When a new baby arrives, the spotlight shifts — but new moms deserve care, too. In this heartfelt holiday gift guide, pediatric PT and mom of three, Dr. Alli Chisholm, shares real-life postpartum must-haves that actually make a difference — from comfy clothes and nursing gear to recovery tools and little luxuries that help moms feel human again.

The first six months are all about connection, feeding, and laying the groundwork for movement. In this holiday gift guide, pediatric PT and mom Dr. Alli shares her favorite toys, feeding tools, and soothing essentials that babies actually use—and parents truly appreciate.

Making the decision about a tongue tie release for your baby can feel overwhelming—and sometimes even filled with guilt. In this post, I share my honest perspective as both a pediatric physical therapist and a mom, plus the exact steps you can take to feel confident in whatever decision you make for your little one.

I don’t remember where I first heard it, but during one of the many TOTS (tethered oral tissues) trainings I took after having my first baby with feeding struggles, a provider said something that I’ll never forget:

“We have to consider the mental health of the baby, too.”

And the context? The over-recommendation of oral tie releases and the way aftercare is handled.

I wanted to share with you five ways I’ve actually been allowing myself to feel all the feels this time around [after a third recurrent miscarriage]. Without judgment and with the utmost compassion…

There is a lot of pressure that society and/or a mother places on postpartum moms to “bounce back” after having a baby. This unnecessary pressure can place a lot of stress and self-consciousness on a mama, when a new mom is probably already stressed about everything that comes with the new phase of life that they’re in taking care of a newborn, and potentially other kiddos in the household.

Also known as a safe place for you to put your baby down to play independently, having a “yes” space for your little one can be a great therapeutic way for your baby to get in that much-talked about floor time.