About Pregnancy & Childbirth: World Breastfeeding Week 2013

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

World Breastfeeding Week 2013 Aug 1st 2013, 08:52 World Breastfeeding Week is every August 1-7. This year the theme that was chosen is about support for the breastfeeding mother. This is something that the vast majority of people don't really realize the value of, be it mother-to-mother groups like La Leche League, that casual conversation with a friend, a pediatrician who knows how to fully support a mother who is breastfeeding or the ever important love and support you get from your partner and family. I can't begin to tell you how breastfeeding support changed how I breastfed. I probably would have stopped numerous times if not for the information, the love and simple words from those around me. A great support system is very important. But I challenge you this week to think about the other support that is often not there, what is missing or dysfunctional. Do you have adequate support from your employer? Do the child care situation you use make you feel second class for bringing in breast milk? While some have great situations here, others do not. And let's not even get started on how abysmal maternity and paternity leave are - if anyone really has any. Who has been your biggest supporter?  Be sure to give them a shout out here and in person! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . World Breastfeeding Week 2013 originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, August 1st, 2013 at 08:52:12. Permalink | Comment | Email this

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Truly Fun Baby Shower Games

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Truly Fun Baby Shower Games Jul 31st 2013, 09:50 I will admit it, I'm not a game player. I really don't like baby shower games, and some baby shower games suck. (And I'm not so secretly competitive about them!) Though there are a few games that really bring out the best in people and truly get people laughing and having a good time. Here are a few of those games: The Price is Right: Baby Shower Version The Rice Baby Shower Game I think what makes these fun is that the playing field is level. You don't have to have known the mom-to-be the longest, or know where her hidden tattoos are located.  You simply have give it a try and enjoy yourself. What's your favorite baby shower game? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Olha K - Fotolia.com Truly Fun Baby Shower Games originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, July 31st, 2013 at 09:50:58. Permalink | Comment | Email this

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Do you care Kate Middleton may have experienced a natural childbirth?

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Do you care Kate Middleton may have experienced a natural childbirth? Jul 30th 2013, 11:56 So various media are reporting that Kate Middleton gave birth to baby Prince George without the use of medications, choosing instead to be surrounded by midwives and possibly have taken a hypnosis based childbirth class and/or had a water tub. I can't say if any of this is true.  What I can say is that for whatever reason, some people find celebrity babies, no matter the country of origin, to be interesting. There are others who could care less. I tend to report on it because many people are interested and take a bit of flack for mentioning it.  I think it's like reading birth stories. Most pregnant women can't get enough birth stories and the birth stories of famous people are like reading best selling novels compared to lesser known works. I think every birth story counts. The ones you enjoy, the ones you don't. The birth stories that you want to resemble your own, and the ones you hope to avoid. Every mother who is self-less enough to share their birth story, to open herself up to share this unique and special time, deserves to be heard. What are you thoughts? Share Your Birth Story Waity Katy and the Royal Due Date Princess Diana's Birth Announcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Chris Jackson/Getty Images Do you care Kate Middleton may have experienced a natural childbirth? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, July 30th, 2013 at 11:56:15. Permalink | Comment | Email this

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Ultrasound Tech Offers Advice on Gender Disappointment

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Ultrasound Tech Offers Advice on Gender Disappointment Jul 28th 2013, 08:26 Every day lots of moms write me to share their stories of disappointment at the results of their ultrasound in regards to the sex of their baby.  This is known as gender disappointment.  While there are also many mothers who don't understand the feelings discussed, I thought that this note from an ultrasound tech, someone who deals with this on a daily basis, was particularly nice: "I'm an ultrasound tech and I totally see so many women who feel the same exact way as you ladies every single day.  Sometimes they are pregnant with #4 or 5 only to get the same sex.  The only thing that gets you going is knowing that once you get this baby in your arms you will feel, 'Wow, I can't picture my life without you!'" -Baz Do Baz's words comfort you? Related: Help When Suffering from Gender Disappointment Readers Share: Coping with Gender Disappointment Could ultrasound be wrong at gender prediction? Readers Share: Was Your Ultrasound Wrong? Telling Your Baby's Sex Via Ultrasound Ultrasound Picture of Girls and Boys It's a boy! It's a girl! Due Date Calculator Sex Selection Pregnancy Week by Week Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Varney Ultrasound Tech Offers Advice on Gender Disappointment originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Sunday, July 28th, 2013 at 08:26:08. Permalink | Comment | Email this

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Telling Your BFF About Your Pregnancy First

