Still Waiting… (Part 3 of 3 in the “A Day in the Life of an IVF Patient’ series)

The wait for our miracles morphed into three years and hundreds of needles, monitoring appointments, a surgery, procedures, negative pregnancy tests, and finally one positive test. We spent what seems like years in waiting and exam rooms, staring at the posters of perfectly posed newborns decorating the walls, trying our best to make jokes and enjoy the time together.

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5 Tips for Transitioning Back to Work After a Baby

For many moms, heading back to work after maternity leave is something that has always been a part of the plan, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. This leads to concern about not having enough time to bond with baby, stress about pumping at work and maintaining your milk supply. While you may be worrying about being separated from baby for an extended period and interrupting your carefully crafted breastfeeding schedule, there are ways to help make the transition back to work easier for you and your little one.

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A Day in the Life of an IVF Patient Part 2: Transfer Day and the TWW 

I feel a sense of hope and excitement wash over me as we make the familiar elevator ride. The waiting room looks like the holiday season sneezed on it. How can I not feel a sense of Christmas magic? Our nurse calls us back after only a few minutes. It’s freezing and it smells. It’s not a bad smell, it’s a clean, sterile, sweet smell I’m tired of smelling. I resent enduring this smell to have a baby, but I know so many others would wear it as perfume for this opportunity. Positive vibes only today. Never give up.

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Pregnancy and Skincare: Which Products Are Safe?

Pregnancy is the beginning of a great change in your life: you are going to become a mother. Needless to say, the life as you know it will be different; actually, it already is different. You will be taking care of yourself and your child in the following months – you will be eating and sleeping for both of you, and you should think about safety as well. Caution is advised when it comes to physical activity and diet, but skincare is also an important thing. We offer you a list of safe products to use during your pregnancy and afterwards.

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A Day in the Life of an IVF Patient

I’m not a morning person. If the sun isn’t up, I’m not up – but today I’m a morning person. It’s 6:00 a.m. and I need to be there by 7:00 a.m. It’s the earliest slot they had. I’ve already had my shot of Follistim. I have long sleeves on even though it’s an abnormally warm day for November, even in Texas. No one needs to see the bruised veins on my arm. The last thing I need is for a student or co-worker to notice and wonder what exactly I’ve been up to. What if I over stimulate? Oh, please don’t let that happen. Please let there be follicles. Let there be lots of big, fat, not-too-big follicles today.

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Mum on a Mission: My Fight for NICU Parents’ Mental Health Support

Like more than 90,000 other families, I became a resident of NICU. My son was born with an undetected CHD called Tetralogy of Fallot and suffered a Neo Natal Stroke. Elijah spent 9 days in NICU and had open heart surgery at 6 months old. Elijah is now a happy and healthy little toddler causing mischief where ever he goes. But the story doesn’t just end there—it doesn’t end when you bring a NICU baby home. Most will think that having a baby in NICU is hard, but now that they are home everything is…better, isn’t it? NO. I could live with the many follow-ups, check-ins and doctor visits. What I couldn’t live with? My own mental health after I brought Elijah home.

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Why Human Milk Matters, Especially to Preemies

Nutrition is one of the most critical factors in healthy child development, but this is especially true for babies born prematurely. For many preemie parents, the early arrival of their baby quickly turns what was expected to be a blissful time into a period fraught with a host of unexpected decisions – including those involving their fragile baby’s nutrition.

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Zika is Preventable! Protect Your Family with 3 Simple Steps

Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to present about the Zika virus – “Zika” – at multiple community events across Maryland. Many women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant have heard about the link between Zika and birth defects and are appropriately concerned. Here are answers to five of their most frequent questions:

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How My Post-Partum Depression (PPD) Affected Breastfeeding My Son

“Why won’t you just latch on?” I whined. It wasn’t like me to act like this, but I knew at that time I wasn’t myself. I had just had my son one week before by C-section. I was sore, tired, and cranky. After I had my son, I received help from a woman who gave me information on all the benefits that came along with breastfeeding. She also taught me how to correctly position my son and get him to latch on. The problem was that I just couldn’t handle it anymore. After one week, all I wanted to do was give up.

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