Thanks again to BabyCenter.com! Follow the link to read 10 easy ways you can prepare for your child's birth!!
http://www.babycenter.com/0_10-smart-ways-to-prepare-for-your-babys-birth_10328975.bc?scid=preg_2_20110505:2&pe=MlVBNWMxenwyMDExMDUwNQ..
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Teen Pregnancy
I'm pretty sick of all of the Teen Mom / 16 & Pregnant bashing. What gives? Everyone wants to blame the show and say that teens are getting pregnant on purpose now! From the psychology side of teenagers getting pregnant on purpose I understand that they have reasons (like wanting to be loved, or thinking that that will solidify a relationship: Not that this reasoning actually makes any sense)... But the facts about Teen Mom is that teen pregnancy has gone down 6% since the show aired. Teenagers are going to have sex and Teen mom/ 16 & Pregnant are some of the very few things that are shinning a light on that, educating about birth control and showing other teenagers how NOT glamorous teen pregnancy is. Everyone wants to bash the show but the truth is... What are any of THOSE people doing about it? Teen pregnancy has basically became an epidemic in our country... and that started long before the show started. I don't see how critics can blame the show for an issue that started before the show and that has been statistically proven to have decreased since the show began.
Top 5 gift ideas for Pregnant Women
A guy friend of mine asked me a question a while ago that really got me thinking. The question was not a complicated question or one that was even hard for me to answer, but him being surprised by my answer made me wonder what goes through the minds of some men.
He asked me (as a pregnant woman) what would be the top 5 gift ideas for his girlfriend (who was pregnant at the time). He wanted to get her something while everyone else was buying things for the baby! Smart man!
Well here it goes:
Maternity Massage
Pedicure
Three Lollies Preggie Pop Drops
Clothes that fit, are comfortable, and look good!
Jewelry
My friend was very surprised by my answer... which was surprising to me! He had no idea that there was such a thing as 'maternity' massage. He didn't realize that a woman who doesn't regularly get pedicures would suddenly want them while pregnant. He didn't know about Preggie Pops (which wasn't too surprising), but he was surprised when I said that they were delicious, really helped with morning sickness, and would even be helpful during delivery. I had to explain that as we get larger we want clothes that are comfortable more than ever... but want to look good in them too, More than ever. Being surprised with a trip to go get an out fit can be very rewarding. And Finally: Jewelry! I couldn't believe that he was perplexed by this! Being pregnant takes a toll on a woman and being given something beautiful and shiny is a VERY wonderful thing.
Men often don't realize the toll physically and mentally that pregnancy can take. It's generally a very happy time, or at least it is supposed to be, But it can be SO stressful as well. There are so many things to consider and prepare for. Your body is changing rapidly. You don't feel like yourself. You're suddenly being put in a whole bunch of new situations that when mixed with hormones can seem like the worst thing to ever happen (like a stranger asking if you're going to breast feed, a child pointing and yelling that your belly moves, or an old lady putting her hand on your belly as she asks how you're feeling today as if you were a psychiatric patient). Our bodies and their contents suddenly take top priority with EVERYONE! And we're suddenly treated as if we are barely human. It can be a very emotional time and we need a lot of extra support and pampering. Gifts that mean something to a pregnant woman and are for her can be surprisingly important! At the least... these gifts can be a reminder to a woman that she is indeed a woman, or at least a person and not just an incubator!
Although the list above was my specific list other men might find this list a little more helpful if I explain what it breaks down to in general.
>Pampering (gifts at all qualify but extra pampering points goes to massage and pedicure type things since our bodies HURT, and we're large.)
>Food! (We have cravings that can almost seem like life or death! Meeting these cravings can feel like the best thing to ever happen to our taste buds. Not to mention that things that help us not feel like throwing up all over are equally as wonderful)
>Something Special (an outfit, jewelry, that blanket that we've been eying, something that means something coming from you are all things that are very important. There may even be some items that we've been wanting that we're afraid to ask for so look for hints)
>Comfort (Pillows, blankets, bath stuff, slippers, anything that we can snuggle with!)
Gifts don't need to be expensive to have a very special effect on a pregnant woman. My husband brought me home chocolate covered strawberries one day when I had had a long day at work. They were THE BEST chocolate covered strawberries that I've ever had in my life and they meant more that he realized that they would.
He asked me (as a pregnant woman) what would be the top 5 gift ideas for his girlfriend (who was pregnant at the time). He wanted to get her something while everyone else was buying things for the baby! Smart man!
Well here it goes:
Maternity Massage
Pedicure
Three Lollies Preggie Pop Drops
Clothes that fit, are comfortable, and look good!
Jewelry
My friend was very surprised by my answer... which was surprising to me! He had no idea that there was such a thing as 'maternity' massage. He didn't realize that a woman who doesn't regularly get pedicures would suddenly want them while pregnant. He didn't know about Preggie Pops (which wasn't too surprising), but he was surprised when I said that they were delicious, really helped with morning sickness, and would even be helpful during delivery. I had to explain that as we get larger we want clothes that are comfortable more than ever... but want to look good in them too, More than ever. Being surprised with a trip to go get an out fit can be very rewarding. And Finally: Jewelry! I couldn't believe that he was perplexed by this! Being pregnant takes a toll on a woman and being given something beautiful and shiny is a VERY wonderful thing.
Men often don't realize the toll physically and mentally that pregnancy can take. It's generally a very happy time, or at least it is supposed to be, But it can be SO stressful as well. There are so many things to consider and prepare for. Your body is changing rapidly. You don't feel like yourself. You're suddenly being put in a whole bunch of new situations that when mixed with hormones can seem like the worst thing to ever happen (like a stranger asking if you're going to breast feed, a child pointing and yelling that your belly moves, or an old lady putting her hand on your belly as she asks how you're feeling today as if you were a psychiatric patient). Our bodies and their contents suddenly take top priority with EVERYONE! And we're suddenly treated as if we are barely human. It can be a very emotional time and we need a lot of extra support and pampering. Gifts that mean something to a pregnant woman and are for her can be surprisingly important! At the least... these gifts can be a reminder to a woman that she is indeed a woman, or at least a person and not just an incubator!
Although the list above was my specific list other men might find this list a little more helpful if I explain what it breaks down to in general.
>Pampering (gifts at all qualify but extra pampering points goes to massage and pedicure type things since our bodies HURT, and we're large.)
>Food! (We have cravings that can almost seem like life or death! Meeting these cravings can feel like the best thing to ever happen to our taste buds. Not to mention that things that help us not feel like throwing up all over are equally as wonderful)
>Something Special (an outfit, jewelry, that blanket that we've been eying, something that means something coming from you are all things that are very important. There may even be some items that we've been wanting that we're afraid to ask for so look for hints)
>Comfort (Pillows, blankets, bath stuff, slippers, anything that we can snuggle with!)
Gifts don't need to be expensive to have a very special effect on a pregnant woman. My husband brought me home chocolate covered strawberries one day when I had had a long day at work. They were THE BEST chocolate covered strawberries that I've ever had in my life and they meant more that he realized that they would.
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