Helpful Websites
The following are websites with information regarding women’s emotional wellness, maternal mental health, parenting, child development, and mindfulness:
Grief and Loss
“Grief is the internal part of loss, how we feel. The internal work of grief is a process, a journey. It does not end on a certain day or date. It is as individual as each of us. Grief is real because loss is real. Each grief has its own imprint, as distinctive and as unique as the person we lost. The pain of loss is so intense, so heartbreaking, because in loving we deeply connect with another human being, and grief is the reflection of the connection that has been lost.” - David Kessler
Postpartum Support International
"The purpose of the organization is to increase awareness among public and professional communities about the emotional changes that women experience during pregnancy and postpartum. Approximately 15% of all women will experience postpartum depression following the birth of a child. Up to 10% will experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy. When the mental health of the mother is compromised, it affects the entire family." - PSI
https://www.postpartum.net/learn-more/pregnancy-postpartum-mental-health/
Zero to Three
"ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development. Our mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. "
RIE Parenting
"Incorporating a deep respect and appreciation of the baby as more than a helpless object, Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach encourages infants and adults to trust each other, learn to problem solve, and embrace their ability for self-discovery. When allowed to unfold in their own way and in their own time, children discover and inspire the best in themselves and in others."
Janet Lansbury
Elevating Childcare - "I was inspired by Magda’s ideal of respecting an infant, treating a baby as a person from the beginning. I could imagine that the respectful handling Magda espoused would foster self-confidence and independence, character attributes that I had struggled with myself.
I now know that I am a person who needs clarity, and Magda’s structured, innately sensible approach provided that clarity. I learned how to best use my limited energy. If I gave my baby my full attention while feeding, diapering, bathing, or helping her to sleep, I could leave her alone to just ‘be’ while I took a break.'
Dr. Alexandra Sacks
The Motherhood Sessions: Dr. Alexandra Sacks, a renowned reproductive psychiatrist, sits down with mothers and lets us listen in on conversations that are hard to have outside of a therapist’s office.
https://gimletmedia.com/shows/motherhood-sessions
https://www.alexandrasacksmd.com/
Britta Bushnell
https://brittabushnell.com/blog/
CDC Child Development
“The early years of a child’s life are very important for his or her health and development. Parents, health professionals, educators, and others can work together as partners to help children grow up to reach their full potential.”
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/index.html
American Academy of Pediatrics
“Parents determine their style by how they balance demandingness and responsiveness… How well or how poorly parents integrate responsive and demanding practices will determine the children’s levels of competence and adjustment.”
https://www.acpeds.org/parents/authoritative-parenting
Mindful: Healthy Mind, Healthy LIfe
Getting Started with Mindfulness and Meditation
“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”
“Meditation is exploring. It’s not a fixed destination. Mindfulness meditation asks us to suspend judgment and unleash our natural curiosity about the workings of the mind, approaching our experience with warmth and kindness, to ourselves and others.”