Duke university released a study this month implying there may be a link with induction of labor and augmentation of labor and increased risk for autism.  It is important to point out that the most important message here is that more research on this topic is needed.  Autism is prevalent and often no causes are found and parents search for answers.  Induction and augmentation of labor have decreased the incidence of stillbirth and have important roles in obstetrics.  So please don’t feel nervous or scared with these findings.  More information is needed before any true conclusions are drawn.  We are happy to discuss this further with you in person.

So how exactly can breastfeeding be beneficial?

1. Illness prevention. The nutrients in a mother’s breast milk are designed exclusively for her baby—and that’s something formula just can’t reproduce. Babies who are breastfed are less likely to suffer from ear infections, stomach viruses, meningitis, respiratory problems and other illnesses, and when they do get sick, they tend to recover faster. This is largely thanks to a substance in breast milk known as immunoglobulin A, which creates a layer over the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and intestinal tract, helping protect them from harm. Children continue to benefit from a bolstered immune system later in life, even after breastfeeding has ceased. They’re at a lower risk for some childhood cancers, diabetes and high cholesterol, among other diseases.

2. Cost savings. Formula isn’t cheap. And while you may purchase a breast pump and other accessories—like nursing tops and pillows—to aid you, it’s likely to come out to be less in the long run than the price of formula and bottles. Don’t forget the potential savings when it comes to health care costs, too.

3. Allergy protection. Formula-fed babies have more allergic reactions. Scientists think that the same protective layer provided by breast milk that helps guard against diseases also steels the body against allergic reactions. With the protective coating of immunoglobulin A around the inside of the intestines, allergens are less likely to penetrate through. By getting only breast milk, babies also aren’t exposed to the allergens that can come with cow’s milk or soy milk.

4. Bonding. Many moms find nursing to be one of the best ways to bond with their babies. Mothers who nurse hold, speak to, and rock their babies more often (even when not feeding). The skin-to-skin contact helps form a strong connection, and research has shown that hormones released while breastfeeding increase a woman’s feelings of love and affection.

5. Increased intelligence. Although the question of whether breastfeeding boosts brainpower is debated, it certainly can’t hurt. Studies have found that vocabulary and cognitive development are two of the areas that breastfed kids do better in—the reason may be the fatty acids found in breast milk.

6. Reduced postpartum depression. Moms who don’t breastfeed or stop early on have a greater risk of postpartum depression, according to a review by the National Institutes of Health. Those who nurse are more likely to have high levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin, which promotes relaxation and keeps stress levels down.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health and colleagues looked into the use of folic acid supplements before and during early pregnancy, and any impact on the risk on the autism spectrum.

“Our main finding was that maternal use of folic acid supplements around the time of conception was associated with a lower risk of autistic disorder,” the authors wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.(list what date this article appeared )

In some countries, flour is recommended to be enriched with folic acid to lower the risk of birth defects. Women are often advised to take folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy.

Despite the practice, European and North American studies have found that many pregnant women take less folate in their diet than is required to prevent neural tube defects.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s research appears to confirm that taking folic acid supplements is well-founded.

The 85,176 Norwegian children who took part in the study were born between 2002 and 2008.

Among the sample, 270 children, or 0.32 percent, were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, and researchers found that there was an inverse association between folic acid use and subsequent autism risks.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 88 children, or 1.14 percent, in the United States are identified with an autism spectrum disorder.

Mothers who took folic acid supplements in early pregnancy had a 40 percent lower risk of having children with autistic disorder compared with mothers who did not take folic acid, the researchers found.

Folic acid is found in naturally high levels in foods such as dark leafy greens, asparagus and broccoli, as well as citrus fruits. If you are looking to become pregnant, setting up an appointment at Healthy Woman OB/GYN is recommended to ensure that the appropriate levels of folic acid are incorporated into your diet.

If you would like more information on how nutrition can improve health feel free to contact our sister company Pop Weight Loss.

But how can you and your family stay protected from illness? Here are a few tips on staying healthy this cold and flu season!

Eat Healthy. The American Dietetic Association reports that eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables is one way to boost immunity. The CDC emphasizes drinking plenty of water to help the immune system function properly. Staying away from junk food and focusing on vitamin-packed foods is a great way to steer clear of illness this season.

Live a Healthy Lifestyle. Sleeping is a great way to stay healthy, with seven to eight hours a night being the ideal. Without sufficient sleep, the body has trouble fighting off disease. The American Dietetic Association recommends sleep as an important component of fighting infection. The CDC also recommends maintaining an active lifestyle and adding moderate exercise to your day to boost immune function and help your body fight the cold and flu.

Get Rid of Germs. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day. The CDC recommends washing your hands before and after food preparation and eating, before and after caring for someone who is ill and after you blow your nose, cough or sneeze. Sanitizing items that come in contact with other people, such as keyboards, children’s toys, etc., are a great way to prevent viruses and other illnesses from affecting you.

