Ready for the labor of love? Pregnancy is an extraordinary time filled with love, laughs and well, labor. Here we will discuss the bump, celebrate the birth and welcome motherhood. You may find moments of clarity, moments of insanity, heart-felt discussions, love, compassion and oh yes, loads of advice.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Pregnancy After Miscarriage, The Beginning
As I sat in the waiting office at my OB's, I felt like one lone woman. Surrounded by pregnant women, my desires to have another only saddened me. This appointment was to discuss my fertility options. Its hard having such little control over something and wondering what my wanting was creating in the universe. If I willed this, would I be punished? How can a person will it, though? I worried about trying. I worried about not trying. I worried about my age, my marriage and my daughter.
I am scheduled for x-rays and I don't want to take any chances, so I asked my doctor to take a blood pregnancy test. I dared to wonder in the back of my mind if it could be possibly true. The inclination that I was pregnant was there, but I chose not to pay attention to it because I had been wrong before. There was no way I would let myself believe it this time. So I put it out of my mind.
Until, the phone call that next day. The doctor's office has my cell phone and I had absent mindedly let the battery die that morning. I soon realized it and plugged it in and noticed a message. My heart started to pound and for some reason a flash came to me and I knew it was the doctor's office. Why would they call? Could it be? I hadn't thought a thing about the test until now. Of course the next 5 minutes I spent trying to get my phone to work was agony. My heart raced as I listened to the message. "Its your doctor's office, please call us back." Why else, what else....... work stupid phone!!!
"Well, you're definitely pregnant," stated the woman on the other end. I couldn't put my head around those words. Why did she sound so non-nonchalant? Did she not know what this meant? She went on some more. "Wait," I said. "Did you say I am pregnant?" "Yes." The rush of emotion is indescribable. I felt joy, I felt relief, I felt terrified, I felt old, I felt scared, I felt lonely and finally made it back around to a feeling of happy. I had achieved my goal, well the first of many goals on this kind of journey. I had been on this roller coaster ride before and I was not sure I could take another turn.
To be continued.........
Nicole
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Finding Safe Sunscreens - Update!
The FDA has released new sunscreen regulations:
Changes will go into effect in December of 2012:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/05/11/fda-delays-implementation-of-new-sunscreen-regulations-until-after-summer/
- Broad Spectrum designation. Sunscreens that pass FDA's broad spectrum test procedure, which measures a product's UVA protection relative to its UVB protection, may be labeled as "Broad Spectrum SPF [value]" on the front label. Why the change? Products currently labeled as "broad spectrum" may or may not protect against UVA.
- Use claims. Only Broad Spectrum sunscreens with an SPF value of 15 or higher can claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging if used as directed with other sun protection measures. Non-Broad Spectrum sunscreens and Broad Spectrum sunscreens with an SPF value between 2 and 14 can only claim to help prevent sunburn.
- "Waterproof," "sweatproof" or "sunblock" claims. Manufacturers cannot label sunscreens as "waterproof" or "sweatproof," or identify their products as "sunblocks," because these claims overstate their effectiveness. Sunscreens also cannot claim to provide sun protection for more than 2 hours without reapplication or to provide protection immediately after application (for example-- "instant protection") without submitting data to support these claims and obtaining FDA approval.
- Water resistance claims. Water resistance claims on the front label must indicate whether the sunscreen remains effective for 40 minutes or 80 minutes while swimming or sweating, based on standard testing. Sunscreens that are not water resistant must include a direction instructing consumers to use a water resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.
- Drug Facts. All sunscreens must include standard "Drug Facts" information on the back and/or side of the container.
Changes will go into effect in December of 2012:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/05/11/fda-delays-implementation-of-new-sunscreen-regulations-until-after-summer/
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Finding Safe Sunscreens
Summer is knocking on the door! What you don't know about sunscreen can hurt you...
Ultraviolet radiation - Invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. UV radiation is made up of three types of rays -- ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC). UVC is the most dangerous type of ultraviolet light but cannot penetrate earth's protective ozone layer. Therefore, it poses no threat to us and it's presence will have no further value to this article. On the other hand, UVA and UVB do penetrate the ozone layer and can cause harm to our bodies. Please note, the same UVA and UVB rays are produced by the lights used in tanning beds.
