Former supermodel Christy Turlington is campaigning for maternal health. The mother of two (with husband actor Ed Burns) is attempting to get the U.S. government to provide more resources to women during childbirth.
According to Turlington, a woman dies every minute of complications from childbirth. She believes that women around the world do not have access to the same medical care she had when she gave birth to her children. I would wager she is right. I couldn't believe the amount of care I received during the birth of my son and after in recovery--and I'm just a regular gal! Women the world over deserve the same amount of care, so I am right there behind Christie in her endeavor.
Joining Turlington on her campaign is former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, who is mom to daughter Bluebell Madonna Halliwell. Turlington is ambassador for Care, an organization dedicated to fighting global poverty.
Many of us will face the multitude of pregnancy ups and downs. During our first trimester we may be nauseous day and night, leading us to wonder why they call it morning sickness. We may swell in places we never dreamed could get any bigger. Our boobs--well, let's not even get into those. As for diet, there may be some things we can't be near and some things we can't live without. And then there's the heartburn.
My mother had heartburn the entire time she was pregnant with me. I got it--bad--in the third trimester of my first pregnancy. This go around, I've had it nearly the entire time. What causes it? Well, there's a baby in there vying for space with everything else. That could be it. It could also be hormones. Progesterone, a hormone that pumps up during pregnancy, relaxes the muscles in the uterus and allows gastric acid to seep up. According to one pal--who turned out to be right, at least in one instance with the birth of my son--heartburn means the unborn baby has a full head of hair.
How to treat heartburn while pregnant? That, luckily, is not so tough. Some of us had better be prepared to buy stock in Tums, which are recommended by OBGYNs. The modern version comes in a variety of fruit flavors and tastes less chalky than its predecessor and even offers a bit of calcium, which is extremely important for pregnant women to get. Another pal suggested apple cider vinegar as perhaps a healthier alternative to the Tums. While this method could work fine for non-preggies, pregnant women are advised against consuming cider. It has also been recommended to drink plenty of water and to imbibe milk when heartburn strikes. The other remedy? Have the baby!
As anyone with children knows, dirty diapers smell worse than anything in the entire world. No kidding, once my dog ate cat poo and then threw it up, and even that did not compare to what it smelled like when my son starting consuming solids on a regular basis.
To combat this, and to make life easier in general, the Diaper Genie was born. For those of you unfamiliar with this contraption, it's made out of plastic and has a bucket at the top in which you put the used diaper. You then pull a lever (depending on the model) and it removes the diaper from sight, locking it away in a waste bag for disposal later. Diaper Genies require actual Diaper Genie bags, however, that may be in short supply when you really need a new one.
I have something similar that one can use with any plastic bags. Right now we're using regular old garbage bags in there and it seems to be working out all right. Except for one thing: The unbelievable, undeniable smell that counts as some sort of bio-terrorism in my book (or at least should). Regardless of carrying the odor away in the immediate, once you pull the bag out of the Genie to change it the smell is upon you--it's like that line from Michael Jackson's Thriller where Vincent Price discusses "the funk of 40,000 years." The new Diaper Genies are supposed to be even better at whisking away the smell, but I haven't used one to know whether or not when you pull out the full bag the smell might kill you.
Do you use a disposal system, and, if so, does it really work?
Kate Hudson has it all. She's an actress with a good track record in Hollywood, she has celebrity parentage, she was married to a rock star and had his baby, and her kid is as cool as she is. Not content to just enjoy that success, Kate has taken it upon herself to save the world, one beautiful tress at a time.
Hudson and long-time hairstylist, friend and probably co-conspirator in all things fabulous, David Babaii, have created a haircare line that promises to be kind to the environment as it cleans and beautifies your hair. The products will also be cruelty free. More than just putting her money where her mouth is, Kate also served as the test subject for all the ingredients in the products.
The line will be called David Babaii for WildAid and is set to be affordable as well as conscious. Ten percent of the profits will be donated to the WildAid animal conservation group. While on the surface a link to parenting might not seem apparent, I would go so far as to say that she is making the world a better place for her son.
