Whether you’ve known from day one that you’d be asking for an epidural or have your heart set on a medicine-free birth, here’s the lowdown on epidurals and how they can take some of the pain out of labor and delivery. Remember that we are all individuals and our different thresholds of pain span the gamut from high to low. It is fortunate that for those who want medication, it is available. Here is a comprehensive article about epidurals, what they are, how they work and who can best benefit from them. You can read more here.
{Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }
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May 10th, 2013
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by Jacqueline Tourville
Following a nutritious prenatal diet? Don’t skip snack time! Snacks are a great chance to get in another serving of a fruit, vegetable, or calcium food. you can read more here.
and don’t forget to enter our May Sweepstakes Lots of great parent-to-be gifts!!
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May 8th, 2013
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What You need to Know
Pamela Brawer
Save a Tot
Prenatal care is the care you get while you are pregnant. This care can be provided by a doctor, midwife or other health care professional.
The goal of prenatal care is to monitor the progress of a pregnancy and to identify potential problems before they become serious for either mom or baby.
All mothers-to-be benefit from prenatal care. Women who see a health care provider regularly during pregnancy have healthier babies, are less likely to deliver prematurely, and are less likely to have other serious problems related to pregnancy.
During prenatal visits, the health care provider:
- Teaches the woman about pregnancy
- Monitors any medical conditions she may have such as high blood pressure
- Tests for problems with the baby
- Tests for health problems in the woman such as gestational diabetes
- Refers the woman to services such as support groups, the WIC program or childbirth education classes
General Testing
(From The America Pregnancy Association)
Blood Test
Paternity Testing
Urine Test
Ultrasound
Rh Factor Testing
First Trimester
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
First Trimester Screen
Second Trimester
Amniocentesis
Cordocentesis : Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS)
Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Screening (MSAFP)
Quad Screen
Triple Screen Test : Multiple Marker Screen
Third Trimester
Biophysical Profile (BPP)
Fetal Non-Stress Test (NST)
Glucose Challenge Screening & Glucose Tolerance Test (NST)
Group B Strep Infection
Be sure to enter our May Sweepstakes! Great gifts for parents-to-be!!
Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }
reprinted from Big City Moms
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May 6th, 2013
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Jodi Greebel, MS, RD
www.citrition.com
www.dindinsfood.com
There is so much conflicting information out there about what to eat and what not to eat when you are pregnant. Here is a quick guideline of what to eat and what to avoid.
What to Include in Your Diet:
- Variety. A diet with a lot of variety helps you get all the nutrients you need.
- High fiber foods. Choose foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans/legumes which provide a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and can help prevent constipation.
- Calcium-rich foods. Choose low-fat and nonfat milk, yogurt and cheese to ensure you get adequate calcium. Most women do not get enough calcium, so be sure to consume adequate amounts during pregnancy so that you do not lose calcium from your own bones.
- Omega-3-rich foods. Choose foods such as salmon, arctic char, walnuts, omega-3 eggs or Bellybars. Omega-3 fatty acids help with the development of your baby’s brain.
- Foods rich in folate/folic acid. Choose foods such as avocado, asparagus, kiwi, legumes or grains enriched with folic acid such as cereal, bread and pasta. Adequate folic acid is essential for the proper development of your baby’s nervous system and can help prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.
- At least 8+ glasses water per day. Fluid needs are high during pregnancy. Make sure to consume lots of water every day.
- A prenatal vitamin every day
Foods to Limit or Avoid:
- Avoid all alcohol. Despite recent suggestions that it is safe to drink alcohol during pregnancy, it remains linked to birth defects, mental retardation, early delivery and more.
- Limit caffeine to one 6 oz cup of coffee (small) or tea (only from a tea bag) or one 12 oz can of soda.
- Avoid sushi and other uncooked fish (ex. Lox).
- Avoid fish high in mercury including shark, tilefish (white snapper), swordfish and king mackerel. Limit tuna to no more than 6 oz per week.
- Avoid uncooked eggs such as soft boiled eggs. Uncooked eggs are also found in mousse, tiramisu, Caesar salad dressing and raw cookie dough.
