Pregnant women are often concerned about gaining excess weight. A common question many pregnant women ask their doctors is if exercise is safe during pregnancy. Be informed that the viewpoint of your obstetrician may vary from other doctors. However, it has been determined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that some exercise is safe for pregnant women. That being said, here are some tips to keep in mind if you choose to exercise:

Don’t Exercise Sporadically
Most doctors will agree that regular moderate exercise a few times each week is much better than sporadic exercise. It is inadvisable to exercise only when you feel like it. If you aren’t able to keep a regular exercise routine (2-3 days per week), then you should try to hit the gym.

Pay Attention to Your Body
When you are pregnant, you do not have the same flexibility as you may have otherwise. Thus, exercise with caution. If you are having muscle aches or other pain, you should slow down or stop the exercise. Pushing yourself too hard could result in more pain or problems.

Don’t Lie on Your Back
If you are past your first trimester, you should not lie on your back during exercise. This decreases the amount of oxygen that your baby receives. You should avoid any exercise that has to be done in this manner.

Stay Hydrated
While exercising, remember to drink plenty of water. Take advantage of indoor gyms and exercise facilities, if at all possible, to stay out of the heat.

Exercise No – Nos
You should not participate in any activities that hold a potential risk of falling. Steer clear of activities like roller skating, riding horseback, skiing, etc. Some pregnant women ignore the caution of their physician about these types of exercises. However, remember that you are warned against such activities for the health of your child, as well as your own safety and well-being.

A new baby or pregnancy can make a new or soon to be Daddy feel a little ignored so make sure you make Christmas something really special. Choosing a perfect gift can be challenging but here is a great resource for original, interesting Holiday Gift Ideas for a guy. Everything from jewelry to GPS gadgets to beers of the world.

Along with finding him the perfect gift, make sure that you’re giving him plenty of quality time all throughout the season. You’ll be glad you did!

The Reproductive Challenged Woman is a new podcast hosted by Barbara Winters.  Barbara came through a nine year journey to motherhood and has a lot of compassion and encouragement for other women who are on a similar long road.

I never gave it much though before, but I’ve just learned that you can experience damaging sun rays right through your clothing.

I was always careful to apply sunscreen to my baby when he was young and he always wore a hat when we were going to be in bright sunlight. Now you can go a step further and choose clothing that provides protection as well.

The Alex & Me Company Company sells clothing that does just that. “All our manufactures swim fabrics have been tested to prevent the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays from damaging the skin and are highly resistant to chlorine and salt water damage.”

They have the cutest little baby swim outfits, even long sleeve swim shirts to provide full protection.

Tip #1: Drink plenty of water. Saturate your body with lots of water. If you are feeling particularly nauseous, try something carbonated, like Sprite or ginger ale, but do try to avoid highly caffeinated drinks.

Tip #2: Steer clear of strong odors. If there is a food or smell in particular that causes you to feel sick, be sure to stay away from it if possible. Many pregnant women feel sick at the smell of certain foods cooking, or certain perfumes.

Tip #3: Don’t eat spicy foods. If you experience frequent heartburn, stay away from anything spicy. If you are craving spicy food but they give you heartburn, eat smaller portions. Finish your meal with a small piece of bread and milk.

Tip #4: Keep crackers by your bed. If you suffer from extreme nausea you may find that saltines help control it. Eat a few saltines before you go to bed at night. Try eating a few in the morning before you attempt to get out of bed.

Tip #5: Try ginger and peppermint.  Ginger helps alleviate nausea so you can try ginger ale, ginger cookies or ginger tea to help calm your nausea.  Peppermint may also help, try it in tea form or suck on a mint.

I remember seeing those first horrible images of a baby sitter who slapped a crying baby girl over and over again on a video.  I was shocked and horrified.  As a teenager I was babysitting 20 hours a week for other people and it made me a little paranoid for a week or so at their homes, wondering if they were taping me!  (Don’t worry, I’m not a baby slapper.)

Video technology and home surveilance has come a long ways since my teens.  Do you realize how simple it is to set up a camera and keep an eye on things while you’re away for an evening?  You can get a spy camera for your home and be able to know what happens to your baby while you’re out.  There are no wires, no way to tell it’s there.

I honestly don’t know if I would use a nanny cam or not. I never left my son with strangers and rarely even left him with family when he was little.  Still, I’m sure there are some little one’s who get abused even when in the care of aunts and grandmas - though the thought makes me sick to my stomach.

Many young couples turn to a teen for weekend babysitting and while teens are great - they are young and more likely to become overwhelmed with a cranky baby.  What do you think? Is it a good idea to monitor what is happening?  What would you do if you did spot something even mildly inappropriate?  Would you tell the babysitter about the camera in advance? 

There are some real interesting questions and thoughts about the whole hidden camera thing.  I’m interested in hearing what you all think.

We have an article written about two different babies and the way that one was comforted at once and given lots of nurturing and the other was left to ‘cry it out’.

What are you opinions on this?  Do you think it helps or hurts a baby?