Archive for November, 2009
1 out of 3 women in the U.S. have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old so really this is a very telling statistic about how common the phenomenon of abortion really is.
Prolife and Prochoice are two sides of a raging debate, wherein each side has some very valid points, whereas the former present abortion as murder, the latter view is that women should have the choice to make the decision that is best for them.
The fact is that no one except the woman who has conceived knows exactly the circumstances in which the fetus was conceived, her own mental, physical and financial state as regards her ability to bring another child into the world, her fear at being completely unable to cope and about the plans that she has for herself in the long term.
There are many personal reasons that a woman may have to have a pregnancy terminated. There is the option of putting a child up for adoption but system is not always so efficient as to be able to place children in homes that want them and are able to look after them.
Additionally, a woman may feel unable to carry the child to term and then offer it for adoption. It is difficult for many to envisage the uncertain future that a baby may have when it hasn’t a natural guardian to take care of it. A future such as that may be difficult or even impossible for many to contemplate.
There is also one view that says abortion is much the same as birth control: both prevent life, however at different stages. This view is of course rejected for the reason that with birth control there is no destruction as such. However consider the point of viability of life.
A fetus is not viable until a certain point in gestation, and cannot survive on its own before that time. Until such time it is not considered an individual in its own right and is therefore up to the woman to decide what is best for her body, her life and eventually her baby when she chooses to have it.
Abortion is legal and no woman needs to feel guilty for having chosen to go that way.
It is important to remember that no one who pickets abortion clinics or who otherwise tries to discourage abortion knows exactly what it is to have undergone what that woman, who is considering an abortion, has undergone. No one except that woman knows exactly her circumstances, her thoughts and her conflicts.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
While sexual intercourse during pregnancy can be a sensitive subject, the topic of orgasm during pregnancy is probably even more controversial.
For the most part, having an orgasm during one’s pregnancy is quite safe; it is also the opinion of some experts that it may actually be beneficial.
Some women experience orgasm for the first time during pregnancy, due to the increase in sensitivity and enlargement of the genital area. For many others the orgasm is likely to be more intense and pleasurable than ever before.
Since the orgasm causes the uterus to contract, generally speaking, as the uterus grows bigger with the baby, the more intense and bigger is the orgasm experienced.
The reason why some experts opine that an orgasm is good for the mother and baby is that it gives the mother obvious sexual satisfaction, but it also causes more blood to flow to the uterus, bringing more nutrient rich blood to the baby for its nourishment.
Orgasms during pregnancy should be avoided if a woman has any of the following problems:
- problems with preterm labor
- an incompetent cervix,
- placenta previa,
- if the contractions lasts beyond intercourse and for a considerable amount of time thereafter.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
For many reasons, women are faced with the option of aborting a pregnancy, which is a tough decision but which should be made calmly and after considering all the options that a woman has at her disposal
There are several different methods of abortion, and they can each be used at different stages of the pregnancy.
Abortion Pill or Medical Abortion: This is also called an abortifacient or a substance that induces abortion. This is to be distinguished from an emergency contraception pill or the morning after pill which prevents a conception.
An abortion pill ends a pregnancy that is already subsisting. This is usually a two step process involving two doses and is seen to be successful in 90% cases as long as it is used within 49 days of gestation.
Vacuum Abortion: If the abortion is to be performed within 12 weeks of the conception, vacuum or suction aspiration where the pregnancy is removed from the uterus by vacuuming through a syringe. This is also the procedure used after a spontaneous abortion or miscarriage or when a sample of the endometrial lining is required for a biopsy. This is now the most common and safest obstetric procedure.
Dilating and Curettage (D&C): Here the cervix is dilated and the content of the uterus are surgically removed by using a curette, or a sharp curettage to scrape the lining of the uterus and checked for completeness so that no part of the pregnancy gets left behind.
Late term abortion is both more dangerous and more controversial because it is considered a viable fetus after 20 weeks gestation. In some cases D&C is still used, however many times labor is induced for this kind of abortion.
In many places abortion after the first trimester is not permitted by law or requires certain specific criteria to be met. The risk to the mother increases significantly after the first trimester so unless there is a medical requirement to terminate a pregnancy, this is not advisable.
For more information about abortion and birth control, it is available at Planned Parenthood.org which is a good resource for information and support. Here you will get help to find the nearest Planned Parenthood health center where confidential and low cost health care can be obtained.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Among the many preparations that you will be making as your due date comes closer is purchase of nursing bras, this is a purchase best made before the baby’s arrival rather than after.
If you do decide to get nursing bras for yourself, do it when you have gained most of your pregnancy weight, but don’t leave it too late, this is a job that is best done by you; a panicked husband or well meaning friend may not be able to do it as well as you would wish.
Usually two nursing bras and one nursing tank top should be enough to be getting along with.
Though many women find that their regular bras will do just as well, and that there is no need for a special nursing bra, you would need to decide, if you are breastfeeding whether a nursing bra is required or if a regular bra will do just as well.
