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  • When Mother’s Day brings sadness along with joy

    My mom died seven years ago. We were very close. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her about a hundred times. To be honest, I miss her more than words can even express. As a result of this, Mother’s Day is always a strange day for me. I am a mom, but I don’t have a Mom anymore. Year after year, my Mother’s Days are filled with sentimental joy when I read my son’s homemade cards and aches of sorrow when all I want to do is be able to call my own Mom and tell her I love her.

  • Living to the beat of a normal heart: Cameron's story

    Four years ago when Heather was 36 weeks pregnant, she went in to her doctor’s office for what she thought would be a routine check-up. However, her OB/GYN, Dr. Emma Fritz, told her she needed to go immediately to Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, as her unborn son’s heart needed emergency treatment. As a flurry of emotions rushed over her and her husband, Ryan, they put complete faith in the hands of the specialists at Winnie Palmer Hospital and Arnold Palmer Hospital who would soon care for their baby boy.

    Expecting the unexpected leading up to Cameron’s birth

    Heather was used to going in for testing at her OB/GYN’s office several times a week throughout her pregnancy. Her unborn son, Cameron, had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in the early stages of Heather’s pregnancy, requiring frequent check-ups to monitor his condition. Going in for her 36-week appointment, Heather wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordinary. But one look at her doctor and she knew this time, things were different.

  • Pediatricians can’t ask you about guns

    There’s been an ongoing court battle here in the state of Florida over whether physicians have the right to ask families about gun ownership in their home.

  • What is hand, foot, and mouth disease?

    If you’re the parent of small children, odds are you’ll become familiar with hand, foot, and mouth disease at some point. It’s fairly common, but not nearly as serious as its name might suggest.

    What is Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease?

    Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a viral illness that can affect anyone, but is most commonly seen in children under 5 years old. Along with the usual symptoms of a virus- fever, irritability and lack of appetite- children often develop small blisters or red spots on the palms of their hands and soles of their feet. Blisters may also be found in the webs between fingers and toes, or on the buttocks, and can resemble chickenpox. Children also will develop small, painful ulcers in their mouth and on their tongue.

  • Follow us on Pinterest for pinspired holiday activities for kids

    In the midst of this Holiday season, get your family ready for some Christmas pinspiration! Yes, pinsperation. Our “Holiday Fun” Pinterest board has inspired us to share with our readers some fun ideas for Christmas crafts, activities, and munchies this year. So, put on some Christmas tunes and pick a few activities from the following list to get the whole family into the Christmas spirit!

     Pinspired Christmas Crafts

    Tissue paper wreath – Let the kids hang their own wreath on their bedroom doors with this super simple tissue paper craft! DIY Reindeer handprint ornament – Let the kids have some fun making their own ornaments, using their own hand prints and some paint. Super simple giant snowflake – This snowflake couldn’t be any easier – all you need is some paper and scissors! Puzzle pieces ornaments – Have a puzzle lying around that never gets used? Re-purpose it for this fun and simple ornament craft!

    Pinspired Christmas Activities

    Magic foaming snowman – Here in Florida, we don’t have snow. But don’t let that stop you from making a snowman! This foaming dough will allow kids to make snowman that will “melt” into an icy puddle of frothy foam! Jam jar snowglobes – These snowgloabes are super easy to make with just a few ingredients, but will make a huge impact as holiday decorations – handmade by your kids! Reindeer food – Don’t forget about Santa’s reindeer this Christmas! This pin will show you how to make reindeer food for when Santa’s sleigh comes by your house to deliver presents. Grow your own Christmas tree – Promote learning while having fun this Christmas! Check out this fun “grow your own Christmas tree” science experiment. Santa footprints – Do your kids believe in Santa? Leave behind Santa’s “footprints” for your kids to discover Christmas morning. This activity is even fun for the parents, too! Elf on the Shelf – It seems as if almost every family has an Elf on the Shelf this holiday season, but sometimes, it can be a lot of work for the parents! Check out this fun idea for “playing hide-n-seek.”

