Your Pregnancy: Week 37

Your Baby

At over 18 inches long, your baby is doing well. He's learning what it's like to breathe, inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid to perfect his skills. He can also suck his thumb, turn his head, swallow, blink, and grasp.

Your Body

You're ready to get this show on the road: Sleep is elusive, the extra weight is slowing you down, and when you walk it feels as if the baby is about to drop out (don't worry -- he won't). As the due date approaches, your doctor or midwife will check to see if your cervix has begun to thin out and dilate. She'll also want to know how far the baby has descended. Although childbirth may go the way you envisioned, it's possible it may not work out as planned. You may end up wanting medication you swore you wouldn't ask for, or needing a last-minute cesarean section. Prepare yourself for a possible change in plans, and know that whatever happens, your baby's birth will be one of your most treasured memories.

Do's and Don'ts

Ask your health care provider how you can tell labor has truly begun and when you should call her. If you have any unanswered questions, such as when she'll get there and what will happen if she's not on call, now's the time to clarify those details.

Health

MRI scans of pregnant women show that brain size actually shrinks in the third trimester which may explain why you're sometimes so forgetful. Thankfully, it plumps back up a few months after birth. No one knows just what turns your mind to mush, but sleep deprivation may have something to do with it. To compensate, jot everything down (including your daily tasks) and leave written reminders everywhere.

Mom to Mom

"Purchase a doughnut cushion ahead of time. It's good for episiotomy incisions and for the hemorrhoids that can appear both during pregnancy and as a result of childbirth."--Rose Petra, Santa Monica, CA

Shopping

You'll need a car seat to bring your baby home from the hospital or birthing center, so if you didn't receive one at your shower, go buy it as soon as possible. You'll want to know how to get the baby in and out of it easily and how to install it in the backseat of your car so it's ready when the time comes.

Exercise

You deserve a reward for sticking to a fitness regimen throughout your pregnancy, especially well into the third trimester. After putting in your time at the gym this week, reward yourself with a movie or a good book. Or skip it altogether and pamper yourself with a manicure or a massage.

Relationships

Make the wait more bearable with a little pampering and time with friends. Invite your best pal to join you for a pedicure, or sneak off to a day spa together. Use the hours to catch up and make plans for after you give birth.

Siblings

Set up playdates for your older child now so she'll have lots to do during the first few weeks when you're busy with the baby.

Twins

While it may be tempting to keep costs down by buying just one crib for your twins to share, consider buying two. Experts say having them both sleeping in the same bed could elevate the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).



source: http://www.parenting.com/article/your-pregnancy-week-37

Your Pregnancy: Week 18

Your Baby

Your baby's about eight inches long and weighs a little more than five ounces. Although she's enveloped by the familiar sound of your beating heart and rushing blood, she's conscious of noises from the outside world, too.

 They filter through the bones forming in her ear and to her developing brain. Her sense of sight is evolving as well; the retinas are more sensitive to light, and if you bask under a hot sun, she'll perceive a red glow. Other skills she's showing off: yawning, swallowing, sucking, hiccuping, and making faces.

Your Body

Now comparable in size to a cantaloupe, your uterus lies just south of your navel. As it grows and shifts your center of gravity, you may feel slightly off balance. The hormone relaxin also loosens your joints, which can tweak your posture and take a toll on your lower back.

Do's and Don'ts

Don't be alarmed if you feel sharp pains running from the top of your uterus down to your pubic bone. Ligaments are stretching to support the growing weight of your womb. The feeling will pass if you lie on your side with a pillow supporting your belly. 

Health

Cook seafood thoroughly to zap parasites or bacteria that could compromise your growing baby's health, and stay away from raw fish like sushi or oysters on the half shell. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish are off-limits for now, since they've been found to have high levels of methyl mercury that could hamper brain development. Experts also suggest you limit canned Albacore tuna to six ounces per week.