Since many women may go up a cup size or two during and soon after pregnancy, they find that they have to get new bras anyway, and prefer to get nursing bras which facilitates easier breast feeding.
Nursing bras are different from regular bras in that they offer extra support at a time when the breasts are heavier and fuller. They also offer the option of unfastening only a portion of the cup which is usually a flap that fastens over the breast near the shoulder strap.
So with a nursing bra you don’t have to remove the bra, all you have to do is undo the flap which will uncover the nipple area so many women find this very convenient. Others however do find it as convenient to simply slip off one of the straps of the bra to get the job of breastfeeding underway.
Nursing bras are of many different kinds, and come in soft cup, underwire, seamless etc. There are nursing bras with or without flaps. Those with flaps work in the obvious way; those without are designed to be pushed up or to the side when it’s feeding time.
Underwire nursing bras could work very well for some women but just a note of caution there, if the underwire digs into the tissue at the base of the breast, it could clog a milk duct for the first few weeks of breastfeeding, it is generally recommended that a soft cup nursing bra be used.
So hunt around a bit and get a proper fit; a good support nursing bra may make the task of breastfeeding that little bit more comfortable and enjoyable.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
When you talk about sex during pregnancy, many women will say that they were put off by the act completely during pregnancy; probably an equal number will say they never had it better!
Fact is, a woman’s sex drive during her pregnancy could swing to either extreme or not change much from what is normal in her non-pregnant state.
The hormones of a pregnant woman are typically all over the place during the time that she is pregnant, which will determine whether she finds the intimacy of sexual intercourse unwelcome or whether she has the best sex of her life.
Either way it is important for her partner to be sensitive and accommodative about this. If a woman is disinclined or even experiences discomfort or pain then it is important to clear the air; perhaps the couple can engage in other kinds of physical intimacy, such as stroking or massage and engage more in the kind of intimacy that comes from expressing feeling, emotions and thoughts.
It isn’t just the partner, the pregnant woman also needs to be sensitive about the feelings and needs of her partner, and should explain her point of view while attempting to be as accommodative as possible. Read more about sex during pregnancy here.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
According to a UK study, Pregnant women who smoke risk their kids having behavior problems who can’t pay attention.
Although previous studies have shown the risks for school aged children, this is the first time a link has been shown between smoking during pregnancy and behavior problems for kids as young as 3.
Dr. Kate E. Pickett, of the University of York, Hull-York Medical School and colleagues looked for link between smoking during pregnancy and behavior problems in more than 13,000 3-year kids in UK Millenium Cohort Study.
The study gathered wide range of information including economic status of family, parents’ education level, ethnicity, marital status of parents, financial problems and maternal smoking, drinking or usage of drugs.
Source: Reuters
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Whatever one’s personal beliefs about pain relief during the process of labor and delivery, it is important to have the facts beforehand about this particular facet of the delivery process.
Even a woman who believes in and is committed to natural and unassisted delivery may change her mind through a long and difficult labor, so if she does change her mind at a later stage it helps to have known the options from before.
Also every woman is different and so is every birth.
Even one woman may have several different kinds of labor. While there are several kinds of pain relief available for a woman such as an epidural, narcotic assistance, IV shots, etc.
There are however other natural ways to obtain some relief from the pain such as:
- Music can be therapeutic in nature and can help relieve pain
- Bathing can be soothing for labor pains and can lessen the pain that the contractions cause. A warm bath is seen to relieve the pain for many women. Many women tend to opt for a water birth because of this and other reasons
- Breathing exercises and specific breathing patterns can bring about relaxation and help to get a handle on the pain making it more manageable
- Acupuncture is also known to relieve labor pain
- Certain massage techniques also help in relieving labor pain
- Women can remain active throughout the process of labor which helps them deal with and lessen the pain
- Many women find squatting the most comfortable position to give birth in, others find that sitting on a chair facing the chair back is the most comfortable, and yet others find that leaning against a wall is helpful.
In addition there is the TENS machine or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation which consists of electrodes attached to the birthing mother’s back, which is thought to stimulate the body’s natural painkiller mechanism and promote the production of endorphins. The woman herself controls the device and the strength of the current. There are no known side effects or effects on the baby.
Entonox is another option, which uses equal parts oxygen and nitrous oxide to take the edge of the pain. A woman can inhale this through a mouthpiece and thereby control how much she uses.
There are no effects and this does not pass to the baby however some women find that this gas and air mixture can make them lightheaded and does not let them concentrate on the task at hand.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
During pregnancy there is a very good chance that we are able to influence the spiritual growth and the intelligence of our babies.
It is also good to know that we can help them form an opinion about their lives.
The beauty of the world they live in during the 9 months of pregnancy is that part when we choose to treat them like the best thing that ever happened to us and by this integrate them in our daily routine.
I have read in so many magazines for mothers about the wonderful step a mother can make starting the education of her baby from the very moment he or she is conceived.
