About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Epidural or nothing?

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Epidural or nothing? Jun 4th 2012, 08:54 Talking to moms about their options for pain relief usually yields me very similar answers: I did my homework and I chose an epidural. My next question is always, what else did you consider? The vast majority say nothing. This always leaves me feeling a bit puzzled - how can you make a choice if you only have one option? One of the first times I had this conversation was with a good friend, who had her baby years before we met. I asked her what her thought process was going into pregnancy and birth surrounding pain medication for labor. She said, "I didn't want to writhe around, so I got an epidural." Before I could stop myself, the automatic thing out of my mouth was, "There are other options other than writhing or an epidural." She honestly had never considered that thought. In her mind, there were women who had epidurals and women who didn't. It was as simple as that. No one had ever told her that she had choices, lots of them. Do you know what all of your choices are when it comes to relieving labor pain? Related: Epidural or Nothing? Choosing an Epidural 7 Reasons You Can't Have an Epidural Photo © April's Grape Vine Photography Epidural or nothing? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, June 4th, 2012 at 08:54:46. 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: Does timing sex to get pregnant cause men to stray?

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Does timing sex to get pregnant cause men to stray? Jun 2nd 2012, 11:21 I saw a post that said basically this the other day. I will admit to laughing out loud as I read it, but what really got me was that it was supposedly a study. After much searching I found the study in the Journal of Andrology, a real scientific journal. Before you freak out, there is a lot to be desired from this study, it's not as it appears to be. There were 439 men in the study, who were already being evaluated for fertility problems, not simply trying to conceive. This is not a huge and/or powerful number given the implications they are supposedly reporting. The researchers measured extra martial sex, new erectile dysfunction and soft drink intake. (If you read the study the soft drinks were about stress reduction.) This is a lot of variables to take in, particularly after all the blood work. Couples frequently abstained from sex except for the day of ovulation. I could go on and on with questions I have about this study.  But here are the take aways that I do believe are valid: Trying to get pregnant can be difficult and cause stress for both men and women. Consider ways to make sex on O day feel less timed. Every few months, skip a month or two of active trying. Be spontaneous throughout your cycle. What advice do you give to couples who have started trying to have a baby? Related: Ovulation Calculator 5 Signs You're Ovulating Source: Chong Won Bak, Sang Woo Lyu, Hyun Ha Seok, Jae Sang Byun, Jee Han Lee, Sung Han Shim Shim, and Tae Ki Yoon Erectile Dysfunction and Extramarital Sex Induced by Timed Intercourse: A Prospective Study of 439 Men J Androl 0: jandrol.112.016667v1. Does timing sex to get pregnant cause men to stray? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Saturday, June 2nd, 2012 at 11:21:26. 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: Fitness Friday: Side Stretch Twist in Pregnancy

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Fitness Friday: Side Stretch Twist in Pregnancy Jun 1st 2012, 16:06 After sitting in a chair all day, this is one exercise I could really use - the side stretch twist.  This gentle stretch can feel very powerful.  It's easy to do, even in your office chair.  (Though I recommend locking the wheels if you have them on your chair.) This can also help with round ligament pain if you're experiencing this side effect of pregnancy. Do you think you'll enjoy the side stretch twist? More Fitness Friday: Side Stretch Twist in Pregnancy Round Ligament Pain Staying Fit in Pregnancy Newsletter 10 Reasons to Exercise in Pregnancy Great Pregnancy Exercises Exercise in Pregnancy Photo © Reggie Casagrande/Getty Images Fitness Friday: Side Stretch Twist in Pregnancy originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, June 1st, 2012 at 16:06:12. 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 31st 2012, 10:58 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 31st, 2012 at 10:58:23. 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: Did you try any of these fertility aids?

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Did you try any of these fertility aids? May 30th 2012, 09:07 When you start thinking about getting pregnant, you probably want to be pregnant RIGHT NOW. Even when you aren't on a time table, there is so much information about fertility awareness around that you most likely had some clue about when you were ovulating, even if was just a plain ovulation calculator. That said, the world of fertility aids has exploded. From apps and beads to high tech motors that you use on a daily or continuous basis - it's pretty amazing. Did you use some type of fertility aid to help you determine when you were ovulating or when to be get pregnant? Related: Fertility Aids Conception Quiz Things to Think About Before You Get Pregnant 25 Pregnancy Signs Home Ovulation Prediction Kits Photo © Shutterstock Did you try any of these fertility aids? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, May 30th, 2012 at 09:07:28. 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: An Ergonomic Pregnancy Test

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

An Ergonomic Pregnancy Test May 29th 2012, 09:01 If you've ever taken a normal pregnancy test that requires you to actually pee on the stick, you know that the design is certainly not conducive to actually doing anything constructive, other than hitting your hand.  So when I ran across an ad in a magazine that touted the Clearblue Plus Ergonomic Pregnancy test (these are not digital), I was intrigued.  Have you tried it?  Does it really help?  Or do you simple pee in a cup and dip your pregnancy tests to avoid the need for an ergonomic handle? Related: Pregnancy Test Facts Top Pregnancy Tests The Rabbit Died: A History of the Pregnancy Test 10 Reasons Your Period is Late Photo © Getty Images/Sean De Burca An Ergonomic Pregnancy Test originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 at 09:01:07. 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: Pregnant at the Picnic

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pregnant at the Picnic May 28th 2012, 10:08 Yum!  This weekend's celebrations certainly open up for the summer food season.  There are some great foods that are best found in the hottest months of the year.  One of my favorites its watermelon.  While this food doesn't hold a lot of potential for illness, that's not true of other picnic foods, particularly when you're pregnant. There are some pregnancy rules of picnic food they will hold true no matter what type of picnic you're at.  But in addition to the food, think about safety from the point of the sun and heat as well.  Drink to thirst and try to keep a cool glass of water nearby, remember that caffeine can cause you to dehydrate.  You will also want to stay out of the direct sun for long periods of time and to wear sunscreen. What are your Memorial Day plans? Related: Foods to Avoid Harmful Cravings in Pregnancy Surviving the Summer Heat Summer Pregnancy Comfort Tips Photo © Steven Errico/Getty Images Pregnant at the Picnic originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, May 28th, 2012 at 10:08:54. 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