Celebrity

Keyshia Cole In Hot Water Over Fake Pregnancy Announcement

Posted on July 10, 2018

Keyshia Cole is embroiled in a slight controversy over a fake pregnancy announcement she made recently, she said in response to being body shamed.

The R&B singer, responsible for big hits like “Love” and “I Should Have Cheated,” told fans last week that she was expecting.

“PreggoInMyFashionNovaFit #CongratulationsAreInOrder,” she captioned an Instagram pic posing in a cute snakeskin number.

Then, a few days later, Cole, who is mom to one son, Daniel Hiram Gibson Jr., with ex-husband and former NBA star Daniel Gibson, fessed up and apologized for intentionally misleading fans.

The joke caused a lot of her fans to accuse the petite star of playing the prank for attention, but she flipped the outrage by pointing fingers at her social media fans for making her feel bad about weight gain.

“I kinda apologize for #trolling… telling y’all I was #preggo,” she explained in a follow-up Instagram post. “Buuuuuuut y’all need to stop body shamming me and saying I’m pregnant every other day.”

She claims the constant speculation “hurts my feelings,” adding, “thought it was sweet that you all were excited about the news tho.”

While some fans who have had fertility problems slammed her for making light of a serious matter, others stated they understood her frustration.

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Where To Go This Summer in North, West, East and South USA

Posted on July 9, 2018

We get press releases and other insights on venues, events, and other destinations and are asked to pass them along to our readers. In this installment of ‘pay it foward’, we’re sharing an eatery, an amusement park, a writer’s workshop and a waterpark in the North, South, East and West coast of the United States

EAST

In New York City, everyone is feeling the heat. On the plus side, the hot weather means its time to enjoy the outdoor patio space at Hibernia Bar in Hell’s Kitchen. The private, shaded outdoor patio space located in the back of Hibernia Bar and Grill is good news for those of us who like to enjoy the outdoors with a cocktail and the company of friends and family during the summer.

This outdoor space is a great option for those who want to check out an outdoor bar and entertainment in New York City. If you’re itching to get out of your house with your family and onto a relaxing patio, check out Hibernia and the large outdoor space just on the backside of the bar.

A popular, authentic Irish pub which also serves as a restaurant where patrons often watch live sports, Hibernia Bar Hell’s Kitchen also offers an outdoor patio section great for enjoying the warm weather and spending time with friends and family. On its patio — or indoors, if the weather isn’t cooperating — enjoy a Guinness alongside Irish favorites and classic American dishes such as wings and calamari.

The outdoor patio space, consistently earns high praise from locals and out-of-towners for its unparalleled casual atmosphere and close proximity to Time’s Square and Rockefeller Center. It’s an ideal place to take your family, shoot hoops, and enjoy cold beverages throughout the day. Order one of Hibernia’s signature perfectly poured Guinness beers and set the tone for a down-to-earth day of fun.

Now that it is outdoor-dining weather in New York City, it is time to take advantage of the covered outdoor space at Hibernia and feel like you are escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. This patio is more of an enclosed courtyard, but that just adds to its unique appeal. When stepping onto the patio, you will immediately notice the vibrant and lush plant life dripping along the brick walls that enclose the space. If you take a look up, you will feel a sense of tranquility as you see the burnt orange cloth draped across the sky shielding you from the blazing sun. Throughout the patio the large wooden tables are the perfect setting for a lunch or dinner party to enjoy the company of close friends and family. No need to hide in your apartment waiting for the summer heat to subside or battle the crowds and take the 2 hour trek to the beaches. Instead, enjoy the summer season outdoor with your family and take advantage of our relaxing wood and brick-adorned patio space.

WEST

The Little Tokyo Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library will host Never Forgotten: A Nisei Writing Workshop, to help new writers shape their life experiences into compelling narratives. The workshop will take place on four Saturdays from July 14 – September 22 at the Little Tokyo Branch, 203 S. Los Angeles St.

