LilSugar

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,

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. Source

Announcing the 2012 Oscar Nominations!

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:21:53 PST

The 2012 Oscar nominations have been announced! Lots of award season regulars, like The Artist and The Descendants, got some love, but there were also a handful of surprises, like nominations for Nick Nolte, Gary Oldman, and Terrence Malick. Bridesmaids also scored big, with noms for best original screenplay and best supporting actress for Melissa McCarthy.

The Academy chose nine films for best picture, with lots of familiar titles in there, plus a couple that had early awards buzz but haven't necessarily had consistent attention, like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Tree of Life. The films that racked up the most nominations were Hugo with 11 and The Artist with 10.

To see the full list of nominations, just keep reading.

Check Out the 2012 People's Choice Nominations Before the Show Airs Tonight!

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:02:20 PST

The People's Choice Awards are tonight, so now's your chance to get a good look at who's up for the trophies. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is dominating the movie categories, especially since there was no Twilight film eligible for this year's awards (though Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson still earned nods because they appeared in other movies). Vampires are still big at the PCAs, at least for the TV categories - The Vampire Diaries and its stars are all over this list. On the subject of the small screen, the awards have brought in another distinction for television: network shows and cable series are now separated (and fan favorite Game of Thrones pops up for its first season).

You'll be able to watch the results when the show airs tonight, and remember: we are LIVE from the red carpet and backstage throughout the show! The live show starts at 5 p.m. PST/ 8 p.m. EST, and you can watch us here.

To get the full list of nominations, just keep reading.

Announcing the 2012 SAG Awards Nominees

Molly Goodson — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:05:23 PST

The 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations are out this morning, and we're bringing you all the action - watch our streaming video of the SAG Awards announcement, which we're replaying all morning long. Judy Greer and Regina King were up bright and early in LA to do the honors, a few of which went to Judy's movie The Descendants. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Leonardo DiCaprio are once again up against each other in the lead actor category, which should make for a fun race, though we were disappointed to see Ryan Gosling's name left off the list. Bridesmaids continues to rake in the early award-season love as well, with the cast and Melissa McCarthy both scoring nods. The Screen Actors Guild Awards air live on Jan. 29 at 8/7c on TNT.

In the TV category, we're excited to see the love for Game of Thrones, which is up against perennial favorites including Dexter and Breaking Bad. Steve Carell also has at least one more chance to win for The Office, and with tomorrow's Golden Globes nominations announcement, we'll see if he's recognized again.

Who are you excited to see on - or disappointed to see left off - the nominations roster? To see the full list of SAG nods just

read more. OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE The Artist Bridesmaids The Descendants The Help Midnight in Paris OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs Viola Davis, The Help Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Demián Bichir, A Better Life George Clooney, The Descendants Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar Brad Pitt, Moneyball Jean Dujardin, The Artist OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Bérénice Bejo, The Artist Jessica Chastain, The Help Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs Octavia Spencer, The Help OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn Armie Hammer, J. Edgar Jonah Hill, Moneyball Nick Nolte, Warrior Christopher Plummer, Beginners OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES Diane Lane, Cinema Verite Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult Betty White, Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail Greg Kinnear, The Kennedys James Woods, Too Big to Fail Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES Boardwalk Empire Breaking Bad Dexter Game of Thrones The Good Wife OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Kathy Bates, Harry's Law Glenn Close, Damages Jessica Lange, American Horror Story Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Patrick J. Adams, Suits Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad Michael C. Hall, Dexter OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES 30 Rock The Big Bang Theory Glee Modern Family The Office OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Julie Bowen, Modern Family Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie Tina Fey, 30 Rock Sofia Vergara, Modern Family Betty White, Hot in Cleveland OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock Ty Burrell, Modern Family Steve Carell, The Office Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family SCREEN ACTORS GUILD LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Mary Tyler Moore OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE The Adjustment Bureau Cowboys & Aliens Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Transformers: Dark of the Moon X-Men: First Class OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES Dexter Game of Thrones Southland Spartacus: Gods of the Arena True Blood

