About Pregnancy & Childbirth: 25 Early Pregnancy Symptoms You Might Miss

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

25 Early Pregnancy Symptoms You Might Miss May 31st 2013, 08:42 Are you trying to get pregnant? Trying to figure out if you're pregnant or not can be a big deal. I know that my first sign of pregnancy is different than most people - I get horribly, can't-get-your-head-out-of-bed exhausted. This usually happens before a late period even. Some women know they are pregnant from the time of conception, because they are so tuned in to their bodies. Sore breasts rank fairly high on the list of new signs of pregnancy. Other women need that pregnancy test to show them what they may be wondering about. What was your first pregnancy symptom? What was your first pregnancy symptom? Missed Period Being Tired Morning Sickness Sore Breasts Other (Please list in comments.) See the poll results. Related: Pregnancy Calendar Your Pregnancy in Pictures Pregnancy Books 25 Signs of Pregnancy and Early Pregnancy Symptoms Follow me on: Facebook, Twitter, Google+ & Pinterest! 25 Early Pregnancy Symptoms You Might Miss originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, May 31st, 2013 at 08:42:08. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Being hit in the abdomen causes miscarriage?

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Being hit in the abdomen causes miscarriage? May 29th 2013, 14:36 I've gotten quite a bit of email about whether or not being hit in the abdomen causes a miscarriage, in light of the recent dramatic rescue of three women and a young girl from a home in Cleveland.  One of the women reportedly was prevented from giving birth by being hit in the stomach to induce a miscarriage. This has caused many people to panic. The truth is, severe trauma to the abdomen, after the first trimester, can cause problems to the pregnancy, typically through trauma to the placenta.  But this type of trauma, either by intimate partner violence or severe accidents, is not the same trauma you experience with the klutzy falls in pregnancy. Many women will fall, even belly flop, and not experience trauma to themselves or baby. You see, the baby is encased in amniotic fluid, which can shield the baby from most traumas in every day life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Being hit in the abdomen causes miscarriage? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, May 29th, 2013 at 14:36:15. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Increase Your Chances of VBAC with Weight Loss

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Increase Your Chances of VBAC with Weight Loss May 28th 2013, 07:24 A recent presentation at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) meeting discussed the effects of weight loss on the chances of having a vaginal birth after a previous cesarean (VBAC). This paper showed that if a woman lost 1 BMI unit, about 12 pounds for a woman in the normal weight category, that she was able to increase the likelihood of a vaginal birth. For overweight women, this weight loss resulted in a 12% increase in VBAC success, and for obese women, the rate jumped to a 24% increase in the likelihood of VBAC. The study also looked at the weight loss factor and VBAC success for normal weighted women and found that this was not correlated. However, gaining weight between pregnancies in any category was shown to decrease the chances of successful vaginal birth. Overall, the VBAC rate in this study was 60%. One thing that is important to point out here is that while weight may play a factor in successful vaginal births, there is also a lot of practice variation. (This study didn't look at that factor.) This means that your choice of doctor or midwife for your care will also largely influence your success rates for a vaginal birth. A good combination of both being healthy, including weight loss when appropriate, and the choice of a provider who is pro-VBAC and has experience. What do you think? Related: 6 Ways to Find VBAC Support What to Do If You're Denied VBAC VBAC Birth Stories Callegari L, et al "Interpregnancy body mass index change and success of vaginal birth after cesarean" ACOG 2013; Abstract Oral 2. Photo © Lillian Elaine Wilson/Getty Images Increase Your Chances of VBAC with Weight Loss originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, May 28th, 2013 at 07:24:24. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: May is National Preeclampsia Month

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

May is National Preeclampsia Month May 27th 2013, 10:26 Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) is high blood pressure in pregnancy, but it can also lead to more serious complications, including preeclampsia. Left untreated preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia, which can cause many problems for you and your baby including seizures, strokes, and even death. Good prenatal care is the only screening that is helpful in detecting preeclampsia, this is why it is emphasized. About 5-8% of pregnancies will experience some form of the disease. The Preeclampsia Foundation is hosting walks to raise money for research as well as education, declaring May National Preeclampsia Month. Do you know anyone who has suffered from preeclampsia or eclampsia?   Related:   HELLP Syndrome Pregnancy Complications Prenatal Testing Common Birth Defects   Photo © iStockphoto May is National Preeclampsia Month originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, May 27th, 2013 at 10:26:41. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: What NOT to Say When Your Partner is Pregnant