“Everyone has a story to tell, about themselves or their loved ones, but might have a hard time penning their memories on paper,” said James Sherod, the Branch’s Senior Librarian. “This workshop helps give them the confidence to craft their memoirs.”

Naomi Shibata, author of Bend with the Wind: The Life, Family and Writings of Grace Eto Shibata, will lead the workshop. The event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Little Tokyo Branch Library and Poets & Writers, Inc.

The workshop is free, but registration is required at the reference desk or by calling the library at (213) 612-0525. Participants should attend all sessions:

Workshop 1: Saturday, July 14, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Workshop 2: Saturday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Workshop 3: Saturday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Nisei Workshop Reading and Reception: Saturday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Free Valet Parking: Available with library validation on Los Angeles Street.

The workshop is cumulative and concludes with a reading to celebrate the new works and the program’s mission of ensuring the legacy of the Nisei, American-born children of Japanese immigrants, carries through storytelling to future generations.

SOUTH

Summers were made to be enjoyed and explored, especially on the island of Key West, FL and nothing celebrates sun and fun more emphatically than the experiences awaiting the visitors at Fury Water Adventures! For a limited time using promo code: FURY, you can enjoy great savings on their many exciting trips this summer, including $20 off their most popular excursion, the Ultimate Adventure, which gives you a taste of virtually everything that can be done on the water like snorkeling, parasailing, a state certified water park and jet-skiing as well as breakfast, lunch, and unlimited refreshments! Enjoy 15% off all of their other great trips, including the crowd-pleasing Commotion on the Ocean live music sunset sail and a local favorite, Island Adventure. After you book your trip, check-in with them on their official Facebook or Instagram pages when you arrive in Key West and you’ll also have a chance to WIN the ultimate Fury Swag Bag! A drawstring backpack, a beach towel, a pair of sunglasses, a koozie and other must-have items on your Key West vacation! The time is NOW to get down to the Southernmost Point in the Continental U.S. and experience Key West before these deals – and the summer – ride off into the sunset.

About Fury Water Adventures

Key West’s most popular attraction is the crystal blue waters surrounding our island paradise. For almost three decades, visitors and locals alike have been choosing Fury Water Adventures as their number one excursion in and on the waters of Key West. Offering more than 20 adventure itineraries from snorkeling to parasailing and a fleet of expertly maintained, state-of-the-art catamarans, Fury is the premier watersports experience in South Florida.

Website: www.furykeywest.com

NORTH

The summer season at Sesame Place® kicks-off with sizzling savings and plenty of furry fun for the whole family! Now through 7/22, guests can save $20 on the Cookie Monster Season Pass, now only $99. All tiers of Season Passes allow guests to visit unlimited times now through 1/1/19 including The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular® and A Very Furry Christmas™!

2018 Season Pass Member Benefits
	Price	25% off In-park food and merchandise	VIP Character Meet & greets	Free General Parking	Free Preferred Parking	50% off single-day guest admission
Cookie Monster	~~$119~~ $99 Thru 7/22	X				X
Big Bird	$160	X	X	X		X
Super Grover	$238	X	X	X	X	X
Transferable	$180	X	X	X		X

Guests can take a ride on the park’s BRAND-NEW wooden-steel hybrid roller coaster, Oscar’s Wacky Taxi™! The new coaster will send thrill-seekers of all sizes soaring down an exhilarating first drop of 40 feet, traveling over 1,200 feet of track with exciting twists, turns, and plenty of airtime hills. Oscar’s Wacky Taxi joins Super Grover’s Vapor Trail® as the second roller coaster at the park. Super Grover’s Vapor Trail, which opened in 1998 as the park’s first mechanical ride, is celebrating its 20^th birthday in 2018.

Celebrate America’s birthday with everyone’s favorite furry friends from July 2 through July 6. Be sure to visit 1-2-3 Smile with Me™ to take a patriotic photo with Elmo in his red, white & blue attire! On July 3 & 4 be sure to stick around for an impressive display of fireworks presented by DASANI®!

