If you are the parent of a young child, pregnant, breastfeeding or thinking of becoming pregnant, the swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, should be of particular concern to you.
During a pandemic, children and pregnant women are at high risk of serious complications and even death if they become ill with the flu, according to the March of Dimes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has developed extensive plans for minimizing the impact of the pandemic flu, and once a vaccine has been developed for the virus causing the pandemic, pregnant women and children from age 6 to …read more

My OB owned an upscale French restaurant where his family’s live-in chef made a lobster bisque so rich and lush you wanted to bathe in it. That French cuisine was paired with some lovely wines, as I recall. It was a short-lived business venture for my OB, but a pleasant one that provided my doctor and me plenty of conversation in the months leading up to the birth of my son. He knew, too, of my affection for wine and consoled me by saying it would just fine if I wanted to have 4 ounces of wine a day.
Four ounces? …read more

I picked up my son from preschool the other day and overheard a woman say, “I gained 40 pounds when I was pregnant.” I did too. So, I naturally glanced over and gave her the once-over. She was stunning with a beautiful little tyke propped on her hip. I don’t look anywhere near that great. She obviously didn’t have any problem melting away those L-bees.
I remember when I was pregnant wigging out about being so big and my friend Robin, who is some kind of maternal-child health expert with the March of Dimes, reassured me that even though my child …read more

Pregnant and lactating women have special nutritional needs in order to feed both mother and baby properly.  Vegetarian Mother’s Cookbook: Whole Foods to Nourish Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women and Their Families, by Cathe Olson is perfect for busy vegan and vegetarian moms. 
This book contains more than 300 healthy recipes, including options to make vegetarian meals vegan, changes for people with allergies, wheat-free, and soy-free. Some of the recipes are quick and easy, while others are perfect for plan-ahead, re-heat it meals. This handy cookbook also contains complete nutrition information, helpful shopping lists, and time-saving tips.  It’s a great addition to …read more

Blood pressure control is critically important for pregnant women and is a significant risk factor for preeclampsia. Up to now, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have not been prescribed for women past their first trimester because they’re known to cause birth defects. A study of 29, 507 infants suggests that ACE inhibitors, such as captopril and lisinopril, may also cause birth defects in the first trimester as well. Birth defects resulting from ACE inhibitor use in later pregnancy include:

Bone abnormalities in the skull
Inhibition of growth
Fatal kidney damage