I used to think that this is something out of a science fiction book and even though I am a strong follower of the concept that the bond between the mother and her baby is unbreakable and goes on long years after the birth, this idea of starting an education this early seemed a bit too much.
What has convinced me was my god daughter. Her mother use to take yoga classes before she got pregnant. This and the fact that she was very much into “get in touch with nature” life style made her keep on doing yoga during pregnancy. [pregnancy yoga]
She liked environmental music a lot and I remember she was all the time with her iPhone headphones in her ears listening to it.
I used to say to her she will make the baby’s brains go mush after so much environmental noise but she made fun of me and went one with it.
Funny is that her pregnancy went smoothly without any problems, the little one kicking on schedule and behaving very nicely with her mom.
I remember that during my own pregnancy time both of my kids were pretty restless and there were nights when I couldn’t sleep because of their” football game”.
Well…my god daughter was very good. Her mom got all the rest she needed and was feeling wonderful.
She was a single mom, and she was dreading the fear of the birth moment. But the little girl surprised her. She came into the world a week earlier while her mother and I were shopping and the birth went as smooth as a birth can go.
When I first saw this little bundle in the arms of her mom I was so glad to see them both radiant that I almost cry.
Ever since then the little girl and her mother are exactly as they were during the pregnancy, best friends, enjoying life, smiling and listening to environmental music.
There is something about the pregnancy that makes us think we are facing 9 months of burden and maybe most of us are.
What does happen to those mothers that go through this period with a smile on their face, acting like they have the time of their life?
They really enjoy being pregnant and their children are sure to enjoy life.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
MSG, Monosodium Glutamate or Ajinomoto is supposed to be that taste, apart from the basic ones that is known as Umami or the savory taste.
It adds an indefinable element to the food that elevates that taste and helps you taste the flavors better. While it has no taste of its own, it enhances others’ tastes.
MSG is added to a lot of things, even items as common as potato chips. Chinese food is another source of MSG since it is widely used in Chinese cooking particularly in preparation of restaurant food.
MSG’s potential for causing birth defects in rats when administered in high doses is well documented, however it is found to be safe to eat for humans generally speaking. This is true even in case of pregnant women.
Unless there is some particular sensitivity of certain individuals to MSG, it is to be avoided in any case; otherwise there is no reason for pregnant women not to have MSG.
The fact is that MSG occurs naturally and is not the villain that it is painted out to be. So far there is no definite cause of link ever proved or any evidence to substantiate the claim that MSG is harmful to the unborn baby or its development.
Some experts opine that even a large dose of MSG would not harm the baby. The FDA also classifies MSG as safe, right along with sugar, salt and baking soda which are all safe in moderation.
However some people are sensitive to MSG and among those that have sensitivity to MSG this condiment can cause vomiting, dizziness, headaches, nausea, and sleep disturbances in some cases.
Also the studies that were carried out in rats have not been replicated in human beings mostly because pregnant women are not likely to subject themselves and their unborn babies to tests willingly where large doses of MSG are administered just to see if their babies are born with birth defects.
So while MSG is considered generally safe to consume and is not prohibited or advised against even during pregnancy, if there is any feeling of trepidation on part of the mother that MSG is not good for her unborn child, then the consumption thereof can be avoided.
MSG is, by no means a necessity of any sort, it can easily be done without if there are any doubts either because of its high sodium content or otherwise. Since there is a legal requirement for foods containing the condiment to list it as an ingredient, it is easily avoided, and can be if one so wishes.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Testing during pregnancy to detect Down Syndrome can be done, however there is the ethical issue of whether such a pregnancy should be terminated; it has been found that over 90% of such pregnancies are in fact terminated.
There are several factors that increase a woman’s chance of her baby having Down’s syndrome:
- The risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases along with the mother’s age. At age 20 a mother’s risk is one in 1627 where as at age 30 it is one in 1089. At age 35 it climbs up to one in 509 and at age the risk is as much as one in 40.
- When a man over 40 years of age has a child with a woman who is 35 years or more, the risk of Down syndrome increases significantly. However an older father when the mother is under 35 years was found not to increase the risk.
- If a woman has had more than four previous babies, the risk of Down syndrome is seen to increase slightly.
- Smoking is seen to considerably up the chances of a woman having a baby with Down syndrome and the combination of oral contraceptives and smoking seems to increase that risk further.
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Nicotine patches and gum seem to be safe and effective in pregnant women, according to a new study.
Such patches and gum have been shown to help non-pregnant adults stop smoking, study co-author Dr. Geeta K. Swamy told Reuters Health. However, women and their obstetricians have been uncertain about their safety and effectiveness during pregnancy.
Dr. Swamy, from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues took another look at data on pregnant smokers who had participated in a study comparing psychological treatments with nicotine patches or gum to help them quit.
Adding nicotine patches or gum tripled the number of women who quit, from 8 percent to 24 percent.
Almost a third – 31 percent — of the women who used the patch or gum had pregnancy complications, compared to 17 percent of the women who did not use it.
