BabiesOnline Articles

Preparing for the arrival of a new baby is challenging, and that is never more clear than when you are decorating and supplying the nursery. You probably already have an idea or two in mind for the decor, but the furniture and baby care items, as well as the paint and other products you use to decorate, will require some research. After all, your nursery should not only be comfortable and stylish but safe as well. Here are some do’s and don’ts to consider when planning your new nursery.

Develop a Design Plan
The newest trend in nurseries is to use neutral colors and simple decor that harmonizes with the rest of the house. Take a walk through your house and consider it with fresh eyes. How might you incorporate elements of your design style into the nursery? Once you’ve picked complementary colors and decor you’ll have a clean, simple canvas to which you can add some fun elements like mobiles and stuffed animals. The main benefit of this approach is the versatility. It is much easier to change details- swapping a mobile or painting, for instance- than it is to repaint a room.

Don’t Crowd Your Nursery With Too Much Furniture.
The last thing you need at four in the morning is to stumble through a crowded nursery. Invest in quality pieces that will last. A convertible wooden crib that can later become a toddler bed, a comfortable glider chair, a sturdy changing table and a small dresser are essential. If you can find a bed or changing table that includes built-in storage you can skip the dresser and save yourself even more space.

Choose a Paint With Low or No VOCs
(volatile organic compounds). These types of paints are now readily available at home improvement stores, and can be custom mixed to suit your design. A chemical-free nursery ensures that your baby (and you) will have a healthy environment that’s free of toxic fumes. Painting the lower half of the wall a different color than the top is a current trend for nurseries, and can be quite elegant when the colors are divided by a chair rail. Be sure to paint the nursery well in advance of your due date, so that any fumes that do exist will have dissipated before baby comes home.

Don’t Buy a Cheap Chair
Quality baby glider rockers can be found at all price levels, but remember that you will be spending many, many hours in this chair. When you’re feeding the baby at four in the morning, after many weeks of inadequate sleep, you will not be patting yourself on the back for saving money by getting the cheapest chair. You will be lamenting the poor support, barely-there cushioning and lack of useful features. Do yourself a favor and invest in a quality glider rocker that will continue to be comfortable for years to come, whether in your living room or in your next baby’s nursery.

Invest in Organic Linens
Your baby deserves a healthy, non-toxic environment, and you can start them off on the right foot by purchasing unbleached cotton bedding that has been produced without chemical pesticides. You (and your baby) will breathe a little easier knowing you’ve done the right thing not only for your baby’s environment, but for everyone else’s as well.

Don’t Forget the Basics
Those first few days and weeks can be overwhelming. Having all of the necessary supplies on hand will ensure that the transition from hospital to home goes as smoothly as possible, and that you won’t have to make any emergency trips. Here are some items you will want to have on hand before baby comes home.

• Diapers
• Rash cream
• Baby wipes
• Lotion
• Powder
• Hand sanitizer
• Rubbing alcohol – One essential nursery item that is often forgotten. The baby’s umbilical cord may need swabbing each time you change a diaper.

Ask a Friend or Family Member for Advice
Your sister, the new grandma, or a good friend can give the finished nursery a final check for potential hazards you might have missed. Your safety audit should include: removing blinds or curtains with cords, covering electric outlets and ensuring that lamp cords are inaccessible. Consider the room from a babies-eye-view and take steps to remove those things that will pose a risk once baby begins to crawl and reach for things. It may seem a long way off, but your baby will be mobile before you know it and you’ll be better prepared if you check for these things now. Go here for more baby-proofing tips.

The Most Important Tip for Creating a Great Nursery
Get started now. Pregnancy can be exhausting, and your regular life doesn’t stop while you’re preparing for a new baby. It can be hard to get all of the things done that need to be done with so few hours in the day. Start planning early and take time to work on your nursery- even if it’s only half an hour per day- and when it comes time to bring baby home you’ll glad you put in the effort to create a space you can feel good about.

About the Author: Kimberly Aardal writes about rocker gliders for nurseries and swivel glider chairs for EveryDayRockingChairs.com. She spends her free time exploring the mountains in Southwest Colorado with her husband and her yellow lab, Ginger.

Tags: babyproofing, nursery, nursery decor, nursery items, rocking chair
Posted in: Nursery & Gear
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Miscarriage is a painful experience that many women have to go through in their lifetime. Painful physically as well as emotionally. The most common medical term used for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion. The term “abortion”, however has very negative connotations so we prefer to use the term miscarriage, referring to the fact that the woman failed to carry the fetus to full term and results in delivery of a baby too young to be able to survive outside the uterus.

When is a Miscarriage More Likely to Occur?