ParentDish readers are just filled with baby wisdom. And based on your comments, if only one tip should be stamped on our brains forever and ever, it should be to SWADDLE YOUR NEWBORN LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW.
Thank you for that pertinent information. (Personally, I'm in full agreement.)
However, swaddling devices weren't the only products mentioned. Take a gander at your ParentPicks Top Newborn Essentials.
To some women the thought of a "green" pregnancy conjures up images of nausea, vomiting and general discomfort. That's thankfully not what we're talking about here. As the green movement to save our environment continues to sweep the nation, check out these tips to see how you can make that bun, and your experience carrying it, as healthy and helpful to the environment your child will some day inherit.
In an article very humorously titled "What to inspect when you're expecting," writer Amy Linn Grist relays such ideas as using organic or all-natural shampoos and "prettying" products, and going organic whenever possible. True, organic can be more expensive, but I have to say from experience it's generally also a whole lot tastier. And when you're pregnant, taste counts for a lot! She also suggests shopping at second-hand and consignment stores for furnishings (and clothing). I've gotten a ton of cute, great baby clothes from such places for a fraction of the original cost. Kids outgrow clothes so quickly they hardly have time to mess them up!
The article also offers "five cent solutions" to the suggestions. Sure, it's easy to tell someone to only eat organic or to avoid Teflon, but how are regular folks supposed to be able to handle that--especially in this economy? Well, second-hand makes its appearance more than once. Reusing things, and taking care of what you have (so you can hopefully use it with the next baby, if there is one) is the easiest thing to do. Borrowing and swapping, as I do with a few pals, never hurts either. We're super-inclined to take care of the borrowed/swapped items since they belong to someone we know and love.
Maybe some of these tips are seemingly out of reach for your budget. Well, how about trying just one? Also consider the tip everyone can follow: Following the same rules we've all grown accustomed to hearing. Avoid cigarettes, alcohol, drugs and mega-caffeine (which, by the way, could save you enough money to get those organic products you've been eyeing!).
I envy those of you with a backyard. Really, I do. Some of you have cookouts, some of you have pools. Some of you engage in a random game of horse shoe or lawn bowling. For those of you with kids, though, have you thought about just how safe your backyard really is?
This list provides not only a list of things that are potential disasters waiting to happen right in the back of your house, but also quick fixes to make life easier, and safer, for everyone. Things as simple as knowing where to properly place your grill can make all the difference between safety and accident, not to mention charcoal that isn't fully extinguished.
And, did you know that more than 68,000 people are poisoned by plants every year? Some plants, if ingested, can be fatal to pets and small children. For a quick scan of the inventory in your backyard, and whether or not it poses any sort of health hazard, visit prevention.com/links. Then there is perhaps my biggest fear of all: The pool. Unfenced pools have led to so much sorrow over the years it's a wonder people still have them. According to the Home Safety Council, a quarter of the drownings in the United States each year occur near home. Pools can be a lot of fun, but only if taken care of and managed properly.
For more information on these and other helpful tips, including how to deal with pesticides, ladders and decks, check out the article. Then, check out your backyard and see if any of these tips apply to you!
I love shoes -- I can't really explain why, but I do. I have a girlfriend who says that women love shoes because no matter how much weight we lose or gain, our shoes always fit, and I suspect that's part of it. Great shoes can completely change your look, spiffing up even the most basic Mom Uniform.
But as moms, we often default to sturdy, practical shoes, without any character or sass; in other words, we spend a lot of time in running shoes, or worse, Crocs. This summer, toss those ugly shoes and put some pretty on your feet! MomLogic's Mary Alice Haney has eight cool suggestions for hott summer shoes, among them a gold ballet flat and a pair of embellished metallic sandals.
My favorite of her picks are the Cole Haan Nike Air line, which combine Cole Haan's chic styling with Nike Air technology for shoes that you will never want to take off. The animal print ballet flats pictured here go with everything from tailored trousers to casual shorts, and retail for $185.00. I know, I know, but I promise -- your feet will thank you.
Click on over to Mom Logic to see all of Mary Alice's picks!
