When I first got online to network with other mom’s who were pregnant like me, I was bombarded by a sea of acronyms and slang that is like another language. A language that is the world of family planning, pregnancy and familial lives on message boards and social networks. Here is a brief introduction to them and their meanings, in no particular order.

TTC – Trying to Conceive
PG – Pregnant
AF – Aunt Flo (Period)
DH- Dear Husband
DS- Dear Son
DD – Dear Daughter
OPK – Ovulation Predictor Kit
POAS – Pee on a stick
EDD – Estimated Due Date
VBAC – Vaginal Birth after Caesarian
DDC – Due Date Club
L&D – Labor and Delivery
2WW – 2 week wait
CD – Cycle Day
CM – Cervical Mucus
BD – Baby Dancing
BBT – Body Basal Thermometer
LMP – Last Menstrual Period
HPT – Home Pregnancy Test
BFP – Big Fat Positive
BFN – Big Fat Negative
O – Ovulation
MS – Morning Sickness
BTDT – Been There Done That
MC – Miscarriage

As soon as I found out I was PG, I asked my mom whether she would want to know right away or later (she knew we were trying). She said, “Right away, of course!” Later, after much ecstatic screaming, she asked “Why would you think I would want you to wait?” I said I didn’t know, but seemed like most did wait until it was more of a sure thing in case of a miss. Her response? “I know, and I’ve always thought that was just stupidity.” She encouraged me to call all my relatives, some of whom have having a hard time, and “give them some joy juice.” We had a long talk about it then and I agree. JOY IS NOW! Whatever happens down the road, joy is here, real, NOW in the present moment! There is nothing like sharing this joy. If, God forbid, something terrible happens, your family will grieve with you, and support you. Meanwhile, all that grief can never erase the joy of the moment from your life – it continues to be real. However, if you delay and something happens, you will never have shared that amazing moment and there is nothing left to share but the surprise of tragedy and sorrow, or alternatively, somehow deal with it on your own. How tragic! Of course, every person has their own feelings and needs to do what’s is right for them. I for one, am glad my mom encouraged me to share. Don’t delay joy!

The Social Security Administration has released the top baby names for boys and girls so far for 2011.

In the SSA press release, they note a return to girls’ names that were hot in the mid-20th century, like Isabella, Ava and Chloe. Based on this occurrence, they venture a prediction about what the royal couple’s first child will be called. “We note the excitement about the recent royal wedding and suggest there may be a Princess Elizabeth, Frances, Valerie, or Dorothy in the future,” SSA writes.

Can pregnancy influence your ability to observe or persecutive the paranormal?

My experience with motherhood is restricted to research and theory, so I can’t answer that question from a personal perspective. I can shed a different light on the matter… in hypnotherapy there is a technique called natal regression. Basically, the client regresses to the pregnancy period for deeper insights into thoughts or beliefs that the client adopted during this time. Before trying this technique I was a skeptic. I honestly thought that I would regress into nothingness and twiddle my thumbs at the boring turn of “non-events”. What I found, upon regressing to the natal state, was information from the night of conception, as well as an event during gestation (where I felt my mother worrying about finances), and then the birth…where I felt the tightness of the birth canal and a feeling of suffocation. When a fellow hypnotherapist asked me to focus on the first person I saw in the delivery room, it wasn’t human. My eyes were drawn to a spirit form, which is the best way I can explain it – someone or something who was there to watch over me. I felt completely comfortable in its presence.

Why is natal regression important? It is thought that, during the pregnancy, a mother’s thoughts and feelings will transfer to the child. The child, at this point, has no way of distinguishing between the mother’s “stuff” and his or her own, so everything is accepted as a personal experience (natal regression is the process of reversing some of these limiting or negative beliefs, if there are any…some people experience only love and a profound feeling of acceptance from their families, which is equally powerful).

Any emotion of the mother’s has the ability to transfer to the unborn child, and so it is especially important for women to take care of themselves during pregnancy. Try to remove any outside stress and remain positive and nurturing (even in your thoughts about yourself, women). For the hypnobeginning portion of my courses (hypnosis for a natural childbirth), we watched a video of a fetus. The baby cringed as it listened to sounds of a man and woman arguing, and then it jumped in the womb when something crashed in the background.

