After many years of struggling to get pregnant and the tedious, stressful saga of going through IVF (four years of it), my partner and I were incredibly lucky our last viable embryo hit positive. Hooray!

On that day, though, a new challenge began: How do I stay healthy to maximize my chances of having a healthy baby? Having had so many appointments during IVF, I was surprised to have so few appointments during pregnancy. In the beginning, doctor’s visits were just once a month or so; check-ins only became more frequent in the last few weeks. In between, I often felt on my own, breaking new personal ground as I experienced the various phases. I constantly asked myself, “Am I doing enough?” “Is my body keeping up with all the changes happening inside?” So many questions flooded my hormonally saturated neurons.

Pregnant people frequently experience constipation, sleeplessness, lack of motivation, emotional volatility and exhaustion. Unfortunately, I had all of these, and I was not thrilled about taking medication to alleviate the issues.

Because of my background (I have a Ph.D. in biochemistry and am the co-founder and CEO of a company called Ixcela, which develops tests and programs to improve the health of the gut microbiome), I knew that a lot of these symptoms could be caused by poor gut health and/or nutritional deficiencies and that I could take action against them.

One major issue tends to be a lack of protein. According to the American Pregnancy Association, pregnant women should consume between 75-100 grams per day or about 25% of their daily caloric intake. Many think they are getting enough—from a handful of almonds or a small serving of eggs—when they really aren’t. (Sorry, friends. Protein, NOT carbs. That means doubling up on Häagen-Dazs won’t solve the problem.)

Protein is important because it contains two critical amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) that the body needs, especially during pregnancy. The first is tryptophan. Since your body can’t make tryptophan, it must be digested through various types of food (meats, cheeses, fish, beans, etc.)—basically anything with protein in it. The bacteria in your intestines (a.k.a. your gut microbiome) take the tryptophan you eat and convert it into many other things, including serotonin. Serotonin is important for your mental health/sanity and happiness as well as gut motility—yes, your tushy’s ability to comfortably bond with your toilet bowl. Going one step further, your body takes serotonin and converts it into melatonin, which is critical for good sleep.

The second amino acid is tyrosine, which is found in seeds, edamame, cheese, fish, lentils and yogurt. The bacteria in the intestine (the gut microbiome again) convert it into important molecules, such as adrenaline (the molecule that helps you have the initiative to do stressful things) and dopamine (the “feel-good” molecule).

You might see where I’m heading with this: Not enough tryptophan in your diet = not enough serotonin and melatonin = feelings of emotional distress, constipation and bad sleep. Not enough tyrosine in your diet = lack of motivation and feelings of depression.

Take a step back and think about it. When you are pregnant, you are building a little person, and that human being requires extra protein. If, however, you are not getting enough, the baby continues to be built, which depletes your load of tryptophan and tyrosine and leads to the adverse effects and feelings mentioned above. Booo.

How Do You Know Whether You’re Getting Enough Protein in Your Diet?

If you’re feeling sluggish, constipated and lacking motivation, you may have an unhealthy microbiome or be short on protein. You can slowly increase your daily intake to see if it improves your mood and bowel movements.

But, for me, following general guidelines wasn’t enough—and my symptoms proved that something larger may be amiss. I wanted to truly know what my body needed not just to handle the pregnancy, but also to provide the best environment for my baby. And as a student of science and a self-proclaimed super dork, I am a believer in measurement. If you can measure it, you can manage it!

Instead of guessing about what’s happening in your body, wouldn’t it be great to do a test to see what is actually happening? After all, pregnancy drastically changes your body—how you utilize nutrients, what appears in your blood work and your hormone levels. If you want to optimize its functioning, it’s best to know your baseline. The good news? You can test your protein levels and the health of your gut through a simple pin-prick blood test to determine whether or not you’re getting the nutrients you need in your diet—all conveniently at home.

And if you’re wondering, “How do I know if the bacteria in my gut can take the protein I’m eating and effectively turn it into these other molecules that are important for my (and my baby’s) well-being?” This can also be answered with the same test. It will show if your gut microbiome is healthy enough to convert your protein into other molecules effectively, and if it’s not, make recommendations to adjust your diet to maximize your body’s function.

