photo credit: Instant Vantage

There’s so much misinformation that tends to grow around pregnancy that it’s hard to know what is and isn’t true. It’s helpful to have reliable sources – like your doctor or midwife, and this website – to help you know what’s real and what’s not.

Here are some of the most common morning sickness and pregnancy-related myths out there today:

• Myth: Severe morning sickness means you’re going to have a boy. There is no medical evidence to suggest that morning sickness has anything to do with gender.
• Myth: The shape of your belly when you’re pregnant somehow relates to the shape and/or muscle tone that your baby will have. This is entirely false. There’s a lot more going on in there than just baby, so it’s impossible to see baby’s full form from the outside.
• Myth: The way you’re carrying your baby indicates gender. This one says that if your baby bump is high up you’re going to have a boy, but if it’s low you’re going to have a girl. Here again, there’s no actual evidence to support this.
• Myth: Having your best friend twist your wedding ring three times around your finger will help you when trying to conceive. Um, nope. Not in the real world, anyways.
• Myth: Raspberry tea will help your labor go smoother. It may not help labor go smoother, but it may help you relax in between contractions.
• Myth: Don’t look at apes or monkeys during pregnancy or your baby will have a monkey’s face. Seriously, we’re not sure who comes up with these.
• Myth: A string and your wedding ring can tell your baby’s gender. This one supposedly works like this: tie the ring to a string. Hold the string above your belly. If it spins to the left, you’ll have a boy and if it spins to the right, you’ll have a girl. It’s a fun activity for baby showers, though.
• Myth: Certain food cravings indicate gender. The old wives’ tale is that craving sweets means you’ll have a girl and craving sour or savory foods means you’ll have a boy. Cravings come from nutritional deficiencies, not your baby’s gender.

So, what other pregnancy or morning sickness myths have you come across?

photo credit: elisa_piper

That first trimester of pregnancy is marked by a number of conditions and risks, not the least of which is morning sickness. The fact is most women experience morning sickness from about week five or six of pregnancy until week 12 or so, toward the end of the first trimester.

Interestingly enough, this is also the time that your baby is at the greatest risk for developing fetal alcohol syndrome. According to one study on pregnant women, the risk for a baby developing fetal alcohol syndrome is highest during the period between week 7 and week 12 of pregnancy.

The dangers of fetal alcohol syndrome

Fetal alcohol syndrome is marked by a number of deformities and risks, including:

• Low birthweight
• Shorter length at birth
• Small head
• Smooth, thin upper lip
• Small and narrow eyes
• Small upper jaw

A significant risk

Women who drank alcohol during this period of pregnancy increased risks significantly. According to the study, for each drink a woman had during the 7^th to 12^th week of pregnancy, the following risks increased:

• 25% increased chance of problems with the newborn’s lips
• 18% increased chance of having a shorter length baby
• 16% increased chance of reduced birth weight
• 12% increased chance of a small head size

What the study doesn’t say

This doesn’t mean, of course, that there is no risk posed to a baby by drinking during those first seven weeks of pregnancy, of course. The study also didn’t look at miscarriages that could have been caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy.

Long-term problems

There are a number of long-term problems that can be associated with fetal alcohol syndrome, as well. These include things like:

• Problems with coordination
• Difficulty with movement
• Speech problems
• Difficulty with thought
• Problems with social skills
• Risk of heart defects

More and more, we’re understanding that alcohol and pregnancy just don’t mix, even in moderation. While a single drink doesn’t guarantee problems, this research tells us that there is a particularly vulnerable period during which we should be extra-cautious.

So, what do you think? Is it safest just to become a tee-totaller during pregnancy?

photo credit: tiseb

So, you’ve been through a pregnancy or two before. This isn’t your first baby dance. Do you think you know it all about morning sickness? You might be surprised to find out that some of the things you’ve believed all along just aren’t true.