Nursing can be tough on moms, potentially resulting in dry or cracked nipples. There are, luckily, products available to help ward off such problems, including various creams and lotions intended to soothe and protect breasts and nipples. One such product is Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream -- or was, anyway, until the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers not to use the product.
According to the FDA, the cream contains chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol, two chemicals that could be harmful to a breastfeeding baby. Chlorphenesin can cause respiratory depression in infants while phenoxyethanol can cause vomiting and diarrhea, possibly leading to dehydration. Both chemicals can depress the central nervous system.
"The FDA is particularly concerned that nursing infants are being unwittingly exposed by their mothers to this product with dangerous side effects," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director, FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Additionally, these two ingredients may interact with one another to further compound and increase the risk of respiratory depression in nursing infants."
Never been through a pregnancy before? Or, feeling overwhelmed by what you know is about to happen with pregnancy number 2? Not sure what to do, or where to turn, and feeling stressed--which is what should not happen during pregnancy? Well, then perhaps a baby planner is just what you need.
Much like a wedding planner, who takes all your ideas, wishes and needs and makes them all happen without an ounce of stress to you on your other big day, a baby planner will take all the stress and fuss out of planning for a baby. While some parents regale in every bit of minutiae concerning the new love of their lives to be, some moms and dads just can't get it all done in a way that is both satisfactory and calming to them.
If you're in the latter category you may want to give Melissa Gould and Ellie Miller a call. Introduced to the web by PopSugar, Melissa and Ellie are both moms themselves who know from experience what it can be like to have to try and figure out EVERYTHING about child rearing in the nine (ten) months of pregnancy. They formed The Baby Planners. The business savvy gals also offer Grandparent packages, Adoption packages and Post-Partum packages. There's a fee attached, of course--$500 and up for the women's packages--but that fee may well be worth it to some.
Hey, it's Mother's Day. Just because you're not a mommy yet doesn't mean you shouldn't take care of yourself like one. I can tell you from past experience, how you treat yourself while you're pregnant will very much impact how you take care of yourself (or don't) when you're a mom. And, take it from me, it's important to do both. It will make you a happier person and probably a better mom to do so.
MSN offers several keen suggestions for moms to be to make it through the day and keep on track. even if you're not a mom to be, and are already a mom (or not!) I think there is something in this list of suggestions that would benefit us all. So, if you have time after your Mother's Day brunch, check out these tips and see which ones you might like to give a whirl.
I myself am partial to the one regarding taking naps at lunch. I don't know how well this would fly at my office or anyone else's, but if you have the ability, I say go for it. Sleep during pregnancy is of the utmost importance. After you become a mom, it's downright essential. And it seems none of us parents ever gets enough. Heaven forbid those of us without TiVo stay up late enough to watch the latest episode of Lost!
Don't have your mother's day gift quite yet? Naughty, naughty child! Well, if you're like me and forever trying to pick out the perfect gift yet always feel like you're coming up short, why not try a different approach?
MSN's astrology website offers gift suggestions for mom based on her astrological--or zodiac--sign. If you can remember your mother's birthday, you're in luck. Suggestions run from the usual, such as brunch for the Taurus mom or hanging out with the family for the Cancer mom, to the very, er, unusual--such as skydiving for an Aries mom!
I don't know enough about the different personality traits to say whether or not the suggestions are accurate. It did seem to me, though, that the traits discussed for each sign were the kinds of things we'd like to see in any mom, regardless of her birthday. So, for ideas when you're stumped, for perhaps something different or something traditional you hadn't considered, or just to have fun, why not see what works for a mom based on her astrological sign? Still stuck? Well, maybe you should consult your magic eight ball. That always works for me!
Now that I've found myself plum in the middle of my second pregnancy, I thought it might be interesting to really take a look at all those wives tales we're always being reminded of when we find ourselves in the family way. The first pregnancy for me I was totally freaked out and had no chance at being able to separate fact from fiction--between what I read online and in books and magazines, what I was told by friends and family--and, ok, let's face it, complete strangers who for some reason are more than willing to share their pregnancy/birth experiences--and what information I got from my OBGYNs, I was basically confused. TMI (too much information) took on a whole new meaning.
