Pregnancy

Traveling While Pregnant - 6 Ways To Travel Safe When You're Pregnant

2009-11-20T15:00:00Z

Sometimes it's hard to know what's safe for you and your unborn baby. Travel is one of those things that pregnant women often question.

Fortunately, it is safe to travel, as long as you keep a few things in mind:

If you travel during your first trimester, you may be uncomfortable due to nausea. So it's important to bring something with you to help with that.
When you get up from your seat, be sure and hold onto the seats -- because your center of gravity is different when you're pregnant.
Get up and walk around every 2 hours. Blood clots are a problem when you're seated for too long. Walking every couple of hours will help to reduce the risk.
If you're traveling after your 8th month of pregnancy, be sure and carry your pregnancy records with you so that if you go into labor or have a problem while you're gone another doctor can view your pregnancy records.
If you're traveling to a foreign country, be aware of infections that you could be exposed to that could harm your baby.
Have an emergency plan in place -- especially if you're traveling late in your pregnancy.

Will you be traveling during your first trimester? Are you worried about what you can do to combat nausea and other symptoms of morning sickness while in car for a long time -- or maybe on board a train or plane? There are several natural cures for morning sickness. They are easy to do, and you can carry them with you when you're traveling.

4 Foods That Can Boost Your Fertility When Trying To Get Pregnant

2009-11-19T15:00:00Z

Did you know that what you eat when you're trying to get pregnant is just as important as what you eat when you're pregnant?

That's right, science has shown there are certain foods that can actually help to boost your fertility.

To get you started (and so you can start adding these foods to your diet right away), here are 4 foods that will help you increase your chances of getting pregnant:

Almonds. Almonds offer the best protection from free radical damage, a type of damage that affects cells, including sperm and eggs.
Wheat Germ. Wheat germ has Vitamins B6, E, and selenium, all of which help to prevent miscarriage once you get pregnant.
Pizza. This one's for the guys. The tomatoes and onions assist sperm in growing stronger.
Canola Oil. Canola oil is loaded with omega 3 fatty acids which help to protect your eggs and keep them healthy.

Worried about taking care of your skin once you get pregnant? Lots of women are. Fortunately, there are lots of foods that are good for you and your skin.

Inducing Labor: The 5 Ways That Doctors Can Induce Labor

2009-11-18T15:00:00Z

If your baby is late in coming, your doctor may decide to induce labor.

When your doctor induces labor, he will try one or more of these 5 different methods for inducing labor:

A finger inserted to separate the amniotic sac from the cervix. This causes the body to release prostoglandins and induces labor.
Your doctor may give you synthetic prostoglandins to get labor started.
A plastic balloon device may be inserted into your cervix and then filled with water to ripen the cervix.
Your doctor may insert a plastic hook into the cervix and break the amniotic sac to help induce labor.
You may be given the drug Pitosin to strengthen your contractions.

Concerned that your doctor may have to induce labor? Learn how to tell what position your baby is in in the womb.

The Evolution Of Infertility - Does The Environment Play A Part?

2009-11-17T15:00:00Z

Infertility is something that about 10% of couples deal with when trying to become pregnant.

It can be frustrating and upsetting when you're trying to conceive and find that for some reason you aren't able to.

Many doctors are now saying that part of the problem is how polluted our environment is. Another doctor, Dr. Oren Hasson an evolutionary biologist, has a bit of a different take.

Dr. Hasson believes that it is evolution that has turned our bodies against us forcing men to create supersperm, and women to create an environment that only allows one sperm to fertilize an egg and which kills off all other sperm.

As a couple's bodies fine tune to each other, they combine with the problems of evolution mentioned above, and create a situation of infertility.

Here are some different viewpoints regarding infertility, as documented in baby blogs which document individual mothers' stories about infertility.

Fun Pregnancy T-Shirts & Baby Onesies With An Attitude

2009-11-16T15:00:00Z

When you're pregnant, there are lots of fun ways to bring attention to your belly... and your personality!

Don't like people touching your pregnant belly? There are maternity t-shirts with slogans like:

Ever been slapped by a pregnant chick? Touch my belly and live the experience!
Rub my belly and I will barf on you!
Or my personal favorite, "Hands off the bump!"

There are also cute little onesies you can get for your baby:

If you don't like my attitude then stop talking to me!
It's not gas, I just want you to go away!
If you're not here to change my diaper, then you're wasting my time!

Want more fun pregnancy stuff? Check out these pregnancy tickers!

Pregnant With Morning Sickness? Metoclopramide May Help

2009-11-15T15:00:00Z

A new study found that metoclopramide, an anti-nausea drug, is safe for pregnant women to take to ward off morning sickness.

82,000 births where this drug was used were analyzed. The study found that no difference in the number of birth defects between the women who took the drug and those who did not.

Despite this, many women still will not take a drug to control morning sickness. The reason? In the past, such drugs have caused deformities in babies and mothers simply don't want to risk that.

For more information on this new finding, consult The New England Journal of Medicine.