Watch the Lunar Eclipse Tomorrow Morning With the Help of Tech

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:10:05 PST

Set your alarms, party people: there's a total eclipse happening tomorrow morning. The eclipse will start at 4:45 a.m. PST Saturday morning, Dec. 10, with the full shadow of the Earth being cast on the moon by 6:05 a.m. The Western US will have the best view of the last total lunar eclipse we'll see until 2014. The moon will turn red "with a hint of turquoise," which is perfect for the holiday season. This being Winter and all, there's a good chance your city could be covered in clouds, which puts a damper on your eclipse excitement. But don't worry, these two apps and sites can help you watch, no matter if you're in the middle of a storm or out of viewing range.

SkySafari 3
An app for your iPhone, SkySafari 3 is free through this weekend in honor of the eclipse. This app lets you see the lunar eclipse as it's happening, right on your phone. But after the eclipse is over, you'll be able to explore the night sky and see accurate star maps wherever you are.

Slooh and Google Earth
Astronomy site Slooh has partnered up with Google Earth to bring you live views of space, including the moon. To access the feed, click on the "planets" icon in the Google Earth toolbar to switch to Sky mode. Then, in the layers panel, open the Current Sky Events folder and click on the Slooh Space Camera layer. You can also embed a live feed widget on your blog or website so your visitors can enjoy the view from wherever they are in the world.

The Office, "Gettysburg": Best Lines of the Night

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:41:13 PST

This week on The Office, Andy plans a day trip to Gettysburg in order to boost company morale and teach the crew all about the "business" of war and how it translates to paper. Since the trip isn't mandatory, half of the office stays back in Scranton, hoping they'll have a laid-back day. All of that changes when Robert California shows up and tells everyone to start coming up with some "game-changing" strategies. Where did the winning idea come from you ask? I'm happy to say it was none other than the incomparable Kevin Malone.

Back to the field trip: when the gang arrives at their destination, Andy opts out of the traditional "tourist" route and takes everyone on the "specially created Andy Bernard tour," full of quirky lessons and mile-long hikes. When Andy becomes much too much for everyone, he takes off solo, hoping that someone will follow. In the most heartfelt moment of the episode, Jim and Darryl find Andy and give him permission to stop trying so hard; he has nothing to prove and everyone likes having him as manager. I was so thrilled that the guys made this grand gesture. Hopefully this will cut out the Nard Dog's constant whining that I've been finding so hard to swallow these days. Overall, "Gettysburg" is a pretty solid episode. While this wasn't necessarily my favorite of the season, it absolutely has its moments. To find out some of my favorite lines, just keep reading.

Breaking Dawn Soundtrack: 5 Songs You Should Download

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:17:31 PST

We have to wait until next week to see the wedding, honeymoon, and love scenes of Breaking Dawn, but you can have an early taste of the film with the soundtrack, which is out today. I always look forward to the well-curated Twilight soundtracks and their mix of songs that reflect the darkly romantic tone of the films (I still regularly listen to the New Moon and Eclipse albums). The latest soundtrack is a bit less moody than its predecessors, but it's still an awesome variety of indie gems, bold rock, and romantic but not cheesy ballads. I've picked my top five favorites to highlight (see the full Breaking Dawn soundtrack listing here).

"Endtapes" by The Joy Formidable: The first track is an upbeat indie rock jam, with its edges softened by the sweet voice of the female lead singer. The infectious drum beat makes you feel like something exciting is coming - a fitting opener for such a solid soundtrack.
"A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri: Perri's beautiful ballad is lyrically perfect for Edward and Bella's relationship; she sings "I have loved you for a thousand years . . . I'll love for a thousand more." Even if you're not a vampire, the sentiment will make you swoon.
"I Didn't Mean It" by The Belle Brigade: One of the big, loud rock songs of the soundtrack, it rouses you from any sort of dreamy coma the previous love songs may have lulled you into. I'm hoping it accompanies some kind of badass werewolf moment.
"It Will Rain" by Bruno Mars: With Edward and Bella married and therefore stable in their relationship, there are fewer songs about heartbreak, but Edward still has to worry about losing Bella to death. Bruno Mars is best known for his jaunty pop songs, but he gets emotional for this haunting song. The beat and passion in Mars's vocals make this the sexy standout.
"Flightless Bird, American Mouth" (Wedding Version) by Iron & Wine: Any fan of the Twilight series will recognize this song from Edward and Bella's memorable slow dance at the prom. Iron & Wine have updated the gorgeous love song into a version for the wedding with more strings and a more formal vibe that's even lusher than the original. I imagine this song to be the happy couple's first dance, and I get the chills listening to it and thinking about it.

