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    Being Pregnant

    Being Pregnant

  • "Why I Can’t Stand Helicopter Parents" — One Mom's Frustration

    The playground is fun, but the other parents? Not so much. A few months back, I was at a mall playground with my kids. I was in my first trimester, tired, and sick. I had taken them to the playground so they could have a chance to run around without hurting themselves or breaking anything, and it w

  • Why Nursing Mothers Are Seen as Less Competent (Pregnant Women, Too!)

    Here's some nauseating news that's less surprising than it should be: A recent study found that a woman who is breastfeeding may be judged as less competent. But it's not just breastfeeding that negatively affects people's perceptions of a woman's ability. Women were ranked lower in perceived compet

  • No Nipple! Facebook Deletes More Pregnancy Photos

    Facebook has arbitrarily deleted more breastfeeding photos. You know America can't take it when breasts are viewed in their primary, non-sexual role. America wants balloon boobs! Bring on the freakishly gigantic, in-your-face Pamela Anderson knockers! Pay Carmen Electra more money for a calendar fe

  • Pregnant Ladies: Is 34 Weeks the New 36 Weeks?

    I have learned just how vile, and truly toxic monthly due date groups can be. I'm not even really sure why I still frequent them through my pregnancies, but during this pregnancy, I embraced them and thought things would be different -- of course I was wrong … again.

  • Top 5 Things You Need in Your First Postpartum Week

    If you're about to have a baby - especially if it's your first - you will be in for a rough week or two (or six). Newborns are so unpredictable, and they don't (unfortunately) come with manuals. Your only goal in these early days is to survive, minute to minute.

  • Before There Were Ultrasounds ... 3 Not-So-Trustworthy Ways to Find Out Your Baby's Sex

    Most couples find out their baby's gender when that second trimester ultrasound rolls around, but over the years, multiple new ways and theories have been developed to determine the sex of a child. In fact, ultrasounds to determine the sex of a baby didn't become standard until the late '80s and ea

  • Wow! Watch a French Woman Give Birth With...Joy!?

    I have no idea when this was film was shot, but it's incredible.It's a black and white film from France (I'm pretty sure) in which a woman, who looks like Marilyn Monroe, is visibly euphoric during the birth of her baby. What's remarkable to me is just how little activity there is in this film.

  • 5 Things I'm Looking Forward to After Pregnancy

    Minus the minor yet annoying aches and pains of pregnancy, there are a lot of things I miss about my non-pregnant self and -- of course -- lifestyle. It's certainly not enough to rush my daughter out before she is ready, but it is enough to stop and daydream about as she tries to make a break for it

  • You Won't Believe What She's Seen! Real Life Stories from a Certified Professional Midwife

    I recently talked to a Certified Professional Midwife about her experience with home births. Due to the current climate, with many still unsupportive of home birth, she's asked not to be identified but supplied a brief bio below. In this interview, I propose a variety of scenarios to her: what if

  • Room to Breathe: 6 Great Sandals for Achy Feet

    It's no surprise that with summer comes achy, swollen feet. When shopping for summer shoes, I look for shoes that are easy to put on and kick off, allow room for swelling, and offer some kind of cushioning or support.

  • 3 Things I Never Knew Before Becoming Pregnant

    Before I got pregnant, I had no idea what to expect. I was seriously naive about pregnancy and how my body and emotions would change. I don't know what I expected, but I sure wasn't prepared for my dresses becoming dangerously short and a snotty nose.Here 3 things I never knew before becoming pregna

  • Homebirth: What If Something Goes Wrong? 3 Women Share Their Stories

    There's a lot of concern - and even a little hostility - toward home birth. The prevailing thought in many women's heads is, "But what if something goes wrong?" Many women are, understandably, concerned that if something did go wrong, their life or their baby's life would be in danger if they were n

  • 6 Important Questions to Ask a Potential Pediatrician

    Finding the right pediatrician that jives perfectly with your family can be tricky. There are so many different kinds of parenting styles and techniques that finding a provider accepting of these and who's open to your choices can be a project. I strongly encourage parents to take the time to not o

  • Would You Ever Eat Labor-Inducing Cupcakes?

    I've heard that eating eggplant Parmesan can put you into labor, but I have never heard of a cupcake to be labor inducing. Apparently, there is a cupcake shop in Charlottesville that has many overdue pregnant women flocking. Why? Because they have a cupcake that can supposedly jump-start labor! Cap

  • LOL! The Most Hilarious Pregnancy Tweets

    Oh Twitter. How I adore thee. How else would I know that Alyssa Milano is hilarious and loves Howard Stern as much as I do? Or that the normally hard bodied musician Pink feels clumsier than ever before?

  • Happiest Families Have Two Girls, Most Miserable Have Four

    Researchers in the UK polled over 2,000 families with various arrangements of children under age 16 (not families with only children, but we already they're the happiest). Their provocative conclusion? Two girls make for the happiest families. Apparently, two girls play relatively well together, mak

  • 5 Things Husbands Should NEVER Say to Their Pregnant Wives

    I, like most pregnant women, get ideas in my head … and food cravings … and interrupting my thoughts and plans will lead to major trouble. My husband, trying to be helpful, cleaned out the fridge. Only he threw away the leftover salsa (that had only been in there for four days…not two weeks, a

  • 3 Quirks My Wife Found Endearing … Before She Was Pregnant

    Even those of us in the best of matrimonial arrangements would likely agree that marriage can often be hard work. And my marriage is no exception. Only it's a breeze for me. The hard work, it turns out, is all Caroline's. Because I'm tough to stay hitched to. If for no other reason than a series of

  • Introducing ... the Uterus Piñata!?

    File this one under reproductive (p)arts and crafts. The "Super Period Fun Time Uterus Piñata" is not only a stunning example of the kind of niche papier-mâché products Etsy can deliver, but an opportunity for party planners everywhere.

  • What Ever Happened to the Pregnant Man?

    Remember Thomas Beatie? I mean, who doesn't! When he burst onto the scene in 2008 he was dubbed The Pregnant Man. In reality, Thomas Beatie (while living as a male) still had all of this female reproductive parts, essentially making him able to carry a baby. The news sources ate his story up. I mea