Lifestyle Archives - BabyQ

Oct 15
0
Choose safe toys for your child.

How Do I Choose the Right Toys for My Child?

Posted by | Lifestyle, Pregnancy Medicine | No Comments

It seems that several times each year there are reports in the news about baby toys that are no longer considered safe and are removed from the market. It can leave parents concerned and confused about how to find safe baby toys, and how to make sure that the toy investment will continue to be safe. There are several factors that you should consider when choosing toys for your baby. They include age guidelines, construction, electronic components, warranties, and educational and developmental value. Age Guidelines Look at the recommended ages on the packaging. These age recommendations, such as Ages 6 Months+, indicate to you the safety level as well. It tells you whether or not this toy is appropriate in skill level and safety for your baby. In general toys for ages birth to 5 months are limited as far as the interaction your child will get from it. During…

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Oct 15
0
What to expect in your 3rd trimester.

3 Things to Know During Your Last Trimester of Pregnancy

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What Are Some of the Physical and Emotional Changes a Mother Experiences in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy? You will probably be feeling a lot more tired as the changes in your body drain your energy and you have difficulty sleeping at night. By now, your body has become big enough to make it difficult for you to sit up and get up without help. You are also probably experiencing severe back aches, swollen feet, and problems maintaining your balance; and when you look in the mirror, you see someone whose looks are quite different from before you were pregnant. Since these symptoms will be with you during your third trimester, you shouldn’t spend time complaining about them. Instead, embrace these physical changes as a sign of the new life you are about to begin and enjoy and take pleasure in your fertility. Along with the physical changes, you may…

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Oct 14
2

How Can Partners Maintain Healthy Relationships During Pregnancy?

Posted by | LENS, Lifestyle, Pregnancy Medicine, Stress | No Comments

Pregnancy is a time of great change, not only physically, but for the relationships involved with the baby that will soon be born. One of the most important relationships a mother-to-be can have is the one with her partner, with whom she will share her worries and hopes for the future. Her significant other is the person who she wants by her side for the changes and challenges, and upon whom she wants to rely after the birth. While many of the concerns focus on the mom-to-be, there are also issues that the partner faces and experiences, which are just as valid and important to the relationship. Maintaining a healthy relationship between partners not only provides for a healthier and better pregnancy, but is essential for remaining committed partners after the labor and delivery. Tips for Keeping A Healthy Relationship There are many ways to nurture relationships between significant others…

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Oct 14
0

Don’t Blink

Posted by | LENS, Lifestyle, Pregnancy Lifestyle | No Comments

This past week my family took a vacation and it just so happened to be Charlotte’s first birthday.  My baby is 1! Whoa.  Her first year of life went by waaaaay faster than I remember Jack’s going.  I try to look back to when I first brought her home from the hospital, and it all seems to be a blur.  I still look at her and think she’s as little as when she was born.  For some reason when Jack turned 1, I thought he was 5.  He seems so much older and I just want Charlie to stay my baby forever.   I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with strangers that involve how fast their kids grew up and to just enjoy the moment.  When you bring home a new baby, it’s so easy to wish for restful nights, more independence, and “the next stage.”  The truth…

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Oct 14
0

5 Pregnancy Facts That Are Just Weird

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Is it True That During Pregnancy, There Are Some Unusual Changes To The Mother’s Body? The answer to that question is “yes.” During pregnancy, the mother’s body experiences unusual alterations as a result of the shift in hormone levels. There are some weird pregnancy facts about a few of these changes you may not know. Is the Brain Affected by Pregnancy? Yes. There is a condition called “pregnancy brain” that causes pregnant women to become increasingly more forgetful as they enter the second and third trimesters. In 2010, a group of English researchers conducted a study to test pregnant women’s spatial memory, which is the ability to remember where objects are located, for example where you left your glasses when you took them off. There were 23 pregnant women and 24 non-pregnant women who participated in the study. The researchers found that during the second and third trimesters, the pregnant…

