Baby Registry

As you prepare to welcome your little bundle of joy into the world, one of the most fun and practical tasks on your to-do list is creating your baby registry. Let's navigate the sea of baby gear to ensure you’re set up for success!

• A baby registry Worth Sharing

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a common pregnancy complication that requires careful management to ensure a healthy outcome for both mother and baby. In this post, we'll explore what gestational diabetes is, its risk factors, and effective strategies for managing blood sugar levels and maintaining overall health during pregnancy.

• Blog Post: Testing For Gestational Diabetes

• Blog Post: Diagnosed With Gestational Diabetes… What Now?

Maternal Immunizations

One of the easiest ways you can protect both yourself and your baby during pregnancy is to be up to date on all of your vaccinations. Some vaccinations are even recommended to be given during pregnancy in order to provide better immunity for your baby after they are born, but unable to get certain vaccines themselves. Sometimes it can be confusing to know what vaccinations are safe to get during pregnancy and which ones are not recommended. Here we will provide a general guide for current maternal immunization recommendations, but remember to always check with your provider to see what is best for you and your baby.

How do vaccines work?

Your immune system produces antibodies when it has been infected with a virus or bacteria. These antibodies help fight off the infection and while this process is occurring, people usually experience the symptoms of the infection. Vaccines are a way to fast track this process. They can either be live, but weakened versions of the virus, or killed versions of parts —or even the whole— germ. The goal of both types of vaccine is to trigger your body to produce antibodies without actually getting sick. Some people experience mild symptoms with vaccines like soreness, fatigue, and a low-grade fever. Severe infection is extremely rare from vaccines.

What vaccines are right for me?

Some of the most common vaccines for women to get while they are pregnant are the Tdap and Flu vaccines. The Tdap vaccine is recommended for women between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. Getting this vaccine during this period allows for not only mom to be protected, but baby is provided with immunity for months after birth. The flu vaccine, on the other hand, is safe to be given at any point during pregnancy. This can help prevent flu-related pregnancy complications in both you and baby.

While some vaccines are safe during pregnancy, live (attenuated) vaccines are NOT recommended during pregnancy. If you receive a live vaccine and then find out you are pregnant, consult with your doctor.

As you can see from the list shown in the image above, many vaccinations are recommended for you to get more than a month before you become pregnant. If you are planning on becoming pregnant, this is a great way to help prepare your body. If you are already pregnant, don’t worry! The most important/beneficial vaccines are still available to you at some point during your pregnancy. Always consult with your doctor if you are at high risk of contracting a certain virus that you may be considering a vaccine for.

Partner Support

Supporting a partner through pregnancy is crucial for both their well-being and the health of your growing family. In this post, we’ll explore practical ways to offer meaningful support and strengthen your relationship as you embark on this transformative journey together.

• Urgent Maternal Warning Signs: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) , CDC Precautions

• 23 Qualities of a Good Father - Jeff Campbell - Parenting Magazine

• Dads and Depression Factsheet - MMHLA - Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance

• But What About Dads?; A Guide to Supporting Dads During the NICU Journey - UCLA Family Development Program

Podcasts

Great prenatal podcasts to checkout!

• The Birth Hour (Bryn-Hunt Palmer)

• Week By Week (Celeste Busa)

  • Overview: “Week By Week is an insider’s view of pregnancy and parenthood. Host Celeste shares personal stories and has candid conversations with experts and parents about all the messy, hard, lonely, joyful, and under-talked aspects of pregnancy and parenthood and by the end of it hopefully we feel a little less alone.”

• Pregnancy Podcast (Vanessa Merten)

  • Overview: “The Pregnancy Podcast provides information that goes way beyond the typical ‘pregnancy instruction manual’ by sharing research-backed, evidence-based information. Vanessa Merten designs every episode to give you all the evidence, research, pros, cons, risks and benefits. You will have all of the knowledge you need to decide the best options for you and feel confident about your decisions during your pregnancy and beyond. This podcast covers everything from trying to conceive, pregnancy, prenatal care, labor, birth, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, newborns, and being a new parent.”

• Is It Normal? The Pregnancy Podcast (Jessie Ware)

  • Overview: “Is it Normal? The Pregnancy Podcast is the new podcast from Jessie Ware in which she speaks to different experts to explore and reassure everybody about what is going on with our bodies and our babies during pregnancy and birth. This podcast follows Jessie’s pregnancy week by week, she is joined by doctors, midwives, sonographers, anesthetists, home birth midwives, doulas, mental health experts, reflexologists the list goes on…And with the help of questions from other pregnant people aims to cover all aspects of pregnancy and giving birth.”

• Pregnancy Confidential (Parents Magazine)

  • Overview: “Pregnancy Confidential is a series of 32 podcasts designed to be accessed weekly by expectant moms. Hosted by editors from Parents and Fit Pregnancy and Baby Magazines, each 10-20 minute podcast walks listeners through the physical, emotional, and/or lifestyle markers of that week of pregnancy. The tone is friendly, fun, and conversational —you can read the medical information about pregnancy elsewhere. This podcast will be your best friend taking you through the real feelings —the joy and the annoyances— of pregnancy so you never have to experience any of it alone. This is real talk/girlfriend-to-girlfriend stuff you might not get elsewhere.“

• For LGBTQ+ parents: If These Ovaries Could Talk (Robin Hopkins and Jaimie Kelton)

  • Overview: “If These Ovaries Could Talk is a podcast where two lesbians chat about non-traditional families. Jaimie Kelton and Robin Hopkins go in-depth with weekly guests about hopes, dreams, fears, and setbacks of bringing a new life into the world with a lot of love and a good amount of science. What happens when these families enter a world designed for straight people?”

• Big Fat Positive (Laura Birek and Shanna Micko)

  • Overview: “Big Fat Positive is a smart and funny podcast about two best friends who found out they were pregnant at the same time. This show follows the moms-to-be on their journey through pregnancy and into new motherhood, week-by-week. With weekly check-ins, special guests and segments such as “OMG I’m Freaking Out,” hosts Shanna Micko & Laura Birek recount the often hilarious and always honest highs and lows of being a pregnant woman and new mom.”

Prenatal Fitness

Staying active during pregnancy can enhance your well-being and prepare your body for childbirth. In this post, we’ll explore safe and effective prenatal fitness!

• Blog Post: Prepare Your Body and Mind with Prenatal Yoga 

• Blog Post: Starting a Home Prenatal Yoga Practice

Prenatal Nutrition

Proper nutrition during pregnancy is essential for both your health and your baby’s development. In this post, we'll explore key dietary guidelines and nutritious choices to ensure you’re fueling your body and supporting your baby’s growth every step of the way.

• Blog Post: Boosting Nutrition in Labor 

• Blog Post: Dietary Supplements During Pregnancy 

• Blog Post: Prenatal Health Coaching