Miscarriage can happen very early or a bit later during the pregnancy period. Clinical guidelines define miscarriage as loss of a fetus aged 20 weeks to 22 weeks, weighing about 500 g or less. Most miscarriages, however, occur at the first trimester before the 13th week. An estimated 50% of pregnancies result in miscarriages due to a wide range of causes but only about 15% to 20% are detected as such.
Miscarriage is a life-and-death event, yet it is not a simple yes-or-no occurrence. It can manifest in many different forms. It does not happen in a single instant but consists of a series of events that culminate in the loss of the fetus and termination of the pregnancy.

Most miscarriages occur at a very early stage, sometimes even before a woman even realizes she is pregnant, and the embryo hasn’t even had the chance to implant in the uterus aka chemical pregnancy. About 15% of pregnancies result in early miscarriage during week 1 or 2. In such cases, the woman is blissfully unaware of what happened.

What’s an Embryonic Pregnancy?

A blighted ovum aka embryonic pregnancy will inevitably end up in a miscarriage which occurs a bit later, when the woman is usually aware of her condition. What she is not aware of is that although there is a sac in her uterus, there is no embryo inside. The body eventually passes the empty sac, usually before the 8th week of pregnancy.

As the fetus grows older, the chances of miscarriage decrease. However, the emotional pain that comes with miscarriage increases with increasing fetal age.

A threatened miscarriage is actually a potential tragedy thwarted. The most common sign of a threatened miscarriage is vaginal bleeding or commonly known as “spotting”. In such cases, the doctor usually prescribes bed rest as well as medications that can prevent contractions. Many threatened miscarriages have a happy ending, resulting in a healthy baby.

What Are the Signs of Miscarriage?

• Vaginal bleeding, which may be mild or profuse. The bleeding is due to the passing of the embryonic/fetal and placental tissue out of the body, the so-called conception products. Miscarriage is complete if all products are expelled, characterized by profuse bleeding. Miscarriage is incomplete if the body cannot get rid of all products. In such cases, bleeding may be mild. Take note, however, that vaginal bleeding or spotting does not necessarily mean miscarriage. Some women with viable pregnancy can occasionally have some light spotting.

• Pain in the lower back, which has been described as a persistent, dull but also sharp pain.

• Abdominal cramps and pain, which can be mild or severe. Some women describe the sensation as being similar to menstrual cramps. The cramps may actually be real contractions wherein the body is trying to expel the conception products.

The intensity, timing, and duration of the symptoms vary from woman to woman.

In the doctor’s clinic, impending, threatened, or complete miscarriage is confirmed by several tests that include manual examination, pelvic ultrasound, and blood test to check for levels of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) hormone.

Manual examination checks the state of the cervix (dilation is a bad sign) and presence of other structural abnormalities such as tenderness and pain.

An ultrasound can check the status of the fetus, usually in terms of its size and heartbeat. The ultrasound can also detect abnormalities such as ectopic pregnancy.

The levels of HCG in the blood can indicate whether the pregnancy is proceeding normally or not.

Tags: Early Pregnancy, Embryonic Pregnancy, hcg, miscarriage, signs of miscarriage
Posted in: Baby
1 Comment »

As parent or parent-to-be, there exist a multitude of gifts you’ll be able to give your child to ensure that he or she grows up to be the fine young people you wish them to be. Yes, we’re talking about patience, kindness as well as the occasional toy. But, there exists yet another gift you can give that will ensure that the best parts of your child’s life remain immortalized.

Photographs help us appreciate our young lives, especially when we’re older. They remind us of the good moments, the bad and also where we come from.

Below we’ll acquaint you with a couple of essential photography tips and techniques that will help you, as proud parent, to capture all these moments that will, one day, help your child realize just how much you love him or her.

What To Expect

If you’re about to pick up your camera, just hold on, mom, dad. Take some time to think about photography in general: what is it that makes a good picture? Is it great technical ability? Perhaps the intuition needed to recognize a great shot when it presents itself. Or, maybe both?

In our opinion, photography is about a combination of technical skill and composition. You’ll have to learn to use your camera to its fullest extent while, at the same time, know which elements present in the frame will and won’t work.

We’ll give you a bit of advice on both to best prepare you for your photographic journey to come.

Technical Skills

Remember mom, dad: photography is all about light. And if you learn to manipulate the light entering though your camera’s lens, then you’ll be able to weave photographic magic! So let’s look at a couple of basic concepts.

A Little More About Light…

To best understand the motivation behind the fact that some types of light are good, in terms of photography, while others are less so, we have to understand what is meant by the ‘dynamic range’ of a camera.

The dynamic range refers to the differences in light or tone that can be accommodated before some aspects of the image in front of us loses detail. Our eyes have a dynamic range of about 2000:1, while the average camera only has a dynamic range of about 8:1. What this means in terms of lighting is that, when ‘wrong’ types of light are used to illuminate the subject of our photography, it will cast deep shadows that will appear black on film, even though we can make out the detail with the naked eye.

