STUDY: Short women More Likely to have Premature Births

Posted on August 22, 2015

A woman’s height may determine when she goes into labor during a pregnancy, The Telegraph reports.

New research has shown smaller women to give birth to smaller and more premature babies, putting them at risk of complications from an early birth.

Shorter women have shorter pregnancies and smaller babies, according to new research.

And the study suggests they are also at greater risk of giving birth prematurely.

Researchers studied 3,485 Nordic women and their babies, and found that maternal height, which is determined by genetic factors, influenced the length of pregnancy and frequency of prematurity. But birth length and birth weight are mainly influenced by transmitted genes.

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Twin Gives Birth to Sister’s Son

Posted on August 20, 2015

After cancer took away her twin sister’s ability to carry a second baby, Dawn Policastro jumped in to help and became sister Allison’s surrogate.

Recently, Dawn gave birth to her nephew this August 5th.

Professional photographer Allison Rose‘s photos of the sisters during Dawn’s pregnancy went viral this week.

“How can we begin to thank you for the tremendous generosity and sacrifice you have so willingly bestowed these last few months?” Allison wrote on her Facebook page.

Click for more from Patch.com.

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FDA Shuts Down Kim Kardashian’s Morning Sickness Instagram Ad

Posted on August 19, 2015

The US Federal Trade Commission has long regulated commercial content and advertisement in mass media and, in recent years, social media and blogs.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has been forced to jump into the regulation of social media business thanks to second time mom-to-be Kim Kardashian.

The reality TV star Instagrammed a “commercial” for Diclegis, a morning sickness medicine without disclosing all of the side effects, even though she did indicate she was paid.

With 43.5 million followers on that social media platform alone, the Keeping up With the Kardashian reality TV star had the ear of millions of women, many who had “liked” the post.

With only a small square of space to work with and a comment section, Kardashian did not have room (or forgot) to mention some of the required side effect disclosures of the drug like increased drowsiness and effect from interactions with alcohol, excitement, irritability and sedation in infants who breastfeed from women taking the drug and most importantly that the drug had never been tested for use with hyperemesis gravidarum, the most severe form of morning sickness.

Faced with “FDA regulatory action, including seizure or injunction, without further notice,” Kardashian has since deleted the post, though not before it gained 434,000 likes, endadget reported.

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Preggophiles are Stealing women’s Baby Bump Photos Shared Online

Posted on August 18, 2015

Be careful about posting your bump photos online.

Men who frequent a pregnancy fetish website have been stealing pregnant women’s online photos and using those pics to lure other pregnant women to share their baby bump photos.

The Australian version of the Daily Mail recently featured the story of one woman of multiples who discovered someone had stolen her baby bump photo from online and was using it to entice other multiples to share their photos.

Australian mom Megan Ireland “was stunned to discover a mysterious vagrant was using her picture to solicit other women into posting their belly shots for a pregnancy fetish website,” Daily Mail reports.

“It makes me feel sick,” Ireland told Daily Mail Australia. “That’s my child in my stomach and people out there are doing really gross things.”

The revelation led several Australian groups dedicated to multiples to issue warnings about one particular person doing the stealing.

Those who comply would fall victim of their pics too being taken and posted among users of preggophile.com.

But this isn’t a new problem, as I have pointed out about the fetish before on rh blog, and I’m certain there are others out there doing the same, not just this one guy.

I’ve seen quite a few Instagram pages that encourage women to send in their pregnant photos. Sadly, many comply not knowing that they may fall trap to some online group’s perverse fascination of pregnant women.

Here are a few that raised some eyebrows with me:

http://instagram.com/prexyhotmoms

http://instagram.com/babybellyblog1

http://instagram.com/pregiful2

I’ve also had odd requests from random men in the past including some from dudes who describe the “pregnant belly form” in an extraordinarily sexual way.

A few times, male-run pregnancy adoration sites have asked me to exchange Links and posts.

Um…no sir. You and your pervy friends can take your pregnancy fetish over there and away from my blog. Please and thanks.

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Kristin Cavallari to Cover American Baby magazine

Posted on August 17, 2015

It looks like third time mom-to-be Kristin Cavallari will be the next celebrity mom to be featured in the next edition of American Baby magazine.

The Laguna Beach alum who is mom to 2-year old Camden and 15-months old Jaxon shared a sneak peek from the shoot on her Instagram account today.

Cavallari has been keeping busy since on hiatus from her co-hosting duties on the E! TV show, The Fabulist.

The shoe designer has also been promoting her forthcoming book, “Balancing in Heels.”

Nice! Week it, mama!

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Keeping up with Kim Caldwell’s Pregnancy in PHOTOS

Posted on August 15, 2015

TV Host and Handbag designer Kim Caldwell is only 6 weeks away from being term.

When we last checked in with the American Idol finalist, we learned via PEOPLE magazine that the Vancouver, Canada resident and her husband professional soccer player husband Jordan C. Harvey were expecting a baby girl the couple decided to name Harlow Monroe.

