1)    Beg, Borrow and Steal!  Ok, maybe don’t steal but come as close as is legally possible.  Ask friends, family and even friends of family if they have any maternity clothes they would like to donate to your cause.  You’d be surprised how many people have stellar finds stashed away in their closets!

2)    Thrift stores and consignment stores carry maternity clothes, too!  Since most women only wear maternity clothes for a short period of time, they’ll not only be cheap, but they’ll likely be in great condition!

3)    Look online.  Sites like craigslist, ebay, and freecycle are a great place to start.

4)    Never underestimate the value of an elastic band.  A tiny elastic band can extend the longevity of your favorite pants.  Simply loop it through the button hole, attach to the button, cover with a long shirt and voila!  You’re ready to take on the day!

5)    Invest in one or two good pairs of yoga pants.  Trust me, you’ll want to wear these every. single. day. of your pregnancy.  They’ll be worth the expense in the long run.  Some yoga pants are even dressy looking enough to take you through a semi-formal workday.

6)    Take advantage of current fashion trends.  Luckily, a lot of the current trends are leaning towards long shirts and a layered look.  Purchase a couple neutral colored tank tops or shirts and wear them underneath any other shirts you already own.  Buy bigger than you think you’ll need because you’ll likely outgrow it sooner than expected.

7)    Avoid maternity stores as long as possible.  As soon as you step foot into a maternity clothing store, you’ll be inundated with cute clothes.  Resist the urge to buy things until you are absolutely desperate for them.  You have no way of predicting how big your belly will get so buying ahead of time will likely leave you with a bunch of clothes you’ll never wear.  Also, remember that anything from a maternity store will cost more than clothes from a regular store, simply because they are “maternity clothes”.  Better to buy regular clothes just in a few sizes bigger than usual.

8)    Sweatshirts rock!!  Big, baggy ones in particular!  Since they’re already oversized, they can cover your growing belly for an extended period of time.  Cardigans can also do the trick, just don’t zip them up.

9)    Don’t buy a maternity / nursing bra until after you give birth.  Your breasts will continue to grow throughout your pregnancy.  Maternity bras are typically expensive so buying one in the wrong size would be wasteful.  Stick to cheaper regular bras in a bigger size until you’re sure your breasts have adjusted to the milk production.

10) If you’re going to splurge, splurge on an outfit that makes you feel particularly pretty (and hit the sales).  You’ll need a pick-me-up at some point during your pregnancy and nothing boosts your confidence more than a cute little outfit that makes you feel good about yourself.

- Lauren

Photo: Lavish by Heidi Klum for A Pea in the Pod (sale item).

Photo: Diane von Furstenberg’s Samara Wrap and a less expensive option from Stylestoop

Know the diabetes warning signs

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Increased hunger
• Weight loss
• Tiredness
• Lack of interest and concentration
• Blurred vision
• Vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu)

*In children with type 2 diabetes these symptoms may be mild or absent.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic, potentially debilitating and often fatal disease. It occurs as a result of problems with the production and supply of the hormone insulin in the body. The body needs insulin to use the energy stored in food. When someone has diabetes they produce no or insufficient insulin (type 1 diabetes), or their body cannot use effectively the insulin they produce (type 2 diabetes).

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that cannot be prevented. Globally it is the most common form of diabetes in children, affecting around 500,000 children under 15. However, as a result of increasing childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles, type 2 diabetes is also increasing fast in children and adolescents. In some countries (e.g. Japan), type 2 diabetes has become the most common form of the disease in children.

• Globally, there are close to 500,000 children under the age of 15 with type 1 diabetes.
• Every day 200 children develop type 1 diabetes.
• Every year, 70,000 children under the age of 15 develop type 1 diabetes.
• Type 1 diabetes is increasing in children at a rate of 3% each year
• Type 1 diabetes is increasing fastest in pre-school children, at rate of 5% per year.
• Finland, Sweden and Norway have the highest incidence rates for type 1 diabetes in children.
• Type 2 diabetes has been reported in children as young as eight and reports reveal that it now exists in children thought previously not to be at risk.
  In Native and Aboriginal communities in the United States, Canada and Australia at least one in 100 youth have diabetes. In some communities, it is one in every 25.
• Over half of children with diabetes develop complications within 15 years.
• Global studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by enabling individuals to lose 7-10% of their body weight, and by increasing their physical activity to a modest level.
• Type 2 diabetes in children is becoming a global public health issue with potentially serious outcomes.
• Type 2 diabetes affects children in both developed and developing countries.

