Why You Should Still Go Out For a Walk During Pregnancy Even Now

Posted on April 26, 2020

Just because you’re in quarantine and have a bun in the oven doesn’t mean your daily walks or exercise routine have to cease to exist.

In fact, exercise during pregnancy can be beneficial to both you and your baby.

There are necessary precautions you’ll need to take, especially as your body continues to grow, but before you cut back on keeping your body fit, consider the benefits of a healthy exercise routine.

Low-Impact Exercise

Low impact exercise carries little risk of injury for pregnant women, says Dr. Gia Fruscione, doctor of physical therapy and founder of DLVR Maternity. “Low impact exercises benefits your entire body and can be continued until birth,” she says. “Low impact exercise, such as walking, is especially beneficial if you are having joint problems.”

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant women should participate in 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week during pregnancy as long as there are no medical complications.

Exercising during pregnancy can help keep you at an optimal weight, says Fruscione. “Gaining too many pounds puts you at risk for a tougher delivery and gestational diabetes,” she says. “But, gaining too little can affect your baby’s growth.”

For women at a healthy pre-pregnancy weight, the target weight gain is usually 25 to 35 pounds, says Fruscione.

Walk to Wellness

Walking is an excellent form of non-impact exercise, especially for women who have not previously exercised prior to pregnancy, says Birgitta Lauren, pre and postnatal fitness and nutrition specialist and founder of Expecting Fitness, a resource for expectant moms.

“Walking or exercise in general makes your body and all organs more efficient at doing everything, including getting pregnant, staying pregnant and making a healthier baby,” says Lauren. “Exercise improves circulation and therefore blood and oxygen and nutrient flow to the baby, making the baby healthier than if mom didn’t exercise.”

Not only does walking help decrease weight gain by burning calories and keeping the heart healthy, but the act of exercise and moving your body produces proteins that create metabolites, which decrease risks for all diseases, including gestational issues or diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia and premature delivery, says Lauren.

Debunking the Myths

Many pregnant women fear that exercise or too much walking can cause preterm labor, but according to Lauren, this is just a myth. “It actually prevents preterm labor,” she says. “A healthier mom has a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby.”

Too much walking, though, can lead to uterine contractions if you have a pre-existing medical condition, says Fruscione. She advises checking with your physician before engaging in exercise if you have an existing medical condition before or during pregnancy. “If this is the case, too much exercise can lead to other complications such as bleeding, dizziness, chest pain, muscle weakness, calf pain and decreased fetal movement,” says Fruscione. “Call your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms.”

Another myth that exists is that walking during pregnancy makes you dilate more. Consistent exercise during pregnancy can help tone and prepare your muscles for labor and makes for an easier birthing process, says Fruscione.

In general, if you are engaging in walking or low-impact exercise, your entire pregnancy process will be much smoother, says Lauren. “Exercise improves the likeliness of ‘on-time’ dilation and a more efficient dilation,” she says.

When in doubt, always consult your physician, but know that the more you move your body, the healthier it may be for your baby. According to a study by Dr. James F. Clapp III at the Cleveland Health Center, exercise during pregnancy produces children that are healthier physically and mentally. As babies, they learn to do everything faster – from speaking to walking – than children from moms who exercised less or not at all, says Clapp. The study also concluded that these babies are happier and better behaved.

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4 Natural Ways to Induce Your Labor

Posted on April 16, 2020

Premature birth may worry you as it worries most expectant parents but becoming overdue can also bring its own concerns and difficulties. As you become larger, sleeping can become more challenging. It becomes increasingly more difficult to get into a comfortable position as does breathing as your lungs become more crowded due to your overgrown uterus. If your baby stays in too long then there are risks associated with this, most commonly that your baby could pass meconium. If you find yourself overdue and are seeking advice to naturally help induce labor then the following is a list of ideas to do exactly that.

1. Sex– is often prescribed by doctors to help induce labor because the prostaglandins in semen help soften and prepare the cervix to dilate.

Herbs – hundreds of years ago midwives used herbs to prepare mothers for pregnancy, labor and birth. This was before the invention of pitocin. You must be very cautious with herbs of any kind as they can cause great damage if the correct dosage is not administered. Black cohosh, available in capsules or teas is commonly used to induce labor and can be with or without alcohol. During birth, black cohosh can help strengthen and regulate uterine contractions. Other herbs which have similar effects are red raspberry leaf and false unicorn root. These particular herbs have natural chemicals which are released into the woman’s body and stimulate the baby to encourage her to move and get positioned for birth. Herbs should not be used until the cervix is ready to open as they will not work until then. Beware of some herbs which can be dangerous to you or your baby such as aloe vera, bungleweed and pokeroot as these are some of the herbs that can cause premature birth or birth defects. Always consult a doctor before self-medicating with herbs. Primrose oil is used to induce labour as it has a comparable effect to semen in the cervix by softening and ripening it.

2. Castor Oil – is taken by some women as a natural method of bringing on labor. The theory being that the diarrhea and cramping it causes also causes contractions that can induce labor. It is unpleasant to taste but two tablespoons can be mixed into another drink such as a juice. It is advised to consume castor oil in the morning as you will be woken in the night with the cramping and diarrhea if you take it in the evening. There are risks with taking castor oil such as the expectant mother becoming dehydrated because she has diarrhea and also it increases the risk of the baby passing meconium while still in the uterus.

3. Nipple Stimulation – for hundreds of years nipple stimulation has been used by women to help induce labor. It has an effect of releasing a natural form of pitocin called oxytocin. Similarly to pitocin, oxytocin triggers contractions that can bring on labor. This method for naturally inducing labor is only effective near to your due date and when you are ready to give birth. Before forty weeks, it is not advisable to induce labor. The nipples can be stimulated manually or a breast pump can be used. Care needs to be taken as your uterus can become hyperstimulated. Only stimulate one nipple at a time and rest immediately once you notice contractions. Wait at least fifteen minutes after the contractions have stopped before resuming. If you do not get any rest between contractions other problems can arise.

4. Be Active – whilst most doctors advise you to slow down and reduce your activities as you approach your due date, it is also helpful to remain active as long as you do not cause yourself any stress. Walking a wee bit more than usual and slowly swinging your hips from side to side can help induce labor by stimulating your baby and getting her moving into the birthing position. If you fancy some fun, sex is always a good idea as I mentioned before because along with semen helping the cervix to soften, the female orgasm produces a hormone which aids childbirth.

Other methods women have used include acupressure and eating spicy foods, but watch out for possible nausea with spicy food and medical research has not yet supported this idea as definitely being beneficial.

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5 Mocktail Recipes Preginistas Can Make For The Virtual Happy Hour

Posted on April 3, 2020

Virtual happy hours are becoming a big thing in this era of coronavirus break out. Offices and groups of friends are getting together on Zoom, Skype and other video meeting platforms to shoot the breeze, have a drink and listen to tunes together.

If you are expecting, certainly, you cannot have an alcoholic beverage if you plan to attend one of these things.

However, lucky for you, there re lots of mocktail recipes out there you can whip up so you can participate. Here are 5 recipes excerpted and curated below from past posts and CraftyBartending.

I love the soothing effect of ginger on digestion which is important for pregnant women dealing with indigestion, nausea and other issues so so check out the ginger mocktail below.

Nojito

( a non-alcoholic take on the Mojito)

10-12 fresh small spearmint leaves

1/2 lime, juiced

7 oz sprite zero or club soda

1 tbsp sugar or Splenda

crushed ice

In a cool tall glass, muddle the mint, sugar or splenda or Agave and lime juice. Add crushed ice and soda and stir well. Garnish with a lime wedge and a few sprigs of mint. Serve with a straw.

Pink Grapefruit Preggatini

Diet Pink Grapefruit soda

Pomegranate Syrup or grenadine

Splash of lime

Combine ingredients, add ice, stir and enjoy. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

Lemon, Lime & Bitters

Technically not a mocktail because it calls for bitters and bitters contains alcohol, but the overall alcoholic content is so small, that it barely counts. It’s a very easy drink to make so it’s great to have in your repertoire. This is an extremely popular mocktail in Australia, even for kids, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be popular elsewhere – so spread the word!

Serve in a Highball glass

1/2 shot lime cordial
Top with sprite
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 lemon wedge for garnish

Add sprite to an ice-filled highball glass. Float lime cordial on top. Add 3 dashes of Angostura bitters. Add the garnish.