Throughout my pregnancy, I religiously tested myself every three months and followed the dietary and lifestyle recommendations based on the results. I was able to move the needle on protein levels, which significantly helped my quality of sleep, kept me afloat emotionally during the hormonal roller coaster and helped ease my perpetual constipation. The changes I implemented took a few weeks to kick in (the microbiome takes around three-to-four weeks to change), but pregnancy is a nine-month process, so it’s worth the effort on the front end.

Pregnancy is tough on your mind and body, and there will be times when you have to muscle your way through. But some of these simple things can really make you just a bit more comfortable. Remember: Having a good microbiome will help with guts, butts and not going nuts.

Photo: Erika Angle

Dr. Erika Ebbel Angle is the CEO and co-founder of Ixcela. She received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Boston University School of Medicine and holds a B.S. in chemistry from MIT. Erika also founded Science from Scientists, a nonprofit focused on improving STEM attitudes and aptitudes for children aged 9-13.

Your baby becomes calm when in your arms but is there more to it than just knowing you are near? A new study led by researchers at University College London (UCL) and York University, Canada shows being held by a parent with skin-to-skin contact reduces how strongly a newborn baby’s brain responds to a painful medical jab. The scientists report in the European Journal of Pain that there was more activity in the brains of newborn babies in reaction to the pain when a parent was holding them through clothing, than without clothing.

Joint senior author, Dr Lorenzo Fabrizi from UCL Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology said, “We have found when a baby is held by their parent, with skin-on-skin contact, the higher-level brain processing in response to pain is somewhat dampened. The baby’s brain is also using a different pathway to process its response to pain. While we cannot confirm whether the baby actually feels less pain, our findings reinforce the important role of touch between parents and their newborn babies.”

The study involved 27 infants, 0-96 days old and born premature or at term age, at University College London Hospitals. The researchers were measuring their response to a painful but clinically required heel lance (blood test). Brain activity was recorded with EEG (electroencephalography) electrodes placed on the scalp.

The babies were either held by their mother skin-to-skin (wearing a diaper, against their mother’s chest), or held by their mother with clothing, or else lying in a cot or incubator (most of these babies were swaddled).

The researchers found that the initial brain response to the pain was the same, but as the heel lance elicited a series of four to five waves of brain activity, the later waves of activity were impacted by whether the baby was held skin-to-skin or with clothing.

Joint senior author, Professor Rebecca Pillai Riddell from the Department of Psychology, York University, Canada said, “The slightly delayed response was dampened if there was skin contact with their mother, which suggests that parental touch impacts the brain’s higher level processing. The pain might be the same, but how the baby’s brain processes and reacts to that pain depends on their contact with a parent. Our findings support the notion that holding a newborn baby against your skin is important to their development.”

The brains of the babies that remained in the cot or incubator also reacted less strongly to the pain than those held in clothing, but the researchers say that may be because the babies were not disrupted by being picked up before the procedure, or else due to the success of the sensitive, individualized care they were provided.

The babies’ behavior was not significantly different between the groups, although the skin-to-skin group did exhibit slightly reduced responses in terms of facial expression and heart rate. Other studies have found that skin-to-skin contact with a parent does affect baby behavior, and may reduce how strongly they react to pain, but those studies did not investigate the brain response.

In the current study, the babies’ brain responses were not only dampened in the skin-to-skin group, but also followed a different neural pathway.

First author, Dr. Laura Jones from UCL Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology said, “Newborn babies’ brains have a high degree of plasticity, particularly those born preterm, and their development is highly dependent on interactions with their parents. Our findings may lend new insights into how babies learn to process threats, as they are particularly sensitive to maternal cues.”

Co-author Dr. Judith Meek from University College London Hospitals said, “Parents and clinicians have known for many years how important skin to skin care is for babies in NICU. Now we have been able to demonstrate that this has a solid neurophysiological basis, which is an exciting discovery.”

The study was funded by the Medical Research Council (UK) and the International Association for the Study of Pain.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Kevin Liang  via Unsplash

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Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

When I started to suspect I had an ovulatory disorder that meant my progesterone levels weren’t rising properly after ovulation, I went to my doctor and asked for a supplement. Although he was reluctant, he prescribed it for me. A couple of cycles later, I was pregnant and gave birth to my beautiful daughter who is now 6. But after my experience, I discovered there was a significant lack of knowledge in women’s health surrounding low progesterone and supplementation. Many women and their doctors did not understand or believe in the power of progesterone.

Unfortunately, some misconceptions are still common today. Read on to understand more about progesterone, why it’s important, and two common misconceptions that could be preventing women from uncovering what could be an easy fix.   