- Limit deli meat (unless heated), processed meats and hot dogs.
- Avoid all soft, unpasteurized cheese often labeled “fresh” such as Brie, Camembert, Feta, Goat or Blue cheese. Look for cheese that is pasteurized.
- Avoid all diets.
- Limit artificial sweeteners. It is best to avoid saccharin. Splenda on occasion is okay.
Other Important Tips:
- Exercise for ≥ 30 minutes most days of the week (always check with your MD before starting any sort of exercise program). Exercising during pregnancy makes labor easier (who wouldn’t want that??) and it makes it easier to lose the weight after the baby is born.
- Get 7 – 8 hours of sleep every night.
- Keep in mind that you only need an extra 300 calories (the equivalent of one apple, one slice of bread and one low-fat yogurt) per day during the second and third trimesters. Eating for two is really an exaggeration.
Appropriate weight gain during pregnancy:
- 25 – 35 pounds for someone of normal weight pre-pregnancy
- 28 – 40 pounds for someone underweight before pregnancy
- 15 – 25 pounds for someone overweight before pregnancy
If you are pregnant with twins:
reprinted fro Big City Moms bigcitymoms.com
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May 2nd, 2013
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Stemcell therapy for multiple sclerosis is now a reality, not just a dream, says a leading neuro-immunologist.
Gianvito Martino, director of neuroscience at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy, said although the therapy was still experimental, it was yielding some exciting results.
Professor Martino said he did not believe stemcell therapy would be the solution to MS but an important treatment option with fewer side effects.
“To have the solution, we should know the cause of the disease but we don’t know it,” he said.
About 85 per cent of patients had relapsing remitting MS, which could be managed with current treatments, he said. However, within 10-20 years, about 90 per cent of these patients moved into the secondary progressive phase, for which there were no effective treatments, while about 10 per cent continued to have the so-called benign first phase.
“About 80-85 per cent of patients will need aid for walking in 20-25 years from diagnosis,” he said.
The average age of diagnosis is 20-40. In Australia, three times as many females are affected. In the autoimmune disease, the insulating sheath of the nerve cells, called myelin, is attacked and destroyed and eventually the nerves are also destroyed, leading to progressive atrophy of the brain and spinal cord, which is the cause of disability. In Australia, the incidence of MS is about one in every 1000 people, with more than 21,000 people affected.
Professor Martino said there were two types of stemcells already being used in patients, both from blood. They were haematopoietic and mesenchymal stemcells.
Haematopoietic stemcells were those used in bone-marrow transplantations. The patient’s immune system was destroyed by chemotherapy and then their own stemcells from the bone marrow were transplanted.
“The idea is to have new blood with no more cells capable of damaging your myelin,” Professor Martino said.
“It is immuno- suppressive therapy, blocking the cells causing the disease.”
About 500 MS patients worldwide had received the therapy since 1997 and in many, the progression of their disease had been halted.
“The results are very, very important because about 60 per cent of those patients do not worsen for up to four to five years after the transplants, they stabilise,” Professor Martino said.
Even more exciting was the fact that only the patients with the worst prognosis and unresponsive to approved therapies had been eligible for the treatment, which was proving so successful.
Among those patients, the ones better responding to the transplant were the 5 per cent with the so-called malignant form of MS, who needed a wheelchair within five years of diagnosis.
The second type of transplant used mesenchymal cells, which are multi-potent stemcells taken from the blood and which can differentiate into a variety of cell types.
“They seem to help the immune system to block the body’s reaction against itself,” Professor Martino said. “You can just inject them intravenously and you don’t need immuno-suppression or any therapy to avoid rejection.”
While they seemed to block further damage from the disease, they did not repair nerve cells already damaged.
The future uses of cord blood are not completely known. There is a lot of promising research being conducted, but the confirmed treatments using cord blood are here. Any cord blood bank that claims to understand fully the future uses of stem cells is not being honest.
