MacroBaby has just created a brand new Baby Checklist. Before you bring your new baby home from the hospital check out this new checklist and make sure you have everything that you need.

If you click on the items on the list then it links you back to those types of items too! No need to type in the search field what you are looking for. They have created an easy way to shop.

You can even print it off and check off what you received at baby showers and keep track of what you may still need.  

Comments(1)

Read to the Tummy and Its Owner
Over the course of the pregnancy it may become increasingly difficult for her to find a comfortable sleeping position. Buy an anthology of stories or poems, and read her something each night before bed. It will distract her from being uncomfortable and prepare you for becoming a nightly storyteller.

Foot Massage
While she’s taking a minute to sit down for the evening, take her foot and give it a good massage. Get some foot lotion and really work it in. This is sure to relax her and help the baby relax at the same time.

Clean Up
Wait until she’s out one afternoon, and give the house a serious once-over. It means vacuuming along the edges, scouring the oven and, yes, mopping the floors. If you think this is pampering the house instead of her, watch the reaction on her face.

A Little Pillow Talk Goes a Long Way
Pregnant women are advised to sleep on their sides. Many find it more comfortable while in this position to hold a pillow against their stomachs. Go out and buy her a nice down-filled pillow from a local department store (it shouldn’t cost more than $50). Write “Pregnancy Sleep Aid” on the package, and leave it on the bed for her to find. Just understand that you’ll have farther to reach in the spoon position.

Step, Kick, Step…
Since confirming the great news, your wife has probably adopted a regular exercise routine such as yoga or water aerobics. Her happiness during pregnancy is largely a matter of simple togetherness. The more ways you can share the experience with her, the better.

Show Her Courting Doesn’t End with Marriage
Write her a short love letter. Make it something fun, like a poem about her toes, a list of your 20 favorite things about her. Mail the letter to your own address along with a small gift: a new lipstick or tickets to a movie that weekend. The combination of silliness and romance is a surefire winner.

Contribute to Her New Wardrobe
No matter how many pants with expandable pouches she finds, nothing can ever be cuddlier than your clothes. Sneak a pair of your old sweatpants to work. Cut out the name of any maternity store from a magazine or newspaper ad, and paste it on a plain gift box. On a small card write: “For your maternity collection – hardly used!” or “So comfortable you’ll think they’ve already been worn!” Bring the wrapped gift home from work as though you bought it that day. (Tip: Wash the sweatpants first.)

Get a His and Hers
A manicure alone isn’t too creative. Yet she’ll enjoy hers twice as much if you get one too. Women love it when their husbands are secure enough to enjoy doing girl stuff. Don’t feel bad if you start looking forward to your next manicure right away.

Become a Gourmet Chef
The most important thing to her is that you put effort into it. She doesn’t care about the result. Your meal can be simple – a candlelight dinner with mac ‘n’ cheese is still romantic.

Comments(1)

Taking care of yourself when you have gestational diabetes is very much like taking care of yourself when you have other types of diabetes. But it can be a little scary when you’re pregnant and you also have a new condition to take care of. Don’t worry. Many women who’ve had gestational diabetes have gone on to have healthy babies.

Here are the things you’ll need to do:

Follow your meal plan — You will meet with a dietitian or diabetes educator who will help you design a meal plan full of healthy foods for you and your baby. You will be advised to limit sweets, eat often — three small meals and one to three snacks every day, be careful about the carbohydrates you eat – your meal plan will tell you when to eat carbohydrates and how much to eat at each meal and snack, and eat lots of whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables

Get moving — try to be active for at least 30 minutes on most days. If you’re already active, your doctor can help you make an exercise plan for your pregnancy. If you haven’t been active in the past, talk to your doctor. Your doctor can suggest activities, such as swimming or walking, to help keep your blood sugar on track.

Test your blood sugar — Your doctor may ask you to use a small device called a blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar levels. You will be shown how to use the meter to check your blood sugar. Your diabetes team will tell you what your target blood sugar range is, how often you need to check your blood sugar, and what to do if it is not where it should be.

The following chart shows blood sugar targets for most women with gestational diabetes. Talk with your health care team about whether these targets are right for you.

Blood glucose targets for most women with gestational diabetes:

On awakening not above 95 mg/dL
1 hour after a meal not above 140 mg/dL
2 hours after a meal not above 120 mg/dL

Each time you check your blood sugar, write down the results in a record book. Take the book with you when you visit your health care team. If your results are often out of range, your health care team will suggest ways you can reach your targets.

Take your diabetes medicine exactly as your doctor tells you. You may need to take insulin to keep your blood sugar at the right level. If so, your health care team will show you how to give yourself insulin. Insulin will not harm your baby — it cannot move from your bloodstream to your baby’s.

Comments(0)