Blog Posts by FitPregnancy

Fit Pregnancy contributing editor Carole Anderson Lucia narrates behind-the-scenes footage from her C-section with twins Claire and Aidan at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women in San Diego.

We've got the video here.

If you, too, end up having a Cesarean section - and chances are you might, considering that more than 1 in 3 babies in the U.S. are now born this way - a little preparation and knowledge can go a long way toward demystifying the process and helping you feel more comfortable. We're here to help you do just that, with a firsthand, up-close account of the delivery of Carole's beautiful twins.

By now, you've no doubt heard the news that four infants have died in China, and at least 50,000 have become ill, after they were fed formula or milk powder that had been illegally contaminated with melamine (an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizer). The chemical is believed to have been added to milk products from 22 Chinese dairy companies in an effort to conceal the fact that the milk had been watered down to cut costs. You can find more information about the tainted milk, and the F.D.A's response to it, here.

If this health crisis results in nothing else, it may at least give us one more reason to breastfeed. Here are 200 more. Of course, toxins can and do end up in breastmilk. Here's how to make your breastmilk safer, where we show you how to avoid environmental hazards and other toxins to make your breast milk as healthy as possible. For more on chemicals and toxins to avoid, don't miss our Going Green guide.

Want your baby to grow up eating more than mac 'n' cheese? Vary your diet while you're still pregnant.

A baby learns to love fruits and vegetables in the womb, and the preference for these foods can be reinforced or established in infancy, say researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. They found that pregnant and breastfeeding moms who ate peaches and green beans had babies who were more likely to enjoy those foods--and that frequent exposure to them also taught formula-fed babies to prefer their taste.

In other research, expectant moms who ate a Mediterranean diet, which typically contains many vegetables, had children who were less likely to suffer asthma and wheezing. Both studies should persuade pregnant and nursing women to eat lots of fruits and vegetables themselves--and then, when their babies are ready for solid food, to offer many chances to try them, says study author Julie Mennella, Ph.D., a psychobiologist at Monell.

Read more about the study

Wondering when to tell your boss you're pregnant, or when to sign up for those prenatal classes? When to schedule a babymoon and when to start babyproofing? Our handy checklists will make getting ready for baby a breeze. Here's a preview of you will find:

Week 7: Before the first trimester is over, visit your company's human resources department to find out how much maternity leave you'll have and whether it will be paid, unpaid or a combination of both.

Week 8: Most obstetricians will perform an ultrasound at your first prenatal visit to confirm your pregnancy and to date it if you don't know when you conceived.

Week 9: Women generally start taking childbirth-prep courses, such as Bradley or Lamaze, during the second trimester, but classes fill up quickly. Research the options in your area (your doctor or midwife and local hospitals probably have lists), and sign up early.

Week 10: Look into breastfeeding and newborn-care classes, hospital tours and, if needed, big-sibling