You Can Get Rid Of Pregnancy Strechmarks, kinda

Posted on August 17, 2016

What is more amazing than Kerri Walsh Jennings‘ abs is the virtual absence of stretch marks after giving birth to 3 kids.

She may be among the small lucky group of women who have the elasticity in their skin naturally that is resistant to stretch marks.

A lot of women who do get them want to know if they can get rid of their post-pregnancy stretch marks or will they have to live with them.

Dr. Rosemary Leonard, health expert at The UK Express explains:

Stretch marks are caused by tears in the dermis, the middle layer of the skin. This allows the blood vessels in the deep layer to show through which is why stretch marks are often red or purple in color when they first appear.
They occur when the skin has to stretch and although they are most commonly associated with pregnancy they can also occur in the growth spurt that occurs in puberty or when a person suddenly gains weight.
Some skin types are more prone to stretch marks than others and if a close relative in your family has developed them you are more at risk.

Unfortunately despite the claims that you frequently see on very expensive creams, there is very little that you can do to prevent them occurring if you happen to be prone to getting them.
The good news though is that when the skin contracts after pregnancy the blood vessels are no longer visible and the marks will fade to a silvery white colour and will be much less noticeable, although this process can take several years.
Laser therapy can help stretch marks to fade although it can’t remove them completely and typically several treatments are required. Most insurers don’t pay the cost and is usually very expensive.

The answer is yes you can get rid of them but you need time and money to make it happen.

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6 iPhone Apps to Get You Thru Bedrest

Posted on August 16, 2016

Nothing frees up your time like being told you have to stay on bed rest for the remainder of your pregnancy, and if you don’t have enough distractions you can quickly find yourself bored out of your mind. Of course you can play your favorite games like Words with Friends or Wheel of Fortune, but after a while even those will lose their luster, and you’ll need something else to occupy your hours.

Here are 6 iPhone applications that will help take up some time and answer any questions you may have regarding concerns about the baby that may pop into your head while you are lying in bed. There’s an app for everything from saving for college to listening to the baby’s heartbeat:

1. CollegeSave This application allows you to do the calculations to determine how much per month you will need to save in order to pay for your child’s college tuition. If you start early then you will have the advantage of compounding interest and you won’t have to put as much away each month versus starting when your child is 10.

2. Soundhound Ever been bored and start humming a song and wish you knew what the song was? With this application you can hum a few bars and it will use its vast library of over a million tunes to identify the song. Want to come up with a bunch of lullabies for your baby? This application can help with that.

3. iPregnancy Want to know what’s going on inside your body at this very moment? iPregnancy tells you how big the baby should be, what’s going on physically with the baby, keeps track of appointments and has a great baby name function to help you figure out what you are going to name your little peanut when the time comes.

4. ZipList You may be on bed rest, but the rest of the family still needs to eat. Don’t feel like you have to rely on your partner to handle everything with this application. Now you can look up recipes, create a grocery list, sort the items on the list by aisle in the store, and then text everything to someone else to run to the store for you. If your family runs out of anything they can scan the barcode using this application and it will automatically be added to the list.

5. My Baby’s Beat With this application you can actually use the microphone on your iPhone to hear your baby’s heart beat and your own. You can record the heart beat and e-mail it to

6. After Baby is born: BabyTimer This application allows you to keep track of the number of wet and dirty diapers your baby has each day. It also keeps track of feedings so that you can report all of this information back to your pediatrician.

Good luck moms!

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The Pregnancy Test Hack Giving TTC Women False Hope

Posted on August 6, 2016

Bellyitch rewind

So…the new thing in women’s online parenting and pregnancy forums is a practice called pregnancy test “tweaking”.

It entails a woman who is trying to conceive posting an image among other members of the online or bulletin board community of a recent pregnancy test that doesn’t’ definitively indicate she is pregnant. There is usually a very faint second line or indicator that could be perceived to be indication that she is pregnant.

Afterwards, members of the community use digital imaging tools to enhance the photo so they can decipher better if there is a second line.

The “tweaking” process give women false hope, some critics say. They worry it could be a damaging practice that toys with the emotions of women who are struggling to conceive.

Some tweakers defend the practice.

