, 2020.  

Melissa and I answer questions from the Babies in Common community about feeding babies...breast, bottle and solid foods.  We put the word out we would be doing this and had folks in our Facebook groups contribute!
 
We dispel myths that exist about feeding babies and share information that every expectant and new parent should know.  

If you have… Read more

Join us as we learn from Sejal Fichadia, a certified infant massage instructor and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, who is also an experienced postpartum doula and certified TummyTime™ Method instructor. Originally from India, Sejal now lives in Oregon with her husband and children. She currently offers online infant massage and TummyTime™ Method classes—visit her website,… Read more

Join us as we discuss inducing lactation with private practice lactation consultant Alyssa Schnell, IBCLC, author of Breastfeeding Without Birthing: A Breastfeeding Guide for Mothers Through Adoption, Surrogacy, and Other Special Circumstances.

To learn more about Alyssa's services, book and offerings for parents and professionals, see Breastfeeding without birthing. Read more

Join us as we talk with Dr. Amy Brown, professor and prolific author, about the many factors that influence how we feed our babies—breast, formula, and solid foods!

Amy Brown, PhD, is a professor at Swansea University in Wales, where she oversees the Master of Science program in Child Public Health. She began her studies in psychology, and the arrival of her first baby sparked her interest in… Read more

Join us as we talk with Kelly Shultz, mom of two, about how she navigated through a challenging year (and more) of nursing, continued through her pregnancy, had an unusual birth with her daughter and then tandem and extended nursing with both of them. Read more

Join us as we talk with Cynthia Cohen, Director of Client Relations for the Mother's Milk Bank Northeast, about human milk banking--why it's needed, how donors are screened, how milk is processed, how families can receive banked donor milk and how you can support the work of the milk bank.   Read more

Guest: Teresa Stewart, MS, MPH, sleep consultant
 
Our Videocasts are now called a SHOW!  Our conversation with Teresa is a two-parter! Be sure to watch Part One (SHOW #16) also!  Teresa has 20 years experience educating, empowering, and supporting women and their families prenatally through their child’s adolescence. She is a child development specialist, maternal/ child health educator,… Read more

Join us as we talk with visiting nurses Amanda Jessee and Amy Gallant about what a postpartum visiting nurse does during a postpartum visiting nurse visit.  Our guests, Amanda Jessee, RN, BSn and Amy Gallant, RN, IBCLC, are will share with us why this type of visit is important and how to get one.  Read more