LilSugar

Girl or Boy: When to Find Out Baby's Gender

LilSugar — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 06:00:29 PDT

It's a ...! Every parent eventually finds out the sex of their baby, but technological advances have made it possible for moms and dads to learn if they are having a girl or boy before the birth. Whether the mama-to-be chooses to make the big day that of the ultrasound or labor and delivery, discovering the child's gender is one of the most exciting parts of pregnancy. Since people put so much thought into making that decision, we've rounded up a few topical things to consider.

10 US Birth Facts You Might Not Know

LilSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:00:18 PDT

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.

Mommy Dearest: Do Full Moons Bring on Labor?

LilSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:00:27 PST

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,

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.
Source

Is There a Baby Boom Under Way?

babysugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:22:00 PDT

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?
Source

Lil Links: The Five Germs to Stay Away From in Preschool

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 05:32:30 PDT

The 5 worst germs tots catch in preschool - The Stir
Taylor Armstrong throws her daughter a $60,000 birthday party - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Maggie Gyllenhaal is expecting a baby girl - Celebrity Baby Blog
How to manage motherhood without multitasking - FitPregnancy
12 tips for staying comfortable when traveling while pregnant - Parenting
The US autism rate is on the rise - The Bump
Should kids be off-limits during political campaigns? - Momformation
Selma Blair breastfeeds in public and no one should be offended - Yahoo! Shine
10 things moms should totally splurge on - Circle of Moms
Birth tourism is creating Americans all over the world - LearnVest
Is puberty before the age of 10 the new normal? - The New York Times

Mitt Romney Promises to "Get Rid of" Planned Parenthood

Annie Scudder — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:40:57 PDT

Mitt Romney told a St. Louis reporter yesterday that if he were president he would "get rid of" Planned Parenthood. Romney specifically said, "Planned Parenthood, we're gonna get rid of that," when discussing programs he would cut. Since the president of the United States can't eliminate Planned Parenthood altogether as it's not part of the government, Romney meant he would eliminate all federal funding to the organization in order to balance the budget.

Federal funding to Planned Parenthood already cannot be put toward abortion. Pap smears, STD testing, and breast cancer screenings are some of the services Planned Parenthood provides besides abortion. And last week, Cecile Richards, the president of the organization, went on The Daily Show to point out that if you want to lower the abortion rate, you should support its mission of contraception and sex education. But as the Republican primary fight keeps going, with Rick Santorum winning last night in Alabama and Mississippi yesterday, moderate positions on Planned Parenthood aren't likely to prevail.

It's hard to believe that back in the day, Mitt Romney filled out Planned Parenthood's candidate survey indicating his support and attended a fundraiser. His wife even wrote a check to donate to the women's health organization. But if Mitt has to compete with Rick Santorum, who thinks states should have a right to ban contraception and calls birth control "a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be," it's no surprise that Mitt's attacking Planned Parenthood. If Mitt gets the nomination, how do you think positions like this will impact his chances of election?

Natural Selection: Egg Cycle Method May Be the Natural Way to Predetermine Baby's Gender

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:34:51 PST

"Now you can try for a girl!" Those were the first words out of a friends' mouth after I gave birth to my second baby boy. Though I was taken aback at the time, I've come to expect it. I've been stopped by strangers on the street who seem to think I need to add a baby of the opposite gender to my brood in order for it to be complete. And it appears that I'm not alone.

Earlier this year, while appearing on The Tonight Show, Jay Leno asked a then-pregnant Jennifer Garner if hubby Ben Affleck was hoping for a boy this time. She responded, "At first I really thought so." But she added that he told her, "Well, we have girls. We know how to do girls; my girls love me. I'm the big guy in the house." That all changed on Monday when the couple welcomed lil Samuel to the family.

While most parents are simply happy to have a healthy child in their arms, there are countless myths about influencing the sex of a child, and science even allows parents to undergo procedures to predetermine a baby's gender. For those who wish to try for a baby of certain sex without medical intervention, the Egg Cycle Method is one way to do so. I spoke with Michal Naim, founder of Girl or Boy 4 U and an expert on the method, to see how and why it works.

LilSugar: What is the Egg Cycle Method?
Michal Naim: Egg Cycle Method (ECM) is a natural method that can be implemented to predetermine the gender of a child. It does not rely on diet or positions during intercourse, rather ECM focuses on the woman's body cycle and the time period in a woman's cycle that her egg receives and fertilizes an X or Y sperm.

LS: How does it work?
MN: The membrane surrounding a human egg emits ions, giving off an electrical charge. This charge attracts either the X or Y sperm during a woman’s menstrual cycle. This attraction changes from cycle to cycle. It is important for a woman looking to have a specific gender to conceive during the cycle in which her ovum will attract the appropriate chromosome. One cycle the egg might "accept" an X sperm, another cycle it might "accept" a Y sperm. I help women identify which cycle is the cycle that her egg will accept the gender of her choice and advise her on conceiving during that particular cycle.