Pineapple Ginger Beer

This is a refreshing, non-boozy take on the Dark ’n’ Stormy cocktail. It replaces the rum with pineapple juice & adds some extra ginger syrup. It’s another great mocktail to add to your repertoire because it uses commonly available ingredients.

Serve in a Collins glass

1 1/2 shots pineapple juice
1 shot fresh lime juice
1 shot ginger syrup
Top with ginger beer
1 lime wedge for garnish

Shake & strain the first 3 ingredients into an ice-filled collins glass. Top with ginger beer. Add the garnish.

Shirley Temple

Commonly served to children dining in restaurants in replacement of real cocktails, this is an essential mocktail to know for the restaurant bartender. It’s believed to have originated in the 1930s in Hollywood, the name coming from the former Iconic child star, Shirley Temple. Funnily enough, she dislikes the mocktail describing it as far too sweet. That’s probably why children love it.

Serve in a Highball glass

1/2 shot grenadine
1/2 shot fresh lemon juice
Top with ginger ale
1 cherry & 1 lemon wedge for garnish

Build in an ice-filled highball glass. Top with ginger ale & lightly stir. Add the garnish.

Enjoy!

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Pregnancy

Gestational Diabetes: What Newly Pregnant Moms Need to Know

Posted on April 2, 2020

Photo by Alekon pictures on Unsplash

If you’re newly pregnant right now, you’ll be asked to take a glucose loading test between 25 and 28 weeks of your pregnancy.

It’s one of those rites of pregnancy but most mothers-to-be just don’t look forward to, explain Twin Doctors, Dr. Idries Abdur-Rahman MD and Jamil Abdur-Rahman, authors of “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pregnancy: But Were Too Afraid or Embarrassed to Ask”

Eighteen years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, I took the test and found out I had developed Gestational Diabetes. I actually contributed to my diagnosis. Early in my pregnancy, I discovered that one way to cope with all day morning sickness and nausea was to sip 7-11 Slurpees all day. If you’re familiar with that slushy ice beverage, you know it is loaded with sugar, ergo high amount of carbs and higher blood sugar. After the discovery, I got treated and recovered.

It is very important to not skip the test.

You need to know if you have it because untreated gestational diabetes can cause premature birth and stillbirth, the March of Dimes warns.

How does the test go

The Twin Doctors write in Everything You Ever Wanted to Know:

The loading part of the glucose loading test involves drinking a super sugary drink called glucola. Glucola comes in multiple flavors with orange, lemon and fruit punch being the most common. All of the glucola drinks contain 50 grams of glucose. When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t metabolize (break down) sugar the way that it normally would, this results in higher than normal blood sugar levels. One hour after you drink glucola, your blood will be drawn, if your blood glucose level is more than 140, it is considered abnormal. Because the GLT is a screening test, an abnormal GLT means that you have a higher change of having diabetes but it is not diagnostic.
If your GLT is abnormal, you have to do another test called the 3-hour Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). This is the definitive way to diagnose gestational diabetes. This test involves drinking twice as much of the glucola drink (100 grams) and having your blood drawn four times. Unlike the initial GLT, the 3-hour GTT requires you to fast for at least 8 hours and have your blood drawn before you drink the glucola, as well as 1-hour, 2-hours, and 3-hours after you finish the drink. An abnormal 3-hour GTT means that you have gestational diabetes

The Effects Linger

If you end up with an abnormal test and are determined to have GB, the good news is that it goes away when you deliver the baby. Your body will no longer sense a foreign object, the baby, and will stop fighting itself. The effects are long term, however. The mother and baby become high risk of developing diabetes or other forms of autoimmune diseased sometime later in life. The Mayo Clinic recommends moms and their babies to be aware of this risk, and possibly test for it periodically.

It’s a First World thing

Diabetes is becoming more and more common in the western world and patients who have diabetes are considered higher risk during pregnancy. According to the Twin Docs, in their book, Diabetic mothers have a higher risk of:

Preterm labor and delivery.
Developing high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Having abnormally large babies.
Sustaining pelvic floor damage during delivery
Delivering by C/Section.
Developing diabetes later in life.

