This is where the real action happens and when most dads experience their transformation of becoming a father. I remember being a little kid and my dad telling me about when I was born. His face was full of amazement as he recalled my birth. Most of the dads I talk to share a similar feeling while describing the birth of their children. Even for the toughest pregnancies and births, dads recount sublimely wonderful moments of holding their children for the first time. Quite a bit has changed since our...
Putting a Face on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)* is an endocrine disorder estimated to affect more than 1 in 10 women and is the leading cause of female infertility. The root cause of PCOS is thought to be insulin resistance. It is a close cousin of diabetes, sharing many of its increased health risks. PCOS also raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, and is...
Kill Your Television; Birth Your Baby
A baby born in a tree! A baby beamed out of her mother’s body! A baby born to Arnold Schwarzenegger! I’ve looked at hundreds of TV and movie birth scenes to discover exactly how the mass media distorts birth. I found that Hollywood routinely exaggerates fear, danger, and speed, like in this common motif: the minute a pregnant woman’s water...
Pregnant In Jail
If you’ve ever been pregnant, you know how you rely on your favorite fetus-nourishing foods. You know how you cherish your collection of pillows and your comfortable bedding. You choose your shoes and clothing carefully for comfort and self-expression. You know how nice it is to get the kind of exercise that feels good – the pool at the Y,...
The Evidence-Based Truth About Epidurals
The January 11, 2012 Slate.com article “The Truth About Epidurals: Are they really so bad?” by Melinda Wenner Moyer concludes with this paragraph: “Women shouldn’t cave to pressure from either side.” [Of the 'mommy wars' between natural birth advocates and pro-epidural advocates] “They should make informed decisions based on their goals and priorities. I aspired to have a comfortable birth...
