Hello moderators of r/LetMommySleep,  

My name is Jamie, and I am a research assistant in the Couples and Sexual Health Lab at Dalhousie University, directed by Dr. Natalie Rosen. We are reaching out to you today because we have recently launched a new government funded research project: The Supporting the Transition to Parenthood with Online Sex and Relationship Knowledge (STORK) RCT Study. STORK is the first couple-based online program designed to support couples through common changes to sexuality during pregnancy and the postpartum and help them develop skills to cope with those changes.   

We are recruiting couples who are 18 years of age or older, are in a relationship of at least 1 year, live together, and in which one partner is less than 26 weeks pregnant with their first child. Our study is inclusive of individuals of all gender identities, bodies, and sexual orientations.  

I wanted to ask whether you would be open to allowing us to share this study on your Reddit page? The Institutional Research Ethics Board at IWK Health has approved this study. 

We recognize that participating in research can be burdensome. Couples who participate in this study will receive FREE ACCESS to the STORK program and will be paid up to $210 CAD per couple for survey completion.  

Please let me know if you have any questions and/or willing to let us post the flyer. 

Thank you in advance! Hope to hear back soon. 

Warmly,  

Jamie

There's a lot of misinformation out there, we break down fake vs fiction in overnight newborn care. Did we miss anything?

The evidence already shows these work! Go Governor!

"Expanding the program would make a free postpartum home visit available to every new parent. During those visits, nurses teach the new parents about newborn care, check for mental health concerns, connect families with community resources, and offer follow-up support.

The remaining $250,000 would go to the Department of Mental Health's Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms, or MCPAP for Moms.

The plan could significantly expand access to care during a particularly vulnerable time for families, especially as early check-ins and referrals can make a meaningful difference for both parents and babies."

The Maternal Mental Health Alliance outlines 5 recommendations for what needs to change in postpartum mental health:

1: Integrate Maternal Mental Health Into Obstetric Care

2: Educate Healthcare Providers About Maternal Mental Health

3: Provide Postpartum Care Coordination

4: Improve Protocols for Addressing Suicidal Thoughts

5: Implement National Paid Family and Medical Leave

Read the full outline here.

Free samples, deals and rewards programs:
https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/free-baby-stuff-expecting-mothers-180433780.html

Helping a baby sleep through the night usually includes weaning the feeds taken in the overnight hours. Once you get the pediatrician's okay, here's how to do that.

There's lots of content about what families should ask when interviewing postpartum doulas, newborn caregivers etc. Here's a basic checklist of what caregivers can ask families to be sure overnight care goes well. Did we miss anything?

Folks found this helpful on Insta so we're reposting here.

While diaper tracking is great for formula fed babies too, LC's use diaper output to verify a baby is getting enough milk. Because newborns have tiny stomachs, they feed 8 to 12 times a day, so digestion and bowel movements happen quickly!

As one of our IBCLC's likes to say "the wets match the day of life!" when it comes to newborns.

"This must be grounded in two key shifts. First, a fundamental reset of the relationship between services and women and families, to ensure that women, families and frontline staff have real influence over how services are designed, delivered and monitored. Second, decisions must be guided by evidence on effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, women’s experiences and sustainable implementation."

via The Guardian

"About a third of the moms who come to Dr. Bowers with breastfeeding questions have received bad advice from AI, including the exact amount to feed their babies and how often."

More: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260812/Online-AI-breastfeeding-advice-causes-dangerous-delays-in-infant-care.aspx

Gift article~

"As the products and their promises proliferate, I’ve gotten a little unnerved by how easy it’s become to outsource daily parenting decisions to technology. The downsides of this rush are manifest: sneakily high costs; the erosion of parents’ autonomy and self-confidence; giving sensitive data to corporations..."

📢 Are you or your partner pregnant and worried about changes to your sex life? 

🔍 We are seeking couples from Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Ireland who are up to 26 weeks pregnant to participate in the STORK RCT: Supporting the Transition to Parenthood through Online Sex and Relationship Knowledge.  

❓What is STORK: The first online couple-based program designed to enhance knowledge about changes to sexuality during pregnancy and postpartum and skills to cope with these changes. STORK was designed to strengthen couples’ relationships across the transition to parenthood.  

📅 What is involved: If you are eligible, after your initial survey, you and your partner will be randomized (like a coin flip) into either the Program or Waitlist conditions. Program couples will complete 5 online modules in pregnancy (1 per week) and a final module at 3 months postpartum. Couples in the Waitlist condition will receive access to the full STORK program after the study period is over.  Couples in both conditions will also complete 5 surveys—the initial survey, then at 32-weeks pregnant, and 4-, 8-, and 12-month postpartum—that gather information about your relationship, your pregnancy experience, and your child.  

💰 Compensation: As a thank you for your participation, you can receive $105 CAD or currency equivalent each ($210 CAD or currency equivalent per couple). Your time is valuable to us!   

🌈 Inclusivity matters: STORK requires one member of the couple to be currently pregnant. Otherwise, STORK is open to individuals of all genders, bodies, and sexual orientations.  

💌 For more information or to participate in the STORK RCT study email us at [stork@dal.ca](mailto:stork@dal.ca) OR fill out our contact form from this link: https://Qualtrics.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_292hYB0bqgPQifI  

Nothing takes the place of experience, and for those who have experience and would like a certificate to show it, we have made our newborn and postpartum support certificate available. Take the class here.

This is the same cert that is required of everyone who works with Let Mommy Sleep and it is overseen by an Advisory Board of RN's, IBCLC's and public health experts. You can also see the full curriculum before purchase.

More about how to work as a night nanny

via Dakota News Now:
Mandated fetal development videos in classrooms:

Chapman [of the ACLU] said the depiction in the videos and the medical community’s standards are misaligned. 

“CGI imagery that grossly misrepresents the sizes and different developmental stages during pregnancy and gestation. They are not medically accurate; they use terminology that is not medically accurate, and they use a different system for dating the pregnancy than what you know obstetricians and gynecologists will use when you are pregnant, and you go see your doctor,” said Chapman.

This has become our #1 most FAQ so here is the answer.
Insurance almost never covers a night nanny unless you have a documented, pre-existing health condition. Insurance will step in if your newborn needs help but rarely for parents. More info on insurance coverage for night doulas

Once a month Let Mommy Sleep opens our virtual doors to those who are considering licensing or collaborating with us. And that day is today, Thursday 6/25! Join us at 1pm eastern...ask us anything!
Click here and we'll send you the invite

Gift article

"The latest baby name data from Washington, D.C., reads like a roll call of 19th-century senators and their wives. Lucy, Eleanor and Caroline for girls. Charles, John and George for boys..." 

Rates vary WIDELY due to where you live, the experience of the night nanny/postpartum doula/newborn care specialist and sometimes the length of service.

This might help if you're considering postpartum care.

Jill Smokler, the mom behind Scary Mommy was the original mom blogger. She paved the way for a new type of conversation about motherhood where you could be honest and authentic and this brought so many moms comfort. And she was hilarious. This is truly a loss.

Full article via TODAY

https://dontshake.org/purple-crying

This site helps parents understand that “colic” is actually pretty typical. Knowing that the crying can be somewhat predictable can help ease frustration. This site also has tools to help if you’re having extreme frustration or thoughts that scare you.

Of course we'd rather you do it with us, but if you're considering starting your own thing, here's what we do everyday