I was cured of these hedonistic (and incredibly naive) pregnancy fantasies at my first OBGYN appointment. My doctor enlightened me that my daily caloric intake could only increase by a few hundred calories (the exact amount differs from woman to woman). He also said in no uncertain terms that consumption of caffeine, alcohol (obviously), produce grown with pesticides, and raw fish (no sushi for 9 months?!) was forbidden. I was instructed to seriously limit my intake of sweets, trans-fatty foods, and all of those white flour comfort foods like pasta. Adding insult to injury, my husband, the person I had banked on being the Clyde to my Bonnie in a nine month culinary crime spree, did his own research and deemed that shellfish and a variety of other items be added to my ever-growing list of eating no-no’s.

After a few more days of wallowing in my selfish attitude, it finally set in that I had a totally dependent being inside me and it was my job to nurture the both of us. Instead of the 1500 calorie ice cream parfaits I couldn’t have, I focused on the extra 300-500 nutrient-packed calories I could enjoy. I’m talking 2 cups of Greek yogurt, 3 ounces of trail mix, or a small piece of wild salmon with a side salad, and doing my best to eat organic as often as possible. In addition to taking daily prenatal vitamins and supplemental Omega-3’s, I made sure I was consuming plenty of protein (which thankfully eases morning sickness) and foods rich in calcium, folic acid and iron.

Once I focused on the lasting impact of my food choices, the disappointment of not getting to eat Ben & Jerry’s for breakfast everyday was replaced with the greatest of joys: knowing that I was helping my baby boy’s brain develop, strengthening his cardiovascular and immune system, powering us both up for labor and improving my odds against having postpartum depression.

Also, I quickly found that the more nutritious the foods were that I ate, the better I actually felt. I had less constipation (oh yes, I could go on about that topic but I’ll spare you), heartburn, muscle cramps, morning sickness, and cravings for high fat/sugary foods. I made a commitment to breastfeed which, aside from it’s innumerable benefits, would allow me to shed baby weight more easily and more importantly, help keep me mentally happy. The healthier I stayed, the more optimistic I was.

Was mine the pregnancy most women dream about? It sure wasn’t the foolish vision I once had of myself lounging on the couch all day watching Oprah and shoveling Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups guilt-free into my mouth, but two kids and five years after that initial experience of being pregnant, watching the two mentally, emotionally and physically fit bodies tearing through my house, I have to say it should be.

Women making the choice to eat healthy during pregnancy is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children, and there’s no better day to start than today.

Catherine McCord is the Founder of weelicious.com and is a PAM Advisory Team member.

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That got us through that night, but the longer term solution involved researching and reading about humidifiers, vaporizers, nostril aspirators, saline drops, homeopathy, dietary changes, you name it!  Over the counter decongestants: there is a lot of debate out there about when they are effective, the FDA says not to use under the age of 4.  Dr. Alan Greene identifies potential side effects: sleeplessness, drowsiness, irritability, increased blood pressure.  We recommend speaking with your pediatrician or medical provider BEFORE purchasing any OTC.  And if you have an infant with a fever of any type, contact your medical provider and discuss.  Pretty much all the research agrees: moisture or humidity can soothe the symptoms of colds and stuffy noses.

Our first purchase was a vaporizer, and it worked great, except: 

• incredibly difficult to clean
• the room required airing out afterwards; it produced a lot of moisture.
• mist created by boiling water, the unit itself becomes hot, so if you have a toddler that is crawling = burn risk.
• you can add essential oils into the machine (mine required to add salt).

We moved onto humidifiers a more sophisticated machine, yet also puts moisture in the air without boiling water.  Some have a cool mist or a hot mist option.  Moisture is moisture, and the temperature doesn’t matter.  Don’t add any substance to this type of machine, just plain water.

FAQ: 

• Sitting water can breed bacteria.
• Change the water. (Modern humidifiers like Crane’s, have smaller tanks that don’t allow water to store for more than 2 days. They also have auto shut-off in the event the water runs too low for the motor, not something my vaporizer had, and I admit to burning out more than one motor!)
• Don’t forget to change the basin! (There is a basin under the tank where water collects.  Change at the same time you change the water tank.  It requires that you unplug the machine, but do it, bacteria may cause other illnesses, and the whole point of using a moisture adding machine is to reduce illness and symptoms!)

As Katie Sotor of Crane-USA says, “It’s still water folks!  So regardless of the machine, or if it has the anti-microbial protection, change the water every 2 days.”  She also recommends disinfecting it every 7 days with a tank full of water and 2-3 caps of vinegar, don’t turn it on, just let it sit for a good 30 minutes.