Here are a handful of morning sickness myths you may (or may not) be surprised to know:

• Myth: Morning sickness happens only in the morning. Morning sickness is probably one of the most poorly-named conditions. Sure, some women feel morning sickness in the morning. Others have it only in the afternoon or evening. Some have it all day long.
• Myth: Morning sickness starts right after you conceive. Some women claim that they wake up the next day after trying to conceive to find they’re experiencing morning sickness. If they are, it’s psychosomatic. In fact, morning sickness usually doesn’t show up until about week 4 of pregnancy. It’ll probably last until about the 12^th week of pregnancy, too.
• Myth: Morning sickness can’t be treated. Sure it can! Now, there have certainly been some problems in the past with morning sickness treatments; thalidomide is the perfect example. Fortunately, there are a number of natural treatments for morning sickness that don’t post the kinds of dangers that drugs pose. Look into options like acupressure, ginger, peppermint, and others.
• Myth: Morning sickness causes miscarriage. This has never been proven scientifically. There is no reason to believe that vomiting can harm your baby, especially during those early weeks of pregnancy when you’re likely to have morning sickness. In fact, some newer studies suggest that miscarriage may actually be less common in women who have morning sickness.
• Myth: Morning sickness has something to do with your baby’s gender. Surely you’ve had a friend or family member who is convinced that her morning sickness was worse when carrying a boy (or in some cases a girl). This is anecdotal evidence. It doesn’t prove anything. The issue of gender and morning sickness has been looked at in scientific studies, and there hasn’t been anything to suggest that boys are more likely to make you experience morning sickness than girls.

So, what about you? Have you held tight to some of these myths about morning sickness? What other morning sickness myths have you come across?

photo credit: aurora michele

Pregnancy does crazy stuff to your body. From morning sickness to mood swings to back pain and having to pee every 6.3 seconds, your body gets all out of whack (to say nothing of what goes on inside your head). Pregnancy symptoms can vary greatly from one woman to the next, too. Not every woman has morning sickness (although many do), and not every woman has food cravings.

Here, in no particular order, are some of the symptoms pregnant women have experienced. If you’re pregnant and experience any of these things, there’s a good chance it’s because of that little guy or gal that’s growing inside you:

• Nausea and vomiting.
• An overall tired feeling or lack of energy.
• Acid indigestion and heartburn.
• The need to pee frequently.
• Sensitivity to strong smells.
• Darkening of your areolas (the area around your nipple).
• Bleeding or sensitivity of the gums.
• Drooling, increased production of saliva, and a metallic taste in your mouth.
• Swollen, tender breasts.
• Food cravings.
• Headaches.
• Mood swings.
• Frequent constipation.
• Relatively light spotting.
• Vaginal discharge.
• More than normal perspiration.
• Dizziness.
• Acne breakouts, often in places other than your face.
• Faster growth of hair and nails.
• Swelling of the extremities.
• Increased hunger.
• Breast size increase.
• Nasal congestion or bleeding nose.
• Aches in the lower abdomen due to ligaments being stretched.
• Itchy belly.
• Varicose veins.
• Increased heart rate.
• Leg aches and back aches.
• Pigment changes on both your neck and face.
• Rib pain as your baby stretches.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Portruding belly button.
• Shortness of breath.
• False contractions.
• Leaky breasts.
• Stretch marks.

Your body is don’t an amazing thing. You’re putting together all of the pieces of an entire other human being. Frankly, it’s no wonder there aren’t more side effects of pregnancy even beyond these.

So, what about you? Are there pregnancy symptoms you’ve experienced that you’d like to share that didn’t make our list?

photo credit: Brandon Giesbrecht

It was 1951 when the morning sickness drug, thalidomide, was removed from the marketplace. The drug was initially hailed as a revolutionary way to treat morning sickness; unfortunately, it proved to be catastrophic for many women and their babies. Literally thousands of babies worldwide were afflicted with a number of types of abnormalities, including things like the absence of one or more limbs.

Long-term repercussions

Today the legacy of thalidomide remains. The episode caused governmental regulatory agencies to stand up and take notice, and fine new ways to make sure that the drugs that make it to market just don’t have these kinds of dangers.

In some ways, this tragedy helped to improve the medical field, and make it safer. (Althoguh there are those that would suggest that the increased regulatory oversight means that some effective drugs that should be brought to market aren’t, but that’s really a discussion for another place.)

Natural solutions

Fortunately, there are ways to address morning sickness that don’t require potentially-dangerous drugs. In the 50 years since thalidomide rocked the world, there has been more and more discovery (or in many cases simple rediscover) of effective morning sickness remedies.