However, there was a much higher risk of such complications in black women, those with complications in previous pregnancies, and use of painkillers. The use of the patch did not seem to have a direct effect, the researchers note.
Based on the findings, although the patch is not “absolutely safe,” it may still be worth using in heavy smokers, given the known association between smoking and bad pregnancy outcomes, particularly premature birth and low birth weight, they conclude.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Women in long-term relationships appear to have healthier pregnancies and births, claim scientists.
Researchers found they were less likely to suffer high blood pressure during pregnancy and less likely to give birth to smaller babies.
Scientists found that women who had slept with a partner exclusively for at least six months had fewer undersized babies and a lower rate of pre-eclampsia – pregnancy induced high blood pressure.
Experts believe that the reason for the healthier birth is long-term exposure to the biological father’s sperm which boosts the immune system.
In the study by Auckland University in New Zealand researchers asked 2,507 first time pregnant women how long they had been with the baby’s father.
It was found that when the pregnancies came to term, pre-eclampsia was found to be less common in women who had long-term sexual relations exclusively with the biological father, than in those who had been with their partner only for a short time.
The study also revealed that women who had undersized babies were also more likely to have been in shorter relationships.
Dr Larry Chamley, the lead author from the think tank Faculty of 1000 Medicine and also Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Auckland, said that female immune system was boosted by exposure to “paternal antigens” – beneficial antibodies in the male sperm.
“Although the issue of whether prolonged semen exposure does protect against developing pre-eclampsia is not yet resolved this paper seems to tip the weight of evidence back in favor of suggesting that prolonged semen exposure is protective,” he said.
The results of the study, published in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology, were adjusted for the lifestyle and background of the women including their weight, whether they smoked and their general health.
Those who did not know the identity of the father were excluded from the research.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
“Partaking in low-level physical activity has beneficial effects on materno-fetal health.” These findings have recently been published in the International Journal of Obesity and highlight the benefits for the health of the baby and the mother when a physically-active lifestyle is maintained throughout pregnancy.
“An exercise regime carried out during the second and third trimester of pregnancy does not harm the health of the fetus,” said Jonatan R. Ruiz, researcher at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, and principal author of this study, who has coordinated a team from the Polytechnic University of Madrid in collaboration with the Swedish centre.
160 healthy women between the ages of 25 and 35 took part in the study, all of whom had sedentary habits and no risk of premature birth. Of this group of women, half followed an exercise regime under the supervision of experts in Physical Activity and Sports Science in collaboration with the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit of Hospital Severo Ochoa in Madrid.
The researchers used multiple variables to assess the health of the fetus (body weight, size and gestational age) in women, and they analyzed the effect of the training program carried out during the second and third trimester of pregnancy on the weight and size of the fetus.
“Body size and gestational age, as well as other health parameters, were similar in the group of women who followed the exercise regime compared to those who did no form of physical activity during pregnancy, which indicates that exercise poses no threat to the health of the fetus,” Ruiz emphasizes.
The authors also measured the pre-pregnancy body weight of the mother, the body size of the fetus, and whether diabetes was developed during gestation. In the group of women who did not partake in any exercise (control group), it was observed that the mother’s weight before becoming pregnant was positively associated with the weight of the newborn.
“Sedentary mothers of higher pre-gestational weight gave birth to heavier newborns. This relationship, however, was not observed in the group of women who exercised during pregnancy,” the researcher concludes. According to experts, babies with excessive weight (more than 4 kg) are more at risk of developing diabetes and certain types of cancer as adults, in addition to complications that may occur at birth.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
As the number of women having twins has increased, so has the odds of developing a serious pregnancy complication called twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). This disorder affects as many as 15 percent of identical twin pregnancies, and results in uneven blood flow between the fetuses. Until recently the outcome was usually death or disabilities for the surviving babies.
Now a new minimally invasive laser treatment has improved the odds. Available at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital — one of only 10 centers to offer it, and the only one in New York — the procedure involves coagulating unnecessary and harmful blood connections between the two fetuses.
“This laser treatment has saved the lives of many twins with TTTS, giving them the chance to grow up healthy and strong,” says Dr. Lynn Simpson, medical director of the Center for Prenatal Pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “The laser approach is straightforward and safe. And while it isn’t always successful, it is a major improvement over the traditional approach of draining the mother’s amniotic fluid.”
Studies show that in about 90 percent of laser cases, one twin will survive, and in 70 percent of cases, both will. The traditional approach has a survival rate of only 66 percent for a single fetus. Normal brain development is also more likely in babies treated with the laser procedure.
Since Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital began offering laser treatment in July, all TTTS cases meeting criteria for coagulation therapy have been treated using the laser.
The hour-long procedure is performed under local or regional anesthesia and uses a tiny scope that carries the laser wire and a camera though the mother’s abdomen and into her uterus. While it can be done on an outpatient basis, mothers are usually kept overnight for observation.
