I am organising a baby shower at the moment and am looking for some things to make it really special. I was just going to make some food and get baby shower cakes. However, I think that it might be really good to make it a bit more special by making a bit more of an effort. There are going to be quite a few guests and also I think it will be a great opportunity to spoil my daughter, who the party is for. She will be very busy with the new baby and the baby will take the attention now and so it will be nice for her to have a nice party.
I think that I will get some lovely baby shower decorations to make the house look special and that should please her as she always likes things to look really nice. I hope that her friends will like it as well. I thought that it would make things look really special if I got some pretty baby shower favors to brighten up the table and it will mean that everyone will have a lovely little thing to take home with them as a memento of the party.
A new study has shown the pregnancy-related increase in estradiol hormone levels is more pronounced in pregnant women with restless legs syndrome (RLS) than in controls.The researchers observed that in the last trimester of pregnancy, levels of the estrogenic steroid hormone estradiol were 34,211 pg/mL in women with RLS, and 25,475 pg/mL in healthy controls.
At three months postpartum, estradiol levels had dropped to 30.73 pg/mL in the RLS group and 94.92 pg/mL in controls. Other hormone levels did not differ significantly between the study groups.
The authors said that the data pointed out that estrogens play an important role in RLS during pregnancy.
The study also supports previous reports of high RLS incidence in the last trimester of pregnancy when estradiol is maximally elevated.
“Our findings strongly support the concept that neuroactive hormones play a relevant pathophysiological role in RLS. This information will increase the understanding of RLS in pregnancy and will assist in the development of specific therapeutic approaches,” said principal investigator Thomas Pollmacher, MD, director of the Center for Medical Health at Klinikum Ingolstadt.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, RLS is a sleep-related movement disorder that involves an almost irresistible urge to move the legs at night.
Eighty percent to 90 percent of people with RLS also experience periodic limb movements (PLMs) during sleep, which are involuntary jerking or twitching movements of the feet or legs.
The study also found that women with RLS had more PLMs than controls before and after delivery. PLMs decreased significantly after delivery in women with RLS and stayed low in women without RLS.
Only minor differences appeared between the two study groups in subjective sleep quality and objective sleep measures.
The researchers gave one explanation suggesting that only RLS patients who did not need pharmacological treatment were selected for the study; RLS symptoms of participants were in the mild to moderate range.
The study involved nine healthy pregnant women (mean age 32.9 years) who were placed in a control group and 10 pregnant women (mean age 31.6 years) who fulfilled diagnostic criteria for RLS.
Eight women from the RLS group reported symptoms previous to the present pregnancy, and all members of the RLS group described worsening of symptoms during pregnancy. The mean age of onset for RLS symptoms was 22.6 years.
Sleep data and leg movements were recorded during overnight polysomnography around the 36th week of gestation and again at 12 weeks postpartum.
Blood samples were taken each morning after the polysomnography and before breakfast. Accompanying questionnaires on sleep and RLS symptoms also were collected.
The study has been published in the journal Sleep.
Leading nutritionists have criticized a slimming firm for offering diets to pregnant women.Two SureSlim clinics, which have opened in Scotland, provide an eating plan to make sure that women do not put on more than one or two stone during pregnancy and can shed any extra pounds immediately after the birth if they ‘control’ their eating.
The diet plans, which cost 495 pounds, include one-to-one consultations with the firm’s experts, diet advice sheets with lists of approved foods, and blood tests to check for health problems.
So far, the private firm has treated ‘hundreds’ of pregnant women at its clinics south of the border and has now opened branches in Perth and Edinburgh.
Some women try to avoid even natural weight gain, a condition dubbed ‘pregorexia’, and that many pregnant women feel pressurised to regain their figures quickly after childbirth.
However, nutritionists have warned that dieting during pregnancy could result in major health problems, saying pregnancy was ‘not a time for slimming’.
The SureSlim diet is based on balancing hormone levels in the body to encourage it to burn fat.
