by on September 18, 2018

Top 4 Pregnancy Podcasts

Being pregnant is an exciting time for expectant parents, but it can also be a lot of new information and uncertainty, especially when it’s the first child. Parents often turn to books for what to expect, but if you’ve tried all of them and still want to know more, try a podcast! There are entire series dedicated to the topic of pregnancy, parenthood, and everything in between, and you can even listen to them while you’re work or in the car.

 

If you’re new to podcasts but looking to try one out, consider one of these:

 

Birthful

Although the host Adriana Lozada isn’t a doctor, her guests come from various medical backgrounds, and they cover a wide range of subjects, drawing on their professional knowledge as well as their own personal experiences. The topics include not just pregnancy, but also the birthing process, breastfeeding, postpartum, and parenting, and each episode is meant to provide tips and tools that new parents can utilize and fit to their own lifestyles. As a birth doula and mother, Adriana’s tone is conversational and knowledgeable, and offers many different perspectives that anyone can enjoy.

 

Pregnancy Confidential

At only thirty-two podcasts, each one between ten and twenty minutes, Pregnancy Confidential is an easy way to learn about the physical, emotional, and lifestyle markers of that week of pregnancy. From the editors of Parents, Fit Pregnancy, and Baby magazines, this podcast feels more like a conversation among friends that slip right into your day.

 

Not By Accident

Not By Accident is hosted by Sophie Harper, and in each episode, she talks about what it’s like to be a single mother by choice. This may ring true for parents in similar situations, but it’s also a great podcast for anyone who loves storytelling in general to take a listen to. There are only thirty-four episodes so far, and each one is honest and poignant.

 

Rockstar Birth Radio

Shalome Stone is seeking to reframe the narrative of being pregnant, and take it from something scary to enriching and inspiring, and she uses her podcast Rockstar Birth Radio to do it. Instead of pain and fear, Shalome Stone wants each mother to embrace the experience and find joy in the process of growing a baby. It’s empowering and uplifting, with wisdom from experienced mothers, as well as the stories of the births of their children. There is information about almost any kind of birth experience you can imagine, and provides a community that expectant mothers can truly find a place with.

Filed Under: Dr. Lori Gore-Green, Health, New Moms, Pregnant Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
by on August 6, 2018

Top 5 Fertility Tips

Lots of women become pregnant without needing to do much more than have sex that one time. For others, it can be a more difficult and even emotional process, especially if the woman has been trying for some time without success.

 

Although each woman’s life and situation is different, and each pregnancy, in turn, is different, here are a few tips that doctors recommend for women looking to become pregnant. Please consult your primary care physician before trying anything different your routine, however, to remain safe.

 

Consider counseling.

If you’re picturing a couch and a psychologist asking “And how does that make you feel?” you’re thinking of the wrong kind. Instead, women looking to become pregnant should receive pre-conception counseling about two to three months before trying, and this can be done with your OB-GYN. Pre-conception counseling is a conversation where your doctor will ask about your goals in getting pregnant, as well as take that time to screen you for potentially harmful conditions. By receiving counseling early, you’re able to find warning signs before they develop further.

 

Get checked out.

Both you and your partner should see a doctor, to make sure your vaccinations are all up to date, in particular. Getting sick while pregnant could lead to a higher risk of complications. By making sure both you and your partner are in the best possible health, you are creating the optimal condition to make a baby.

 

Quit the caffeine.

You could also stand to benefit from abstaining from alcohol and any kind of drugs. In general, though, if you shouldn’t have something while you’re pregnant, it might be a good idea to kick the habit beforehand. And, remember—energy drinks have caffeine, too! Not just coffee!

 

It’s also advisable to not be in the same vicinity as anyone who partakes in smoking. No matter how you ingest the smoke, second-hand or not, it could hurt your chances of becoming pregnant without complications.

 

Stay active.

This is just good life advice in general, but it’s especially true when gearing up to grow another human. The goal is to have thirty minutes of cardio five or six days each week. This is to keep your heart healthy and your weight at a manageable level. If you’re worried about the intensity affecting your fertility, talk with your doctor about the best exercises to do instead of your usual routine. Overall, though, if your period cycle is regular, you won’t need to change too much.

 

It’s okay to feel stressed.