Stem cells are being used to treat a growing number of diseases. The list of blood diseases in which cord blood is used for treatment has grown dramatically. Ten years ago, cord blood was being used to treat only one or two diseases, but today stem cells are used to treat more than forty diseases.
Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }
Check out our sweepstakes for Mother’sDay!! You can win FREE Cord Blood banking and 20 years of Free Storage!! Hurry! Ends May 13, 2012
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April 19th, 2013
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Ryder Denton Rudgers had no brain function at birth, but today he is able to walk and talk thanks to his parents’ decision to bank his cord blood at birth. Watch the amazing story of this young boy and what an impact the infusion of his own umbilical cord blood had on his cerebral palsy and how far he has come. It is truly an enlightening story. You can see the youtube video here.
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April 17th, 2013
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Are you nesting yet? Nesting is different with everyone. Some of us go nuts cleaning and scrubbing and others are obsessed with putting together baby paraphernalia. Still others are just sitting on the couch because their bodies just wont give in! Where do you fit in? Read here for some interesting and funny stories.
Just as you are cleaning every nook and cranny with a toothbrush, remember to the the all important discussion about cord blood banking. It is the insurance plan you have in case your child ever needs it.
Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }
Check out our sweepstakes for Mother’sDay!! You can win FREE Cord Blood banking and 20 years of Free Storage!! Hurry! Ends May 13, 2012
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April 15th, 2013
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According to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the study indicated an association between use of the drugs and a modest risk of congenital heart defects, as well as a heightened risk for spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis and was reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The analysis was based on the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997 to 2005) including data gathered from across 10 states. CDC researchers found that between 2 percent and 3 percent of mothers who took prescription painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone (Oxycontin) either just prior to becoming pregnant or early in their pregnancy, the risk of their newborn having a serious heart defect known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome was nearly twice that of women who did not receive these drugs.
The risks are affected by factors such as the amount of medication taken, whether other medications are taken in addition to the opioid drugs, at what stage of pregnancy the drugs are taken, and other health conditions of the mother-to-be. In addition, the report authors pointed out that the risks associated with these drugs in any one pregnancy remains small.
Today, cord blood stem cells are being used to treat diseases that require regeneration of cells in the blood. Current research, however, is focusing on other cells and cell development via cord blood stem cells, and the hope is that such research will result in future cord blood use for nerve cells, organs regeneration and endocrine cells.
Click here for a free information packetand special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories!}
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April 12th, 2013
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Morning sickness…. It can be a vague feeling of nausea at the start of the pregnancy or being physically sick several times a day. It can disappear after the famous 12 weeks mark or it can go on for months afterwards, up to 20 weeks, sometimes for even longer.
Research has shown that between 50% and 80% of women experience nausea at the start of their pregnancy and about 50% do get physically sick. For some women, vomiting is so bad that it leads to dehydration, weight loss and a possible ‘small for date’ baby.
Research and acupuncture for morning sickness
Several studies have been done on acupuncture and morning sickness. A meta analysis on electro-acupuncture and acupuncture in pregnancy has shown that electro-acupuncture and acupressure reduced nausea and vomiting. And a 2011 literature review by Freels shows that acupressure on P6 reduces the nausea symptoms.
Nausea and Chinese medicine
It is interesting that most of the research has been done using one specific acupuncture point P6. Situated on the inside of the arm, this point is well known for its anti-nausea properties. It is also very easy to find. That’s one of the reasons why it is used with travel sickness bands. However, there are many more points combinations that can be used in Chinese Medicine to help and support pregnant women.
As it is usually the case, there is no direct relationship between the Western diagnosis of ‘morning sickness’ and one single Chinese Medicine diagnosis. A full history will allow the acupuncturist to make his diagnosis and establish the points prescription specific to that particular woman. The practitioner will also be able to give some dietary advice depending on the diagnosis.
Once you are on the road of recovery, there are simple things you can do to ease of the nausea.
1.Keep hydrated. Be sure that, even if you have some nausea, you still drink water on a regular basis. More often than not, little and often works best rather than a whole glass in one go.
