If you think your breasts finished growing when you were a teenager, think again! Many complex structures are created when you are pregnant to allow breast milk to be formed. This is a new area of research, and we are learning new information all the time. Here is a little information on how breast milk production happens during pregnancy.  

Breast Development: Before a baby is born, breasts go through changes to get ready to make milk. At puberty the breasts start to develop, and every monthly…

Breastfeeding holds many benefits. Some benefits are well known, while others are often a surprise to new parents and grandparents.  Here are some lesser-known facts that highlight breastfeeding/ breastmilk’s complex and wonderous qualities:   

1.  Breast Milk Composition Varies: Breast milk composition can vary not only between parents but also within a single breastfeeding session. Foremilk, the initial milk released during a feeding, is often thinner and higher in volume, while hindmilk,…

Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) play a crucial role in women's healthcare, extending far beyond the realms of prenatal and postnatal care. Their expertise and dedication encompass a wide range of services that contribute significantly to the well-being of women throughout their reproductive journey. Let's delve deeper into the multifaceted responsibilities and contributions of CNMs.

1. Providing Comprehensive Women's Health Services

CNMs offer more than just assistance during pregnancy and…

Interior Alaska has long grappled with the challenge of providing adequate care for adolescents experiencing acute behavioral health issues. Parents, deeply concerned for their child's well-being and safety, often find themselves in a distressing situation:  seeking help at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital's emergency department (ED), only to discover that treatment beds are unavailable locally, sometimes necessitating waiting periods of nearly five days for their child to be transferred to a…

My first exposure to sauna bathing in Alaska occurred at a fish camp in Kenai the summer of 1995. I was one of roughly 30 slime-liners camping in the yard next to a fishery waiting for the salmon run to appear so the work could begin. It was a cold, rainy summer and we had plenty of time on our hands. We borrowed some shovels from the cannery and started digging. Soon enough we had a large pit in the ground covered with tarps and a make-shift chimney made from a piece of pipe we found. We even…

Every parent's greatest fear is losing their child, and sadly, over 4,500 babies in the United States experience this heartbreaking fate annually due to sleep-related incidents, with many classified as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Despite the decline in SIDS cases since the Back to Sleep campaign began in 1994, the numbers have not decreased as much as expected. The campaign has evolved, leading to the adoption of a new name in 2012—Safe to Sleep—to emphasize the broader goal of…

January has become the annual time to quit or cut down on alcohol for at least a month. The Sober January challenge has undergone several name changes over the years. It is presently referred to as being sober curious, which means either embracing a healthier relationship with alcohol or giving it up entirely. Over the past ten years, this trend has helped inspire and popularize mocktails and a spread of social events that emphasize non-alcoholic drink options.  

Whatever the personal…