No Child Should Die of Diabetes

Diabetes is a deadly disease. Each year, almost 4 million people die from diabetes- related causes. Children, particularly in countries where there is limited access to diabetes care and supplies, die young.

• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), a build-up of excess acids in the body as a result of uncontrolled diabetes, is the major cause of death in children with type 1 diabetes. With early diagnosis and access to care, the development of severe DKA should be preventable.
• Insulin was discovered more than 85 years ago. Today children in many parts of the world still die because this essential drug is not available to them.
• Children with diabetes should monitor their blood sugar regularly to help control their diabetes. This monitoring equipment is often unavailable or not affordable.
• In Zambia, a child with type 1 diabetes can expect to live an average of 11 years. In Mali, the same child can expect to live for only 30 months. In Mozambique the child is likely to die within a year.

The World Diabetes Day campaign in 2009 aims to:

• Increase the number of children supported by the IDF Life for a Child Program.
• Raise awareness of the warning signs of diabetes
• Encourage initiatives to reduce diabetic ketoacidosis and distribute materials to support these initiatives.
• Promote healthy lifestyles to help prevent type 2 diabetes in children.

For more information please visit the International Diabetes Federation at www.worlddiabetesday.org

Positions for Sex During Pregnancy?

Achy breasts that you don’t want to have jiggle, a lower back that is tender and a bump in the front that might not want to be suspended in mid air might make the woman-on-top position unappealing.  From what I’ve heard.. lying on one’s side while having intercourse allows you to lie on one side with your partner starting at your back (which may feel like your most attractive part during the third trimester).  Standing up can be great, as can straddling.  For more position descriptions click here.

Privacy?  I feel weird about the baby being ‘present’ during sex.

Many women and men feel strange about sex with an unborn baby ‘present’.  Many men worry about bumping the baby in the head, so to speak.  The penis may hit the cervix, which remains closed until the baby is ready to be delivered.  The baby is in the uterus, surrounded by an amniotic sac filled with fluid.  Worries of this sort are normal, but unnecessary.  See Sue Johansen explain this on Talk Sex.

Done? When do you stop having sex while pregnant?

If you have been placed on bedrest or pelvic rest, sex and other activity is a no-no (always discuss with your practitioner).  If you are having a “normal pregnancy” sex is safe during all stages, should you desire to have it.  Make sure you keep the lines of communication with your partner open, and discuss any physical concerns with your doctor or midwife.  Remember that there are many ways that you can express intimacy with your partner without engaging in intercourse.

Orgasm or Labour During Pregnancy.

Can you tell an orgasm from labour?  When a woman has an orgasm she produces oxytocin – a love and bonding hormone.  This is the same hormone that is present during labour (the synthetic form – pitocin – is often used to induce).  The major difference between these two states is that in labour, you feel like a huge rubber band is being tightened around your back and middle, and contractions will emanate from your back.  You will feel the contractions at regular intervals without additional stimulation or activity, unlike most orgasms, which do not continue.  Laura Shanley posts a beautiful synopsis of sensuality while pregnant and gives lovely quotes from literature.

Sex Inducing Labour.

What’s the deal with inducing labour and having sex?  On the list of ‘natural ways to induce labour’ includes dosing the cervix with sperm.  The protstaglandins in semen, coupled with a female orgasm can stimulate contractions.  This does not always work if your body is not ready to go into labour, and many women would rather wash all of the floors in the house instead of having sex in the last month.  Experts seem to agree that sex prompts a woman to relax, and this state of relaxation is always conducive and recommended for labour.

Bleeding and Spotting after Sex.

Some women experience spotting after intercourse.  While this can be normal, you should always call your practitioner for an assessment.  While it could be something very minor, it could also indicate a serious problem.  You are always entitled to check with your doctor or midwife and no concern is ever too small to be addressed.  If this spotting or bleeding is accompanied by cramping and pain, head to the emergency room.  Spotting is very light bleeding (less than the size of a loonie when you wipe with a tissue).  It can vary from red to brown in colour.

Sex Life After Pregnancy.

Most health workers tell you that at 6 weeks postpartum after a vaginal birth, sex may be resumed.  Sorry, but are you kidding?!  If you know anyone who actually had sex after 6 weeks, please comment on this article and we may just have to send a prize.  Most women I’ve met tell their partners that the 2 month mark is a reasonable ‘doctor recommendation’ for resuming of activity.  That’s with a natural birth.  No tearing, no cesarean.  Typically in this case, you would wait at least 8 weeks and discuss with your caregiver before resuming physical activities such as sex.

