Maternity.net

Maternity news, pregnancy essays, product reviews and motherhood community

Featured Articles

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to the wonderful moms everywhere! It’s not an easy job, but it’s the most important and rewarding job you’ll ever have! Enjoy these special quotes about mothers from QuoteGarden. Woman in the home has not yet lost her dignity, in spite of Mother’s Day, with its offensive implication that our love needs… [Continue Reading]

Dear TIME: Are you LAME enough?

The new TIME cover, featuring a beautiful blond woman standing upright and breastfeeding her almost-4-year-old son, is creating waves already. Personally, I’m tired of the whole conversation already. And not interested in reading the actual article. And a great fan of Dr. Sears and attachment parenting, for the record. What I did enjoy, however, are… [Continue Reading]

Eating Salmon is Good for Pregnant Women & their Babies

A healthy diet is important for everyone, but even more crucial during pregnancy. Fish is a great choice, and here’s another good reason to add it to your menu: Eating two servings of salmon a week during pregnancy is beneficial both for the mother and child, according to University of Granada researchers (Medical News Today).… [Continue Reading]

Photo Books: The Books Your Baby Will Love Forever

From when I was a kid until now, one of my favorite activities is looking through old family photo albums. Seeing the familiar faces of family and friends, remembering the good times we shared, and laughing over the silly photos we couldn’t bear to throw away (remember a time before digital cameras?!)… it’s a surefire… [Continue Reading]

Maternity Fashions for Spring Under $30!

Easing the Back-to-School Butterflies

By

In some families, it’s hard to say who’s more nervous about the first day of school– the kids or the parents!  New beginnings are exciting but kids and their parents may also feel apprehensive, especially if your child is attending a new school. You know that these jitters will pass, but doing a little advanced preparation will help put everyone at ease. These 10 tips from Hitched will help make the first day of school easier.

1. Scout it out. Before school starts, take a walk or drive by the school and let your child see the route you both will be traveling each morning and afternoon. Point out the school office, the library and any other areas of the school that you can see from the street. Try guessing which classroom your child may be in and talk about what he or she may be learning this upcoming school year.

2. Start a trend of going to bed earlier every day of the week. It will be easier to fall asleep the night before the first day of school if your child has already established a habit of an earlier bedtime.

3. Visit the school website. Spend some time with your child reviewing the cafeteria menu, supply list, teacher roster and anything and everything else that may catch your child’s attention.

4. Make friends. If your child will be new to the school, call the school office a few weeks ahead and request a phone call or visit from a host family. Invite the family over for a casual dinner or dessert so your child will know a familiar face before the first day of school.

5. Don’t skip the open house. Attending this informative event is essential in order to learn what will be expected from you as parents, as well as your child, this upcoming year.

6. Get your child’s school clothes ready a week prior to the first day of school. Whether your child wears a uniform or regular clothing, have their clothes clean, ironed and ready to go. Every second counts on such a hectic morning.

7. No loitering on the first day. Walk your child to the door, help them locate their desk and lunch cubby, kiss them on the cheek and say goodbye. Avoid the urge to circle back and peer through the window to see how your child is doing. It makes it much harder on your child to say goodbye the second time around.

8. Help your child find the restroom. It’s important for a child to know where key locations are and the bathroom is top on this list.

9. Make a special breakfast. Plan a special “First Day of School” menu with your child and offer a selection of healthy choices. Set the table the night before and sit down together to eat breakfast. Attempting to slow down the pace on a busy morning will relax your child and give them time to ask you questions or discuss fears.

10. Assure your child that everyone gets a little nervous on the first day of school. Talk about what other children are probably feeling and how the feeling will pass very soon. Remind them that you will see them in the afternoon and how you will look forward to hearing all about their day.

For more great advice on life, family, kids and marriage, visit Hitched.

Diane Gottsman, a nationally recognized etiquette expert, is the owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in etiquette training for corporations, universities and individuals, striving to polish their interpersonal skills. You can reach Diane at 877-490-1077 or www.protocolschooloftexas.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @: www.twitter.com/DianeGottsman.

feature photo from Your New Favorite Song

Breathing Strategies for Easier Birthing

By

Any birthing coach or Lamaze instructor will tell you that proper breathing is key to a positive birthing experience. Patterned breathing can help you stay calm and relaxed, and is helpful for pain management.
According to American Pregnancy, here are some important benefits of patterned breathing during labor:
  • Breathing becomes an automatic response to pain
  • Mom remains in a more relaxed state and will respond more positively to pain
  • The steady rhythm of breathing is calming during labor
  • Provides a sense of well being and a measure of control
  • Provides more oxygen, which provides more strength and energy for mother and baby
  • Brings purpose to each contraction, making them more productive
  • Patterned breathing and relaxation become habits for life’s every day stressors.

In order to help you breath naturally during labor, here are 9 Breathing Strategies from Dr. Sears:

1. Breathe naturally between contractions, as you do when you are falling asleep.

2. When a contraction begins, inhale deeply and slowly through your nose, and then slowly exhale through your mouth in a long, steady stream. As you breathe out, let your facial muscles relax and your limbs go limp as you imagine the tension leaving your body. Think of this exhalation as a long sigh of release.

3. As the contraction peaks, remind yourself to continue breathing at a relaxed, comfortable rate.

4. Ask your partner to remind you to slow down if you start breathing too fast in response to an intense contraction. Have him take slow, relaxed breaths along with you.

5. If you still find yourself breathing too fast, stop for a minute and take a deep breath, followed by a long, drawn-out blow, as if you are blowing off steam. Do this periodically to remind yourself to slow down.

6. Partners should watch the mother’s breathing patterns for cues as to how she is coping. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing shows that she is handling her contractions well. Fast, spasmodic breathing communicates tension and anxiety. Use massage, model proper breathing, or suggest a change of position.

7. Don’t pant. Panting is not natural for humans. (Dogs and cats in labor pant because they don’t sweat. It’s their way of releasing body heat. ) Panting not only exhausts you, it lessens your oxygen intake and may lead to hyperventilation.

8. Don’t hyperventilate. Breathing too fast and too heavily blows off too much carbon dioxide, causing you to feel light-headed and have tingling sensations in your fingers, toes, and face. Some women tend to hyperventilate during the height of intense contractions and need caring reminders to relax their breathing. If you start to hyperventilate, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, as slowly as you can.

9. Don’t hold your breath. Even during the strain of pushing, the blue in the face, blood-vessel-popping breath holding you see in movies is not only exhausting, but deprives you and your baby of much-needed oxygen.

Image from medicine world.org

F1

F2

F3

After Content Ad