Tips for Designing Your Nursery

Many parents – to – be get a great deal of enjoyment out of preparing their homes for their new babies. Designing a special nursery for a new arrival can be a lot of fun, even if you are working with a tight space and/or a tight budget. Here are a few tips and ideas to get you started – with a little of your own creativity, your nursery will be a one of a kind sanctuary where you and your baby can relax. Save on furniture costs by mixing and matching store bought pieces with basic shelves and bookcases that … Continue reading →

Incorporating Organic Foods Into Your Grocery Budget

Everyone knows that good nutrition is important during pregnancy, for both the expectant mother and her growing baby. Good nutrition can mean many different things, though, depending upon who you talk to. One component of eating for good health is reducing the amount of toxic substances (like pesticides) that you ingest along with your food. Eating organic foods is one way to help keep toxins out of your body, and it is a good health habit to continue with after your baby is born. Unfortunately, organic foods are expensive. The amount of difference between the price of an organic food … Continue reading →

Why Can’t I Eat Deli Meat?

Are you wondering why your prenatal care provider has asked you to avoid eating foods like soft cheeses and deli meats during your pregnancy? This piece of prenatal care advice is related to food safety. Pregnant women and their babies can be seriously affected by a bacteria called Listeria, which can cause blood infections, meningitis, and other serious and life threatening complications. Infection with the Listeria bacterium is called Listeriosis. Listeriosis is a relatively rare illness, with about 2500 cases annually in the United States. It is very serious and it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and infections and … Continue reading →

3 Fun Ways to Take Weekly Baby Bump Photos

Pregnancy photos are all the rage, or so it seems. Many of my friends who are expecting are taking pictures of their pregnancy progress, week by week. If the idea of having a weekly baby belly photo seems appealing to you, there are many cute and fun ways to do it. If the ideas below inspire you, grab a friend or your partner, a camera, some simple props, and pose away. Chalkboards are a fun, easy, and reusable way to make note of which week each picture was taken. If you buy a simple, wood framed chalk board you can … Continue reading →

Dental Care is Important During Pregnancy

You already know how important it is to get regular medical care during your pregnancy, but did you know that it is also very important to make sure that you get regular dental care as well? A few things can happen during pregnancy that can affect your oral health. What’s more, your oral health can also have an impact on the health of your baby. Morning sickness can be tough on your teeth in a couple of ways. First of all, many women report that the taste of their toothpaste can bring on a bout of vomiting. The easy solution … Continue reading →

Listen to Your Parental Instincts

Even though a pregnancy is a fairly lengthy amount of time, some women feel that it is simply not long enough for them to physically and mentally prepare themselves for their baby’s arrival. I enjoyed preparing my home for my first son and reading everything that I could about caring for babies before he was born. That said, I later came to realize that no amount of preparation or reading could have made me fully prepared for my role as the mother of a newborn baby. Information is a good thing, much of the time. I am glad that I … Continue reading →

When Do You Think You’re Due?

When you become pregnant, one of the first things that you find out is your baby’s due date. Of course, everybody that you know (and many people that you don’t) wants to know this information as well. For some reason, people are fascinated with due dates. I can understand the fascination is if is your baby, or the baby of a close friend or family member. After all, having a baby is a big deal and you want to make sure that you are prepared. Your friends and family want to know when they should plan a baby shower, and … Continue reading →

Anxiety During Pregnancy

Even if you have never been one to worry about things, you may find yourself worrying quite a bit during pregnancy. Concerns about the health of your baby, what it will be like to be a parent, and, of course, labor and delivery are part of the pregnancy experience. Sometimes, though, a pregnant mother’s worry will escalate into clinical anxiety. Unfortunately, many prenatal care providers to not routinely address anxiety during their regimen of prenatal care. Although it can impact the health of both mother and baby, the topic of anxiety is not usually addressed unless the patient mentions that … Continue reading →

Will You Have a Blessingway?

If you are pregnant, you are probably very well acquainted with the ins and outs of a baby shower. There may even be a baby shower planned for you. Baby showers are a wonderful way to connect with friends and family before your baby arrives. They are also a great way for your friends and family to help you to prepare yourself and your home for life with a new baby. Whether you are having a baby shower or not, you may want to talk to your friends and family about having another type of celebration, too. A blessingway is … Continue reading →

Tips for Avoiding the Flu While Pregnant

When you are pregnant, you may try even harder than usual to avoid getting sick. The symptoms of pregnancy can be unpleasant at times, and you may shudder at the thought of adding the symptoms of a cold, the flu, or that stomach bug that is going around town to what you are already feeling. Since many cold medicines and other remedies are not recommended for use during pregnancy, it is a good idea to do everything that you can to prevent illness. That said, you may not want to run to the nearest pharmacy with your sleeve rolled up to … Continue reading →