Mom to Mom

"With my first child, I stopped working two weeks before she was due. But that whole time, all I did was worry and wait--and then she was two weeks late. When I was expecting my second and third, I worked until the day I delivered."--Stephanie Adams, Lexington, KY

Shopping

You may be able to hold off on buying maternity clothes for a few more weeks by borrowing from your partner's closet. Oversize T-shirts, shirts, sweaters, and drawstring shorts may give you more breathing room than anything in your own wardrobe. 

Exercise

If you aren't already working out, it isn't too late to start. Exercise will pep you up, curb stress, and tone your abdominal muscles. Check first with your doctor or midwife before you hit the gym, though. Low-impact activities that are easy on the joints, such as walking, swimming, and prenatal yoga, may be your best bet.

Relationships

Don't let financial fears drive a wedge between you and your partner. Having a baby can stress your budget, but if you strategize now for the future, you'll feel much more secure and can start working toward your goals together.

Siblings

Does your family know kids who are big sisters or big brothers? Encourage them to talk with your child about what it's like to have a younger sibling. If you're an older sister yourself, share your own stories about growing up with a baby around. 

Twins

Know what to expect by reading books like The Parents' Guide to Raising Twins by Elizabeth Friedrich and Cherry Rowland and Raising Twins by Eileen M. Pearlman and Jill Alison Ganon. Check bookstores and online for other titles. 



source: http://www.parenting.com/article/your-pregnancy-week-18

Your Pregnancy: Week 6

Your Baby

The embryo measures a little less than one-fifth of an inch long and looks more like a tadpole than a human. The forebrain forms a hollow stalk on either side and develops small cups -- the base of each will become an eyeball. Inside the cup, skin cells will turn into a lens and cornea. 

The heart, no bigger than a poppy seed, is beating now, and primitive red blood cells circulate through the fetus and chorionic villi. The neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord, closes at this time. One end of the tube forms the brain, the other the spinal cord.

Your Body

No one would know you're pregnant just by looking at you, but you're definitely aware of it, thanks to early symptoms, such as tender breasts and nipples, constant fatigue, and frequent bathroom trips. You may even find that you leak a little urine when you cough. This is due to the growing uterus pressing on the bladder. Stay close to the bathroom, wear lightweight sanitary pads, and improve muscle control by doing Kegel exercises (squeezing and releasing the vaginal muscles 10 to 20 times in a row) several times a day

Do's and Don'ts

Do check in with your obstetrician early and regularly to learn how best to take care of yourself during pregnancy. Women who receive early and consistent prenatal care are statistically more likely to give birth to bigger, healthier babies.

Health

Aside from giving up bad habits--cigarettes, alcohol, drugs--you'll also need to guard against infection. For starters, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, try to steer clear of people who aren't feeling well, and let your partner clean out the kitty litter, bird cage, or fish tank. Cook meat, fish, poultry, and eggs until they are well done--and pass on unpasteurized dairy products and juice.

Mom to Mom

Feeling close to your partner? Show him he's special. "I send my husband notes on his pager or call to say I'm looking forward to our evening together. It doesn't take a lot of effort, but I know it's in the back of his mind all day." - Suzanne Dannenmueller, a mother of two, Paducah, KY

Send your own experiences and tips to our editors. Answer one of our questions of the month and your quote may be published in Parenting, Babytalk, or Babytalk Mom-to-Be magazine.

Shopping

Expect your cups to run over a few sizes during pregnancy. A maternity bra will fit you best, but a bra extender--a piece of fabric that hooks onto your bra to lengthen the rib size--will let you get a few more months out of your regular bras. You can buy bra extenders at a fabric store for a few dollars. 

Exercise

If your health care provider has given you the green light to exercise, take advantage of it. Staying active will help you weather the physical changes pregnancy brings, fight fatigue more effectively, and motivate you to eat more nutritiously. It'll also help regulate your roller-coaster emotions, thanks to the feel-good proteins, called endorphins, produced by the pituitary gland. 

Relationships

Ask your partner to take pictures of you in profile each month. Once the baby's born, these photographs showing your belly's progression will be precious reminders of this exciting time.

Siblings

Although you may be tempted to tell your firstborn that a new baby is on the way, experts say it's a good idea to hold off until you're really showing, especially if your child's less than 3 years old. For a child under 2 1/2, wait to break the news until the last trimester, when you are plainly pregnant. 

Twins

Some baby gear that offers convenience for singletons diminishes in usefulness when you have twins. For instance, the infant car seats that double as carriers are too burdensome when you have two babies. Talk to other moms of twins to find out the best gear for multiples. 



source:http://www.parenting.com/article/your-pregnancy-week-6

Napping from A to Zzzz

Naptime at our house used to be a recurring mystery: When would Lucy go down today? I'd be on the lookout for clues and remain suspicious through dim lights, books and droopy eyelids. When I could no longer stand the suspense, I'd plop her in her car seat, where she'd anticlimactically drift off like it was no big deal. 

I knew Lucy should be napping in her crib, but she hated to, so I was willing to do whatever worked. Thank-fully, sleep experts say this isn't all that bad. "There's no one way to get your baby to nap, so you have to try lots of different things," says Mary Ann LoFrumento, M.D., a pediatrician in Morristown, New Jersey, and the author of Simply Parenting. If you've ever experienced naptime drama, read on for mom and expert help.

"How can I get my baby on a nap schedule without being housebound?"

"A nap schedule isn't a rigid, inflexible plan," says Kim West, a clinical social worker and the author of Good Night, Sleep Tight. It's just a framework based on when your baby gets tired during the day. Generally, infants between 4 and 15 months nap for one to two hours in the morning about two hours after waking up, and again in the afternoon for one to two hours. Some babies also take a late-afternoon nap, which most drop by 9 months.

Sounds doable, until you remember you need to run an errand or meet a friend. "Parents often feel chained to their house by their child's nap schedule," says West. But if you plan ahead, you can get beyond your driveway. "I'd pack my daughters' food to take along so that we could run out during their awake windows. If I didn't, then the hours would quickly fill up with meals and diaper changes before we could leave the house."

"My baby fights her afternoon nap—it ends up being such a struggle. Help!"

In the wise words of my friend Samantha's pediatrician, "When your child needs to sleep, she will." Some babies, like Samantha's daughter, Ava, thrive without much daytime sleep—sometimes to their moms' dismay. "Other infants need help learning to nap because it's not as natural even at this young age to sleep during the day," says West.

How can you help your baby take a break? Dim the lights, read a book and do a short variation of what you do at bedtime. "I always play the same Calm Baby CD to help my twins wind down for naptime," says Tanya Ceccarelli, mother of Nadia and Sofia in Dobbs Ferry, New York. A snack can also do the trick, say some moms. "Since eliminating breastfeeding before my daughter's naps, we've replaced it with a snack, usually yogurt, so that she can rest on a full tummy," says Pam Wells of Great Falls, Montana. And even though most sleep experts say to put your baby down "drowsy but awake" (yeah, right), I'd give Lucy a bottle, sometimes just filled with water, to help her relax.

A baby between 15 and 18 months (sometimes younger) who routinely resists napping could be ready to move to one nap. Gradually start the "morning" nap later, so that it begins around 12:30 p.m., says West. Ideally, your baby will move to a single nap that lasts for two hours or more and then have enough energy to make it until bedtime.

"Should I be concerned that my baby's naps last only 45 minutes?"

"There's nothing unhealthy about a catnapper," says Dr. LoFrumento. If your child sleeps through the night and seems rested in the day from two to three 45-minute naps, then leave her pattern alone, says West. But if your baby is irritable during the day, you might want to try lengthening her nap. To do that, when she wakes up, try to soothe her instead of taking her out of her crib—pat her, make shushing sounds, or put her pacifier back in if she uses one.

"Driving to help my baby nap is such a lifesaver. Can I keep doing it?"

Yes, but experts recommend not making it a daily habit. Motion sleep, whether it's in a car, swing or stroller, isn't as restorative as crib sleep because it doesn't allow for as deep a slumber, says West. But a car nap beats no nap.