Why Is Progesterone Important?  

Progesterone is the hormone released after ovulation. It is required to prepare the uterus to receive an embryo, should conception have occurred and is essential to have adequate levels of progesterone for a long enough period of time after ovulation for a successful pregnancy.

What is misunderstood, however, is that a common problem with ovulation typically manifests as progesterone deficiency. Many doctors question if low progesterone is a real diagnosis and whether or not adding progesterone supplements can actually help.

Misconception #1: Studies Show Progesterone Supplements Don’t Help Fix Problems with Ovulation.

When I asked my doctor for a progesterone supplement, he gave it to me—not because he thought it would work, but because taking the supplement wouldn’t harm me. This lack of faith in the effectiveness of progesterone supplements stems from a study conducted in 2016. This study followed 836 women. When a woman got a positive pregnancy test, half were given vaginal progesterone and the other half were given nothing. Live birth rates were only 2% higher in the progesterone supplement group. So, the study concluded that progesterone supplementation didn’t really help.

But this experiment was flawed. Basic biology tells us that progesterone is required to prepare the uterine lining for implantation—which is why it is released by the ovary right after ovulation. So, by the time a woman got a positive pregnancy test, the embryo had likely already implanted. Providing progesterone after confirmed pregnancy was almost “too late” since progesterone is critically needed to prepare the uterus for conception. This study was highly publicized when it was published, so the information spread widely to doctors and women.

In 2017, another study was published. In this experiment, women were given progesterone at the start of their luteal phase (3 days after ovulation) so that they were able to have high levels before implantation and getting a positive pregnancy test. The results of this study showed a 17% increase in live birth rates. 

In fact, there are many studies that show progesterone supplementation starting after ovulation increases live birth rates. So when supplementing, it’s important to mimic the time when the body would have released progesterone as well—which is right after ovulation, not after implantation has already occurred. 

Misconception #2: A Blood Test Is the Best & Only Way to Confirm Ovulation. 

If you suspect you have a lack of ovulation or suboptimal ovulation (i.e. a progesterone deficiency), your doctor may order a day-21 progesterone blood test. A day-21 blood test aims to measure progesterone at the point in your cycle when it should be the highest—seven days after ovulation (given ovulation occurs on day 14). However, there are a few reasons a blood test can fall short. 

First, a day-21 blood test assumes you ovulate on day 14 of your cycle. But, every cycle is different in length, so one woman may ovulate before or after day 14. When this happens, progesterone still should be high seven days after ovulation, but that may not necessarily occur exactly on the 21st day of your cycle. This means that you could get a negative result when in reality, your progesterone is fine. Additionally, a one point in time measurement doesn’t always show the full picture. In my case, progesterone levels would rise, then fall a bit too quickly to be considered “healthy”. I would get a positive day-21 test and doctors would think I was fine, but my progesterone levels weren’t actually adequate over time. 

Second, progesterone is secreted into the blood in pulses. Studies have shown that serum progesterone levels can fluctuate eight times in the course of a single day. So, progesterone can range from 3-30 ng/ml, depending on what time of day you draw blood. This makes it extremely difficult for doctors to know if the amount of serum progesterone in your blood draw is actually enough to support successful conception. At 8 a.m., your progesterone levels could look great, but at 4 p.m., they could be low. 

So, what does this all mean for you? 

The most important thing for you to do is stay informed and ask your doctor the right questions. The good news is that there are other ways to confirm successful ovulation at home so that you can understand this important piece of the fertility puzzle! 

After progesterone circulates through the blood, it is then passed into the liver where it is metabolized and secreted into urine as PdG (Pregnanediol Glucuronide). Studies have shown that PdG levels, first thing in morning urine show an average of the serum progesterone levels from the day before. Because PdG shows an average, this makes it a better way to measure the overall progesterone production after ovulation. Add to this, testing PdG through urine is non-invasive, it’s simple to track levels over several days, allowing for a more complete ovulation picture. 

Understanding the importance of progesterone and the most effective ways to test for it can empower you with valuable information and help your better advocate for yourself on your TTC journey.

I'm Amy Beckley. After my experiences with pregnancy loss and IVF I used my PhD in Pharmacology to create MFB Fertility, Inc. and invented the Proov test in my basement, which now allows women to confirm successful ovulation by tracking PdG in 5 minutes, at home. I want to empower women.