In practical terms, this means that, if you are planning on a bit of outdoor photography, you’ll do well to take your pictures either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Cloudy days are also suitable and will provide you with the necessary soft light to bring out your child’s beautiful skin tone.

The Exposure Triangle

Your camera will provide you with a host of settings that will allow you to manipulate light as it enters through the lens. The most prominent among these represent the elements of the ‘Exposure Triangle’ and include ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Let’s take a brief look at each of these separately.

ISO

At this stage we’d like to encourage parents of all very young babies to switch off the flash. Not only will the sudden bright bursts of light startle your child, but it can also be potentially damaging to his or her developing vision.

However, that doesn’t mean you should put your camera down. On the contrary, learn to use the ISO setting of your camera efficiently.

ISO is a term that is used rather loosely and refers to the film speed standard for color-negative film as maintained by the International Standards Organization. Those parents who would like a bit more information can search for ISO 5000:1987 (though be warned: you’ll be greeted with a lot of technical information).

Now while most cameras nowadays don’t use film any more, the standards still apply and is more commonly referred to as the camera’s sensitivity to light.

If you are intent on taking a picture of your baby in a low-light environment, then you’ll want to ensure that you are using a high ISO number, like 800. In a bright environment, the reverse is true: a low ISO number will suffice. Acquaint yourself with this feature of your camera by experimenting.

Aperture

The aperture of your camera is defined as the amount of light that gets admitted onto the sensor and works very much like the pupil of the human eye. We measure the diameter of the aperture in f-stop and indicate it as follows: Fn, F:n or F-n, where n is the aperture size. The higher the f-stop the smaller the aperture.

Shutter Speed

The last element of the ‘Exposure Triangle’ refers to shutter speed, which is measured in fractions of a second and seconds. As the name implies, this function determines how fast the shutter opens and closes.

Shutter speeds between 1/60 (a sixtieth of a second) and 1/000 (a thousandth of a second) and faster will allow you to hold the camera in your hand. Shutter speeds of 1/30 (one thirtieth of a second) and slower will require the use of a tripod to avoid camera shake. However, take note: certain shutter speeds can last second, minutes or even longer and will capture more light as well as movement (that’s the cool trailing effect visible on photographs of highways).

Composition

In terms of composition, there are a lot of things that can be said and a lot of rules to be expelled. But in the end, good photographic composition is a skill mastered only by practice, practice and then some more, practice.

All we’ll be able to do is to give you a couple of pointers of things to look out for that will help you recognize certain elements that will help you on the journey to photographic excellence.

Texture & Lines

Take a look around you. What do you see? All physical objects have a texture, and they have lines, too.

The edges of said objects, if not the patterns on them, will fill each photograph you take with a variety of shapes. To excel in your photographic journey, you’ll have to train yourself to pay attention to these lines, shapes and textures. Have a look at your child (if he or she has already been born) and carefully study them for the aforementioned characteristics.

When its time for another photography spell, try to employ the following guidelines:

• - Converging lines will supply your picture with a sense of depth and distance
• - Curved lines or swirls will convey a sense of calm
• - Slanting lines, on the other hand, can imply direction or action

That being said, we’d also like you to pay attention to the various colors that fill the frame of your camera. Photography 101 states that colors that belong to the same tonal range will make for a better photograph than those that seem out of odds with one another.

An Interesting Angle

Last but not least in our mini parent photography course is something present in all brilliant photographs: a good angle. Whether you take a picture over your baby’s shoulder to show what he or she was looking at the time, or whether you find it fitting to show them in a special type of light or way, it’s often the unique angle that draws us to a picture.

Remember: all photographs should tell a story that’s what sets them apart from mere pictures.

About The Author: Betty A. Muscott is an accomplished child photographer who provides tips on how to photograph children outdoors to create beautiful images and some personalized photo gift hints. She provides a review of a great Canon starter digital camera, ideas on how to create amazing babies photos onto canvas and personalized photo gift ideas..

Tags: aperture, beginnner's guide, composition, digital camera, digital photography, Exposure, exposure traingle, ISO, lighting, Photography, setting, Shutter speed, texture
Posted in: Photography
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It is strange how medical practices vary when it comes to childbirth. Many developed countries favor hospital delivery but in a few countries like the Netherlands for example delivery at home attended by a registered midwife or nurse has been the norm for quite a while. In Germany, the idea of home birth is catching on although other alternatives such as “maternity houses” are also becoming popular. A friend of mine had a hospital birth with her first born but opted for a home birth the second time round. Her first born made up her mind for her when the little girl asked with the unerring logic of a 4-year old. “Why do you have to go to the hospital, Mommy? You and the baby aren’t sick, are you?”

Indeed, we associate hospitals with illness and even death so that many people would rather celebrate the joy of childbirth outside the hospital walls. But there are still questions

Is Home Birth Safe?

The debate about the safety of home birth vs hospital birth has been going on for decades and is not likely to be settled anytime soon.

