Sunday Secrets: Suicide & Unplanned Pregnancy

While reading the Sunday Secrets over at Post Secret yesterday, I came across one that really made me stop and think. It made me think about my own unplanned pregnancy. It made me think about my life before that positive pregnancy test. And it made me think of our readers on this blog. The photo was of two hands resting on a very pregnant belly. The text read:If it hadn't... [...] Read more!

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[Source: Crisis Pregnancy Blog]

Meconium happens.

A friend with a new baby called to say she had forgotten just how thick and green new baby's bowel movements are! The truth is that meconium is normal in your baby's body.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Screening hope for pre-eclampsia

A blood test that screens pregnant woman for pre-eclampsia long before symptoms develop could be available in the next five years, doctors predict.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Great TV: The Doctors

I was watching this great new show called The Doctors yesterday when I heard a heartwarming story about a 2-year-old boy named Dallas who was diagnosed at birth with cerebral palsy. He couldnt speak, walk, crawl, wave or even smile.

Luckily, his parents had banked Dallas umbilical cord blood at birth. Eighteen months later, the cells from his umbilical cord were injected intravenously into his arm in the hopes that they would repair the damage in his brain.

Amazingly, Dallas is now walking, running and throwing balls. The fog over him just lifted and he became like a little boy, his father Derek remembers.

Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. James Baumgartner, a leading expert in non-embryonic stem cell research, explained that there are two theories for how stem cell infusions promote healing. One is that the stem cells are able to find the area of injury and replace missing or damaged cells, and the other is that the stem cells find the general area of affliction and induce healing.

Dr. Lisa Masterson, one of the doctors on the show's panel, is a strong proponent of cord blood banking. On yesterday's episode she pointed out that over 95 percent of cord blood is just wasted," and went on to explain that cord blood is placental blood cells, which are immature cells that can turn into any other cells in the body, such as organs and tissues, and can heal them.

Episodes of The Doctors cover everything from cervical cancer and chiropractors to seizures and snoring. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching (and learning from) it already, check your local listings for show times in your area.

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PregnancyWeekly.com

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog - For All Your Pregnancy Things by PregnancyWeekly]

Pregnancy Blog Review for October 12 - 25

Welcome to the Pregnancy Blog Review. In this section, I summarize the recent posts in the blog with a short description of the topic. Links are provided for you to easily click to read the rest of the story. The review is a good place to view the recent blogs in one place.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

Trouble Sleeping?

Recently I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping at night. It takes me forever to fall to sleep and then once I am asleep I wake up multiple times. While I am not pregnant, this sleeping issue reminds me of being pregnant with Charlie. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I had the hardest time finding a comfortable position to sleep in. Are you experiencing difficulty sleeping during your pregnancy? You are not alone! Issues with sleep are common amongst pregnant women especially during the third trimester.Below are a few things that could be preventing you from sleeping or could be waking you up during the night as well as ways to deal with them.Do you wake up a lot to go to the... [...] Read more!

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[Source: Crisis Pregnancy Blog]

"Numbness in fingers"

Meet other parents of December 2008 kids and share parenting stories as your children grow.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Common Symptoms of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is perhaps the most wonderful thing in this world. Nobody just popped out and existed by himself.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Perfect Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Women

If you're pregnant on Halloween, it can be hard to come up with costume ideas. It can be doubly difficult if you're experiencing pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and weight gain that put a damper on ...

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Did Baby Borrowers Scare You?

Baby Borrowers scared me! And I'm an everyday Mom to two boys neither of which were born while I was a teenager. I caught a marathon of the show on WeTV (who is on Twitter, by the way) this past weekend. My Husband and I watched a few episodes together with the boys. Of course, when I say that we watched anything with the boys, I mean that we caught bits and pieces while playing, telling the children not to lick each other and laughing a lot as is the usual in our home.... [...] Read more!

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[Source: Crisis Pregnancy Blog]

What is a Postpartum Doula?

Whether you have had a baby before or this is your first, you have probably heard of a doula.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

US Infant Mortality Rate Climbing

The United States is continuing to fall behind other developed nations in terms of infant mortality, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The US now ranks 29th of all countries in the world, up from 27th in 2000.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

"Is increased CM a symptom of Pregnancy???"

Jewellz12 Posted 10/9/08 I ovulated on Sept. 25th. Spotted brown discharge on Oct.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Post Partum Depression in Men?

