For many women, the relationship they have with their spouse’s parent or parents can be a tedious one. When a new bride steps into the picture, she is entering established territory: a family with a long history and its own set of rules, expectations and hang-ups. Sometimes you see a woman form a strong friendship with her new mother-in-law, but more often than not, there is a little turbulence. It’s understandable; his parents may feel like they are losing a family member or they might be concerned about his new life. Some moms have a difficult time letting go and … Continue reading →

There are milestones in a person’s life that dramatically impact her relationships with the people around her: learning to drive and gaining independence, going off to college, getting married, and having children are just a few. Her first pregnancy, the prelude to parenthood, has the potential to inspire, alienate, divide and strengthen the relationships in her life. How she copes with these changes can affect the bond between her and her child, her spouse, her parents, her in-laws and her friends. In the spirit of Christmas and family-togetherness, over the next few days, we’ll be discussing how pregnancy impacts each … Continue reading →

The H1N1 virus is affecting families in new ways as great efforts are made to stop the spread of the virus. Here in the city where I live, no siblings under the age of twelve are allowed to visit new babies and their moms in the mother/baby ward of the hospital. That means a mother may not see her children for the duration of her hospital stay. For many moms welcoming a new baby to a family with young children, this new development is heartbreaking. This means if a woman is staying in the mother/baby ward for four days (the … Continue reading →

Every year in the United States, there are over 6 million pregnancies. There are over 4 million live births. 600,000 women experience a miscarriage. 64,000 women suffer an ectopic pregnancy. 6,000 women experience a molar pregnancy. 26,000 women lose a child to stillbirth. Nearly 28,000 children don’t make it to their first birthday. These heartbreaking numbers are not just statistics. They are real families, real women, who have lost and grieve for their children. Unfortunately many of these women and families mourn in silence for a lack of support or understanding from outsiders. October 15 is National Pregnancy and Infant … Continue reading →

I was watching 18 Kids and Counting this week when Michelle Duggar announced that she is expecting baby #19. Though some say the family is crazy for wanting so many children, I embrace it with secret hopes that I may be able to have a large family myself someday. I would love to have a full house. I can’t say that I’m physically able to carry that many babies, but I’ll take as many as I can get. The reason I mention Michelle is she talked about discovering the pregnancy after noticing that baby Jordan was fussing a lot while … Continue reading →

Confession: I’m already thinking about having another baby. My son is only 3 months old! Lately I’ve been thinking about when I’d like to have a second child. I’ve considered the sibling relationship and how it is affected by age differences. I’ve considered the expenses. I’ve considered the effect on our marriage. I’ve also considered my health. It is best for your health and your babies’ health to wait at least a few years between pregnancies. Surprisingly, it’s also best not to wait too long. More than 18 months and less than 5 years is a safe span, according to … Continue reading →

The holidays are approaching quickly. If you have a pregnant woman on your gift list, you may be wondering what to get her. Of course, your gift doesn’t have to be related to pregnancy or motherhood, but here are some ideas if you are stuck for ideas. Maternity Clothing: Nearly all pregnant women need comfortable clothes that fit. If she is a professional woman, she will have a greater need for good clothes to wear to work. Shopping for maternity clothes may not be something you want to do, especially if you don’t know her taste or size. In this … Continue reading →

When we become pregnant, it is one of the most exciting times of our lives. We soon become consumed with eating right, avoiding anything that could potentially hurt the baby and tracking the changes in the baby’s development. Ideally, this is a fun time to be shared with your partner. However, it doesn’t always work this way. For a variety of reasons, some men are just not supportive of their pregnant wives. Whether the reason is an unplanned pregnancy, increased financial pressure or not feeling connected to the baby yet, the lack of interest is upsetting to the woman, to … Continue reading →

Whether your partner is in the military, travels often for business or for a number of other reasons is far from home, you may spend part of your pregnancy alone. These situations are difficult both for the expecting mom and daddy too. Men want to be part of things, but being far from home makes this difficult. There are some things you can do to help your man be part of the pregnancy, even if he can’t be there for every doctors visit or the first kick. The important thing to remember is you can celebrate the joy of this … Continue reading →