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Telling Your BFF About Your Pregnancy First Jul 27th 2013, 10:24 Lately, I've been hearing a lot more people admitting that they told their best friend about their pregnancy before they told their significant other.  I actually can totally see this as being a good thing. While we have this romantic notion of the moment we share this big news, the truth is, it's pretty overwhelming to find out that you are expecting a baby. Even if you've been planning a pregnancy for ages, the moments when the two lines show up, your stomach lurches, your head spins, your heart races... in short, it's overwhelming. Talking to your BFF gives you a chance to calm yourself down a bit and gather your wits. It lets you practice saying the words. It also gives you a bit of time to plot a fun way to share the pregnancy announcement. This is a great way to try to have that memorable experience that you may be hoping for when you try the announcement on for real. A case in point, my husband and I had been trying for baby number three for a very long time. While we'd been pregnant, we'd had numerous miscarriages and basically been told that it was probably pretty hopeless for us to conceive after a nasty ectopic pregnancy and abdominal surgery. We didn't want to believe them and tried again anyway.  So I find out I'm pregnant a mere three days before Valentine's Day. I really wanted to wait and to make it special. I knew if I talked to my BFF, she'd help me plan something amazing. My plan to delay telling my husband lasted all of about five minutes.  As soon as I saw him, I blurted it out.  The words I said, were not words I normally would have chosen, my husband heard it negatively and responded in kind. It was not a nice memory. We quickly both realized what had happened and apologized, but we couldn't get a do over. It was done. Had I waited a few minutes and talked to my friend, I would have at least had a line or two to say that wouldn't have been misconstrued in my urgency to share. Today, we laugh it off as the grief we were both feeling. I joke that I'm glad I didn't wait and spoil Valentine's Day. It's all good, but I still wish it would have been different. So, did you tell your BFF or someone else first? Did that wind up being a good thing or a bad thing? Does your partner know? Related: 8 Times You Shouldn't Announce Your Pregnancy How to Share Your Pregnancy News When to Announce Your Pregnancy Photo © PhotographyByMK - Fotolia.com Telling Your BFF About Your Pregnancy First originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Saturday, July 27th, 2013 at 10:24:20. Permalink | Comment | Email this

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Kids Feeling the Baby Move

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Kids Feeling the Baby Move Jul 26th 2013, 11:15 A friend of mine posted today that her son felt her 20 week belly and was able to feel the baby kicking. She described how much she enjoyed watching her son experience the fetal movement. This is certainly one of the better things about being pregnant for the second or more time. Though sometimes there is the issue of an uncooperative baby. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to let someone feel the baby move, only to have the baby go from kick boxing super star to silent submarine mode. I always feel quite foolish when it happens. I stammer, "I swear the baby was just moving all over the place a moment ago." Remember, all babies do this, I like to explain it as baby is playing a game and we have to be patient. Have you ever experienced this game? What does it feel like to have a baby move inside your body? Feeling a Baby Move in a Second Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | TWITTER FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | CONNECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Fotolia Kids Feeling the Baby Move originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, July 26th, 2013 at 11:15:33. Permalink | Comment | Email this

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About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Vaginal Ultrasound Best for Finding Tubal Pregnancies

About Pregnancy & Childbirth Pregnancy & Childbirth

Vaginal Ultrasound Best for Finding Tubal Pregnancies Jul 25th 2013, 11:08 Tubal pregnancy, also known as an ectopic pregnancy, is a very scary and potentially deadly situation. While normally found in the first trimester, the sooner it can be detected and taken care of, the less likely the mother is to require surgery and suffer from the loss of her Fallopian tube. The problem is, sometimes an ectopic pregnancy is difficult to find, particularly very early in pregnancy. This can be complicated because of slower than normal rises in hCG levels and the ability to visualize what's where in regards to the pregnancy. (Most ectopic pregnancies are in the tube, but there are other locations that they can be as well.) If you have symptoms of pain and vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy, you may be having a miscarriage, an ectopic or just a complicated pregnancy. Many times a simple history and physical may miss an ectopic pregnancy. But if they do a transvaginal ultrasound, which shows much more detail, and a serum (blood) hCG test, it can help to rule out an ectopic pregnancy or confirm it. Though there are still times that you will have inconclusive findings. This means that you will need to follow up with your practitioner around the 48 hour mark. This will allow another round of testing that should show more detail or give a better indication of what's going on with the hCG. Early treatment options include medications like methotrexate which help many moms to avoid surgery and thus save the Fallopian tube. Or it can prevent the rupture of the tube with a timely removal, which can lower the risks of infection and major complications. Have you had a tubal pregnancy scare? Source: Crochet, J, et al "Does this woman have an ectopic pregnancy?" JAMA 2013; 309:1722-1729. Photo © A.D.A.M. Vaginal Ultrasound Best for Finding Tubal Pregnancies originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, July 25th, 2013 at 11:08:27. Permalink | Comment | Email this

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