Welcome to StorkNet's Pregnancy Cubby

What's New This Month:       º  Cord Blood Banking - Is It Worth It? The decision to store or donate stem cells is a completely personal one. Recent advances in research and technology have made the process much simpler and even more affordable, and the benefits can be quite significant. However, it can also be viewed as a gamble because those storing blood may never need it. So is cord blood banking worth it?       º  Basic Facts About Birth Defects January is Birth Defects Prevention Month. To increase awareness of this event and of birth defects in general, learn answers to frequently asked questions about birth defects.       º  Creating a Beautiful Nursery with Hand-Me-Downs When decorating a baby's nursery, there's no need to spend a lot of money on expensive new furnishings and accessories. Many gently-used baby items can be easily found and utilized, which not only saves money, but can add a unique and one-of-a-kind look to the room. It can also be a great way use family heirlooms and add a personal touch to the room.       º  I Wish I Had Known!! What do you wish you had known about pregnancy before you conceived? StorkNet Members share their experiences in this message archive.       º  Cord Blood Banking - Members' Archive Are you planning to save your baby's cord blood (or have you done this)? Why or why not? StorkNet members share their experiences and opinions. In the News:       º  Initial Results Show Pregnant Women Mount Strong Immune Response to One Dose of 2009 H1N1 Flu Vaccine National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases News Release       º  News: Birth Defects of the Kidney Explained in New NIDDK Fact Sheets Kidney disorders can develop before a child is born. Two new fact sheets from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, explain two of these disorders: kidney dysplasia and medullary sponge kidney. Midwife Question of the Month:       º  Flu (Including Swine Flu) Shots in Pregnancy Is a flu shot safe during pregnancy? What about the H1N1 vaccine? Midwife Donna Balo explains. Fitness Question of the Month:       º  Exercise to Relieve Third Trimester Back Ache Do you have any tips or suggestions for relieving my poor tired back? Fitness Expert Sara Holliday answers.

• Articles  • Pregnancy Glossary  • Pregnancy Experts  • Pregnancy Book Reviews  • Pregnancy Forums  • Baby Names  • Baby Showers  • Birth Stories  • Cesarean Sections  • Childbirth  • Complications  • Homebirth  • Multiples  • Postpartum Depression  • Pregnancy After Loss  • Pregnancy/Infant Loss  • Pregnancy Journals  • VBAC  • Week By Week Calendar  • Ancient Chinese Birth  • Gender Chart  • Baby Names Database  • Bedrest Guide  • Due Date Calculator  • Threads and Basics  • ~ A Layette Checklist  • Morning Sickness Journal  • Pregnancy Glossary  • Pregnancy Planner  • Nutrition for You,  • Nutrition for Two  • Tender Loving Care  • Calendar  • Week By Week Calendar StorkNet's Week By Week Guide to Pregnancy Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Week 26 Week 27 Week 28 Week 29 Week 30 Week 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Week 40 Book List

Featured Hot Topics:

	º	Reluctant Fathers If your baby’s father was reluctant to get involved with your pregnancy, what did you do, if anything, to encourage him? Click here to post on our message boards (you do not have to be a member to share your opinion on this hot topic) or click here to email your thoughts.
	º	Home Pregnancy Tests How many home pregnancy tests did you take before you believed the result? Vote in our poll and tell us what your favorite EPT brands are. Click here to post on our message boards, click here to email your thoughts, or visit our Facebook Page to post your opinion.
	º	Preparing Children What did you do, if anything, to prepare your children for the arrival of a new sibling? Share your thoughts with us on our message boards (you don't have to be a member to respond) or click here to email your thoughts.
	º	Ultrasounds How do you feel about ultrasounds? The FDA is cautioning against Fetal "Keepsake" Images (especially videos) and OTC heartbeat monitors. Are you concerned or do you think it's just hysteria? Do you think ultrasounds are done too often and how do you feel about 3D ultrasound centers popping up all over? Click here to post on our message boards or click here to email your thoughts.
	º	Memorializing/Keepsakes Did you scrapbook/memorialize your pregnancy? What types of keepsakes did you save, did you make a special scrapbook, did you journal, did you make a belly cast, etc????? Click here to post on our message boards or click here to email your thoughts.

Featured Article:

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What Is Normal in Pregnancy? Normal is a very broad term and every woman will have a different experience while pregnant. Still, certain changes in the body are part of the process and should be expected, while others may indicate a potential problem. For a new mom-to-be, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate the two.

Featured Books/DVDs:

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Mother Rising: The Blessingway Journey into Motherhood by Yana Cortlund, Barb Lucke and Donna Miller Watelet Mother Rising shows how any woman can organize, personalize, and create a ceremony. This step-by-step guide includes practical information such as tips for sharing and storytelling, positive visualizations, and recipes for healthy feasting. Fun activities like belly casting, henna body art, shoulder massages, and herbal footbaths further enhance the blessingway experience while inspirational quotations and an expansive resource listing help complete one's unique ceremony.

Featured Cubby:

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Baby Showers! Plan the perfect baby shower no matter the budget with our baby showers cubby. Learn the etiquette no-nos along with the Who, What, When, Where, and How of baby shower planning.

Enjoy!
StorkNet's Pregnancy Editors