Get Vaccinated. Although no vaccine exists for the common cold, you can get vaccinated against the flu. The Centers for Disease Control states that getting a flu vaccine once a year is the best step toward prevention during the cold and flu season. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, up to 20 percent of Americans will develop the flu each year. While the CDC recommends the flu vaccine for anyone who wants it, some groups should definitely consider it. They include the elderly and children younger than four (but over 6 months), women who are expecting and people who work in health care related fields.

Princeton Nassau Pediatrics strive to provide the highest possible pediatric care from infancy through college years.  They have nearby offices in Monroe, West Windsor and Princeton.

Free pediatric prenatal consultation visits are now offered at our Healthy Woman Freehold office for anyone that is interested.  To schedule a time to meet a Pediatrician, call 609-409-5600 or you can check their website at www.princetonnassaupediatrics.com.

While there is no guarantee that these fun tricks will produce truthful results, it is a fun way to guess your little bundle of joys identity before the big reveal! Keep in mind, these tricks are strictly for fun – there is no medical evidence that these tricks produce actual results!

One great trick is all about position; if the baby is carried in the womb high, then it’s a girl! If the baby sits lower, then you might be having a little boy.

Next time you visit your OB/GYN, listen to baby’s heartbeat and ask her to tell you what the heart rate is. According to legend, 140+ beats per minute indicates a girl, and below 140 a boy.

Your cravings might just tell you what you are having. Ice cream and sweets might just say that a little girl is on her way, while salty foods could indicate it’s a boy.

The Chinese Birth Chart uses the age you conceived and the month of conception as an indicator of the gender of your baby. The internet offers several free or paid versions to try!

The Drano Method has become very popular in recent years. Using a urine sample and a tablespoon of Drano, a green after color means a girl while a blue color means boy.

Similar to the Chinese Birth Chart, legend has it that the Mayans determined a baby’s sex by looking at the mother’s age at conception and the year of conception. If both are even or odd, it’s a girl. If one’s even and one’s odd, it’s a boy.

Great method to use on a friend! Place a key in front of your expecting friend. If she grabs it by the narrow part, she’s in for sugar and spice. If she picks it up by the round part, it’s snips and snails.

If you’re breaking out like crazy, blame it on your little girl. The belief is that little girls steal their mother’s beauty, causing mom to break out!

Use your wedding ring as a tell tale sign. Tie your ring to a string and see which way it swings. If it swings in a circular motion, you are in for a little boy. If it swings back and forth, expect a little girl.

Cases of morning sickness have indicated that you are having a little girl, while little to no morning sickness could mean that you are having a boy.

Just because you are expecting a little one doesn’t mean that you can’t end 2012 with a bang! Here are a few ideas for how to ring in the new year while expecting a little one.

With a little one on the way, New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to get in that last minute alone time with your significant other. A candlelight dinner while watching the ball drop at home is a great way to celebrate, all while making sure you get plenty of rest. After all, fatigue is a major factor in most pregnancies, so a nice quiet night in might be the perfect idea for your New Year’s Eve. If you are feeling adventurous, take the opportunity to sneak in a last minute trip with your loved one. Once your new addition is born, it will be much harder to plan a getaway. But before you travel, make sure you are cleared by your doctor to be on a plane or away.

Potluck dinners are a great way to celebrate with friends and family. Getting together and enjoying some of the traditional, but pregnancy-safe, foods is a fun, yet still relaxing way to welcome 2013. If you are looking for somewhere out and about to spend the evening, look into local venues or restaurants in your town. Most restaurants are open late to accommodate the New Year’s crowd, so explore some of your options. Venues with concerts or fireworks displays are also a great option, so long as you do not overdue it. Putting stress on the body, both physically and mentally, can cause unnecessary pregnancy complications.

While the idea of spending the New Year’s holiday pregnant may not seem as exciting as your plans in previous years, there are still several ways to ring in the New Year in style. Above all, consult your doctor if you have any questions regarding your health and your holiday plans!

One of the most dreaded pregnancy symptoms is nausea, also known as morning sickness. On the plus side, nausea is usually a sign that the mother’s body is producing an adequate amount of hormones. On the negative side, there’s the seemingly never-ending, inconvenient and sometimes dangerous nausea and vomiting that can make it difficult to keep anything down.

Nausea during pregnancy is most prevalent during the first trimester when hormone levels are rising.  The drop in nausea is directly related to a slowing production of certain pregnancy hormones.  When hormone levels stop climbing, the nausea stops for most women. Other women, however, experience nausea and vomiting throughout their entire pregnancy.

It is most important during this time to consume frequent small meals and try to avoid any foods that may trigger an attack.  It has been reported that for some women eating potato chips and drinking lemonade has helped to ease nausea symptoms. 