“This has good, solid medical backing. We have not reinvented the wheel. For pregnant women it’s about controlling what they eat, not about losing weight. It means that during the pregnancy they will gain about one to two stone rather than three to four,” the Scotsman quoted Daryl Taylor, chief executive of SureSlim, as saying.
While putting on too much weight during pregnancy can lead to health problems for mother and baby, gaining too little weight during pregnancy is linked to poor foetal growth, lower birth weight and the chance of a baby being born prematurely.
Antibiotics administered indiscriminately to pregnant women to delay premature birth may cause long-term harm to babies, a research has suggested.The study, published in The Lancet, found that among women whose waters had not broken, giving antibiotics was associated with increased risk of cerebral palsy in the children and problems such as poor eyesight or hearing not only at birth but for decades beyond.
Britain has issued a warning about the indiscriminate prescribing of antibiotics to pregnant women to delay premature labour after research revealed that the practice may cause long-term harm to their babies, the ‘Independent’ newspaper said on Thursday.
According to the British daily, Liam Donaldson, UK’s chief medical officer, warned that the antibiotics should “not routinely be given” to women in premature labour where there was no sign of infection and whose waters had not broken, in line with “existing good clinical practice”.
A clinical trial involving 12,000 women in the UK and around the world, published in 2001, found antibiotics delayed labour and improved outcomes for mother and babies at risk of giving birth prematurely.According to the UK medical journal, a follow-up study seven years later of more than 8,000 of the women in the UK showed that among women whose waters had not broken, giving antibiotics was associated with up to a threefold rise in cerebral palsy, from 1.6 per cent in those given placebo to 4.4 per cent in those on two antibiotics, and a small increase in “mild” functional impairment such as poor co-ordination and poor eyesight.
However, among women whose waters had broken, giving antibiotics caused no long-term benefit or harm to their children, despite the improved outcome at birth revealed in the first study, the study showed.
i was adopted the day i was born.[december 14, 1992] but my adoptive parents had the records sealed, and i cant see them. plus, the adoption was through a private doctor, who is deceased. is there anything i can do?
I am also adopted (I am in my 30s) and I reunited with my natural mother about 4 years ago. We had to find each other over the internet with very little information to go on.
I had a little “non-identifying” information and she had almost nothing…only the memories she had about who my father was, when and where she gave birth to me, that I was a girl, etc.
I posted everything I knew about my birth/adoption on every website I could find and wrote with the same info. to every search and/or reunion organization, group, agency, etc. that I could find. I did NOT spend any money (except what I paid for my internet connection) to find my mother. I would have paid any amount I could afford — in time — but at the time I didn’t have any extra. I’m telling you that so you know it’s POSSIBLE to find someone without spending tons of cash…but it might (probably will) take a lot longer. I was searching for 3+ years on the internet and for 15 years before that!
I also need to clear up one *really common* mistake that another poster made. I don’t know where she is located, but you are in the U.S. (born in Montana) and, unfortunately, adopted citizens are NOT given their (original) birth OR their adoptions records when they turn 18 — or ever! I have never been given mine. My adopted parents, my natural mother, and I have ALL gone to the agency that did my adoption. They are well aware that we are all reunited and they STILL will not give me my original birth certificate or any of the adoption-related documents.
If your parents don’t have them or won’t give them to you, you’ll have to search without much information. But, you can still find her. I did!!!
The feelings of loss, the feeling that you are “missing a piece of who [I] am, like theres a hole inside of me.” That is PERFECTLY normal. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not okay to feel that way. You are not “ungrateful”. You are not “wrong”. You are not “broken”, “messed up” or anything else. This is the way many adoptees feel. I did too, and lots of people tried to tell me that I was wrong to feel that way.
THEY were wrong!
Do some research on the internet. Put the words “adoption search”, “find family”, “finding lost relatives”, and anything else you can think of into a serach engine (such as Google) and see what comes up. One thing you need to remember is that most search registries, search websites and search organizations (like ISRR — International Soundex Reunion Registry) will only help you once you have turned 18.
