Pregnancy & Postpartum
Essays
if you are worried about the state of your own sex life post-baby, know you aren’t alone; you’re actually part of the majority. Kara Hoppe discusses how to reclaim your sexual self postpartum.
In this piece, Ruba talks about wishing there was more open support around postpartum sex and sexuality; the pressures she felt to ‘get back into the swing of it,’ despite not feeling ready; the lube she considers to be a game-changer; and more.
This essay by Courtney Avery guides you through ideas, considerations and physical movements to use when practicing yoga during pregnancy and after childbirth...and provides some great poses to safely try on your own!
The Sex Ed believes it is important to appreciate the anatomical and bodily systems that are crucial to our overall wellness and reproductive health. The more we understand about how our bodies work, the more we’re able to enhance and explore our sexual experiences!
Podcast
This week’s podcast guest Lykke Li is a singer, songwriter, mother and co-owner of Yola Mezcal. She has been on tour supporting her record SO SAD SO SEXY and follow-up EP, STILL SAD STILL SEXY, which came out in 2018 and 2019. Lykke and Liz talk about creating art from pain; motherhood in the music business; why she’s over music festivals and how her personal definitions of love have evolved.
This week’s podcast features Asa Akira—legendary porn star, podcaster, author, PornHub ambassador—and a new mom. Asa and Liz talk about her pregnancy and postpartum experiences and how they affected her sex drive; what it means to be a MILF; and how she’s navigating and winning the shifting landscape of the adult biz.
Our guest this week is Dr. Linda Mona, a highly honored clinical psychologist specializing in patients with chronic health conditions and disabilities. Dr. Mona works as a consultant to healthcare service providers, in addition to her private practice, where she focuses on the importance of sexual health as a means of improving overall quality of life. Dr. Mona and Liz talk about digital dating with a disability; her favorite sex toy recommendations and how a disability can in fact make you MORE creative in the bedroom.
Our guest for this episode is Sahar Pirzada, a social worker, organizer and educator. In this episode, Sahar and Liz talk about their own experiences of Islamophobia in the reproductive health care system; how to meet people where they’re at with sex education needs; and why faith and sexuality are not mutually exclusive.
Erica Chidi is a doula, author and co-founder of LOOM— a center in Los Angeles that provides empowered education from periods to parenting. She has guided thousands of people in their transition from pregnancy to parenthood in her practice and through her book, Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Early Motherhood. Erica and Liz discuss doula care for patients through birth and abortion, how pregnancy effects sex drive and why there’s no such thing as the “best way” to give birth.
Carrie Wambach, M.D. is a board certified OB GYN with a speciality in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. At her private practice in Los Angeles, Dr. Wambach helps patients with fertility plans, egg freezing and hormone imbalances, as well as treating recurrent miscarriage and premature ovarian failure. In this episode Dr. Wambach and Liz discuss infertility, surrogacy and why there is such overwhelming cultural pressure to conceive.
Liz spoke to Dr. Joycelyn Elders, former US Surgeon General about being the Condom Queen of Washington, DC; entering the White House shortly after the Anita Hill trial; growing up in Dust Bowl-era Arkansas; the potential benefits to passing out vibrators in nursing homes; and why she’s optimistic about the future of sex education.
Books
Written by a psychologist and relationship expert, Baby Bomb offers powerful tools based in psychology and neurobiology to help you and your partner co-parent and co-partner as a solid and supportive team--while also cultivating mad love for each other! You'll find more than just "tips" for better parenting and partnering; you'll discover how a secure-functioning relationship is essential for raising happy, healthy kids.
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Reproductive Justice is a first-of-its-kind primer that provides a comprehensive yet succinct description of the field. Written by two legendary scholar-activists, Reproductive Justice introduces students to an intersectional analysis of race, class, and gender politics.
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Killing the Black Body exposed America’s systemic abuse of Black women’s bodies. From slave masters’ economic stake in bonded women’s fertility to government programs that coerced thousands of poor Black women into being sterilized as late as the 1970s, these abuses pointed to the degradation of Black motherhood—and the exclusion of Black women’s reproductive needs in mainstream feminist and civil rights agendas.
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The first and only pregnancy journal created for queer individuals and families, by a queer doula. So... You're pregnant and a little (or a lot) queer? The prompts in this journal provide an opportunity for you to reflect on your pregnancy, conception story, and parenting intentions. It is intended for pregnant people to use with or without the involvement of their partner(s) (when applicable).
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This sweet #ownvoices picture book celebrates the changes in a transgender boy's life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother. When Aidan Became a Brother is a heartwarming book that will resonate with transgender children, reassure any child concerned about becoming an older sibling, and celebrate the many transitions a family can experience.
Ages: 4-7
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Never before have the facts of life been presented in such an accessible—or novel—way. Our hero is Willy, a little sperm who lives inside Mr. Browne with 300 million friends. Every day Willy practices for the Great Swimming Race. And when the day arrives, he swims faster than his 300 million friends to win the prize—a marvelous egg. Then something wonderful happens, and eventually Mr. and Mrs. Browne have a baby girl who has the same winning smile as Willy and who grows up to be a great swimmer.
Ages: 4-7
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A comprehensive and judgment-free pregnancy companion: Nurture is the only all-in-one pregnancy and birthing book for modern mothers-to-be and their partners who want a more integrative approach. Season 1 podcast guest Erica Chidi Cohen has assisted countless births and helped hundreds of families ease into their new roles through her work as a doula.
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Awakening Fertility is a loving companion to accompany you along the journey—whether your desire to become a mother burns fiercely today or is a future calling just beginning to stir. Intended for women at every stage of the preconception process, this book offers wisdom and guidance to support your body, mind, and spirit—including nearly 50 delicious recipes to nourish yourself deeply.
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The first 40 days after the birth of a child offer an essential and fleeting period of rest and recovery for the new mother. Based on author Heng Ou’s own postpartum experience with zuo yuezi, a set period of “confinement,” in which a woman remains at home focusing on healing and bonding with her baby, The First Forty Days revives the lost art of caring for the mother after birth.
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For decades the comprehensive exploration of female bodies, minds, and sexualities has remained a definitive source of thoughtfully culled information for women ranging in age from early adolescence to late adulthood. Updates in 2005 and 2011 shed vital contemporary light on the book's many considerations.