"If my two babies wouldn't sleep, I'd take them for a ride," says Jody Wallace from Claremore, Oklahoma. "I'd get my drive-through errands done, and afterward I'd gingerly take both girls out of the car and put them into bed at home." If your baby doesn't stay asleep when you transfer her from car seat to crib—"I think it's a gene that babies are born with or without," jokes West—then try to keep driving, or park at home and pull out a magazine, so that your baby gets at least a 45-minute nap. "Anything less isn't enough to fill up your baby's sleep tank," West says.

"How am I supposed to know when my baby's ready for a nap?"

It can be hard to recognize your baby's cues. The nap window—from when she first rubs her eyes to when she must be asleep—is often 30 minutes or less, says Dr. LoFrumento. "As soon as you see eye rubbing, yawning or fussiness, those are signs that you should start preparing your baby for a nap," says Judy Owens, M.D., director of the Pediatric Sleep Disorder Clinic at the Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Still not sure if your baby's ready? Act sooner rather than later, says Dr. Owens. "If you wait too long, your baby might get a second wind and then be too alert or too irritated to sleep."

"It's 5 p.m. and my baby just dozed off. Is this too late for a nap?"

"I wouldn't wake a baby from a nap, even one this late, because his body knows what he needs," says Dr. Owens. Bedtime may need to be pushed back that night so that your baby has enough time to get tired again. If this happens only occasionally, nothing needs to be done. But if your baby is regularly sleeping through dinnertime, you may need to start his day earlier. For instance, wake him no later than 7 a.m., so that he naps earlier in the day.

"My baby likes to nap in her bouncy seat instead of her crib. Is this okay?"

Technically, experts say, the crib is better because your baby will learn to associate sleep—whether it's bedtime or naptime—with this one place. That said, if your baby naps better in another safe spot, like her rear-facing car seat, that's fine as long as she doesn't have trouble sleeping through the night in her crib. "There's no good evidence to show that there's something intrinsically different between sleeping in a bouncy seat and a crib," Dr. Owens says. The way I see it, whether Lucy was napping in her car seat or her crib, I had a sleeping baby. That meant I'd have some time to myself and a happy, rested daughter when she woke up. That's success enough for me.



source: http://www.parenting.com/article/how-to-get-baby-regular-nap-routine

Baby Napping Basics

From catnappers to crib-revolters, how to get your baby down

Naptime at our house used to be a recurring mystery: When would Lucy go down today? I'd be on the lookout for clues and remain suspicious through dim lights, books and droopy eyelids. When I could no longer stand the suspense, I'd plop her in her car seat, where she'd anticlimactically drift off like it was no big deal. I knew Lucy should be napping in her crib, but she hated to, so I was willing to do whatever worked. Thank-fully, sleep experts say this isn't all that bad. "There's no one way to get your baby to nap, so you have to try lots of different things," says Mary Ann LoFrumento, M.D., a pediatrician in Morristown, New Jersey, and the author of Simply Parenting. If you've ever experienced naptime drama, read on for mom and expert help.

"How can I get my baby on a nap schedule without being housebound?"

"A nap schedule isn't a rigid, inflexible plan," says Kim West, a clinical social worker and the author of Good Night, Sleep Tight. It's just a framework based on when your baby gets tired during the day. Generally, infants between 4 and 15 months nap for one to two hours in the morning about two hours after waking up, and again in the afternoon for one to two hours. Some babies also take a late-afternoon nap, which most drop by 9 months.

Sounds doable, until you remember you need to run an errand or meet a friend. "Parents often feel chained to their house by their child's nap schedule," says West. But if you plan ahead, you can get beyond your driveway. "I'd pack my daughters' food to take along so that we could run out during their awake windows. If I didn't, then the hours would quickly fill up with meals and diaper changes before we could leave the house."

"My baby fights her afternoon nap—it ends up being such a struggle. Help!"

In the wise words of my friend Samantha's pediatrician, "When your child needs to sleep, she will." Some babies, like Samantha's daughter, Ava, thrive without much daytime sleep—sometimes to their moms' dismay. "Other infants need help learning to nap because it's not as natural even at this young age to sleep during the day," says West.