Soleil Moon Frye Shares Her Favorite Birthday Party Tips

Guest Writer — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:33:02 PDT

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Soleil Moon Frye, Target's mommy ambassador, author of Happy Chaos, and mom to Poet, 6, and Jagger, 3. This week Soleil shares her tips on bringing her kids into the kitchen.

I'm a huge holiday person, and birthday celebrations are especially important to me. It's not about the presents - my favorite memories from childhood birthdays are of my mom showering me with attention, filling the day with my favorite foods, and making me feel special and loved.

I'm not sure anything will ever top Johnny Depp crashing my 12th birthday (a special surprise from a mutual friend), but I'm determined to create similarly unforgettable birthday experiences for my girls.

For Poet’s fifth birthday, we had a Grease-themed party and went for a full-out, '50s-style event. It’s possible to be elaborate without being expensive - for the Grease party I found discounted Halloween costumes and spandex pants online, then scooped up festive and affordable party supply essentials at Target. My friends set up a makeup station and sprayed the girls' hair into wild Grease-era styles. If you’re willing to play DJ on your iPod, a dance party is free!

Here are some other fun, budget-friendly ideas:

DIY goodie bags: Fill large mason jars with candy and let kids decorate brown paper to-go sacks with stamps and stickers.
Treasure hunt: Scatter little toys and treats around the yard or park, and send the kids to go find them. Works every time!
Crafts: Buy a bunch of inexpensive picture frames and let the kids decorate them with paint, stickers, and glitter. If you’re a fan of Polaroid cameras like I am, snap photos of each guest with the birthday boy or girl to go in frames as a memory of the day.
Philanthropy: It's never too early to introduce kids to the concept of giving back and instill a sense of compassion and awareness. Have guests bring toys for kids in need or donate the crafts made at the party to a local children’s hospital.

Keep reading for Soleil's tips for ensuring smooth sailing at your party!

Harvest Moon: Autumn Wedding Inspiration

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:00:07 PDT

While I love a wonderful wedding regardless of the season, there is something that has always spoken to me about a Fall celebration. I'm not sure whether it's the harvest moon, the way the leaves transition, or the fact that orange is acceptable everywhere, but I absolutely adore wedding designs that embrace this season with open arms. What better time to get married than a season that feels full of possibility and change? Here are some wedding decor ideas that will help light a spark for an elegant Autumn ceremony.

Best of Yoga: Hybrid Classes

Self — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:28:37 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Still think yoga is for hippies? Think again! Instead of chanting, there are lots of yoga styles that fuse elements of other workouts to make a killer two-for-one workout for any exercise personality.

Since you've never been one to play by the rules, why should your yoga practice? Think of this as your yogi cheat sheet of fusion classes to help guide you through National Yoga Month. And be sure to brush up on first class tricks of the trade to look like a pro!

AntiGravity Yoga: Having trouble mastering the handstand? This is for you. Also known as cocooning and aerial yoga, AntiGravity yoga, created by former aerial acrobat Christopher Harrison, involves using a giant hanging fabric (think of a hammock) to assist with yoga pose and stretches.

AcroYoga: Need a spot? AcroYoga combines traditional yoga with Thai massage and Acrobatics for a partner-based practice. You'll massage, flow, invert, spot and asana with a buddy who is the ying to your yang.

Breakti: It's yoga with a beat! Founded by Anya Porter, Breakti is the fusion of break dancing and yoga.

Learn about more hybrid yoga classes after the break!