Celebrate Christmas in July with a character dine! Enjoy some holiday menu favorites and get exclusive photo opportunities with some Sesame Street friends and of course – Santa Claus! The celebration continues with a festive birthday bash dine for Sesame Place’s 38^th birthday! Paid park admission is required in addition to dine reservation.

The 14-acre park also features two popular themed lands – Elmo’s World which opened in 2006 and Cookie’s Monster Land which opened in 2014. A total of eleven dry rides, nine water attractions, five interactive play elements, the Sesame Street Neighborhood, three live daily character shows and The Neighborhood Street Party Parade bring the joy of everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends to families.

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Celebrity

Kristin Cavallari has a New Reality TV Show And Her Husband Jay Culter Is the Star

Posted on July 9, 2018

Having covered the Laguna Beach and The Hills’ alumn’s respective pregnancies, I try to keep up with their post mommyhood whereabouts. That’s going to be much easier these days for Kristin Cavallari fans (I’m one and defended her against her #1 online troll and became a page 1 Google page rank because of it).

She has a show that recently premiered on E! called Very Cavallari.

The docu series chronicles the shoe designer’s attempt to open a brick and mortar Nashville store of her Uncommon James lifestyle brand.

According to Washington Post, The Ringer, Chicago Times, and Twitter, her husband, longtime Chicago Bears quarterback, Jay Cutler, steals the show and every single scene he is in.

That’s good because that’s ratings gold and means the show will be a hit! Woot! Good for her! Check out the trailer!

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News

Study: Pregnancy and Insomnia Linked To Depression Later

Posted on July 8, 2018

Decreased sleep quality seems to be a common physical change during pregnancy.

But it is still unclear if insomnia in pregnancy is associated with the same risk factors as chronic insomnia in common people.

Recently, scientists conducted a study to explore the determinants of insomnia during pregnancy.

The findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep and Medicine.

The study included 266 women who were in their late pregnancy. Researchers checked their sleep quality, general physical activity, and different sleep disorders.

The research team found that almost 40% of the women in the study received a diagnosis of insomnia.

The team then divided all women with insomnia in terms of insomnia duration: 49% developed insomnia at least 1 year before the study and 39.6% during pregnancy.

The women in whom insomnia developed during pregnancy showed different scores in eating at night, legs tingling, nightmares, and snoring compared to women without insomnia.

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Celebrity

Serena Williams Chases These Women who Returned From Motherhood to Win Grand Slam

Posted on July 8, 2018

Serena Williams is currently on the hunt for her 24th Grand Slam title during this year’s Wimbledon tournament.

If she captures the crown, she would have proved naysayers who think pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood signal the end of a fantastic phenomenal sportswomen’s career are wrong. Very wrong.

In fact, a lot of women report the challenge of momhood drives them to try even harder and to best their game, as Tennis.com’s Ed McGrogan correctly analyzed about Serena Williams’ likelihood of making a comeback.

“Whether Serena would consider continuing to play as a “challenge,” or something she simply wants to do as a mother, it’s far easier for me to picture her playing again, rather than the alternative,” McGrogan writes.

She would not be the first as several women have done similar — gone from giving birth to go on to beat the field and rise back to the top and earn a Grand Slam title.

The legendary Margaret Court , the pre-Open era woman who has won the most majors, 24, won three of them after giving birth to her son in 1972.

Williams, who has the most since 1968 when professional players were allowed to compete with amateurs, the so-called Open Era, is chasing Court’s record. With one more Grand Slam Title, she will tie it and with two more she will surpass it. If Williams follows Court’s lead, she will break the record, albeit now is a time when the field of competition is even tougher than ever before.

Kim Clijsters won three of her 4 Grand Slams after the birth of her child.

Lindsay Davenport won 3 of her 55 Career titles after giving birth to her son.