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

What NOT to Say When Your Partner is Pregnant May 23rd 2013, 20:51 I was pretty sure I was pregnant when I took my first pregnancy test.  We'd been trying for almost a year and my period was several days late and I felt just awful.  Being worried that I would not be pregnant, I opted to take a pregnancy test alone, to save myself the embarrassment if I wasn't pregnant. Well, I wasn't wrong, I was pregnant. When I told my husband, he looked shocked and  said, "What?" I burst into tears. His reaction was so not what I expected. I don't know why that simple word drove me over the edge, but it did. Over the years I've heard some crazy responses from dads to pregnancy announcements, enough that I can say with confidence, don't say these things. What was your partner's response to your pregnancy? Was it just right? Lacking? Or down right offensive? Related: What NOT to Say to a Positive Pregnancy Test Readers Share: What did your partner say to your pregnancy announcement? Photo © Stockbyte/Getty Images What NOT to Say When Your Partner is Pregnant originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, May 23rd, 2013 at 20:51:23. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: 6 Ways to Own Your Planned Cesarean

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

6 Ways to Own Your Planned Cesarean May 20th 2013, 13:16 So you're having a planned cesarean birth for you baby.  While there are certainly some things on your typical birth plan that might not work for your cesarean birth plan, there are a number of things that you do have control over! Here are six things you can have control over when you've giving birth in the operating room. Did you experience any of these? Related: When can you schedule a cesarean birth? Do you need a doula for a cesarean birth? Can someone stay with me during a c-section birth?   Photo © arztsamui - Fotolia.com 6 Ways to Own Your Planned Cesarean originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, May 20th, 2013 at 13:16:53. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Smell Aversion in Pregnancy

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Smell Aversion in Pregnancy May 16th 2013, 08:30 One of the first things you might have noticed is that there are some smells that set you off when pregnant. The odd thing is, this doesn't have to be something terrible (like a garbage can). In fact, many moms are surprised it's often something they love (like coffee). Did you suffer from smell aversion in pregnancy? Related: 6 Smells Pregnant Women Hate 5 Strange Pregnancy Symptoms Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © RunPhoto/Getty Images Smell Aversion in Pregnancy originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, May 16th, 2013 at 08:30:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: What can dads do?

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

What can dads do? May 13th 2013, 00:05 I saw a Facebook post the other day asking the question: What can a dad do other than breastfeed?  It made me think of all the times society answers that with: Change diapers! That's sort of sad, isn't it?  I mean, no one really wants to change diapers. So I started coming up with some fun things that dads can do with babies. Wear the baby Bathe baby Read to baby Sing to baby Take walks with baby Do baby massage Snuggle skin to skin with baby Skype with baby to see distant relatives Basically anything except breastfeed... So as you all think about Father's Day, what is on your lists? Related: 10 Tips for New Dads Books for Dads Overzealous Dads in Pregnancy Readers Share: Did your partner drive you nuts in pregnant? Do you suffer from pregnancy obsession? Sympathetic Pregnancy (Couvade Syndrome) What can dads do? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, May 13th, 2013 at 00:05:40. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Mothers' Day Pregnancy Announcements

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Mothers' Day Pregnancy Announcements May 12th 2013, 22:00 Did you get a big fat positive this morning for Mothers' Day? If so maybe you're looking for some fun ways to announce your pregnancy to others, perhaps with a Mothers' Day theme. Here are some specific for today: Pregnancy Announcement: Mother's Day Pregnancy Announcement: Mother's Day for New Grandma There are also several pages of ideas from other readers that are not specific to a holiday but are still loads of fun. When to Announce Your Pregnancy Creative Ways to Announce Your Pregnancy Don't Let Pinterest Accidentally Announce Your Pregnancy Related: A Pregnant Mother's Day Celebrating Mother's Day While Pregnant Becoming a Mother Readers Share: How will you spend Mother's Day? Mothers' Day Pregnancy Announcements originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Sunday, May 12th, 2013 at 22:00:20. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Fastest Falling Baby Names of the Year