UVA consists of shorter, weaker, wavelengths that can penetrate deeper into the skin and cause DNA damage to cells. In contrast, UVB consists of longer wavelengths that penetrates only the outer skin layer. UVB is the primary cause of sunburn and non-melanoma skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma. Knowing that both UVA and UVB rays can damage your skin and body it is wise to choose a sunscreen that protects from both types of exposure.
What is SPF?
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measurement of sunburn protection. For example, when using an SPF 30 sunscreen and applying it thickly, you get the equivalent of 1 minute of UVB rays for each 30 minutes you spend in the sun. So, 1 hour in the sun wearing SPF 30 sunscreen is the same as spending 2 minutes totally unprotected.. This is a rough estimate, however, and your own skin, the type of activity you do in the sun (i.e. one involving water or sweat), and the intensity of sunlight may give you more or less safety.
The SPF number indicates protection against UVB rays only. Sunscreen products labeled "broad-spectrum" provide some protection against both UVA and UVB rays, but at this time there is no standard system for measuring protection from UVA rays. Products that contain avobenzone, Mexoryl SX, zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide can provide some protection from UVB and most UVA rays.
What should I look for in a sunscreen?
AVOID:
BETTER ALTERNATIVES:
Check out where your current sunscreen rates in the Environmental Working Group's (EWG)Sunscreen Database (http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/). The EWG also has a handy phone app so that all of this information is at your fingertips when you go to purchase this year's sunscreen (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ewg-sunscreen-buyers-guide/id378866183?mt=8).
What is UVA and UVB?
UVA consists of shorter, weaker, wavelengths that can penetrate deeper into the skin and cause DNA damage to cells. In contrast, UVB consists of longer wavelengths that penetrates only the outer skin layer. UVB is the primary cause of sunburn and non-melanoma skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma. Knowing that both UVA and UVB rays can damage your skin and body it is wise to choose a sunscreen that protects from both types of exposure.
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measurement of sunburn protection. For example, when using an SPF 30 sunscreen and applying it thickly, you get the equivalent of 1 minute of UVB rays for each 30 minutes you spend in the sun. So, 1 hour in the sun wearing SPF 30 sunscreen is the same as spending 2 minutes totally unprotected.. This is a rough estimate, however, and your own skin, the type of activity you do in the sun (i.e. one involving water or sweat), and the intensity of sunlight may give you more or less safety.
The SPF number indicates protection against UVB rays only. Sunscreen products labeled "broad-spectrum" provide some protection against both UVA and UVB rays, but at this time there is no standard system for measuring protection from UVA rays. Products that contain avobenzone, Mexoryl SX, zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide can provide some protection from UVB and most UVA rays.
How high of an SPF should I use?
Many groups, including the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Cancer Society, recommend products with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. People often do not apply a thick enough layer of sunscreen, so the actual protection they get is less. Sunscreens labeled with SPFs as high as 100+ are now available. Higher numbers do mean more protection, but many people mistakenly think that a sunscreen with an SPF 45 rating would give 3 times as much protection as one with an SPF of 15. This is not true. SPF 15 sunscreens filter out about 93% of UVB rays, while SPF 30 sunscreens filter out about 97%, SPF 50 sunscreens about 98%, and SPF 100 about 99%. The higher you go, the smaller the difference becomes. No sunscreen protects you completely. Regardless of the SPF, sunscreen should be reapplied often for maximal protection.What should I look for in a sunscreen?
AVOID:
- Sprays and Powders
- Added Insect Repellants
- SPF 50+
- Oxybenzone**
- Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate)**
- PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) and Padimate O**
- Synthetic Fragrance**
BETTER ALTERNATIVES:
- Hat and shirt
- "Mineral" sunscreens that contain Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium dioxide - these offer the best Broad-Spectrum protection
- Avobenzone or Mexoryl SX
- Water-resistant for beach, pool & exercise
- SPF 30+ for beach & pool
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Natural
- Organic
- Fair Trade
- Biodegradable
- Coral Reef Safe
Check out where your current sunscreen rates in the Environmental Working Group's (EWG)Sunscreen Database (http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/). The EWG also has a handy phone app so that all of this information is at your fingertips when you go to purchase this year's sunscreen (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ewg-sunscreen-buyers-guide/id378866183?mt=8).
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