By DOUGLAS QUENQUA reprinted from the New York Times The sound of a mother’s voice plays a critical role in a baby’s early development, multiple studies have shown. Now, researchers have demonstrated that the brain itself may rely on a mother’s voice and heartbeat to grow. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston studied …
Continue ReadingValentine’s Day foods to get you ‘in the mood’
In general, passion-friendly foods are those that improve blood flow, support the nervous system, increase energy and raise testosterone levels (in both men and women). These are usually foods that are rich in zinc, B vitamins, proteins, amino acids or fatty acids (such as Omega 3). Eggs, steak and fruit and of …
Continue ReadingMother’s Exercise May Boost Baby’s Brain
If a woman is physically active during pregnancy, she may boost the development of her unborn child’s brain, according to a heart-tugging new study of expectant mothers and their newborns. The findings bolster a growing scientific consensus that the benefits of exercise can begin to accumulate even before someone is born. Previously the …
Continue ReadingHow to prevent varicose veins during pregnancy
Varicose veins are fairly common— up to 55 percent of women will have varicose veins in their lifetimes, according to the American College of Phlebology. During pregnancy, the blood volume increases and the pressure from the growing uterus on the body’s big vein, the inferior vena cava, puts pressure on the veins in …
Continue ReadingFor Expecting Dads Only – Sex and Pregnancy
Now that your significant other is pregnant, sex may not be as often as before. While some men love sex with pregnant partners, others, well, not so much. For her part, the first trimester may be one long day of morning sickness. Not a particularly sexy feeling. Other issues might include fatigue and hormone changes. …
Continue Reading