None of these outcomes is wanted. However, you can increase your odds of having a favorable test before it comes time to take the test.

Here are some tips:

Get good sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with higher incidences of heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and cancer so make sure to end your day earlier and get a good night’s rest, or if you can, take naps during the day.

Lessen your stress level.

Stress is known to raise blood sugar, and if you already have type 2 diabetes you may find that your blood sugar is higher when you are under stress. Changing what you eat, exercising more, or adjusting medication can help to keep it under control.

One study of obese black women without diabetes found that those who produced more stress-related epinephrine when asked to recall stressful life events had higher fasting glucose and bigger blood sugar spikes than those with lower epinephrine, suggesting it might raise your risk for getting diabetes too.

Eat Better

In my case, when I had the condition, the high sugar content of the Slurpees I drank daily to stave off nausea contributed to my blood sugar spike. Those drinks had a lot of carbohydrates. So, in short, you should reduce your carb intake.

In fact, when I developed GD and saw a nutritionist, I was told to not ingest more than 25 carb grams per meal. When I did not, I stabilized my blood sugar levels and stopped gaining an insane amount of weight. In fact, I only gained about a few more pounds after that. Before, I was gaining too much weight and too fast.

Health information website Healthline recommends that you:

Eat protein with every meal.
Include daily fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Limit or avoid processed foods.
Pay attention to portion sizes to avoid overeating.

It is very possible to reverse a dangerous course and end up getting a positive result when your time comes to take the test if you stick with these tips.

Want more information? Get the Twin Doctors’ book:

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COVID-19 Tips for TTC, Expecting and Brand New Moms

Posted on March 27, 2020

Photo by Shvets Anna from Pexels

During the global COVID-19 crisis, pregnant, trying to conceive couples and those within weeks/months of giving birth are questioning the safety of going to the hospital, doctor’s office, labs and clinics.

Yale University Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology Mary Jane Minkin ffers tips and tells women to stay calm but be prepared.

“As we experience unprecedented times with many unknowns, the most important thing to remember is that health care providers are prepared to handle all health-related concerns. And, they are taking all steps necessary to be available to their patients,” says Dr. Minkin, who is also the founder of MadameOvary.com . “However, women must take personal responsibility for their health and wellbeing and utilize telehealth appointments if available.”

Here are Dr. Minkin’s Facts and Tips:

Get your flu shot: Pregnant women have altered immune systems; therefore, they are at an increased risk for respiratory infections.
Don’t hesitate to call the doctor’s office. Even if you’re not experiencing serious symptoms, doctors and nurse practitioners are available via phone to answer all your questions and concerns. This is the safest first step, rather than going directly into the office. Doctors will do their best to evaluate symptoms, prescribe medicine or make proper arrangements based on symptoms for you to go to a lab for testing or the hospital. Your healthcare provider should make sure you do not spend time in the waiting room, and you will be escorted directly to specially designed isolation rooms for fetal monitoring, or labor.
Pregnant women should revisit doctor schedules with their OB/GYN. OB/GYN offices will still be seeing their pregnant patients, but visits will be deliberately spaced apart to avoid spending time in the waiting room. It is also wise not to allow friends or family members to accompany you to your appointment, or ultrasound, at this time.
Stock up onPre-Natal gummy vitamins like Vitafusion which should be taken when trying to conceive through breastfeeding.
If you suspect you might be pregnant, and showing signs and symptoms like morning sickness, food cravings, mood swings, and fatigue, etc., have First Response Early Result Pregnancy tests at home, so you don’t need to leave the house until Covid-19 settles down. Women can take a test up to six days before a missed period. Be sure to call your doctor right away if the test is positive to put a proper plan of action in place.
Mothers infected with the coronavirus should follow their pediatrician’s guidelines for breastfeeding and precautions to take (wearing a mask and gloves, hand washing, etc.) while spending time with baby.

Stay healthy moms, moms-to-be and soon-to-be new moms!!!

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What To Call the Quarantine Babies {Non Obvious Names}

Posted on March 23, 2020

No doubt, we may be welcoming some new Coronavirus Quarantine kids in 9 months or so. Now, these kids cannot be given names too obvious about the world circumstances that surrounded their conception.

