Friday, July 20, 2012

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: 1 in 13 Pregnant Women Drink Alcohol

About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy & Childbirth
1 in 13 Pregnant Women Drink Alcohol
Jul 20th 2012, 10:30

The CDC reports that 1 in 13 pregnant women drink alcohol. This is something they consider a public health problem because there is no safe level of alcohol established for pregnancy. Drinking alcohol has been related to birth defects, disabilities and other problems for pregnancy and the baby well beyond infancy.

Alcohol and PregnancyWhat really surprised me was who they said was drinking in pregnancy, "Among pregnant women, the highest estimates of reported alcohol use were among those who were aged 35-44 years (14.3 percent); white (8.3 percent), college graduates (10.0 percent), or employed (9.6 percent)."

Given the recent discussion of the safety of alcohol in pregnancy, it's safe to say that many pregnant women are likely confused. Getting information from friends and family as opposed to your doctor or midwife may be concerning.  These medical professionals will be able to look at your medical history and give you advice related to you, taking into account the science.

I hear from pregnant women who said that their obstetrician told them it was okay to have a one time glass of wine for something specific, which can include medicinal reasons. Others point to Europe that has a more lax belief about alcohol in pregnancy when discussing alcohol safety in pregnancy.

What's your take on it?  Do you abstain from alcohol in the pre-conception period and/or pregnancy? Have you talked to your healthcare provider about this specifically? Tell me in the comments what your take on this is...

Related:

Photo © Fotolia

1 in 13 Pregnant Women Drink Alcohol originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, July 20th, 2012 at 10:30:23.

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Thursday, July 19, 2012

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Catch Up on Tweets from DONA and CAPPA

About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy & Childbirth
Catch Up on Tweets from DONA and CAPPA
Jul 19th 2012, 17:14

Sleeping Newborn Baby

DONA International and Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA), both childbirth related organizations are having their conferences this week.  A great way to learn some really neat things about pregnancy and birth is to listen in on their sessions and talks. Twitter really allows us to do that very easily. During the next four days, you'll be able to listen in by following their conferences by following their hashtags: #DONA12 (@DONAIntl) and #CAPPA12 (@CAPPAInfo)

Is your doula or childbirth educator attending? Are you listening in? (Say hi to me if you're around Twitter!)

Catch Up on Tweets from DONA and CAPPA originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, July 19th, 2012 at 17:14:09.

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Join a Breastfeeding Blog Carnival

About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy & Childbirth
Join a Breastfeeding Blog Carnival
Jul 19th 2012, 13:37

World Breastfeeding Week 2012

World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7th every year. This year I'm hosting a Blog Carnival on issues surrounding all types of breastfeeding issues, and everyone is invited! What's a blog carnival? A blog carnival is an chance for bloggers to write about a common topic, with the lead blogger connecting all the different pieces together in one single blog post. Anyone can participate in a blog carnival, because the idea is for every participant to bring their own voice and opinion to the conversation.

This year's theme, if you're looking for inspiration, is "Understanding the Past - Planning the Future." If you need ideas for the blog post, please be sure to let me know, I'm happy to brain storm with you, you can join me at Facebook to discuss topics or via twitter. Some ideas include:

  • The joys of breastfeeding
  • What breastfeeding has taught you as a parent
  • A father's look at breastfeeding (or sibling, grandparent, etc.)
  • A familial look at breastfeeding history
  • Problems you've faced and overcome
  • Historical look at breastfeeding fashion
  • Breast pumps and everything that goes with it
  • Anything else you want to talk about!

Join the carnival by submitting a blog post to me by July 28, and I ask that you add a link back when my blog is published on August 1. Make sure to follow the Health Channel blog carnival rules and send me your blog post link by email at pregnancy.guide@about.com. Come back on August 1 for my posting that includes the submissions from all the bloggers who participate.

Photo © WHO/UNICEF

Join a Breastfeeding Blog Carnival originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, July 19th, 2012 at 13:37:41.