In identical twin pregnancies with TTTS, the fetal blood supply is abnormally connected within a shared placenta. Although each fetus uses its own portion of the placenta, the connecting vessels allow blood to pass from one twin to the other. Depending on the number, type and direction of the interconnecting blood vessels, blood can be transferred disproportionately from one twin (the “donor”) to the other (the “recipient”). This causes the donor twin to have decreased blood volume, retarding its development and growth, while the larger recipient is at risk of heart failure due to an overworked heart. In rare cases, the condition can happen with triplets or higher multiples, when a pair of fetuses shares one placenta. If untreated early in pregnancy, in 80 to 90 percent of cases, both twins will die. The condition is usually diagnosed during the second trimester with a routine ultrasound.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Experts say it’s wise to know both your parents’ health histories, but ask your mom the right questions and you may be able to avoid a struggle later on. “Knowing your mother’s gynecological history can really arm you with what you need to know to take proactive steps in the future,” says Tracy Gaudet, MD, executive director of Duke Integrative Medicine at Duke University and author of Body, Soul and Baby. Here are questions to help you start talking:
Did you have preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-induced condition that’s marked by high blood pressure, excess protein in the urine, severe headaches, and sudden weight gain that can lead to preterm birth and may require bed rest or induced labor near the end of a pregnancy. Women whose mothers had it are often thought to be at higher risk during their own pregnancies. But other factors may be more significant than your mom’s experience, Dr. Greene says. They include being overweight or older than 35, carrying multiples, having preexisting high blood pressure, or simply being pregnant for the first time. Of course, if you have any of these risk factors to go along with a mom who had preeclampsia, that can nudge the risk even higher.
How knowing helps: Tell your obstetrician if your mom had preeclampsia; she may want to monitor you extra closely. Keep your weight gain in the safe range (25 to 35 pounds if you’re not over- or underweight starting out), and go easy on salty and sugary foods.
Do we have a family history of any disease?
Family history can predict many health risks beyond gyno concerns, including heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, osteoporosis, depression, and stroke. You want to know both of your parents’ histories, “but the links to these diseases are often stronger on the maternal side for a daughter,” Dr. Pinkerton says.
How knowing helps: Your mom’s history may prompt your doc to refer you to a genetic counselor, who can discuss a blood test that screens for genetic mutations. For many other diseases, a healthy lifestyle and simple preventive measures (such as watching your sugar intake if diabetes is a threat) can lower your risk, no matter the family connection. If your mom suffers from low bone mass, or osteopenia, that’s useful info, Dr. Pinkerton says.
“You’ll want to build bone density in your 30s by eating enough calcium and doing weight-bearing exercises like lifting weights or practicing yoga,” she explains. And in your mid-40s, a bone-density test should go on your list of issues to discuss with your doctor.
Read about Genetically Related Birth Defects.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Beginning Monday, November 30th, Discovery Health’s Baby Week will commence. From expectant mothers’ indomitable will to survive, to unconventional families’ historic births, to high-risk pregnancies that defy all the odds – this edition of Baby Week features actual events.
The special programming begins each night at 8 PM (ET/PT) from Monday, November 30, through Friday, December 4.
Featured Baby Week world premieres include:
- She Survived That…Pregnant?!
- Transgendered and Pregnant
- I’m Pregnant And…
- Dwarf Adoption Story
Baby Week kicks off with the premiere of She Survived That…Pregnant?!, an hour-long special recounting the stories of pregnant women who survived deadly accidents and encounters that could have killed them–and their unborn children. The pregnant women include a woman whose parachute failed to open, causing her to land face-first on the ground; a woman who was first chased by a bear–and then after she managed to escape, was hit by a car; a woman who fell over a balcony and was impaled by a microphone stand; and a woman who was shot in the uterus, with her unborn baby suffering a bullet wound as well.
Transgendered And Pregnant premieres Tuesday, December 1, at 8 PM (ET/PT). This hour-long special tells the story of a transgendered couple–the wife, a male-to-female and the husband, a female-to-male transgender–expecting a baby under the most unusual of circumstances. In spite of ongoing hormone treatments, the male-to-female transgender wife managed to impregnate the husband, a female-to-male transgender–and Discovery Health’s cameras capture the couple throughout the pregnancy leading up to the birth of their first child.
I’m Pregnant And… premieres Tuesday, December 1, at 9:30 PM (ET/PT). This brand-new series follows the stories of women facing serious issues–emotional, physical, mental or circumstantial–as they navigate their nine-month journey through pregnancy. Topics explored throughout the six-part series include:
- I’m Pregnant and I’m Addicted
- I’m Pregnant and I Have an Eating Disorder
- I’m Pregnant and Over 55
Expecting 15 Babies premieres Friday, December 4, at 8 PM (ET/PT).Three families experience the dangerous business of giving birth to and raising multiples, including the first Hispanic sextuplets in the United States, an expecting mother of quadruplets and a family with 22-month-old quintuplets!
