the9months

Baby’s first days: basic care

Once your baby is born, we will prepare you for what you need to know before you leave the hospital. You will learn how to feed, burp, hold, diaper, bathe, and swaddle your baby and how to keep the umbilical cord clean and dry until it falls off. You already know that your baby must always be in the right size car seat, but you should also know that your baby must never be left in the car while you do an errand, particularly because of the risk of heat stroke. In a recent study, researchers found that even when the day was a comfortable 72 degrees and the windows were cracked open eight inches, the temperature inside the car can increase 40 degrees, with most of that increase occurring in the first 15 to 30 minutes. Read the rest of this entry »

Catching your breath

You’re nearly there now; just a few more weeks and your baby will be in your arms. Is it all moving so fast that you feel out of breath? Actually, your uterus has grown so high now that your lungs have less room to expand. You may be short of breath from time to time until your baby’s head moves down into your pelvis just before birth. If you feel short of breath, try moving a little more slowly, so your heart and lungs don’t have to work so hard. Sleeping with your head, shoulders, and chest raised up will reduce heartburn and also help you to draw fuller breaths. Read the rest of this entry »

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. Read the rest of this entry »

This is a yummy pasta recipe. Enjoy it!

Ingredients

4 to 5 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 large bunch)
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 2/3 cups whipping cream
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 lb penne or mostaccioli, freshly cooked Read the rest of this entry »

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. Read the rest of this entry »