Warning: Pregnant Women Can Get STD's

2009-11-14T15:00:00Z

We don't often worry about getting an STD (sexually transmitted disease) when we're pregnant, but the fact is you can contract one if you're not careful and/or not in a committed relationship where both partners are monogamous.

There are 3 ways to prevent yourself from contracting an STD during pregnancy:

Abstain from sex.
Only have sex within a mutually monogamous relationship where you know your partner is clean because he's been tested.
Use condoms when having sex.

STD's can harm your baby by causing the baby to be stillborn, have a low birth weight, or even be born with conjunctivitis, pneumonia, deafness, blindness, hepatitis, meningitis, liver disease and several other problems.

For these reasons it's important to avoid getting STD's when you're pregnant.

For more information, visit these sites:

EXPOSED: Certain Foods Are Dangerous To Eat When You're Pregnant!

2009-11-13T16:00:00Z

Did you know there are some foods that are actually dangerous to eat when you're pregnant?

When you're pregnant, your immune system is much more susceptible to being compromised than when you aren't pregnant.

There are a number of foods that you should avoid eating while pregnant:

Eggs and milk products that aren't pasteurized. This leaves them open to being tainted with bacteria that can cause infections and endanger your pregnancy.
Lunch meat and hotdogs. This also includes cured meats like ham too! They can be tainted with listeria monocytogenes another type of bacteria.
Soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt. These can contain listeria.

There is one other item you want to be sure is pasteurized before you buy it. I bet you would never think of this one. After all, apple cider is perfectly safe to drink, right?

Well...yes and no. If you purchase your apple cider at a farmer's market for example, it might not be. Not all of the apple cider at markets is pasteurized, so it's simply a good idea to ask before you buy.

Premature Births Are On The Rise, But It's Not Clear Why

2009-11-12T16:00:00Z

Premature babies are a fact of life, and most moms-to-be know there is always a possibility that their baby may be born premature.

However, in the last 20+ years, premature births have increased by 36%, and doctors don't really know why.

In fact, in 40% of premature births, the cause is unknown.

When the cause of premature birth is known, it's usually one of these reasons:

Infections
The uterus being overstretched as can sometimes happen in cases of multiple births
Bleeding such as can happen with placental abruption and placenta previa
Either the mom or the baby -- or both -- are under some kind of stress.

VIDEO: 9 Months Of Pregnancy In 20 Seconds!

2009-11-11T16:00:00Z

If you're newly pregnant and want to see how you're going to look over time, then this is the video for you! You can see in 20 seconds how much your body changes in 9 months.

I really liked the end too, where you get to see the new baby as well.

Which Antibiotics Are Safe To Take During Pregnancy?

2009-11-10T15:30:00Z

Moms-to-be do their best to protect their babies by cutting out things which might increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage.

However, sometimes a mom's bacterial infection is just as dangerous, and doctor's have to weigh the risks and make a decision when it comes to providing treatment.

According to a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one class of antibiotics is perfectly safe:

Penicillins are safe for pregnant women to take. Penicillin poses the least risk to an unborn child.

But...2 other types of antibiotics are not safe for pregnant mothers:

Sulfa drugs (brand names include Bactrim and Thiosulfil Forte)
Urinary germicides (brand names Macrobid and Furadantin)

Those antibiotics are more likely to cause birth defects such as cleft palate, hernia, and heart defects.

So, if you're prescribed antibiotics for a bacterial infection (such as from a Brown Recluse spider bite, though it would be quite rare if one bit you), it's in your best interest to question the type of antibiotics you're being given. Chances are, your doctor will do the right thing, but the point is to know what you're putting in your body.

Best Baby Bottles According To Moms & Experts

2009-11-09T20:11:20Z

With so many choices for baby bottles on the market, does it really matter which one you choose?

What's the difference between all these baby bottles?

Which are the best ...and why?

What do the experts say?

As a mom, each of us is partial to what we used for our own kids. In fact, we probably wouldn't have used them if we didn't swear by them. I, for one, was shocked when my favorite baby bottle, Avent, was not on this list of the 5 best baby bottles:

#1 BornFree Bisphenol-A Free Baby Bottles
#2 Playtex Drop-Ins Premium Nurser Bottles
#3 The First Years Breastflow Baby Bottles
#4 Dr. Brown's Natural Flow
#5 Evenflo Classic Glass Nurser Bottles

According to Consumer Research, those rankings are based on a combination of online consumer reviews.

]]> My favorite bottle, did however, make it onto this list of top 7 baby bottles, and near the top of the list at that!

#1 MilkBank Baby Bottles (Great vented system to prevent gas and colic, plus a wide nipple making it easy to go from breast to bottle)
#2 Avent Baby Bottles (Best for breastfeeding moms who need to use bottles due to the unique air flow system that prevents gas pain. I agree!)
#3 Dr. Brown's Baby Bottles (Prevent gas paint, burping, and vomiting due to a vacuum formed within the bottle)
#4 Evenflo Glass Baby Bottles (Great for breast milk storage, since there is no seepage of BPA's)
#5 Adiri Nurser Baby Bottles (BPA free, but not glass and shaped like a breast to allow nursing mothers flexibility)
#6 Playtex Ventaire Baby Bottles (They have the popular angled neck)
#7 Second Nature Baby Bottles (Also mimic the nursing experience)

What Do Other Experts Say?