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
After giving birth, many women choose to have the placenta tossed out by hospitals. Some women are choosing less conventional ideas…
British designer Alex Green is taking people’s placentas and turning them into teddy bears.
“I was very interested in how it was discarded unceremoniously as medical waste, why it’s discarded and how we could bring it back…” said Green, who thought placentas deserved a symbolic treatment whether they’re saved or not. “It was really about provoking a debate about placentas and how we treat them.”
Green said that the placenta must first be cured with salt to kill the bacteria and remove water. He then softens it with eggs and tannins. Once the placenta is prepared, he sews it into the shape of the bear and fills it with brown rice.
“It’s more heavy than you’d imagine — they’re more the sort of thing that you’d stick on a mantel pieces,” Green told ABC. “It feels soft, somewhere between leather and suede but it’s much more flexible than leather — it’s bendy.”
Green knows that his idea isn’t for everyone. “Of course a lot of people feel it’s grotesque,” said Green. “But, quite a few women have expressed interest in making them.”
Many readers expressed disgust at the the concept. “This is just weird, and a gimmick, and yet one more thing to sit on a shelf, take up space, and collect dust. And, of course, lots of bucks for the ‘artist’ who thought it up,” said LS on the blog ParentDish.
Added reader Ann, “Why turn the placenta into a teddy bear. That’s disgusting…I think it’s better to save the placenta and spinal cord in case the baby needs it to cure a disease in the future. It’s called cord blood banking and so much more valuable than what has to be the most awkward teddy bear in the world.”
But many treat the placenta with respect. Some cultures bury placentas and plant fruit trees on top of them as a living monument for the birth of their children. Discovery Green offers a how-to guide. Others believe that eating the placenta can be healthy for women who have just given birth. In Chinese medicine , eating placentas are said to replenish lost blood and nutrients. Some even believe it can help with postpartum depression.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Cuteness abounds at the thinkgeek webstore. Check out these adorable products for the geeky mom and her little ones, including a spill-proof bowl and Yoda backpack:
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Saved By the Bell alum Tiffani Thiessen has a bun in the oven.
She and husband, artist and actor Brady Smith, are expecting their first baby next May.
Thiessen, 35, now stars on USA’s drama White Collar.
She and Smith have been married since 2005. They shot down baby rumors last December.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Mrs Herald, who is just 2ft 4ins, was told that becoming pregnant could kill her but has already defied doctors to have two healthy babies.
The 35-year-old from Dry Ridge, Kentucky, USA, suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which causes brittle bones and underdeveloped lungs, and means she failed to grow.
Now Mrs Herald, who uses a wheelchair, and her husband Will, who is 5ft 9ins, are awaiting the birth of their third child, due in the next four weeks.
She cannot hold her daughter because her belly gets in the way, and has to rely on her husband Will to do most things around the house.
Mrs Herald admits being pregnant is “uncomfortable” and leaves her bedridden for weeks on end. By the time the new addition, a boy, is one he will already tower over his mum.
The couple met in 2000 while working for a supermarket in their home town and were desperate for a family after marrying in 2004.
But doctors warned Mrs Herald a baby would grow so large inside her tiny body it would eventually crush her organs.
“It broke my heart that I couldn’t have kids,” she said.
“All my life my parents had told me that I could do anything. Then there were these doctors telling me that we couldn’t be a complete family. It really hurt.”
Eight months later, the couple were thrilled when they discovered Mrs Herald was pregnant and decided to go ahead even though family and doctors begged them to reconsider.
“They all told me that I would die. They begged me not to have a baby. Even my mother said,’ You know you won’t survive right?’
“I told her: ‘It’s a miracle that I am here, that I have life, why couldn’t this be a miracle too?’”
After 28 weeks, doctors performed a cesarean section and daughter Kateri was born, weighing just 2lbs and 1oz in 2006.
She grew well but there was heartbreak for the family when they discovered Kateri had inherited Mrs Herald’s condition and would also never grow to a normal height.
But the young family resumed life as normal, before Mrs Herald became pregnant a year later.
“It was kind of like the last time, everyone screamed: ‘What are you doing?’ at us,” she said.
“The doctors told me I was pushing my luck. But we just prayed that God would bring us through it.”
She admits that the second pregnancy has taken its toll, saying: “It was hard, I got so much bigger faster. At my worst point I remember bursting into tears, because I looked like a beach ball with a head and little feet.
Doctors tried to let the second baby stay in Mrs Herald’s body for as long as possible, letting her pregnancy go to 34 weeks before taking her into theatre.
Daughter Makaya who, at 18 inches was more than half her mum’s body length when she was born, weighed 4lbs and 7oz.
Now both girls are bigger than their mother, who is now 30 weeks pregnant with her first boy.
She said: “It’s getting tougher and tougher to move.
“We didn’t plan to have more than two kids, we just think that they’re a great gift to the world, and when I look at them I see Will and I feel so full of love, it’s tough not to want more.”
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Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Before you start choosing bedding and matching nightlights, make sure you have the basics of the room ready.