Post partum depression has been getting more attention. This condition has generally been associated with mothers in the weeks and months after the baby is born. New medical evidence suggests this condition may not be confined to women. New fathers may suffer from post partum depression as well.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

SIDS: Prevention Versus Lowered Risk

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has long been a mystery to scientists. We don't really know why it happens, just that apparently healthy babies between 1 month and 1 year go to sleep and don't wake up.We spend a ...

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

"Feeling No Symptoms???"

I am 4 weeks 6 days today and I feel absolutely no pregnancy symptoms. I have no nausea, my bbs aren't sore, nothing.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Are People Balking at Your Adoption Plan?

I just wrote over on the birth parent blog how people sometime balk when I talk about my daughter or share our adoption story. However, having been in your shoes before, I can also remember when people would balk when I would talk about how I was placing my child for adoption when she was born. Having the hindsight I have now, as a birth mother, I thought I could offer you some support and some insight into what they may be thinking or feeling. It doesn't excuse any disrespect on their part... [...] Read more!

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[Source: Crisis Pregnancy Blog]

What we're getting wrong...

The infant mortality rates for 2005 were released this week. It's bad news for the United States again.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

You Are Not Bound to One Agency

I see expectant parents lament the agency with whom they are working all the time. I applaud their gusto and knowledge because I didn't even know enough to complain about mine while I was pregnant and working with them on the placement of my child. However, I continue to see an error in thought that I just wanted to clear up for those who happen upon this blog by chance or search.You, as an expectant parent, are not bound to any one agency. You have paid them no money. While you may have done things like sign papers allowing them to view your medical records... [...] Read more!

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[Source: Crisis Pregnancy Blog]

A New Blood Test for Down's Syndrome

Diagnosing Down's syndrome has just gotten easier. Researchers at Stanford University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Lucile Packard Hospital have developed a maternal blood test that offers a non invasive way to detect Down's syndrome and other chromosome disorders in the fetus.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

Confessed Words from a Mother

I write about confessions on the subject of adoption with regularity over on the birth parent blog. As I was searching through the archives for adoption related ones, I came across this one that I thought would hit home with those experiencing a crisis pregnancy. I was going to put my last baby up for adoption because my husband left me..He returned 2 weeks before she was born, and told me we weren't going do it. I was watching her crawl and giggle and... [...] Read more!

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[Source: Crisis Pregnancy Blog]

What to Expect During the First Trimester of Pregnancy

The first trimester of pregnancy is a time of great change physically and emotionally.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Jada Pinkett Smith's Golden Rules of Parenting

In the November issue of Cookie magazine, Jada Pinkett Smith opens up about everything from her marriage to Will Smith to raising their kids together. I especially like her "Golden Rules of Parenting." They include the following:

1. Eat as a family. "Theres flexibility about when they eat breakfast and lunch, but dinner together is sacred."

2. Enlist help. "Im lucky to have a lot of people in my world who help me. My mother travels with me all the time, and when I travel and the kids arent with me, she stays with them."

3. Drink water. "I tell them, 'You have three bottles of water a day, then drink what you want. Im always like, 'Listen, weve got to keep our bodies strong we got too much stuff to do!'"

4. Respect their boundaries. "Staying out of kids' space can teach them to be responsible for their own decisions and mistakes. Is it their room, or are they borrowing the space while theyre living in your house? If it's theirs, then they should be able to do whatever they want with it. If it's their clothes, they have the right to do whatever they want with those clothes. We have to give them some freedom to be who they are."

5. Choose your battles. "Who is it going to hurt, really, if she has orange balloon pants on the red carpet? I try to stay outside my ego and what I want and to respect them as I expect them to respect me."

6. Expose and educate. "We go to church as a family on Sunday, but we study world religion during the week as well. We read excerpts from the Bible, from Hindu texts, Kabbalah, Judaism..."

For more of Jada's interview, check out Cookie online.

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PregnancyWeekly.com

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog - For All Your Pregnancy Things by PregnancyWeekly]

High Tech Interventions Overused says Study

Consumer Reports looks at a study that shows us that too many high tech procedures are being used for childbirth, leading to more problems than they are solving.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Sex Week Postpartum Check Up

Oh I meant six week postpartum check up ! Seriously, if you ask many men what they think about your six week check - the answer is usually about when you can safely resume having sex.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

How Many C Sections Can You Have?

