Finding a Christmas Baby Name
Baby names are often chosen because of a special time of year or event. Christmas is no exception to that rule. There are plenty of Christmas names to go around for girls. Boys names were a bit harder to come up with, but I finally had some come up in a conversation at a prenatal class the other night. Which of these are your favorites?
Related:
- Christmas Baby Names
- Baby Naming Style
- Baby Name Hints
- Baby Name Books
- Christmas Pregnancy Announcements
Photo (c) iStockPhoto
An Inexpensive Push Present
Sometimes we think about what's in it for me when it comes to birth. There is a lot of talk about push presents of the several karat variety. I'd like to to stop and consider a push present of a different variety: the gift of a safe birth.
The Hunger Site has a store that includes gifts that cost little but mean a lot. It could be paying a nurse midwife's salary for a week in a third world country, or a clean birth kit to help prevent infection in newborns. This is also a great gift for you to give to the doctor, nurse, midwife or doula in your life. I just gave a clean childbirth kit to a nurse friend of mine and she was thrilled. It wouldn't clutter her house and yet it made the world a better place.
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Obese Women Should Gain No Weight?
This year the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the National Research Council (NRC) made the first revision to their pregnancy weight gain guidelines since 1990. Now the guidelines are revised so that women who are overweight at the start of their pregnancies should gain only 11 to 20 pounds. Previously, it was stated that overweight women should gain about 25 pounds in pregnancy. This effects about a quarter of all pregnant women.
While the guidelines are officially new, they have been in the works for awhile. Studies have been going on for the last few years as the number of obese and overweight women who are pregnant have grown. The latest study says that obese women might be fine gaining no weight at all. Zero. They say that weight gain should be limited to about a 3% of their starting weight gain. One study about pregnancy weight gain in women who are obese (BMI above 29), it is being said that not only do they not need to gain a lot of weight, but a neutral gain and even a loss may be perfectly acceptable for these patients. One of the studies talked about the benefits of weight loss in pregnancy, as far as preventing some diseases like pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), gestational diabetes (GD) and it could even help lower the c-section rates.
The pregnancy weight gain that is recommended for women with a body mass index (BMI) under 30 has not changed:
| BMI | Recommended Weight Gain |
| 30+ | 11-20 lbs |
| 25 - 29.9 | 15-25 lbs |
| 18.6-24.9 | 25-35 lbs |
| 18.5 and lower | 28-40 lbs |
Related:
Sources:
Gestational Weight Gain and Pregnancy Outcomes in Obese Women How Much Is Enough? Deborah W. Kiel. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2007;110:752-758
Weight Gain During Pregnancy:
Reexamining the Guidelines. Kathleen M. Rasmussen and Ann L. Yaktine, Editors; Committee to Reexamine IOM Pregnancy Weight Guidelines; Institute of Medicine; National Research Council; 2009.
Best and Worst Baby names of 2009
How long should you stay in the hospital after having a baby?
How long you stay in the hospital or birth center after having a baby is rarely up to your, your doctor or midwife, but mostly up to hospital policy and your insurance company. New information says that maybe how long you stay after giving birth should include your opinion and the opinions of your practitioner. If you had a choice about how long you could stay would you be someone who wanted to move into the hospital? Or would you be someone who got the heck out of dodge as soon as you could? What would influence your opinions?
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Contractions, contractions, contractions!
Contractions are a part of life and labor. You simply can't give birth vaginally without them. While mothers tend to worry about what contractions will do, they have a purpose - to open the cervix and help propel the baby out into the world. Contractions are also really good for babies. Contractions act as a massage for the baby stimulating it to be born ready for the world. So the big question in everyone's mind is usually: what do contractions feel like? There is even a free program to help you them called Contraction Master.
The answer to that question will vary from woman to woman and even from labor to labor. Some women describe menstrual like cramps, while others use words like rubber bands. How would you describe the contractions of labor?
What about Braxton Hicks Contractions, those pre-labor contractions that some women feel?
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Photo (c) Robin Elise Weiss
Pregnancy Jokes and Humor - What's in a name?
So I was reading our Humor Guide's list of aptonyms, names that are perfectly suitable for someone or their job, and couldn't help but be tickled by some of the names I've heard for obstetricians, midwives, lactation consultants and others in the pregnancy field. So I thought it might be fun to share with you some I've heard and see what you can add to the list just be sure to tell us the name and profession.
- Dr. Hyman (Obstetrician)
- Dr. Pain (Obstetrician)
- Dr. Beaver (Obstetrician)
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5 Ways to Hide Your Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a special time, but as they say, timing is everything. And sometimes, it's just not the right time to tell everyone you're pregnant. Perhaps you're waiting for some test results before you share your big news, or you've had a previous miscarriage and just want to wait. Some people just prefer to keep the secret between themselves for awhile. There are many reasons that people choose to delay announcing their pregnancy.
The problem is that sometimes, the pregnancy is trying to announce itself. This can be from pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness to your new, healthy habits. Here's help in keeping your pregnancy secret until you're ready to share your good news...
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Welcome Baby Dugger!
Updated: Josie Brooklyn was born at 25 weeks gestation, weighing just one pound six ounces. She is said to be in stable condition in the intensive care. Michelle had an emergency cesarean and is resting as well as possible. The family asks for your continued prayers and thoughts.
The rumor mill is working it that Michelle Duggar has given birth to her 19th baby, a girl. The baby, if born, is about 24 weeks gestation and supposedly Michelle was suffering from preeclampsia. This is a very serious pregnancy condition and more likely in older moms with many pregnancies. According to the rumors, Michelle was taken by helicopter a few days ago to a hospital that was better equipped to handle a premature baby of this age. One of the standard treatments when it is believed that birth might occur is to give the mother steroid injections to help the lungs of the baby mature.
Being born at 24 weeks is a very serious issue. Many babies weigh only slightly more than a pound at this stage of pregnancy. There are likely to be numerous issues surrounding a baby born at this gestation, though survival is possible.
So keep your positive thoughts going for all the moms out there living through preeclampsia and for all the preemies being born out there, whether this includes the Duggar Family or not.
Save Money While Eating Better in Pregnancy
One of the things that happens when you become pregnant is that you tend to think about things that you can do to be healthier. Eating right is one of the ways that many pregnant women choose to move into healthy habits. This means lots of things to many people, but one way to do this can help you say money" reduce how often you eat out at restaurants. Imagine if you took your lunch more during the week or stayed home for some of your meals you might normally go out for in the evening. Consider putting that saved money aside to purchase things you need for the baby.
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