Measure the room and sketch it on paper. Keep a copy in your wallet – you’ll refer to it during many stages of your nursery planning.
Include the heights and widths of the windows, closets, and doors.
Note the locations of electrical outlets, heat and air conditioning vents or systems, and light fixtures.
Take a look at the walls. Is there paneling or wallpaper that you would like to remove? An old coat of paint that needs refreshing?
The fastest and easiest way to create an environment is with paint. The new zero and low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints are perfect for the nursery since they are odorless and emit no toxic gases. They also dry fast and cover well. These luscious, environmentally friendly products can be tinted to any color.
As for finishes, forget flat paint and go with eggshells and satins. They’re more durable and easier to clean. When you’re ready to choose a color, paint large samples on your walls and evaluate them during different times of the day. Colors change as the light does.
One coat or two? One might do, so after your first lap around the room, take a look for missed spots and then decide.
You can easily transform a room with wainscot or a simple chair rail. Supplies for either are available from a retailer like Home Depot. If you’d like to create the same kind of impact without hardware, try using a different color paint for the lower half (3 to 4 feet) of the walls – or paint a horizontal stripe around the perimeter of the room.
When your child is a bit older, you can add personality (and fun!) to his or her room by adding chalkboards, dry erase boards, or cork to the bottom half of the walls.
Floor coverings are not just attractive, but they can also cushion a delicate bottom, soften late night cries, and warm up a chilly room. If you have your heart set on wall-to-wall carpeting, pay attention to what the carpet’s materials. Synthetic carpet can harbor dust and dirt, and some adhesives may contain V.O.C.’s.
If wall-to-wall carpeting is not in your plans, there are many options to consider. But before you explore your choices, evaluate your floor’s current condition. If you already have carpet, peel back a corner and take a peek. You may find hardwood, cement, or a plywood subfloor. This is your platform and it needs to be in good shape. Seams should be flush. Nails and screw heads must be sunk – you want to be able to vacuum and damp mop a child’s room.
Floor coverings made from natural products are allergen-free and a breeze to clean. These materials include: linoleum, bamboo, and cork.
Cork, the latest in eco-green flooring materials, is a harvested resource that retains warmth and is loaded with air pockets that act as natural shock and sound absorbers. Many cork tiles have no VOCs and come in an array of colors. Installation is very straightforward : You apply adhesive with a roller to a cleaned and prepared surface and glue the tiles down. And just like linoleum, cork cuts with a knife.
Laminates, such as the wood grained styles from Pergo, are popular in children’s rooms. Unlike hardwoods that are nailed into subfloors, laminate floors float on the surface. There are two kinds of laminates: the “snap-together” style, which is easier to install but not as structurally sound, and the “glue-together” type. Both are durable and childproof.
Map out where to place major furniture and necessities. These should include, but are not limited to:
- Crib
- Changing Table
- Dresser (the changing table may be part of this)
- Bookcase
- Toy chest
- Chair/Glider/Rocker
When deciding where to place the crib, consider the following:
WINDOW PLACEMENT
For your baby’s safety, don’t place the crib under a window. Your child will be standing and climbing in no time and windows can lead to a dangerous fall.
FURNITURE NEAR THE CRIB
Sooner than you think, your baby will be reaching out of her crib and grabbing at anything she can get her hands on. If you will be keeping the changing table, dresser, or other furniture near the crib, make sure you do not leave loose fabric, blankets, towels, or small items within baby’s reach.
AIR VENTS
You don’t want hot or cool air blowing on your baby’s head. But you also don’t want your little one to get too hot or too cold; 65-70 degrees is the recommended temperature range.
WINDOWS
Most babies sleep best in dark rooms. Look into blackout shades that can go under your drapes or curtains. There are also decorative, light-blocking roman shades are be attractive on their own. As your baby becomes more mobile, he can pull on drapes and curtains, or get tangled in window blind cords. To prevent these potential dangers, avoid using long curtains or drapes and consider cordless blinds or use cord protectors.
LIGHTING
Lighting can help create a soothing environment and you’ll want to include both bright and low level settings in your plan. Dimmer controls make it easy to go from playtime to naptime.
SAFETY
If your house is not already equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, look into installing these throughout your home and in the nursery.
REPAIRS
If the room needs any major repairs, such as heating or electrical, take care of them as soon as possible. Once the baby arrives, it will become more difficult to work on these problems.
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Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Expectant mothers may enjoy listening to their unborn babies’ heartbeats, but they shouldn’t rely on home fetal heart monitors to provide an accurate picture of fetal health, researchers say.
The devices may provide false reassurance in some situations, according to Dr. Abhijoy Chakladar of Princess Royal Hospital in West Sussex, England.
In the British Medical Journal, Chakladar reported a case in which a 34-year-old woman who was 38 weeks pregnant went to the emergency department because she couldn’t hear her baby’s heartbeat with her home fetal heart monitor.
