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Every woman will probably have her own take on pregnancy. That’s why we never tire of hearing pregnancy stories as there is always something new. Actress Sarah Chalke has offered her own view on this life changing event. Let’s just say that for her it was something of an educational experience.

Chalke and her fiancé Jamie Afifi welcomed their first child on Christmas Eve 2009. The baby, a boy was named Charlie Rhodes. According to Chalke, she knew that motherhood was in the cards for her one day. This was probably such a certainty partly due to her parents who run an adoption agency in her native Canada.

The agency’s main focus is placing Chinese orphans with families. This is partially responsible for her own feelings on motherhood she revealed in an interview. Like many first time moms-to-be, Chalke did more than one pregnancy test just to be sure, four to be exact.

Chalke’s View on Pregnancy

In the interview Chalke said the final stage of pregnancy was like “…cramming for exams.” She talked about

• Pregnancy cravings, which forced her to stock up on carbs and lots of bland foods.
• Nausea during her first trimester.
• Like many other expectant moms she also had to deal with insomnia.

Chalke decided to go for a natural birth and says she was committed to breastfeeding. Unlike many, Chalke wisely decided not to be pressured into quickly shedding the baby weight.

Who is Sarah Chalke?

Fans of the actress, best known for her work in Scrubs. While she no doubt made her mark in the hit series, Chalke was paying her acting dues long before that. She played Becky in the hit sitcom Roseanne from 1993 to 1997. She also made appearances in Neon Rider, a Canadian series, and the film Ernest Goes to School.

In 2006 she appeared in the TV movie Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy. The subject matter hit close to home for Chalke. She lost both her aunt and grandmother to breast cancer. In both cases the illness went undiagnosed. She has since become an advocate of early detection. She was the 2009 ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure event.

For now she is still a part of the Scrubs cast. No doubt her fans are happy for the new addition to her family, and look forward to seeing her bringing the laughs weekly.

Contributed by Jessdel27
Tags: breast cancer, Breastfeeding, celebrity, celebrity pregnancies, first trimester, insomnia, nausea, pregnancy cravings, Sarah Chalke
Posted in: Celebrities, Pregnancy
1 Comment »

Unless engaged in the medical profession and the health care industry, we parents normally do not pay too much attention to the squabbles of scientists and medical experts.

The Claim That a Vaccine Can Cause Autism

But in 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield and colleagues at the Royal Free Hospital and School of Medicine in London published a scientific paper that rocked the field of medicine and have some long-lasting consequences. The article published in the prestigious medical journal Lancet (its abstract can be found here) claimed that the childhood shots for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) caused autism. Although people normally do not pay much attention to medical publications, this one did catch their attention basically because of the emotionality and the sensitivity of the issue – the safety of vaccines and the health of our children.

The Theory is Investigated

Medical experts have questioned the validity of the findings of the paper. A partial retraction of an interpretation in the paper was issued by some of the authors in March 2004. UK’s regulatory agency, General Medical Council (GMC) conducted an investigation.

The results of the investigation indicate that Wakefield did not follow protocol and research guidelines and may have acted unethically. Some points pointed out by BBC, for example, are:

• Wakefield had reportedly some financial dealings with the solicitors representing parents who believe the MMR vaccine had harmed their children.

• To conduct a study on humans, approval from an Ethics Committee is necessary. In this study, it seems that ethical approval was lacking.

In February 2010, the journal Lancet finally issued a full retraction, meaning that the paper will be erased forever from the published record.

The Consequences of Wakefield’s Paper

• Widespread fear of vaccination against childhood diseases. Vaccination rates in the UK dropped from 92 to 80%.

• Demonization of vaccines even after the paper was discredited by many medical experts. The trend of decreasing immunization rates spread to other European countries and the US. The anti-vaccination movement gained momentum.

• Compromised herd immunity. Outbreaks of once rare childhood diseases such as measles have become more common.

• Widespread media coverage of the issue. Celebrities have joined the fray, adding further to the confusion of the public.

Will Opinions About Vaccination Change?

Perhaps. Here are some possible reactions:

• The retraction will put the issue to rest once and for all. Vaccination against childhood diseases will become popular again and people will forget their fears.

• Skepticism against vaccines will continue. The statusquo remains. Conspiracy theories will come up.

• Parents will reassess their stand on the issue based on the new developments and make wise and informed decisions.

My gut feeling tells me that the second scenario will be the most likely to be. The seeds have been sown and the damage has been done. But my hopeful wish is that more and more people would go for the third one.

Contributed by Science-mom
Tags: autism, immunity, vaccine
Posted in: Health, News
2 Comments »

Injections hurt. Needles can be scary. Even for adults. How much more for a little child? I remember stories about the bigger the man, the faster he crashes down when he sees a needle. My mom who was a health worker loved to tell stories about how she reduced the toughest of guys to unconsciousness by just showing her injection set. I had this friend who was so scared of needles that he always asked to have shots in his bum where he can’t look and be blindfolded during blood drawing. Scientists believe that fear of needles starts at childhood, a fear that may carry through adulthood.

