By Lynn Martinez, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby Utah “O.K., so I can’t look at pizza the same way. Saltine crackers seem to be my go-to snack for sustenance and don’t even SAY the word ‘curry!’ Oh no, I said it… Please excuse me while I hurl,” said Nicole, 34, who’s pregnant with her second child. For many of the moms I counseled as a teratogen information specialist with the international non-profit, MotherToBaby, this is part of the reality of becoming a mom – nausea and …
The Baby Blog: Mom's Health Conditions
Managing Mom’s Anxiety during Pregnancy
“I’m worried. I can’t sleep. It’s anxiety.” The message came through from Natalie a few minutes after I had logged onto our live chat service at MotherToBaby.org. “I’m 14 weeks pregnant and concerned about taking a SSRI” she continued. As a Teratogen Information Specialist, I answer questions about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding on a daily basis, and I was happy to chat with Natalie about this topic. Natalie had just returned from a visit to her OB/GYN’s office where she was …
A Guiding Light for New Moms: Nurse Family Partnership
“I am so overwhelmed with all information available online nowadays about pregnancy and having a baby, I don’t know how to know what is best for me and my pregnancy!” shared Michelle, who was 15 weeks into her first pregnancy. Not only has the first trimester been full of morning sickness, but she has been obsessed with reading all the latest advice regarding healthy pregnancies and newborn care. This led Michelle to reach out to MotherToBaby’s confidential and free text service asking about …
When Addiction Recovery Meets Pregnancy: Finding a Balance for Mom and Baby
“This is my first child, and I don’t know what to do!” exclaimed Lyndsay, a newly pregnant woman when I answered MotherToBaby’s free and confidential helpline. Lyndsay explained that she is taking several medications and was concerned about their potential effects on her unborn baby. She is currently very new to recovery from cocaine and opioid use disorder. She is taking buprenorphine and naloxone for the opioid use disorder, along with baclofen and n-acetylcysteine (NAC) for cocaine …
Allergies, Asthma and Pregnancy…Oh My! Wait. Don’t Panic.
By Mara Gaudette, MS, CGC, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby My friend Jocelyn, newly (and unexpectedly!) pregnant called in a bit of a panic. Her cardiologist was switching her high blood pressure medication now that she was pregnant. Jocelyn was still waiting for her asthma doctor to call her back but she figured her asthma treatment plan was another of the many changes she needed to make to accommodate the pregnancy. “Does anything stay the same?” she asked. Jocelyn was …