The Milk. Breastmilk Leaking During Sex.

Did anyone ever mention the whole – getting turned on and then you start lactating thing?  It’s lovely.  Making passionate love to your partner, and you drown him with milk.  Remember that this phenomenon is natural and can be very beautiful for some.  It also can confuse you about your role – you are a woman and sexual being, but have also just become a mother, as evidenced by the white liquid coming our of your body.  Nursing right before intercourse can help, and wearing a bra and breast pads could also make you feel more comfortable.  Remember to be honest with your partner and work on good communication.

As with many things in life, your sexuality will develop and progress over time.  These are all stages, and if you can learn to cherish each one and retain the lessons, your future sex life will be very rich.  Feel free to send a question to our Experts anytime.

- Jill Amery really doesn’t like to talk about sex.  Honest.

The Dangers of H1N1 for Pregnant Women

The Interior Health Authority here in BC published a full report on “Pregnancy and the H1N1 Flu Virus” on September 18th. The report states that the risk to pregnant women is two-fold. First, pregnant women tend to be relatively young and it has been demonstrated that young people are more susceptible to this strain of the flu because they lack an immunity to it that older individuals likely acquired before younger generations were born. Thus although pregnancy itself does not increase one’s chance of contracting the virus, young women (and men) in general are more likely to contract the illness than older people. The second are of risk is in complications: pregnant women are more likely than the average person to experience serious complications if they are infected with the virus. Complications such as pneumonia, severe respiratory illness, early delivery of the baby and miscarriage were listed in the Interior Health Authority’s report. The report goes on to state that women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy are especially at risk and that this elevated risk for complications continues for the first four weeks after a woman has given birth.

So why are pregnant women more likely to have complications from the virus? According to a CTV article published last June (and the doctors quoted in it) it is primarily because pregnant women have weakened immune systems. A weakened immune system is a natural and necessary component of pregnancy because it reduces the likelihood that the mother’s body will reject the developing fetus. However, a weakened immune system also reduces the body’s ability to fight viruses such as H1N1.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recommends that pregnant women see a doctor to discuss prevention of contracting H1N1 and preparations for contraction to reduce the likelihood of serious complications. Pregnant women should see a doctor immediately if they develop flu-like symptoms. Antivirals can safely be administered to pregnant and breastfeeding women, says the Agency, but need to be administered within 48 hours of the onset of the flu-symptoms so it is important to see a physician quickly. The Agency’s full recommendations for pregnant women concerning H1N1 including preventative measures can be found here.

H1N1 Vaccines for Pregnant Women

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly recommended that pregnant women get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus and PHAC is also recommending this. However, there have been reports and rumours that the standard vaccine available in Canada is not safe for pregnant women. According to PHAC, the ingredient of concern in the H1N1 vaccine is called an “adjuvant” which “boosts the individual’s response” to the vaccine. Adjuvants are very useful in vaccination and have been present in vaccines for “several decades.” The following is the PHAC statement regarding adjuvants and pregnancy:

“All evidence suggests that adjuvanted vaccines are just as safe as unadjuvanted vaccines; however there is no safety data for the use of adjuvanted vaccine in pregnant women.  The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) recommended in July that pregnant women should receive non-adjuvanted vaccine where possible, but that an adjuvanted vaccine could be used if necessary.”

As a result of this recommendation, the Canadian government has purchased non-adjuvanated H1N1 vaccines for use in pregnant women and children under 3 years of age. Therefore, if you are pregnant or have a child under the age of 3 and you are interested in getting yourself or your child vaccinated, ask your doctor about the option of the non-adjuvanated H1N1 vaccine.

Do you think you will be getting yourself or anyone in your family vaccinated against H1N1? Let us know in our H1N1 Vaccine poll to the far right of each page of our website.

For more general information about H1N1 please refer to our other articles H1N1 Influenza: What You Need to Know and H1N1: Severity, Vaccines and More News. For more information about H1N1 and the H1N1 vaccine visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s FAQ about the H1N1 Virus or the British Columbia Ministry of Health’s Vaccine Information Sheet which has been updated as of September 28th.

If you are pregnant and planning on taking the vaccine please email us for a cool media opportunity.

