Tanya called in on a Monday morning. “I’m getting married in a few months and we want to start trying to get pregnant right away. What should I be doing now to have the best chance of a healthy baby?” Preconception health and pregnancy planning present a terrific opportunity to assess a wide range of factors that can give your baby the best start. This blog will outline the things to consider, as I relayed to Tanya: Your Personal Health Are you generally healthy? If you already get …
The Baby Blog: workplace
Beyond the Virus: Your Questions during the Era of COVID-19
As the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 continues to spread, pregnant and breastfeeding women are understandably concerned. Many of your recent calls, chats, texts, and emails to MotherToBaby have been about the virus itself and how it might affect a developing baby or breastfed infant (more about that on our COVID-19 fact sheet). But we’re also hearing related concerns about how to stay safe and healthy while pregnant or breastfeeding during the pandemic. Here, we answer some of the most common …
What’s the Dirt on Household Cleaners When Pregnant?
By Mark B. Roth, MotherToBaby New York As a teratogen information specialist, I receive questions about all sorts of chemicals or substances someone can be exposed to. We often get questions about the bazillions of cleaning products out there. Bleach, powdered cleaners and spray cleaners, degreasers, oven cleaners, disinfectants – there are so many different cleaning products and looking at the ingredients list (if there even is one) can be overwhelming. All those unpronounceable words! Sodium …
Nailing Down the Facts: Nail Treatment Safety in Pregnancy
By Al Romeo, RN, PhD, MotherToBaby Utah Mother’s Day will be here soon, and as a mom or expectant mom you might get a gift certificate for a nail salon. But if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you might wonder if it is safe for you to go to the nail salon. After all, there are chemicals in nail treatments, and (let’s face it) nail salons often smell like they could be toxic! But are they? What’s in nail treatments? And could they be harmful if I’m pregnant or nursing? Common nail products …
New Year, New Job: Working Safely while Pregnant or Breastfeeding
By Ginger Nichols, Licensed Certified Genetic Counselor at MotherToBaby Connecticut The New Year often brings thoughts of finding a new job. Even those happy in their current occupations often use the New Year to jump start career advancements. If you are thinking about a pregnancy, or you are already pregnant or breastfeeding, chances are you have also started to think more about potential exposures that might be of concern. As a prenatal genetic counselor, I have noticed a common trend among …