How To Get Pregnant Video

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The Whole Nine Months originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, September 13th, 2010 at 08:34:15.

Family Size

Everyone discusses family size since the birth of the Suleman octuplets and I've been getting a lot of dirty looks when I take my kids out. Now, I only have eight. I do have one set of twins but they were spontaneous. But I have to say I'm tired of being judged for having a large family. Besides - what is the "right" number of kids?

Is the right number of kids something we should have mandated by the government? I don't think that would fly very well in the US. Is it how many bedrooms you have? Or seats in the car? How about we regulate the number of kids you have based on the amount of money you make or how many years of college you have? None of these sound like great ideas on a wide spread scale.

Do some people make decisions on these issues, yes. But one family might feel that their income would safely raise two kids and another with the same amount might this it would raise more, because there isn't one, right, clear cut answer.

Most people take into consideration finances, lifestyle, vehicle, personal preference, place where they live (city wise), home, how old their other children are etc. Some consider ecological and emotional beliefs when planning their families. And we also have to acknowledge that many babies are still not planned at all.

So what's your right answer and how did you come about deciding it? Join us in the conversation in the forums.

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Family Size originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Sunday, September 19th, 2010 at 08:16:58.

Women hiding their pregnancy on planes!

Women hiding their pregnancy on planes! That's the headline I saw on my newsreader last night. My first thought was "seriously?" The article details a few instances where pregnant women have given birth on long haul flights.? While admitting it's not often, it certainly makes for a great story.

The real problem is that pregnant women will read this and be frightened about flying in the third trimester. Most airlines tell you that you can't fly in the final weeks of pregnancy or in labor.

Delta says that they don't really have any restrictions and pregnant women don't need a medical certificate to fly, but they advise that in the last month you check with your doctor or midwife.

The rules are different for United. They require that in the 9th month you have a letter from the last three days from your obstetrician (What about your midwife?) with your due date, that you're physically fit to fly and the dates and destinations of travel.

While Southwest Air says that they simply recommend that you don't fly after the 38th week.

So as you can see, the rules vary widely.? I personally flew at 37 weeks with my fourth baby. I knew I always went late, and I was.? I talked to my practitioner and I carried a copy of my prenatal records should I need care while I was in the other city, which was more likely than me needing help in the air.? I even had the name of a back up physician in the city in which I was traveling too (benefit of my job). A friend of mine who is pregnant told me that her obstetrician told her, in a low risk pregnancy, she's not to travel in the third trimester, at all. What?

The problem that flight attendants have is trying to figure out who is pregnant and how far along they might be.? Seriously, you think that there has been a big deal made over the weight issue?? Start accusing women of being pregnant when they aren't or telling a pregnant woman she looks like she's going to give birth at any moment!? That's dangerous.

So, what's your thought? Would you fly? If so, when and Why?

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Women hiding their pregnancy on planes! originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 at 09:42:43.

Wordless Wednesday Submissions

Wordless Wednesday: Dads

Dad and Newborn baby
Dads love babies!

_{Photo ? Grapevine Photography}

Wordless Wednesday: Dads originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 at 07:38:38.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

How To Get Pregnant With A Boy

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How To Get Pregnant With A Girl

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Inviting Grandparents to the Birth

It's Grandparents Day! If you're expecting then you're dealing with grandparents, even if this is your first baby.? One of the biggest questions that comes up is about inviting grandparents, particularly grandmas to the birth of the baby.

If you've been around the site for awhile, you'll know how I feel about mothers and mothers-in-law who invite themselves to the birth.? You know that I think that the mother-to-be has the final say in anyone at her birth.? We've also shared stories of mothers-in-law at birth.

The truth is, for all the warnings I give, sometimes it goes very well.? Sometimes it's the perfect thing to do. Congrats to my friend and her whole family!

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Inviting Grandparents to the Birth originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Sunday, September 12th, 2010 at 08:20:15.