LS: Are their limitations to ECM? Is every woman compatible with it?
MN: There are some limitations to ECM, dependent on each woman and her personal cycle. Not every woman qualifies for the ECM - actually one out of four women do not qualify for the method because I cannot map or read her cycle based on the previous pregnancies' information. Women with irregular menstrual cycles and women without previous pregnancies have lower chances to qualify or to be as successful.

LS: What is the probability of it working?
MN: Of the qualified women that follow my instructions, I have around a 90 percent success rate.

Down but Not Out: Tori Spelling Shares Her Friend's Perspective on Raising a Child With Down Syndrome

Tori Spelling — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:02:22 PST

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week, we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week, Tori shares a letter from her friend about her baby who was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Today, I’m sharing a guest blog by my friend Lisa, owner of Evolution Vintage. Her son was born with Down syndrome, and in honor of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st, she has offered to share her story. When I read this, I had tears streaming down my face - not because I felt sorry for Lisa’s son Blake, but because she inspires me as a mom. I hope you are as touched by her story as I was:

Down But Not Out
By Lisa Graystone

Friday the 13th turned out to be the luckiest day of my life . . . in hindsight. I gave birth for the second time to my son Blake under very traumatic circumstances. He was born blue, lifeless and his first sounds resembled a watery gurgle, not a cry. His birth was fast and as a result he had lungs full of water and had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck twice. I was unable to hold him before they rushed him to the special care nursery for respiratory therapy and monitoring. We spent six days in the hospital. During this time, due to the shape of his eyes, the doctors suspected Blake had Trisomy 21; also known as Down Syndrome (DS). He fought to live and to be here, only now to be faced with a prospective hurdle he would continue to jump for the rest of his life. The postpartum hormones were swirling as I sat down the hall from my new son who was fighting for his life; quietly smelling the receiving blanket from his NICU nest and pumping my breasts alone in tears. Nine agonizing days later, the test results confirmed the doctor’s suspicions. The joy and relief that my son was alive was immediately shrouded in darkness, sadness, despair and shock. I am under 35 and was not given the option of amniocenteses (the test that can conclusively tell you if your baby has DS). The blood test that was available I opted not to do because of the high false positive rate and the fact that there were no "risk factors" - my first child was healthy and my ultrasounds were normal and we were reassured that everything was "fine." I was surrounded by fear and unknowns, questions with no answers and a baby boy to care for.

Related: Children With Swag

I have no time to be on the "why me" program being the ambitious mompreneur that I am. I had to force myself to say: "WHY NOT" and bring it on to my already full plate. There seemed to be no other alternative than to take it head on and realize that the only thing I can control is my attitude, approach and perspective. I feel very lucky to have been given this boy and with him the opportunity for personal growth, education and evolution.

I introduced Blake to my family and friends (many who live 3,000 miles away in Canada) via this letter written from his perspective:

Keep reading to see Blake's letter and for more facts about Down Syndrome.

Save For Baby or Retirement? Jean Chatzky's Answer May Surprise You

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:35:03 PDT

The recession may be taking a toll on the nation's birthrate, though one of today's most popular financial experts says it shouldn't be. A new BabyCenter.com study recently found that 2 out of 5 moms waited to start or expand their family until they felt financially stable, but the Today Show's Jean Chatzky says baby-dreaming couples don't need to wait until they think they can afford a baby to have one. By setting up the right savings accounts as soon as a couple learns they are pregnant, choosing proper investment vehicles, and keeping an eye on their retirement plans, couples can feel more comfortable their - and their families' - futures. We spoke with Jean Chatzky about where families' should prioritize and if there is an opportune time to expand their families. See what she had to say!

From the Community: Trainer Tips For Exercising While Pregnant

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:31:53 PST

OnSugar blogger Coach Lark Says encourages his pregnant clients to exercise while pregnant - safely, of course. He shares a few tips on how to exercise when pregnant below.

Here are some of the best reasons to exercise when you are pregnant, which I have gathered from a variety of sources.

Better psychological wellbeing
Reduced incidence of gestational diabetes
Decreased incidence of preclampsia
Reduced lower back pain
Improved weight management
Improved fetal development
Easier or shorter labor
Decreased risk of premature labor
Greatly reduced incidence of abdominal surgery during delivery

Of course, it’s important to modify your workout to accommodate and support the pregnancy. But that doesn’t mean you can’t work out as hard. Maintaining the workout intensity you had going into your pregnancy is exactly what you want to do. It’s not time to start a new program. It is time to work the core in three planes of motion to strengthen the abdominals for pushing during labor. When I work with expecting moms at my training facility at the Bentley Reserve in downtown San Francisco, I advise them according to the following parameters.

Read his tips after the break.