Is It A Boy? Girl? Time To Stop Asking? The Gender Reveal Party Reconsidered

As we did with our first pregnancy, my husband and I had chosen not to find out the sex of our baby, frustrating relatives who wanted to be able to buy pink or blue, to inscribe a name on a baby blanket, to begin picturing outings with a girl in a sundress or a boy in a baseball cap. The constant first question for any pregnant woman is, “What are you having?” And more families seem to be hosting “gender reveal” parties, with decorations that play on stereotypes (Guns or glitter? Ties or tutus?) and the baby’s sex revealed by the color of cake frosting or balloons released from a box or Silly String sprayed on expectant parents. More…….

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Celestine: Birth control – more than just preventing pregnancy

There are many different choices out there for women and girls when it comes to birth control. However, I find that most are only aware of “the pill,” and are not privy to the other forms of contraception available to them. First and foremost, did you know that there are actually two forms of “the pill?” The one that is familiar to most is the combined hormone pill which contains both estrogen and progestin. More…….

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This Mum’s Hilarious Cartoons About Pregnancy Problems Will Be the Funniest Thing You See All Day

Nobody ever said that being a mum is glamorous. And although there’s plenty of talk about that wonderful pregnancy glow, most mums can relate to the less seductive side effects that everyone experiences but few talk about. You get sick, you get hairy, and you get big.
Illustrator and mother of two Line Severinsen can’t help but laugh at these “joys” of motherhood and started making hysterical cartoons of her real-life pregnancy problems. From pining over a glass of wine to judgmental strangers staring when you breastfeed in public, her relatable illustrations have developed with her motherhood experiences.
“I thought to myself that there is no way that no other people felt and looked like I did,” she wrote. More…….

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Health warning for pregnant women with epilepsy

Health experts say pregnant women who take medication for epilepsy need to speak to their doctor. Anti-epileptic medication has been blamed for congenital malformation and learning problems in children whose mothers took the medicine while pregnant. Denise Astill took anti-epileptic medication while pregnant following advice she says she was given by specialists. More…….

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Autism risks increases 36% for children born to obese pregnant women

Women who are overweight or obese before they get pregnant are more likely to have a child who is autistic or with behavioral problems, a new review found. Obese mothers had a 50 percent higher risk of having a child with any kind of neurodevelopmental disorders, while overweight women had a 17 percent higher risk. More than 40 percent of women in the US are obese. More…….

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States prepare to shut down children’s health programs if Congress doesn’t act

Officials in nearly a dozen states are preparing to notify families that a crucial health insurance program for low-income children is running out of money for the first time since its creation two decades ago, putting coverage for many at risk by the end of the year. Nearly 9 million youngsters and 370,000 pregnant women nationwide receive care because of it. Many states have enough money to keep their individual programs afloat for at least a few months, but five could run out in late December if lawmakers do not act. More…….

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The Number 1 Nutrition Mistake New Moms Make

After having a baby, your priorities can be pretty predictable: care for your newborn, try and get as much sleep as you can (often easier said than done), and try to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. “Energy depends on a steady flow of fuel.” She warns that skipping meals, or skimping on nutrient intake, in a bid to try and lose weight will add to your exhaustion. “Good nutrition speeds recovery, and when part of an overall healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, it can help you lose the baby weight at a steady rate,” Murkoff advises. More…….

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