Need that morning cup of joe to get going in the morning? Turns out you don’t have to give it up when you’re pregnant.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), caffeine isn’t the no-no during pregnancy that was previously believed. (That sound you hear is a stampede of moms-to-be heading to Starbucks.)

A review of recent studies on the effects of caffeine on pregnancy has found that moderate caffeine consumption (less than 200 milligrams a day) won’t increase the risk of miscarriage or preterm birth.

That’s good news for all those expectant women (75%, according to a Wiser Pregnancy survey) who avoid caffeine during pregnancy – some of them reluctantly.

So how much is 200 milligrams of caffeine? It’s equivalent to one of these:

• One 12-ounce cup of coffee (although the amount of caffeine in coffee can vary)
• Four 8-ounce cups of tea
• More than five 12-ounce cans of soda a day
• Six or seven dark chocolate bars

However, there may be risks associated with consuming more than 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, so ACOG recommends keeping your intake below that.

Does this new position change your mind about caffeine? Would you have caffeine while pregnant?

To many women, pregnancy is a nifty excuse to pig out. After all, the baby needs calories, right? But it’s easy to pack on too much weight, which can lead to gestational diabetes.

And that, in turn, can put your baby at risk.

A new study has found that babies born to obese mothers with gestational diabetes are at increased risk of becoming obese by age 11. That puts the kids at risk of developing type 2 diabetes themselves.  Read the rest of this entry »

Expectant moms tend to be a healthy bunch: Most get regular exercise, eat healthy, take vitamins and avoid cigarettes and alcohol.

In fact, once pregnant, 80% of women take steps to improve their diet, according to a Wiser Pregnancy survey.  One-third of respondents made changes even before they got pregnant.

Yet most moms-to-be are dropping the ball on vitamin D. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, seven out of 10 pregnant women aren’t getting enough of this essential nutrient. Read the rest of this entry »

Phew, you survived Tax Day! But even with that behind you, if you’re expecting a baby, money is probably still on your mind.

And for good reason. The average middle-income family can expect to spend about $221,190 to raise a child to the age of 18, according to a 2009 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  (And in case you’re wondering, that doesn’t include college.)

That’s why it’s a good idea to begin financial planning early. According to a Wiser Pregnancy survey, 35% of women do financial planning specifically related to the pregnancy and new baby’s arrival.

Wondering where to start?  Here are a few ideas: 
Read the rest of this entry »

Did you ditch the coffee and sushi when you became pregnant? Those probably weren’t the only lifestyle changes … and it turns out, you’re healthier now than before.

Having a baby is the ultimate motivator to adopt a healthy lifestyle. In fact, pregnant women are champs compared to the rest of the population.

Expecting moms have much lower rates of drug, alcohol and cigarette use, particularly in the second and third trimesters.  They exercise and sleep more.  They get regular check-ups that include discussions about weight, diet and nutrition. They eating a balanced diet and boost vitamin intake.

So how do pregnant women stack up health-wise against non-pregnant women in the U.S.?
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Morning sickness can be bad, but food poisoning can be worse—much worse. 

Unfortunately, getting food poisoning doesn’t take much.  A couple bites or sips of something contaminated can knock even women with iron stomachs off their feet for a day or two. 

Moms-to-be are particularly susceptible to food-borne illnesses. Pregnancy weakens a woman’s immune system so her body doesn’t reject the developing fetus. So what can you do to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need without exposing yourself and your baby to salmonella, E. coli or other bugs that cause food poisoning? 

Some women – 26%, according to a Wiser Pregnancy survey – try to avoid all toxins by adopting environmentally-friendly practices, particularly when it comes to food. 

About 77% of women who opt for an eco-friendly – or green – pregnancy consume organic products; 60% limit their consumption of animal products.  Even organic and vegetarian foods must be properly cleaned and cooked to be free of food-borne germs.