A recent study by Canadian researchers compared the outcomes of home birth vs. hospital birth in British Columbia. The study consisted of:

• 2889 home births attended by certified midwives
• 4752 planned hospital births attended by the same midwives
• 5331 hospital births attended by doctors

The researchers reported that women who planned a home birth had less maternity-related interventions but also less adverse outcomes. The interventions associated with hospital childbirth are induction of, electronic fetal monitoring, epidural anesthesia, assisted vaginal delivery, and cesarean section. The adverse outcomes reported were infection and hemorrhage. The risk of newborn mortality was similar for both home and hospital births.

So why are there fewer complications in home birth than in hospital birth? The researchers think it might have something to do with self-selection.

Caveat: this is just one study in one country. More data are needed to confirm these findings.

When is Home Birth Not Safe?

I delivered my twins in Frankfurt, Germany. I loved the idea of a home birth but I knew almost right from the beginning that it might not an option for me, mainly due to my advanced maternal age and multiple pregnancies. Even my choice of a hospital was rather limited. Whereas other moms had fun looking around which hospital or clinic they could go to, I had no choice but to opt for the only one in town with a neonatal clinic.

There are many reasons why a home birth may not be ideal for you, and your family, friends, even your midwife may have something to say about this. But are these reasons valid? Let us look at some of these reasons:

• First Delivery. The first time is said to be always difficult and slow. Truth or myth? We don’t know. At any rate, there’s no scientific evidence that supports any objection to home births for first-time moms.

• Maternal Age. People would say “you’re too young” or “you’re too old” for home birth. But what is the right age for home birth? No one can say. I think it’s something to do more with health status rather than age.

• Previous Delivery Complications. Those who had previous complications have a good reason to be wary of giving birth away from the hospital. However, not all complications would necessarily occur the next time around. Assisted delivery (e.g. forceps delivery) and episiotomy (tear) are less common in home births, according to Homebirth UK. There are life threatening complications, however, like preeclampsia and postpartum bleeding that may warrant more medical monitoring than what a home birth can provide.

• Underlying Medical Conditions. Women with underlying condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity are usually advised against home birth.

• Breech delivery. Breech births are very tricky. Unless your midwife is highly experienced in breech delivery, a hospital birth might be the best option for you and your baby.

• Multiple Pregnancy. Having multiples is one very good reason to play it safe and opt for a hospital birth. I did. This doesn’t mean it’s not possible. It is simply too risky.

• Premature Labor. Premature delivery is usually unplanned but does not preclude home delivery if pregnancy has reached the 37^th week. Very premature delivery, however, requires immediate medical attention and being close to a neonatal intensive care unit is advisable. This was foreseen in my case and I was glad of my decision to deliver in a hospital.

• Overdue Delivery. Many women who are overdue are referred to a hospital to induce labor. Health officials are divided when induction becomes a “must” and can range from 6 days to 2 weeks after the due date. Midwives, however, can also induce labor at home.

• Baby Problems. If it is known beforehand that the baby might have some health or genetic problems, a hospital birth is usually recommended.

But Who Makes the Decision? Please take note that the items in the abovementioned list are only my opinion. According to Homebirth UK, the decision between a home birth and a hospital birth lies on the woman alone. Her doctor or her midwife can only give recommendations. Nobody can force her to deliver in a specific location against her will unless nature takes the decision out of her hands. It is best, though, that she discusses the issue with her partner and together they make an informed decision.

Author: Science-mom

Tags: delivery choices, home birth, hospital birth, safe delivery
Posted in: Pregnancy
1 Comment »

Abortions are nothing new and have been practiced for centuries. In recent times there has been a belief that if properly done, an abortion will not negatively impact subsequent pregnancies. This belief is being reconsidered by recent research.

The Risks Caused by Abortion

The research which was done to investigate the causes of low birth weight babies came up with some surprising results. It was discovered that women who aborted a pregnancy had a greater chance of having babies that were below the normal birth weight. The review of past studies on abortions was conducted by Dr. Prakesh Shah of Canada’s Paediatrics Department at the Mount Sinai Hospital. The results of the research were published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in September.

Low Birth Weight

There was a 35 percent risk of having a low birth weight baby if an abortion was done in the first or second trimester of a previous pregnancy. In fact, having more than one abortion increased the risk of having a low birth weight baby even more. Women who fall into this category had a 72% chance of giving birth to a baby that was below average weight.

A low birth weight baby is generally viewed as an infant weighing less than 5.5 pounds at birth regardless of what gestational period the birth occurs. Most low birth weight babies are also premature and tend to be at an increased risk for certain health problems throughout their lives. Fortunately most infants go on to live healthy lives given today’s technology.