The idea that you need to be completely serene and at peace to conceive a child has no basis in science. So if you’re feeling guilty because you’re always busy, but you still want to have a baby, don’t feel like you’re cheating yourself out of your chance. Anxiety is normal, and it won’t ruin your chances of having a healthy child.

 

Filed Under: Dr. Lori Gore-Green, Health, Pregnant Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
by on July 9, 2018

3 Tips for Running a Business While Pregnant

Being pregnant comes with lots of challenges: swollen feet, morning sickness, the inability to engage in certain physical activities, and the fact that you’re literally growing another human being. That’s no easy task, and running a business on top of that physical stress makes it even harder.

 

Thankfully, in today’s day and age, women can often do both throughout the term of their pregnancies. Here are a few ways that might help:

 

Bring pregnancy into the conversation.

Often, talking about pregnancy and maternity is considered a no-no in a corporate setting. Women who are pregnant are not acknowledged as such; it’s just not as important in comparison to team-building exercises or the latest numbers in a report. However, given how taxing a pregnancy often is, even at its best, make pregnancy and maternity talk part of the conversation. Introduce the topic and don’t look back.

 

This will also help make it easier for colleagues who become pregnant in the future. Pregnancy doesn’t have to be and, more to the point, shouldn’t be a taboo.

 

Review parental leave policies thoroughly.

Start-ups, in particular, are not known for their generous time off for new mothers, but they are often known for wanting to implement considerate policies for both new mothers and fathers alike. If your company doesn’t have a formal policy in place yet because it’s so young, get those details squared away now rather than waiting until your third trimester.

 

Keep in mind the transition back to work, too, as new parents move back into the workforce. It’s an adjustment going from full-time parent to a full-time employee, and allowing for that period of time will only be to your benefit and your employees’.

 

Remind yourself that you can’t do everything.

No one likes doing this. We all want to be the one who can do it all, but the truth is, we can’t, and it’s better to recognize that now. Being pregnant will require flexibility in your expectations of yourself and of your work routine. Working twelve hours a day is a lot to ask, so be upfront and honest with your team about your limitations. Doing so will keep you healthier in the process because you will be taking care of yourself and your baby, rather than stressing yourself out trying to finish one last report. Prioritizing your daily tasks will make your life so much easier.

 

The bottom line: your body is going to need certain things to successfully grow a baby, and your job is to listen to it, especially if you’re running a business at the same time.

 

Disclaimer: As always, make sure to speak with your medical practitioner about the best practices for you.

Filed Under: New Moms, Pregnant, Safety Tagged With: , , , , ,
by on May 14, 2018

Top 3 Questions You’re Embarrassed to Ask Your OB-GYN

top-3-questions-embarassed-to-ask-ob-gyn-dr-lori-gore-green

For first-time and veteran mothers alike, pregnancy can bring up a variety of questions that might feel a little awkward asking out loud. The good news is that most women have had those same questions at some point and that there are answers from trained professionals.

 

Here are some questions about pregnancy you may have wanted to ask but felt too nervous to do so:

 

How Likely Is a Bowel Movement During Delivery?

This fear comes up frequently with new mothers, to the point where they can become so fixated on not having a bowel movement that it inhibits their ability to push.

 

It’s actually extremely common to have a bowel movement during labor, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. There’s a simple reason why it happens: the same muscles a woman uses to push a baby out of her uterus are the same ones she uses when having a bowel movement. With the added weight on her colon and rectum as the baby moves through the birth canal, it’s a very natural bodily reaction.

 

While it may seem embarrassing, keep in mind that childbirth is a very private affair. Doctors are not only undaunted by this, but generally expect it. They’re trained professionals and their primary concern is making sure the mother and baby are healthy throughout the entire pregnancy and delivery.

 

Will My Vagina Be Stretched After I Give Birth?

Not really. Believe it or not, vaginas have muscle memory. The vagina is also made to accommodate childbirth; in other words, it stretches during childbirth and then contracts to its normal size. If a woman wants to strengthen her pelvic floor muscles, there are Kegel exercises, though make sure to check with a doctor first before trying them.

 

Why Does Sex Hurt After Birth?

Having a baby is hard work! With childbirth comes natural trauma to the vaginal area, and it needs time to heal. It’s natural for the sex drive to decrease, given how exhausting caring for a newborn can be. On top of that, if mothers choose to breastfeed, that can change her hormone levels as well, particularly her estrogen levels. This can lead to problems with lubrication. One potential solution is to use a lubricant, as well as giving the body time to adjust postpartum.

