My Family Blog

by Gwen Dewar, Ph.D. posted in Mom Stories Why do women suffer from postpartum depression (PPD)? Researchers are still trying to figure out the physiological mechanisms. But a new study suggests that some women may carry genes that put them at special risk. Are you or your partner one of them? Someday, a blood test [...]

by Leah Speer posted in Mom Stories Could we do all of this without one another? Could we survive the sleepless nights, the toddler tantrums, the sassy preschoolers, the cranky husbands, and all the other things we experience as moms without a community to lean on? Together, we can feel safe sharing. We all have [...]

Feeling a little dizzy and faint lately? This unexpected effect of pregnancy is experienced by a number of pregnant women. It is typically more common during the first trimester, but some women struggle with dizziness their entire pregnancy. There are several things that could be triggering your dizzy spells. Read more from ...

by Stacy-Ann Gooden posted in Mom Stories With just two months left of my pregnancy, I’m already thinking about what I’d miss most. The other day my mom said to me, “It looks like you have a month left!” “Gee thanks,” I responded sarcastically. The reality is that I don’t have much longer to go. [...]

by Betsy Shaw posted in Mom Stories British midwives, according to this Telegraph UK report, have been advised to use breathalyzer tests at the first antenatal appointment to determine if their patients are smokers. From what I gather, this test is given after women have already been asked if they smoke. My guess would be [...]

by Dina Freeman posted in Mom Stories I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t know much about preeclampsia before the much-talked-about episode of Downton Abbey aired earlier this year in the U.S. (spoiler alert for those who aren’t caught up yet!) This is pretty scary, given the fact that I’ve given birth to two children [...]

by Joey Lombardi posted in Mom Stories Ever watch footage of astronauts carelessly floating around in vast emptiness of space and wonder… I wonder what it would be like to get it on up there? The mechanics of coitus in a “zero g” environment would be pretty difficult as two bodies are floating away from [...]

by Betsy Shaw posted in Mom Stories Staying healthy while pregnant can be challenging. Now scientists are saying that coming down with the flu during pregnancy could be more than just a nuisance. A study funded by the National Institute of Health showed that children whose mothers had the flu while pregnant were four times [...]

by Denise Cortes posted in Mom Stories Inducing pregnant women with the hormone oxytocin may not be as safe to full-term newborns as they previously believed, according to The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. When administered intravenously, Pitocin (a brand of oxytocin)  is often used to kickstart a woman’s labor when ...

by Betsy Shaw posted in Mom Stories I had the privilege of seeing singer/philanthropist, Jennifer Lopez, up close and personal at the first-ever United Nations Foundation Mom+Social: A global movement for mothers, in New York City today. Lopez talked about her non-profit, The Lopez Family Foundation. She also talked about knowing that her ...