Some of the kinds of morning sickness remedies that don’t pose the kinds of danger that drugs can pose include things like:

• Ginger. There are many ways a pregnant woman can get ginger, from ginger tea to ginger capsules to ginger ale and more.
• Acupressure bands. Sea Bands and other morning sickness bands can use the power of pressure points in the body to reduce pregnancy-related nausea.
• Dietary management. Avoiding greasy or spicy foods or foods with strong smells can help to limit morning sickness, in many cases.
• Hydration. Dehydration is a surprisingly common contributor to morning sickness.
• Mint. For many women, peppermint may help to reduce morning sickness.

There are plenty of other natural remedies for morning sickness. Not all work for all women, of course. But there are so many, in fact, that you wonder why anyone ever used thalidomide to begin with.

What are some of your favorite remedies?

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Pregnancy is an exciting time, but that’s not always a good thing. Many first-time moms think they know what to expect, only to have every expectation blown out of the water – often in the first few weeks of pregnancy! From morning sickness to swollen breasts to the need to pee, there are things you expect. There are also plenty of things you don’t expect.

Here are some of the things you probably didn’t already know about being pregnant, at least according to doctors who work frequently with first-time moms:

• You’re going to smell better during pregnancy. Now, that doesn’t mean you don’t still need deodorant. We’re talking about your sense of smell here. Many women experience an increased sense of smell and taste due to a combination of increased blood flow and pregnancy hormones.
• Eating for two doesn’t mean eating twice as much. It simply means making better food choices, with your baby’s health in mind. In fact, you only need about an additional 300 calories per day while you’re pregnant.
• Your shoes might not fit. Your body is going to retain plenty of water. You will probably go up a shoe size. Be careful with your rings, too; your wedding ring might not fit during pregnancy.
• You might need stitches. During childbirth, the perineum (the area between your anus and your vagina) may tear, or need to be widened surgically. After childbirth, your doctor may need to stitch the tear or cut.
• You will probably poop during labor. The muscles you use to push out your baby are the same ones that you use during a BM. Not only that, childbirth creates plenty of pressure on the rectum. It’s fairly common.
• Your partner might start to show symptoms. Some men have experienced morning sickness, weight gain, abdominal cramping, and more during pregnancy.

So, for you women out there who aren’t on your first pregnancy, what were some of your first-time pregnancy surprises? What sorts of things didn’t someone warn you about, and what wasn’t covered in the pregnancy books?

photo credit: Schwangerschaft

For women who have never been pregnant, it’s natural to ask what it will be like. The fact is, however, if you ask 10 different women what it’s like to be pregnant you’re going to get 10 different answers. Each pregnancy is different, just like each woman is different.

That said, there are some common themes that run through pregnancy. According to survey results collected and published by the Mayo Clinic, here are some of the things that you’re most likely to experience while you’re pregnant:

• Symptoms. The most common symptom of pregnancy is – as you might have guessed – morning sickness. More than one third of women report experiencing this particular symptom. Number two is fatigue with just over one quarter of women experience fatigue. Mood swings are the third most common symptom, with about 16 percent of women experiencing some emotional ups and downs during pregnancy.
• Technology. Today, more and more women are staying connected during pregnancy, and even in the delivery room. An astounding 87 percent of women in this survey planned to keep their friends and family updated as to the status of their pregnancy during labor through the use of social media, photos, text messages, and more.
• Sex and love. About 30 percent of pregnant women say that they have experienced the best sex life ever during their pregnancy. About 47 percent of women said that their pregnancy brought them closer to their partner, strengthening that relationship.
• Finding out baby’s sex. Three quarters of the women surveyed planned to find out their baby’s sex ahead of time. Waiting for a surprise is becoming more and more impractical, and most women are finding out ahead of time.
• Vacationing. One of the latest trends is for expectant parents to have one last vacation prior to the birth of their baby, sometimes being called a “babymoon.” This is done as a celebration of things to come, and probably one last grasp at the kind of freedom and flexibility that childless couples have compared to those with infants.

So, what do you think? Do any of these pregnancy trends surprise you? Which ones apply to you?

photo credit: mikemol

Morning sickness isn’t fun. For most women, though, it ends by the time you hit your second trimester. For a very few, however, it can last all the way through your entire pregnancy.

At first, morning sickness is a paradox. It’s early evidence and a constant reminder of the fact that you’re pregnant. You hate the nausea, but you’re excited about being a mom.

