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: Vitamins & Supplements
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
This sheet talks about using St. John’s Wort in a pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is St. John’s Wort? St. John’s Wort is a flowering plant that is used as an herbal supplement. It is most commonly used to help mild or moderate depression. It is available as a tablet or capsule, liquid extract, tea, and as a cream or ointment, sometimes along with other herbal ingredients. There are …
The A.B.C.’s of Prenatal Vitamins
If you are researching prenatal vitamins, we are guessing that you might be considering a pregnancy, or you just found out that you are pregnant. How exciting! We’re also guessing that you have some questions. Pregnancy does that to a woman: it makes us start questioning the safety of everything that we used to take for granted. At MotherToBaby, we answer many types of questions about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. But hands down, the most common question I’m asked about involves …
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, …
Ginger
This sheet talks about using ginger in a pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is ginger? Ginger (Zingibar officinale) is a plant that is widely used as a spice and in beverages. The root (rhizome) is the part of the plant that is eaten or taken. Ginger is also used as an herbal remedy. It is used to treat a wide variety of conditions. Ginger is frequently used for morning sickness, motion …