An Olympic Gold medalist and seven times Grand slam winner, in 1914, Dorothea Lambert Chambers became the first mother to win a Grand Slam crown.

There are at least two other major female players to make mommy comebacks and silence all the critics and naysayers!

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Reviews

Guess The World Cup Champ! Win a Naipo Massager!

Posted on July 7, 2018

We are down to the final four teams in the 2018 World Cup going down in Sochi, Russia: Belgium, Croatia, England and France.

Do you have any idea who till win the ultimate title? If you do, you could also win a premium Naipo massager!

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Perfect for a mom-to-be, a new mom or anyone else, for that matter.

Enter hereand check out a small sampling of their offerings below. You can see the rest on the company website after entering.

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Celebrity

Dad Priorities: World Cup Players with Expecting Wives Fly Home For Deliveries Mid-Tournament

Posted on July 7, 2018

Three dads-to-be made trips back home from Russia during this year’s World Cup to welcome a child to their family, with the blessing of coaches and teammates.

Last Tuesday, Fabian Delph missed England’s match against Colombia in the round of 16 while awaiting the birth of his third child.

“Some things in life are more important than football,” England coach Gareth Southgate said last Monday. “His focus needs to be with his family at this time.”

Southgate echoed a view of parenting that runs through the World Cup.

Switzerland forward Breel Embolo faced Sweden last Tuesday after jetting home within hours of a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica the previous week.

The 21-year-old saw his daughter born and described it as “the most beautiful 24 hours” of his life.

Denmark’s Jonas Knudsen started the family-friendly trend this tournament when his fellow players sent Knudsen home in private jet to be with his wife who was expecting to deliver their daughter who actually wasn’t due until after the tournament, but the team wanted him to see her right away.

“It’s a bit of perspective in life,” Southgate said. “Everybody says you only get one chance to be in a World Cup but also there’s only one day in your life where your children are born.”

In soccer, players fulfill their family duties at the discretion of team leaders and it is a great thing!

h/t AP

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News

Survey: New Parents Are Still Uninformed On Preemie Birth Risks

Posted on July 6, 2018

A new survey finds that new parents are not well informed about the risk of premature births.

Miracle Babies Foundation, the nonprofit organization founded to support Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) families, along with Sera Prognostics, a women’s healthcare company, recently released the results of its recent survey titled ‘Premature Risk Education to Empower Moms-to-be with Information Early’ (PREEMIE), conducted in the U.S. among 140 (118 mothers and 22 fathers of premature babies) participants.

From the findings, the researchers found that while parents are not as informed as they should be, they do want to be empowered with information about the possibility and risks associated with delivering a premature baby to better prepare and educate themselves if it were to happen to them.

Amost 1 in 10 babies is born premature in the U.S.—one of the highest rates in the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The tough part is that it can be hard to tell if you’ll have a premie because there are really no pre-existing standard.

Up to 50% of these premature babies are born to mothers with no obvious risk factors and sadly, premature babies face immediate and long-term health challenges, including cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, and other chronic conditions.

Per a press release about the survey, the majority of survey respondents said that they wish they had known more about the risks so that they could have researched both premature birth and interventions, and discussed it with their doctors.

Meanwhile, other responsdents said they would have wanted to be able to have better prepared family and friends, and forewarned employers about possible missed work resulting from increased office visits and therapies that premature babies often require

“As physicians, we never want to alarm patients, specifically if we can’t guarantee we can change outcomes – as is the case with informing patients about increased risk of preterm birth. The survey findings demonstrate that expecting parents want to arm themselves with as much information as possible. In preparation of preterm delivery, parents want to prepare themselves for the many dynamics that can accompany a premature delivery: financial planning, logistical details and research on lifestyle changes or behavior modification that may prolong pregnancy,” said Sean Daneshmand MD, and Founder of Miracle Babies. “Moreover, it is important to be proactive and speak to your doctor, who may suggest interventions that have the potential to help improve outcomes and give your baby the best possible start in life.”

