When I discovered I was pregnant with twins, my husband and I burst into tears of joy, followed by utter panic. Two of them? I soon realized that carrying multiples meant I would likely wind up having a C-section (a typical procedure for twin pregnancies). However, the idea of a potentially long and painful labor …
Continue ReadingPainkillers? Prozac? Brazilian Blowout? Hotline Counsels Pregnant Women On Risks
By Carey Goldberg Reprinted from Common Health Joy Shapiro of Framingham, Mass., was the sort of hyper-cautious expectant mother who doesn’t just cut out alcohol and caffeine. She worried about the ingredients in everything she consumed or put on her body, from fitness drinks to sunscreen. But thanks to a referral from her obstetrician, …
Continue ReadingNutrition for Pregnancy and Beyond
Moms-to-be already know how important nutrition is to the health of their developing child, but experts say expecting parents should also pay close attention to the food itself. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 6 Americans are stricken by food poisoning every year, with 128,000 Americans going to the hospital …
Continue ReadingThe Future of Cord Blood Research
You may have heard that the stem cells in your baby’s umbilical-cord blood can save lives, but if you’re like most people, you have only a vague notion of how stem cells work — or which diseases they can treat. Right now, certain cancers, blood disorders, and immune disorders, among other conditions, are being …
Continue ReadingPrenatal Testing
Prenatal Testing During pregnancy a woman should be having tests done left and right to ensure that she and her baby are in good health. Below are some of the various tests that should be done throughout pregnancy, and some that should be done during specific trimesters. All of them are similar, yet each test …
Continue ReadingWhen am I due? The truth about due dates.
First, congratulations, and we hope you enjoy this amazing journey. However, an online calculator isn’t the very best way to figure out your estimated due date. Updated guidelines for estimated due dates came out this month from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: They say counting out 280 days (40 weeks) from …
Continue ReadingCord Blood Banking: Why new parents need to educate themselves about cord blood banking
Five days before her first birthday, Peyton Connelly had been crankier and sleepier than usual. When her mom, Shelly, went to retrieve her from her crib after a lengthy nap, “Peyton stood up and fell over,” Shelly says. Alarmed, Shelly and her husband, Travis, 32, took their toddler to the local hospital. There they were …
Continue ReadingThe Value of Saving Umbilical Cord Blood
It’s a decision that every parent should take very seriously, since there is only one chance at birth to save these precious cells. That’s the message that Save the Cord Foundation wants to share with expectant parents and the public. The stem cells found in the umbilical cord, placenta and cord tissue are …
Continue ReadingThe Journey Of Pregnancy – Ecstasy Is The Word
Pregnancy is one of the most wonderful experiences in a woman’s life. And a happy pregnancy can make it even better. Those who stay happy will always tend to have a positive outlook towards life. This also applies to would be mothers who should make their pregnancy an enjoyable experience. You can read …
Continue ReadingVItamin D and pregnancy
Vitamin D, the one we get from the sun provides help for the absorption of calcium. Calcium, as we all know, helps in the growth and strengthening of our own bones as well as those of our unborn babies. When women breastfeed, there is an inadequate amount of Vitamin D transferred to the …
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