Continuing my Breast Cancer Awareness Series….

If you have some down time this weekend and are a little bored, be bop on over to the awesome Breast Cancer Awareness area on the Lifetime Television for Women Website. There is lots to see, read, and do over there, so let me highlight some of my faves.

Map... more

Have you felt your baby moving around or kicking yet? I’ll never forget the first time I felt either of my boys moving around. It’s a weird feeling at first and kind of took me by surprise. I almost wasn’t sure what it was at first. If felt fluttery to me.

But as your baby grows the kicks and movement become stronger. I used to say Charlie was in there doing tae-boe. He was a strong kicker, stronger than Noah, and he kicked a lot.

These initial fluttery type movements are known as quickening. Quickening is the term used to describe the fluttering... more

While surfing the web, I found a great article on unplanned pregnancies giving women tips on how to cope with them in the beginning after finding out they were indeed pregnant. I think it's a good read for anyone who's pregnancy was a suprise. Check out highlights of the tips below or read the article in its entirety.

Speak with a friend or family member you can trust. You'll need someone who will be supportive and not... more

Today’s post will continue my breast cancer awareness series honoring breast cancer awareness month, Look for links to the other posts in the series at the bottom of this post.

October typically makes us think of fall and the dark autumn colors of gold, burgundy, and brown, but another color is everywhere this month! My favorite color, pink is abundant this month too! We see pink everywhere – pink products (like the pink M&Ms), people wearing pink, and even people wearing pink ribbon lapel pins. They even gave away a pink car on The View last week!

Last... more

When you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you are probably feeling a million different emotions. And sometimes all of them at once! Plus all those lovely pregnancy hormones to deal with as well! It’s like a rollercoaster ride; full of ups and downs and twisty sharp curves where you are not sure what is coming next. I can remember feeling in awe of the life growing inside of me but scared at the same exact moment because I didn’t know how I was going to take care of that little life!

I plan to begin exploring some of the different emotions... more

Childbirth education classes can help you prepare for labor and birth. Many hospitals nowadays offer childbirth education classes. They typically cover the warning signs of labor, techniques to cope with pain, breathing techniques, when to call your doctor, the normal progression of labor, and more. The goal of childbirth education classes is to provide you with information and education to help minimize your fears and anxieties and to educate you on tips and techniques that have been helpful to other moms. These can be especially helpful for many first... more

Pre-term or premature labor is defined as labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy is completed. This is too early for your baby to be born and can sometimes result in complications. The earlier your baby is born, the more complications he or she may have.

About twelve percent of all pregnancies – that’s one in eight pregnancies – result in the delivery of a premature baby. Babies who are born prematurely are at higher risk of needing hospitalization, having chronic lung problems, having long term health problems, and even death.

Premature... more

I’ve written about October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it also National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. It’s a sad topic, I know, but one that still deserves a little attention and a cause that is near and dear to my heart having lost three pregnancies now.

A miscarriage is defined as a pregnancy loss that usually occurs before twenty weeks of pregnancy. Miscarriages are pretty common, more common than I think many of us realize. About one in four recognized pregnancies results in a miscarriage and there are probably more that actually... more

Part 1

Let’s discuss a few of the myths and facts of breast cancer. Myth: Men do not get breast cancer. Fact: While more women than men get breast cancer, men can and do develop breast cancer. This year approximately 211,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and only about 1,600 men.

Myth: Finding a lump in your breast means you have breast cancer. Fact: Eight out of ten lumps... more

Let's get practical for a moment. What are the things you need to know in preparation for the day you come home from the hospital without your child? I’ve listed a few here…perhaps other birthparents will think of more.

1. Make sure you have someone to pick you up and take you home from the hospital. In my case, none of us had thought of that, and when the day came, I was forced to call around to find a ride home. No one was available, and it was awful. Let me tell you, when you have just separated from your child, you don’t need this... more