Blog Posts by FitPregnancy

Trying to decide who will deliver your baby? Make the right choice for you by answering our seven questions.

Eight years ago when I had my first son, I initially met with an OB-GYN recommended to me by a friend. I adored him-as well as his partners: a dynamic team of certified nurse-midwives. After learning that midwives tend to spend a lot of time with patients, have relatively few patients who require Cesarean sections and also encourage medication-free deliveries, I decided to have a midwife from the practice deliver my baby.

While OB-GYNs remain the go-to professionals for baby delivery in the United States, midwives are growing in popularity. In 1989, certified nurse-midwives delivered 3.2 percent of all U.S. babies. In 2008, that number had risen to 7.5 percent. Choosing who will deliver your baby is a highly personal decision. If you're trying to choose between an OB-GYN or a midwife, here's a look at the dif- ferences and similarities between them, plus seven

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Women all over the world give birth squatting, leaning or even standing. We lie down. What do they know that we don't?

If your car stalled at the bottom of a hill, you certainly wouldn't try to push it uphill. So why does it make sense to fight gravity by lying down during labor? This is just one reason why the standard hospital labor position-semi- or fully reclining-is not ideal. For one thing, when you're lying on your back, your uterus compresses major blood vessels, potentially depriving the baby of oxygen and making you feel dizzy or queasy. "Most women feel better when they are not lying on their back during labor," says certified nurse-midwife Katy Dawley, Ph.D., C.N.M., director of the Institute of Midwifery at Philadelphia University in Pennsylvania. In addition, when you're reclining, the baby's head puts pressure on pelvic nerves in your sacrum, increasing pain during contractions. Remaining upright and leaning forward reduces this pressure while allowing the baby's head

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How the slowest woman at the gym inspired me

One day last week, I watched a hugely pregnant woman work out at my gym. She had that lumbering, swaying gait that only comes in the last couple weeks of pregnancy. Obviously uncomfortable, she pressed on her back as she walked slowly through the cardio room. She was a short woman, and big, but not obese. Her belly protruded so far out in front that it looked like one good kick from inside could make her lose her balance. She was dressed in baby blue sweats, no-name sneakers, not fancy-brand athletic shoes. Her hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, which hung black and shiny down her back. She had subtle, beautiful make up and a brilliant red bindi in the middle of her forehead.

She pulled herself up onto the elliptical trainer, which she programmed for no incline and no resistance for 10 minutes. She pushed the foot pedals oh-so-slowly, but kept them moving the whole pre-programmed time. It looked like hard work and people on

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The top four things you need to do now to protect your baby against sudden infant death syndrome

Here's the good news: Ever since the 1994 launch of the Back to Sleep campaign, which instructs parents to put infants to sleep on their backs, the number of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases has decreased by more than 50 percent. The bad news is that SIDS is still the leading cause of death in babies ages 1 month to 12 months, with more than 2,300 U.S. infants dying from SIDS every year. A recent study published in Pediatrics found that more than 96 percent of these babies were exposed to known risk factors, such as tummy sleeping or tobacco smoke. Brush up on the best ways to protect your baby with these safe-sleep basics:

1. Put your baby to sleep on her back This is the single most important action you can take to diminish your child's SIDS risk. Make sure caregivers do this, too.

2. Avoid alcohol and tobacco A new study published in the journal Addiction found that

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10.18.11 FDA warns parents that these items are not necessary and can be dangerous.

There are plenty of products on the market right now claiming to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome. But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants parents to know that those items are of no help, according to an FDA press release.

"The agency has never approved a product to prevent SIDS ... and is asking manufacturers to stop marketing their products with these claims until they have received FDA clearance or approval, or to change their labeling to remove all medical claims," the FDA update said. "The products are unnecessary and they can be very dangerous."

So what is the best way to prevent SIDS? Experts say putting babies to sleep on their backs in a bare crib or bassinett (fitted sheet only).

The agency's warning is referring to infant positioners, mattresses, crib bedding, pillows and crib tents and crib baby monitors. The FDA emphasizes that "baby products that claim to

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Whether navigating the aisles of baby superstores is your idea of a good time or a nightmare come to life, you need to buy some stuff. Here are handy lists for minimalists to shopaholics alike.

"Do you like the espresso diaper bag with the tangerine piping or the black bag with the copper trim? And what do you think of the inflatable breastfeeding pillow compared with the foam one?" During my pregnancy, I got emails like this every day-from my husband, Paul. In charge of our baby registry, he spent hours online researching the merits of audio versus video baby monitors. I found the world of baby paraphernalia daunting, but Paul transferred his passion for sports gear to an obsession with baby stuff.

Whether you're a minimalist like me or a shopaholic like my husband, buying baby gear requires detective work. To ease the process for others, I put together what I wish I'd had: a bare-bones list of essentials, and a list of products people like Paul find fun and useful, plus the

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Pregnant woman runs Chicago race and gives birth on the same day.

An expectant woman ran the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, then gave birth later that day, ESPN and the Chicago Tribune report.

Amber Miller of suburban Chicago- who was nearly 39 weeks pregnant when she started the 26.2 mile event- is quoted as saying that she felt contractions minutes after crossing the finish line of the annual race.

According to the ESPN report, "The 27-year-old is an experienced marathoner who found out she was pregnant after signing up for the race months ago. [Miller] figured she'd play it by ear on whether or not she'd run. When the baby hadn't been born by Sunday, she got clearance from her doctor to half run and half walk the race.

When the contractions became regular after crossing the finish line, she stopped to eat a sandwich and then went to the hospital. Her baby girl, June, was born at 10:29 p.m., weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces.

Miller finished the marathon in six hours and

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Sure, what you eat during pregnancy is vital, but that doesn't mean you have to be afraid of everything you put in your mouth or force yourself to eat foods you don't like. Simply stick to these 10 basic do's and don'ts.

When I ordered shrimp rolls at a tapas bar 12 weeks into my pregnancy, one of my friends reacted as if I'd ordered a double martini. "You can't have shrimp when you're pregnant!" she insisted. When I asked her why not, all she could offer was, "Well, I'm not sure, but I know you can't." Turns out, she was mistaken (phew! I ordered the shrimp anyway), a common phenomenon when it comes to prenatal nutrition.

Yes, certain foods and eating patterns can compromise a baby's development in utero, and every mom-to-be should know about them. But it's equally important to focus on the nutrient-rich foods and healthy habits that will keep you and your baby thriving for the whole nine months. Here, in a nutshell, is the lowdown on prenatal nutrition.

(the 5 do's)

1.

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