In the United States, c section is often performed as a matter of choice for women. When a woman has had one c section, doctors sometimes offer a choice between VBAC and a repeat c section. In many cases, doctors pressure women into the repeat c section.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

Motherhood is Good For the Brain

There is a lot of talk about "pregnancy brain", which is described as the forgetfulness that women sometimes experience during pregnancy. I've suffered from it too, over the course of four pregnancies.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

Home Birth Dads

There is a blog that I love to read from a midwife in Australia. She has some really amazing birth stories and photos to share.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

"Could My Baby Be Dead?"

Could my baby have died a few weeks ago and I don't even know it yet? I've had 4 miscarriages and I lost them around 9-10 weeks.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Nausea in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Nausea and "morning sickness" is often associated with the first trimester of pregnancy. For some women, this can really interfere with daily life and is just plain miserable. However the problem isn't confined to the first trimester, nausea is also fairly common in the third trimester.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

Please Get Prenatal Care

An unplanned pregnancy can be scary. No matter your current lot in life, it can be a really daunting time in your life. Suddenly you are forced to think not only of yourself and your well being but the well being of the child growing within your womb. At the same time, you need to continue living your life as you were planning, whether that is working, going to school or both. (Or more!) While you will be very busy, do not use that, or fear, as an excuse to skip prenatal care.I know that finding medical care, especially if you are uninsured, is possibly more daunting... [...] Read more!

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[Source: Crisis Pregnancy Blog]

Are childbirth classes worth it?

That's the question posed by first time mom, Leah on her blog . I was actually quite interested in her notes as well as the comments.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Angelina: "We're Going to Have More Kids"

Just in case you thought that Angelina and Brad, who has joked that he would like to have a full soccer team of kids, would stop at a half-dozen, she says that there's no stopping in the near future.

"We are going to have more kids," revealed the Oscar winner. "One way or another."

And lest you assume that Angie is completely overwhelmed with six rugrats, she says, "I feel great. I feel very happy that theyre healthy... Everybodys great! The babies are good and getting big and healthy and developing their personalities."

Read the full story here.

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PregnancyWeekly.com

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog - For All Your Pregnancy Things by PregnancyWeekly]

Asian Women with Caucasian Partners = High C-section Risk

Now there is a new one - the race of your partner, for certain women. A recent study showed that Asian women who had Caucasian partners were more likely to have a cesarean section , 33%, than Caucasian women ...

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Why Women Choose Cesarean Sections

There has been a lot of debate about women choosing cesarean birth for their babies.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

10 Baby Names That Won't Make a Comeback

I'm going to go out on a limb and give you some baby names that I don't think will make a comeback , at least not in my life time.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Why So Little is Known About Drug Safety in Pregnancy

One of the most common questions I hear and see asked in our forums is about the safety of medications during pregnancy. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone ask if a certain medicine is safe, I'd be too busy lying on my private island to be writing this blog.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

Jenny McCarthy Slams Amanda Peet Over Vaccines

Actress and new mom Amanda Peet referred to parents who choose not to vaccinate their children as parasites in a recent interview. But despite her public apology aimed at parents of autistic children who believe that vaccines may have caused the illness, Jenny McCarthy hasnt forgiven or forgotten.

"She (Peet) has a lot of [nerve] to come forward and be on that side, because there is an angry mob on my side, and I like the fact that I can say she's completely wrong,'' McCarthy (whose 6-year-old son has autism) tells the upcoming issue of Spectrum magazine, which hits stands Wednesday.

I look at (Peet) now and say to myself, 'That was me before I had autism in my life, and until she walks in our shoes, she really has no idea," McCarthy added.

Read the full story here.

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PregnancyWeekly.com

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog - For All Your Pregnancy Things by PregnancyWeekly]

Posh Baby Strollers

Strollers are a near necessity, particularly if you enjoy walking. It's a great way to get baby out of the house and get some exercise.

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[Source: Pregnancy News]

Preterm Birth and Post Partum Depression

Post Partum Depression is a condition that affects many new mothers. It appears that mothers of preterm infants may be at increased risk of suffering depression after baby arrives.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

The Pregnancy Blog Review for Sept 22-29

Welcome to the pregnancy blog review. This is where I summarize recent posts in the blog. It's a good place to see all the recent posts in one place. Click the links to read the rest of the story. I attempt to cover a range of topics related to fertility, conception, pregnancy, birth and beyond.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]

Do OTC Medications Affect Fertility?

The topic for this blog came from a question asked in our forums. In fact, there is some evidence that certain medications can interfere with fertility. Whether or not these medications would completely prevent pregnancy is unclear.

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[Source: Pregnancy Blog]