Maternity leave is the time you take off of work to heal from your labor and delivery, and the time you take to care for your newborn, whether you are the natural mother or whether you adopted a baby. There are two types of maternity leave:

• A maternal disability, or medical leave, is the time that a woman takes off for a vaginal delivery (usually six weeks) or cesarean section (usually eight weeks).
• Family leave is the time spent caring for the baby and is available to the father and adoptive parents. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) grants everyone equal time of 12 weeks.

Are You Qualified for Maternity Leave?

You may think that after you give birth your company is required to provide you with paid maternity leave for several weeks while you stay at home and adjust to life with your new baby. Unfortunately, a good amount of companies do not offer paid maternity leave, and they are not required to.

Many women also do not qualify for paid maternity leave - depending on the length of employment and the size of their company. In order to qualify for FMLA leave, you must work for the federal or state governement or have been at your current job for at least 12 months and 1,250 hours (about 25 hours a week for 50 weeks). You also must have been employed by a company with a minimum of 50 employees within a 75 mile radius. If this criteria is met, your employer must offer you the twelve weeks unpaid, continue your health insurance, and provide you with the same position (or a position of an equivalent level) when you return.

What if my Company Does Not Offer Maternity Leave?
Most likely, you’ll be able to use a combination of short-term disability, sick time accumulated, vacation time accumulated, personal days, and unpaid family leave during your maternity leave.

If your company does not offer paid or unpaid maternity or family leave, you may have a couple of other options available. According to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, if your company has more than 14 employees and held an employee’s job during a different type of medical disability, they must offer you the same position after your leave.

If you live in New York, New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, or Hawaii, you may be eligible for their state-run temporary disability plans. This will cover you during the time you are medically not able to work.

When Should I Begin Researching my Maternity Leave Choices?Experts suggest beginning a dialogue with your employer shortly after the first trimester. You don’t want to wait until you are visibly pregnant, but many complications can arise during the first trimester and the miscarriage rate is highest during that time. Federal guidelines require that you give a minimum of 30 days between requesting leave and taking it, but you’ll want to give your employer more time. When you have the conversation, try to make it positive and discuss your plans for returning after the birth (if you plan to return to work). You can try to negotiate maternity leave and work out a plan that works for the both of you.

How do I Find out More About My State’s Laws?Many states offer additional benefits to the federal FMLA laws. To find out more you can contact your state’s Labor Office.

Tags: maternity leave

What is a Contraction Stress Test?

This test measures your baby’s heart rate during contractions in order to make sure that she is getting the necessary oxygen from the placenta during labor.

When is the Contraction Stress Test Administered?

This test is usually done at the very end of pregnancy, prior to an induction.

What is
the Contraction Stress Test Procedure?

You will lie down on your left side and have two elastic belts with monitors placed on your belly.  One monitors the baby’s heartbeat and the other monitors your contractions.  If you are not having contractions on your own, an injection of Pitocin (Oxytocin) will be given and you will be monitored to see how your baby responds to the contractions via an electronic fetal monitor on your belly.  The test lasts until you’ve had three contractions, each lasting 45 seconds, within a ten-minute span.

What do the Contraction Stress Test Results Mean?

Normal results of a contraction stress test occur when the baby’s heartbeat does not slow in response to the contractions. This is a “normal” or “negative” result and typically means your baby is reacting fine and will do so for at least the next week.

Abnormal results of a contraction stress test occur when the baby’s heart does slow down in response to a contraction (deceleration).  This means the test result is “positive” and signals that your baby may be under stress.  You will typically be recommended for delivery soon and be induced or schedule a cesarean section.

There is a good deal of controversy lately when it comes to pregnant women taking anti-depressants. The reason for the controversy stems from the fact that there is a large risk for women 25-44 years old to develop depression - up to 25%. Since these are the prime years for childbearing, many women find that they are suffering through depression while they are pregnant. Previous studies saw no increase in pregnancy problems when on certain anti-depressants, but unfortunately new studies are showing otherwise.

Earlier Studies on Anti-Depressants

Previous studies indicated that there was not an increase in stillbirths, miscarriages, or premature births when pregnant women take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft.

Anti-Depressants Cause Birth Defects?
Unfortunately reports released this year are showing an increased risk to babies whose mothers take anti-depressants. One study this year contradicts studies in the past, saying that there is an increased risk in birth defects for women who take SSRIs in their first trimester. Sandy Zeskind, a research professor in pediatrics at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, says that babies who were prenatally exposed to SSRIs had adverse effects on their central and autonomic nervous systems.

Further research is being conducted on this topic.

