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Reduce Your Stress for Your Baby’s Health

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Recent research conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical Center revealed that stress during pregnancy increases the child’s risk for asthma. Stress in the mother triggers an immune response, evidenced in the cord blood collected at birth, possibly later heightening their response to inhaled antigens. It stands to reason, therefore, that reducing stress during pregnancy can only have a positive effect on both the baby and the mother. Most of us immediately want to remove the source of the stress. Sometimes it is simple enough as hiring a babysitter for a few hours or telling someone to mind … Continue reading →

Minimizing the Stress of Commuting While Pregnant

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Commuting to work is a pain to begin with, but pregnancy can makes things even more complicated. Pregnancy and stress don’t mix well; unfortunately, commuting and stress do. Add the possibility of being far from home when your water breaks or complications arise, and the stress compounds. Here are some tips for keeping commuting stress to a minimum. Stay comfortable. If you have a long drive to work, just sitting in the car for an extended amount of time can make you sore, especially in the third trimester when pelvic, hip and joint pain are common due to the hormone … Continue reading →

Cursing as Pain Management

Have a foul mouth? It might actually benefit you when it comes to pain management. A study from Keele University in England took a look at how an outburst of swearing can help people deal with pain. Sixty-seven college students took part in the initial study. First, they were asked for their five favorite curses — things they might say after accidentally whacking a thumb with a hammer. I know what I’d say in that situation, and it’s not pretty! The students were then asked to hold one hand in icy water for as long as they could bear it. … Continue reading →

Home Remedies for Nausea

The last time I was on antibiotics, I was very sensitive to sunlight. This time around, I’m having a hard time with nausea. It’s been bad enough that I actually did end up throwing up. Yuck! Everyone I’ve mentioned this to had a different remedy for me to try. A coworker gave me flat soda to drink. My mom suggested eating dry toast. A friend offered me Pepto, but after tossing my antibiotics, I didn’t want to take any more medication that might come back to haunt me. So what can you do for nausea (whether it’s related to medications … Continue reading →

Hormonal Breast Tenderness

One of my least favorite symptoms of PMS is the breast tenderness. I guess I’m lucky that I don’t suffer this particular symptom every month… but when it does hit, it sure does hurt! During PMS and even pregnancy, hormonal changes can lead to discomfort in the mammary glands. Reproductive hormones (estrogen and progesterone) trigger growth in the milk producing glands. Blood and other fluids fill the nearby area. This can cause painful stretching to your nerves! So what can you do to relieve hormonal breast tenderness? Try a diet change. A high-fiber, low-fat diet may signal your body to … Continue reading →

Scents and Dreams (and Nightmares)

German researchers have found that different smells can influence your dreams. When study participants were exposed to bad smells (researchers used rotten eggs), they generally had bad dreams. When study participants were exposed to good smells (researchers used roses), the dreams were generally good ones. It does make sense — smell stimulates a whole lot of behaviors in the body. Different scents can influence emotion, bring back memories, increase or decrease appetite, and even stimulate sexual arousal. Dangerous smells can even trigger a fight-or-flight response. The scent of burning (even if it’s just my neighbors using their grill on the … Continue reading →

Juniper

Juniper is an evergreen popular in landscaping… but you may know the plant more for giving flavoring to gin. The juniper shrub’s branches, leaves, and berries have long been used in cooking and medicine, too. Juniper has a very strong smell, which led early medical practitioners to believe it could drive away evil spirits and disease. Native Americans believed that juniper was useful for cleansing and healing. It was used to prevent infection, relieve arthritis, and cure illnesses. Bundles of juniper branches with leaves were heated and tied to a sore limb to relieve pain. These days, juniper still has … Continue reading →

Does Natural Birth Really Matter?

Proponents of natural child birth say natural birth is the safest option for both mothers and their babies. Some women swear by the epidural and will recommend one immediately upon hearing the news that you are expecting a baby. You may be left wondering if natural child birth is really all that important. Does it matter whether you have pain medication when you are in labor? Although opinions vary widely on this issue natural child birth does offer some benefits to the mother and baby. One benefit to the mother is a lower risk of interventions during labor, such as … Continue reading →

What Causes Chronic Pelvic Pain?

Approximately fifteen percent of women in America suffer from chronic pelvic pain. Sitting, walking, going to the bathroom, and even certain clothes can be incredibly painful for women who suffer from chronic pelvic pain. Doctors have recently realized that chronic pelvic pain is often caused by more than one problem. Treating just one cause may not solve the problem of chronic pain. Here are some of the most common causes: Endometriosis — a condition where cells that are similar to the lining of the uterus migrate and break down during your monthly menstrual period. If you have endometriosis, you may … Continue reading →

Hormone Basics

Hormone levels are more than just a “that time of the month” joke. Studies have shown that changing hormone levels can affect your mood, worsen chronic health issues, and even make you more susceptible to injury! Hormones have an impact on your entire body, not just your reproductive system. There are four types of hormones: Estrogen: a class of hormones that is necessary for sexual development and a healthy reproductive system. Also affects brain function, bone health, and cancer risk. Oxytocin: a hormone responsible for contractions during labor, milk production during breastfeeding, and the nurturing instinct. Progesterone: a hormone produced … Continue reading →