The 4th Trimester Blog
The Unspoken Realities of Motherhood: An Honest Conversation About Returning to Work After Baby
Q: Can you describe your emotions when you first thought about returning to work after your baby was born? A: To be honest, I hated thinking about going back to work. The very thought made me feel overwhelmed with dread. I didn’t want to leave my baby. I started to...
Balancing Mental Health and Motherhood: The Unattainable Made Reachable.
I hated it. I still hate it. Self-care. What does that really mean? Self-care in motherhood is like everyone looking good in a family picture–unattainable. Thank god for photoshop, AI and filters which make these goals at least...
Returning to Work After Baby: A Personal Interview with a Working Mom
Returning to work after having a baby is a significant transition, filled with mixed emotions and a range of challenges. In this interview, a working mom shares her personal experience about balancing work, motherhood, and self-care after returning to her job...
Supplements That Support Mental Health Postpartum
Too much sleep and/or the inability to actually sleep is the first sign of postpartum mental health discordance. Keep an eye out for signs such as persistent sadness, extreme irritability, feelings of hopelessness, or a lack of interest in things she once enjoyed. If...
More Than the Fourth Trimester: Honoring the Full Transition Into Motherhood
The journey of motherhood doesn’t begin with the baby’s arrival, it begins the moment you find out you’re pregnant. That initial shift in identity, mindset, and body is deeply transformative, and often overlooked when we talk about postpartum changes. The fourth...
How Partners Can Support Postpartum Health
“Wow! You have grown that baby!” Those words still ring happiness every time I reflect on my 4th trimester journey. My baby and I had been up all night drowning in another growth spurt and cluster feeding. My husband had returned from...
More Than a Statistic: She Was Someone’s Everything
written by Alexis Schoonmaker More Than a Statistic: She Was Someone’s Everything Being pregnant brings a mix of emotions—excitement, nerves, and a little bit of fear. We worry about the baby, the delivery, and how life will change afterward. But most of us never ask...
From Burnout to Brilliance: Parenting Strategies for a Healthy Life Balance
In the dynamic landscape of modern parenting and professional life, burnout is an often-mentioned but insufficiently addressed phenomenon. In this blog post, we will delve into strategies that transform burnout into brilliance, focusing on themes of improving...
“Surviving the Sleepless Nights: Understanding Newborn Sleep Patterns and Development”
written by: Alexis Schoonmaker As I sit here writing this blog, my daughter is 5 months old, and my son is 2 years old. My son has never been the best sleeper, and my daughter is still waking for night feedings. I've read countless articles, watched YouTube videos,...
Creating a Family-Friendly Workplace: Best Practices
In today’s competitive job market, companies that support working parents not only attract great employees but also keep them around longer, increase productivity, and create a stronger company culture. As more people, especially parents, look for a better balance...
Supporting Working Parents: No Longer Just a Nice-to-Have—It’s a Strategic Advantage
I didn’t want to go back. There, I said it—after four boys. And no, it’s not because I didn’t love my job. I loved my job. I spent all my twenties and the early part of my thirties chasing my dream, and guess what? I caught it. But I didn’t want to go back because I’d...
The Importance of Regular Breast Checks: A Personal Guide to Self-Care
Breast health is an essential aspect of overall well-being, and staying on top of it is crucial, no matter what life stage you're in. Today, we're going to dive into the importance of regular breast self-checks, especially for those in early pregnancy stages or...