“We can NEVER bring something out that IS NOT ALREADY THERE,” says Brandy Linex, who says she tweaks photos on BabyCenter.com “We do not create positive tests out of negative ones. It’s either already positive or it isn’t and we are VERY up front and honest about that.”

There is a common explanation for the faint line that is seen after the tweaking: It could be residual indication of an early miscarriage.

Doctors warn that some tweaked photos may actually reveal a chemical pregnancy, which often times go undetected and women recognize them only as a late menstrual period.

Only a follow up test at a doctor’s office, usually a blood one, can confirm the home-based test.

The tweaking process is just an exercise that lasts only until the obvious is confirmed a few days or weeks later when there is either positive confirmation of an active pregnancy or not.

What are your thoughts about “tweaking”?

h/t Dr. Drew at HLN

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African ‘Fertility’ Waist Beads 101

Posted on July 25, 2016

I went on a weekend getaway and rediscovered the waist beads my mom brought back for me from her trip to Sierra Leone, Africa earlier this year. It reminded me to share more about the beads on the blog because there is a long history in the beads that include fertility.

In fact, they are called “fertility beads” in some cultures. It is thought that they originated with the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, West Africa but other West African nations like Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone have adopted them. They are considered to be “of the earth” or the source of life as many women wear them during pregnancy to protect the baby from evil spirits and ensure a safe labor and delivery.

Some wear them to encourage fertility. It’s not scientific of course, but steeped in tradition. Others believe the beads have healing property. Some African women wear them to ward themselves from negative energy.

Erotic Nature of Beads

In some parts of Ghana and Nigeria, people have a belief that the waist beads possess some erotic appeal and have the power to incite desire or deep emotional response on men.

They Symbolism of the Colors

The colors and stones or beads used in the beads have different meaning too. Colorful rainbow beads are considered to have balancing properties.

~Yellow- Symbol of wisdom/knowledge, clarity, increases awareness & stress relief.

~Blue- Symbol of knowledge, healing, peace, truth & harmony.

~Orange – Symbol of optimism, positive mood & promotes self-confidence.

~Pink- This color is associated with unconditional love, romance, purity, femininity & healing.

~Green – This color is associated with prosperity, hope, harmony & healing.

~Red – Self-confidence, vitality, sexual energy, passion & courage.

~violet – Color symbolizes intuition, power, inspiration & royalty.

~Gray – Symbol of wisdom & communication.

~Brown – Symbol of comfort, security, practicality.

~Black- Symbolizes energy & strength. (source)

Beads can be made with semi-precious stones thought to heal certain ailments. They are sold, made with all types of materials shell, gemstone, glass, plastic, pearl or even clay or wood.

How to Wear Them

Waist beads are created to be worn below the belly. I have worn mine at my mid-riff as well. Some prefer to wear them under their clothing only to be seen by themselves or their spouses or partners. Others flaunt them on bare bellies or even over their clothing.

Waistbeads for tracking Weigh Management

Many women wear the beads as an instrument in losing weight. When the strands begin to be too tight, the wearer knows it may be time to cut back and start exercising if they want to maintain their weight. Also, for those on a weightloss journey, as the beads become looser, they know they are definitely on a downard trajectory as the scales do not always indicate loss when one is building muscle at the same time as muscle weighs more than fat.

Modern Use

In modern culture, waistbeads have been adopted to flaunt and draw attention to a trim midsection or tight abs. Women in Ghana have worn them to accentuate their hips.

They are more of a fashion element though those who wear them ought to be aware of their cultural origins and significance just in case they are questioned or asked about them while out and about. It is the best thing to be aware when donning an item of clothing or style that originates in a culture that is not their own. You don’t want to be accused of “cultural appropriation.”

Cost

If you don’t have a family member or friend coming back from Africa, certainly, you can grab yourself some from Etsy shops. I found them sold Here, Here and Here for about $10 and up. If you spot any on sale for $5, they may not be authentic and genuine but a mass-produced copy. Beware!

Lupita Nyong’o, a Bellyitch Blog fave was spotted wearing one (above) back in 2014 when she was in Maui for the Maui Film Festival. She was seen looking tone and effortlessly chic in a Marysia Swim bikini and even Instagrammed a pic from the locale.

SHOP THE LOOK!