Kids get several shots against childhood diseases in the first 3 years of their lives. These injections cause pain and anxiety and if not handled properly and can become traumatic. If during those years, they develop a phobia against needles, they will run into problems with needed medical care later in life.

Strategies to Ease the Anxiety of Injections

• Prepare them well in advance. I always told my kids (twin boys) what is going to happen. Not telling them before hand will catch them by surprise.

• Be honest. I am always honest and tell them that it may hurt a bit. Experts advise parents and doctors to tell truth but not to express too much concern so as to avoid unnecessary anxiety.

• Provide distractions. When they were babies, I always bring a stuff toys to cuddle during vaccination sessions. My boys are getting a little bit too big for that now but our pediatrician is wonderful. He has all these little gadgets such a nifty ball pen-torch light all-in-one.

• Give them the choice to look or look away. When they were big enough, I always asked my kids whether they want to look or not. I think this gives them a comforting feeling of having a say in the matter. In all cases, they’d rather not look. However, one of the upsides of being twins is to be able to look at what’s going on with your twin.

• Give rewards. Okay, some people will call it bribery. I call it giving incentives. If they have to go through the ordeal, they deserve a little goody at the end. Nothing big, really. Our former pediatrician used to give gummy bears. Our current one doesn’t but they may get an ice lolly from mommy afterwards. That way, they wouldn’t associate needles only with pain but also with the treat afterwards.

A USA Today report explained that health professionals also have strategies similar to the ones listed above. However in addition, doctors and nurses have other tricks up their sleeve, as listed below.

• Give anesthetics. There are topical creams and gels used as numbing agents to reduce injection pain. The drawbacks to this strategy are the cost, and the inefficiency as most of these agents should be applied 30 minutes before the injection. However, local anesthetics are warranted in children with a severe case of needle fear.

• Be quick and smooth. Medical professionals should learn to give injections quickly and less painfully. Our pediatrician does it so fast that it’s over before my kids realized what happened.

• The coughing trick. Doctors offer distractions from toys to films. A doctor who published his strategy in the Journal Pediatrics used coughing as distraction. He asked his little patients to cough before and after the injection because coughing provides a mental distraction and a sensation that competes with the pain.

• Give sugar solutions. A study in 2008 reported that giving babies a weak sugar solution (25% sucrose) to drink before injection can help ease injection pains in babies.

What about you? What are your tricks in taking away the “ouch” of injections?

Contributed by Science-mom
Tags: baby injection, fear of the needle, injections, needles, shots
Posted in: Health, Parenting
No Comments »

The Grand Prize winner was
Sofia Marie

Thanks to all the babies (and their parents) who participated in this weeks round.

The photo contest is now closed for reprogramming. Please check back in March for our new and improved photo contest.

The contest is free so enter your babies picture today! Or just vote for your favorite. (Anyone can vote)

At the end of each preliminary week one (1) winner is chosen and will be awarded a prize package. The winners of each preliminary round (3 total), as well as two (2) runner-ups from each round are automatically entered into the Final Round. The winner of the final round is awarded the Grand Prize.

Round 1: 1st through 7th
Round 2: 8th through 14th
Round 3: 15th through 21st
Final Round: 22nd through last day of the month

Click Here for more information.

Contributed by Dan
Tags: Baby Contest, Grand Prize Winner, Photo Contest, winter, winter baby contest, winter fun
Posted in: Contests, Photography
No Comments »

Many of us need all the resources we can find to navigate the parental maze that we are in regardless of our children’s age. One of my friends is tearing her hair out trying to potty-train her almost 3-year old daughter. Another friend starts psychotherapy this week in order to deal with problems with her teenage son. And last week, I braved the winter weather to attend an information evening on the Swiss school system for English-speaking families.

Which is why I have compiled a couple of resources for parents scheduled in February. These resources could be podcasts, audiocasts, health chats, classes, or simply useful links.

Cleveland Clinic Health Online Chats

• February 8: Keeping Your New Year’s Weight Loss Resolution

The news series Healthcare 411 of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) covers a wide range of health topics in the form of audio and videocasts. You can even have the audio downloaded to your mp3 player! Here’s some family-focused casts from AHRQ:

• Electively Inducing Labor: A guide on the safety and risks.
• Talk with Your Family, Talk with Your Doctor
• Using Core Needle Biopsy to Diagnose Breast Cancer

Some Fun Things For kids

Do you know that the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) site has a special part dedicated to kids (HHS for Kids)? It includes links to fun and informative resources such as:

• Brainteasers, Puzzles, and Riddles
• Meet “Yorick”, the Bionic Skeleton
• All About Animals

…and many others.

Would you like me to continue bringing you resources links each month? Do you have any useful/interesting links to share with other BOL readers?

Contributed by Science-mom
Tags: February 2010, podcasts, resouces, resources for parents
Posted in: Current Events, Parenting
No Comments »