October 23rd, 2009

Know the Facts: Google Was My Frienemy

I’m a bit of a knowledge junkie. If I hear something new or see something that I am unsure of, you can bet that it is only a matter of time before I am on Google searching the depths of the Internet for as much information as I can find. In fact, when we lost our first daughter Samantha after going into preterm labor, I searched every where to learn more about this thing that was supposedly responsible – an incompetent cervix. I learned that the diagnosis was ambiguous and not necessarily a cause for our loss. Suffice it to say, I also learned about tons of other reasons behind my loss.

So when we got pregnant again 2 years later, I had my eyes glued to Google. I learned what questions to ask at my first prenatal appointment and what to expect from the cerclage that I would have to have at 12 weeks. I also learned how to survive my 5 month bed-rest and the hyperemesis that lasted for much longer. I even learned about my breastfeeding options.

Unfortunately, I also learned about other things as well. I learned about the extreme situations when cerclages were botched or labor started before they were removed. I learned about some of the most extreme cases of infant mortality and kidnappings and of babies being switched at birth.

I was a mess because as much as I knew that most of the events that I read about were not very common, I also knew that these things were possible. I asked my OBGYN about hidden twins and demanded that the hospital show me their security system for the nursery. It was so bad that my OBGYN and my Perinatologist begged me to stay off of the Internet.

Information can be a great thing, but too much can be dangerous.

April 15th, 2009

Know the Facts: Volunteer with the March of Dimes and Fight for Life

I wanted to talk a little bit about other ways that you can help babies and families by volunteering with the March of Dimes.

In 1996, while attending college, I had the opportunity to work with a local organization charged to help women of childbearing age learn about prenatal care and gain access to health care. I was young and completely self-absorbed, but even then I knew that there are far too many women in the United States- the world- without the means or information to provide their babies with the best start possible.

As an adult, I never imagined that I would experience pregnancy loss after 12 weeks. I never imagined that losing a baby to pre-term labor would be something that I would endure. But when my family faced our greatest pain, we did so with the support of the March of Dimes- as Heather’s family is doing now.

In March of 2003,  I recommitted myself to working with the March of Dimes. Apart from fundraising and participating in  March for Babies, I decided that I would volunteer as well because donating a few bucks and one day was not enough. I  volunteered in my state to make sure that March of Dimes has all the support it needs to do what they do best: help fight the causes of premature birth. I talked to women at clinics about the importance of prenatal care; I made calls to raise money and I even created flyers, banners, and other marketing materials to draw attention to the plight of premature babies.

With that in mind, please note that April 19-25 is National Volunteer Week and I urge you all, to take a few hours a month and volunteer for your local March of Dimes chapter. There is so much that you can do and while donating money is nice (after all research cost money) volunteering is priceless.

March 25th, 2009

Know the Facts: March for Babies

As you might be aware, our family has been touched by the March of Dimes mission to prevent premature birth and infant mortality. In February 2003, we suffered a huge loss when our first daughter, Samantha Michelle was born too soon at 19.5 weeks. She did not survive and unfortunately, this story is not ours alone. There are far too many babies being born prematurely and the March of Dimes has vowed to support and engage in the research necessary to ensure this does not happen.

That’s why we have formed a Family Team to raise money and participate in March for Babies. Please join us in our fundraising efforts today by sponsoring our event.

Contributing to our team online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal web page with a credit/debit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my web page.

Our family knows firsthand the challenges associated with prematurity. It is important to find out why premature birth happens and what can be done to prevent it. By raising money, ongoing research to answer these critical questions is funded. When you support our Family Team, you show you care and you give hope for defeating premature birth and other threats to babies.

Please join us and millions of compassionate people across the country who support March for Babies each year. We need your help. Visit our web page and sponsor our event!

With your support, there`s hope.

February 23rd, 2009

Know the Facts: Preconception

First, an apology. In my last column, I promised that this would be a weekly series to be published on Mondays. Unfortunately, I have been very busy and writing this column weekly has been very difficult. I will definitely be writing once a week from now on, so please forgive me.

This month’s topic is Preconception 101. When my husband and I decided that we want to give pregnancy another shot, I began preparing my body before I was actually pregnant. There is a lot of information available about the myths regarding preconception health. In fact, before you get pregnant, you should visit your doctor to discuss any medications that you may be taking, finding the best multivitamin with Folic Acid, identify any heath risk that you may be facing, and ensuring that you are generally healthy before you conceive. In addition, it is always necessary to clear up any misconceptions that you may have about preconception and conception.

Once you have done all of that, and you begin trying to conceive, remember that it may not happen right away. Many women become worried when they don’t conceive in their  preset time-frame. However, unless you are under 35 and have been trying for at least a year without success, it is probably unlikely that you have fertility issues. Knowing when to seek fertility treatment may save you a lot of unnecessary stress (which, by the way, is not healthy for women trying to get pregnant).

There are things to aide you in conceiving. Knowing approximately when you will ovulate is also a great way to help conceive. My cycle was pretty regular so my husband and I used The Ovulation Calendar* to help map my schedule so we knew when I was likely to be the most fertile. Granted, we did not need to do this- I am just a geek.

Knowing the facts is a must when you are trying to get pregnant. Be sure to talk to you doctir honestly about your concerns. And remember, the only bad question is an unasked question!

*This product is my own recommendation and in no way endorsed by the March of Dimes.