Blog Posts by SheKnows.com

from Pregnancy & Baby

DRIVE YOURSELF TO THE HOSPITAL?!

Imagine you're driving down the freeway with your gorgeous brand-new baby, who's all tucked nicely into her carseat. Would you really like to be sharing the road with a laboring woman who is in a panic, trying to get to the hospital as fast as possible, all the while needing to get through contractions any way she can?

So the answer to the question "Can I drive myself to the hospital while I'm in labor" is a big no. It's just not safe - for you, your baby, or anyone else on the road.

>> Preparing for emergency birth

If you don't have a neighbor or friend who can take you in a pinch, call for an ambulance. The EMTs or paramedics can also deliver the baby if needed - which is pretty darn tough to do on your own while zooming down the freeway toward the nearest emergency room. (You know how it is… those pesky foot pedals always get in the way when you're trying to push.)


MORE ABOUT YOU, LABOR & BIRTH

A SheKnows How-to Guide

As contrary as it sounds, laundry washing machines can get amazingly smelly. Find out how to keep mold and bacteria at bay, and help make your washer -- and your laundry! -- smell great again.

STEP 1: LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN

In between loads, leave the washer door open -- especially if you have a front-loading machine. ("High efficiency" front-loader washing machines seem to be especially prone to smelly problems from bacteria and mold build-up in various parts of the system.)

If your washing machine is smelly, try using less detergent -- about half the usual recommended amount -- and/or use HE (high-efficiency) laundry detergent.

Avoid using liquid fabric softener in your washer, as some people have experienced a build-up of "gunk" from its use. If you do use store-bought fabric softener, dilute the mixture with water before adding it to your washing machine.

>> Read more: Teaching kids to do laundry

by Jennifer Chait, PregnancyAndBaby.com

Just for fun, here's a selection of cool birth data via the newest CDC birth vitals statistic report (pdf).

1) On average, how many babies are born each year?: 4,265,555 births were recorded in 2006, making this highest birth rate year since 1989. (Plus, this figure doesn't likely account for all babies born in the USA.)

2) What's the average age of first time mamas?: 25 years of age.

3) Are male or female babies more common?: In 2006, there were 2,184,237 male and 2,081,318 female live births, so baby boys are taking over.

4) The most common month to be born in is?: August.

5) The least common month to be born in is?: February

6) The most common day of the week to be born on is?: Wednesday! This is actually odd. Since 1990 (at least) the most common day to be born has ALWAYS been Tuesday. This year, Wednesday took over.

7) The least common day of the week to be born on is?: Sunday.

8) Are cesarean delivery

by Kristin Larson for SheKnows.com

Details about Chelsea Clinton's wedding are all hush-hush on the down-low. In-the-know wedding planner Donnie Brown, however, offers SheKnows some pre-wedding scoop. Could it really be this crazy? Of course it could. And, anyway, it sure is fun to speculate!

It sounds like a wedding fit for a princess: Glass walls, tables overflowing with orchids, Swarovski crystal chandeliers, Casablanca lilies and hydrangeas, and a six-foot sugar flower-topped designer cake are just some of the lavish details expected at Chelsea Clinton's wedding this weekend.

"It's going to be amazing," says Donnie Brown, wedding planner featured in the Style Network's hit TV series Whose Wedding is it Anyway?

"A lot of people are saying [it's costing] $3 million. I am thinking more like $5 million."

The daughter of former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will marry fiancée Marc Mezvinsky on a 50-acre estate along the Hudson

Trying to get through the sweltering days of summer? Try some of these fun ways to stay cool when it's hot, humid and uncomfortable!

Buy a few packages of water balloons, get a group of friends together, pull the hose out onto the lawn and get wet and wild.

A spot that will start your teeth chattering is the local indoor ice skating rink. Hang out and watch the skaters or better yet… brave it and hit the ice (hopefully, not literally)!

For a cool and lazy afternoon, sit in front of a big fan eating popsicles and listening to favorite tunes on your iPod. Popsicles come in a yummy variety of flavors, and many are guiltlessly low in calories. (Get some homemade popsicle recipes here, and see more than 25 ways to make freezer pops for pennies!)

Buy an inexpensive inflatable kiddy pool. Inflate and toss it on the patio under an overhang or somewhere in the shade. Fill it with 4 inches of water. Grab a

By Margeaux Baulch Klein for SheKnows.com

While Google-stalking is a more discreet way of spying on your ex than say, digging through his trash or driving by his house, it doesn't mean you should do it. Below are three reasons to put down that mouse and slowly back away from the search engine.

1) T.M.I.

Unlike old-school stalking, Googling allows us to dig up dirt from the comfort of our office chairs, making researching an old flame as easy as typing their name into a search box. But what do random tidbits like his marathon finish time or a MySpace comment he left really tell you? Worried Woman on Computer

Not much, according to blogger and MoxieintheCity.net founder Chris Marashio.

"Whether it's an article or a posting on a forum, what you see online is not an accurate reflection of who a person is. It only gives you snapshots of their life which can be misconstrued," says Marashio.

For those who still can't help poring over their ex's every blog entry and Flickr photo in an attempt to deduce his

by Karen Hawthorne for SheKnows.com

You've been there (maybe on a daily basis): gripping the steering wheel with both hands and gritting your teeth. There's no accident or construction to jam up the road, but you're boxed in by cars and trucks at a standstill and it's all you can do to stop yourself from hollering obscenities and ditching your wheels to hoof it instead. Before you let your road rage take the wheel, try these healthier coping strategies to get you through the traffic and your commute.

1. VISUALIZE YOUR HAPPY PLACE

Take a few deep breaths to relax and close your eyes for just a moment. Then imagine yourself in a peaceful setting, such as a beautiful beach at sunset or a meadow filled with flowers. Visualization can be a powerful tool to reduce anxiety and turn off the body's "fight or flight" stress response.

>> Learn how to meditate in a busy world

Drown out those honking horns and heighten the experience even more by engaging your senses. How does the sand

by Joel Amos, SheKnows.com

When Angelina Jolie enters a room, one has to stop for a second to get your head around the fact that an international icon is sitting two feet away. That being said, there are few celebrities that we have spoken with who had more of an air of ease about them -- one that was equally comforting and compelling.

Here are a few excerpts from SheKnows.com's chat with Ang, when we caught up with her to talk about her latest movie, Salt. (Read more of our interview with Angelina Jolie here!)

SheKnows:There's a lot of running in Salt, does being the mother of toddlers all the training you need to get ready for the role?

Angelina Jolie: Yes [laughs], the toddlers run fast. But, actually Z (Zahara) is the fastest in the house. They're all over the place! And the twins are always going in different directions at the same time.

See her in action: Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber filming "Salt" in Washington DC

SheKnows:You said you may scale