Premature Birth

According to Dr. Shah, having an abortion in the first or second trimester increased the risk of premature birth by 36%. Premature birth refers to deliveries that occur by the 37th week of pregnancy. Dr. Shah’s findings are not the first to suggest this link. In 2007, a research team suggested that abortion can result in extreme pre-term birth and cerebral palsy in subsequent pregnancies.

Dr. Shah made his findings on the abortion link between premature birth and low birth weight after reviewing 37 studies published between 1965 and 2001. He concludes that the increased risk of premature birth and low birth weight may be due in part to damage to the cervix during the abortion. This damage Dr. Shah contends was more likely from older methods of performing the abortions. He recommends that women considering ahving an abortion be told about the possible risk to future pregnancies.

Written by: Jessdel27

Tags: abortion, abortion and future pregnancies, low birth weight, premature labor
Posted in: Health, Pregnancy
1 Comment »

Sometimes, due to health or other concerns, labor must be induced, or artificially started. Labor inducement can be a long process and induced labor is slightly different than “regular” labor.

Labor can be induced using a variety of methods. Check with your provider to determine which method they prefer to use. Some practitioners prefer to begin the process in the evening, with the hopes that you can sleep through most of the night. Other practitioners prefer to begin in the morning with labor inducements.

How to Induce Labor

The process can take anywhere from 1-3 days depending upon a variety of factors including your health and the overall well being of the baby. Because of the risks, most women who are induced will need to be regularly monitored. This may mean that you are confined to bed for the majority of the process. For some women, this can be bothersome.

I’ve found that contractions are different during inducements. During naturally occurring labor, I found that I was able to work with the contractions. During my inducements, I felt that the contractions were much more powerful and intense. They were also very close together which made me feel very overwhelmed. I ended up asking for pain medication for some of the inducements; with others I was able to get through the process without pain medication. During one of my inducements, it went so quickly that there simply wasn’t time for pain medicine.

Get Support

Getting support during the process is important. It’s also important that your labor support person is aware that this is an inducement and that he or she is aware of the possible complications which could occur during the process. During my most recent inducement, my husband became so discouraged when I “stalled out” at 3 cm for 6 hours. I found myself encouraging him instead of concentrating on the labor!

Be prepared to be flexible. After 18 hours of labor, it appeared that I would need a c-section to complete the delivery because I just wasn’t progressing in my labor stages. I have to say, I was slightly discouraged. By the time the midwife left to make some final arrangements and came back a short time later to discuss options with my husband and I, I had fully dilated. Our son was delivered shortly thereafter.

My grandmother gave me some sage grandparenting advice 16 years ago before the birth of my first child. When I asked her how she handled the demands of childbirth, she simply replied: I kept my eyes on the prize. I find that “keeping my eyes on the prize” is essential to handling an inducement. Hopefully this advice will help you too!

Tags: c-section, delivery, inducement, labor, medication, midwife
Posted in: Labor & Birth
2 Comments »

My son and his best friend have been bugging us for months, their moms, to arrange a sleep over. The boys are keen, the moms aren’t. “Why not, mom?”, asked the two 6-year olds. “Because you guys are not yet ready for a sleep over.” The thing is, my son is ready but his friend is not. He has what I call “the hidden childhood problem.”

Moms are always ready to share tips with other moms on putting the baby to sleep, getting the baby to eat, even on potty training. As our babies grow older, we are also open to advice on asthma, food allergies, even social behavior. But there is a childhood problem that we tend to keep to ourselves, something that we feel should be kept private. In doctor speak, it’s called nocturnal enuresis. In layman terms, it’s called bedwetting. So why are we so reluctant to talk about bedwetting?

It’s embarrassing. The issue of bedwetting can feel like an embarrassment for both mommy and child. For mommy, some feel it’s an indication of failure as a mother. The question often asked is “what did I do wrong?” For the child, it has a strong social impact – think about sleepovers, slumber parties, and camp.

What causes bedwetting?

Bedwetting is not about laziness to get up and go to the bathroom. It is really about night time bladder control and may be due to a lot of reasons.

• Biological -There are medical explanations for bedwetting and these include dysfunction of the urinary bladder due to delayed maturation, infections, hormonal imbalance. It could also be due to constipation, diabetes, and yes, even genetics. However, biological factors explain only 3% of bedwetting cases.

• Psychological – The large majority of cases of bedwetting are due to psychological stress. Now, parents, before you start being defensive, psychological stress does not necessarily mean (though it includes) major issues like negligence, abuse, personal loss or disruption of family life. It could also be the little issues like a new bedroom, new residence, new school, new teacher, or loss of a security item. Psychological stress big and small can lead to sleep disorders and loss of bladder control.

It’s more common than you think.

If it is any comfort to you, bedwetting is more common than you think. Here’s some statistics from a WebMD article:

• 5 to 7 million children who are potty-trained still wet their beds at night.
• Bedwetting seems to be twice as common among boys as girls.
• 15% of kids aged 5 still wet their beds from time to time.
• 12% of children aged 6 still have this problem.
• 95% of children aged 10 are dry at night.

