LilSugar

10 US Birth Facts You Might Not Know

LilSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:00:18 -0700

September is a big month for babies! Here at Sugar HQ, we are awaiting the births of two new Sugar babies in the next three weeks. Birthing trends in the US are tracked by each state and the cumulative data is full of surprises. Here are 10 facts you probably didn't know.

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Mommy Dearest: Do Full Moons Bring on Labor?

LilSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:00:27 -0800

Mommy Dearest,

My baby is due this month, just a few days after the full moon. But I've heard that the full moon could cause me to go into labor. Should I tell my mom to fly in a little early?

- Pregnant "Luna"tic

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Pregnant "Luna"tic,

Some folks say that a full moon may mean increased birth rates, but I couldn't find much data to back the theory up.

The book The Lunar Effect, brought the "biological tides theory" to the forefront and the author, Arnold L. Lieber, argued that the moon affects the human body in much the same way as it does the world's oceans. This means that if a woman is close to her due date during a full moon, the pressure caused by the moon's effect on the water inside the amniotic sac could cause it to burst. And even though a recent study has said that birth rates are definitely not affected by the moon's cycle, some women still swear by it.

My expectant friend's OBGYN told her not to get her hopes up about it so maybe you shouldn't either. Let's see if any lilsugar readers were born or gave birth on a full moon.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.
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Is There a Baby Boom Under Way?

babysugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:22:00 -0700

Everywhere you go, it seems wee ones are on the loose. Airports are full of families trekking their broods to worldly destinations. Hollywood is abuzz with celebabies and more people have multiples. It comes as no surprise that 2007 broke the US records with 4,315,000 births. Besting the year 1957 by 15,000 births. Demographer Stephanie Ventura from the National Center for Health Statistics said:

According to our provisional data, we had the highest number of births ever reported in 2007. . . . What this really reflects is that the population has grown so much in the United States, so you naturally expect more births. . . . It's hard to call this a baby boom at this point.

While the percentage of women having babies may not have surpassed those of the "Baby Boom" years, it certainly seems that one is on the way. Do you think we're coming up on the next big baby boom?
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Would You Consider a Homebirth For Your Baby?

babysugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:00:55 -0700

It is estimated that of the 4.1 million babies born in the U.S. in 2004, 7,000 were born at home without a midwife or doctor. Planned unassisted home-births, similar to those advocated by Ricki Lake in her The Business of Being Born documentary, are on the rise across the country, with women wanting the ability to control the birth process and have loved ones surrounding them during the birth. Many mamas-to-be believe those aspects outweigh the risks.

Until the 20th century, childbirth was the leading cause of death for women, with approximately 1 in 100 mothers dying in the early 1900s. Today, that rate is closer to 13 in 100,000, due to better prenatal care, medications and the option of cesarean sections when necessary.

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Modern Baby Boom

LilSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:00:54 -0800

Lots of people start noticing babies once they have one, but in the United States they are literally everywhere. Fertility here is on an upswing, or so says a USA Today article that explained it sets America apart from other industrial nations that are dealing with low birthrates. It said:

"The fertility rate hit 2.1 in 2006, according to preliminary estimates released by the National Center for Health Statistics. It's a milestone: the first time since shortly after the baby boom ended that the nation has reached the rate of births needed for a generation to replace itself, an average 2.1 per woman."

The report also says that while some countries like Asia and Europe have launched incentives like monetary bonuses, government assisted childcare and family leaves to encourage citizens to reproduce the U.S. has not. And, it states that birth rates of affluent couples have contributed considerably to the numbers.
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When Are You Going to Have a Baby?

babysugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:00:37 -0800

Chances are someone you know has dealt with infertility. It may have been you. A sensitive subject, it can be a private and heart wrenching issue for couples.

Pop culture announces a new pregnancy nearly every day and according to the LA Times, the current birth rate in America is higher than it's been in 45 years. So it seems quite natural for people to ask, "When are you going to have a baby?"

But, the reality is that the woman fielding the question might be desperately trying to get pregnant. To read a personal experience, read more.

And it's not fair that these women have to face the harmless probe.

While I was pregnant, one of my closest friends dealt with infertility so when people would joke that she was next, the words were daggers. It broke my heart to watch her have to laugh along.

With a little luck and some IVF, she has since been blessed with an angelic baby boy. However, the experience definitely taught me a lesson to be careful what you say to women about babes.

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Postpartum Depression Indicators May Save Mama From Getting Blue

LilSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:30:20 -0700

Thanks to stars like Brooke Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow and Amanda Peet, postpartum depression (PPD) is no longer a dirty little secret. All three of the ladies have been open and honest when disclosing their battles with the disorder following the birth of their children. More than simply the "baby blues," PPD is believed to affect between 15 and 20 percent of all mothers. With that many women experiencing PPD, wouldn't it be nice if we knew what caused it so we could try to prevent it? Some Spanish researchers think they can.

