Thinking about pregnancy while also worrying about weight can feel stressful. You are not alone—about 6 out of 10 women in the U.S. are overweight or have obesity. Talking about weight can be hard, but it is an important part of planning for a healthy pregnancy. This blog will explain how weight can affect pregnancy, what GLP-1 medications are, and what we know, so far, about their use before and during pregnancy. Why Is Managing Weight Before Pregnancy So Important? Being overweight or …
The Baby Blog: Archives for June 2026
Not Too Much, Not Too Little: Finding the Goldilocks of Vitamins and Minerals
Ever wonder if you’re getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals during pregnancy or breastfeeding? Like Goldilocks, you don’t want too little or too much — you want just right. Even though it took Goldilocks multiple tries to find the right size chair and the right bowl of porridge, it doesn’t have to take you that long to find the right amount of vitamins and minerals for you! Everyone has a 3% chance of developing a birth defect during pregnancy. Getting the right amount of vitamins …
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: When HS Joins the Pregnancy Journey
During my own three pregnancies, I learned how even the smallest skin discomforts can feel like a lot. Pregnancy had a way of making me hyperaware of every sensation in my body. Most of the skin problems I had during pregnancy were minor irritations, like dry skin and acne, and they eventually went away. This was not the case with my hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). HS didn’t take a break just because I was pregnant. So, what happens when the discomfort is something more chronic, something …
When You Cannot Trust Your Gut: What to Do About Diarrhea in Pregnancy and Lactation
The runs, the trots, the green apple quickstep. You have heard all the nicknames for it, but even hearing something as cute as “bubble guts” does not make diarrhea any better, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Just last week, I got a call from someone in a panic: “Leah, it is really bad. I am so uncomfortable. I thought you were supposed to get constipated during pregnancy.” That caller was not wrong – constipation can be common during pregnancy. Hormones like prostaglandins – …