Harvey, who, from the looks of the posts on his IG account, seems to be so adorable and supportive, announced the pregnancy very creatively:

Excited to finally announce our baby girl at 12 weeks! #DaddysLittleGirl #FirstTimesACharm @_kimcaldwell
A photo posted by Jordan Harvey (@jordancharvey) on Apr 4, 2015 at 9:25am PDT

Since then, the gorgeous blonde looks to have been having a wonderful and vibrant pregnancy. From the photos we’ve seen her share on her Instagram:

Chilling with friends at the beach.

Working out while on a babymoon

Comparing bumps with one of the clients to her make-over business

Vending at a local artisan market in Vancouver with her “Stage Presents” line.

Cheering on a friend at a Drag Show

Showing off Harlow’s growing baby Air Jordan collection

…and more! Such a fun follow! Follow Kim HERE!

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New Home Pregnancy Test Detects Twins, Miscarriage chances

Posted on August 14, 2015

A British company is claiming to have created a test that can not only detect pregnancy, but also whether a woman is carrying twins, a baby with a genetic defect like Down’s Syndrome or will have a miscarriage.

MAP Diagnostics’ test is based on the science and technology behind in vitro fertilization. During IVF, doctors can screen embryos and identify abnormal chromosome numbers as well as genetic mutations – factors that lead to miscarriages.

But unlike IVF treatment which is very invasive, MAP Diagnostics’ pregnancy test would be a home “pee test” that analyze proteins in the mother’s urine.

MAP Diagnostics states it is still fine-tuning the algorithm using “around 10,000 samples to improve detection of chromosomal abnormalities that cause Down’s syndrome, for example, before developing a home-testing kit,” according to a report in New Scientist.

Some say the test could be good for women or bad.

Indeed, a test that reveals a possible miscarriage could cause stress and lead to a decision to abort, said Zev Williams from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at New York’s Yeshiva University.

The test could also have ethical implications, especially if it is faulty.

Women could preemptively abort a healthy pregnancy.

It could cause irreparable damage to pregnant women and families.

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STUDY: First pregnancy weight gain impacts second baby

Posted on August 13, 2015

A woman’s weight during her first pregnancy may affect the health of a second baby, even if everything went well the first time around, a new study has found.

It is already well established that a mother’s weight can increase the risk of complications during pregnancy. For example, if a woman is overweight or obese, this increases her risk of developing gestational diabetes.

According to US researchers, many women are not a healthy weight when they first become pregnant. They may be overweight or underweight, although more often, they are overweight.

The study found that complications may occur during a second pregnancy even if none occurred during the first pregnancy, and even if the mother is a normal weight the second time around.

Continue reading

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Are you TTC (Trying to Conceive)? Download our Fertility 100 ebook FREE!

Posted on August 11, 2015

Is 2015 the year you plan to start a family or hope to finally become successful and conceive a baby after some fertility struggles? If so, we here at Bellyitch have assembled 100 of the common tips, suggestions, old wives’ tales, dietary and lifestyle advice we’ve heard and read in various sources over the years.

Download our Bellyitch Fertility 100 ebook FREE at Gumroad enter $0! (Or if you’d like to contribute to its production, feel free to enter a fair price! (smile))

Enjoy, God Bless and Good Luck!

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Maternity

ENTER to Get Your ‘Body After Baby’ Shapewear FREE (up to $99)

Posted on August 9, 2015

It seems like waist trainers are the “in” things these days among women trying to get that perfect hour-glass shape.

And now brand new moms too have a variety of options available to them to help them when they are ready to kick start their efforts to regain their Body After Baby shape and midsection.

In fact, that is the name of an innovative company that pegs itself at the “lulemon of maternity and postpartum” support wear because of the durable, stretchable and sweat-resistant unique fabric that its products are made from. They are seamless and comfortable enough to wear all day or even under form-fitting clothing.

Traditionally, pregnancy support belly bands are worn to help support a mom-to-be’s back as her belly grows and she has to manage the weight of her growing baby.

Body After Baby goes a step further with its postpartum support wear that is worn right after giving birth to help reduce pain and increase recovery time so a new mom can focus on her newborn.

Its Angelica offering is for wearing right after giving birth and its Sienna band is a specially formulated version for those who have had a C-Section.

And when she’s ready to get back into shape after 6 to 8 weeks postpartum, Body After Baby has its Leilani shapewear to help kick start the process. It has gotten great reviews as well!

Want to try one for yourself? You’re in Luck! Body After Baby will give one Bellyitch reader her pick from among 4 products to select.

So whether you are pregnant and looking to relieve back pain, an active new mom looking to recover quickly so you can take care of your new baby, or are an active working mom or devoted yogi ready to get back to pre-baby activities, Body After Baby has a support product for you.

Of course, I know how urgent relieving pregnancy back pain or postpartum aches can be, so if you can’t wait to see if you won and need a Body After Baby garment now, here is a discount code for 20% off, plus free shipping for U.S. residents: BELLYITCH20.

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Maternity