Posts tagged: Mom's health

Curious about what superfoods can do for you and your bump? Guest blogger Carla Jian, a personal trainer and holistic health coach based on Chicago, dishes on the best foods for a healthy baby and happy mama during pregnancy. When I was first became pregnant, all the restrictions that came with a prenatal diet felt a little overwhelming—and a little scary. All of a sudden there was a list of foods I wasn’t allowed to eat because they could harm my baby. Then I was warned that since I was...

There’s really only one thing you can bet on when it comes to delivering a baby—unpredictability! Babies tend to arrive on their own schedule, in their own way. But there are lots of choices to be made in the delivery room, and before the action starts, it’s helpful to write down your preferences and hopes in a “birth plan.” (Because hey—even if that all natural water birth doesn’t go as planned, you’ve still got control over the music.) To get started, create a bulleted list answering these questions: Who should...

It's one of the first big decisions you'll make as a new mom: help that baby to latch, or pop open a tiny formula bottle? (For some women, there is no choice— their body or baby makes the decision.) But how exactly does nature's milk differ from the store-bought stuff, and what does it mean for you and your little? We spoke with family physician Rallie McAllister, MD, MPH, coauthor of The Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby’s First Year (and a mom of three who fed her babies a...

Being told you’re having a caesarean section (whether it’s in advance of labor or smack dab in the middle of it) can feel a little unnerving, despite the fact that it’s pretty common. (32 percent of all deliveries are by C-section!) And while you can't always choose whether or not to have one, you can arm yourself with the facts well before your delivery date, says Jennifer Hollings, MD, an ob-gyn with the Richmond Community Hospital in Richmond, VA. (She’s had three C-sections of her own.) Here’s what to expect...

There's really no other way to say it—miscarriages are brutal on every level. They usher in a devastating feeling of loss, but they can also be tough on the body. Pregnancy hormones often continue to float around the body after the pregnancy ends, which can mess with your mood. And in some cases, that hormonal shift may even trigger postpartum depression (PPD). We turned to Erica Hornthal, a Chicago-based clinical counselor, who weighed in on the ways PPD can present itself after a miscarriage and treatment options for those suffering....

Pregnancy can do a real number on your body — and it goes beyond the obvious effects, like causing you to sport a baby bump or skip your periods. The truth is, there are certain pregnancy symptoms you may not recognize as part of the territory until you're in the thick of them...and by that time, you may be nervous that they signal something bad. But rest easy: Weird, wacky (and occasionally TMI) side effects are normal more often than not. Of course, you should always speak to your OB-GYN...

It’s never too early to introduce your littles to healthy habits! Maybe your kids are too young to join sports teams...and maybe you're not ready to leave them and head to your favorite pre-baby workout class. But even though it's tough to squeeze in physical activity, remember that there's no time like the present. That's why we'd suggest turning fitness into a fun family affair. It's truly a win/win: It allows you to introduce your kids to those healthy habits they'll keep with them forever, and it gives you a...

Ask any mama: No one wants to deliver a beautiful baby, only to be stopped on the street a few months later and hear the dreaded question: 'So when are you due?' The truth is, it's normal to look a little bit...well, pregnant, after giving birth. Your uterus will shrink back down after you deliver, but some women are left with some belly budge that wasn't there pre-pregnancy, and in some cases, a thing called diastasis recti may be to blame. Physical therapist and new mom Lisa Alemi, came through...

Expecting a little one on the way? Even if you’re only on week three, it’s hard not to imagine who’s inside your belly, and that includes your baby’s gender. You’ll often wonder, am I having a boy or girl? Until the doctor comes through, can you tell whether the stork is bringing a boy or girl? In short, the answer is a maybe. It could depend on your early pregnancy symptoms. When wondering how to tell if you're having a boy or girl, you’ve probably heard the old wives’ tale...

If you can't get enough of the sweet sound of your baby's heartbeat, you may have considered buying yourself a fetal doppler so you can listen to it from the comfort of your own home. At first glance, fetal dopplers seem pretty great: They can be relatively affordable, readily available on sites like Amazon, and put the ability to check up on your baby right at your fingertips. But before you prepare to order one of your own, you may want to hear an OB-GYN's take on the fetal doppler...