Besides being inconvenient, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can sometimes be dangerous. Serious nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can result in a condition known as hyperemesis, the condition Kate Middleton was diagnosed with, which is typically diagnosed when a woman has lost at least 10% of her body weight because of nausea and vomiting. If you experience significant nausea and vomiting, you can become dehydrated and your electrolytes balance may become imbalanced – which can be dangerous for everyone. The usual treatment for this is a combination of anti-nausea medications and intravenous fluids to replace the fluids you have lost. You may need to be placed in the hospital temporarily for treatment or some women who have long-term hyperemesis may receive home health and complete IV therapies at home.

In addition, there are a number of ways to handle nausea during pregnancy. No one method works for every mother to be – some methods work better than others and some methods work for a while then stop. Keep trying to find something that works for you, and talk to your doctor if nausea and vomiting are becoming particularly problematic.

The old standard advice of saltine crackers and ginger ale is still valid, as the saltiness of the crackers helps to settle the stomach for some women, while some women find that potato chips work better. In addition, although ginger ale contains only minimal amounts of ginger, ginger has long been utilized to help ease a troublesome tummy. Some studies suggest that ingesting large amounts of ginger during pregnancy can cause problems, so you may want to be cautious. For some women, just the scent of ginger can be calming, as can the scent of fresh lemons.

If you are experiencing morning sickness, call your Healthy Woman physician and consult about at-home remedies and other options during your pregnancy.

Pregnant women have to change their daily diets when they become pregnant, but what about during the holidays? Are the traditional foods of the holidays safe for women who are expecting?

Pregnancy weakens your immune system and makes you more vulnerable to food-borne illnesses that could make you sick and harm your baby. So it’s important to avoid certain foods during pregnancy — even on special occasions. Here are some foods to avoid this holiday season, for you and your unborn baby.

Fruit and cheese platters are a party staple, and a relatively healthy way to fill up, but stay away from soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Unpasteurized or “raw milk” cheeses may contain listeria, which is killed during the pasteurization process. If you’re not sure which cheeses are safe, stick with hard cheeses like cheddar and Swiss, and semi-soft cheeses like Monterey jack and mozzarella. Cream cheese and pasteurized processed cheeses like American are also safe.

If your party features a carving station with roast beef or turkey, make sure the meat is cooked well-done and is still steaming hot. Unless you’re sure they’re well cooked, avoid sauces like bearnaise, hollandaise, and aioli, which can contain uncooked eggs.

Homemade eggnog is generally off-limits, because it’s usually made with raw, unpasteurized eggs — and alcohol. But you can make a virgin, pregnancy-safe version at home with a pasteurized egg product or an egg alternative like Egg Beaters. Or try store-bought eggnog — just check the label to make sure the eggs are pasteurized. You might also consider “soy nog,” which doesn’t contain eggs or any other dairy products. You can find it during the winter holidays in most large grocery stores and in natural food stores.

You’ll also want to avoid desserts that may contain raw or undercooked eggs, like some custards and mousse, and homemade ice cream.

Fruitcake and other desserts that use alcohol as an ingredient are generally okay, because most of the alcohol burns off during cooking. If the fruitcake has been soaked in rum or other liquor after being baked, however, little of the alcohol will have evaporated, and you should probably steer clear.

The answer is a unanimous yes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a flu shot for anyone who is pregnant during flu season, which typically ranges from early October through late March.

Pregnancy puts extra stress on your heart and lungs and can affect your immune system. These factors increase the risk of getting the flu during pregnancy, as well as developing serious complications of the flu such as pneumonia and difficulty breathing.

“We highly recommend any woman who is pregnant or trying to become pregnant to get the flu shot every year,” says Dr. Elizabeth Scheff, a board certified OB/GYN of Healthy Woman OB/GYN.

Flu during pregnancy also seems to increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight. In a 2011 study, babies whose mothers had a flu shot during pregnancy were nearly 50 percent less likely to be diagnosed with the flu during their first flu season than were babies whose mothers didn’t have a flu shot during pregnancy.

Healthy Woman OB/GYN, located in Freehold and Colts Neck, New Jersey, encourages all of their patients to get the flu vaccine each flu season.

“It is important for our patients to take preventative measures during flu season, and the flu vaccine is very safe for all our patients, both pregnant and not.” 

While the vaccination shot itself is very safe, and highly recommended, for pregnant and soon-to-be moms, women should not take the vaccination in the form of the nasal spray.

“The nasal spray is a live virus, meaning that when patients take the nasal form of the vaccine, they are taking a weakened form of a virus, which can be dangerous to both mother and baby,” says Dr. Elizabeth Scheff. “The vaccine is much safer, and we really recommend it during the flu season.”

Be sure to consult with your doctor before getting any type of vaccine, especially if you are pregnant or looking to become pregnant.