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Study: Iron Deficiency in Pregnancy Linked to Thyroid Dysfunction

Posted on July 24, 2016

Over one-third of pregnant women had iron deficiencies in their first trimester, which were likely to be associated with increased risk of thyroid-related conditions, a small Belgian study found.

In both univariate and multivariable analyses, iron deficiency in pregnancy was linked with a significantly increased risk of thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunction, reported Flora Veltri, MD, of Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium, and colleagues.

The link was also associated with an increased risk of subclinical hypothyroidism in multivariate analyses, the team wrote in the European Journal of Endocrinology.

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Let Hilaria Baldwin Show you How to Exercise Whilst Preggers or With a Brand New Baby

Posted on July 10, 2016

If you are expecting, just having a baby or balancing a few tiny ones and wondering how you can sneak in some exercise, you should certainly follow Hilaria Baldwin on Instagram. She uses her feed to share adorable photos of her children, snippets of her cool life and lots of quick exercise videos.

The celebrity fitness instructor, who is famously married to actor Alec Baldwin, is also great about deflecting and ignoring all of the “hate comments” she gets periodically.

I love what she wrote recently in response to one commenter:

” …Lets begin with your words: “shameless” “perfectly puckered” “pretend to be perfect” “not real”. I am sorry I don’t have any “warts” now, as you told me if I showed them I’d be “cooler”…I have never done a cosmetic procedure and I rarely wear makeup. So what is wrong with my pictures? I am just me. I take pics in all sorts of places….At the laundromat, right before bed, exercising, tired, pregnant, makeup free… I took pics throughout my pregnancy with Rafa and a day after he was born. No filter, no retouching…because I want to show real. And here I am playing with my little girl–no makeup other than a little mascara. I was having a perfectly fun, innocent time. Can’t we all just support each other? We may never meet and you can have any opinion of me you want, but I find that when we project negativity, we miss out. I know I open myself up to all sorts of body shaming when I post like this. So why do I do it? Because I WANT TO BE REAL. These are REAL moments of my life, and regardless of how I look, I am allowed to share them. I don’t want to change myself in order to try to please others. Then I would not be me. I have accepted myself with all my imperfections and weird eccentricities. And I am enjoying my life–which is ultimately what it’s all about, no?”

Amen, sister!

And now, here is a few of our favorite shares from her:

Here is an old video that I never posted from when Rafael was about a couple of weeks old. Kissing and working out….doesn’t get much better than that! 3 sets of 10 on each side ???? #366DaysOfLivingClearly #HilariaLCM
A video posted by Hilaria Thomas Baldwin (@hilariabaldwin) on Jul 5, 2016 at 5:34pm PDT

Get your core, hamstrings and butt kicked!!! ?? Start with 1 set and add on! ?? #366DaysOfLivingClearly #HilariaLCM #BaldwinBabyBump3 @triangl A video posted by Hilaria Thomas Baldwin (@hilariabaldwin) on Jul 2, 2016 at 3:35pm PDT

Butt, hamstrings, and inner thighs! Hard to get a workout in around here…well, chasing this little munchkin is probably better than anything I could ever do at the gym ?! Feet close to butt, press to the balls of the feet, lift pelvis up and down, squeezing inner thighs together. Try to lift the pelvis up more than I am doing here–I was focusing more on keeping track of Rafael than my form ?. 3 sets of 15, amigos ? #366DaysOfLivingClearly #HilariaLCM @sammyandnat
A video posted by Hilaria Thomas Baldwin (@hilariabaldwin) on Jun 23, 2016 at 6:45am PDT

Workin out with all three of my babies!!! A few push-up secrets and tips: 1. You don’t have to lower very far to get benefits. You just have to make sure that your arms stay engaged and activated. I can’t lower very far at this point in my pregnancy and I still stay strong from these mini push-ups. 2. There is no shame in dropping your knees down. Most people who do full push-ups do them incorrectly, so check your ego at the door and use your knees for support. 3. Keep your core engaged! No back arching. 4. Have fun! This isn’t torture and when you see results, it’s like your birthday every day ??! 3 sets of 10! #366DaysOfLivingClearly #HilariaLCM Oh and ps…I’m heading out to an event…hence the getup ?? A video posted by Hilaria Thomas Baldwin (@hilariabaldwin) on Jun 6, 2016 at 2:31pm PDT

