Safe Housekeeping During Pregnancy

When you are pregnant, you may find yourself suddenly motivated to clean more than you usually do. Of course, you may not, and that is also perfectly normal. I never experienced an overwhelming urge to clean house during either of my pregnancies, although I did clean a little more than normal during my second pregnancy. Cleaning during pregnancy is not harmful in and of itself. When the urge to clean strikes, be careful about what products you use to clean, and about some of the chores that you choose to tackle. If you have been bitten by the housekeeping bug, … Continue reading

A Few Good Pregnancy Books

I have always been into reading, but during pregnancy I was even more so. Especially during my first pregnancy – you know, before I had a little one to take care of and had more time available for reading. I read a lot of things, and like many pregnant women, I spent a lot of time reading about pregnancy and childbirth. There are a lot of books on pregnancy and childbirth out there to choose from. If you have a lot of time on your hands, feel free to explore any and all of them. If time is at a … Continue reading

Can Education Influence Teen Pregnancy and Adoption?

My last few blogs have dealt with educating young people. I started with suggesting that children at the elementary age learn about adoption and also about how to access community resources for various needs. (When I worked on an information and referral phone line at a Family Resource Center, I had one volunteer, a woman of about sixty, who suggested we have a training session on how to use the phone book. I learned not to assume anything regarding education.) I mentioned a class called Crib Notes written by Lyn, our education blogger here at Families.com, which teaches middle school … Continue reading

Cleaning Precautions During Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, you may be concerned about cleaning products. There is good reason for worry since cleaning products we use every day contain a wide variety of chemicals with unknown side effects. A recent study in the UK suggests heavy use of cleaning products during pregnancy can increase the unborn baby’s risk of developing asthma. The study looked at the link between childhood asthma and cleaning product use in pregnancy, particularly bleach and spray air fresheners. The study found that babies of mothers who frequently used bleach and air fresheners during pregnancy had a 41 percent higher risk … Continue reading

Breast Changes During Pregnancy

All women experience breast changes at various times during pregnancy. There is an important reason for these changes; your body is preparing to feed your baby. During pregnancy, your breasts are preparing to make milk. Some women see colostrum leaking while they are still pregnant. The changes in the breasts start early. One of the first symptoms of pregnancy is sore breasts. The tenderness will start around the time you start wondering if you could possibly be pregnant. It will continue throughout the first trimester. Hormones are the main reason for the tenderness. An increase in blood flow to the … Continue reading

Books About Having a Sibling

If this is your second baby, you will likely be thinking about how to prepare your child for the birth of the new baby. Taking kids to sibling classes and spending time around babies will help your older child get used to the idea. Another great way to prepare small kids for a new baby is to read books on the subject. Here are a few good books about becoming a sibling. My New Baby And Me: A First Year Record Book For Big Brothers And Big Sisters is a great choice for children who are a little older and … Continue reading

Closely Spaced Siblings? 10 Tips to Survive the First Few Months

I once heard someone say that having children closely spaced together was just like having twins. I have children spaced closely together–all of my kids are about two years apart. I have twins. I can assure you beyond a shadow of a doubt that the challenges are definitely not the same. That’s not to say though, that having children spaced closely together is easy. But once you make it past the first few months, it does get easier. Here are a few tips to make it past those early days! #1. Plan ahead and cook a little extra the six … Continue reading

More Great Jewish Books

The Rebbe’s Army: Inside the World of Chabad-Lubavitch by Sue Fishkoff (2003) I read this book a few years ago and found it an excellent introduction for those who are interested in Lubavitch Chassidim and how they have expanded from a relative small Chassidic group in White Russia to an organization with over 3,000 official centers around the world which provide Shabbat meals, lectures, a second home and Jewish simcha (joy) to any Jew who is in, let’s say, Hong Kong and is looking for freshly baked challah or a minyan (group of ten) for davening (praying). This book gives … Continue reading

The Marriage Blog Week in Review – Jan 6 – Jan 12

Welcome to the weekend and here is hoping it’s a restful one for you and your family. For many of us, it’s a three-day weekend and those always hold a bit of special appeal. So while your weekend is just getting started, let’s close the books on the last week and the articles we’ve been packing in to bring you the best information we can. We’ve tackled issues from wedding planning to sympathy pains to answering questions about sex and much, much more. So here it is, the Marriage Blog week in review: Saturday, January 6 Sympathy Pains: Fact or … Continue reading

Great Birth Books

Yesterday I wrote a blog about finding great pregnancy books. You will be thinking a lot about and making plans your upcoming birth. The best way to reduce fear of labor is to get educated about labor. Reading is a great way to begin to think about what you want in your labor. There are many books written on this subject. I’m going to share a little about a few that I really like. The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth by William Sears, MD and Martha Sears RN Dr. Sears is … Continue reading