The website my mother and I found each other on was called www.the-seeker.com . You have to be at least 18 to use that one, too. Best of luck to you sweetie! I hope you find *what* you are looking for (answers, completeness, healing, peace) as you find *who* you are looking for
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Although your adoptive parents are not being helpful, it is not they who sealed your records. Records are sealed by state law upon the finalization of an adoption. In 44 states, adopted citizens are not given the same unfettered right to access their own birth records as non-adopted citizens. People given up for adoption, but no adopted, maintain that right. It is the act of an adoption finalizing that carries with it the sealing of the records. Unfortunately, Montana is one of the 44 states that practices such discrimination. Further, your adoption falls into the range of years that requires a court order to obtain your original birth record.
Here are the laws in Montana for information access, and the means by which information may be obtained:
Obtaining Non-Identifying Information: Adopted adults, adoptive parents, natural parents, or extended family members of an adopted adult or natural parents may obtain non-identifying information.
Obtaining Identifying Information: Identifying information is provided through the confidential intermediary system.
Using a Confidential Intermediary: Adopted adults, birth parents, or adoptive parents or an adult extended family member of an adopted adult or natural parents may petition the court for information regarding an adopted adult, natural parent, or extended family member.
Obtaining an Original Birth Certificate: For adoptions that took place on or before July 1, 1967, an adopted adult can receive a copy of the birth certificate by written request. For adoptions that took place between July 1, 1967, and September 30, 1997, an adopted adult can receive a copy of the birth certificate upon a court order. For adoptions that took place on or after October 1, 1997, an adopted adult can receive a copy of the birth certificate unless the natural parents have filed an access veto.
There is a private reunion registry specifically for Montana Adoptions:
Montana Adoption Reunion Registry 4104 Barbara Lane Missoula, Montana59803
Phone: 406 251-4158
Please be sure to register with the ISRR - The International Soundex Reunion Registry. It is the largest reunion registry in the world. You can register at http://isrr.net
i have 2 boys , ages 7 and 8. its the school holidays and when they play together the are really loud , boystorious and yell alot, mainly out of excitement. But i feel bad cos i think other parents are gonna think that they are naughty and misbehaving. Is this normal? being loud etc? should i let them carry on being like this or should i tell them to be quiet and carm down. im in a dilemma , opinions please!
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Let me tell you, as a mum of three boys, that is very normal!! My boys love to be loud, all day, every day. I let them go, it is not naughty, they are just excited. When they get a bit much I just take them to the park or outside and let them run off their energy.
I know how the holidays feel, ours finished a few weeks back
Hmm depends on the living situation. If you live in an apartment with thin walls you may want to for your neighbors sake Though most cities have laws that say you can be as loud as you want from 7am until 11pm of course if you live in an apartment your landlord may have his own set of rules. However if you live in a house no one should really care if your children are carrying on after all kids are loud when they are having fun and personally i would think most neighbors would be happy your kids are playing rather than getting into trouble. So long as they aren’t outside at 2 in the morning screaming at the top of their lungs (and i doubt they are) i don’t think it should be an issue.
You may however want to invest in some ear plugs for your own sanity.
In your experience have you found one of these to be better than the other? Im not sure which one to get for my very gassy son ? The doctor didn’t say anything about specific ones and the pharmacist was of no help. Is there anything specific about any one of these you like better — or would you say they are basically the same??
Little Tummies is good, but I had just as much luck with the WalMart brand gas drops (like Mylicon). Their a lot less expensive for the exact same ingredients.
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My doctor reccommended Infant’s Mylicon and it works great.
When you are pregnant with your first child and throughout their childhood you will likely want to buy them the best of the best. Of course, this attitude will change significantly when you have your second, third, and more children, but for your first it is quite normal and even expected. You will want to buy the Britax car seats, simply because they are more expensive and supposedly the best. Sure, they are good car seats, but there are many other brands that are also excellent. The same goes for Robeez. These little leather slipper shoes are adorable. They cost about $20 per pair, but you will think they are so cute that your baby will need a pair to match every outfit. This will quickly become too expensive, but you will still probably overspend.