What can you do about it?

• Check your family history. According to pediatrician Dr. Howard Bennett, author of Waking Up Dry: A Guide to Help Children Overcome Bedwetting, 3 out of 4 kids with bedwetting issues have a first-degree relative who had the same problem as a child. Scientists have even mapped the specific genes involved!

• Do not blame anybody. Unless there are really major family issues involved, bedwetting is nobody’s fault. It is important to communicate to your child that it is not his/her fault. Make sure that your child is aware he or she is not alone in this. It is hard not to be disapproving when you have to change and wash sheets every morning but putting pressure on your child that adds to the stress. And you shouldn’t blame yourself either.

• Be patient. I had a sibling who had this problem and my mom’s attitude was “she’ll outgrow it” and eventually she did.

• Minimize the damage. There are, however, things that you can do to minimize the risks and the damage. Here are some tips on bedwetting “damage control”:
  • Put on disposable diapers on preschoolers at night.
  • Make sure your child goes to the bathroom right before sleeping.
  • Restrict the amount of fluid intake close to bedtime.
  • Use bedwetting alarms that wake up the child.
  • Cover the mattress with a plastic mat.

• Check with a health professional. Dr. Bennet believes that if bedwetting causes anxiety and social problems, then it is best that a health professional be consulted. A doctor can try to pinpoint the possible cause of the problem. There are certain exercises to stretch the bladder and increase its carrying capacity. There may be therapies to ease the psychological stress. Some doctors may even prescribe medications (though I am not really keen on this).

I am ready to give my son up for a night. I myself am ready to take damage control measures in case his best friend comes for a sleepover. My son’s best friend’s mom is embarrassed about her son’s problem and is reluctant to go for it.

What do you think?

Do you think I should push the issue or should I wait?

Tags: bedwetting, bladder control, enuresis
Posted in: Parenting, Potty Training
2 Comments »

During the nine months of your pregnancy, your body will go through many changes. Some will be immediately noticeable, such as an increased body mass index (BMI), but others will not be equally visible, such as the swelling of the eyes. All of these changes are usually part of a normal pregnancy, as your body adapts itself to nourishing the unborn baby.

Swelling During Pregnancy

This affects your eyes too! The fact that your eyes, more specifically the cornea, might thicken, could lead to discomfort for people wearing contact lenses. The reason why your eyes can swell is the same as the reason why your feet and hands might swell too. Hormonal spikes can cause fluctuations in blood and body fluid pressures. You cannot actually predict whether this will happen or not, but usually falls with in the range of normal pregnancy symptoms. However, if you regularly wear contact lenses, you may experience dry and itchy eyes, blurry vision, or slight discomfort when wearing your contacts, to the point where they are so ill-fitting that they may even fall out.

It is recommended that you visit an eye doctor at least two or three times during your pregnancy as he or she can run vision tests to see if the shape of your eyes have changed, and, if so, by how much. After the examination you will get a prescription for new contact lenses that will be of the right optical strength and size.

After you have given birth, your eyes will most likely go back to their original shape, meaning that your old prescription and contact lenses are applicable again.

Here’s what you can do if your eyes have changed shape during your pregnancy.

Get a New Prescription

Simply get a new prescription for contact lenses that you can wear while you are pregnant. Book an appointment at a local eye clinic where they can determine how much your vision has changed and prescribe you lenses that will be custom-fitted. Because it will take some time after pregnancy before your eyes return to normal, you can wear these lenses for quite some time.

Switch to Glasses

The second alternative that you will have is switching to regular glasses. It is important that you visit an eye clinic as the glasses need to have the correct optical power, which, due to the thickening of the cornea, has probably changed as well. If you wish, you could always go back to wearing lenses again after you have given birth as the swelling will most likely go down.

Sources:
Chris O. Imafidon. (1992). Contact Lenses in Pregnancy. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 99, 865¬-868
Park SB et al. (1992). The Effect of Pregnancy on Corneal Curvature, The CLAO Journal, Oct; 18(4), 256-259

Tags: contact lenses, Contact Lenses in Pregnancy, cornea, Corneal Curvature, swelling, Switch to Glasses, vision, wearing glasses
Posted in: Pregnancy
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Some of the treatments for male infertility actually mirror the treatments for female infertility. For instance, in vitro fertilization can be used to weed out the stronger sperm, fertilize the woman’s eggs in an external environment, and then implant them. In vitro fertilization remains the best medical treatment for a couple trying to conceive when male infertility is an issue.

IUI fertilization

Intrauterine insemination, too, is sometimes used for men with poor sperm quality. By implanting “washed” sperm directly into the woman during her ovulation period, IUI has an average pregnancy success rate of between 6 and 25%. Success rates at or above the higher end of this range occur when the sperm count is between 20 to 30 million per ejaculation and are reduced significantly when the count falls below 5 to 10 million.