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Oct 13
0

10 Things I Wish People Would Have Told Me When I Was Pregnant: PART ONE

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There’s nothing like your first. Health wise, I had great pregnancies. However, no pregnancy is as enjoyable as your first. It’s all about you. If you’re tired, take a nap or go to bed right after work. I did. I would sleep from 5:15pm to 7:30am some nights. If you’re sick, call into work and stay in bed all day to watch a ‘Real Housewives’ marathon. If you don’t feel like making dinner, pick up something on your way home from work and call it a night. It’s heaven. Then you have the baby and decide ‘if I have one, I should probably have another’. Well guess what? It’s not like your first. Now you’re on either a baby’s/toddler’s/child’s schedule and that’s your first priority. I remember the first time I got a cold during my second pregnancy. I woke up feeling miserable and thought how am I going to…

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Oct 12
0

My Baby is Breech – What is an external cephalic version?

Posted by | LENS, Lifestyle, Pregnancy Medicine | No Comments

If you are in the final weeks of pregnancy and have been told that your baby is breech, your caregiver might suggest what is known as external cephalic version (ECV). You might be nervous, confused, or apprehensive about the breech presentation of your baby, as well as about whether or not the ECV technique works. What Does a “Breech” Position Mean for Me and My Baby? During the last month of pregnancy your caregiver will likely palpate your abdomen to try to determine the position of your baby in utero. Ultrasounds are also sometimes used to get a clearer indication of positioning. Somewhere shortly after the 36th week your baby’s head should move to and remain directed downward near the birth canal. If this does not occur it is known as the breech position, and if left unchanged, can pose great risks for you and your baby. Depending upon the…

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Oct 10
0

Nesting

Posted by | LENS, Lifestyle, Pregnancy Lifestyle | No Comments

We’ve reached our boiling point. We all officially have cabin fever and “activities” are now “organizing.” IE, cleaning out the pantry, disinfecting the fridge, folding the linen closet, and sorting out the junk drawer (and by that I mean four junk drawers.) I never felt like I really “nested” when I was pregnant with Jack because I didn’t have a nest to nest in! We moved into our house 12 days before Jack was born. I spent my whole nesting phase literally looking for our nest. Now that we’ve lived here almost three years, I have a lot of nesting to do before this babe arrives and it’s hit me; the nesting phase has hit me big time…and I’m only 15 weeks! Most recently, I’ve been going crazy cleaning out old baby clothes. Anything stained or ruined, or that frankly I’m sick of looking at, has been tossed. Then there…

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Oct 09
0

Can I Dye My Hair During Pregnancy?

Posted by | Because You Asked, Lifestyle | No Comments

Pregnancy brings about many changes in a woman’s body, but it doesn’t mean she has to stop doing everything she enjoys and prefers during this time. A woman’s physical appearance can influence how she feels about herself, and things like hairstyles and makeup can help lift a woman’s spirits about her outward changes if she is feeling stressed or questioning the new shape of her body. However, many women then ask: Can I dye my hair during pregnancy? Hair Dying During Pregnancy The short answer to the question Can I dye my hair during pregnancy? is yes. The long answer is yes, as long as you follow some basic safety guidelines and speak with your doctor about any of your concerns. There are several precautions you can take to minimize the risks that hair dye might pose to your developing baby. Wait Until After the First Trimester to Color Your…

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Oct 09
0

Cord Blood Banking

Posted by | LENS, Lifestyle, Pregnancy Lifestyle | No Comments

When I was pregnant I heard a lot about cord blood banking and received many pamphlets from different companies offering cord blood banking services.  I didn’t know much about the process or the reasons to bank my baby’s cord blood, so I decided it was worth some research.   Cord blood is the blood that remains in your baby’s umbilical cord after delivery.   The blood is a source of stem cells that can be used in different medical treatments.  Cord blood and stem cells have been used to treat different ailments, including cancers, blood disorders, and immune diseases.  If needed in your child’s lifetime, he or she will always be a perfect match to the cord blood collected at delivery.  Cord blood banks cryogenically freeze the blood and hold on to it for you if ever needed.  When discussing the topic with other pregnant moms, someone told me that they weren’t…

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