LilSugar

Do You Judge Pregnant Women Who Drink?

LilSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:00:08 -0800

I've been at a few festivities lately where I've noticed very visibly pregnant women imbibing in a festive drink or two. While sixty percent of lilsugar readers said you wouldn't take a chance by drinking while expecting, do you judge mamas-to-be who do?

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Buy Into the Study That Says Booze Is Better For Baby Boys?

LilSugar — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 04:00:02 -0800

A recent British study found that pregnant women who indulged in one or two drinks per week while expecting their sons had better behaved boys. It said:

Boys born to mothers who drank lightly were 40% less likely to have conduct problems and 30% less likely to be hyperactive, even when the differences between social and economic circumstances were taken into account. They also scored more highly in vocabulary tests and were better able to identify shapes, colours, letters and numbers.

Do you buy into this theory?

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Have Your Beer and Drink it, Too

babysugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:30:41 -0700

During pregnancy, women often choose to give up things they love - deli meats, goat cheese salads and sushi to name a few. While most mamas-to-be ban alcohol from their prenatal diet, others allow themselves to indulge every now and again.

Enjoying a Dodgers game in L.A., Matthew McConaughey and his baby mama Camila Alves soaked up some sun and sipped on what appears to be a brewsky. Reportedly nearing her due date, I'd say she's safe to have her beer and sip it, too. What's your opinion?

Pacific Coast News Online

Did You Drink While Pregnant?

LilSugar — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 08:00:05 -0800

The Office of the Surgeon General has long cautioned expectant women about drinking. It released this statement in 2005.

"We must prevent all injury and illness that is preventable in society, and alcohol-related birth defects are completely preventable," Dr. Carmona said. "We do not know what, if any, amount of alcohol is safe. But we do know that the risk of a baby being born with any of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders increases with the amount of alcohol a pregnant woman drinks, as does the likely severity of the condition. And when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her baby. Therefore, it's in the child's best interest for a pregnant woman to simply not drink alcohol."

Still many pregnant women drink. While with child, did you indulge or err on the side of caution?

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What's Worse: Drinking or Smoking While Pregnant?

LilSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:00:05 -0700

Tie one on or light 'em up? There are mamas-to-be that hang on to their habits despite being pregnant. And while heading to the bar for a cocktail or stepping outside for a cigarette may not have garnered a second glance a generation ago, times have changed.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

"We do not know what, if any, amount of alcohol is safe. But we do know that the risk of a baby being born with any of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders increases with the amount of alcohol a pregnant woman drinks, as does the likely severity of the condition. And when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her baby.

And, in regards to smoking, HHS cautioned:

Smoking during pregnancy can lead to a low birthweight baby and can reduce your baby's lung function.

Which expectant woman bothers you more - those who booze or those blowing smoke?
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Third Time's a Charm: No Ridiculous Pregnancy Comments

LilSugar — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:00:54 -0700

People say the most ridiculous things to pregnant women. While expecting my daughter and son, my jaw constantly dropped at the rude, crude and absent-minded things people said to me...with a straight face. BabySugar encountered the same nonsense while she was with child. But, it appears that the third time is the charm since I can really only recall two off comments people have made to me in the past 40 weeks. The first was about a month ago when I was shopping for a friend's wedding gift and the glass saleswoman told me to sit down before my water broke. She then told me to double check with my doctor because she was sure I was having twins. Thanks lady. The next was a few days later when I ran into an acquaintance who told me she was less than half my size when she had her daughter. "Good for you," was all I could muster as a response.

But those two doozies aside, this has been a low-key pregnancy with lots of perks - like complimentary beverages and servers at my favorite cafes betting on the sex of my baby. Who knew baristas were so into procreating? While stopping to pick up water spiked with a little green tea and a coffee for my husband, three different coffee clerks at separate Starbucks locations gave me free drinks! To hear other sweet gestures I've experienced this time around, read more.
Then, at the farmers market, when I purchased a baguette from a booth, the cashier told me she couldn't possibly charge a lady bringing a baby into the world for bread. In addition to the nice gestures, I haven't been the recipient of much unsolicited advice either. I attribute that to the fact that since I'm traveling with two other kiddos in tow, they either understand I don't have time to chat it up with strangers or they are writing me off as a woman who obviously didn't take the advice offered years ago. Either way, I'm good with it!

Did you experience this during subsequent pregnancies? Share your experiences here and join the LilSugar community!