Let me start off by saying that I’m superstitious by nature. I always wear an evil eye bracelet to ward off bad luck and wear a red string to bring me good luck. I even bought extras and put them on the stroller and diaper bag. “Oh good, there’s no traffic” has never come out of my mouth because a mile down the road there will be traffic—because I said something, of course. I could keep going, but everyone gets the point.

When our first child was born, my husband and I had heard that it would be a good time to buy life insurance. My first reaction was anxiety. We are young and healthy, why do we need life insurance? Besides, why do they call it “life insurance” when the benefit is when you die? The anxiety along with my natural sense of superstition started to kick in, but I decided that it’s better to be prepared than sorry. Awful things do happen with or without amulets.

Like mom said, “Do your homework!” I wish someone had given me advice on where to start and what to ask. I hope my story helps. Please, ask many questions—act like a 2-year-old for once! Note that the younger you are when you buy life insurance, the better. Once you take care of it, it’s done. The result is lower anxiety which you can save for all the worrying you’ll be doing as a parent throughout your child’s lifetime.

1. Filling Out a Life Insurance Form Online at 2 a.m. Is a Bad Idea.

Let’s face it, Millennials love to buy online. It’s easy and convenient. Here’s what we learned quickly. Don’t buy life insurance online. Not at 2 a.m. when your baby is up and so are you, and not later in the day. A nicely designed website and a few clicks may seem like a good idea until you read the fine print. Online sites are driven by an algorithm and cannot understand your needs, concerns, and health situation.  

Skipping an online service may save you money. After the underwriting process, a life insurance company can often return with a higher offer than the original quote you might have been first given.  

2. Go Old School and Talk to a Person.

The best way to get the right life insurance policy is to use an independent life insurance agent. Almost the entire process is online so it will satisfy most people’s needs to feel connected on mobile. We asked around and found our agent. You can also search online. Just be sure to ask the agent if they work with several carriers. We learned that if you are healthy and under 50-years-of-age you can apply for life and disability insurance without a blood test for coverage of up to $3 million. Do what makes you feel comfortable and don’t be pressured to buy something you don’t need or cannot afford. Save that money for diapers and wine!

3. How Much Coverage Do You Need, Anyway?

We didn’t know where to begin, so we thought about why we wanted coverage and the amount we needed. For example, we took into consideration that we both worked and had a mortgage on our apartment.  Luckily for us, we had a human to help us calculate how much coverage we needed and for how many years. A rule of thumb is 10 times your annual income.

Surprise! Life insurance is less expensive than we thought. For example, a 30-year-old, non-smoking female in good health can get a 20-year term policy for $500,000 in death benefit for $16 a month. That’s the price of my once a week cappuccino over a month.

4. Term or Perm?

No, I’m not talking about your aunt’s hair in the 1980s, I’m talking about term life insurance versus permanent life insurance. If you’re on a budget, and who isn’t when you first have a baby, consider a term policy. My grandma just turned 101 years old last week and is addicted to video poker on my iPad. We started with a term policy, and if my evil eye bracelets keep me out of trouble, in about 20-years we’ll hopefully be able to afford to convert that policy into a permanent one. The advantage is that you don’t need to repeat the lab tests because even if you develop a health condition, the life insurance company will give you the same health rating as when you got the original policy. An important question to ask your agent is if the affordable term policy they are offering you is “convertible.”

5. Surprise! Life Insurance Can Help Fund Kiddo’s College Expenses.

This is something that you might want to consider hitting-up the grandparents for. Life insurance for children has nothing to do with a death benefit, thank goodness! According to Market Watch, “A portion of the money paid into the policies can help fund college expenses by taking out a loan against the cash value balance and using the money income tax-free, which must be paid back with interest.” It’s about putting away money each month that will grow in your baby’s college fund or can be used as a down payment for a home when they are older. Susana Zinn, who happens to be an independent life insurance agent and an amazing grandma said, “It’s a nice way for grandparents to leave a legacy without breaking the bank. If the grandchild later decides they want to launch a start-up instead of going to college, you can authorize your child to borrow the cash value, tax-free, and use it. Make sure the policy has living benefits.”

So basically, for a glass of wine at your favorite restaurant, you can cross off an item on the adulting list. If you get freaked out or make a mistake, like I did before I listened to a person in the know, you can cancel a policy within 30 days and get your money back. (Like I did the first time.) That and a good luck charm of your choice should give you peace of mind at least until your baby gets a driver’s license. Just be sure to ask lots of questions and feel comfortable with your ultimate decision.