As a father, you have the awesome privilege of being there for your unborn child in more ways than you might realize. What you say to your wife – and the emotion behind those words – are interpreted on some level by your child. In many circles within the clinical hypnosis community, it is believed that the soul of the child actually chooses its parents before coming to earth. Thousands of regressions to the interlife state support this, but that is only an opinion and like any belief, you can accept or reject this.

This is just a little of what I have gathered over the years. Your experience will be beautiful in its own way…enjoy every moment.

Here is a story from the LA Times

Fewer pregnant women and their partners are attending prenatal education classes these days and appear to be quietly following whatever advice the doctor or midwife recommends, researchers said Monday.

Doctors, led by Dr. Michael Klein of the Child & Family Research Institute and University of British Columbia, surveyed 1,318 healthy pregnant women. They found many seemingly unprepared to make their own decisions regarding childbirth options, such as whether to have natural childbirth or a Cesarean section.

Fewer than 30% of the women, all first-time mothers, said they had attended prenatal childbirth classes. Many said they used the Internet or books to become informed about childbirth. Still, a shockingly high number could not answer basic questions regarding the pros, cons or safety issues associated with epidurals, episiotomies, Cesareans and other childbirth options. The women who were receiving obstetrical care from midwives tended to be more informed about their options compared with women receiving care from a medical doctor.

“[E]ven late in pregnancy, many women reported uncertainty about benefits and risks of common procedures used in childbirth,” Klein said in a news release. “This is worrisome because a lack of knowledge affects their ability to engage in informed discussions with their caregivers.”

The study was published in the June issue of Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada.

The type of provider mattered greatly in terms of what kind of care women received. The researchers published a related study in May in the journal Birth that showed younger obstetricians were much more likely to favor the routine use of epidurals and expressed more concerns about the safety of vaginal birth compared with older obstetricians. The younger obstetricians seemed to view C-sections as the preferred option for childbirth, the authors noted. In the United States, efforts have begun to reduce C-section rates. About one-third of all U.S. women have a surgical birth.

I have found the opposite to be true among women who network socially with other women online and in person.

Some couples get very excited about finding out the sex of their baby. Others do not want to find out. Both scenarios have their perks. Finding out your baby’s gender in advance gives you the opportunity to plan a baby nursery and pick out gender specific baby clothes. Still, not finding out, has it’s own appeal. Some prefer the surprise factor of not finding out or want to keep things more natural. The tricky part comes when one parent wants to find out the baby’s gender and the other does not. What is the best thing to do to make both parents happy?

Here are some tips from other mommies on how to win the Ultrasound War.

You really want to know and he doesn’t.

Slip the ultrasound tech a $20 with a note on it that says “I really do want to know. Write the results in my chart”.
Bring a video tape to record the ultrasound, then analyze the tape frame by frame till you see your baby’s private parts. Then play these parts for your friends twenty times until they tell you what you want to hear.

Scream and pout in the doctor’s office until your husband is so embarrassed that he lets you have your way.
You really don’t want to know and he does.

Slip the ultrasound tech a little note that says “make my baby’s parts magically disappear” while you smile and say, “Yes, we are really hoping that our baby shows his parts at this appointment”.

Conveniently have preggo brain and forget to ask the doctor what the gender is. This only works if your husband is the shy type that won’t ask on his own.

Bribe him with sex or money. That usually works.

When these tips don’t work here are some more practical ones.

1. Brainstorm – Put your thinking caps on. Do some brainstorming and try to come up with fair solutions. Write down all your ideas or talk about them. Maybe he has an idea that you hadn’t thought of that would be fair for both of you.

2. Negotiate – If you can’t agree negotiate. Try a little give and take on some other issues. Consider caving on the extra money you wanted to spend on your baby’s nursery in exchange for finding out the baby’s gender. Or if you don’t want to find out and he does, you could let him have his way on what type of baby name you will choose. There are so many different choices that come up during pregnancy. Negotiating will help you both to feel like you have a say in things.