Using moisture in the air while you sleep is a great non-medical option for infants, young children, and adults.  So if you are pregnant or nursing and want to reduce the symptoms of a cold or reduce the potential of getting one, consider it.  And saline drops in the nose whether stuffy or as a preventive can be very helpful.

Alisa Donner, MSW, LCSW, Co-Founder, Pregnancy Awareness Month®

This is not meant as medical advice – consult with your medical provider as needed.

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I have been traveling for the past week as a part of the work I do as co-founder of Pregnancy Awareness Month®. I have been across the country in Louisville at the annual ABC Child Expo.  As a work experience, it has been fun and a wonderful networking opportunity.  But I missed my kid and had waves of guilt.  Does this ring true for any of you?  For those of you pregnant with your first baby, what are your plans for your return to work?  For the “traveling for working moms”, how are you managing the emotional preparation?

Last Friday, while walking to the hotel from the show, I was behind a man that was on his cell phone obviously talking to his child.  Here is how it went:  “No I’m the gross one, ok, your are grosser but my name is Mr. Gross.  Oh, you are Mr. and Mrs. Gross?  Well I have gross plus one more gross.  Ok, you have gross with a cherry on top….” They were fully engaged in a game of saying they were more gross than the other.  As it turns out, this dad was talking to his son and they have this silly yet sweet game which playfully connects them while he is on traveling rounds with his work.

My daughter and I have a heart exchange as a way to connect.  She was 2 when I first left on a business trip.  Here is our connective game: we put our hands over our hearts and close our eyes and think of each other.  I tell her that when she does that, then I am there with her, in her heart.  “Do you feel me?” I will say, “Yes, mommy, I feel your mama love.” We prepare for our separation by reminding each other of this ability, and during my absence when we talk on the phone we say it again.  When I first arrived at the trade show I took a picture of me holding my heart and sent it to her.  My husband said she sighed when she saw it that morning, and then ran off to her room to play before school.

What kind of ways do you reconnect with your young child?  If you are pregnant, and haven’t been in this situation, yet, consider your method.  Other ways I connected when she was pre-verbal was making drawings for her with little love notes for her and daddy to open when I was gone.  Making a book of pictures of us doing things together that she could look at.  Interested in your thoughts.

Alisa Donner, MSW, LCSW

Co-founder Pregnancy Awareness Month®

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That was in 2002, and I eventually moved back to San Diego where I was able to shadow a homebirth midwife, as well as become a volunteer through UCSD’s Hearts and Hands Program.

I then moved into a new area of health care: Respiratory Therapy. Upon obtaining my credential and graduating In 2007 I was hired at a hospital that specialized in labor and delivery. At the time a seemingly annoying paperwork delay with my State License brought the inspiration of my lifetime. While I waited, I had the chance to assist a homebirth with a midwife named Jamin Sylvada.

I was on a natural high for days after that homebirth. That same week, I called Dr. Robert Biter , a friend who was a local OB/GYN, explained my situation and shared with him that I was not going back to respiratory therapy once I received my license; my passion now was assisting with births. He knew my health care background and experience, and started referring couples to me that same year.

My first birth with Dr. Biter would forever change the way I would look at the birthing process. When the first mom he sent my way went into labor, it was a magical birth, nothing like I had ever seen in a hospital setting.

I would continue to see special births with this same doctor for years to follow. That first birth became the standard for how I wished to see all moms experience a birth. I realized that I could help more moms as a doula, by educating and supporting them through their deliveries, than I would by staying as a respiratory therapist in a NICU.

I created my doula practice, Birth Day with Val.  The name of my business sums up what I do. Midwives inspire me to be the best doula I can be. The incredible learning experiences from Dr. Biter’s births have allowed me to help create positive births for many women.

Out of Birth Day with Val, came a passion for helping moms to recover with love and support in the postpartum period. I would listen to my clients tell me that they were still feeling really sore, and that what the hospitals gave them for the recovery from episiotomies, swelling and tearing was not helping…

I created Birth Day Postpartum Recovery Spray for moms after their delivery.  This spray helps with everything from minor swelling to significant tearing post-delivery. Even moms who encounter a caesarian birth can benefit from the recovery properties of this spray on the incision area.

This 100% natural blend includes the following ingredients: helichrysum, lavender, chamomile, yarrow, calendula and aloe. The healing properties of these particular essential oils promote tissue repair and ease the pain of perineal tearing, episiotomies and swelling.

Birth work is joyous work for me.  I believe healthy families begin with healthy births.  As a doula, I am an integral part of promoting the best birth experience that I can.  Through educating, supporting, and giving postpartum care with families, I am able to meet this intention.

Valerie M. Peterson, BA, LEC, Labor & Delivery Doula, and Founder of Birth Day with Val

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I am thrilled to be involved with Pregnancy Awareness Month.  As you probably know – especially if you have seen my movie “The Business of Being Born” – pregnancy and childbirth are to things I am very passionate about and I continue to work to empower women to have healthy pregnancies and births that are best for them and their babies.