I wanted to believe what my doctors told me--but, hey, they're not always right. Prime example? Caffeine. My first pregnancy I was told I could have up to two cups of caffeinated beverages such as coffee a day with no problem. This was even though I'd heard otherwise. Now, in pregnancy two (electric boogaloo), we're all reading about how caffeine is a no no (again), especially in the first trimester. Guess what--the info I got from my OBGYNs was the same.
Then there are all the hair-brained things we read on the Internet. I told a friend of mine who was having a rough pregnancy to just STOP reading ANYTHING on the Internet as it was all terrifying her. It did me, too. Hey--you never know--there are many times when the sages of the Internet speak the truth, or at least a version of it. So, who and what to believe as we--and I, as I go through pregnancy two--navigate our way through pregnancy and impending parenthood? Hard to say. My goal with this min-series, called "Pregnancy fact or fiction" is to not necessarily answer the questions, but rather to explore them and the multiple answers we find when we go looking,
Some of the old wives tales I whip out may seem unconventional or downright crazy, but so is the science of having a baby. Just think how complicated conception can be, and, coupled with the lack of knowledge we still have after all these years about how women and pregnancy, it's easy to see where some of those strange ideas came from...especially when the results continued to support the theory, scientific or otherwise!
In the few years I've been writing at ParentDish, I've linked to Rebecca Woolf's blog on numerous occasions. Rebecca, otherwise known as the dynamic voice behind the blog Girl's Gone Child, has an indescribable talent for putting very complex topics into simple, provocative words. She's been one of my favorite bloggers since 2004, when I first discovered this medium.
So, I was excited but unsurprised to hear that Rebecca had landed a book deal, and delighted to learn that she would be embarking on a book tour that would stop in my own city. I marked the date on the calendar and placed a call in to the shy babysitter down the road.
On the night of Rebecca's pit stop in Vancouver, I received a call from a suddenly sickly babysitter. Though the book signing started at 7:30, smack in the middle of my son's bedtime, I looked at him and asked: "Wanna meet some pretty ladies at a book store?" "Yes!" he cried, though the "s" was a "th", and then we were off.
He's been potty trained for several weeks, almost a month, and so I didn't think too much about the fact that he was wearing his hilarious old-man briefs and no diaper. I kept asking him on the way to the store: gotta go, Nolan? Tell me if you gotta go."
Although initially excited about our destination, a two-and-a-half year old's enthusiasm is a fickle thing, and by the time we got to the store, my son was manic and destructive with alternating glee, boredom, and a fierce determination to wet-willy an unsuspecting participant.
We had to leave before we got to hear Rebecca read. Nolan had an accident in the middle of the bookstore. Rebecca, adorned in chiffon and softness, presented us with some wet naps. And, cringing, I bought a few books and limped out of the bookstore. On the way home I sneaked glances at the book during red lights and when I got home, I put Nolan to bed and inhaled the whole book.
Even if I didn't really like Rebecca as a person and respect her immensely as a blogger, I would still have to say this: Rockabye is perhaps the best book on Mothering I've ever read. And it's certainly the best memoir. Alternating between streaming-eye touching and stomach-hurting funny, the book is one of the first honest books I've read about the bumpy journey from woman to Mother. I feel proud that Rebecca is one of the blogosphere's own, and the trip to meet her and try to support her reading was definitely worth the accident on the steps of the bookstore.
I love shoes -- I can't really explain why, but I do. I have a girlfriend who says that women love shoes because no matter how much weight we lose or gain, our shoes always fit, and I suspect that's part of it. Great shoes can completely change your look, spiffing up even the most basic Mom Uniform.
Nursing can be tough on moms, potentially resulting in dry or cracked nipples. There are, luckily, products available to help ward off such problems, including various creams and lotions intended to soothe and protect breasts and nipples. One such product is Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream -- or was, anyway, until the Food and Drug Administration 
In the few years I've been writing at ParentDish, I've linked to
