Congenital Cytomegalovirus: Is Your Baby at Risk? (Part 2)

A simple blood test is all it takes to find out for sure if you are a carrier of CMV. The test determines whether or not your body has developed the necessary antibodies to fight off the virus. So, if you test positive, you have enough of the good antibodies you need and your chance of passing CMV on to your child is small. If, on the other hand, your test result is negative, you stand a higher chance of passing the virus on to your children, should you become infected over the course of your pregnancy. An amniocentesis is one test that could determine if your unborn baby is infected, but because most babies with CMV develop normally, the test is not necessary for this purpose. If you have any concerns about possibly being infected with CMV, consult your doctor straightaway.

Presently there is no treatment for CMV, so your best bet for staying safe is prevention. Here are four easy ways to make sure you and your baby stay safe and sound:

* Practice good personal hygiene, especially hand washing with soap and water after contact with diapers or saliva (particularly with a child who is in day care). Wash well for 15 to 20 seconds.

* Do not kiss children under the age of 6 on the mouth or cheek. Instead, kiss them on the head or give them a hug.

* Do not share food, drinks, or utensils (spoons or forks) with young children.

* If you are pregnant and work in a day care center, reduce your risk of getting CMV by working with children who are older than 2 ½ years of age, especially if you have never been infected with CMV or are unsure if you have been infected.

Couvade Syndrome, a.k.a., the Sympathetic Pregnancy

Rest easy, moms-to-be -- you may not be as alone in your pregnancy experience as you think! Not unlike the Ahhnold’s performance in Junior, many men experience symptoms of pregnancy along with their partner. While the men themselves are of course not pregnant, the expectant fathers experience somatic symptoms during the pregnancy. This condition is known as Couvade Syndrome, or a sympathetic pregnancy.

Moms-to-be, you can help your partner deal with these very confusing symptoms. We all know that the men in our lives aren’t always willing to come forward with things that confuse and, dare I say, scare them. So, follow these guidelines and enjoy the bond the two of you are forming.

• Listen to him -- don’t pooh-pooh his symptoms, and allow him to vocalize his fears and concerns. You don’t have to solve the problem, just be there as a sounding board.
• Give him room -- sometimes men deal best with confusing situations when they have space to regroup -- this means they may feel distant at times. Rest assured, he’s likely just sorting through things in his own mind.
• Involve him -- take childbirth classes together. Have him attend your doctor’s visits. Have dates. Spending time together, both involved in baby issues and just having fun, will bring the two of you closer together and help him be better prepared to handle everything he’s dealing with.
• Develop a birth plan -- this means develop one for each of you. Share your vision of the birth, but allow him room to do the same. He may want to jump right in there and be a cord-cutting type of dad, or he may be more comfortable standing by you, being your coach.

Remember, he’s not trying to steal your thunder -- although no man can ever fully understand everything going on with you during your pregnancy, neither can you understand everything he is experiencing. Allow him room to have his own fears and concerns, and consider it a compliment if he experiences a sympathetic pregnancy -- it just means he’s really that much more sympathetic to your situation.

Growing Pains Without the Cute Factor

However, there is one pain that you should be aware of and pay attention to. Round ligament pain typically shows up in your second trimester and is felt in your lower abdomen and groin area. It can either be a sharp, stabbing pain or a dull ache, and usually pops up when you suddenly change position -- such as getting up out of your cush y reading chair. You might feel the dull pain after a day when you’ve done lots of walking or another physical activity (sounds like a good reason to have your partner do the vacuuming!).Even though the pains are largely a routine matter of course, you should always call your doctor or midwife for any of the following reasons:

* If pains continue after a short rest

* If you have severe cramping or more than four contractions in an hour (call even if the contractions don’t hurt)

* If you have lower back pain that you didn’t have previously, or an increase in pressure in your pelvic region (such as a feeling like the baby is pushing down)

* Bleeding, spotting or change vaginal discharge

* Fever, chills, faintness or nausea and vomiting

* Pain or burning when you urinate

Feel free to use common sense here: if you have more pain when you are more active, cut back a bit and see if it helps. If you have pain when you make sudden movements, try moving more slowly -- don’t bolt up out of your chair or shoot out of the tub. If these things don’t work, the pain worsens or you experience any of the issues above, don’t hesitate to bug your doctor -- better to be a pest than risk your health!

How to Manage Your Morning Sickness

How to Manage Your Morning SicknessMorning sickness is the most difficult aspect of pregnancy for many women: It can run the gamut from mild nausea to disabling bouts of vomiting, wreaking havoc on your days.Symptoms usually start to fade by week 14, but it's not unheard of for the nausea to continue even further into the pregnancy.You may not be able to gain complete relief from your symptoms, but the following home remedies may help: 

Doxylamine with vitamin B6. Doxylamine is simply an antihistamine (it's the ingredient that makes Unisom work). It's usually available over the counter, but ask your doctor to make sure you get the right dose!

Ginger. Ginger is not only effective in tea form, but also when you take the powder as a capsule, or even crystallized ginger. Relief may not be immediate, but you should see some improvement in a day or so.

Snacks. Keeping a small amount of food in your stomach may seem counterintuitive when you are throwing up, but many women find that it actually helps to settle their tummies.

Rest. Make sure you are getting adequate rest, and take a break when you need it. Fatigue can make your symptoms worse.

Acupressure. Pressure firmly placed on the P6 point (the inner side of your arm, in line with your middle finger and one-sixth of the way between your wrist and elbow), relieves nausea for some women. You can purchase special acupressure bands at most drugstores.