Two Views on Kegels

There's been articles going around about kegel exercises and interestingly, I just had a conversation about kegels with my midwife today.

The best exercise you can do postpartum is not exactly kegels, but an exercise where you pull your belly button inward towards your spine. This is supposed to be done 500 times a day and can be broken up to not overdo it all at once. The motion is done quickly without a need to hold the position for any length of time. It can be done standing or lying down. It's basically just "sucking in your stomach". This has the benefit of also working your pelvic floor muscles and it helps bring back together the abdominal muscles that stretch during pregnancy.

Read both articles on the subject for yourself:

http://breakingmuscle.com/womens-fitness/stop-doing-kegels-real-pelvic-floor-advice-women-and-men

http://femfusionfitness.com/2012/09/kegels-are-not-bad/

Breastfeeding May Slash Alzheimer Risk

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/breastfeeding-alzheimers_n_3713643.html

Yet another reason to breastfeed... research is finding that breastfeeding may lower the risk of Alzheimer's!

Breastfeeding Lowers HIV Risk

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Breast+feeding+lowers+HIV+risk/-/688334/1934556/-/qgme0t/-/index.html

This is an interesting article about breastfeeding.

New Blood Test May Be Able to Predict Postpartum Depression

Researchers say that a blood test may soon identify which pregnant women are at highest risk of developing postpartum depression, so they can seek treatment that could control their symptoms.

"Up to 20% of new mothers may experience feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and sadness after giving birth, but doctors don’t have a reliable way of predicting which expectant moms are most vulnerable. While those with a history of mood disorders may have a slightly higher risk of feeling postpartum depression, in most cases there are few signs that foretell which women will develop the disorder in the weeks and months after they deliver.

But in a small study of 52 pregnant women described in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found changes in certain genes, which they could pick up in the blood, that distinguished women who went on to suffer from postpartum from those who did not. The genetic changes were epigenetic modifications, which means they were not permanent alterations in the women’s genomes but instead reflected differences in the way these genes were activated."

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/21/first-genetic-markers-that-predict-postpartum-depression/#ixzz2UKVczHZq

Where Do Kids Get Their Awesomeness?

Could the MTHFR Gene Mutation Be Affecting Your Fertility?

Find out if the MTHFR gene mutation could be affecting your fertility or pregnancy. Read this article...

http://www.bellybelly.com.au/pregnancy/mthfr-is-the-mthfr-gene-mutation-affecting-your-pregnancy#.UaD63bWURlk

Beautiful Twin Homebirth

I loved this birth story of twins born at home, the second baby being born in the caul. Read with tissues nearby.

http://texasbirthcenter.com/news/our-twin-birth-deciding-on-a-birth-place-and-the-voice-of-love/

And to see more pictures of the birth: http://www.photosbylei.com/birth-photography-2/twins-and-in-the-caul-birth-austin-birth-photographer.

Hormones of Labor Flow Chart

Your Body Can Give Birh

Underwater Birth Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTXN6zdfJDg&feature=c4-overview&list=UU2FXM-i1h8OrZOvp-OAOPfg&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWTXN6zdfJDg%26feature%3Dc4-overview%26list%3DUU2FXM-i1h8OrZOvp-OAOPfg&has_verified=1


This is an amazing video of a baby being born underwater. Enjoy!

Pregnancy and Birth Etiquette

http://www.mothering.com/community/a/pregnancy-and-birth-etiquette-in-the-internet-age

Alicia Silverstone Launching Breast Milk Sharing Website

http://thekindlife.com/blog/post/kind-mama-milk-share

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/alicia-silverstone-breast-milk-share-article-1.1387340

Alicia Silverstone has more recently been noticed for some of her alternative parenting styles such as feeding her son pre-chewed food. She has recently launched a breastmilk sharing website (links above). Consider researching more about donating your breastmilk if you have extra to spare.

Women Fined For Screaming During Childbirth

Did you know that in Zimbabwe women can be fined for screaming during childbirth?! Having recently given birth myself, my first birth in which I actually did need to scream, I find this quite disturbing. I can assure that if a woman screams during childbirth, it is out of the utmost necessity. I screamed as I pushed my baby out, not because of pain, but because I needed every ounce of that strength and passion to get that baby out of my body. There's nothing wrong with screaming if that's what does the trick. And of course, all births are different, I did not scream with wither of my previous births.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/zimbabwe-childbirth-fines-screaming_n_3581648.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D343429

Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy? You Don't Have to Suffer

http://www.athletico.com/2012/02/08/pelvic-pain-during-pregnancy-what-is-symphysis-pubic-dysfunction/

If you are experiencing pelvic pain during your pregnancy, don't just choose to live with it! There are things you can do to alleviate your discomfort, so take action.

13 lb 4 oz Baby Born Vaginally

More proof that women's bodies are made to give birth. A 13 lb 4 oz baby was born vaginally to a mother in Germany.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2381280/Jasleen-giant-baby-Mother-gives-birth-girl-weighing-13lb4oz-WITHOUT-C-section.html

Breastfed Children More Intelligent

A new seven year study found a definitive link between breastfeeding and intelligence. It's true that breastfed children are more intelligent than their formula fed counterparts. For each month breastfed, an average of 1/3 of a percentage point for I.Q. was found to be higher. You can read the full report here:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/free/20130729breastfeeding-study-kids-smarter.html.

Hospital Accidentally Uses Placenta In Their Spaghetti

http://gomerblog.com/2013/06/placenta-accidentally-sent-to-hospital-cafeteria/

This story is bizarre, but since this blog is to report on all things placenta, here's an article on how a hospital got placenta mixed up with a meat shipment and ended up cooking and serving the placenta to guests in the hospital cafeteria. Not only were the guests not upset about consuming placenta, but they were upset that it tasted so good! You'll have to read it to believe it.

If You've Ever Pumped