IUI is typically not successful in cases of:

• Low sperm count

• Low sperm motility

Clomid

In April 2009, the journal Fertility and Sterility published a study that found that men who took Clomiphene citrate (Clomid) along with vitamin E for six months showed an increase in both sperm count and motility. The men in the study had a 37% success rate of impregnating their partners versus men who took a placebo. Those in the placebo group had a 13% success rate. A study by the World Health Organization several years ago did not show a great increase in fertility in men taking Clomid vs a control group taking a placebo, so it appears that the combination of vitamin E and the Clomid hormone makes the difference.

Natural Fertility Treatments

In many cases, natural fertility treatments can be performed at home such as changes in diet, exercise routines and general health will increase a man’s sperm count and motility.

Decrease temperature of sperm

Sperm do not thrive in constant, overly warm temperatures. Therefore, a man trying to conceive should avoid hot tubs, prolonged warm temperatures and heated blankets. Also, avoid sitting with a laptop on your lap for long periods. (Purchasing a cooling fan that fits under the laptop and runs on power from the PC will protect your sperm count and your computer.)

Many medical professionals say the “boxers or briefs” choice makes little difference, but like many natural treatments, switching to boxers while TTC couldn’t hurt.

Lifestyle changes

In general, any lifestyle changes that positively impact a man’s health can also impact his sperm production. Quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, avoiding illegal drugs, keeping your weight in check, and engaging in moderate exercise can all help increase sperm production and energy levels.

Excessive bicycling – for more than three hours a week – on a narrow bicycle seat can lead to reproductive problems. Avid cyclists need not give up their habit, though, as cycling is a healthy lifestyle choice. Simply invest in a wider, cushioned seat, and stand frequently to shift your weight.

Vitamins
Certain vitamin deficiencies can lead to low sperm count and motility. For improved reproductive health, men should take vitamin supplements and eat a diet rich in the following nutrients:

• Zinc

• Vitamin E

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin B12

• Selenium

• Flaxseed oil

You may find a blend of these vitamins in natural fertility supplements designed for men.

Herbs can increase sperm production

As herbal remedies grow in popularity, more reputable companies are introducing herbal supplements. However, herbs have no FDA regulation, and you can’t always determine the potency or reliability of an herbal supplement. Do your research to insure you’re purchasing from a reputable source and you’re not just wasting your money on what are, essentially, sugar pills.

Additionally, take herbs with caution, following the manufacturer’s recommended dosage. As with any medicine or supplement, do not take more than the recommended dose. Pay close attention to your body and stop taking the supplement if you experience any unusual side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about any interactions between herbs or with any prescription drugs.

Popular herbs to improve fertility in men include:

• Ginseng or Panax Ginseng

• Astralagus

• Saw palmetto

Stress Reduction

Coping with infertility can lead to additional stress on top of life’s everyday stressors. A couple trying to conceive can learn methods to cope with stress together. If you recently experienced a major, life-changing event that causes stress, such as a death in your family, job loss, purchasing a home or moving, you may want to cut back on the TTC efforts for a while. In other words, “stop trying,” have sex regularly and only when you feel like it for fun, and wait until the emotional ordeal passes to renew your efforts.

Author: Dawn Allcot

Tags: boxers or briefs, clomid, Clomiphene citrate, in vitro fertilization, infertility, intrauterine insemination, IUI fertilization, IVF, low sperm count, natural fertility treatments, poor sperm quality, reproductive health, reproductive problems, sperm production, trying to conceive, TTC, vitamin deficiencies, vitamins
Posted in: TTC
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Are you pregnant? Often, our body gives us the signs that we are pregnant before that plus sign ever shows up on a pregnancy test. However, many signs of pregnancy could also be symptoms of a medical problem or even just premenstrual syndrome, so it’s important to take that test as soon as a positive result is possible.

Here are some possible signs of pregnancy:

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding, in women who experience it, is typically the first indication of pregnancy. When the embryo implants into the uterine wall, some blood may be released. However, only about 20 to 30 percent of women experience this bleeding, which is really more like a pink or very light red discharge of blood. Any bleeding that is not your period should be discussed with your doctor.

Delay/Difference in Menstruation

When a woman misses a period, often the first thing she does is take a home pregnancy test. A late or skipped menstrual period is the most well-known symptom of pregnancy. Some women may bleed lightly during pregnancy. If this occurs in the first few weeks, it’s called implantation bleeding and should be very light. Heavy bleeding after a period is late or after a pregnancy test has shown you are pregnant could indicate a miscarriage and you should speak with your doctor.

