Photo credit: © Lisa F. Young | Dreamstime Stock Photos By Neely Cessac, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby The holidays are full of family, fun, and enjoyment – and the season is wonderful EVERY, SINGLE, DAY, right?! WRONG. Every year many pregnant women (as well as the general public) become so stressed and worried around this time. And rightly so…not only do pregnant moms have regular holiday stress, but they’ll soon become moms! M-O-M-S! Holy cow. An overwhelming concept, to say …
The Baby Blog: Food & Beverages
The Organ-Eating Obsession: Putting Placenta On Your Plate
By Elizabeth Salas, MPH, Teratology Information Specialist, MotherToBaby California “Do women really eat their placenta after delivery?” I was asked many years ago when a coworker mentioned a famous celebrity had talked about it during an interview. I had never heard of the practice before. As I await the birth of my first child, I got to thinking about this question again. I mean, the placenta-eating crowd has really created some demand over the last couple of years! Today, you can easily find …
Beyond The Diet Fad: My Gluten Journey Through Pregnancy, Life
As it turns out, I’m not crazy nor am I a hypochondriac! After decades – and I mean more than 30 years – of bouts of severe constipation and diarrhea, fatigue, joint pain, migraines, skin rashes and infertility, I finally received the news that I have celiac disease. Oddly enough, it was only after adopting a sickly cocker spaniel named “Peanut” from the Humane Society that the mystery of my symptoms was solved. When our vet suggested that Peanut eat gluten-free food, I bought her some …
Breaking Bad Habits During Spring Break: Why Alcohol And Pregnancy Continues To Be A Problem
By Sonia Alvarado, Senior Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby CA Spring break 2014, which, for some, actually fell at the end of winter this year, is in full swing. Many students are back to school working diligently toward their degree. For some students, Spring break means a trip back home, a trip abroad for cultural education and for others, it’s a time to let loose on a warm beach, usually with one (or many) alcoholic beverages. Take the case of a young woman who went on holiday …
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 …
