WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE PREGNANT IN 2011? NEW SURVEY REVEALS THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE HILARIOUS OF PREGNANCY

What is it like to be pregnant in 2011? Good Books, publisher of the must-have manual for moms- and dads-in-the making, Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, joined forces with American Baby, the leading authority on motherhood for more than seventy years, to ask more than 1,000 moms-to-be about their pregnancy experiences.

The 2011 Bump Report appears in the November 2011 issue of American Baby and online at AmericanBaby.com. Among the highlights:

Top torments: Morning sickness is the #1 toughest pregnancy symptom, say 34% of moms-to-be, followed by fatigue (26%) and mood swings (16%).

Super social: 87% plan to keep friends and families fully informed throughout their labor with Facebook status updates, tweeting, photos and videos. “Millennial moms are so much more open about their pregnancies than generations before, thanks to the role social media plays in their day-to-day life” said Dana Points, Editor-in-chief of American Baby.

Hot stuff: 30% of moms-to-be say their sex life has never been better.

Sharing from the start: 56% go public with their pregnancies during the first trimester rather than following the old custom of waiting until the second trimester to announce their news.

The big reveal: 74% planned to find out baby’s sex ahead of time and to tell others what they are having. According to Dr. Myra Wick, co-medical editor of Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, “Prenatal screening has made it possible to learn a lot about one’s baby long before birth, so moms are able to share information early.”

Love connection: Although 42% of moms-to-be say that their pregnancy was a “happy surprise,” 47% say that pregnancy has brought them closer to their partners.

Booking the babymoon: 23% of parents-to-be take part in a new trend by celebrating with a babymoon, or a last vacation fling before baby arrives.

Seeing stars: The #1 celeb role model mom is Kate Hudson. Natalie Portman comes in at #2 and Jessica Alba is #3.

Divided into six main sections, Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy ($19.95/softcover) is the first of a series of parenting guides being developed by Mayo Clinic and Good Books. Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy precedes Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby’s First Year (Spring 2012). The pregnancy guide is available wherever books are sold. For more information, please visit www.GoodBooks.com/HealthyPregnancy.

About Myra J. Wick, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Wick is a practicing, board-certified OB/GYN at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She attended Mayo Graduate School and Mayo Medical School, where she earned both a Ph.D and an M.D. Dr. Wick is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Board of Medical Genetics. Her professional interests include prenatal genetics, the genetics of congenital cardiac disease and the long-term effects of maternal obesity. In addition to her professional experience, Dr. Wick is the proud mother of four children.

Making Babies the Old-Fashioned Way OB/GYN Reveals Steps to Avoid Using Fertility Drugs To Become Pregnant

According to the World Health Organization, roughly one in six couples will struggle with infertility and about 70 percent of them will turn to fertility drugs or in vitro-fertilization. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Many couples struggling to achieve pregnancy can conceive naturally by following some simple guidelines before resorting to expensive and potentially hazardous fertility medications," said Dr. Amos Grunebaum, a double board certified OB/GYN based in New York City. "Infertility can increase stress among couples and, unfortunately, often times leads them to prematurely opt for fertility drugs or IVF. In many cases, fertility can be improved and pregnancy can be achieved naturally by following some simple steps."

Dr. Grunebaum’s tips include:

Pinpoint Your Fertile Window – As you might already know, in order for conception to take place, you must ovulate and at least one vital sperm needs to fertilize the egg within 12-24 hours of the egg being released from the ovary. Because sperm can only live for 5-6 days in the female reproductive tract and only a small number of sperm will even survive the long journey, it is recommended that couples plan to have intercourse several times in the days leading up to ovulation as well as on the day of ovulation. To do this optimally requires that you have a good idea of when you will ovulate each cycle. Ovulation Predictor Kits (www.early-pregnancy-tests.com) are a popular method for predicting ovulation. OPKs detect the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. Approximately 12-36 hours before ovulation occurs, the amount of LH in your body "surges". By testing with OPKs, you can identify this LH surge, which allows you to know that ovulation is just around the corner and that you are in your fertile window.

Restore Your Hormonal Balance – If you have irregular periods, your path to parenthood might end up being a long, tiresome journey. For women with chronic irregularity, it is likely that there is an underlying hormonal imbalance that is impacting the frequency of ovulation and/or menstruation. The herb commonly known as Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus), included in the fertility-enhancing supplement FertilAid for Women, is frequently used to help women restore hormonal balance and cycle regularity. The active compounds found in Chasteberry help to promote fertility by decreasing prolactin levels in the body.

Check His Swimmers – Did you know that up to 40 percent of males suffer from low sperm count? Now, if the idea of heading to the urologist for a sperm count test is a bit intimidating to your partner, you might suggest that he get an at-home sperm test, like SpermCheck Fertility (www.fairhavenhealth.com). SpermCheck, is a fast, accurate, affordable and simple method for determining if his sperm count is within "normal" range (above 20 million sperm per milliliter of semen is the accepted standard for "normal" sperm count) in the privacy of your own home.

Transform Your Diet – Leave those junk foods on the shelf, and try to incorporate more whole grains, vegetables, colorful fruits (for the antioxidant compounds found in these foods) and lean sources of protein in your diet.

Shed Those Extra Pounds – Your optimal BMI (body mass index) is between 18.5 and 25. A BMI above 25 decreases your chances getting pregnant and increases pregnancy complications. It is best to lose the unwanted pounds before actively trying to conceive, as weight loss causes toxins (that had been stored in your fat cells) to be released into your body. To ensure the healthiest pregnancy possible, you will want to achieve your optimal weight before becoming pregnant.

Quit it – Quit using tobacco and drink alcohol only in moderation.

Exercise But Don’t Overdo It – A healthy lifestyle definitely includes regular exercise, so if you are more couch potato than marathon runner, stepping up your exercise habits will go a long way in improving your overall health and enhancing your fertility.

Chill out – According to many fertility experts, chronic stress can certainly be a fertility buster, as it causes the body to be in "fight or flight" mode constantly, which suppresses reproductive hormones. Again, yoga is your friend here, as is acupressure or acupuncture.

About Dr. Amos Grunebaum

Dr. Amos Grunebaum is double board certified in obstetrics/gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy). He is recognized as one of New York's foremost Ob/GYNs as evidenced by his regular inclusion in Castle Connolly's "Top Doctors: New York." Dr. Grunebaum is the former director of WebMD's Fertility Center and is one of the Internet's leading authorities on fertility and pregnancy.

Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine Announces Discount Program for Readers and Follows.

After years of positive feedback from our readers on the great products we feature in the pages of our monthly print magazine, we are happy to announce a special new program that will allow you to enjoy the products and services you see at a special Tampa Bay Parenting discount!!  We are working directly with the companies to secure discount codes and special offers.  All items will be announced here on our blog throughout the month so be sure to check back often.

It is our way of saying Thank You for your continued Support! Enjoy!

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