    Pinspired Christmas Munchies

    Peppermint Oreo cookie balls – Cookie balls and cake pops are all the rave this holiday season. Check out this yummy recipe that your whole family will enjoy! Christmas bark – This bark recipe is super simple to make, with only five ingredients! North Pole Cupcakes – These are a great treat to bring to classroom holiday parties. Reindeer Pops – Does your child have a December birthday? Hand these out as party favors! Sugar Cookie decorating ideas – A fun way to spend the afternoon baking with your kids.*Baking Tip – Put icing in condiment bottles for kids for mess-free cookie decorating!

  • My journey through postpartum depression: Jenn's story

    Written by Jenn Stagg

  • What’s the scoop on maternity shapewear? Is it safe for mom and baby?

    Maternity shapewear has been around for years. And for a good reason, too. Sometimes, when a woman is pregnant, it’s nice to have the little extra assistance to help cut down on the amount of jiggle going on – if you know what I mean. But over the past few years, the leading brand of control undergarments for women, Spanx, has faced major scrutiny for its line of maternity shapewear called “Mama Spanx.” The panty hose featured in this line are designed to deliver comfort by providing a non-binding waistband and under belly support to firm and lift all the right places while keeping the baby safe.

    The controversy

    The Spanx line for soon-to-be mammas was first introduced in 2004, and has garnered heated discussion since. There are two concerns that seem to trump all: body image and safety for mom and baby. Some question the motives of the maternity line – Does it send the message that women should be ashamed of their body, as it changes to accommodate a growing baby? Others are concerned about the fetus – does the shapewear constrict blood flow and oxygen to the baby?

  • What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?

    If you’ve ever felt a little confused about what exactly midwives do, or how they’re different than other healthcare professionals, don’t worry! Between physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse-midwives, there’s a lot to keep straight.

  • Dr. Judith Simms-Cendan disproves common myths about the use of birth control pills

    As an adolescent gynecologist, I prescribe birth control pills (BCPs) for a variety of reasons often unrelated to sexual activity, such as treatment of irregular, heavy or painful menses. I try to be very diligent about counseling about possible side effects such as headaches and nausea, or breakthrough bleeding, especially if they are not taken correctly. Also, some patients have real medical reasons why they should not take BCPs, usually because they have a reason why they cannot take estrogen. I routinely discuss the risks and benefits of taking any medication with my patients, but there is probably no medication that is surrounded by as many pre-conceived ideas as the birth control pill. In this blog, I’m going to address two of the most common fears of taking BCPs, and the good evidence that we have after 50 years of their use. Right up front, you should know that I receive no money, lunches, pens or any other form of incentive from any pharmaceutical company, and I am not invested in any pharmaceutical company, so there is no conflict of interest here.

    Myth 1: I have a high risk of a blood clot if I take birth control pills.

    For years we have known that taking BCPs increases the risk of blood clots, but that increase is relatively very small. To have a better understanding, it is important to understand our risks from other activities; for example 1 in 5,000 of us will die from a car accident each year. In the United States the risk of dying in pregnancy is 1 in 8,700 pregnant women each year. Meanwhile the risk of death from BCPs in a non-smoker under the age of 35 is 1 in 1,667,000 (ibuprofen, acetaminophen are much riskier).

  • Emergency contraception: what every parent of a teenager should know

    In the United States, recent news about teenage sexuality is promising. Fewer teens are having sex, down 3% since 2001. Approximately 44% of girls have sex before they graduate high school according to the 2011 data from the Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey of high school students. Teen pregnancy rates are also falling; there has been a 48% decline in teen pregnancy rates since 1988, probably due to a combination of fewer teens having sex, better long-acting contraception options such as DepoProvera, and condom use by teens. In spite of this great news, the United States still has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy among developed countries. Nearly 80% of teen pregnancies are unplanned, a result of contraception failure or nonuse, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).