-Danica Longair

Urban Mommies has found two great paper pregnancy wheels you can order online:

The Pregnancy Wheel and Ovulation Calculator

by FertilAid and available on Amazon.com
Pictured above, this wheel is great for women trying to conceive and women who are already pregnant. It is adjustable for different menstrual cycle lengths, a unique feature. It can be used to predict fertility with an ovulation calendar and includes ovulation, peak fertility, implantation, when to test for pregnancy and when your missed period will be, well, missed. It also includes a chart for fetal weight and length by week and other pregnancy milestones. The wheel also suggests what points during the pregnancy you should visit the doctor for specific tests and check-ups. This wheel is $8.50 at Amazon.com.

The Personal Pregnancy Calculator and Fetal Development Charting Wheel

by Craigmedical.com
This easy to use wheel automatically calculates your due date and provides great info on physical symptoms and “discomforts” and pregnancy development milestones. There’s also a weekly chart for fetal growth and development. The makers of this wheel report that pregnancy is about 38 weeks in length but most doctors use the Naegele Rule of 10 lunar months or 9 calendar months (40 weeks). With this rule, the due date is 9 months + 7 days (280 days) after the first day of your last normal period. This pregnancy prediction kit is $6.50 and is available at the craigmedical website.

Urban Mommies also found two great electronic pregnancy wheel applications for your phone:

Blackberry “Pregnancy Wheel” – (FREE!) : includes due date calculation based on your ultrasound or the date of your last period as well as the gestational age of the fetus based on the due date.

iPhone “The Wheel” – ($5.99 US) : a gestational age calculator, this application also calculates your due date based on the date of your last period or another “known date” such as the date of an ultrasound measurement. It also includes a fetal development calendar. Available in 5 languages, it also includes a lunar calendar.

For more about conception and pregnancy visit our “The Belly” page.

-Danica Longair
With additional reporting by Jill Amery, Urbanmommies.com CEO

After a gorgeous luncheon last week with Lisa Tant, Editor-in-Chief of Flare Magazine, it was time to transfer inspiration into a revamp of the closet.  Hosted at Vancouver’s Wear Else, I was in a mecca of fashion, and all I wanted to do was hit the changing rooms.  The first fall season while I haven’t been pregnant or attempting to drop baby weight, and, as luck would have it, it’s a particularly stellar year for pregnancy and postpartum dressing.  Gone are the gladiator sandals, the cut-off tights and the butt/thigh-hugging shirts (thank you very much).

Welcome to shoulder pads, leggings, 80’s-inspired suits and bright coats.  Pardon?  Did you not say that it was a good season?  As my mouth hung open at the sleek photos of Paris Fashion Week, I realized that we have, indeed, come a long way.  As individuals, we strive to grow and develop on a daily basis, and our fashion – while always reminiscent of another era – is also fresh, creative and new.  How, then, do we make shoulder pads current and flattering?  Tant suggested a defined shoulder, or even an applique.  As for the 80’s trends, why not pair a bright neon coat with a sleek black body-hugger underneath (particularly great for late maternity – you can be comfy in long black leggings and be in style too).  Again appropriate for pregnancy or transition, fall’s statement necklaces and accessories are perfect.  Drawing attention away from the lower half, they help you to express yourself at a time when it is hard to maintain your usual vibrant personality.  Expression is not reserved for the neck, however, and detailed panty hose and patterned tights abound.  (But be careful of horizontal stripes and larger patterns if your dainty ankles have expanded as much as your cup size.)

Perhaps our two favourite trends for the season are over-the-knee boots (and with a flat heel – another coup), and 1940’s style.  Anytime women can look ladylike and chic, with red lips and a great easy-dressing suit, we’re happy.  Tant’s passion for design and appreciation for style became infectious quite quickly, and in speaking to her later, it was clear that she relishes the thought of women looking their best at every stage of life.  Her thorough fashion review certainly made me want to analyze my existing wardrobe and then stock up on some well-considered additions.

As we head out of the recession, we have all had a few sleepless nights.  (Or was that just me?) It seems that designers have become a bit wiser as well.  Clever spending is our new reality, and fashion is no exception.  Price points at the big design houses are down, and care is being taken by consumers in choosing perfect statement and heirloom pieces.  Versatility is also popular – a reversible coat, detachable boot lengths, and optional sweater cuffs can transform an entire look.   Is it not every woman’s dream – a flattering fashion piece that will last for years, make her feel special, and adapt to different body shapes?  Once again, perfect for pregnancy.  Perhaps it’s a good time to have an oyster.  Excuse me.  Back later.

- Jill Amery is the CEO of UrbanMommies Online Resources, the mother of two boys, and has a soft spot for fashion.