As you proceed through pregnancy, the novelty wears off. Here are some tell-tale signs that your morning sickness may have outstayed its welcome:

• Vomiting starts to become a routine. For some women, getting up in the morning to vomit becomes a natural start to the day. The moment you no longer feel like it’s a strange thing, or that it doesn’t seem to bother you, you know you’ve had enough morning sickness.
• Your other children copy your gagging noise. It happens. They’re so used to hearing it, your discomfort can become something of the family joke.
• Your family asks if a certain food might make you nauseous. For example, a child might see you drinking a glass of juice, and remember that it always seems to upset your stomach.
• You get most of your sustenance from soup. One of the best ways to get some nutrition while you’re having severe morning sickness is via soup. It will give you a bit of nutrition, and it will keep you hydrated. Eventually¸ though, you can get sick of soup. The point at which those little red and white cans start to become a daily routine is the point at which morning sickness has stayed too long.
• No one notices when you vomit. At some point, your family will stop asking if you’re OK when you’re hurling.
• You carry around an airline sick bag. You never know when your morning sickness is going to hit, so you’ve gotten to the place where you’re always prepared.

Morning sickness can be a drag, for sure. The good news is that, even if it lasts your entire pregnancy, it will be totally worth it in the end.

photo credit: kendrickmartin

Women have been using natural morning sickness remedies for centuries. In ages past, that was because we didn’t necessarily have access to modern medications. Today, however, women realize that those modern medications aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. After the thalidomide scare in the 50s and 60s, it’s no wonder more women are turning to natural morning sickness remedies.

Still the most effective

One natural morning sickness remedy that’s been around for a long time is ginger. Ginger still proves to be the most effective morning sickness remedy for many, many women. Some women prefer a ginger tea, while others might choose other formats. Even ginger pills – at a rate of two 250 milligram capsules per day – can considerably reduce your morning sickness.

Vitamin B6

Another remedy being used to treat morning sickness today is vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 doesn’t have anti-nausea properties on its own, per se. Instead, it helps your body to metabolize hormones. It’s thought that morning sickness is caused by a rise in certain hormones during pregnancy, and so taking Vitamin B6 can help to minimize nausea brought on by that phenomenon.

Hydration and morning sickness

For some women, morning sickness can be brought on by dehydration. Even a mild case of dehydration can contribute to your morning sickness. In this case, the natural remedy for morning sickness is simply to drink something. Try to stay away from products with too much caffeine, and of course plain water is always the most efficient at rehydrating you.

When it gets unbearable

If you have severe morning sickness, talk to your doctor. If you’re unable to keep any food down, that’s going to be a problem. Your baby needs the nutrients in the food you take in. Talk to your doctor to see what you can do. In some cases, you may need to receive nutrients and liquid via an IV, at least until you’re past the worst of your morning sickness.

So, what about you? Are there natural morning sickness remedies you’ve tried? How well did they work for you?

photo credit: Ian Sane

Many women – somewhere between 50 and 75 percent – have morning sickness. Sometimes it’s mild, sometimes it’s severe. For many women, it’s triggered by smells, but for others it’s not. For the most part, we’re not sure what causes it. There’s evidence to suggest that it’s changing hormone levels messing with the digestive system, but that doesn’t explain why many women don’t experience it.

A new study suggests that there may actually be a genetic component to morning sickness. Whether your mother, sister, maternal or paternal grandmother experienced morning sickness can indicate whether you will, too. It seems that intensity is also carried genetically. Severe morning sickness with vomiting and nausea, known as hyperemesis gravidarum has been shown to have a genetic link, too.

The importance of family health history

Now, this doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to have morning sickness just because other women in your family have had it. What it does mean is that the chances that you’ll have morning sickness are greater if you have a family history.

Here’s where understanding your family health history has yet another payoff. We know that understanding family health concerns from heart problems to cancer to diabetes can all help with diagnosis today. But even knowing whether or not your mom had severe morning sickness can help you be prepared.

The danger of hyperemesis gravidarum

Severe vomiting during pregnancy can be dangerous, and if you have a family history of this you should be careful. You can become dehydrated, and you can even experience malnourishment. When you can’t keep anything down for any significant amount of time, you’re going to lose weight, and it’s going to be hard for your baby to get the nutrition she needs.

If you’re experiencing severe vomiting during pregnancy, talk to your doctor. You may need to receive nutrients via an IV in order to make sure that your baby grows and develops like he should.

The good news is that morning sickness, even for those with a family history, tends to dissipate by the end of the first trimester.

So, what about you? Have you experienced morning sickness? What about other women in your family?