A bunch of new designers from New York’s Fashion Week have contributed their designs to iGoogle’s theme library.  Top designers such as Vera Wang, Anna Sui, Michael Kors, Stella McCartney, Kate Spade,  Jimmy Choo, and Betsey Johnson.  It is nice that they change through out the day.  So if you are not set on one of the included designs then you will get your mix of them throughout the day.  They are very easy to change and update according to your mood or the season.  Just browse through the hundreds of designs, or search for a designer, and click “get this theme” and viola! your iGoogle homepage can be up to par with your fashionalble self!

• Two-three days from discharge
• Two weeks
• One month
• Two months
• Three months
• Four months
• Six months
• Nine months
• One year

This is a great resource from babycenter.com on what to expect at each checkup.  It also provides you with a printable worksheet you can take with you to your Doctor visit so you can be more prepared ahead of time and get the most out of your visit. I incorrectly assumed that check ups would be more frequent and hope that only minor events may bring us in for more visits!

Mouth watering fruit USB memory sticks that look good enough to eat!  They come in watermelon and strawberry and a filling 8GB serving size and are $42 each.  If you like USB gadgets you’re sure to enjoy usbgeek.com!  My other favorites from the site are the USB ducky fan and the USB capsule flash drive.

Generally you would choose a midwife if the following apply:

1. You want a normal birth free of harrassment from practitioners that might induce you and push you to have a c-section so that they can make it home for dinner.
2. You are a “low risk woman” which means you are healthy and want to stay healthy throughout your pregnancy.
3. You enjoy prenatal visit where you can converse and establish a relationship with your practitioner.
4. You want a partner or supportive practitioner instead of a directing practitioner.
5. You want more options of places, settings, or environments in which to give birth.

When I was 6 months pregnant I switched from a standard OBGYN to a birth center.  That was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.  The Hollywood Birth Center is the best of the best from what I hear.  The environment is warm and cozy with the focus being on keeping you happy and healthy.  Visits are never less than 45 minutes and the entire staff is focused on helping you determine which methods of care are best for your and your baby.  Some people might think that at a birth center you will find only extremsits or a bunch of crazy feminists who are completely opposed to advances in the medical field. It has been nothing less than the opposite from my experience.

I am encouraged to be a well informed consumer and not simply inject my baby with whatever drugs or vaccines a doctor tells me to.  I am encouraged to gain weight appropriately for my body and eat a healthy variety of foods.  At my old OBGYN office, for example, they emphasized that I gain weight less quickly.  Meanwhile, 37 weeks into the pregnacy I am of a perfectly healthy weight and my body just happened to gain weight more so in the begining than in the end.  It is terrible that I was scolded for eating well and healthy simply because I gained a pound or two too quickly according to what is “normal.”

This is a great resource for some reasons to choose midwife care by Robin E. Weiss on about.com.

I’ve used a combo of cocoa butter lotion with a follow up misting of cocoa oil that’s brought me to 35 weeks with a lonely stretch mark. Not sure if it is worthy of naming or not, but if it sticks around for the next two to seven weeks I might consider it. Its about a fourth of an inch long and directly on my belly button!

Drinking massive amounts of water supposedly helped plump up my skin along with the cocoa butter suit I wear daily. I’m not too sure if my Mom or Sister got stretch marks during any of their pregnancies so I suppose I can’t completely rule out the genetic factor, but I’m pretty sure that they did.

Hopefully if you are a runner and plan on becoming pregnant this will be a good resource for you!

I dugg the article on digg already but this is the parent article from runner’s world for you to check out!

We all know how briefly most baby items and maternity items are used for.  Items that are posted on the site are all gently used and are in safe, working order, with no missing parts.  For obvious safety reasons no used car seats or crib mattresses are allowed to be posted.  This site is a great way to help out Moms in need by offering your gently used items for sale or barter.  You can also clean out your closet or garage and earn a little extra cash in the form of an Amazon or Target gift card one of freepeats’ drawings!

Today I went to my first pre-baby Pediatrician visit at Pediatric Associates. I have heard only wonderful things about Doctor Arnold Tanis, who founded the successful practice more than 55 years ago.  After doing some web based research on the group I was impressed with them having a website and the ability to make appointments online.  They also have convenient extended office hours and 24/7 phone support with Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners. The group also conducts prenatal classes and various other information sessions in the office.  It seemed like they were a very well rounded and established group with Doctors of various backgrounds.  All of these factors are very important to me.

From the group’s reputation I was expecting a smaller, more quiet, pleasant office environment.  When I walked in I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people in the office and the office size.  I wasn’t sure where to go but there was a receptionist directly in front of the main entrance so I assumed that’s where I needed to get in line to sign in.  After about ten minutes of waiting I asked a woman behind me if this was the general sign in line.  I learned it was in one of the other two waiting areas.  Luckily the busy receptionist overheard us and recognized that I was not with a child and was there for a prenatal visit with one of the Doctors, Dr. Alexander.  I was buzzed right in and blamed the chaotic ambiance of the office on me not being familiar with where to go, the fact that it was raining, or perhaps it was just a busy day.

Once inside I was told to follow someone who was walking so fast that she almost disappeared on me.  Finally I made it to Dr. Alexander’s office and thought I was in a safe zone away from screaming kids and busy office personnel.  I noticed she was a D.O. and felt a little more reassured knowing that Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine focus on the total health of the individual and place more emphasis on preventative care than Medical Doctors tend to.  She and I also share the same alma mater so I thought we might be of similar backgrounds or have similar things that make us “tick”.  After waiting another ten minutes or so I was greeted by Doctor Alexander and quickly learned that I had it all wrong.   She was very snappy in her speech and seemed like she was in a rush.  Although that made me feel a bit uncomfortable I had my list of questions and intended on sticking to them in addition absorbing any information she planned on sharing on with me.

Looking back at my list, I think I may have been able to get in 4 of my 17 or so questions.  Seeing as this is my first child and I do have a background in health, I would say that I might have more researched opinions on certain topics than most.  I want to be a well informed consumer and believe that the relationship I establish with the Doctor I choose to treat my child is very important. Although me being well informed about immunizations was supported by Dr. Alexander, it came off very strongly that relationships with parents was not a priority.  This was something I felt in the first 30 seconds or so and I regret spending 30 more seconds of my time convincing myself of this. This is known as “thin-slicing” by Malcom Gladwell in his book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.  I should have trusted my intuition and ability to gauge what was most important to me without spending the additional time with her.

After waiting in the main lobby for almost ten minutes and waiting in Dr. Alexander’s office for almost another ten minutes, I was dismissed by a ” I have to go, I’m very busy and know you came late. “  Guess I had one too many questions for a “Nice to meet you” to get interjected.  At least I now know that I am better prepared for my next interview after this trial run.

• Choosing Your Child’s Healthcare Provider : 10 Things to Consider - Lara Jana M.D., F.A.A.P.
• Choosing a Pediatrician - Elizabeth Pantley
• Pediatrician Interview Sheet - www.babycenter.com