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Fastest Falling Baby Names of the Year May 10th 2013, 13:16 Okay, I feel like I did the requisite report on the most popular baby names of the year according to the Social Security Administration's look at last years baby names. Honestly, it's a fun report to look at and one I really enjoy, but lots of people talk about the top names. I'm really a data geek and I like looking at the numbers from lots of angles. I think that the SSA must know that because over the years, they've added more and more features, including the ability to see how fast names are gaining or losing on the scale. That's where I thought it might be interesting to see if we can pick a few names out that are dropping. Here are the five fastest dropping names in both boys and girls: Boys: Braeden Yahir Kieran Cullen Brayan Amare Jalen Trey Casey Jakob Girls: Dulce Mikaela Estrella Danna Audrina Cameron Kiera Savanna Paola Tenley I think some of these are easy to look at and to tell why they are dropping. While Cullen might have been a popular name that wasn't quite Edward, now it's lost fashion. Some of these names, like Jakob, have obviously popular variations. (Locally I hear a lot of Tinley, so I wonder if that's what's going on with Tenley?)  What's your take on the fastest falling names of the year? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Jamie Grill/Getty Images Fastest Falling Baby Names of the Year originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, May 10th, 2013 at 13:16:13. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Great Tool for Moms-to-Be

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Great Tool for Moms-to-Be May 10th 2013, 12:19 If you haven't yet signed up for Text4Baby, check out this free text messaging service. It's available in English and Spanish. It is designed to provide you with healthy reminders via text message for you and baby from pregnancy through baby's first year. This Mother's Day, give you and baby this free treat! Related: Text4Baby 50 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy You're Pregnant! Now What? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Great Tool for Moms-to-Be originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, May 10th, 2013 at 12:19:01. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Top Baby Names

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Top Baby Names May 9th 2013, 19:10 The Social Security Administration (SSA) releases the top baby names from the birth certificate data. It's always neat to look at it overall, but there is also the interesting part of looking at it from year to year and state to state. A name that might be in the top ten overall, might not be a popular name in your state and vice versa. Here are the top ten baby names for boys: Jacob Mason Ethan Noah William Liam Jayden Michael Alexander Aiden For girls: Sophia Emma Isabella Olivia Ava Emily Abigail Mia Madison Elizabeth How do lists like these influence your baby naming, positively or negatively? Related: Top 100 Baby Girl Names Top 100 Baby Boy Names Top Baby Name by Decade   Top Baby Names originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, May 9th, 2013 at 19:10:06. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Pitocin Puts Healthy Full Term Babies at Risk

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pitocin Puts Healthy Full Term Babies at Risk May 9th 2013, 08:51 This isn't news to most people who work with laboring women with any frequency, but at a poster presentation this week at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) meeting, these were the findings that were reported. When the study looked at over 3,000 full term newborns who had had either a Pitocin induction or an augmentation. Induction with Pitocin was more likely to see a newborn spend more than 24 hours in the neonatal intensive care (NICU) and augmentation, or the speeding up of labor was seen to have infants with lower APGAR scores (newborn assessment). While we have looked at the risks of Pitocin in labor for moms, it's never before been studied from the point of view of risk to the baby. (Yes, you read that right.)  What is problematic is that 23% of labors are started with Pitocin according to the CDC, that number climbs higher if you talk to moms. While there has been a crack down on deliveries that are elective and done prior to 39 weeks, that's not all inductions. Many are still done before the completion of 42 weeks, which is the deadline recommended by ACOG. This means that many babies are potentially at risk for these complications. So, what's a mom to do?  Start with asking why an induction of labor is being suggested. Could you wait a few days to see if labor starts on its own? What other options do you have for induction, if waiting isn't the best option? Ask what the risks are to you and baby.  Then ask for time alone to discuss your options and make a decision. Related: How to Avoid an Induction Readers Share: Have you ever had a complication from induction? Tuesday Poster #74: Oxytocin Usage for Labor Induction or Augmentation and Adverse Neonatal Outcomes Photo © REW Pitocin Puts Healthy Full Term Babies at Risk originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, May 9th, 2013 at 08:51:07. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Cleaning Pacifiers with Your Mouth