Therefore, we’ve got to be creative when it comes to giving them names to not be too obvious. Despite that funny meme out there, you certainly cannot call your baby Quarantine! Nope that will not do, but we can get creative with it.

Tina

Consider Tina for a girl. Tina is a female given name. It originates from Old English Tyne/Tyna/Tina, meaning river. It is also a diminutive for names such as Albertina, Bettina, Christina, Christine, Kristina, Martina, Valentina.

No one would ever thing it was a derivative of Quarantine.

Rhona

This is a girl’s name of Scottish origin and means “might” and it will take the will of the might to defeat this disease. The name was coined in Scotland in the late nineteenth century, according to the website Nameberry.

And because the spelling “Rona” would be too obvious that it was a take off Corona, adding that “h” is smart.

Corey

Similarly, Corey is a masculine version of the name Cora and means Chosen, per SheKnows. The name has Irish, Scottish, American, Gaelic and English heritage and origins. It’s a perfect all around name for a virus that affected us all around the world.

And no, we cannot go with Cora. It’s too obvious and frankly, could be embarrassing.

Quinn

Derived from the Irish surname O’ Quinn which is from the Gaelic O’ Cuinn (descendant of Conn), the name means wisdom, reason, or intelligence.

When you think of the names that start with the letter Q as in Quarantine, certainly Quinn is high on that list right? It’s a name that is unisex and can apply to a girl or boy.

Then, we have the names of the governors, here in the US anyway, who have lead their constituents very well to get them thru these times:

Gavin

California’s governor Gavin Newsom stayed in front of the viral spread a bit when he recently ordered a complete lockdown of the Bay Area in which residents must stay home unless they need to go out to purchase essentials.

Andrew

New York’s Mayor Andrew Cuomo has also been an active face on TV given his state has had the most cases of the virus to date: over 10,000.

Larry

My state’s Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland has remained ahead of the feds with his active approach. Each of his press conferences has been reassuring and he held a press conference when we had our first and second deaths.

Jay

Governor Jay Inslee, the governor of the state that saw the very first case, Washington. He set the example for other states to follow.

Gina

Rhode Island’s Governor Gina Raimondo was aggressive in ordering a shut down as well.

Ned

Connecticut’s Governor Ned Lamont similarly signed a recent executive order as part of a new campaign called “Stay Safe, Stay at Home” that will require non-essential businesses to close.

Finally, if one is looking to give a kid a name after the times, an obvious pick would be the scientists, health officials delivering us all solid news on how to stay healthy.

Anthony

As summarized by The Guradian, “[t]ested by Donald Trump, who demands loyalty over facts, Dr. Anthony Fauci has earned praise from the US public for telling the truth about coronavirus, even when it means contradicting the president.”

There are others around the world as highlighted in this recent piece on The Guardian you can read here!

No matter what parents select, any baby born out of love (and forced seclusion) is a blessing.

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9 Ways to Avoid Hair Loss After Pregnancy

Posted on March 7, 2020

Being a new mom can be one of the most emotionally rewarding — and challenging — experiences a woman faces. And while you may have anticipated your body to go through a whirlwind of changes, you may not have expected your hair to start falling out in clumps.

Also referred to as postpartum hair loss, telogen gravidarum, and telogen effluvium, excessive hair shedding after childbirth (which would occur anywhere between two and four months after giving birth) can affect between 40 and 50 percent of women, according to statistics from the American Pregnancy Association.

“When a woman is pregnant, she has a lot of extra hormones in the body, including estrogen,” says Christine Carlan Greves, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist in Orlando, Florida. “The estrogen helps protect us from losing our hair. Then when she has the baby, there’s a sudden change in the hormone levels, including a drop in the estrogen. And this shift can cause a response in the body that may affect the hair cycle.”

Hair loss is a normal occurrence for a woman after a pregnancy. Telogen effluvium is the medical term for post-pregnancy hair loss, which happens to nearly 50 percent of women after they give birth. A temporary condition, this hair loss should not cause a woman to become bald or experience visibly thin spots.

Use these tips to reduce or prevent hair loss after pregnancy.