A group of scientists believe they have pinpointed a number of factors that will help identify the potential for a new mama to develop the illness with an 80 percent success rate. According to them, the mother's age and her working status throughout her pregnancy can influence the onset of the disease. Older women and expectant gals who worked were found to have lower instances of depression. The study also found that a family history of psychiatric problems and the existence of specific genes in the brain could predict the onset of PPD.

Would knowing these predictors have been helpful to you or a friend who suffered from postpartum depression?

Lil Links: A Mom's Memoir of Sobering Up

babysugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:30:32 -0700

Brave mom documents her struggle to sober up - The Poop
Matt Damon chats about his girls - Celebrity Baby Blog
Check the Fall calendar for these
autumn activities - Cookie
No flu shot for this pregnant lady - CafeMom
Anne Heche and ex-hubby ordered to see a pretty pricey divorce coach - ParentDish
Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany have mastered outrunning the paps - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Get geared up for Talk Like a Pirate Day - Alpha Mom
Teen birth rates higher in religious states - Health

Tell Us How You Got Rid of Your C-Section Shelf

babysugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:00:30 -0700

Many c-section mommies lament, "Shelves are for books, not for stomachs." As the rate of c-sections continues to climb, I'd guess the number of tummy tucks are, too. Women who have gone under the knife for delivery may find their midsections irreparably damaged leaving them with an area fit for picture frames or books. A shelved friend recently asked me if I knew any secrets for getting rid of her tell-all birth scar. As a mama who has escaped the throes of c-sections, I was at a loss for words, which is why I'm looking to you. Can any of you provide tips for this tummy pouting mommy?

Interview With Ricki Lake: Your Best Birth

LilSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:05:58 -0700

Known for her spunky attitude as both Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray and her 11-year stint as a daytime talk show host, Ricki Lake has reinvented herself as a women's birthing advocate. Following the release of her documentary about the shifting of the American mindset from home and drug-free deliveries to medicated hospitalized births where Lake chronicled her own son's home birth, she and director, Abby Epstein, penned Your Best Birth ($18). The text is a guide to natural delivery and birthing options.

We had the opportunity to chat with Lake, mama of two - Milo, 12, and Owen, 7 - about labor and delivery, c-sections and motherhood.

lilsugar: Is it hard for women to convince their families that a natural birth, or midwife, is the way to go?
Ricki Lake: I think it is really hard. There's still the stigma attached and very much less than one percent of people have home births. It's not something that’s talked about. If you go to the Netherlands, this is the norm. I think in Holland 30 percent of births are planned home births and they have a better infant mortality rate and maternal death rate. Midwives handle most of the births. So it's just not in our culture to really be open to it. I’m not on a mission to get everybody to deliver at home. I’m on a mission to talk about informed choice in this area.

lilsugar: Did you believe this would be your calling?
Ricki Lake: No! I was looking for something to speak on and be passionate about and this is the natural fit because of my experiences and because there was a lack of a voice. I thought - this is where I can serve, I can do something that I feel is positive. I’m not telling women what to do, I’m just trying to educate them and understand that having the ideal be a birth where you’re an active participant, whatever that is – if it's “don’t take my baby away from me,” or “don’t give me that epidural yet,” or “give me that epidural now.” I mean whatever it is, to not be a number in this conveyor belt.

To read what Ricki had to say about VBACs and mothering her sons, read more.

lilsugar: Why do you think the US has moved so far away from the European midwife model?
Ricki Lake: In the turn of the century, birth moved from home to the hospital as doctors got more and more trained doing surgeries. And then in the last decade, really, this malpractice situation that we’re in, with all the insurance and health care reform, it’s a nightmare. It's a really difficult climate for doctors to practice in. I wouldn’t want to be an obstetrician. It's not even about money any more – you’re not even really making a living. You have to pay this malpractice premium that’s so outrageous that you have to do a certain number of births just to pay it. They need to have a life, they have families of their own. That’s why they can’t wait for a woman to go into labor spontaneously and stay with them through the course of their entire labor and delivery.

lilsugar: Are c-sections the enemy in the birthing process?
Ricki Lake: I don’t think it’s the enemy, It's amazing that doctors are able to save mothers and babies in dire situations. It's a necessary procedure. A lot of times it's being done for reasons that are not in the best interest and safety of the mother – it's from the litigious standpoint. The c-section rate has gone to 32 percent when the world health organization says it should be around 13. Some hospitals are at a 50 percent c-section rate. In New York City, 50 percent of women are being cut open. And with VBACs being an option that is being taken away from many women around the country, I think 200 hospitals have mandated that they will not do a VBAC It's horrible.

lilsugar: You know you're a mother when ______?
Ricki Lake: You are no longer your top priority.

lilsugar: Why didn't anybody tell me _______ about motherhood?
Ricki Lake: Why didn’t anybody tell me that it would be so hard.

lilsugar: What's the best trick your mama taught you?
Ricki Lake: How to heat up a Hungry Man dinner.

lilsugar: Helicopter mom or free-range kids?
Ricki Lake: I think I’m pretty free range. My kids might argue that, but I stand by that I’m pretty free range.

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