Anti-Depressants Cause Withdrawal Symptoms in Newborns?
Another study showed an increased risk for newborn withdrawal symptoms for women who take SSRIs in their third trimester. These withdrawal symptoms were the result of being cut-off from the medications that they had been receiving through the mother’s placenta. The most commonly reported symptoms were irritability, increased crying, tremors, shortened breath, nausea, and convulsions. These symptoms typically lasted only one to four days after birth, and rarely lasted more than a few weeks. Because of this, doctors are being urged to recommend to their patients that they lower their dose, or stop taking anti-depressants altogether, two weeks before their due date.

Anti-Depressants Still Being Prescribed
That said, some women are still being coached to treat their depression with anti-depressants, after weighing the risks. Doctors say that halting the use of antidepressants when a woman becomes pregnant may be harmful to the baby - due to the withdrawal symptoms the mother experiences, and the loss of assistance that the medication provides. Other physicians say that if a woman is severely depressed and psychotherapy is not helping, it is best to take anti-depressants to avoid weight loss and preterm delivery.

Alternatives to Anti-Depressants
Depression can be treated in a number of ways. Women may go to therapy or counseling. They may join a support group - in person or online. They may undergo psychotherapy. Depending on the cause of depression, some patients will engage in light therapy, take supplements, begin an exercise program, or change their diet.

Tags: pregnancy, pregnancy depression

The following tests are routine prenatal tests for each visit to your obgyn or midwife:

Blood Pressure:

At each prenatal visit your blood pressure will be tested by armband. A spike in blood pressure can be an indication of preeclampsia - which can cause the placenta to separate from the wall of the uterus.

Urine:

At each prenatal visit your urine will be tested for protein, sugar, blood and bacteria.  Protein is another sign of preeclampsia, sugar can signal gestational diabetes and blood or bacteria can signal a urinary-tract infection. 

Weight:

You will be monitored to see if you are gaining weight in small intervals.  If you are not gaining weight or gaining weight too rapidly you will be counseled on your diet and nutrition.

Fundal Height:

You will be measured from your pelvic bone to the top of your uterus. This helps to see how your baby is growing.

Baby’s Heart Rate:

After about 12 weeks, your baby’s heartrate can be heard using a Doppler.  The heart rate should be between 120-170 beats per minute and the doctor will check each visit to make sure it is within range.

Tags: Prenatal Tests

Whether you belong to a forum, chat with others about pregnancy or are just starting to browse the Internet for information - there are a ton of abbreviations and acronyms that people use! 

BBT - basal body temperature
BCP - birth control pill
BD - baby dance (making love)
BF - breastfeed or boyfriend
CD - cycle day (if you are charting the length of your menstrual cycles, this is the number of days after the start of your period)
CF - cervical fluid
CM - cervical mucus
CNM - certified nurse midwife
CONTRAX - contractions
DD - due date or darling/dear daughter
DH - darling/dear husband
DPO - days past ovulation
DS - darling/dear son
DTD - do the deed (making love)
DW - darling/dear wife
EDD - estimated due date
EWCM - egg white cervical mucus
GBS - group b strep
GD - gestational diabetes
HPT - home pregnancy test
IUI - intra-uterine insemination
IVF - in vitro fertilization
LMP - last menstrual period
LP - luteal phase
MC or M/C - miscarriage
O - ovulation
OPK - ovulation predictor kit
OPT - ovulation predictor test
PG - pregnant
SAHM - stay at home mom
SO - significant other
STD - sexually transmitted disease
TTC - trying to conceive
UTI - urinaty tract infection
WAHM - work at home mom

What am I missing?

Pregnancy discrimination can occur in multiple forms and can happen in a variety of instances of employment. Many women have suffered through pregnancy discrimination while being hired or promoted - or their employer terminates them, takes away their benefits, or changes their maternity leave. Some women who experience pregnancy discrimination feel that their bosses are in the right, but that’s not always true.

What is Pregnancy Discrimination?
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 was passed as an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It states that "women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all employment­related purposes, including receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs, as other persons not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to work." It also states that an employer is not required to cover health insurance for an abortion, but that’s a different story.
(Please note that this law is in effect only for employers with 15 or more employers.)

What are Some Pregnancy Discrimination Scenarios?
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act can be difficult to understand so let’s examine a couple of different scenarios.

• If you are pregnant and going on interviews for a job, the employer cannot refuse to hire you if you can perform the major functions and requirements of the job. They may not refuse to hire you because of prejudices against pregnant workers. (In fact a potential employer cannot ask you if you are pregnant or planning to have children. If you are still in your first trimester of pregnancy and not showing, you may choose to keep the pregnancy quiet.)
• Your employer must allow you to work as long as you are able to perform your job. If you are temporarily unable to do your required tasks, your boss must treat you as any other disabled employee.
• If you have a pregnancy related disability, your employer must give you the same accrual
  and crediting of seniority, vacation calculation, pay increases
  and temporary disability benefits, as if you were a temporary disabled employee.