3. Compromise – A common solution to the ultrasound/gender dispute is to have one partner find out and the other not find out. As difficult as this sounds, it is really not such a big deal. Couples do this all the time. You can have the ultrasound tech write your baby’s gender on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope. Variations to this idea: Have your partner and you both agree not to tell the other if you look at the envelope. This way you don’t know if the other knows. With this idea you both have to be faithful to keep the other’s wishes.

4. Procrastinate – Sometimes waiting till the day of the ultrasound to decide is okay. A lot of times even the partner that thinks he/she does not want to find out suddenly changes his/her mind at the last minute or vice versa. Wait and see how things go. There is no need to be stressed. If you are still not sure, tell the tech you are not sure and ask her if she would mind writing something in your records until you make up your mind.

5. Ask around – Ask other people what they did. See how your friends and family members handled the situation. Maybe someone will influence your decision or give you some ideas you hadn’t though about.

6. Take turns – If you plan on having more than one child, you can always take turns on finding out the gender. A lot of couples have found this a good solution to the problem.

Source

If you are choosing to have a natural birth without pain medication, here are some tips from Lamaze International to help you have a smooth and natural birth. Talk with your support person beforehand to let them know what your plan is for the birth. Remember to listen to your body’s cues and rhythm. Having a natural birth can happen, but make sure that you are prepared for medical intervention.

1. Find a place that will support your choice of a natural birth. Whether this is at a hospital, home, or in a birth center, choose a place that supports your choice of birth.

2. Look for a healthcare provider that will support you in your choice of having a natural birth. Many women have found that the care provided by midwives and doulas includes more labor support and less medical intervention.

3. Do not request or agree to induction of labor unless it is medically necessary to do so. It is a good idea to let your body go into labor on its own, because that is the best sign that your baby is ready to be born. Give your body time to find its own pace and rhythm during labor and don’t focus on the clock. Don’t use any medications such as Pitocin to speed your labor.

4. Try moving during labor. You will be much more comfortable if you are able to move around freely, and your labor will progress much quicker. If you stay upright and respond to the pain of your labor by changing positions, your baby will move through the birth canal easily. Try different positions such as rocking, straddling a chair, lunging, walking, and slow dancing with a partner.

Labor & Delivery

5. Aside from your partner, consider who else you want to support you during labor and birth. You might want to hire a doula to give you and your partner emotional and physical support.

6. Ask that your baby’s heartbeat be monitored intermittently instead of all the time so that belts, cords, or wires do not tie you to a machine or a specific place.

7. Follow your instincts and eat and drink as your body tells you. If you drink plenty of fluids during labor, it will give you energy and keep you from getting dehydrated.

8. Try to use non-medical pain management strategies. Many women like to get into a warm bath and showers to relieve pain. Practice using birth balls, massage, hot and cold packs, aromatherapy, and focused breathing to help you deal with painful contractions.

9. If you can, avoid giving birth on your back. Use an upright position such as sitting, squatting, or standing to give birth. This will increase the effectiveness of your contractions and enable you to work with gravity. Push when your body tells you to and ask your support persons to give you only quiet encouragement.

10. Have your baby with you right after you give birth. Skin-to-skin contact keeps your baby warm and helps to regulate your baby’s heartbeat and breathing. Staying with your baby in the same room will help you to get to know each other, and it lets you respond to early feeding cues and get breastfeeding off to a good start.

If problems arise, ask questions about the risks and the benefits of any recommended intervention. Understand that sometimes labor and birth don’t go as expected. If you’re involved with decisions about your care and have good labor support, you’re more likely to be satisfied with the birth, even if medical interventions are necessary.

Today women are more educated about their birth options, and while most opt to deliver in a hospital rather than at home or a birth center, many women aren’t aware that using someone other than and OB/GYN is an option.

The question is not whether to choose between a doula or a midwife but to realize that you can actually use both!

A midwife performs actual pre and post natal medical care and delivery.
A doula is there to support the mother and meet her needs.
An OB/GYN is a medical doctor that can perform the pre and post natal medical care and vaginal delivery, as well as handle any emergency birth situations such as would require a Caesarian section.

Your options are:
Just your OB/GYN
Just your midwife
A doula & OB/GYN
A doula and midwife

In a hospital setting an OB/GYN will be available if an emergency should arise.