Then, as your little one becomes a toddler you will want to buy a Kettler Tricycle. This is just the way it goes when you become a mom. You will always want the best for your little one and it will take time for you to realize that the best is not always the most expensive and many times all that is really needed is your love and affection.
I agree that you should *usually* not give in to your child. What my doctor told me to do when my daughter used to hold her breath (she passed out more than 10 times, including in a store once) was to lay her down so that she would be safe and then leave the room. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it does work.
A 15-month-old is not aware of the fact that she is going to pass out. She *is* aware that her behavior is scaring you, so leaving the room means she is not getting the attention that she wanted and it helps eliminate the behavior.
The most difficult thing to understand is that nothing bad will actually happen to your child if she’s lying down at the time (if she isn’t, she could fall and get hurt). I still find it hard to see a child holding his or her breath, despite knowing this.
If you’re only nursing every 3 hours, that is probably the problem. The average baby needs to nurse at least 10-12 times in 24 hours–and that’s *before* you want to increase your milk supply. If you’re not nursing that often, it is very likely that you will never have enough milk.
So the first thing to do is to nurse more often. If it’s been 2 hours since the *beginning* of the previous feeding, pick up the baby and nurse, even if you have to wake her/him. Try offering a *little* less formula (about 1/2 to 1 ounce less per feeding) and nursing more often like this for the next 3-4 days. If baby is still having the same number of wet and dirty diapers as previously, offer a little less again (and continue to nurse every 2 hours). Keep going this way, and you will probably be able to eliminate the formula entirely at some point (but there is no way to know just when that will happen).
At the same time, call a local La Leche League Leader. She will be able to give you ongoing help and support. All this help is *free* (although offer to make a donation to the organization if you can). See sources section below to find a Leader near you. Keep in mind that LLL Leaders are all volunteers working from their own homes while raising their own kids, so if you don’t get through, try another Leader or call back later.
You do *not* need to “drink a lot of water”. It won’t help, and one study showed that forcing liquids actually *decreased* milk production. Drink if you are thirsty.
Do *not* use “mother’s milk tea” or any other herbal blend that is intended to increase your milk supply. If you need help from a medication, you can use fenugreek or a prescription medication (see below). Herbal blends are all based on fenugreek anyway, but the extra herbs can cause various problems (side effects and/or allergies). In addition, most of them contain fennel–an herb that can increase the milk supply for some mothers, but actually decreases it for others. It is risky and could cause more problems.
Do not pump if you can nurse. No pump is as effective as a nursing baby. Before you pick up the pump, nurse; the only reason to pump is if baby refuses to nurse, in which case it’s better than nothing. But if you do pump, use the most effective pump you can. The best is a hospital-grade rental pump (preferably one that pumps both breasts simultaneously), then a battery-powered pump (even if used on wall current); manual pumps are the least effective type of all. Never use a pump made by Gerber, First Years, or Evenflo, or any pump that has a rubber bulb to operate it. They could do damage to the breast that may make end your breastfeeding career–at least for this baby.
If you want to try a “galactagogue” (something that increases milk production), the only herb with any scientific evidence of its effectiveness is fenugreek. Take 1 capsule 3 times a day for 3-4 days, then increase to 2 capsules 3 times a day for a few more days. Keep increasing this way until you are taking an effective dose *for you* (typically 2-4 capsules per dose); you will know that you are taking enough when your sweat and urine smell like maple syrup. Keep taking that amount until you have enough milk, then stop gradually (the same as starting). Fenugreek is not recommended for mothers with asthma or diabetes. And if either you or baby has an allergic reaction (very rare), stop taking it.
If you prefer a prescription galactagogue, there are 2 to choose from. Most women use metoclopramide (Reglan) because it is more readily available in the US, although domperidone (Motilium) has fewer side effects. Metoclopramide can cause stomach upsets and depression, although neither one is common (if you have a history of depression, you probably don’t want to use it, though). Neither drug has been shown to have any side effects in the baby.