 

If the pain continues to exist months after birth, however, it’s best to speak to a doctor to make sure there aren’t any lasting issues.

Filed Under: Dr. Lori Gore-Green, New Moms, OBGYN, Pregnant, Safety Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
by on July 20, 2015

Are Screens Hurting Your Baby?

dr lori gore green dentonIt’s undeniable that emerging technologies are changing virtually all facets of how we live. And childrearing is certainly included in theses sweeping changes. Parents are currently faced with a myriad of options when it comes to arming themselves with as much information about their children through using various tech gadgets to aid them in tending to their children. (See my earlier article on micro tech here). Overwhelmingly these advancements in changing technologies are solving all sorts of problems and opening up opportunities and possibilities across many fields that were unimaginable just one or two decades ago. However, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on the many ways in which certain uses of technologies effect children. For example, what does screen time do to our babies?

With the introduction of so many screened devices into our adult lives in such a relatively short amount of time, there haven’t been any significant longitudinal studies to better understand the effects of screen time on the development of children. In addition to being unaware of what the long-term effects may or may not be for babies, we also don’t know what factors might mitigate potential negative side effects.

As with all kinds of thorough research, time is a factor, and unfortunately these screened devices have not been widely available for very long. However, there are certain things that are known currently through research from the past, that can be extended to this arena when thinking about best practices and safety guidelines as they pertain to parenting and childrearing.

Screens are problematic in childhood development-especially for babies and toddlers when they displace interactions with people. In the first year of life, some of the most important interactions are those of the “serve and return” variety. Essentially a baby makes a noise, a parent responds in kind back, and it goes from there. Here a baby is learning the concept of a conversation, imitating sounds and observing that different facial expressions signify different things. This process can be extended to a number of other scenarios, and the practice requires repetition.

Although certain apps are interactive and educational, the American Academy of Pediatrics still suggests that children under the age of 2 not be exposed to screen-devices as the effects are not yet known.

While an interactive app may ultimately be more significant as a positive step in the development of a child than a distracted parent, we just do not have enough information to fully assess the effects of these devices. What we do know, is that the more meaningful and attentive interactions that a baby shares with other people, the better.

 

Filed Under: Dr. Lori Gore-Green, OBGYN, pediatrics, tech Tagged With: ,
by on May 4, 2015

Does Your Baby Need a Bluetooth Onesie?

Dr. Lori Gore-Green OBGYN

For about $200, parents can link up their infants with a bluetooth onesie or slipper to a monitor which notifies the parents of any changes in regulation. The purpose of the apparatus is to check breathing patterns, sleep patterns, and body movements keeping parents aware and in better contact with their infants, even while sleeping or in the room next door. Many new and stressed-out parents found reassurance in the directness and better response time. The appeal of always being connected, effortlessly, gave parents a peace of mind to carry on with their daily tasks, never more than a baby’s cry away. Others, however, are confused as to the essential benefits of having high-tech methods for infant-to-parent communication, viewing the piece as an unnecessary addition to a relatively uncomplicated process.

A little bit of science goes a long way to show no significant changes in the preventative care of a baby hooked up to bluetooth. While parents have a wider radius of distance they can travel away from the baby without feeling urgently needed, the technology fails to prove itself a deserving commodity. Much more likely, it is a slight scam for new parents worrying day in, day out about the health of their baby.

Dr. David King, writing for the British Medical Journal, retold a similar story with parents buying sleep apnea monitors for their babies. The investment in medical technology, per se, proved to be no protectant against the major concern for parents which is sudden infant death syndrome (which makes up about 80% of deaths in infants up to one year old.). The very nature of SIDS is that its etiology is unknown. Neonatologist Dr Retajczyk explains that the uneducated attempt to be more in tune with one’s baby can make parents worry obsessively over things they do not understand. He asks, “There’s a huge variation [in heart rate] in newborns…so if parents see these trends, does that become worrisome when in reality it’s quite normal?”

At this stage, only one leading company has pledged to conduct clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of its product. Parents and doctors alike should encourage companies with experimental products to further engage in scientific research that lends evidential support to their usage.

Filed Under: Dr. Lori Gore-Green, OBGYN Tagged With: , , , ,