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Cleaning Pacifiers with Your Mouth May 8th 2013, 12:43 When it comes to having a baby, let's just say that there is what you expect to do as a parent and reality.  I think this news falls into the reality category. You have a crying baby and the pacifier falls... You pray as you watch it tumble that it will land handle side down. The slow mo fall ends... not as you would have hoped. You invoke the five second rule and then realize that this strategy might not be good enough, so you... quickly pop the pacifier in your mouth, assuming you're getting the majority of the nasty germs off and then pop it back in baby's mouth, praying no one saw you do it. Well, the good news is, the saliva in your mouth, according to this small study, may ward off allergies. (That's what we're talking about here folks.) They found that infants who had their pacifiers cleaned with parental saliva had fewer allergies and asthma than parents who didn't. Remember, the message is that we're raising our kids to be too germ free, and that might be potentially more dangerous than a bit of dirt. I always think of my grandmother's often heard adage: You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die. So, will you or won't you? Source: Hesselmar, Bill, Sjöberg, Fei, Saalman, Robert, Åberg, Nils, Adlerberth, Ingegerd, & Wold, Agnes E. (2013). Pacifier Cleaning Practices and Risk of Allergy Development. Pediatrics. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-3345 Photo © Monika Ribbe/Getty Images Cleaning Pacifiers with Your Mouth originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, May 8th, 2013 at 12:43:21. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Very Few Moms Request Cesareans

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Very Few Moms Request Cesareans May 8th 2013, 11:53 I'm seeing a lot of news articles recently about cesarean birth, particularly in regards to mothers who request a c-section without having a medical need for one prior to labor.  Childbirth Connection, in Listening to Mothers II found it to be about 1% and an article released from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) believes it to be about 3%.  Still, I think many media outlets make it seem like it is a much higher number than either of these numbers. That said, the recommendations have been to carefully counsel and consider the ramifications for both the mother and the baby as well as futures pregnancies. A cesarean is not a risk free surgery, just as vaginal birth is not risk free. But there are different risks that go along with the surgery that can include complications to future pregnancies, including placenta previa or accreta. One mother just died earlier this week giving birth to her sixth child. It is important that all of this is throughly discussed and explained, not glossed over. There are times when the risks of a cesarean birth are the best choice for a specific family. But the take away message should be that few of these requests are really being made, compared to what you might be lead to believe in the media. What do you think your doctor or midwife should ask if you were to make this type of request? Related: Tips for a Safer C-Section Cesarean Birth Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Fotolia Very Few Moms Request Cesareans originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, May 8th, 2013 at 11:53:42. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Wear Your Seat Belt When Pregnant

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Wear Your Seat Belt When Pregnant May 7th 2013, 11:15 Yesterday, the headlines where I live included the death of a woman who was 27 weeks pregnant. She had been ejected from the car during a crash. She was laying in the back, sleeping at the time. My heart is broken for this family. Not only is her life lost, but that of her baby as well. While I try to make it a habit not to read the comments of the local paper (Who needs that stress?), I did catch a few comments that really shocked me. Many were from women who talked about how awful seat belts were. They complained about how they were uncomfortable and tight. A few openly admitted to not wearing them at all. This was jaw dropping for me. It simply never occurred to me that pregnant women, who normally wore seat belts, would stop in pregnancy. So here's my public service announcement: Wear your seat belt, even when pregnant. Wear it low, under your belly, but wear it. It's supposed to fit snuggly, not loosely. Related: Tip for Pregnant Travelers Comfortable Car Trips in Pregnancy Readers Share: Travel Tips in Pregnancy Air Travel in Pregnancy Airplane Travel with Baby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Getty Images/Bernd Opitz Wear Your Seat Belt When Pregnant originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, May 7th, 2013 at 11:15:48. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Negative Pregnancy Tests

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Negative Pregnancy Tests May 6th 2013, 10:06 The vast majority of moms here are hoping for a positive pregnancy test. The truth of the matter is, you are also likely to experience at least one cycle where you have a negative pregnancy test. So how will you react?  The response you have might really surprise you. I know that I was surprised in a variety ways many times when I got a negative test result. Some of my reaction had to do with factors like: How long I'd been trying How sure I was I'd hit the timing target Just a gut feeling What alters how you react? Did you have any of these feelings when your test was negative? Related: Pregnancy Test Basics Scared to Take a Pregnancy Test Pregnancy Test Stories Questions About Pregnancy Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Fotolia Negative Pregnancy Tests originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, May 6th, 2013 at 10:06:57. Permalink | Comment | Email this

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions