In a story published yesterday in The Oregonian, scientists at Stanford University have reported that pregnant women with epilepsy or MS do not have significantly riskier pregnancies than those who do not. While their studies did show that women with either disease experienced abnormal fetal growth rates, the percentage was less than 5% in each case and less than 2% more than women who did not have either disease.
This is great news for women who experience either disease and have been cautious about becoming pregnant because so. Epilepsy and MS are both neurological diseases for which there are no known cures. Both can be experienced at varying levels as well. While some may have very mild cases in which they rarely experience the effects of their disease, others experience symptoms that significantly affect their daily lives. Even in more mild cases, those with these diseases often take medicines to help control their disease, and this can be a cause for concern for a woman that is thinking about becoming pregnant. After scanning records of babies born in the US between 2003 and 2006, including thousands that were born to mothers with either epilepsy or MS, researchers concluded that, although women with either of these diseases should be monitored more closely during pregnancy, their diseases did not necessarily predispose them to experiencing a higher risk pregnancy.
On a personal note, I have a few family members with MS. Each experiences the disease in their own unique way but a common thread to anyone with the disease is that it can be exacerbated by stress. I've said it loads of times but, it bears repeating...if you're pregnant (and even if you're not!), take time for YOU! It doesn't have to be a whole day - although that would be nice - but make time for you. Whether it's reading a book or magazine for even just 15 minutes or treating yourself to some pampering time, "you" time can make a huge difference in how you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Simple Tips for a Healthy Season
The season's have definitely been changing. Fall has set in with it's chillier mornings, cool winds and rain showers. But, it's not just fall and the upcoming winter season that we're all experiencing. We've also moved into cold and flu season.
Whether you're one that believes in the value of a flu shot this year or not, getting sick when you're pregnant is no fun. Not only do you feel miserable, you're limited as to what medications you can take and your baby could be at risk, too.
To help you stay healthy this season, here are some simple tips that you can put into practice right away.
1. Wash your hands! Frequent hand washing is the number one way to prevent the spread of germs. Pick up a travel size container of hand sanitizer to keep in your purse, diaper bag, or in the car, too. In the event that soap and water isn't available, you'll still be able to keep germ free!
2. Quit touching your face! You'd really be surprised how many times you touch your face each day. Since viruses have to enter your system through your mouth or nose, touching your face is an easy way to accidentally introduce them to your system. Unless you're eating or bathing, try to stick with a hands-off approach throughout the day.
3. Gargle with salt water. This is a simple and inexpensive yet very powerful preventive method. Viruses typically take a couple days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling twice a day can prevent this.
4. Cleanse your sinuses daily. This is the same concept as the gargling tip above but needs only to be done once a day. You can use a simple saline spray found at most drugstores or use a neti pot. If the thought of water up your nose is something you can't bear, simply blow your nose hard once a day and follow it up by swabbing both nostrils with a cotton swab dipped in warm salt water.
5. Get plenty of vitamin C. During fall and winter, it's easy to fall short of adequate vitamin C levels. Pick up some oranges or grapefruit at the store to boost your daily intake. Check with your doctor/pharmacist to determine if taking a vitamin C supplement is right for you, too. They come in a variety of forms from tablets to powders that can easily be added to tea or water.
6. Drink plenty of warm liquids. Just as gargling prevents proliferation of viruses in your throat, so does drinking warm liquids such as tea, coffee, broth, etc. The warm liquids wash proliferating viruses away and into the stomach where they cannot survive or do harm. Plus, it's a good excuse to take a few minutes for yourself while you sip away!
7. Get some sleep! Sleep is so critical to our health but an area that we often overlook. Be sure you're getting plenty so that your body is well rested and healthy.
8. Eat a healthy diet. We're all busy but steer clear of processed foods that provide little to no nutritional value. Keep healthy snacks such as dried fruits and whole grain crackers nearby and be sure to eat plenty of veggies, too.
9. Hydrate! Just because it's not 90 degrees outside doesn't mean that you don't have to keep properly hydrated. Continue to keep that water bottle close at hand.
Whether you're one that believes in the value of a flu shot this year or not, getting sick when you're pregnant is no fun. Not only do you feel miserable, you're limited as to what medications you can take and your baby could be at risk, too.
To help you stay healthy this season, here are some simple tips that you can put into practice right away.
1. Wash your hands! Frequent hand washing is the number one way to prevent the spread of germs. Pick up a travel size container of hand sanitizer to keep in your purse, diaper bag, or in the car, too. In the event that soap and water isn't available, you'll still be able to keep germ free!
2. Quit touching your face! You'd really be surprised how many times you touch your face each day. Since viruses have to enter your system through your mouth or nose, touching your face is an easy way to accidentally introduce them to your system. Unless you're eating or bathing, try to stick with a hands-off approach throughout the day.
3. Gargle with salt water. This is a simple and inexpensive yet very powerful preventive method. Viruses typically take a couple days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling twice a day can prevent this.
4. Cleanse your sinuses daily. This is the same concept as the gargling tip above but needs only to be done once a day. You can use a simple saline spray found at most drugstores or use a neti pot. If the thought of water up your nose is something you can't bear, simply blow your nose hard once a day and follow it up by swabbing both nostrils with a cotton swab dipped in warm salt water.
5. Get plenty of vitamin C. During fall and winter, it's easy to fall short of adequate vitamin C levels. Pick up some oranges or grapefruit at the store to boost your daily intake. Check with your doctor/pharmacist to determine if taking a vitamin C supplement is right for you, too. They come in a variety of forms from tablets to powders that can easily be added to tea or water.
6. Drink plenty of warm liquids. Just as gargling prevents proliferation of viruses in your throat, so does drinking warm liquids such as tea, coffee, broth, etc. The warm liquids wash proliferating viruses away and into the stomach where they cannot survive or do harm. Plus, it's a good excuse to take a few minutes for yourself while you sip away!
7. Get some sleep! Sleep is so critical to our health but an area that we often overlook. Be sure you're getting plenty so that your body is well rested and healthy.
8. Eat a healthy diet. We're all busy but steer clear of processed foods that provide little to no nutritional value. Keep healthy snacks such as dried fruits and whole grain crackers nearby and be sure to eat plenty of veggies, too.
9. Hydrate! Just because it's not 90 degrees outside doesn't mean that you don't have to keep properly hydrated. Continue to keep that water bottle close at hand.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
If You Just Need a Giggle...
The good folks over at Evian put together this video. It's only a minute long so take a second (ok, take 60 of them!) and watch. Babies on rollerskates will surely make you smile!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Are Group Prenatal Visits Right for You?
Read this great blog this afternoon. It seems that women going to prenatal visits in groups tend to have more positive pregnancies and even fewer premature births. They were even more likely to initiate breastfeeding!
This doesn't really surprise me given that women, in general, tend to be social creatures who find security in the friendships and relationships that a group can bring about. Having a shared bond sure doesn't hurt, either. Brings a whole new dimension to the saying that "it takes a village to raise a child!"
Read the whole article by clicking on the link below!
Pregnant mothers see benefits from group prenatal visits
This doesn't really surprise me given that women, in general, tend to be social creatures who find security in the friendships and relationships that a group can bring about. Having a shared bond sure doesn't hurt, either. Brings a whole new dimension to the saying that "it takes a village to raise a child!"
Read the whole article by clicking on the link below!
Pregnant mothers see benefits from group prenatal visits
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Planning Your Birth Day
Recently, I celebrated another birthday and, on my special day, I thought about how others may not think I actually did much "celebrating". For me, it was a bit of a lazy day. I did my "jobs" early in the day and then spent most of the rest of the morning and afternoon camped out in my bedroom. I had just put up new curtains the day before and had a renewed sense of relaxation in there, so that's where I parked myself. I watched a bit of TV, read a bit and even took an accidental nap (OK, I accidentally took TWO). It was a great day, and it turned out just as I wanted it to.
Like I said, though, others may not think so. There are others, I know, who would find my day wasteful and boring. No, I didn't have all my friends and family around. There were no cameras to memorialize the day. I didn't have a special outfit that I had to wear or have the place all decorated with balloons and manner of party gear. I didn't even have a strict plan for the day. My only "plan" was to just "be" and see where it took me.
Having a baby is rather similar. There are those women that plan on having their best friends, their mom, their sisters, aunts, mother-in-law, etc. all hanging out with them at the birth. There are others that approach their birth by picking out specific clothing, music, focal objects, etc. Some have extremely detailed birth plans and others have extremely flexible ones.
When it comes down to it, though, there really is no wrong way. We're all different, and what works for one may not work for another. What's important to remember is that it is perfectly OK if your approach to this momentous day is different than that of the people around you. No matter what your friends, family or a book may tell you that your birth day should be like, what you need, and how to prepare, the person who you really need to listen to is you!
Looking back at my three birth days, I see a definite trend. Sure, I had a grand plan for how my first birth would be. That all went out the window with the first real contraction, though. The common threads that I found were these...(1) I wanted only the one or two people that were closest to me to be with me (other than medical staff of course); (2) I wanted the room to be rather relaxed and quiet; and (3) I really went into each day with a "let's see what happens and go from there" attitude. Seems funny yet almost predictable then that, when recently celebrating my own birth, the same common themes were present.
So, how will you celebrate your birth day? However you do, remember that it's about you - not your friends, family, or the latest pregnancy book - and what your choices are. Whatever they may be, everyone at Eternal Maternal wishes you a very happy day!
Like I said, though, others may not think so. There are others, I know, who would find my day wasteful and boring. No, I didn't have all my friends and family around. There were no cameras to memorialize the day. I didn't have a special outfit that I had to wear or have the place all decorated with balloons and manner of party gear. I didn't even have a strict plan for the day. My only "plan" was to just "be" and see where it took me.
Having a baby is rather similar. There are those women that plan on having their best friends, their mom, their sisters, aunts, mother-in-law, etc. all hanging out with them at the birth. There are others that approach their birth by picking out specific clothing, music, focal objects, etc. Some have extremely detailed birth plans and others have extremely flexible ones.
When it comes down to it, though, there really is no wrong way. We're all different, and what works for one may not work for another. What's important to remember is that it is perfectly OK if your approach to this momentous day is different than that of the people around you. No matter what your friends, family or a book may tell you that your birth day should be like, what you need, and how to prepare, the person who you really need to listen to is you!
Looking back at my three birth days, I see a definite trend. Sure, I had a grand plan for how my first birth would be. That all went out the window with the first real contraction, though. The common threads that I found were these...(1) I wanted only the one or two people that were closest to me to be with me (other than medical staff of course); (2) I wanted the room to be rather relaxed and quiet; and (3) I really went into each day with a "let's see what happens and go from there" attitude. Seems funny yet almost predictable then that, when recently celebrating my own birth, the same common themes were present.
So, how will you celebrate your birth day? However you do, remember that it's about you - not your friends, family, or the latest pregnancy book - and what your choices are. Whatever they may be, everyone at Eternal Maternal wishes you a very happy day!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Where Have We Been?
It's been awhile since the last blog post here, and I just wanted to assure everyone that we haven't disappeared or forgotten. There have been lots of exciting things happening at Eternal Maternal, and we've just been rather busy. OK, that's an understatement. We've been VERY busy! So, what can you expect from all this busy-ness? Well...
Our baby name blogs will continue (a new one will follow shortly); however, due to some scheduling conflicts, it will no longer be a Tuesday-only blog. In the future, just look for a baby name blog to appear on a weekly basis but not on any one specific day.
In the next week or so, be sure to check out our Coming Soon page on our website. We've been working on some new items that we think you'll really like!
And, finally, we very excited to begin working with two extraordinary women. It's a little too soon for introductions, but these ladies will soon begin helping me bring Eternal Maternal products into more and more homes. They're both awesome, and I'm lucky to have the opportunity to work with them.
So, keep your eyes open for the next baby name blog. As we move through the alphabet, our next letter is L, and we've got some great names to share with you!
Our baby name blogs will continue (a new one will follow shortly); however, due to some scheduling conflicts, it will no longer be a Tuesday-only blog. In the future, just look for a baby name blog to appear on a weekly basis but not on any one specific day.
In the next week or so, be sure to check out our Coming Soon page on our website. We've been working on some new items that we think you'll really like!
And, finally, we very excited to begin working with two extraordinary women. It's a little too soon for introductions, but these ladies will soon begin helping me bring Eternal Maternal products into more and more homes. They're both awesome, and I'm lucky to have the opportunity to work with them.
So, keep your eyes open for the next baby name blog. As we move through the alphabet, our next letter is L, and we've got some great names to share with you!
L is for...
labor and Lamaze and lactation consultant and for Liberty and Linton.
Recently I was able to reconnect with some old friends via Facebook. They have two wonderful children, their daughter being named Liberty. Although Liberty and I have never met, it's my understanding that she generally goes by Libby with her friends, and that's an L name that I've always been fond of, too.
What comes as no surprise is that Liberty is derived from the Latin word libertas, which is a derivative of liber meaning "free". What is surprising, though, is that, since 1880, the name Liberty has charted on American popularity lists three times - the first in 1918 (after World War I), the second in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and the third after 2001 (after the war on terrorism started). Regardless of time period, though, Liberty is a name that is feminine, patriotic, and virtuous all rolled up together. We think it's a fabulous name for our friends' daughter (who happens to be turning 13 - Happy Birthday Liberty!) and for your daughter, too!
Our boy's name today is Linton. Linton is an English name that means "from the flax settlement". While you may not live on a flax settlement (we didn't even know there was such a thing!), Linton is a name that is traditional and grounded. Many people have said that the name reminds them of someone who is a scholar or book lover. So, if your nursery already has bookshelves bursting at the seams and baby hasn't even arrived yet, this just might be the name for your budding bookworm!
Recently I was able to reconnect with some old friends via Facebook. They have two wonderful children, their daughter being named Liberty. Although Liberty and I have never met, it's my understanding that she generally goes by Libby with her friends, and that's an L name that I've always been fond of, too.
What comes as no surprise is that Liberty is derived from the Latin word libertas, which is a derivative of liber meaning "free". What is surprising, though, is that, since 1880, the name Liberty has charted on American popularity lists three times - the first in 1918 (after World War I), the second in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and the third after 2001 (after the war on terrorism started). Regardless of time period, though, Liberty is a name that is feminine, patriotic, and virtuous all rolled up together. We think it's a fabulous name for our friends' daughter (who happens to be turning 13 - Happy Birthday Liberty!) and for your daughter, too!
Our boy's name today is Linton. Linton is an English name that means "from the flax settlement". While you may not live on a flax settlement (we didn't even know there was such a thing!), Linton is a name that is traditional and grounded. Many people have said that the name reminds them of someone who is a scholar or book lover. So, if your nursery already has bookshelves bursting at the seams and baby hasn't even arrived yet, this just might be the name for your budding bookworm!
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