Steps

Avoid hairstyles that pull or stretch your hair. Braids, cornrows, weaves or tight rollers can pull hair and cause stress and trauma to your scalp. Hair that is excessively pulled is more likely to fall out naturally, without the extra issue of telogen effluvium affecting your hair growth cycle.
Maintain a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are not only naturally health, but they also contain flavonoids and antioxidants that protect hair follicles. Additionally, these foods encourage increased hair growth, which can offset any hair lost after pregnancy.
Add vitamins and nutrients to your diet. Vitamin B complex, vitamins E and C, zinc and biotin help increase hair strength and health. Take extra supplements or eat foods rich in these nutrients and vitamins to help retain pre-pregnancy locks. Try Nature’s Bounty Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin & Nails Formula which gets great reviews.
Select a shampoo with quality ingredients. Shampoos that contain biotin or silica improve hair health and stimulate follicle growth. Use this shampoo regularly and rinse with cold water.
Comb your wet hair with a wide-toothed comb. A wide-toothed comb reduces the amount of pulling and stress you apply to your hair as you attempt to remove tangles after washing it. Excessive pulling of your hair can increase the chances of it falling out.
Reduce the use of heated styling tools. Heated styling tools like curling irons, hot rollers, flat irons and blow dryers dry hair out and may increase hair loss. Allow your hair to air dry and style it naturally. If you must use heated styling tools, use the coolest settings possible or give your hair a cool shot of air afterward with your hair dryer.
Trim split ends. Split ends cause your hair to be less healthy. Unhealthy hair is shed in larger amounts than healthy hair.
Avoid stress. Having a new baby to take care of can create more stress in your life, but try to avoid additional stressful situations or feelings. Stress can cause your hair to fall out or decrease in thickness. Avoid stress to increase your chances of retaining more of your pre-pregnancy hair
Get a shorter haircut. Long hair weighs more and pulls from your scalp with its constant downward pull. Shorter haircuts cause less pressure to your hair follicles, which will decrease chances of increased shedding. A shorter hairstyle may cause your hair to look fuller and healthier, in addition to being easier to take care of than longer styles.

Take it easy and good luck new moms!

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Surprising Family Planning Tax Deductions You May Not Know About

Posted on March 1, 2020

It’s tax filing season and if you are expecting or just had a new baby, there are some expenses related to your journey to parenthood that you may or may not know about.

The fact of the matter is that babies do in fact change your tax situation and here are a few tax tax deductions and credits available to families this year.

[FILE TAXES ONLINE FROM ANYWHERE WITH H&R BLOCK]

Before Baby

Pregnancy Test Kits. Birth Control Pills. Fertility Enhancement. These count as medical expense deductions. For medical expenses to be deductible, you’ll have to itemize your tax deductions, and your medical expenses must exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.

Expecting Baby

Nursing moms can include the cost of breast pumps and supplies in their medical expense deductions. Lactation expenses are also deductible as are laboratory fees that may be a part of your medical care.

The New Arrival

The tax deduction that comes with your new arrival can’t match the joy, but this still should make you happy.

Under the new tax law, the child tax credit has doubled to $2,000 per qualifying child. And, unlike a tax deduction, which reduces the amount of your income subject to tax, a tax credit reduces your tax bill dollar for dollar.

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Planning for Baby’s Future

The new tax law lets parents save tax-free for their child’s education. Under the law you can use up to $10,000 per child from a 529 plan to pay qualified expenses for elementary and secondary school and home school.

The 529 plans can also be used to pay for college.

Speaking of college, if you want to think that far ahead, two tax credits are available to help with qualified educational expenses. Those credits are the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides a credit of up to $2,500 for qualified tuition and expenses for the first four years of college, and the Lifetime Learning Credit, which provides up to $2,000 per return.

Use College Backer as your global ‘529’ Plan

I apologize if I’ve gotten too far ahead of you by talking about schooling and college and all those things. I’ll bring it back to the here and now by reminding you that whether your bundle of joy is born on January 1 or December 31 of the year, you can take a full $2,000 child tax credit.

