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Move to be Born: challenging our preconceptions surrounding childbirth
At the end of November I was honored to be part of the FNR’s Researcher’s Days, a science festival dedicated to bringing research closer to the wider public. I participated in the two first days of the exhibition that were exclusive for high school students. A total of 141 classes were present at the event, with more than 2660 students at teachers in total. Keep on reading to find out more about our participation on the 2024 Researchers Days! Giving birth like a movie star: not the best idea Movies and TV series tend to depict women giving birth lying down on their backs. However, research suggests that this is…
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Breastfeeding breaks in Luxembourg
Women who breastfeed their children in Luxembourg are entitled to reduce their working hours by taking breastfeeding breaks or pause d’allaitement. Read below to find out more about how this works, and my personal take on this topic. Breastfeeding breaks: a right for every breastfeeding mother In Luxembourg, every woman that breastfeeds their child has the right to reduce their working hours by taking the so called “breastfeding breaks” or “temps d’allaitement”. This might be shocking to some, and some might even say think it is unfair or unnecessary. But when looking at the numbers, breastfeeding for a year takes approximately 1800 hours. A full-time job with three weeks of…
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Esferodinamia: a way to move through pregnancy
Esferodinamia: Weekly movement classes in Luxembourg for pregnancy, to move and connect with your body and your baby. A technique to help you move and connect During the spring I was lucky to be able to take a training that I had been wanted to take for a long time, and I became an Esferodinamia Instructor for Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum. Esferodinamia is a technique in which one move (dynamis) with the help of big balls (sphaerae) and other elements such as smaller balls, suspensions and chairs or barres. Classes, particularly during pregnancy, are much more than a workout: they are meant to help women reconnect with their bodies, acknowledge…
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Movement during Labor and Birth
“Movement is the only intervention with no risks and proven benefits.” Let’s go a bit deeper into understanding what this phrase really means. Movement is the only intervention with NO risks and proven benefits Ok, so you probably heard me say it a few times already. Movement is the only ‘intervention’ with no risks and proven benefits. Ok, but what does this mean exactly? Let’s go deeper into understanding the role of movement during labor and birth. It is not uncommon during labor, specially in hospital settings, that a practitioner might (for many different reasons) suggest a medical intervention, such as artificial oxytocin to speed up labor, or even an…
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Writing a birth plan
On this post I will tell you why I think birth plans are so important, in general, and particularly in the Luxembourgish birth system. I will as well give you a few tips on how to write one! Birth plans and the birth system in Luxembourg I trully believe that birth plans are always useful no matter the context, but in the particular situation here in Luxembourg, they become super important. As you probably know, here in Luxembourg you cannot chose the midwife that will be with you during your labor and birth. (If you didn’t know about this, you can read the post I wrote about the birth system…
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When is the best moment to take a babywearing workshop?
Are you currently pregnant and you are wondering if it is better for you to have a babywearing consultation now, or wait until the baby is born? In this post I give you some tips to help you make that decision! I got asked this question many times, so I thought it was about time to write a post about this. Is it better to have a consultation or take part on a babywearing workshop while you are still pregnant, or is it better to wait until your baby is born? The answer, not surprisingly, is that there is no right answer 🙂 As everything around parenthood, the key is…
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Babywearing in the Rain
Believe it or not, when it rains, babywearing might be the most practical option to leave the house with a small kid! Keep reading to know why I find babywearing in the rain so useful. The practicity of babywearing when it rains Today is a very rainy day in Luxembourg. Rain is not so uncommon, but days with *heavy* rain, like I was used to in Buenos Aires, are somewhat rarer. I had to leave the house with my two kids and it took me like 30′ to get them ready! Yes, every parent knows what a hassle it is to go out with kids when it rains. Even if…
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The birth scenario in Luxembourg
Disclaimer: this post does not pretend to be a thorough guide to giving birth in Luxembourg, but just a little recap of how things work around here. Luxembourg is a very special country in many aspects, and the birth-related world is not an exception. With less than a half of the population of the country being native to the country, I thought it would be useful to gather up some information about how the system works here. We are a small country and the way the system work is quite different from our neighbours, so most of the information one can find online does not necessarily apply here. Where can…