Rachel Zoe Puts Pedialyte on Ice to Get Through Fashion Week

LilSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:07:06 -0700

It turns out stylist Rachel Zoe doesn't just know how to dress a pregnant woman, she also knows how to use kid products to heal an aching adult body. The style maven put a photo on twitpic of Pedialyte on ice from Fashion Week, which got me thinking about grown-ups using goodies formulated for kids.

Pedialyte is an electrolyte drink that was "specifically designed to replace fluids and minerals (electrolytes) that are lost when a child has diarrhea with or without vomiting," but many adults - especially athletes - use it to replenish their bodies after times of stress, sickness and electrolyte loss. I've been known to snack on the Cliff Kid Z Bar instead of the jumbo-sized meal replacement Cliff bar, but I can't say I've used Pedialyte as a remedy.

While food and medicine made for little bodies don't offer us adults the full nutrition we need, I know many parents who pop a Children's Tylenol every now and again or steal beauty products from their kids. Do you ever use products intended for tots?

Prenatal Massage: The Natural Mom-to-Be Muscle Relaxer

LilSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:00:39 -0700

Some mamas-to-be glow and others ache. For those burdened by the physical discomforts of pregnancy, consider taking to the table and letting a masseuse reducing stress, relieve muscle tension and joint pains in the lower back and legs while increasing blood circulation to minimize swelling. The benefits of these luxurious treatments come at a price and are still debated in the medical community, but expectant women seem to agree that the trained human touch works wonders. Before booking an appointment, it is important to find a licensed therapist who has been trained to work with pregnant women.

The American Pregnancy Association recommends speaking to the therapist about using Swedish massage techniques, which include mild pressure, "because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy."

For more prenatal massage tips, read more.

Schedule the massage for the second and third trimesters. Though most doctors agree that there is no harm in having a massage in the first 12 weeks, most technicians will ask you to wait until you have exited the first trimester.
Look for facilities that will support the pregnant body with pillows, rather than a hole in the middle of the table. Placing a baby belly in a hole will put undo strain on the back and abdomen forcing the uterine ligaments to stretch unnecessarily.
Do what feels comfortable when it comes to clothing. Even if you usually undress completely for a massage, there is nothing wrong with keeping some undergarments on during a prenatal massage if it makes you feel more comfortable.
Speak up if a scent in the room is distracting to you. Expectant mamas have a heightened sense of smell and the burning candles may not be as pleasant to you as to a non-pregnant client.
Let the therapist know immediately if something doesn't feel right.
Drink up after the massage session. Massages release toxins from muscles into the body, so it is important to drink plenty of water after the massage to help rehydrate the muscles.

Are You a Better Person When Pregnant?

babysugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:00:40 -0700

I admit it. I watched Lindsay Lohan's new movie, Labor Pains. As a woman faking a pregnancy, she supported her antics by saying, "I'm a better person when I'm pregnant." It got me thinking - was I a better person while pregnant? I didn't drink and it's been eons since I lit up a cigarette. I attended prenatal yoga and swim classes, drove more cautiously and tried to keep a cool temper in an effort not to stress my unborn baby. I even gave up fast food and dined on fruits and vegetables to up my nutrient intake. Many hormonal mamas-to-be are notoriously known for their devilish moments - a fate from which I was not immune. Pregnancy caused me to be more conscientious, but I'm not sure if it made me a better person. How about you?

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Boozing For Expectant Moms – Sans Alcohol

LilSugar — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0700

What's not to celebrate when you're pregnant? While some mums-to-be indulge every once in a while, others are more wary and don't even indulge in alcoholic foods.

For pregnant women with a barbecue bash, bridal shower or just an evening with friends on the calendar, two new books filled with non-alcoholic drink recipes may shake up your beverage of choice. Zero Proof Cocktails ($14) is filled with100 recipes for nonalcoholic aperitifs, mocktails, martinis, infusions and wine alternatives, such as the Raspberry Razzletini and Strawberry White Sangria. Preggatinis ($12) includes fresh juices, herbs and garnishes in its recipes for moms-to-be, many with fun names like the Folic Fizz and the Mamarita.

Just because you aren’t indulging in a night of drunken debauchery, doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun yourself.

For the Preggatinis recipe for Mamarita, read more.

Mamarita
From Preggatinis by Natalie Bovis-Nelsen

Ingredients

1 ounce agave nectar
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce orange juice
3 ounces organic limeaid
1 lime wheel
rimming salt

Directions
Rim a margarita glass and set aside. Stir agave nectar and lemon juice in the bottom of a mixing glass until nectar dissolves. Add orange juice, limeaid, and ice, then shake vigorously. Strain into the margarita glass, and serve with a lime wheel on the rim.

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