Other factors may also create an irregular menstrual cycle or a missed period. These include:

• Excessive changes in weight and/or diet

• Hormonal imbalances

• Stress

• Going off birth control pills

• Breastfeeding

• Travel, esp. involving changes in altitude

• Illness

• Antibiotics

Swollen / Tender Breasts

A woman’s breasts may become sore, swollen or tender as early as one or two weeks after conception. However, this is also a sign of PMS so, if you experience swollen breasts, you may want to wait until the first day of your missed period to take a home pregnancy test. You may also experience tender or sore breasts if you have a hormone imbalance or recently started birth control pills or other hormone-based birth control.

Fatigue/Tiredness

Extreme fatigue or even feeling more tired than usual could indicate pregnancy and may begin as early as the first week after conception. However, there are multiple other factors that could make a woman tired, so if this is not accompanied by other symptoms of pregnancy, consider other factors first.

• Are you getting enough sleep?

• Are you under stress?

• Could you have a cold or the flu?

Stress, exhaustion, depression, illnesses, a change in exercise habits or even a change in diet can leave you feeling fatigued.

Nausea/Morning Sickness

This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between two and eight weeks after conception, and typically subsides at the start of the second trimester. Some women do not experience morning sickness at all, while some feel a degree of nausea throughout pregnancy. Rule out other causes first, including food poisoning, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach disorders, stress and a stomach flu.

Backaches

Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy, but it may begin at any time during your pregnancy and last until delivery, or come and go based on your level of physical activity and other factors.

Like most pregnancy symptoms, backaches may be caused by a number of other factors, including impending menstruation, stress, back problems, physical injuries such as pulled muscles.

Headaches

The sudden rise of hormones in your body can cause headaches early in pregnancy but, since headaches are so prevalent in women and have so many other causes, this is not usually a good indicator of pregnancy unless accompanied by other symptoms. Headaches may be caused by:

• Dehydration

• Caffeine withdrawal

• PMS

• Eye strain

• Stress

• Cold or flu

• Seasonal allergies

• Sinus infection

Frequent Urination

Around six to eight weeks after conception, as the uterus grows and shifts, taking up more room in your abdomen and exerting force on your bladder, you may experience frequent urination. Frequent urination in the absence of other pregnancy symptoms, however, could indicate a problem such as:

• Urinary tract infection

• Bladder infection

• Diabetes

Using diuretics or increasing your liquid intake may also cause more frequent urination.

Darkening of Areolas

If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker. This may also be caused by a hormone imbalance not related to pregnancy. Areolas may not return to their original color after childbirth.

Food Cravings

As any pregnant woman – or her husband who hit the convenience store at midnight for ice cream, with or without pickles – can attest, pregnancy food cravings are not a myth. They can last throughout your entire pregnancy, but usually don’t appear until the second trimester or late in the first trimester.

Dieting, PMS, lack of a certain nutrients, stress or depression can also cause food cravings. Click here to read about some strange food cravings experienced by the BOL bloggers.

Enhanced Sense of Smell

For moms-to-be pregnant for the first time, an enhanced sense of smell is often one of the oddest symptoms of pregnancy. This evolutionary trait may have developed to help pregnant women detect – and avoid – spoiled foods before they ate them. It can be embarrassing if you have to leave a room because of someone’s intense body odor or want to gag around people with the scent of third-hand smoke clinging to their bodies.

Mood Swings

It’s not just a myth. All those hormonal changes going on in your body can wreak havoc with your mood, too. Of course, mood swings can also be caused by stress or plain old garden variety PMS. Some women actually experience improved moods – or a more stable mood if they previously suffered from PMS-related mood swings – during pregnancy. Others discover that one or two specific individuals “push their buttons” but that people, as a whole, are easier to tolerate.

Increased Hunger

Doctors recommend that women not gain much weight in the first trimester, but you may feel hungrier than usual. To keep weight in check, maintain a healthy diet and eat lots of foods high in fiber, which are filling and will also help alleviate constipation. Drink a glass of water before every meal, too. Pregnant women shouldn’t need to increase their caloric intake to accommodate the growing fetus until the start of the second trimester, when they should eat approximately 300 extra calories per day. You can also maintain a high level of physical activity in the first trimester, which will help prevent excessive weight gain.

Later Pregnancy Symptoms

Some symptoms – such as a backache or headaches – may begin in the first trimester and persist throughout pregnancy. Others appear later.

Some later symptoms may include:

• Feeling extremely warm / hot flashes

• Varicose veins

• Quickening (fetal movement)

• Shortness of breath

• Stretch marks

• Changes in all areas of your body, including hair, skin and nails

• Blurred vision

• Insomnia

Essentially, “anything goes” when it comes to pregnancy symptoms. If you are concerned about any reactions you’re having or changes to your body, speak with your midwife or obstetrician.

Author: Dawn Allcot

Tags: areolas, backaches, bleeding, breasts, cravings, fatigue, headaches, implantation, menstruation, morning sickness, nausea, pregnancy signs, symptoms, tiredness, urination
Posted in: TTC
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