I'm a mom of two children, wife, and love my fur baby, traveling and playing UNO.  My passion is discovering services and products by entrepreneurs, especially those that can cut down on some screen time and help our family create lasting memories together. 

The littles are allergic to dogs—or so you thought. If you have dreams of adopting a new furry friend for your allergy-prone fam, you may be in luck—that is, if you prefer Fifi to Fido.

Dr. Lakiea Wright, an allergist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, told CNN, “Up to 30% of people who are allergic to dogs are actually allergic to one specific protein that’s made in the prostate of a dog.” With the FDA approval of a blood test for the allergen last May, doctors can now identify whether you (or your child) can live with male dogs or not.

photo: Lum3n.com via Pexels

Wright went on to add, “If you’re allergic to only that specific protein in the male dog, you may be able to tolerate a female or a neutered dog.”

If you’re all in for a hairless pup to avoid allergies, think again. According to Wright there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Instead, it’s the proteins (such as the one male dogs make) that influence allergies. Wright noted, “When we suspect a dog allergy, we’re testing for that whole allergen. But then we’re also looking at specific proteins, the parts that make up the whole, to refine that diagnoses.”

When it comes to male dogs, the docs look for the Can f 5 protein, which is made in the prostate. Not only can these proteins spread to the dog’s skin and hair, but they can also end up in the air, on furniture or on clothing.

Keep in mind, it’s possible for you (or your child) to have a reaction to more than one dog protein. There are five already-identified allergy-causing proteins dogs make. Even if you’re cleared for the Can f 5 protein,  you may still have an allergy to any of the other four.

—Erica Loop

 

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After announcing their baby news last month, Alec and Hilaria Baldwin have something else to share—whether they’re expecting a boy or a girl.

The parents to four already have three boys and one girl (plus Baldwin and ex Kim Basinger’s daughter, Ireland). If you’re wondering whether the couple’s six-year old daughter feels outnumbered by the boys, Hilaria shared with POPSUGAR, “She loves Ireland, but she wants a baby sister. Basically, my mission is I’m going to keep having kids until it’s a girl!”

It looks like the Baldwins may have met their mission—because they’re having a girl! In a sweet Instagram video clip, Hilaria showed their at-home gender reveal. Each of the four kiddos got a fully swaddled baby doll. The six, four, three and one-year-olds had to remove the blanket to reveal a onesie underneath.

The pink onesies clued the kids into the baby’s gender. Hilaria added, on IG, “We are so excited!” Earlier this month Hilaria posted an ultrasound pic and asked for gender reveal ideas, writing, “I have a secret obsession with gender reveal videos…Give me ideas. I should know in about a week or two, because I did the early blood test.”

While the mama-to-be did ask her IG followers to add their ideas in the comments, we still don’t know if she chose one of the suggestions or got creative on her own. In either case, congrats go out to the Baldwin brood and their baby girl news!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Hilaria Baldwin via Instagram 

 

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There wasn’t anything that prepared me for the birth of my son Evan 10 weeks early. At that time, my husband had just received a job offer, requiring us to relocate almost 500 miles away. We quickly packed up all of our belongings and made the move to San Diego. Four days later, living in a hotel and just a few weeks before Christmas, I suddenly went into preterm labor and delivered Evan three hours later, weighing just 3.3lbs.

Shocked and unprepared, my husband and I soldiered on with multiple trips to and from the neonatal intensive care unit where Evan was being monitored and tube-fed for eight weeks because he had issues swallowing. According to our medical team, the NICU was a necessary measure as preterm babies are at greater risk for breathing problems, feeding difficulties and sudden death syndrome–among others.

Dealing with this—coupled with raising a toddler and my husband acclimating to his brand-new job—created an emotional toll on my entire family. Luckily, everything worked out for us and Evan is now 18 months old, nearly the same size and weight as if he was born at-term. Going through the experience of a preterm birth was not an easy one, but we are thankful that our story ended on a happy note.

