General
Pregnancy Articles
Special thanks
to Natural Family Online and some individual authors
for allowing the use of their articles or exerpts. All
content is copyrighted and may not be used without
the written permission of the author.
Keep
Your Cool This Summer (opens
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When
the heat is on, life can become very hard when you are
pregnant. Instead of looking forward to those long, hot
August days, you may find yourself dreaming of igloos
and frozen ice-caps, so try out these tricks to help
you keep your cool when the temperature rises.
How
to Find a Breastfeeding Class (opens
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About
midway through your second trimester, your caregiver will
suggest that you register for prenatal classes. Many moms
assume that they need childbirth preparation only and that
they will learn everything else in the hospital, from books,
or “on the job.” This is ironic, because while
the labor and birth process is usually over in 24 hours or
less, feeding and caring for your baby will take years. Find
out what the content is of classes available in your community,
rather than choosing the first class that is offered to you.
10
Tips for Finding a Medical Professional For Your Child (opens
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Well before treatment is needed, help your
child to prepare emotionally for medical procedures. Play "dentist,” "doctor" or "hospital,” read
relevant books about children having medical treatment. To
help your child become familiar with medical instruments
before treatment is needed, find real instruments (such as
a rubber pick and plastic dental mirror) or create "play" ones
(such as using a piece of fabric as a blood pressure wrap).
Medical treatment can be frightening to a child, especially
if there are too many new and strange things to learn about
all at once.
Disciplining
an Infant: Are You Kidding? (opens
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The thought of disciplining a child in the
first year of life seems wrong or even ridiculous. Yet every
time an infant reaches up to tug his mother's hair and she
gently removes his grasp, or when he pulls an unsafe object
to his mouth and she intervenes, that's setting limits, that's
redirecting, that's guidance — and yes, that's discipline.
Effective discipline is not punishment. It's teaching. Discipline
really starts from day one.
Baby
Massage From A-Z (opens
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Baby massage
has been practiced since ancient times. It can be as simple
as a gentle rub with lotion after a bath or a more practiced
infant massage. The benefits are many for both baby and parent.
You can, and should, massage a child of any age from newborn
to adulthood. Children learn much about the power of gentle
touch. There's something very special about spending a little
time giving your teenager a backrub or foot massage. It maintains
a beautiful parent-child connection throughout a lifetime.
Pets
and Kids: When Baby Makes Four (opens
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A curious and affectionate
pet can unintentionally harm a baby. A child may be accidentally
scratched or even dropped when a friendly dog jumps up
on you to investigate. When the baby learns to crawl and
then to walk, it enters a new phase, and your pet's view
of the child may change.
How
do we know if we’re ready to have another baby? (opens
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Bring it on!
Are you ready for Baby #2? Number 4??
Five
Mistakes Women Make During Pregnancy (opens
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A woman’s pregnancy entitles everyone
within a 10-mile radius of the large-bellied lady to give
her constant, unwanted advice -- or so it seems. Truth be
told, the decisions you make during pregnancy are the first
ones you will make as a parent. And when it comes to pregnancy
and parenting, most of us have to learn the hard way: trial
and error.
You
Want to Eat What?!? Pregnancy Cravings Gone Too Far (opens
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When
Kari (not her real name) found herself drawn to her laundry
soap near the end of her second pregnancy, she didn't think
much of it. After her baby was born, her soap's mysterious
allure disappeared.
Pregnancy
Tips for the Professional Woman (opens
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Varicose
veins, fatigue, back and neck pain and other common discomforts
of pregnancy are difficult enough to ward off under the
best of circumstances. They can be worsened by the characteristic
conditions of an office job.
Choosing
Where to Give Birth (opens
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For most American
women, choosing where to give birth is deceptively simple.
Pick up the telephone book and insurance directory or log
on to the Internet and find out which physicians and hospitals
on your insurance plan are closest to home. Presto, your
choice is complete!
Birth
of a Child, Birth of an Activist (opens
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A revealing look at one woman's transformation
from a shy, stuttering teen into a vocal advocate for the
natural parenting community.
What
Not to Buy for a New Baby (opens
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When there’s
a new baby on the way, busy parents want affordable, practical
solutions – not a lot of unnecessary gear. While
innovative products are making infant care easier than
ever in some ways, experienced parents often find that
the simplest solutions are the best.
