Pregnancy Buzz

A mom posted a question in Pregnancy about a specific baby monitor, one that can detect movement as well as sound (the one she asked about got mixed reviews from other moms). That got me thinking about baby monitors in general and whether or not most mommies-to-be have one on their registry. From time to time, I'll feature a product here and see what moms have to say -- up first:

Item: Baby monitor

Cost: From about $35 up to $200 +, depending on model and features; some monitor only sound, some monitor sound and movement, some are video monitors

Pros: It can let you know what baby's up to, especially if baby's room isn't near yours

Cons: It may provide more info than you need, thus causing some panicky parent moments or frequent sleep interruptions

Beyond nailing down your registry, there's all sorts of baby shower planning to do -- connect with moms in Baby Shower Ideas to swap tips on gifts, games, cakes, and more.

More than 1% of infants are conceived through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) today, and new research shows that these babies are at greater risk for certain birth defects than babies conceived naturally.

"First, we wanted to know how to dispose of the placenta."

This is the (pretty riveting) first line of a story I just read on Babble -- I did a post on home births being on the rise recently so I found it of particular interest. Turns out in some places (like Missouri, where the author had her second child), midwife-assisted home births are a felony and the midwife handling the delivery could be arrested.

The story's a little graphic -- but then so's childbirth. It's pretty fascinating to read the blow-by-blow of how the author finds and meets the midwife and then ultimately does deliver her second child with her, even though a home birth wasn't what the writer originally had in mind.

Curious to hear what you moms-to-be think.

All moms-to-be share a common hope -- the desire for a healthy baby. Having a pregnancy that's been deemed "high risk" may add a little uncertainty to things (although many, many women go on to deliver babies that are just fine), which is why it's so wonderful to get support and encouragement from other pregnant moms in a similar situation. You can connect with them in High-Risk Pregnancies and Moms Who Have or Had a High-Risk Pregnancy. I spoke with lovemykids72704, group owner of the latter, about why she started the group and what moms are talking about. She shared some very personal, moving details.

Ahhh, pregnancy -- it's happy news! And I thought it might be fun and informative to have one of our newly-pregnant mamas share with others what's happening with her and her developing baby on a weekly basis for a while. bam61907 (that's her belly right there) has graciously agreed to share some pregnancy deets -- she's 7 weeks along, and due on July 8, 2009. Here's what's up this week.

Thinking of wearing that gorgeous new baby in a sling when he gets here? I did, and I loved it. My friend Cafe Suzanne just posted in Baby Buzz about a giveaway that Babywearing.com does monthly -- this month they're giving away a beautiful Moby D black with black silk baby carrier. Good luck!

Is your hospital bag packed yet? I was in denial about packing mine -- like, if I didn't pack the bag, I wouldn't have to go to the hospital and give birth (!). You know how that one turned out.

But what should you pack? Baby hat and adorable going-home outfit, yes, but what else will you be really happy to have? It's definitely a topic of great discussion around here. I asked moms-to-be in Pregnancy and moms who'd already given birth in Answers what they thought the hospital bag essentials were -- and TroubleNStereo posted an awesome list in Due January 2009.

Here's a round-up of what the moms had to say.

An anonymous mom asked other moms in the Answer section how long they waited to start trying to conceive again after a miscarriage. It's a tough question, and an emotional one. Here's what a few moms had to say.

If you're going to try to breastfeed your baby, you might think that since you were born with the equipment to get the job done, you'd be all set. And in some ways that's true. In others, a little bit of extra "stuff" can help you get feedings done more comfortably and easily.

Anonymous asked in Answers where to get nursing bras and pads. Here's some quick info on where to get the goods.

Cafe MicheleZ recently mentioned a dilemma she's facing and it's one I've stared down, too. She's thinking of getting in the mommy-to-be way sometime soonish and she has these cats that, well, they scratch. A lot.