A few days earlier, she said she had noticed that the baby was moving far less than usual. However, she reassured herself that everything was OK by listening to the monitor. A couple of days later, when she listened again, she couldn’t detect anything and sought medical help.
Physicians performed an ultrasound and found no fetal heart activity. They gave the diagnosis — intrauterine death — but could not explain why it had happened.
All blood tests and infection screens were normal. There was no significant microbial growth from the placenta or fetus, and the fetus seemed morphologically normal, Chakladar said.
He said the stillbirth “may have been unavoidable,” but listening to the fetal heart monitor “certainly delayed presentation to the hospital.”
“Without training,” he added, sounds heard on the monitor “could easily be misinterpreted.” Likely, the mother had simply heard her own pulse or placental flow instead.
Home monitoring devices can give only a snapshot of the heart rate and “provide no indication of other important prognostic features,” he said.
Medical professionals provide context that an untrained mother can’t, he added. For example, midwives and obstetricians take careful histories and make experienced observations before making interpretations for a diagnosis.
But the sale and use of at-home fetal heart monitors has been on the rise, Rebecca Coombes, associate editor of BMJ, wrote in an accompanying editorial.
The devices are often sold over the Internet, making it hard for the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency — which is responsible for regulating fetal monitors classified as medical devices — to take disciplinary action.
But not all fetal heart monitors are medical-grade. Coombes said the regulated products use medical-grade ultrasound Doppler devices, which have to conform to medical standards and can cost $500 or more. But cheaper devices that do not use ultrasound retail for as little as $33.
“These are not considered medical devices,” she said.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
Hormonal fluctuations make it harder for women to sing during pregnancy, a new study finds.
Many professional singers have difficulty singing while pregnant, but it hasn’t been known whether this was because of hormones or other causes, such as decreased lung capacity as the baby grows.
In this study, researchers followed a professionally trained singer through 12 weeks of pregnancy and for 12 weeks after she gave birth. Once a week, the singer was recorded reading and singing into a device able to measure the pressure exerted to make each sound. This data was then matched with measurements of the singer’s hormone levels.
The researchers found that increased levels of hormones during pregnancy correlated with changes to the singer’s vocal folds. These temporary changes forced the singer to use more pressure from her lungs to sing the same notes as when she wasn’t pregnant.
“It seems that it’s harder work during pregnancy to sing,” study author Filipa La of Aveiro University in Portugal, said in a news release from the American Institute of Physics. But she added that this is a single case study, and larger studies need to be done before doctors could give reliable advice to professional singers.
The study was presented recently at the meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, in San Antonio, Texas.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
First, fill out a questionnaire at govbenefits.gov to see if you’re eligible for any government benefits.
Pregnant women can use federally funded health centers that permit you to pay what you can afford, based on your income. They can provide complete care when you’re pregnant as well as a host of other health services. To find one in your area, type in your address at www.findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
Medicaid is a federally funded state-run program that may help low-income families. The Kaiser Family Foundation provides an excellent database detailing what Medicaid may cover, at http://medicaidbenefits.kff.org/. Just click on your state. Unfortunately, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services confirms there is no centralized federal database to provide pregnant women information on where to go either at local or state levels for Medicaid services.
Each state has a “Women Infants and Children” program, which provides nutritious foods, nutrition education and referrals to health and other social services. Administered by the USDA Food & Nutrition Service, this program covers low income, pregnant, postpartum and breast-feeding women, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk. A household of four would qualify if its annual income is less than $40,793, according to the USDA Food & Nutrition Services. For more information, go to www.fns.usda.gov/wic. Be sure also to examine other federally sponsored nutritional programs located near the bottom of that same web page.
For information on prenatal services in your community, call 1-800-311-BABY. For information in Spanish: 1-800-504-7081.
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program may help children of families who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford private health. Go to www.insurekidsnow.gov or call 1-877-543-7669.
Indian Health Service provides public health care services to American Indians and Alaskan natives as well as non-Indian women who are pregnant with an eligible Indian’s child. Contact www.ihs.gov.
Some labor unions, professional clubs, associations and organizations offer private group plans to members, which may be lower-cost.
Other options:
- Talk to your hospital about a payment plan. Negotiate fiercely and try to obtain a list of all fees and necessary services in advance.
- A birthing center. This may cost $3,000 to $4,000, compared with $10,000 for a hospital. But consider this only if you are perfectly healthy and expect no complications. Find whether the center is properly licensed in your state and check staff credentials. You can search for a birthing center at www.birthcenters.org.
- Consider a midwife. Midwives charge less than one-third for their services compared with regular hospital care, and many prefer the personal touch and the natural nature of childbirth through a midwife. Ask your doctor or hospital for referrals. You also can search a data base at the American College of Nurse-Midwives at www.midwife.org. But shop around and carefully evaluate credentials, built-in safeguards, cleanliness and what insurance exists on the facility and/or midwife in the event of a problem.
Source
Posted on November 17, 2009 | Filed under Pregnancy | Permalink
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