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Pregnancy Makes This Mom Feels Like a Frog

About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy Makes This Mom Feels Like a Frog
Jul 19th 2012, 12:17

Hand Covering Mouth

"I am 7 weeks + 2 days. The amount of Burp coming out of my mouth is unbelievable... Some of which are too loud and some are manageable, but mostly loud. And when I have a break of a few seconds then I have burp stuck in my throat that I feel sick and wanting to puke....I feel like a frog!!"

Can you relate?

Related:

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Photo © Grove Pashley/Getty Images

Pregnancy Makes This Mom Feels Like a Frog originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, July 19th, 2012 at 12:17:46.

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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: BPA Banned from Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups

About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy & Childbirth
BPA Banned from Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups
Jul 18th 2012, 12:43

Afters years of claiming it was safe, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has decided to ban Bisphenol-A (BPA) from baby bottles and sippy cups. Babies R Us and Wal-Mart began getting rid of BPA in the products that they carried as early as 2008. The FDA still hasn't banned BPA from other food packaging, though some manufacturers are doing this on their own.

Pura Stainless Steel Baby Bottle


So what's the big deal with BPA? It mimics estrogen in the body and has been tied to behavior problems, depression and anxiety. Though BPA is not only found in baby bottles and sippy cups, it's found in many forms of food packaging. This is why it's estimated that 90% of people have traces of BPA in their urine. Many of the baby bottle manufacturers and breast pump makers stopped using BPA on their own due to the consumer concerns.

Always check your products for BPA, breast pumps, baby bottles, sippy cups and even your own water bottles.

Do you or will you try to avoid BPA?

Sources:
Braun, Joe M., Kalkbrenner, Amy E., Calafat, Antonia M., Yolton, Kimberly, Ye, Xiaoyun, Dietrich, Kim N., & Lanphear, Bruce P. (2011). Impact of Early-Life Bisphenol A Exposure on Behavior and Executive Function in Children. Pediatrics, 128(5), 873-882. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1335

Fleisch, Abby F., Sheffield, Perry E., Chinn, Courtney, Edelstein, Burton L., & Landrigan, Philip J. (2010). Bisphenol A and Related Compounds in Dental Materials. Pediatrics, 126(4), 760-768. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-2693


Photo © Price Grabber

BPA Banned from Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 at 12:43:28.

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Hello, My Name is... Baby Name Drama

About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy & Childbirth
Hello, My Name is... Baby Name Drama
Jul 18th 2012, 09:45

Newborn hand

You probably don't doubt that there are some baby name drama stories out there.  In fact, you may have lived through some yourself.

Kevin writes about his mother-in-law, "She hated the name and proceeded to tell us how much she hated it. She called us for days begging us to change it." (Read more of their story.)  You should also read Lateefah's story on how they are working on naming their soon-to-be baby, one that doesn't tempt the bullies.

Perhaps you've had a baby name stolen.  Or had people make fun of your baby name.  What baby name drama are you working against? And what do you suggest is the proper protocol for baby name drama?

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Related:

Photo © April's Grapevine Photography


Hello, My Name is... Baby Name Drama originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 at 09:45:57.

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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Should babies be allowed at baby showers?

About Pregnancy & Childbirth
Pregnancy & Childbirth
Should babies be allowed at baby showers?
Jul 17th 2012, 11:40

Baby in a Sling

I had a reader pose a question to  me about babies and baby showers.  She told me that she received an invitation to go to a baby shower and asked if her very young baby could attend.  The hostess said yes, only to later say that the mother-to-be did not want another baby at her baby shower.

Have you had this happen to you?  What did you do?  Have you ever asked someone not to bring a baby?  Or have you taken a baby to a baby shower?  Tell us about your experiences and what happened.

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Related:

Photo © Shutterstock

Should babies be allowed at baby showers? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 at 11:40:38.

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