P R E G N A N C Y R E S O U R C E S

A list of resources that helped me throughout my pregnancy:

Articles

Average Fetal Length And Weight Chart - A chart of the average length and weight of a fetus for each week of pregnancy.

Is It Safe During Pregnancy? - A whole long list of questions regarding what is safe and unsafe during pregnancy in the following categories: beauty & style, fitness, home & work, health, nutrition & weight, sex, sleep, and travel.

Infections That Can Affect Pregnancy - This article includes a list of infections that can negatively affect pregnancy, including common infections like the flu and urinary tract infections. It also includes links for each infection that describes specifically how it affects pregnancy and what to do if you have it.

Fetal Movements: Feeling Your Baby Kick - This article goes over when you should first start feeling movement, what it generally feels like, when you should start tracking movement, and when you should contact your doctor or midwife regarding irregular movement or lack of movement.

Being Pregnant At Work - This article answers questions about what is safe and unsafe to continue doing at work while pregnant, how to manage morning sickness, remaining comfortable at work, traveling to work, and how to deal with co-workers and your boss.

Iron-Deficiency Anemia - This article covers why iron-deficiency anemia is common during pregnancy, signs and symptoms, how it affects yours and your baby's health, how to treat it, side effects of iron supplements, and what you can do to prevent it.

Braxton Hicks Contractions - This article describes what Braxton Hicks contractions are, how they are different from real labor contractions, how to make yourself more comfortable when you experience them, and when to notify your doctor or midwife with concerns.

Glucose Screening and Glucose Tolerance Tests - This article describes the process of the screening, why it is necessary, positive and negative results, and what happens if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Episiotomy -  This article describes the advantages and disadvantages of having an episiotomy, why you might need one, how they are done, what recovery is like, and when you can resume normal activities.

Epidural For Pain Relief For Labor - This article covers the process of getting an epidural, the advantages and disadvantages of getting one, who can have an epidural, the best time to get one, and affects to your newborn.

Banking Your Baby's Cord Blood - This really informative article describes what cord blood banking is, how it is done, why cord blood is so valuable, cord blood storage choices, what diseases can be treated with cord blood, and how you can possibly benefit in the future.

Websites & Apps

MyHealth - This website will only be helpful if your health care provider is part of the Atrius Health group, but I find it a great tool to keep track of my appointments and get my lab results fast. I had blood work done on Friday afternoon and the results were posted bright and early Monday morning! It tracks all past and upcoming appointments, screenings, lab tests, everything I need for mine and my baby's health. There is also an android and iphone app to accompany it. (I'm guessing other healthcare networks probably have a similar website or app if you google yours).

My Pregnancy Today - This is an app downloadable from the Baby Center website and is by far my favorite app I've tried. Using your due date, it tracks your pregnancy each day and you can see how your baby is developing and how your body is changing with pictures and videos. It also has an interactive pregnancy checklist of "to-do" items such as reminders, appointments, diet & nutrition, etc. The best feature is that you can join a birth club for the month your baby is due and join in on conversations of a wide range of topics with other pregnant women from around the country who share your baby's birth month.

The Ultimate Pregnancy and Baby Calendar - This is a great tool from The Bump. It provides you with daily updates on your baby's development, what your body is experiencing, and what to expect next. You can enter special dates (appointments or milestones) in the calendar and keep track of everything all in one spot. You can also make to-do lists and set reminders for yourself. To go along with the website, there is an itunes app to use on your iphone, ipod, or ipad. All you need to get started is your due date and an e-mail address!

Pregnancy Checklist by fitpregnancy - A simple to-do list organized by trimester and week so you don't miss a thing!

Real Vegan Children - This article from Vegan Health, completely reaffirmed my thoughts and beliefs on veganism, especially living vegan while pregnant and raising a vegan child. There is so much inspiration in this article, I was brought to tears reading a few of the bios (and yes, I read them all!)

Prenatal Yoga by Liza Janda - Another, slightly longer (25 min), prenatal yoga video. I find this one very relaxing, with a lot of focus on breath. It is definitely a stress reliever!

Books

Ina May's Guide To Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

Raising Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Babycare by Alan Greene, et al

Green Babycare by Susannah Marriott

Eco Baby: A Guide to Green Parenting by Sally J. Hall

Imperfectly Natural Baby and Toddler by Janey Lee Grace

Feeding Your Vegan Infant With Confidence: A Practical Guide from Pre-Conception Through To Pre-School by Sandra Hood, Louise Blake

Beyond The Sling: A Real Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way by Mayim Bialik, Jay Gordon

The Eco-Nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet by Joy Hatch

Videos

Natural Birth - A mother gives birth at a birthing center with the guidance of her midwife using natural techniques (no pain medication).

Water Birth - A mother gives birth in a water birthing tank and naturally pulls her own child into the world.


If you are reading this and are also expecting a little one soon, I hope you find some of these useful! And if anyone has any suggestions for others that I should add, please let me know!

CONVERSATION

1 comments:

  1. A few of my fav books are on here. Love Ina May Gaskin! I loved parts of Beyond the Sling, some was amazing some not for me.

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