I am proud to serve on the PAM advisory team and to support Anna Getty and Alisa Donner in this phenomenal campaign.  The births of my two sons were such incredible, life-changing events for me.  I wish that every woman could experience a beautiful, peaceful birth and am grateful that there are so many great midwives, doulas, doctors, and practitioners out there that also strive to serve women throughout pregnancy and birth processes.  I fully support the four key initiatives of PAM: education, exercise, nutrition and wellness/nurture, in the hopes that more women will be inspired, empowered, and supported throughout this incredibly sacred and transformative time of their life.

The PAM flagship event in Santa Monica, “Motherhood Begins Now” is a free family event, hosted by Ali Larter, Amy Smart and Brenda Strong, to kick off the 4^th annual educational campaign.  I am so glad to be a part of such an amazing campaign, alongside so many people who share the love of pregnancy, birth and motherhood, like Dr. Alan Greene, Lisa Druxman (founder of Stroller Strides) and of course Anna and Alisa!  Although I am unable to attend the kickoff event this year, I will be there in spirit, celebrating all that PAM and everyone involved is working to achieve.

Happy Pregnancy Awareness Month!

Xoxo

Ricki

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 Parents will now be buckling their babies in their rear-facing car seats until they’re two years old if they take the advice coming from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP made the recommendation in the journal Pediatrics this morning. It’s based on study findings that showed children under two are 75% less likely to die or become severely injured in a crash if they’re rear-facing. Dr. Dennis Durbin, the study author, says “a rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body,” The entire press release on this issue can be read by clicking this link.

This will be a big adjustment for parents who previously switched their children around in their car seats around their first birthday.

You can contact me at Desiree@BottlestoBritches.com for more information.

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Any new parent will tell you it’s tough to navigate the maze of parenthood.  As soon as you find out you’re expecting you’re hit with a ton of decisions.  And your entire vocabulary will change.  What’s a “onesie” or a “five-point harness” and why do you need either item?  Now, you can hire a Baby Planner to help answer those questions, along with a myriad of others that may leave you feeling overwhelmed.  You hire help for other areas of your life, from house cleaning to business coaching, so why not get assistance in your most important role as parent?

Baby Planners are a relatively new concept in America, but a quickly growing industry.  Bottles to Britches Premier Baby Planners is one of a couple dozen companies that exist to help educate parents and connect them to the people and products they will come to rely on most.  The company launched in 2008 and quickly expanded from just one group in Atlanta, GA, to several affiliates across the US and abroad, including Italy and Ireland.

So what exactly does a Baby Planner offer?  Bottles to Britches can educate parents about birthing options and assist parents in setting up a nursery, compiling a registry, connecting with great photographers or daycares, or baby proofing the home, among other things.  Baby Planners can also help friends and family of the expectant parents by organizing a one-of-a-kind baby shower.  There are even services for grandparents who want tips in navigating the delicate relationship they’ll have with the new mom and baby.

Sometimes it’s the services after the baby comes that are the most helpful.  A baby planner can often serve as a concierge of sorts, running errands to help ease the other household burdens on the new parents or maybe sending out birth announcements that have been selected in advance.  Some planners may teach sign language while others can teach infant massage.  The offerings may vary.  However, Baby Planners have one main goal: to make life easier for the new mom and dad, and most parents will tell that’s something they would all appreciate.

You can contact me at Desiree@BottlestoBritches.com for more information on connecting with a baby planner in your area.

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Alan Greene, MD, FAAP

All of us at Pregnancy Awareness Month® have been honored and have enormous gratitude for the ongoing support and commitment that Dr. Alan Greene, MD, FAAP has so consistently lent to us and our campaign since the 1st year of PAM.  We are constantly inspired by him and think you will be too, read on.  

Alisa & Anna

While reading the recent journal article, Environmental Chemicals in Pregnant Women, I was reminded of the importance of Pregnancy Awareness Month. This study highlights again how important your choices are everyday and especially while pregnant.

In this study, many industrial chemicals were found coursing through the blood of pregnant women. Some chemicals were found in women all across the country because of background levels widespread in the environment. Some varied state by state, according to environmental regulations there. 

But for some chemicals, the levels varied widely, as do the choices individual women make in the products they use in their homes and on their bodies. The antibacterial chemical triclosan is perhaps the best example of this. For most of us, there is no proven benefit from using this chemical. Meanwhile, many experts are concerned about triclosan causing bacterial resistance, increased allergies, thyroid hormone problems, and sex hormone imbalances.