The Family and Medical Leave Act, another law, can give you additional protection. If your health care provider says that you are unable to work during your pregnancy, you may be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks off of work without pay. Under this law you must also be allowed to take time off for childbirth, as well as adoption of a child or care of a sick child/family member.

What do You do if You Experience Pregnancy Discrimination?
If you find that you are suffering from pregnancy discrimination, it’s best to follow these steps.

• Document anything that occurs, noting the date, time and place of occurance.

• If you are employed through a union, speak to a union representative.
• Check any employee handbook you were given when you were hired for procedures. If you have none, speak to your employer or human resources department to find out how to file a complaint.
• Continue to work at the level of your job discription and keep detailed notes of your completed tasks, hours, and job evaulations.
• File a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Just because you’re now pregnant, does not mean that the sex has to stop. But there are precautions and techniques to be aware of.

Is it Okay to Have Sex When I’m Pregnant?
It is safe to have sex throughout your pregnancy as long as you are not having any complications. The mucus plug that seals the cervix protects against any infections, as does the amniotic sac surrounding the baby.

Speak to your physician or midwife if you are having any contractions after sex, bleeding, or if you are at high risk for your pregnancy. They can give you specifics as to whether or not you should continue having sex.

Is it Possible to Lose Your Sex Drive During Pregnancy?
Many women experience changes in their desire to have sex while pregnant. During the first trimester many women are experiencing morning sickness or hormonal changes, and may not want to have sex at all. During the second trimester, many women experience a surge in their sex drive as they start to feel normal and begin to enjoy their pregnancy. The third trimester can go either way - some women have a high sex drive, while others have less sexual urges than before.

What if Sex Becomes Uncomfortable During Pregnancy?
As your belly gets bigger, it may become more difficult to find a position that is comfortable. You can experiment with other positions and techniques, or feign a headache and go to bed!

How Soon After Giving Birth Can I Have Sex?
Traditionally you should wait six weeks to have sex after you give birth, but you should take into consideration your comfort level. If you are emotionally or physically not ready to have sex, don’t rush into it.

One of the toughest things to do is maintain a healthy diet while you are pregnant.  In the beginning you may be nauseous or have strange food aversions or cravings.  Toward the middle you might be hungry for everything in sight!  And during the last trimester you may have aches and pains and feel like there is no room in your stomach for food. 

With all of the body changes just try to remember that you are trying to form a healthy baby and need to follow a healthy diet!  Here are some general guidelines to help you.

300 calories ! 

Pregnancy only requires an extra 300 calories a day for the baby.  That’s not very much when you realize that a candy bar has more than 300 calories!  So don’t feel that just because you’re pregnant you can eat anything and not gain weight.

Food Pyramid

Following the food pyramid will help to ensure you’re meeting all of your proper nutritional needs.  You’ll want 3-4 servings of dairy, 6-11 servings of grains/bread, 3-4 servings of meat/protein, 2-4 servings of fruit, and 3-5 servings of vegetables. 

Protein

Protein is very important to eat while pregnant.  The amino acids that make up protein help your baby to grow.  In fact, low protein diets can cause low birthweight babies.  You’ll want to shoot for a minimum of 60 grams of protein a day.

Prenatal Vitamins

Most doctors will suggest that you take a prenatal vitamin to increase the vitamins and minerals important to you and your baby during pregnancy.  Prenatal vitamins typically contain more folic acid, calcium and iron than a regular multivitamin.

Tags: healthy eating, pregnancy health

Glucose test screening checks for gestational diabetes, a short-term form of diabetes that develops in some women during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes occurs in 1 - 3% of pregnancies and can cause health problems for the baby.

When can the Glucose Test be Administered?

The glucose test is typically administered around 24 weeks of pregnancy.

How does the Glucose Test Work?

You will drink a sugar drink and have your blood drawn an hour later and the glucose level is checked.  If the reading is high, you’ll have a glucose tolerance test.  During that test you will drink a glucose solution on an empty stomach and have your blood drawn once every hour for 3 hours.

What do the Glucose Test Results Mean?

If your glucose tolerance test comes back positive, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  Most women can control their blood sugar levels with diet and exercise. You will probably need to monitor your glucose levels at home. In a small percentage of women, insulin injections are required. In most cases, diabetes disappears soon after giving birth.

Women with gestational diabetes usually do not have an increased risk of having a baby with a birth defect. However, some studies suggest that if your gestational diabetes is severe enough to require treatment with insulin, your baby may be at increased risk of birth defects.

Tags: gestational diabetes, glucose test, prenatal test

Jamie Lynn Spears had her baby shower today. Among the guests - her big sis Britney, her mom Jeanne, and her mother-in-law-to-be!!

“Jamie Lynn opened every gift,” a source tells PEOPLE magazine. “We all sat in a circle and she opened gifts and thanked every person. It was just a good old fashioned baby shower.”

Source: ETOnline

Tags: jamie lynn spears