Stress and Pregnancy

  

A new study finds newborns whose mothers are under stress during the first trimester may be at risk for low iron status, which could lead to physical and mental delays down the road.

Dr. Joe Austerman from Cleveland Clinic says, “They found that mothers with high levels of stress correlated with lower levels of iron in the baby. And why this is important because low levels of iron in our bloodstream as children have significant effects on our physical development, as well as our cognitive development.”

The bottom line is do not stress out during pregnancy as it not only affects you, but it may have long-term effects on your baby.

The study was presented at Pediatric Academy Societies annual meeting.

Related articles

• Mothers’ Stress Could Cause Iron Deficiency in Newborns (ihafs.org)
• Mothers’ Stress Could Cause Iron Deficiency in Newborns (news.health.com)
• Mom’s stress during pregnancy can affect baby’s iron status (eurekalert.org)
• Mothers’ Stress Could Cause Iron Deficiency in Newborns (health.usnews.com)
• Prenatal Massage (joyofspa.com)
• First Trimester Pregnancy Changes (enfamil.com)
• Pregnancy Nutrition: Second Trimester Pointers (enfamil.com)
• Second Trimester Pregnancy Changes (enfamil.com)
• Will it hurt the baby? Answers to common pregnancy questions (thegrio.com)
• ‘Normal’ Pregnancy Weight Gain And Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss, According To An OB/GYN (blisstree.com)

10 Hot iPhone Apps for New Parents

Parenting in the internet age certainly still has its challenges, but tech-savvy parents have several options in the App Store that can help ease some of the stress. Storing important information, accessing records and even entertaining your newborn can all be done with a tap of the screen; here are ten iPhone apps that all new parents should check out.

1. Baby Tracker: Diapers – If your pediatrician asks you to keep a record of Baby’s diapers, the Baby Tracker: Diapers app is a must-have. The simple interface includes a color swatch and texture options, and even has a Notes feature for in-depth documentation.

2. White Noise Lite – Many parents swear by sound machines to soothe babies and help them sleep soundly; the White Noise Lite app offers several options, including nature sounds and traditional white noise. The best part? It’s free.

3. Baby Tracker: Nursing – The folks at Baby Tracker hit another home run with their Nursing app. Mothers who choose to breastfeed can keep track of nursing times, duration and left/right nursing sides. As an extra bonus, there’s also an option for tracking bottle feedings as well.

4. Baby Brain – Created by a team of experienced OB/GYN nurses and moms, the nap-tracking app Baby Brain helps new parents calculate ideal nap times. Entering the time and duration of baby’s daily naps help the app to analyze the information and provide estimates for when subsequent naps should occur. Parents with multiples can track more than one baby, and the interface allows for easy schedule-sharing via email with caregivers.  This one is TOUGH to find but we love it!

5. Parenting Ages & Stages – Popular magazine PARENTING offers a free app to track developmental milestones from birth to school-age, keeping it relevant for years to come. The high-tech version of the baby book.

6. FeverMeds – Unfortunately, low-grade fevers are part of any new parent’s life. The FeverMeds app calculates age and weight to return the ideal dosage of medication to combat those fevers, and also displays pictures of over-the-counter medication boxes in order to eliminate the possibility of choosing the wrong product. It also tracks dosage time and counts down to the next scheduled dose.  Another tough one to find… Sorry, but it’s great!

7. What to Expect – Baby – Generations of moms-to-be have relied upon the wisdom of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. The beloved line of books also extends into early parenting and development. The What to Expect – Baby app makes carrying the book everywhere a snap, and also includes daily updates and trackers.

8. BabyPhone Deluxe – Instead of packing a baby monitor for trips or carting it from room to room, consider the BabyPhone app. If noise levels in the room exceed a designated level, the app automatically dials a secondary number to alert parents.

9. Infant Visual Stimulation – With one hundred and twenty black and white images designed to stimulate babies vision, the Infant Visual Stimulation app is a great resource for new parents.

10. Baby Rattle 123 – Leaving Baby’s favorite rattle at home is no longer cause for concern with the Baby Rattle 123 app, which transforms your phone into a visually and auditory stimulation tool.

All new parents need some help, so it is a great idea for the iPhone to serve multiple purposes. Check out the App Store for these and other great apps for new parents. You never knew a phone could do so much.

THANK YOU NANNY NET  – Debbie Denard

BEST NEW PARENTING BLOG: NANNY NET –   http://www.nanny.net/blog/10-iphone-apps-for-new-parents

 

RELATED LINKS:

HOW A BABY TAKES SHAPE INSIDE YOUR BODY:  http://www.babycentre.co.uk/video/pregnancy/baby-takes-shape/

WONDERFUL PBS DOCUMENTARY recommended by author, Michael Gonzalez Wallace:  http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-secret-life-of-the-brain/

Related articles

• TappyTaps Releases the First iOS Baby Monitor to Work Over a 3G, CDMA and Wifi Network (prweb.com)
• Coming Soon: The Wearable, Online, All-the-Time Baby Monitor (parenting.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Monitor Babies from iPhone, iPad or IPod (mariadorfner.wordpress.com)
• Apps for Pregnancy & Beyond (bellissimom.wordpress.com)
• Great Apps for Moms on the Go (theapptimes.com)