Some women have a lot of triclosan in their bodies; some have almost none. Pregnant women in this study had more, on average, than non-pregnant women the same age.

Five percent of pregnant women had triclosan levels more than 35 times higher than the average (median) pregnant woman in the study. It’s stored in the fat.

Where does a woman get exposed? It’s obvious on the label of antibacterial liquid hand soaps. But it’s in lots of other products as well, from spoons to socks and from toys to trash bags. Many women are surprised to learn that it is often found in eye shadow, blush, lip gloss, lipstick (e.g., Revlon Overtime), facial cleansers (L’Oreal Dermo), fragrances (Avon NATURALS), antiperspirants (Soft &Dri, Old Spice), and toothpaste (Colgate Total).

The products you use change your body.

But what to do? Green and natural claims on labels can make it tough to tell the difference between good products and good marketing. Triclosan feels complicated – and that’s just one chemical. I have two simple suggestions.

1. I suggest pregnant women or those with young families take an online field trip to Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep where you can easily check your favorite brands and see what’s in them and what it means. It’s a simple red, yellow, or green light system. Pay special attention to things you use on the skin, in the mouth, or that you spray in the air. You might love what you discover about your favorites – or choose to switch to one of the many safer brands.
2. Instead or in addition, you may want to shop in a store like Ecomom where everything in the store has been selected to be healthy, safe, and smart – after doing the research every mom would do IF she had unlimited time and resources. You won’t find triclosan in anything at Ecomom – and you can be confident before squinting to try to find it on an ingredient list.

When you pick products for yourself when you’re pregnant, you’re choosing for two.

Alan Greene, MD, FAAP

For more insights from this seminal study, visit DrGreene.com

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By Ana Paula Markel

Photo by Ron Hamad

 In his last visit to Los Angeles, Dr. Michel Odent spoke beautifully about birth professionals having the ability to be bilingual. What an amazing concept!

Doulas are bilingual.

The role of the birthing doula gained popularity from the studies of Dr. Marshall Klaus and John Kennel, illustrating the benefits of the presence of a doula during the labor process (Klaus, Kennel, and Klaus 1993). The doula phenomenon took force from groups of mothers searching for a better experience during childbirth. One of the most sacred roles of the birth doula is to preserve the memory that the mother and her partner will have of their birthing experience.

Over the past 20 years, one birth at a time, doulas have secured themselves as an instrumental component of a family’s birth team.  They are able to provide information, education and empowerment without performing any medical tasks, in a very non-judgmental fashion.

Doulas are not only helpful for mothers planning a natural birth but also aide those investigating birth options.   There is a role for the doula during natural, medicated, and even cesarean births. In modern maternity care women often feel rushed and sometimes self-conscious to share concerns, questions or fears with medical personnel. This is one of the gaps that doulas have filled. The doula movement is about options, information and families making conscious decisions for themselves and their baby.

When you work with a doula you are engaging in a relationship with a partner in your birth experience.  Take the time to research more about doulas as well as interview and check references.  Your birth doula is an essential part of your birthing team, whether you deliver in the hospital, at a birthing center or at home.

To find a doula in your area please go to www.dona.org and in Los Angeles www.binibirth.com

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“From the moment that Bunmi and I began exchanging emails regarding PAM and her ideas for how we could outreach to more pregnant and newly parenting women through social media I realized how addicting it was to work with her.  Bunmi is a force, a snap, crackle, pop energy.   An amazing role model of a mompreneaur.  We are BLESSED beyond measure to have her on our Advisory Team.  Now it’s her turn, read on.” -Alisa

Social Media and Pregnancy Awareness Month

Bunmi Zalob

When I began my first Internet company, an online magazine, in 2001, my goal was simply to entertain others while achieving my dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur. As I transitioned from web publisher to social media business owner, I realized the power of the Internet to not only provide entertaining content but share important, life changing information. It is always gratifying to help my clients share their passions with customers and fans through social mediums like Facebook and Twitter and being a member of the Pregnancy Awareness Month Advisory Panel is a natural extension of what has come to be an important professional and personal mission.

Pregnancy Awareness Month inspires, empowers, and informs families around the world during a critical time for them and the new life coming forth. To be a part of a team doing such important work is humbling and exciting at the same time. Last year I was lucky enough to get to host several PAM Twitter parties, Facebook contests, and take part in the first series of Pregnancy Awareness Month radio shows. The women who participated in these online events brought such amazing energy to them. Twitter parties and Facebook contests are a part of my daily life but knowing that I was working to potentially change the lives of thousands of people elevated my tasks to new heights.

I’m looking forward to May 2011. Every year Pregnancy Awareness Month evolves and we find new ways to spread our message to women both online and off. It’s my privilege to be a part of this cause.

PS. I’m also studying to become a doula!

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