It’s that time of year again, when the holidays invite family gatherings, and colder, shorter days make us long for sunny destinations. Yes, the winter travel season is upon us! Remember winters past when COVID-19 wasn’t around and we’d never heard of Zika? When we didn’t give much thought to health concerns related to hopping on a plane or going to busy holiday venues? Things are different now. If you’re pregnant, you might pause before booking airline tickets or RSVPing “yes” to that extended …
The Baby Blog: flu shot
Pregnant & the Flu Vaccine? Why It’s More Important Than Ever during the COVID-19 Pandemic
“I just found out I am pregnant. I’ve heard that it is really important to get the flu shot this fall, but is it still OK now that I am pregnant?” The woman on the other end of the phone line sounded cautious and concerned. I told her, “I’m so glad you called to ask about this. The influenza vaccination may be even more important for pregnant women. The coronavirus pandemic has given us a lot to worry about without adding influenza infections to the mix. Let …
Preventing Birth Defects: Is it Possible? Yes!
January is Birth Defects Prevention Month, and it’s a great time to remind ourselves that there are several things that pregnant women can do to reduce their chance of having a baby with a birth defect. Our 5 tips for preventing birth defects include: Book a visit with your healthcare provider before stopping or starting any medicine.Be sure to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.Before you get pregnant, try to reach a healthy weight.Become up to date with all vaccines, …
Airborne Infections and Viruses: As If We Didn’t Have Enough to Worry About As Moms-To-Be
By Debra Goniwicha, MSW, MotherToBaby Georgia I have spent a significant portion of my career working in hospitals. Shortly after learning I was pregnant with my first child, I received a notice that I may have been exposed to an airborne illness while I was at work in the hospital Emergency Room. The notice advised me to report to occupational health for further testing. I flipped out! I was scared to death that my exposure would cause harm to my baby. I was mad at the world for exposing my …
Top Tips For A Holly Jolly Pregnancy This Season
By Julia Robertson, Utah Department of Health, MotherToBaby Utah (formerly Pregnancy Risk Line) I can't begin to describe how organized I was during the holiday season when I was pregnant with my first child. Since I was pretty far along (5 months), I wanted to make sure each gift was chosen way ahead of time, I knew how long it would take me to get the food trimmings just right and whether I should emphasize red or green in my decorating scheme. All of this had to be done before that …