Through my experience, I was able to learn the following about preterm birth, which I think is important for all expectant parents to take into consideration during their journey to parenthood. Miracle Babies and Sera Prognostics recently conducted a survey, and the findings reinforced many of the life lessons that I learned from giving birth to a preterm baby. I would like to take this opportunity to share some of my personal takeaways in an effort to help and prepare other expectant parents:

Empower Yourself With as Much Knowledge as You can

During my first pregnancy, I delivered 10 days late. I had a second pregnancy but it did not last long, and I miscarried at eight weeks, six months before I found out I was pregnant with Evan. With my third pregnancy, I had no morning sickness, and for the most part, it was an enjoyable experience…until it wasn’t.

When Evan was born preterm, it came as a complete shock to me. Was there more that I could or should have done? Were there any interventions I could have researched to prolong my pregnancy? Was I eating right and exercising enough? Maybe I shouldn’t have lifted heavy boxes during our move…Should I have been monitored more frequently because of my previous miscarriage? Would it have made a difference?

The survey findings show that 95 percent of expecting parents would have liked to know that their baby was at an increased risk for premature birth. Other findings further showed that of the 95 percent who answered yes, 97 percent of them still would have liked to known, even if there was nothing that could have been done to prevent it.

My doctor never spoke to me about premature birth prevalence, risk factors or signs and symptoms that may be associated with delivering prematurely, so I thought my pregnancy was going just fine. I do, however, wish I had known more to better prepare myself, friends and family and plan for my baby being born so early: I am one of the 97 percent.

Don’t Be Afraid to Speak to Your Doctor Openly

An interesting finding in the survey is that more than half of respondents said that they did not discuss preterm birth with their healthcare provider. How is this even possible? Being that 1 in 10 babies in the United States is born prematurely, there seems to be a communication barrier among parents and healthcare providers in discussing preterm birth.

With that being said, I can’t stress enough the importance of being proactive during routine exams. Doctors may not touch upon the discussion of preterm birth during office visits. Identifying a woman at risk for preterm birth earlier allows for proactive administration of interventions and development of a pregnancy care plan, so it’s essential to over communicate with your healthcare provider.

There is even a blood test that can help determine an asymptomatic woman’s individual risk for preterm birth: the PreTRM® test is the first of its kind and is a clinically-validated blood test to accurately predict early in pregnancy the risk of premature birth. Early prediction may allow parents and healthcare providers to better plan individualized treatment and care for preterm babies.

Be Your Own Health Advocate

If there’s one thing that I learned from my experience, it’s that you are the most important member of your medical team. After speaking with your doctor, why not arm yourself with more information to bring up at your next appointment? Interventions may be applied for women who have been identified at increased risk; research this online and bring it up in conversation with your doctor.

There are also some known factors that have been associated with premature birth including: prior miscarriage, IVF, family history and health/lifest‌yle factors. Familiarize yourself with as much information as possible to help determine the risks of preterm birth; Miracle Babies, a non-profit founded to support NICU babies, provided me with an abundance of resources and information. Knowledge is power, so be sure to do your homework.

No One Is to Blame

For much of the time my son was in the NICU, I felt extremely guilty. Prior to his birth and during the move to San Diego, I was actively getting organized, packing, helping move around furniture and whatever else was needed for our new home. I had convinced myself that because of this, Evan was born early. I realized that this was not true at all. You cannot blame yourself, or anyone, in this instance. The most important thing to do is take all that blame and guilt and throw it away so you can focus on the health of your baby and yourself.

Don’t Be Afraid to Reply on Your Family for Help

Between my husband’s new job and having a toddler at home, it was difficult for me to get to the NICU to visit my newborn son. It was flu season so anyone under the age of 18 was not allowed in the NICU.  I could visit Evan for an hour while my other son Andrew was in preschool before I needed to turn around and pick him up again.  At night, I would have to wait for my husband to get home from work to visit Evan.

If we didn’t have a family member to help stay home with Andrew, only one of us could go to the NICU.  There were several days we couldn’t get to the hospital at all, which made me feel very guilty.  It became increasingly difficult to spend time with my family. However, during this whole process I realized how much support family can provide.

Whenever I would start to feel disheartened, I would turn to my husband, friends and family for extra support. Having people to speak to and rely on is an important part to make it through your preterm birth. I had an amazing support system and made a decision to accept help early on–and in doing that, I was less stressed and able to focus on more important things.

Every day can be a challenge, so it is necessary to have a “clear head” throughout the process.

I'm a wife and mother of two sweet boys. I love all things related to health, wellness and photography. I enjoy spending as much time with my family as possible. I am here to share my pregnancy journey and empower mothers everywhere to speak to their doctors about the risks of pre-term birth.