While the bambinos nap ?. I always end up turning play time into workout time?! I don’t usually use a filter, except to brighten occasionally…but I thought our new flock looked nice in low-fi hahaha ❤️?????. How are you staying active during the holiday? #366daysoflivingclearly #HilariaLCM #BaldwinBabyBump3
A video posted by Hilaria Thomas Baldwin (@hilariabaldwin) on May 28, 2016 at 3:20pm PDT

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Healthline Wants to Feature Your Beautiful C-Section Tattoo (NOMINATE YOURS)

Posted on July 9, 2016

Every year, about 1.3 million women in the United States have cesarean deliveries, or C-sections. They account for over 32 percent of all births. A C-section is major surgery, and like any major surgery, it leaves a scar.

It is our battle scar of pregnancy, labor and delivery. We wear it proudly. However, if you ever wanted to wear a low cut bikini, you know those days are over.

Some women choose to cover up their c-section scars with a temporary or permanent tattoo.

Healthline is curating photos of c-section tattoos for a future feature on its blog. If you would like to be featured on that site, simple send a clear photo of your tattoo with a short description with the “My c-section tattoo,” to nominations@healthline – Then they’ll feature them on the site!

It would be a roundup similar to the one the site did for breast cancer & multiple sclerosis.

photo: C-sexy

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Study: Exercise During Pregnancy Lessens C-Section Risk

Posted on July 9, 2016

A new Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology confirm the importance of exercise while pregnant to reduce risk of having a pre-term baby or other complications.

Researchers looked at data from over 2,000 pregnant women and compared those who exercised and those who did not The women who exercised were more likely to deliver vaginally—as opposed to having a C-section—and less likely to have gestational diabetes and high blood pressure.

The key is to maintain your current level of activity, not increase it, according to the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The Academy recommends that all women who have no complications with their pregnancies get “30 minutes or more of moderate exercise a day on most, if not all, days of the week.”

Women can do what they want but should avoid exercise that can risk abdominal trauma (like horseback riding or skiing).

They should tell their docs of their exercise plans and stop and tel their doc if they experience any pain, discomfort, or have any worries.

STUDY: Smartphones are Terrible at Tracking Your Fertility

Posted on July 6, 2016

Women often rely on their Smartphone apps to monitor their fertility, but a new study involving more than 90 fertility apps shows that it is not very effective and accurate in preventing and planning pregnancies.

The study, to be published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, has recommended against fully relying on fertility apps to avoid or achieve pregnancy.

According to the report from , most of the fertility apps available for download tack the menstrual cycle of women to pinpoint the exact day of ovulation, when women are most likely to get pregnant. Other apps monitor the basal body temperature (BBT). BBT normally increases two to three days prior to ovulation. On the other hand, some downloadable fertility apps track the cervical mucus of women. Women that are at the peak of their fertility period often have cervical mucus.

According to the report from Medical News Today, most of the fertility apps available for download tack the menstrual cycle of women to pinpoint the exact day of ovulation, when women are most likely to get pregnant. Other apps monitor the basal body temperature (BBT). BBT normally increases two to three days prior to ovulation. On the other hand, some downloadable fertility apps track the cervical mucus of women. Women that are at the peak of their fertility period often have cervical mucus.

For the study, researchers analyzed 95 fertility apps available for download through iTunes, Google and Google Play Store. Among those, 55 apps are either had a disclaimer stating that it should not be used to avoid pregnancy or failed to use an evidence based fertility awareness-based methods (FABM).

The researchers were then left with 40 apps to review. Using a rating system employed by the Family Practice Management, the researchers rated each app on a five-point scale for 10 criteria considered to be important for avoiding pregnancy.

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Pregnancy

After Having a Miscarriage, a Woman is Changed

Posted on July 6, 2016

Miscarriage is still a taboo not often talked about. It occurs more often than many would believe, yet women usually keep it a secret from family and friends. It certainly taints and colors your journey to motherhood, whether it happened in the early weeks or mid term. You earnestly will never be the same, especially if you were planning for the baby you lost.

Mode writer Samantha Collins recently suffered a miscarriage in November 2015 yet was able to conceive again and is due this October. But she is aware that she is more cautious about sharing the news given her loss. She has put together a great roundup of stories that discuss how miscarriage changes women.

photo credit: Kyle Awoyesuku/Picnoi

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