01
Apr
Attention new and seasoned mothers! Did you know there is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink while pregnant? Yep, that means put down the cocktail for the mocktail and trade-in regular beer for non-alcoholic beer. If you enjoy wine, try the growing array of red and white wines where the alcohol has been removed.
25
Mar
There is so much to think about concerning your baby’s health. Aside from his basic needs, you might be wondering how to know if something is seriously wrong and when to seek help. Here are some strategies for coping with the unexpected. Some birth defects are not visible on the outside of the body and this is the case with congenital heart defects (CHD). They are the most common type of birth defect, affecting the structure of the heart in minor to major ways.
18
Mar
Are you having painful menstrual cramps, pain in your lower back or pelvis, digestive problems, painful bowel movements, or bleeding between periods? Are you struggling to get pregnant? If you answered yes to some of these symptoms, you’ll want to get checked out for endometriosis.
March is endometriosis awareness month, a condition that affects reproductive and fertility. So, let’s take a moment to review what this is and how it can affect your health.
11
Mar
One of the most challenging aspects of motherhood is sleep deprivation. Every baby is different. Some babies are great sleepers, and without much effort, they “sleep through the night” a few weeks after birth. Other babies need a more deliberate approach to shape their sleep habits into a day/night cycle that is survivable by their parents. This requires knowledge of how to create positive sleep habits in babies, plus a good amount of patience and consistency.
04
Mar
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).¹
Cigarette smoking is one of the hardest habits to quit. Many smokers who successfully kick the habit lament that quitting smoking is like saying goodbye to an old friend. It takes a lot of personal strength and willpower to quit, as well as the right support system. If you’re smoking and pregnant, we hope there’s information here that will give you the conviction to quit.
26
Feb
Can You Get Pregnant With an Eating Disorder?
There’s never been a time in history when women experience more pressure to achieve a physical...
20
Feb
What Foods and Beverages Should You Avoid During Pregnancy?
It might be a little unnerving to know that your unborn baby can be affected by a food borne illness when you don’t become sick or show symptoms of infection. Tragically, some food borne illnesses can cause devastating and permanent effects to a baby, like neurological damage and developmental delays. Sometimes the damage from an infection is obvious at birth; sometimes it takes years to become apparent.
12
Feb
What happens at Postpartum Checkups?
After you give birth to your baby, you might be wondering how many postpartum checkups you’ll have. All mothers...
05
Feb
What is Maternal Mortality?
In the United States, the month of February honors black history; the contributions and sacrifices African Americans have made for...
During the pandemic, pregnant women were twice as likely to experience depression than were pregnant women before the pandemic.²
Good news Mama! COVID-19 cases and deaths have been declining for the last year. So, the World Health Organization recently downgraded the COVID-19 pandemic from a global health emergency to a health “threat.”
1/700 babies are born with Down Syndrome in the United States.²
March 21st was World Down Syndrome Day; a special day marked to bring awareness to the joys and unique challenges of raising a child with Down Syndrome. The date of the 21st is chosen because the genetic disorder is characterized by an extra copy of chromosome 21; also called Trisomy 21.
25% of American women stop breastfeeding by 6 months because of nipple pain.²
You might be wondering what to expect the first few weeks of breastfeeding your newborn. For mothers who’ve already breastfed a baby, you may not experience much nipple tenderness. But, for first time mothers, nipple pain can cause quite a bit of discomfort the first weeks.