And remember, as your child grows, the tax code is bound to change. You’ll want to make sure you get all the tax deductions to which your family is entitled. The best way to do that is to talk with a tax professional. It’s their job to keep up with the tax code. And, because they do their job, you can do yours, enjoying life with your new addition

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How to Pick or Predict Your Baby’s Gender, According to Old Wives Tales

Posted on February 24, 2020

Photo by Fallon Michael on Unsplash

A lot of women want to know what sex their baby will be before they give birth. There are tons of old wives tales that offer clues and these non-scientific predictors, although not proven for sure, are sometimes accurate.

If you are having a boy, it’s been said the fetal heartbeat on the doppler fetal monitor will be over 14o beats per minute. Others have said if you are having a boy, you will carry the baby out front like a basketball, develop large and dark nipples or bright yellow color of the urine are all signs too.

Some of the signs indicating a baby girl, according to the Old wives, include a heart rate of less than 140 per minute, bulges in the back and the hips, watermelon looking belly, dull yellow urine color, breasts that are blossom and appearance less than normal.

Then there are the fun voo doo tricks.

Tie your wedding ring to a string and watch it sway over your bell. If it sways in a circular motion, then it is thought to be a boy whereas the sideways movement indicates baby girl. Craving for salty and sour foods are known to be there in case of baby boy whereas sweets and orange juice cravings indicate baby girl.

Another way to find out is by adding your current age to the month of perception and if the number comes in even then it is a boy and if it comes an odd number then it is considered to be a girl.

There are even thing they say you can do to make yourself more likley to conceive one gender or another.

If you wish to conceive a baby girl then prescribed diet includes food items like corn, eggs, yogurt, coffee, beans, plums, fish, meat and liver. The restricted food items should be oranges, watermelon, alkaline foods and potatoes.

If you wish to conceive a boy then you should include lentils, pine nuts, sprouts, almonds, avocado and royal jelly in your diet.

Dairy products and foods having calcium and magnesium should be avoided. Here is an old wives tale infographic shared before for you to Pin.

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Eco Friday: How to Have a Plant-Based Vegan Pregnancy the Healthy Way {Plus Book Recommendations}

Posted on February 7, 2020

I’m one of those off ramp/on ramp vegans and currently I am just vegetarian, but for each of my pregnancies I didn’t dare stay away from dairy or meat because I feared iron deficiency knowing that baking a baby requires even more iron than normal.

Also, the fat from dairy, I thought was needed.

But for people who have been completely vegan for at least a decade straight, is it possible to have a healthy pregnancy while vegan?

The Examiner’s: The Vegan RD , Virginia Messina offered these tips for a Vegan Pregnancy recently:

Pregnant vegans can meet nutrient needs by following just a few simple guidelines:

Consume at least 5 servings per day of protein-rich plant foods. A serving is ½ cup cooked beans, tofu, or tempeh; 1 ounce of meat analog, or 1 cup of soymilk. (Fortified almond, rice, coconut or hempseed milk are fine to drink, too, but they are too low in protein to count as a protein-rich food.)
Include a good source of vitamin C at every meal to boost iron absorption. Good choices are cantaloupe, kiwifruit, mango, citrus fruits and juices, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, sweet peppers, and tomatoes.
Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables like collards, kale and spinach. They’re good sources of folic acid, a B-vitamin that is especially important in the very early stages of pregnancy. (Vegans typically have higher folate intakes than meat-eaters but still may not meet the needs of pregnancy.)
Include a serving or two of nuts and seeds in your daily menu to help meet zinc needs.
Emphasize calcium-rich foods in your daily menu: leafy green vegetables, calcium-set tofu, tempeh, soynuts, fortified plant milks and fortified juices are all good choices. If your diet falls short of the RDA (1,000 milligrams), a small supplement can help make up the difference.
Your doctor will most likely prescribe a prenatal vitamin supplement that includes iron and folic acid (usually recommended for all pregnant women). Make sure your supplement includes zinc, copper and iodine as well. Pregnant vegans (like all vegans) should be sure to have a chewable vitamin B12 supplement, too, providing 25 to 100 micrograms of B12 per day.

Talk to your doctor about the need for a supplement of the omega-3 fat DHA. The jury is still out on whether pregnant women need these supplements, but vegan versions are available.

Avoid super-restricted types of vegan diets. Diets that are too low in fat or are based on mostly raw foods can reduce nutrient absorption and make it harder to meet nutrient needs.

Finally, here are some Vegan pregnancy books to get you started: