A study mentioned in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, “found there was no difference in male and female fetal heart at anytime during pregnancy.” and the results of another study, published in Britain’s Clinical Science (92, 345–349, 1997) echoed these findings.

Where Did the Myth of Heartbeat Predicting a Baby’s Sex Come From?

Historically, before modern technology like ultrasounds, various myths and methods were used to predict a baby’s gender. The Distaff Gospels, a collection of medieval European women’s medical lore, included several gender prediction methods based on the behavior and preferences of the expectant mother.

These ranged from the direction a man faces during intercourse to influence gender, to observing the way a pregnant woman walks or what cravings she has. Even though these methods lacked scientific backing, they were a part of folklore and cultural practices in a time when understanding of human biology was limited​​.

What Does Your Baby’s Heart Rate Actually Mean?

The scientific explanation behind why the myth of determining a baby’s sex by heartbeat is inaccurate lies in understanding fetal heart rates. Fetal heart rates can vary due to several factors like the baby’s activity level, gestational age, and the mother’s health, but these variations are not linked to the baby’s gender. Heart rates in fetuses can fluctuate between 120 to 160 beats per minute, and these rates change as the pregnancy progresses.

These variations are normal and are not indicative of the baby’s sex. Instead, they reflect the developmental stages of the fetus and the physiological conditions within the womb. For a detailed understanding, it’s best to consult scientific resources or medical professionals.

The Modern Approach to Determining Baby’s Gender

In conclusion, while old wives’ tales about predicting a baby’s gender, like the heartbeat myth, are interesting, they lack scientific backing. In reality, doctors use medical technologies, such as ultrasound, to accurately determine a baby’s sex. Ultrasound works by using sound waves to create images of the baby in the womb. The sex is typically identifiable on ultrasound by about 18-22 weeks of gestation, although it can vary. This method provides a reliable and scientific way of discovering the baby’s gender, far removed from the realm of folklore and myth.

References

Unborn Baby. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/49089/9-historical-methods-determining-sex-unborn-baby

Oguch O, Steer P. Gender does not affect fetal heart rate variation. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1998 Dec;105(12):1312-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1998.tb10011.x. PMID: 9883924.

Many women worry about what kind of chemicals they’re being exposed to when dyeing their hair.

The main question on their mind of course is simply, is hair dye safe during pregnancy? Yes, in general coloring your hair is regarded as safe during pregnancy.

However, there are a few things you need to know before using it: First of all make sure that the product doesn’t contain any ingredients on our list below. Secondly, be sure your scalp and skin are healthy and in good condition before dying it.

According to  Yvonne Butler Tobah, M.D in this Mayo Clinic article, ‘Your skin only absorbs a limited amount of hair dye and other hair grooming and styling products.

“However, if your skin is infected or irritated, or if there is a break in your skin, you may absorb more of the chemicals in hair dye than usual.”

Disclaimer: Babies for Beginners does not offer medical advice. Ask your healthcare provider for guidance if you’re concerned about the safety of your hair products and hair dye during pregnancy.

What Trimester is Safe for Hair Color?

While it’s generally safe to color your hair while pregnant, some doctors do recommend waiting until the second or third trimester as an added precaution.

What Hair Dye Can I Use When Pregnant?

The American Pregnancy Association recommends anyone concerned about hair dye chemicals should look for safer alternatives such as having highlights put in your hair instead of a root touchup or a root-to-tip color change. As they explain, this decreases any risk as the dye is only placed on strands of your hair and does not touch the scalp and thus the skin doesn’t absorb the chemicals into the bloodstream. Another alternative they recommend is pure vegetable dyes including henna. (Source).

Not all henna is created equally, so if you’re interested in using henna, I urge you to check out this post about the safety of henna and how to know if a particular dye is a good henna product or not. However, henna is just one of many natural dyes you can choose from, which is good news if you’re planning on going this route and want some options.

What is Natural Hair Dye?

Natural hair dyes are dyes made from natural ingredients and are typically plant-based. They can be made from all kinds of plants to achieve different results. A few common examples are:

• henna plants to give a reddish or orange tint;
• indigo for blacks and blues;
• walnut shells for browns and blacks;
• rhubarb leaves in combination with other natural sources like beetroot juice to produce red shades of hair; and
• other natural sources.

Natural hair dyes are typically gentler on the scalp than chemical-based dyes, but they may not last as long or produce a very strong color when compared to some of their synthetic counterparts.

Hair Dye Ingredients to Avoid When Pregnant

If you decide to go with a traditional hair color product, here are some chemicals to be wary of and avoid if you can:

• Phenylenediamines (PPD): PPD is very widely used in permanent hair colorants and is needed for most shades, but it will not always be present in products that produce lighter shades. PPD can cause allergic reactions ranging from mild skin irritation to more severe allergic contact dermatitis. (Source).
• Parabens: Parabens are a group of preservatives that have been used in cosmetics and personal care products since the 1950s. Parabens have long been linked to endocrine disruption (disruption of the regular hormone function of the body) and breast cancer when used in many products over time.
• Formaldehyde: Formaldehydes are used as a preservative in some hair dyes, but it is not always present or listed on the label of products that contain them.
• Aminophenol: Aminophenol is a coal tar dye that can cause allergic reactions ranging from mild skin irritation to more severe dermatitis.
• Phthalates: Phthalates are used to make plastics flexible and to lubricate cosmetics and are known as endocrine disruptors. It’s important to note here that phthalates are not always clearly labeled on product packaging, and for this reason, consumers should research them online or directly with the manufacturer. “Phthalate-free” labeling is becoming more common as a result of consumer concern.

Can Pregnancy Hormones Affect Hair Coloring?

When choosing your hair product, keep in mind it may not come out the way you’re used to. This is because pregnancy hormones can affect the way your hair responds to color.

Some women find their natural color is more intense during pregnancy, while others notice a change in hue or tone of existing highlights and lowlights (especially if they were blonde before).

The 3 Best (And Safest) Hair Dyes to Use During Pregnancy

With all of that in mind, we’ve scoured the web and come up with five hair dye products that are safe and effective for pregnancy.

These products are of course for use at home. Once COVID-19 is a memory, you may wish to consult a professional colorist to be safe, but here are our top picks:

1. Colora Natural Henna Hair Coloring Powder

Colora Henna has been around for ages, and for good reason, it works well and comes in a ton of colors. It can be used for dramatic results, or subtle color changes to achieve more flattering tones.

This henna contains 100% natural ingredients which will not damage your hair or scalp, and it’s a cruelty-free product with no harmful chemicals or metallic salts. 

Colora Henna Powder

$8.72

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03/07/2024 03:25 pm GMT

2. Herb Speedy Colour Cream

Herb Speedy Color is specially created to save time and leave you with gorgeous, long-lasting hair color. This cream uses plant-based substitutes and colors that are gentle yet effective. It’s free of PPDs, amines, ammonia, or other harsh chemicals that can irritate your scalp.

Each application should last you up to 25 washes – so there’s no worrying about having to touch up as often! It’s a win for anyone who doesn’t have tons of time on their hands, ya know like a busy mom!

Herb Speedy Color Cream

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3. Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Hair Dye

Manic Panic Semi-Permanent hair dye is perfect for those of us who want color-rich, temporary results. The colors are vivid and bright with a glossy finish. They come in shades such as Purple Haze and the reds called Ruby Red Slippers that even pop against darker skin tones.

This dye works on all hair types because it sits on the exterior surface of hair strands instead of going into them.  Manic Panic is ammonia-free and doesn’t contain parabens, ammonia, resorcinol, PPD, phthalates, or gluten.

Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Hair Dye

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Conclusion

In conclusion, dying your hair while pregnant is safe when you follow some simple guidelines and use the right products.

Episiotomies used to be a routine part of vaginal deliveries and many experts believed that the clean incision of an episiotomy would heal more easily than a spontaneous tear. However, a large number of studies over the last 25 years have disproved this theory and the number of episiotomies is declining.

That said, an episiotomy may be medically necessary if:

• Your baby’s heart rate shows that he or she isn’t tolerating labor well and needs to be born as quickly as possible.
• If your baby is very large and your doctor needs additional room to manipulate him or her through the birth canal.
• If your doctor needs additional room when using forceps to deliver your baby.

The Three Types of Episiotomies

1. The most common type of episiotomy in the United States and Canada is the midline, second-degree episiotomy, which runs in a straight line midway between the vagina and anus.
2. Mediolateral episiotomies, when the cut runs diagonally to one side or the other, are more common in other parts of the world.
3. The most traumatic, and rare, episiotomies are fourth-degree and extend through the rectum.

How Common are Episiotomies?

The rate of episiotomies in the United States was at 60 percent in 1980, and has been dropping since, but not as fast as many would like. Data from The Leapfrog Group, which collects performance data from some American hospitals via annual surveys, found the episiotomy rate declined to about 8 percent in 2017.

Doctors once thought that an episiotomy would prevent deep, ragged, uncontrolled tears in the perineum. However, research has shown that episiotomies often cause, not prevent, tears. And women with spontaneous tears generally recover in the same or less time and often with less pain and fewer complications than those with episiotomies.

Women who get episiotomies are more likely to end up with serious, deep tears that go close to or through the rectum. Tears that go through the rectum result in more perineal pain after delivery, require a significantly longer recovery period, are more likely to weaken the pelvic floor muscles, resulting in anal incontinence, and cause more discomfort when sex is resumed.

How to Help Avoid an Episiotomy

To help prepare your body for delivery, reduce the risk of tearing and the likelihood you’ll need an episiotomy, eat well, and try doing daily Kegel exercises and perineal massage starting five to six weeks before delivery.

Good nutrition helps keep your tissues healthy and elastic, which will help them stretch to accommodate your baby.

Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. To do a Kegel, contract your pelvic floor muscles – these are the ones you use to stop the flow of urine – release and repeat. Perform a set of 25 of these each day to tone the muscles you’ll use during delivery.

To perform perineal massage, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water and make sure your fingernails are trimmed. Sit comfortably with your legs spread apart. Apply K-Y jelly or another lubricant to your thumbs and insert them in your vagina. Press downward toward your rectum, until you feel a gentle stretching. You may feel a slight burning or other discomforts; don’t be worried, this is normal. However, stop immediately if you feel any sharp pain. Repeat the massage daily for about 8 to 10 minutes per session.

What if you Do Have an Episiotomy?

If you do have an episiotomy, or you tear during delivery, your doctor will stitch you up and it will take some time to heal. Try the following to speed healing and ease the discomfort.

• Twenty-four hours after delivery, you can start soaking in a warm tub or sitz bath. A sitz bath is a shallow plastic basin you fill with warm water and place on your toilet seat. This is a convenient way to soak your bottom without taking a full bath in the tub.
• Keep the area dry and exposed to air as much as possible. Blow dry the area for a few minutes after bathing (on low heat and keep the dryer at least 12 inches away from the area), and limit the amount of time you spend sitting until the stitches heal.
• Walking and Kegel exercises will stimulate circulation and promote healing. Perform Kegels every day. You may find it more comfortable to perform them when you are getting out of bed or rolling over, so you don’t feel like you are pulling on your stitches.
• Reduce swelling by applying ice packs.
• Special perineal pads are soothing. These pads fit between a sanitary napkin and the wound. Chilled witch hazel pads are also helpful.
• Avoid constipation and don’t strain to move your bowels. The pressure can stretch your tissue and cause pain around the wound.
• Apply a numbing spray to the area. Numbing sprays are usually available at hospitals.
• Sit carefully, and on one cheek if possible. You may find it more comfortable to sit on hard surfaces, since soft surfaces allow your bottom to stretch and pull on the stitches.

If the wound area becomes hot, swollen, and painful or if it produces a pus-like discharge, you may have an infection and should call your doctor immediately.

Conclusion: Get Informed, and Speak with Your Doctor!

An episiotomy is a controversial procedure and you should learn all the facts, discuss it with your doctor, OB or midwife, and weigh the benefits and risks carefully before you make a decision.

Ask your healthcare provider how often and under what circumstances they perform an episiotomy, and how they might help you avoid spontaneous tearing as well.

If you choose not to have an unnecessary episiotomy, express your feelings to your doctor well in advance of delivery, and include instructions in your birth plan.

References

Thacker, S. B., & Banta, H. D. (1983). Benefits and risks of episiotomy: an interpretative review of the English language literature, 1860-1980. Obstetrical & gynecological survey, 38(6), 322–338. Retrieved October 11 from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6346168/

The Leapfrog Group. (2018). New Report on Maternity Care in the U.S. Shows Encouraging Progress Reducing Episiotomies, but None Reducing C-Sections. Retrieved October 11 from: https://www.leapfroggroup.org/news-events/new-report-maternity-care-us-shows-encouraging-progress-reducing-episiotomies-none

Water birth is basically what it sounds like, giving birth to your baby underwater. Usually, you’ll spend the final stages of your labor in a birthing pool, with delivery taking place either in the water.

Water birth can take place in a hospital, a birthing center, or at home, assisted by a doctor or a midwife and can be assisted by a nurse or dula.

What Are the Benefits of Water Birth? Is Water Birth Less Painful?

For some of the same reasons you might soak in a warm bath after a hard day, you might be interested in laboring in a warm bath. Warm water affects your hormone levels, your blood pressure, and the amount of pain you can feel, decreasing all of them. You secrete more endorphins, which inhibit pain, and less adrenalin, the “fight or flight” hormone responsible for making your stress level skyrocket and your blood pressure rise. Since your perception of pain is influenced by your anxiety level, the amount of pain you experience while bathing also ebbs. You can imagine why that might be appealing while giving birth.

But there are other reasons having your baby underwater might make sense for you. A lot of the discomfort associated with labor is caused not by your baby’s movement within you, but by the pressure gravity puts on your skeleton, abdomen, and breasts. Water eliminates the power that gravity has over your body and allows many positions to be much more comfortable. Water can also work on your body parts to make them more cooperative. It encourages your cervix to dilate and makes your perineum more elastic, which means that it’s less likely to tear. If it does tear, it’s less likely that the tear will require a great number of stitches or an episiotomy. The warm water (between 90 and 101 degrees) can also make your contractions more efficient by increasing the blood supply to your uterus.

The humidity and moistness of the air coming off the water can ease your breathing. With your breathing eased, the pressures on your body lessened, your stress level lowered, and your pain decreased, you can expend all your energy laboring.

Water births have been associated with faster delivery and less blood loss, though evidence supporting these claims, like most claims about water birth, is more anecdotal than scientific at this point.

Is Water Birth Better for the Baby?

Many people believe that water delivery is easier on babies as well. Water equalizes the pressure on your baby, allowing optimal blood and oxygen flow during birth, and it has been credited with correcting minor malpresentation, like a misaligned head. Water is also said to be a gentle introduction for your baby to the world outside your womb.

Your baby does not take their first breath until their face comes in direct contact with the air, so as long as you bring your baby out of the water as soon as they are born, they may enjoy a quick swim to the surface.

Most midwives and doulas can help you prepare for a water birth at home or at a birthing center, and most newer hospital units have birth tubs available that you can climb into at will. Waterproof fetal monitors are even available so that you can enjoy the benefits of both our technological age and this age-old method of pain relief. If you are going to use water as an alternative to an epidural, wait until you are dilated by at least five centimeters and in transition (when you need the most pain relief), and climb in.

If progress slows, get out and move around to stimulate labor or try different positions like kneeling, squatting, sitting, and lying outstretched. You may want to get out of the water again to deliver, or you may want to stay until after birth.

This paints a pretty accurate picture of what labor was like not so long ago, where giving a laboring mother an enema wasn’t a matter of choice but rather a standard, routinely administered in early labor as part of the hospital admission procedure.

The theory behind giving an enema in early labor is that emptying the bowels before delivery eliminates the possibility of waste matter in the rectum hindering the baby’s descent through the birth canal and preventing contamination of the sterile birthing field.

Today, the choice to receive an enema is usually that of the expectant mother. It’s recognized that as long as the mother has had a bowel movement in the past 24 hours, the compression or tightness of the birth canal isn’t likely to be a problem.

Today all the supplies used under the mother’s bottom half are usually disposable. So if an accident happens and something else is pushed out before the baby, you’re covered and it can be disposed of quickly.

What is an Enema?

An enema is described as fluid injected into the rectum for the purpose of clearing out the bowels.

Why Opt for an Enema?

Choices regarding the enema option include:

• No enema
• Self-administered or given by a nurse
• If constipated at the onset of labor
• To start or stimulate labor

At times, enemas have been able to start contractions. Doctors or Midwives might want an enema performed to help stimulate or speed labor.

The decision of whether you will or will not need an enema should be discussed with your doctor, OB, or midwife during one of your prenatal appointments. The decision should be clearly noted on the labor and delivery chart and in the birth plan if you’ve created one.

Many women have multiple bowel movements of loose stool days before labor begins. This is nature’s way of emptying out the bowels to prepare the body for delivery, so chances are that Mother Nature will take care of this decision for you. If not, make your decision based on what you’re comfortable with.

With every delivery, however, there’s an element of risk that cannot be ignored. This chance of risk is why all babies should be monitored while the mother is in labor.

What Do Fetal Monitors Do?

An electronic fetal monitor measures the response of the baby’s heartbeat to the contractions of the uterus. There are several different types of monitors. They all monitor the same signals and will give a reading of this relationship (the effect of labor contractions on your baby’s heartbeat).

The labor and delivery nurse or a technician may be able to pick up on signs of fetal stress and distress through the variations found in the readings. Some monitors are equipped to sound an alarm if such a variation occurs.

Are Fetal Monitors Safe?

Yes! Fetal heart Dopplers are completely safe when used by trained health professionals.

What are the Different Types of Fetal Monitors?

There are two types of fetal monitoring, external or internal monitoring. External monitoring is the most common. Internal monitoring is used when more accurate readings are required. If and when suspicion of fetal distress shows up in external monitoring, internal monitoring would be used

There are four main types of monitoring equipment:

1. The Doppler is a handheld ultrasound device that will transmit the baby’s heart rate into speakers or earplugs. Often doctors or midwives will use this instrument in their office. The beauty of using a Doppler during labor is that it can be used intermittently with very little hassle for hospital staff or the laboring mother.
   The mother also can maintain mobility with the Doppler if it helps to manage pain or is helping labor to progress since it’s portable.
2. The external electronic fetal monitor is a two-belt ultrasound device that is strapped around the mother’s belly. This method provides a beat-to-beat view of the baby’s heart tones in relation to the mother’s contractions.
   This device can be used continually or intermittently. This method does use ultrasound, and there can be a margin of mechanical error. These errors may occur because the device is getting jarred during a mother’s movements or the sensor loses contact with the body. There is a loss of mobility (when in use), which may slow labor.
3. The internal fetal monitor is more accurate than the external monitor as it does not rely on ultrasound. It can provide continuous monitoring for a high-risk mother. In order to use this type of monitoring the mother’s water must be broken and she must be dilated between 2-3 centimeters. This monitor relies on an electrode being placed just below the skin on the scalp of the baby during labor.
   When a baby is born that has received internal monitoring there is usually a small cut on the scalp where the electrode was placed. This is commonly referred to as a “stork bite.” It heals with little effort in a few days. It’s a very small price to pay for the added benefit of knowing exactly how your little one was fairing during a long or particularly hard labor.
4. Telemetry monitoring is the newest type of monitoring available. This device uses radio waves from a transmitter on the mother’s thigh to transmit the baby’s heartbeats to the nurses’ station. Mothers can maintain mobility and have the benefit of constant monitoring.
   This technology may not be available at all hospitals. If this sounds like the type of monitoring that you would prefer, make sure to check to see if it’s available at your hospital before delivery.

Conclusion: Understand Monitor Use and Speak with Your Health Care Provider

The type of fetal monitoring you receive will depend greatly on your choice of labor management. If you are high risk, are induced or choose an epidural you will likely need continuous monitoring.

Study the different types of monitoring and talk with your OB/GYN or midwife. Be aware of what’s going on with the standards of monitoring in the medical community in your area.

Why You Have to Be Careful What You Eat at Thanksgiving While Pregnant

Dangerous bacteria and parasites such as salmonella, listeria, toxoplasma, staphylococcus aureaus, and E. coli may be present in improperly prepared, cooked, and stored foods. Several of these, including listeria¹ and toxoplasma², can even cross your placenta and harm your baby even if you experience no symptoms yourself.

If these pathogens do cross the placental barrier It can lead to spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, preterm labor, and disseminated neonate infection despite antibiotics.¹

10 Thanksgiving Foods to Avoid While Pregnant

Here are some tips to keep you and your baby safe during the Thanksgiving holiday:

1. Undercooked Turkey

If your turkey is frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator, not on the counter or in a warm oven. Once defrosted, wash the turkey before you handle it to help remove any bacteria on the skin.

Don’t rely on cooking time and skin color to determine when your turkey is done; you need to cook the turkey to an internal temperature of 180°F.

To get an accurate internal temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh muscle without touching the bone.

2. Undercooked Stuffing

If you usually cook the stuffing inside the turkey, cook it separately this year. If the stuffing is inside the turkey it will not reach a high enough temperature to kill bacteria (165 degrees F) without overcooking the turkey.

3. Smoked Meats, Meat Spreads, and Carving Stations

If you’re serving meat spreads such as pâté, or cold smoked meats such as smoked salmon, use only canned. Smoked fish and other meats and meat spreads that are found in the deli or refrigerated section of your grocery store may contain listeria.

If there is a carving station at a restaurant or party, make sure the meat is well-cooked.

As the CDC recommends, avoid eating hot dogs, lunch meats, cold cuts, other deli meats (such as bologna), or fermented or dry sausages unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving to avoid listeria.

4. Raw Sprouts

If you have that vegan Aunt who is really into raw right now, make sure to ask if she put sprouts in her potluck dish. Sprouts need warm, humid conditions to grow, which turns out to be the ideal for the growth of bacteria, including Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli.

The CDC recommends pregnant women not eat raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts).

5. Creamy Sauces

Avoid sauces such as hollandaise, béarnaise, and aioli, which may contain uncooked eggs.

Uncooked eggs are a concern, especially when pregnant, as It’s possible to get Salmonella from raw eggs; one in 20,000 has it.³

6. Raw Batter

When baking pies, cookies, or cakes, don’t taste the batter, as uncooked cookie dough contains raw eggs and raw flour, both of which can harbor bacteria.

Chewing gum while you’re baking can help you from mindlessly licking your fingers if they get batter on them (I do this ALL THE TIME)!

Sadly, even though many sources on the internet suggest simply using pasturized eggs and pre-heating your flour, Purdue University scientists found that home kitchen heat-treated flour doesn’t protect against foodborne illnesses.

7. Unpasteurized Soft Cheeses

The problem with soft cheeses are that many of them are made with unpasteruized milk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk (also called raw milk) are estimated to be 50 to 160 times more likely to cause a Listeria infection than when they are made with pasteurized milk.

Some soft cheeses are made with pasteurized milk, and it will say so on the label. If you are not able to check the label, it’s best to steer clear of soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Limburger, Montrachet, Neufchâtel, Pont L’Evêque, and Mexican-style cheese like queso fresco.

You should also avoid semi-soft cheeses such as Asiago, Bel Paese, bleu, brick, Gorgonzola, Havarti, Muenster, Port Salut, Taleggio, and blue-veined cheeses such as Roquefort. If you’re not sure whether a piece of cheese is safe or not, stick with cheddar, Swiss, and Monterey Jack.

8. Alcoholic Food Items

Most desserts that use alcohol as an ingredient, such as fruitcake, are okay to eat because most of the alcohol burns off during cooking.

However, if the dessert has been soaked in alcohol after baking, most of the alcohol will remain and you should avoid it.

9. Cider

Make sure any hot or cold apple cider you drink has been pasteurized. Unpasteurized juices can contain E. coli bacteria. Almost all juice sold is pasteurized, and unpasteurized juice sold in containers is required to carry a warning label.

10. Other Mystery Beverages

Always ask if you are unsure about the ingredients in drinks and watch out for hidden alcohol and caffeine. Make flavored seltzer or sparkling grape juice if you want a fun substitute.

Are Thanksgiving Leftovers Safe While Pregnant?

Be sure to refrigerate leftovers immediately, and use shallow pans and dishes so the food cools quickly. If kept in a refrigerator at 40 degrees F or less, leftovers can be safely eaten for the next two days; any longer may put you at risk for illness.

When you’re ready to eat them, leftovers should be reheated to at least 165°F before serving, according to the CDC.

Try freezing leftovers to make them last longer. And don’t rely on smell or appearance to indicate food safety; bacteria and germs that lead to illness can invade and spoil food long before it begins to smell bad.

Conclusion: Enjoy Thanksgivng food, Just Be Cautious and Take it Slow

With just a few tweaks and being choosy at the serving line, you can enjoy your Thankgiving feast while protecting you and your little one from food-borne illnesses.

But here’s a comfort tip: avoid gorging at the Thanksgiving table as you may have in years past. Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, you could end up with a nasty case of heartburn.

Try nibbling and snacking throughout the day instead of diving in with the rest of the family during the big meal. Also, bring your walking shoes and take a short walk between dinner and dessert; this will aid your digestion and burn off some of the day’s calories.

References

¹ Lamond, N. M., & Freitag, N. E. (2018). Vertical Transmission of Listeria monocytogenes: Probing the Balance between Protection from Pathogens and Fetal Tolerance. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland), 7(2), 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens7020052

² Robbins, J. R., Zeldovich, V. B., Poukchanski, A., Boothroyd, J. C., & Bakardjiev, A. I. (2012). Tissue barriers of the human placenta to infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Infection and immunity, 80(1), 418–428. https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.05899-11

³ Raw Eggs: Are There Health Benefits? WebMD. (2020). Retrieved October 17, 2022 from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-raw-eggs#1

Listeria prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). Retrieved October 17, 2022 from: https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention.html

Preparing Your Holiday Turkey Safely. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Retrieved October 17, 2022 from: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/holiday-turkey.html

Wallheimer, B. (2021). Home kitchen heat-treated flour doesn’t protect against foodborne illnesses, Purdue food scientist says. Purdue University. Retrieved October 17, 2022 from: https://ag.purdue.edu/stories/home-kitchen-heat-treated-flour-doesnt-protect-against-foodborne-illnesses-purdue-food-scientist-says

FAQ

This is not the case today as expectant parents have more control over the process of having a baby than ever before and many expectant parents like the idea of having their baby at a freestanding birthing center.

What are Birthing Centers?

The main thing that sets birthing centers apart from hospitals is that a birthing center’s focus is on family-centered care that allows the mother to have a lot of input about what goes on during the birth of her baby. Although centers may vary greatly, most operate under guidelines and criteria established by Lamaze.

Birthing centers can be free-standing, on the grounds of an associated hospital, or inside a hospital and are usually operated by a certified nurse-midwife (CNM).

What Do Birthing Centers Offer Over Typical Hospitals?

When expectant parents decide to deliver at a birthing center they can expect a comfortable environment. Typically, rooms are private and have carpeting, plants, pictures, a rocking chair, and in many instances, a bed large enough so that your partner can lie down with you. While many hospitals may limit or restrict whom a mother can have attend the birth, in a birthing center, the mother decides who may attend her. Along with the expectant father or partner, other relatives, friends, and siblings may join.

Birthing centers encourage laboring mothers to choose the position they prefer for labor and delivery and even allow her to choose what clothing she wears.

How Does the Cost of Delivering at a Birthing Center Compare to a Hospital?

If you’re in the USA, the cost to deliver at a birthing center is about one-third the cost of delivering at a hospital and most major insurance companies cover birth centers. Essentially, a top-rated birthing center should combine the comforts of home with the technical expertise of modern medicine.

What Care Can Birthing Centers Provide?

Most centers have IVs, oxygen, infant resuscitators, and analgesics; however, drugs, medical intervention, or fetal monitoring are not routine or expected. Women delivering in birthing centers usually have shorter stays and use fewer (if any) drugs.

However, if complications arise during the pregnancy, labor, or delivery, a birthing center may not be able to meet her medical needs. Mothers delivering in birthing centers receive their prenatal care from the providers who attend births at the center. The birthing center pre-screens mothers for risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes. Every birth carries with it a certain degree of risk and at some point that risk may not make a birthing center the best choice for delivery. Some conditions may lead to complications during labor and delivery and would therefore make using a birthing center impossible.

These complications include breech position, bleeding, history of complications with previous pregnancies, a multiple pregnancy, gestational diabetes, herpes outbreak, preeclampsia, hypertension, premature labor, or Rh blood incompatibility.

A good birthing center should be staffed by experienced midwives, an obstetrician is also usually available for consultation and is on-call for emergencies at any point during pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum. It’s best if the center is close to an area hospital so you and/or your baby can be transported quickly if an emergency should arise that cannot be handled at the birthing center. When interviewing a prospective birthing center, be sure to ask about the qualifications of the staff, what kind of care to expect after delivery, and their policies on the use of anesthesia (can you choose to have an epidural), narcotics, fetal monitoring, and other medical interventions.

To find a birthing center near you, go to the American Association of Birth Centers.

Here’s a good list of the types of caregivers available:

• Obstetrician (OB/GYN): An obstetrician is a physician who specializes in pregnancy and childbirth. OBs usually deliver in hospitals or birthing centers. If they have a FACOG credential, it means that they are a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
• Family Physician: A family practitioner is trained in all aspects of family care including obstetrics, pediatrics, gynecology, and internal medicine.
• Nurse-Midwife: A certified nurse-midwife has a degree in nursing with specialty training in obstetrics. They can provide complete care for normal healthy pregnancies and must be associated with a backup OB in the event of complications. They can deliver in hospitals, birthing centers, and homes.
  Midwives are an appealing option for expectant parents who want a more individual, less routine approach to the birth of their baby. This isn’t to say midwives are better or more qualified than doctors. They’re different professionals with different philosophies.
• Traditional or Lay Midwife: This type of midwife has training in midwifery only and works with low-risk pregnancies. You need to check with your state to see what types of licensing/certification is required. They usually attend home births or births at birthing centers.
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist (Perinatologist): This type of physician is an obstetrician with special training in the care of high-risk pregnancies. Usually, a perinatologist will see patients referred by an obstetrician or family practitioner and will work with them in managing high-risk care.

Once you decide what type of caregiver you want, make a list of potential providers. After you’ve narrowed down the list, call to schedule interviews.

Be sure to tell the receptionist that this is an interview only and ask if there will be a fee. Before you go to the interviews, make a list of questions and take the list with you. If possible, both expectant parents should attend the interviews.

Use the questions below as a guide you during your interviews. Although the doctor or nurse-midwife may answer all the questions effectively, trust your instincts if the relationship doesn’t feel like a good fit, and ask yourself why.

Most doctors only have about 10-15 minutes to spare for your interview. Midwives may be able to give you a little more time. If the interview takes longer (up to 30 minutes) you may be charged a consultation fee.

Remember, when you choose a doctor or nurse-midwife, you’re also choosing the institution where you’ll deliver, which will have its own protocols and procedures. Make sure and check with support staff in the front office about where the doctor or nurse-midwife has hospital privileges.

Basic Questions for Doctor (OB/GYN or Family Practice) Interviews:

• How long have you been in practice?
  
• How available will you be to answer my questions?
  
• Are you a solo or group practice?
  
• If solo, who covers for you when you’re not available?
  
• If a group practice, how often will I see the other doctors or nurse-midwives?
  
• Prenatal Care: Do you perform VBACs (vaginal births after cesareans)?
  
• What tests do you routinely perform during pregnancy?
  
• Do you recommend any childbirth classes?
  
• If I become high-risk, what changes might I expect in my prenatal care?

Labor and Delivery:

• Do you, or one of your partners, meet me at the hospital when I’m in labor?
  
• At what point in my labor do you come to the hospital?
  
• What procedures do you routinely perform at the hospital(i.e. enemas, IV’s, continuous fetal monitoring, episiotomies, etc.)?
  
• What if I don’t want one of these procedures?
  
• Will you help me develop a birth plan?

Basic Questions for Midwife Interviews:

• How long have you been in practice?
  
• How many babies do you deliver a month?
  
• Are you licensed by the state?
  
• How do I reach you in an emergency?
  
• Who covers for you if you’re not available?
  
• Who is your backup obstetrician?
  
• Are you solo or with a group practice?
  
• If solo, who covers for you?
  
• If with a group, how often will I see others in the practice?

Prenatal Care:

• What tests do you routinely perform during pregnancy?
  
• Can you give me some examples of when you might manage my care jointly with the back-up OB or transfer me to an OB full-time?
  
• If I had to have a cesarean, would you stay with me during the procedure?
  
• Do you recommend any childbirth classes?

Labor and Delivery:

• What do you suggest to help me manage pain during labor?
  
• What procedures do you routinely perform at the hospital or birth center (i.e. enemas, IV’s, continuous fetal monitoring, episiotomies, etc.)?
  
• What if I don’t want one of these procedures?
  
• Will you help me develop a birth plan?

Questions to Ask Yourself after Interviewing a Doctor or Nurse-Midwife:

• Did you feel comfortable with the doctor or nurse-midwife?
  
• Is the office convenient?
  
• How long were you kept waiting?
  
• How helpful were the nurses and support staff?

What Type of Medical Practice Is Right for You and Your Pregnancy?

After you’ve decided on the type of caregiver you prefer, you’ll need to decide which kind of medical practice you’ll be most comfortable with. The solo medical practice is one where the doctor works for himself or herself using another doctor to cover when your doctor is away or otherwise unavailable.

An OB or a family practitioner may be in a solo practice but in almost all states a nurse-midwife must work in a practice with a physician. A major advantage to a solo practice is that you see your doctor at every checkup and you have the opportunity to really get to know them and feel comfortable. A major disadvantage is that if your doctor isn’t available at the time of delivery, your baby may possibly be delivered by a doctor that you’ve never had the chance to meet. Also, if you’re seeing a doctor who’s in a solo practice and you decide that things just aren’t “clicking” with the doctor halfway through your pregnancy, you may be stuck unless you can afford to pick up the bill and move to a different doctor.

The partnership or group medical practice is made up of two or more doctors in the same specialty. They care for patients jointly and see patients on a rotating basis. With this arrangement, the advantage is that by seeing a different doctor each time, you will get to know them all, and when labor is coming hard and fast there will be a familiar face in the delivery room. The disadvantage is that you may not like all the partners and you won’t have any control over who you will see at the delivery.

A combination practice is a group practice that includes one or more OBs and one or more nurse-midwives. The advantages and disadvantages are similar to those of a group practice. One advantage of having a nurse-midwife on staff is that they can usually spend extra time with you at your prenatal appointments.

A maternity or birth center-based practice is the type of practice where nurse-midwives provide the bulk of care to the patients and OBs are on call as needed. Birth centers provide care for low-risk pregnancies only. This is favorable to women who choose midwives as their primary practitioners. The main disadvantage of this type of practice is that if a pregnancy becomes a high-risk situation, you’ll have to switch to a physician in a more traditional setting and start new with them.

Conclusion: Explore Your Options and Come Prepared

Finding the perfect doctor or midwife can be quite a journey but once you have settled in with a caregiver and a practice that’s on the same “pregnancy wavelength” as you, you’ll be well on your way to delivery.

You can make the job of caring for you and your baby easier by being prepared for each visit by having a list of questions ready. Don’t withhold information. It’s crucial to tell your caregiver everything he or she needs to know.

Get the expectant father or partner involved; ideally, the father or your partner and caregiver should meet and be familiar with each other long before the first pang of labor hits. Finally, speak up and don’t hesitate to tell your caregiver if you’re dissatisfied and give him or her the opportunity to correct the problem.

So, how long can you expect to wear maternity clothes after giving birth? In general, you’ll likely find yourself wearing your maternity clothes for at least eight weeks after having your baby, though this will of course differ for each individual. Our body doesn’t miraculously ping back into shape after our baby is born (despite what the media might have you believe!) and maternity clothes offer a practical solution to the period of transition between the pregnant body and the post-partum figure.

How Long Will I have a Baby Bump Under My Clothing After Birth?

Expect to have a baby bump to accommodate under your clothing for a while after giving birth. Your baby bump will slowly reduce in size after you deliver your baby but this process can take up to two months as there are still many changes that need to take place before your body looks less pregnant, including:

1. Uterus Contraction

Baby Centre advises that once you’ve delivered your baby, the uterus slowly contracts over 6-8 weeks under the control of your post-partum hormones. Because this shrinkage takes time, your enlarged uterus still contributes to having a bump after your baby is born. 