Key Survey Findings

95% of respondents said they would have wanted to know if their baby was at an increased risk of being born prematurely
Of the 95% who would have wanted to know, 97% still would have wanted to know, even if their doctor couldn’t change the outcome
79% of respondents didn’t know that women without risk factors account for up to 50% of preterm births
77% of respondents didn’t know that premature birth is the #1 cause of infant death and illness
More than half (53%) of participants did not discuss preterm birth with their healthcare provider
Two-thirds (68%) did not know they were at risk until they went into premature labor

“My son Elijah was born after only 30 weeks and spent 91 days in the NICU; I felt so alone and unprepared,” survey participant Lucy Loomis said. “No one in my immediate circle of family or friends had experienced a preterm birth – I didn’t know who to turn to for advice. It would have been great to have known during my pregnancy that I was at risk for a preterm delivery. The information would have been useful to prepare for my pregnancy and delivery journey, including the possibility of being on bedrest for a long period of time, or that my baby might need to be intubated. It would have alleviated some of the fear, trauma and anxiety that I went through.”

Knowing some of the factors associated with delivering prematurely, including previous preterm birth, prior miscarriage, IVF, family history and health and lifestyle factors are important to discuss during an office visit. For those who don’t have symptoms, there is a blood test that can help determine an individual’s personal risk for preterm birth. Early prediction may allow parents and healthcare providers to modify individualized treatment during pregnancy and better plan for post-delivery care for preterm babies.

For more information to help determine the risks of premature birth and how you can help raise awareness, please visit https://www.miraclebabies.org/.

For more information about Sera Prognostics and its test to predict preterm birth risk, please visit http://www.pretrm.com/.

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Celebrity

RHOP Star Monique Samuels is Expecting After Miscarriage

Posted on July 6, 2018

Real Housewives of Potomac star Monique Samuels is expecting her third child after suffering a miscarriage which was revealed on the hit Bravo Tv show.

The mom of two opened up about the loss never anticipated the outpouring of support on an April episode of the series, filmed the prior year.

“When I first shared my story, I didn’t even realize how many people had experienced miscarriages before,” she told PEOPLE magazine. “It was amazing to have that support and to realize that I wasn’t alone. And to show so many of these women too that they can get through this.”

Samuels announced that she and her NFL veteran hubby Chris Samuels are expecting another baby — due Dec. 3. But although Monique says she feels “blessed” to add another member to her family, she said the miscarriage has changed how she feels about her pregnancy.

She said she is more cautious and frightful that things could go wrong.

“It kind of haunts you,” she admitted to the site. “The first times I was pregnant, it came so easily. I took that for granted. Now that I’m pregnant again, it’s almost like I second guess everything that I’m doing. Even with movement. I’m making sure I’m not moving too fast so I stretch my stomach. It’s something I didn’t think about with my first two pregnancies.”

congrats!

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BumpNews

Study: Few Older Women Who Freeze Eggs Actually Use Them Later

Posted on July 5, 2018

Fewer than 10 percent of older women who freeze some of their eggs as insurance against age-related declines in fertility eventually use them to try to get pregnant, new research shows.

The study included 563 women who had eggs frozen between 2009 and 2017 at a large European fertility center. On average, the women were 36 years old.

Only 7.6 percent of those women have returned to thaw their eggs and try to get pregnant, according to the study. Of those, only one-third have succeeded.

The study was presented Tuesday at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), in Barcelona, Spain.

Most of the women who did not return to thaw their eggs had found a partner with whom to pursue motherhood, according to study author Michel De Vos, of the Brussels Center for Reproductive Medicine in Belgium.

He said that a growing number of older women in the United States and Europe are having their eggs frozen, but those over age 35 need to have realistic expectations.

“Egg quality declines markedly with age, and success rates will be lower than 33 percent in women freezing their eggs beyond this age,” he said in an ESHRE news release.

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Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt