the9months

The Breastfeeding Journal (https://www.theparentreview.com/nursing/breastfeeding/breastfeedingjournal.jsp?week=1&weekType=Infancy&parentID=85204493&hospitalID=54523908) has all the details that you need to start breastfeeding your little bundle of joy. Strongly recommended for all new moms!

Do it now, so there’s no last-minute scramble to fill a suitcase between contractions!

Your departure for the hospital or birthing center probably won’t be as frantic as Hollywood wants you to believe, but it’s still a good idea to be prepared. That means having your birth plan  finished and your Who to Call list right where your partner can find it. (You have created a birth plan and a Who to Call list, right?) That also means having a bag packed and ready to go several weeks in advance of your due date (yes, weeks — just in case your baby decides to make an unexpectedly early appearance). You certainly don’t want to do any last-minute scrambling worthy of a sitcom script (it won’t be nearly as funny if it happens in real life). (more…)

How to baby yourself (and your baby) when you’re bugged by a cold, flu, or other everyday illness

Sure, you probably knew you were signing on for morning sickness, indigestion, constipation, and even gas when you signed up for pregnancy. But what you might not have realized (that’s what you get for skipping the fine print!) is that pregnant women aren’t just susceptible to pregnancy symptoms. They’re also susceptible to every bug in the book, from colds to stomach viruses to flu. In fact, it may not seem fair (but c’mon — since when is anything about pregnancy fair), but as an expectant mom you can expect to succumb more easily to these nonpregnancy related illnesses than members of the nonpregnant population. That’s because, during pregnant, your immune system is suppressed during pregnancy in order to protect your fetus (an outsider) from being rejected by your body. (more…)

Found this favulous recipe at the What to Expect website (http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/eating-well/lemon-tarragon-chicken-salad.aspx?xid=nl_YourDailyNewsletterfromWhattoExpect_20091115). Thought we’d share it with our readers.

Serve over greens tonight, tucked into a sandwich tomorrow.

Good-bye deli. This chicken salad — tangy with lemon and yogurt, savory with mustard and tarragon, crunchy with omega-3-rich walnuts — definitely takes the lunchtime staple uptown. (more…)

Swollen feet and ankles may not be sexy, but it’s what most pregnant women are wearing in any given season. Do your legs look like tree trunks? During your third trimester, swollen feet and ankles may not be sexy, but it’s what most pregnant women are wearing in any given season (especially in summer). To reduce that puffy look — which gets puffier when you’re overheated, or when you’ve been sitting or standing for a long time — try to take a five-minute walk around your house or office at least once an hour. (more…)