There are varying levels of Midwifery – Lay Midwifery, Certified Midwifery and Certified Nurse Midwifery.
If you are foregoing an OB/GYN it is important to make sure you have a Nurse-Midwife. More info on this topic.

Midwives and doulas encourage a natural (non-medicated) birth and tend to be medically as hands-off as possible. Doulas are better known as a birth coach, they are there to support the mother as much as possible and both help to assist in postpartum care and breastfeeding.

Many midwives can perform doula services.

Most major insurance companies cover midwifery services– typically at a reduced “out-of-network provider” rate. Your lab charges, as well as physician charges, if needed, are additional and usually covered by insurance plans even if you choose an out-of-network provider.

Doulas are rarely covered by insurance and most require a up front one time fee. Often this fee can be paid or reimbursed from your Flex Spending Account.

Depending on the type of birth you plan to have, most women have a list of the same types of essentials to pack for a hospital birth. Aside of labor tools like flame-less candles, ipods for music or hypnobabies, or massage oils, the essentials are pretty common:

A Camera!
Socks! Nothing gets your socks wet faster than your water breaking.
A change of bed clothes and street clothes. A robe is also nice.
Nursing bra – Essential!!!
Make up and personal essentials – you will want your own shampoo and body wash after giving birth.
Car Seat properly installed in your vehicle.
Baby clothes for hospital pictures and to go home in For baby’s sake – keep it washed and soft and comfortable.
Baby book or keepsake paper for footprints.
Nursing pillow – wonderful to have, especially if you will be breastfeeding for the first time.
Glasses or Contacts if you use them.
Diaper Bag – to pack away baby goodies to take home
Snacks – you will be HUNGRY!
Your phone!

You won’t need:
A stop watch to time contractions. If they are close enough together then you are already in the hospital and the monitors will time the contractions.
Baby bottles, pacifiers, diapers and blankets – the hospital will provide for your baby. You may only need these items if you live far from the hospital or don’t plan on going straight home.
Jewelry – leave it home!
Baby shoes – they aren’t walking anywhere.

Women were asked for natural ways to induce labor. There are so many wives tales it’s hard to find what really works. Most women want to avoid inductions and c-sections. Here are some ways to get the baby train moving naturally.

Sexual intercourse – This works in two ways to induce labor. First, female orgasm can bring on contractions. Second, semen contains prostaglandins. Prostaglandins work to help ripe and soften the cervix.

Nipple stimulation – Stimulating the nipples triggers the production of natural oxytocin. Oxytocin contracts the uterus.

Accupressure – Accupressure may be helpful in inducing labor. Some pressure points you can try are the roof of your mouth, the webbing of your fingers between your pointer finger and thumb, and above the ankle about four fingerspaces above is a pressure point.

Massage – Find a massage therapist qualified to work with pregnant women. Many will know various points to massage to induce labor. This is why massage is not recommended during the early stages of pregnancy.

Stripping the membranes – This can only be done by a health care provider. Your doctor or midwife will separate the bag of waters from your cervix and this is thought to help encourage labor to start.

Raspberry Leaf Tea – Raspberry leaf tea is not actually known for its labor inducing properties, but it is believed to be helpful in toning the uterus and helping with labor.

Cinnamon stick tea – Take cinnamon sticks and boil them into a tea and drink. It actually tastes good so even if it doesn’t bring on labor it may help you to relax.

Evening primrose oil – Evening primrose oil comes in small capsules similar to vitamin E. It is believed to help soften and ripen the cervix.

Yoga – Many places offer special classes for all stages of pregnancy.

Walking – Walking may help to get baby to drop into proper position.

Visualization/relaxation – Relaxation can help with labor induction. Try doing relaxation exercisers. They are also good practice for when labor actually begins.

Pineapple, cumin tea, eggplant parmesan, and spicy foods – are another thing you can try.

Exercise Ball Bouncing – Bouncing gently and sitting on an exercise ball can also help baby drop into position and get your hips flexible for birth.

Spicy Food & Chinese Food – Some swear if you eat both mexican and chinese in the same day it can bring on labor.