Save Money on Baby Naming Services

Did you know that there are now services that you can pay to have someone help name your baby?? For $350 you can have help in picking the right name for your baby by looking at what you want and like and helping you find the right first, middle and last name.? While I'm totally into baby names and choosing the right baby name, I can't imagine paying someone to do it for me.

So for today's tip, I'm going to save you $350 on naming your baby.? Join us over at the Baby Names Forum.? Here you can:

Ask about the meaning of baby names
Use unlimited number of polls to ask others their opinions about popularity, etc.
See what the current baby name trends are on Main Street
Follow Celebrity Baby Names
Much, much more!

So, whether you're expecting twins, want to find out how the initials you've chosen work or just like to talk about baby names, you'll love the Baby Names Forum.

More Thrifty Thursday from About.com Parenting

Save Money on Baby Naming Services originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, September 16th, 2010 at 05:00:41.

This photo just makes me think of the routine in routine prenatal care...not a great thing.

Stepford Prenatal Care Clinic

Wordless Wednesday Submissions

_{Photo ? iStockphoto}

Stepford Prenatal Care Clinic originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, September 15th, 2010 at 09:22:32.

For-Profit Hospitals Do More C-Sections

C-Sections happen more often in for-profit hospitals.

This wasn't actually news to birth activists who have been claiming this for years, but recent data from California showed that there were 17% more c-sections in for-profit hospitals compared to the nonprofit counterparts.

Here's the very interesting article from California Watch detailing what was done and what it shows. While there are a lot of questions still to ask, including what should the cesarean rate ultimately be, it is clear that there are lots of reasons why unnecessary c-sections happen, including things on the part of doctors and hospitals and that it does not fall all on the women having babies as some would suggest.

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For-Profit Hospitals Do More C-Sections originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, September 15th, 2010 at 22:36:52.

It's Estimated Due Date, not Expiration Date.

Due dates are estimates, not expirations.

I've been talking to a lot of moms in the last few weeks who have all had a problem with the practitioners and scheduling their births. These moms are being slated for inductions and planned c-sections because their "time is up," meaning it is their due date.

They are being forced into choosing a medically managed labor and birth because their practitioner subscribes to the belief of an expiration date as opposed to a due date. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) talks about the normal pregnancy extending to the completion of the 42nd week of gestation, not at the near random date suggested by early ultrasound or your cycle, before intervening. So why are some doctors and midwives jumping in too early?

Some say it is the healthiest, but that is not what science and research say. Others say it's just the practice policy, which is true, but that doesn't make it the healthiest or best way for your baby to come into the world. If someone asks you to intervene in your pregnancy simply because of your due date, stop and ask questions about why. Is there a medical reason? Is your pregnancy at that end of 42 week mark? What are the benefits and risks of intervening early?

Hey, if babies are anything like me, and I'm sure some of you, due dates for projects are often extended a bit because I need time to perfect what I'm working on. And occasionally I get it done a bit early, but not as often as I am a bit late. A baby is a huge project and barring any medical complications, one that needs all the time you have to get it just right.

If you're looking for someone to share the ups and downs of pregnancy with, look no further than our expectant mothers clubs based on due dates. Simply choose month you're due and get going:

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It's Estimated Due Date, not Expiration Date. originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, September 20th, 2010 at 09:25:11.

Would you name your baby after a place?

Newborn baby in a cocoon

Sarah Palin may be known for a lot of things, one of those is interesting baby names.? Some say that her names are all about location.? Whether this is true or not, I don't know.? What I can tell you is that naming your baby after a specific location is becoming quite popular.? Sometimes it's the name of where the baby was conceived, or where the pregnancy test was positive, but locations none the less.

How do you feel about location names for baby?? Is this a girl trend?? Or does it go for boys and girls?? Come join our discussion on the Baby Names Forum.

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Would you name your baby after a place? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 at 09:31:47.