How can you help your baby take a break? Dim the lights, read a book and do a short variation of what you do at bedtime. "I always play the same Calm Baby CD to help my twins wind down for naptime," says Tanya Ceccarelli, mother of Nadia and Sofia in Dobbs Ferry, New York. A snack can also do the trick, say some moms. "Since eliminating breastfeeding before my daughter's naps, we've replaced it with a snack, usually yogurt, so that she can rest on a full tummy," says Pam Wells of Great Falls, Montana. And even though most sleep experts say to put your baby down "drowsy but awake" (yeah, right), I'd give Lucy a bottle, sometimes just filled with water, to help her relax.

A baby between 15 and 18 months (sometimes younger) who routinely resists napping could be ready to move to one nap. Gradually start the "morning" nap later, so that it begins around 12:30 p.m., says West. Ideally, your baby will move to a single nap that lasts for two hours or more and then have enough energy to make it until bedtime.

"Should I be concerned that my baby's naps last only 45 minutes?"

"There's nothing unhealthy about a catnapper," says Dr. LoFrumento. If your child sleeps through the night and seems rested in the day from two to three 45-minute naps, then leave her pattern alone, says West. But if your baby is irritable during the day, you might want to try lengthening her nap. To do that, when she wakes up, try to soothe her instead of taking her out of her crib—pat her, make shushing sounds, or put her pacifier back in if she uses one.

"Driving to help my baby nap is such a lifesaver. Can I keep doing it?"

Yes, but experts recommend not making it a daily habit. Motion sleep, whether it's in a car, swing or stroller, isn't as restorative as crib sleep because it doesn't allow for as deep a slumber, says West. But a car nap beats no nap.

"If my two babies wouldn't sleep, I'd take them for a ride," says Jody Wallace from Claremore, Oklahoma. "I'd get my drive-through errands done, and afterward I'd gingerly take both girls out of the car and put them into bed at home." If your baby doesn't stay asleep when you transfer her from car seat to crib—"I think it's a gene that babies are born with or without," jokes West—then try to keep driving, or park at home and pull out a magazine, so that your baby gets at least a 45-minute nap. "Anything less isn't enough to fill up your baby's sleep tank," West says.

"How am I supposed to know when my baby's ready for a nap?"

It can be hard to recognize your baby's cues. The nap window—from when she first rubs her eyes to when she must be asleep—is often 30 minutes or less, says Dr. LoFrumento. "As soon as you see eye rubbing, yawning or fussiness, those are signs that you should start preparing your baby for a nap," says Judy Owens, M.D., director of the Pediatric Sleep Disorder Clinic at the Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Still not sure if your baby's ready? Act sooner rather than later, says Dr. Owens. "If you wait too long, your baby might get a second wind and then be too alert or too irritated to sleep."

"It's 5 p.m. and my baby just dozed off. Is this too late for a nap?"

"I wouldn't wake a baby from a nap, even one this late, because his body knows what he needs," says Dr. Owens. Bedtime may need to be pushed back that night so that your baby has enough time to get tired again. If this happens only occasionally, nothing needs to be done. But if your baby is regularly sleeping through dinnertime, you may need to start his day earlier. For instance, wake him no later than 7 a.m., so that he naps earlier in the day.

"My baby likes to nap in her bouncy seat instead of her crib. Is this okay?"

Technically, experts say, the crib is better because your baby will learn to associate sleep—whether it's bedtime or naptime—with this one place. That said, if your baby naps better in another safe spot, like her rear-facing car seat, that's fine as long as she doesn't have trouble sleeping through the night in her crib. "There's no good evidence to show that there's something intrinsically different between sleeping in a bouncy seat and a crib," Dr. Owens says. The way I see it, whether Lucy was napping in her car seat or her crib, I had a sleeping baby. That meant I'd have some time to myself and a happy, rested daughter when she woke up. That's success enough for me.




source: http://www.parenting.com/article/baby-napping-basics

Conjoined Twins Who Were Attached at Pelvis Are Successfully Separated

"Since they were born, I have been waiting anxiously for them to be separated because I want to hold them separately in my arms and hold them close," says mom of conjoined twins.