Louise Chang MD, part of the WebMD medical editing team, covers the whole glass vs plastic issue when it comes to baby bottles. Their strongest advice is to avoid storing breast milk in plastic bottles that may contain BPA. They recommend extra care when feeding to limit BPA exposure to the baby.

Even if you're concerned about bisphenol A, you don't have to give up your plastic bottles. Non-polycarbonate plastic versions are available. They're made of polyethylene (#1, #2, or #4 recycling symbols) or polypropylene (#5 recycling symbol). Non-polycarbonate plastics are also options when your child graduates to a sippy cup. Source

Before you think glass bottles are less safe for other reasons, consider these safer options for glass bottle users.

Mark Corkins, a pediatric gastroenterologist and one of Babycenter's experts, stresses the importance of finding bottle nipples that work best for your child.

The best nipple is one that seems to fit comfortably in your baby's mouth. That said, there are literally dozens of nipples available and choosing the right one can be maddening. Most full term babies will accept whichever nipple they're offered if they're hungry, so I wouldn't worry too much about this. The 3 basic types of nipple you can choose from are "orthodontic," meaning the nipple is flattened to look (and presumably feel) more like your breast; "angled" meaning the nipple is slanted so it automatically tilts into your baby's mouth, and "vented," which means the nipple has a tiny hole in it to let air into the bottle while your baby sucks milk out (presumably to prevent gas-producing bubbles). Source

In other words, when it comes to bottles and nipples, you need to use a system of trail and error to see what work for you. The point being: it's important to pay attention, rather than just sticking with the one you try first.

According to this MSNBC / AP report, glass baby bottles are making a comeback due to concerns about BPA's in plastic bottles. In the article, Carolyn Hentschell, president of Handi-Craft Co./Dr. Brown's Natural Flow was quoted as saying:

Dr. Brown's, which has been making a polycarbonate bottle for about a decade, introduced a glass version in early January because of customer demand. If you're a mom and you have concerns about BPA, here's an obvious choice. We don't want them to feel like they have to go to another baby bottle. Source

In addition to many bottle makers adding glass baby bottles to their production lines, you should be aware that that some are also making stainless steel baby bottles.

Other Baby Bottle Reviews

More BPA-Free Baby Bottles

Baby Bottle Reviews By Brand, By Feature & Age Range

Green To Grow Baby Bottle Review

Mothers' Reviews Of Baby Bottles

Dr. Browns Baby Bottle Review

Too Much Baby Stuff? Best Ways to Control Baby Clutter

2009-11-09T14:23:00Z

Everyone loves babies, and everyone wants to buy things for babies.

Because of this, it is easy to end up with a lot of baby stuff before your baby is even born.

If you're pregnant and trying to be more frugal, make do with what you have, and keep your life free of clutter, what in the world are you supposed to do with all that baby stuff you receive as gifts?

Here are 7 ways to control baby clutter.

A few of my favorites from that list:

Don't have a baby shower if you don't want one. If you have a relative or friend that insists, ask for there to be a theme.
Take back unwanted items to the stores they were bought at and exchange them for wanted items.
Purchase items as you need them, not in anticipation of needing them.
Donate items that you don't want to charity, or sell them on eBay or Craigslist.

Try to stick to the bare necessities when it comes to buying things for your new baby. And encourage your friends to do the same!

How To Count Your Baby's Fetal Kicks

2009-11-08T15:00:00Z

Most every pregnant woman is concerned with the health and well-being of her unborn child.

Sometimes so much so, that it can lead to a lot of stress and worry.

Knowing your baby's fetal kick count can help to alleviate a mom-to-be's fears about the baby's health.

You can do your own fetal kick count by first choosing the time each day when your baby is most active.
Then before you begin counting your baby's movements (not including hiccups), write the time down on a piece of paper.
Keep track of how many times your baby moves in the womb. If your baby makes less than 10 movements in 4 hours then you should call your physician to see what the next thing you should do is.

A Fun & Easy Way To Set Up A Baby Savings Account For Your Newborn

2009-11-07T15:00:00Z

Most parents don't think of setting up a savings plan for their newborn child. Yet when their child turns college-age, they sure wish they would have!

If you set up a baby savings account while your child is still a newborn -- and contribute a very small amount ($12/yr) to that account monthly -- then your child will never want for anything.

Plus, over time you will be teaching your child the good habit of saving money. It's kind of fun too!

The simplest way to start a baby savings account is to do this:

When your baby is born, open a savings account in their name.
Then, for their first year of life, put $1.00 into your baby's savings account each month.
On your child's first birthday start putting $1.50 each month into your baby's savings account.
When your child turns 2, start putting in $2.00 each month.
Once they turn 3, put in $3.00 each month -- and so on until your child turns 18.

When the time comes, your child will have no problem paying for college or whatever else they might choose to do as an adult.