Pregnancy, Labor & Delivery

I am thrilled at finding this board...even if it isn't busy 'over here'...anyone else expecting their first 'soon'? I'd love to commiserate locally.

I'm pregnant with my second baby which is 100% different from my pregnancy with my daughter. I am getting headaches every couple days and there is nothing I can do to get rid of them. The one I had today made me throw up I was in so much pain. Does anyone have some miraculous cures that helped them when they were pregnant?

For all those who may be in the need of prenatal/post pregnancy vitamins... Meijer pharmacy (on 331) is offering the generic Rx for Prenate Advanced, which is called Ultra Natal Care absolutely FREE! Now, I'm not sure if there are more kinds to choose from that are indeed free, but it's worth checking into.

BTW, the generic one I mentioned is not a huge horse pill and is very easy to swallow, if that is a concern for any of you!

I am about 5/6 weeks pregnant with my second child. The only difference is that this pregnancy is 100% different than my first. I am unbelievably tired and have little interest in doing anything. This includes doing things around the house and taking care of my daughter. I am also very nauseas. I'm not throwing up, but I'm nauseas from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. Does anyone have any great ideas? It's causing a lot of tension between my husband and I and I don't know what to do besides lay in my bed and cry. Anyone have similar problems with their pregnancy?

MommyKitty's exciting news and talk of pricey pregnancy tests reminded me of something.  Dollar Tree sells pregnancy tests for $1.  The are usually on the wall behind the cashier, so you have to ask for them.  I can't tell you how much money I saved over the last few years.  My cycles are completely irregular, so during our months of trying to conceive, I would test almost weekly.  It saved me bundles!!  I never had a problem with my results being accurate.  With my first, I got a positive within a week of conceiving!  Of course, everyone is different, but I had great luck with them.  One thing though, you don't just pee on the stick...you have to pee in a cup and use the dropper to get the urine onto the stick.  For me, it was worth the money saved for a little hassle.  Anyway, just an fyi :)

PREGNANT! I got my BFP (big fat positive) on March 26 at around 9pm. Since of course it was late at night I was making excuses. False reading, Error lines. Well Today i went and splurged on an EPT Certainity Test. (man even with my coupon still cost me $10) and it says "Pregnant". I currently have no clue when I am due other than prolly will be sometime in Dec.

I have 5 pg tests in my bathroom right now all saying Positive for being pregnant. All different brands and different exp dates. So I don't think I can ignore it. My youngest 2 will be 13-14 months apart. hehe I'm crazy.

Women who feel severely stressed at early stage are at risk of having a baby developing a schizophrenia disorder, scientists say.

Researchers at the University of Manchester analyzed data from 1,38 million babies born in Denmark between 1973 and 1995 and came to a conclusion that women who underwent stress due to the loss of a relative during a first trimester of pregnancy had as much as 67% increased risk of schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

Previous studies showed that mothers-to-be stress during pregnancy was linked to low birth weight and premature birth of a baby. In other researchers it was suggested that defects in brain structure and its functioning appear early in pregnancy, which may lead to such mental disorders as schizophrenia. These findings prove the fact that mother's psychological state has a great impact on unborn baby especially at an early stage of pregnancy.

Scientists say that though schizophrenia is triggered by other factors like genetic ones, environment in the womb can have a great impact on the development of the fetus and have long-term effects. During the first trimester of the pregnancy the protective barriers between mother and child is weak and this may lead to serious problems. However, experts say not to over-worry as the risk is quite small.

The study was published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

hello all, alittle bit about me is that i am 27 yr old college student i have 2 boys 11 and 4 and a 6 yr old step son we are trying to find long story. i have a 8 month old daughter in heaven she was born too soon on may 9th 2007 8 days after my youngest sons birthday and awhole month before my oldest son. i had a very bad pregnancy with her but was greatful for every moment. i suffer from diabtes induced from pcos, beggining kidney failure, bi polar, and insulin resistance. well the end of my pregnancy with ehr i had her at home the hopsitla sent me home for 2 reasons i was too early 13w2d and they said it is a good chance i will not loose her because my cervix was still higha nd closed and she still had fetal tones 5 hours later in my bathroom i lived a nightmare. well we got my body in order and i got the ok to get pregnant and then right before xmas i was late for my af and i took a pregnancy test and it was positive i was only off my nuva ring for a week before i concieved so this is amazing to me. the first ultrasound ihad at womens care center seen the begging of TWINS!!!! could u imagin how excited me and hubby were then the second i went to because they couldnt get aheart beat because i was too early baby 2 sac was colasping and not going to make it and baby 1 was just fine heart beat i heard it too baby one shows development i go back this friday for another ultra sound and i see my speacialist this friday and she will set me up with high risk clinic. well here i am pregnant now no symptoms except ia m so sleepy i have not had morning sickness at all which makes me feel a bit more worried. i thought i was ready again but i dont know if i am i am so scared something bad is going to happen. when i went to visit my daughters grave i toild her thank you for the christmas present and begged her to help me keep her brother or sister ok in my belly. has anyone had aloss and then became pregnant how did they deal with the stress and axiety? i just feel so scared alone in this i dont know what ot think i am 9 w tomarrow btw.

Pregnant students in a Denver high school are asking for at least four weeks of maternity leave so they can heal, bond with their newborns and not be penalized with unexcused absences.

The request is unusual in Colorado's public schools, where districts tend to deal with pregnant students or new moms with specialized programs or individualized education plans.

Denver Public Schools has no districtwide policy, leaving it up to schools to work out plans for students to continue their education.

Two counselors from East High School approached the school board last month, saying the policy at their school is unfair and inconsiderate because it forces new moms to return to school the day after being discharged from the hospital or face being charged with unexcused absences.

"My initial reaction is if we are punishing girls like that, that is unacceptable," said Nicole Head, one of the counselors who brought the matter to the school board last month. "We've got to do something."

East High School administrators could not be reached for comment over the winter break, but district officials say they are reviewing the policy on absences to make it "friendlier" to new moms, said DPS spokesman Alex Sanchez.

Kayla Lewis, who is five months pregnant and a senior at East, requested that the board establish maternity leave for students at a Dec. 20 public hearing.

"After you have the baby, your body needs time to heal," the 18-year-old said.

That is true, said Dr. Sarah Grope, pediatrician at HealthOne's Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver.

"To just assume that two days after having a baby they can go back to school is ridiculous at best," Grope said. "During that time, they should be able to do their schoolwork and give time to bond with their children."

School-board member Michelle Moss was baffled that schools were giving girls unexcused absences after birth.

"It's critical that these young women have a chance to bond with their babies," Moss said. "Maybe we do need a policy. Clearly, as a district, we have to look at what is going on with our young women. We've got to look at the birth-control issues and teen pregnancy and how we best help them deal with it and still graduate."

Denver has one of the highest teen-pregnancy rates in the state. Of every 1,000 girls ages 15 to 17, 54.5 will become pregnant in the city, compared with 24.3 throughout Colorado, according to state health statistics.

The district has a school for pregnant teens and new moms, Florence Crittenton School, but it has a waiting list. Plus, many students want to remain at the school where they started, said Head, the counselor at East.

Cherry Creek, Adams 12, Jefferson County and Douglas County school districts have policies in which students work with counselors and principals to devise plans that will keep them in school.

Several districts have special schools with child-care services for new moms. Others have programs that allow students to receive high-school credit.

"When a girl tells us she is pregnant, we advise her to work one on one with her counselor and go from there to see what they can work out," said Michelle Ancell, spokeswoman for Cherry Creek Schools.

"The counselor plays middleman between the principal and the student," said Melissa Reeves of Jefferson County Schools, who added that the district has started a computer-based credit-recovery program that students can use during evening hours.

Douglas County has had a program for 19 years called WINGS, or Winning in New Growth Situations, that offers support and instruction for the girls once a week, allowing them to earn elective credits in nutrition and parenting. The program has 20 students, said coordinator Susan Anderson.

The district has a school that begins at 4:30 p.m. for new parents that is attached to Highlands Ranch High School. Students also are able to stay in their schools, but that is not easy for many new moms, she said.

"Day care is very difficult, hard to come by and expensive," Anderson said. "We just work really hard to make sure kids graduate high school. We know it's so important."

Teen mothers face a challenging future, with many dropping out. A third of teen moms receive their high-school diplomas and 1.5 percent get college degrees before they turn 30, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

"If there are young mothers asking for maternity leave, the board should listen to them," said Lori Casillas, executive director of the Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention. "If they think it is a barrier to graduation, the board should look at that."

Her organization advocates that schools provide child-care services for new moms. Too many girls drop out after giving birth, and schools must do something to keep them, Casillas said.

Students at one high school in southern Colorado wanted to set up a child-care center, but the principal forbade it, saying it would encourage teen pregnancy, she said.

"There is no evidence that has ever happened," Casillas said. "I don't think schools have been proactive at creating policies that encourage young mothers to remain in school. Schools need to say, 'What if you do come back, then what?'

"Schools need to say, 'This is what we do to support your learning.' That's not happening."

I take it you are still pregnant?  At least you made it through Christmas and got to be home with Brayden!  Is tomorrow still the day?