For the three-quarters of pregnant women who don’t go green, most make some dietary changes to limit their chances of picking up a nasty food bug or toxin.  Some of these steps include: 

• Avoiding unpasteurized cheeses and milk, unpasteurized juices, deli or prepared meat, raw sprouts or other foods that could harbor bacteria that could lead to food poisoning
• Washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly with running water
• Cooking eggs and meat thoroughly (no runny yolks or rare steak)
• Paying attention to food recalls (milk, spinach, grapes, ground beef and even food flavoring).  Fruit and produce are great sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber, but they can get contaminated easily.
• Avoiding fish with higher levels of mercury

Not sure if you have food poisoning? The symptoms – often severe nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea – usually come on quickly and subside in 24 to 48 hours.  If symptoms last longer than 48 hours, if you have a high fever or if you are worried about dehydration, call your doctor.

Have you gotten food poisoning while pregnant?  What are you doing to avoid getting a food-borne illness?

There’s no doubt about it:  Having a child is expensive.  A 2009 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that a middle-income family will spend about $221,190 to raise their child to the age of 18.

And the expenses begin during pregnancy.

That’s why many couples start planning early. About 35% of families begin financial planning for their bundle of joy before or during pregnancy, according to a Wiser Pregnancy survey of more than 1,500 women. Approximately 18% of couples financially plan during the first month of their pregnancy; 11% plan in month 2 and another 11% plan in month 3. 
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That scourge of new moms – bisphenol A (BPA) – is going further under the microscope.

The health effects of bisphenol A – long used to harden plastics and found in everything from baby bottles to food and beverage containers – will be the focus of new research, say U.S. health officials. Although the full effects of the chemical are not known, BPA exposure has been linked to several health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or liver-enzyme abnormalities.

Most worrisome to new mothers is that BPA is in many baby products: bottles, sippy cups, liners of liquid baby formula containers.

But many moms-to-be are taking preventive steps early to be toxin-free. According to a WiserPregnancy survey, 26% of women focus on having an eco-friendly or “green” pregnancy, meaning that they try to avoid known or potential toxins that could harm their baby. Read the rest of this entry »

Whether you love your job or you bear it out of economic necessity, you’re probably doing the math to see how many days of leave you can take during or after pregnancy.

Even excluding taking leave to give birth, 100% of pregnant women plan to reduce their work hours, take additional leave or quit their jobs, according to a WiserPregnancy survey.  Nearly 40% of women plan to reduce their work hours, and about 60% of women plan to take additional time off or quit their jobs during pregnancy or after the baby arrives.

The Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires U.S. employers to give employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year.  You’re guaranteed your group health benefits during this leave, but paid maternity leave is rare in the U.S. 

Compared to leave policies in other developed countries, the U.S.’s leave policy is somewhat stingy.  Some European countries offer more than 4 months of 100% paid leave. 

Therefore, many women in the U.S. combine short-term disability, sick leave, vacation, personal day and unpaid family leave (also called maternity or parental leave) to take the time they need before delivery and before returning to work.   

Many new moms want more time with the new baby.  Some women cut back on their hours to make working while pregnant more manageable or make it easier to ease back into professional life after having been out for several weeks. 

Taking extra leave may be a necessity as much as a desire.  Your doctor may order you to avoid unnecessary stress or prescribe bed rest.  You may struggle to stay productive at work if you suffer from morning sickness, fatigue, the urge to urinate frequently, back pain or other common pregnancy symptoms. You may also have safety concerns about your job or need to attend frequent doctor appointments.

 How much leave did you take?  Why did you decide to take that much (or that little) leave?

Don’t have diabetes? Your blood sugar levels can still cause you problems during and after pregnancy.

A new study conducted by doctors at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital shows that women with gestational glucose intolerance (also known as “pre-diabetes”) are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later on.

A recent WiserPregnancy survey has found that although only 6% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, others suffer from blood sugar intolerance.

Read the rest of this entry »