2.Choose your drink and start with water, water and water. Try and experiment with herbal teas too such as ginger tea, chamomile or peppermint tea. Ask your practitioner if some of those are perhaps more suitable for you. Someone with some ‘heat signs’ will do better with peppermint tea whereas someone with ‘cold signs’ or suffering from tiredness might do better with ginger tea.
3.Eat small portions regularly and keep to simple, bland foods. Porridge, rice or soups are easier to digest but still very nutritious. Keep some crackers with you so can snack easily. Some people find ginger biscuits help or eating a little before getting up in the morning.
4.Be weary of smells. You will probably find that you have become much more sensitive to smells. If possible, stay away from the offensive odours.
Finally don’t forget that if you really cannot keep any food or drink down, you need to contact your GP or midwife. Excess vomiting can be a serious issue during pregnancy and you would need to be followed by a health care professional.
The months leading up to becoming pregnant and pregnancy itself are the most important and exciting times for parents to be. So just as you make a plan for how to have a healthy pregnancy, labor and delivery so too, should you consider banking your newborn’s cord blood. Collecting your child’s umbilical cord blood and saving it in a cord blood bank provides you with insurance in case your child develops any of the illnesses where cord blood is used in treatment.
Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }
Check out our sweepstakes for Mother’sDay!! You can win FREE Cord Blood banking and 20 years of Free Storage!! Hurry! Ends May 13, 2012
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6793059
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April 10th, 2013
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Do you play music for your baby? Do you listen to music while pregnant, or perhaps place headphones on your belly? You’re not alone, and new studies are showing how important this is for your child’s development and their ability to share an even greater emotional attachment with mom and dad.
Music Research
Psychobiologist Carolyn Granier-Deferre of Paris Descartes University conducted a study in 2011 with 50 ‘heavily pregnant women’ and the affects that music had on their child. The results ‘suggest that newborns pay more attention to what may be their mother’s melodic sounds than they will of those of other women.’
What does this really mean? A baby’s hearing develops during the last three months of pregnancy, and according to researches on this study the evidence suggests that babies who have been played music will better perceive the ‘sounds of speech’ after birth, and perhaps share a greater emotional attachment to those familiar sounds from mom and dad.
According to BabyZone.com, studies conducted by Thomas R. Verny and Rene Van de Carr provided proof that babies who were stimulated while in the womb ‘exhibit advanced visual, auditory, language, and motor development skills.’
How To Play Music For Your Child
Sure, you could watch American Idol and turn the volume up loud for baby to hear, or you could purchase some of the prenatal products on the market that are designed specifically for baby to hear music. You could go the ‘old school’ route and place headphones on your belly, or you could simply listen to the music yourself.
What Music to Play
While there are many conflicting studies on the type of music you should be playing for your child, the key seems to be in the pace and rhythm of the music, more than the type of music itself. A babies heart rate will mimic that of the music, so choose music with uniform, balanced beat rather than music with random, sudden shifts in rhythm.
The Mozart Effect
The Mozart Effect was an incredibly popular study conducted by the University of California at Irvine back in 1995. The results of this study showed that college students who listened to Mozart showed a temporary increase in spatial relationship skills and IQ points.
Unlike Beethoven or Bach, Mozart’s music is incredibly repetitive, with a melody that is very balanced. At the beginning of 2010, research was conducted at the Tel Aviv Medical Center in Israel to test the affects of The Mozart Effect on preterm babies. Once a day for two consecutive days the doctors played Mozart for these babies, and found that after listening to Mozart the babies were calmer and ‘expended less energy,’ which allowed them to gain weight faster and ‘thrive more quickly’ then their counterparts who were not played music.
Music is wonderful stimulation for both babies in the womb, newborn babies, and children of every age. Musical instruction at a young age has been shown to improve literacy, verbal memory, mathematics and IQ. Music can make us happy, angry, or feel relaxed. Do you play music for your little one? If so, what do you play? How does your child respond?
Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }
Check out our sweepstakes for Mother’sDay!! You can win FREE Cord Blood banking and 20 years of Free Storage!! Hurry! Ends May 13, 2012
reposted from aoafamilyblogger
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April 8th, 2013
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