The Short of It

Doctors have successfully separated conjoined twins who were born attached below the waist at the pelvis.

The Lowdown

A 12-hour operation has given 11-month-old sisters Ximena and Scarlett Hernandez-Torres a new lease on life. The girls were born connected and shared a colon and bladder. They also have a triplet, Catalina, who was not conjoined and was born with no health complications. There is only a one in 50 million chance that conjoined twins are born in a set of triplets.

The girls' mother Silvia Hernandez, who found out two of her triplets were conjoined three months into her pregnancy, told CBS that she, Catalina and her oldest child, 3-year-old son Raul, have been living in a nearby Ronald McDonald House since the girls were born and waiting for the surgery has been difficult.

"Since they were born, I have been waiting anxiously for them to be separated because I want to hold them separately in my arms and hold them close," she said. "But the closer the surgery day is getting, I don't want it to happen. But, of course, I want it to happen so they can have a normal life."

The girls, who have never been out of the hospital, were baptized Saturday in their room in preparation for the surgery. "Just in case something happens like that, their soul can already be with God, before something bad happens," their father Raul Torres told NBC News.

Thankfully, everything went as planned: "We are so pleased that this complicated procedure went smoothly. The success of such a rare and challenging operation like this depends on having a skilled team of professionals working together, and I thank our great personnel for their hard work," pediatric surgeon, Dr. Haroon Patel, said in a statement.



Their separation, which took place at the Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, required high-tech medical devices, such as a special scanner called a "spy camera" to monitor the complicated blood flow between the girls. The diverse team of medical professionals, including a urologist and plastic surgeon, trained for months prior to the surgery by using a 3-D model from a specialized MRI to map out the procedure.

How the girls were connected made the surgery especially complicated, as Patel explained: "This arrangement is fairly rare, in only about 6 percent of conjoined twins. The last time something was published like this in the U.S. was 1966."



The Upshot

The girls' mother hopes they will one day be able to walk. But for now, she is enjoying seeing their individual personalities forming: "Scarlett likes to dance, sing, and she smiles a lot. Ximena is most of the time sleeping, but she smiles a lot."

The girls will require additional surgeries as they grow up, but their outlook for living a healthy life is good.



source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/conjoined-twins-who-were-attached-pelvis-are-successfully-separated

Yes, These Beautiful Young Ladies Are Twins!

UK twins have a half-Jamaican mother and a Caucasian father, and they each took after one parent

The Short of It

Even though one of the definitions for the word "twin" is "closely resembling each other," the truth is that fraternal, or non-identical, twins are far more common than identical twins. Fraternal twins can differ from each other in every possible way, especially if they have parents from two different races. That's what happened to UK twins, Lucy and Maria Aylmer.

The Lowdown

In 1997, Donna Aylmer of Gloucester gave birth to twin girls, Lucy and Maria. Donna is half-Jamaican, and the girls' father, Vince, is Caucasian. Lucy says their mother was shocked when she was presented with one twin with straight ginger hair, a fair complexion and blue eyes and the other twin with black curls, far darker skin and brown eyes. The girls are the complete physical opposites of each other—two perfectly healthy babies that looked absolutely nothing alike.

"It was such a shock for her because things like skin colour don't show up on scans before birth. So she had no idea that we were so different. When the midwife handed us both to her, she was just speechless," Lucy told the UK's Daily Mail.

The twins have three older siblings, and they all have skin coloring lighter than Maria but darker than Lucy. The twins even have completely different personalities: Lucy is a shy artist, and Maria is an outgoing law student. Lucy says most people don't believe them when they say they're twins, and swapping identities to play jokes on teachers and classmates was never an option for them when they were growing up.

The Upshot

How does this happen? Well, non-identical twins come from two separate eggs, so they inherit different genes. Donna, the girls' mother, is half-Jamaican and carries genes for both white and black skin. So, one twin inherited the gene for white skin while the other inherited the gene for black skin.



source: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/yes-these-beautiful-young-ladies-are-twins