Category Archives: Pregnancy

Those nine months from conception to birth will change your life forever. Learn more about the condition of pregnancy here at the Families.com Pregnancy Blog.

Late Trimester Test: The Cervical Exam

As your due date approaches, you’ll start getting more and more checks by your doctor. Your appointment schedule will increase to every two weeks from around week 30, and then every week from around week 37. In addition to the fetal heartbeat check, you’ll probably have your belly measured as well, and your provider will feel around your stomach to determine the baby’s position. Some doctors might even do a vaginal exam for this, if they’re having trouble determining where the baby is. You’ll get your group B strep test, and this might also be around the time you’ll … Continue reading →

The Truth About Your Diet During Pregnancy

One of the assumptions I made about pregnancy prior to becoming pregnant is I’d have a diet-related Get out of Jail Free card. I knew that there are certain foods it’s best to avoid, but I thought at least I’d have a free pass to eat, well, not quite as much as I wanted, but to feel a bit more guilt-free about evening ice cream binges. That turned out not to be the case at all. First off, the whole “eating for two” thing isn’t true. At most, you should eat for one and a quarter. In addition to that, … Continue reading →

The Importance of Pregnancy Support Groups

If you’re pregnant and feeling uncertain, or even if you feel great about pregnancy/childbirth, I still have an important recommendation: try to find a support group. Not necessarily one called “pregnancy support group,” but try to find a group of other veteran, new, or expecting moms to spend time with. The support that’s offered just from spending time with others in the same boat, or who have been through it recently, is invaluable. A lot of the weird things about pregnancy can be less alarming if you have others to talk about them with, who can say: “oh yes, that … Continue reading →

Maternity Care in the U.S.

The recent birth of the royal prince cost $15,000. That sounds like a lot, right? It is, but it’s only half the cost of a birth in America. That’s right: the average price of a birth — in a normal hospital, not a luxury wing — in the U.S. is $30,000. That makes us, according to an in-depth article by The New York Times, the nation that pays the most for maternity care. Yet, we also have one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world. It seems like these two things should counter one another, but in … Continue reading →

More Fun Pregnancy Symptoms: Leg Cramps

In the middle of the night a few weeks ago I woke up with a terrible pain in my leg. I cried out about it, and immediately began trying to rub and move my leg. My more-than-half-asleep husband drowsily watched me do this. He watched me try to bend my leg, to rub it, to put weight and hobble around the room on it. When I made it to the bathroom he followed me, and asked me if I thought I was just having Braxton-Hicks. In my leg. Now we know that if I go into labor in the middle … Continue reading →

Should You Create A Birth Plan?

Should you create a birth plan? It can be a helpful tool for making your wishes known both to your healthcare provider and the labor & delivery staff, but it also seems a little silly to plan something like one’s labor: after all, if we could control it, we would all have easy births. When I first heard about birth plans, I decided that they weren’t for me. I’m a very Type A person; I get stressed if even my silliest of plans get messed up, if they’re ones I’m excited about. Trying to plan my baby’s birth, and everything … Continue reading →

Pregnancy and Last Minute Changes

Yesterday I found out that one of my two midwives left the practice. Yesterday also happened to mark a calendar month before my due date. As you might guess, in my hormonal state (and given that I’m also just kind of a worrier anyway), I found this all upsetting. Now that there’s only one midwife, there’s a chance I might have a regular obstetrician deliver my baby, if my midwife isn’t on call when I go into labor. Not only that, it will be one I won’t know, because all of my prenatal appointments have been with my midwives. It’s … Continue reading →

Five Weird Pregnancy Symptoms

There are a number of weird, though perfectly normal, side effects to pregnancy that no one tells you about. You might get all or none of these, and it could vary from one of your pregnancies to another. 1. Bloody Gums. Early in the second trimester I began noticing a bit more blood than normal when I flossed. I went to my routine dentist appointment, and the hygienist confirmed that yup, that’s just something that can happen when you’re pregnant. Chalk this one down to hormones; they’re making your gums (and other parts) more inflamed than usual. Pregnant women are … Continue reading →

Why I Have A Doula

We’ve written a little bit before about doulas on the site, but we’ve never been able to share personal experiences with one until now. Back when I first found out I was pregnant, I wanted a midwife but couldn’t find one. I thought at least I might be able to find a doula, because that would be better than nothing. I wanted someone, other than my at-times too logical husband, who would definitely be all on my side during labor. It took me a while, and I actually ended up finding a midwife first, but I was able to find … Continue reading →

Switching Doctors: It’s Never Too Late

It’s been said hundreds of times, but it always bears repeating: it’s never too late to switch doctors. If you don’t feel 100% comfortable with your doctor, you can switch. It doesn’t matter how early or late into your pregnancy you are, whether you mostly feel all right with your current doctor, if you can’t put your finger on exactly why you don’t feel completely comfortable, or if you’re just curious to see what else is out there. It’s OK. Shop around. Meet with other doctors. Switch if that’s what, deep inside, you want to do: you’re not being unreasonable … Continue reading →