2. Extra Fluid

What’s more, during pregnancy, many of your cells swell up with extra fluid, it takes time for these fluid levels to come down as they need to be excreted via sweat and urine.  Then, the additional fat that your body wisely laid down to nourish your baby will also take some time to disappear too.  Breastfeeding and, when you’re ready to do so, some exercise will help burn this off. So, as you can see, there are plenty of very normal physiological factors keeping those pre-baby jeans on the shelf a little longer. 

3. Muscular Changes

As your bump grew during your pregnancy, your muscles had to stretch in order to accommodate your growing baby.  These muscular changes can make your tummy look quite different after the birth and can contribute to the continued presence of the bump and then, as that shrinks, a pouch.  

The NHS notes that many women experience diastasis recti (or, separated abdominal muscles) and this can change the appearance of your tummy post-partum.  It’s really common for the abdominal muscles to separate as the uterus grows, and it can take up to 8 weeks for them to come back together and even out the appearance of the abdomen. (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/support-and-services/your-post-pregnancy-body/). 

It’s clear then that there are a number of reasons why you’ll need to keep on wearing those maternity clothes, potentially for up to two months, based purely upon the normal rate of uterine shrinkage, fluid and fat loss, and muscle healing.

What Clothing Size Will I Be in The First Months Post-Partum?

Even after those initial two months of recovery, you might find yourself at a larger clothes size than you were before. Many women can retain and even gain weight post-partum. This means that even after those first few months (the fourth-trimester) of uterine shrinkage, fluid and fat loss, and muscle healing it’s common to need to keep wearing the earlier stage maternity clothes or new larger-sized “normal” clothes for a while longer.

Weight retention after having a baby is very normal – and that’s something new moms probably need to hear more often.  According to this study in Obesity – A Research Journal, numerous studies in the past have reported the retention of weight in women post-partum. This study suggests that pregnancy-related changes to visceral fat may contribute to post-partum weight retention and even obesity. 

Maternity Tops and Nursing Tops

One area where you’re going to see new growth post-partum is the chest.  Whether you are nursing or formula feeding, in those first few days post-partum your breasts will experience engorgement. Though nursing tops are a popular choice, your old maternity tops or dresses are useful here as well. Since your breasts will be engorged and often painful, keeping them as comfortable as possible is the goal.

If you nurse, expect your breasts to be bigger than they were pre-pregnancy during your feeding journey (and to fluctuate in size every few hours too!)  Those maternity tops can come in super handy if your pre-baby tops are a little restrictive.

Medical News Today suggests a nursing mom’s breasts will not only be larger whilst she’s feeding her infant, but after her baby weans too. 

Don’t rush out to buy larger size clothes just because you’re sitting at a bigger size after your baby. Allow yourself those two months of recovery and, if you’re breastfeeding, this may contribute to weight loss in the months following the birth. For example, a study published in Preventative Medicine found that moms who exclusively breastfed for at least three months had a greater chance of returning to the same or lower BMI category as they were pre-pregnancy.  

In light of all these perfectly normal physiological changes, expect to be a larger size than you were pre-pregnancy for at least a couple of months. Maternity clothes can bridge the gap between pregnancy and your new normal and save you from spending money on new clothes sizes that you might naturally shrink out of.

Maternity Clothing and Body Image Post-Partum

Wearing clothes that feel too tight and accentuate the parts of our body that we personally don’t want to accentuate is no fun at the best of times, but when you’re a new mom, entering a brand-new chapter of your life, it can be particularly distressing.

Maternity clothes are designed to accommodate for growth in the areas which tend to stay a little bigger post-partum – the hips/waist/abdomen region and the chest. By continuing to wear certain pieces from your maternity collection for at least a couple of months, you can feel far more comfortable and hopefully more confident.  These clothes, cut to fit changing female body, stretch or allow for extra curves.  They won’t make you feel like you’re wearing something which “doesn’t fit”.

Body image following birth is an important subject and we know this can contribute to declining mental health. Research published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth found that women have an unrealistic expectation of their post-partum body, with many finding it at odds with the socially constructed ideal body.

So far we’ve thought about the need to wear maternity clothes post-partum to comfortably fit a recovering body, but we can also continue to wear them to encourage a more positive body image, by wearing clothes that fit well and suit our body as it is right now.

References

Cho, G.J., Yoon, H.J., Kim, E.-J., Oh, M.-J., Seo, H.-S. and Kim, H.-J. (2011), Postpartum Changes in Body Composition. Obesity, 19: 2425-2428. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2011.163

Hodgkinson, E.L., Smith, D.M. & Wittkowski, A. (2014). Women’s experiences of their pregnancy and postpartum body image: a systematic review and meta-synthesis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 14 (330). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-14-330

Leonard, J. (2019). How do breasts change during and after pregnancy? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325602

Marian P. Jarlenski, et. al.(2014). Effects of breastfeeding on postpartum weight loss among U.S. women. Preventive Medicine, 69: 146-150. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743514003600

Rauch, C. Post-baby belly: How long you might look pregnant. BabyCenter. https://www.babycenter.com/baby/postpartum-health/post-baby-belly-how-long-you-might-look-pregnant_1152349