There are a lot of changes that happen to a woman’s body throughout pregnancy, but one of the most fascinating pregnancy phenomenons has to be lightning crotch.  Yes, you read that right–lightning crotch.  A condition that many women experience throughout pregnancy, lightning crotch is essentially exactly what it sounds like!  A very sudden and sharp pain deep in your pelvis or vaginal area, that can sometimes feel like your little one has actually punched you!  Don’t worry–we’ve got the scoop on this weird sensation!

When you find out you’re pregnant, you likely assume you will have a completely healthy pregnancy!  Complications during pregnancy are not often at the top of any expecting mama’s mind, but being aware of the possibility and the signs to look for is the best thing you can do for your health and that of your growing little one!  The most common complication of pregnancy is preeclampsia, but many women are unaware of what it is or what it entails until it happens to them!

Preeclampsia is a condition during pregnancy where there is a sudden rise in blood pressure and swelling, usually in the face, hands, and feet.  When ignored or left untreated, preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia, which can cause convulsions and comas, and in same cases, is fatal. Preeclampsia affects 3-5% of pregnancies, so being aware of what to look for is imperative for your health, Mama!

When you’re awaiting your little one’s arrival, the last month can feel like an entire year.  All you want is to hold your baby and feel that pregnancy swelling go away!  So what happens if your due date arrives….and then passes, with no baby in tow?  It can feel confusing, and a little like your body betrayed you — we get it! But you’re not alone–did you know that only 5% of babies are actually born on their due date?  Most babies are born somewhere in between 37 and 42 weeks, making your due date just an educated estimate!  In fact, you aren’t even technically in overtime until you hit 42 weeks, and many women in their first pregnancies will go over the estimated 40 weeks.  Hang in there, Mama, here’s a little bit about what you can expect in the coming days!

Come on, Baby!  As you hit the middle of your third trimester, it can take everything in you to practice patience for your little one’s arrival -- we get it!  Waiting isn’t our strong suit either. However, in all the excitement of getting ready for the little bundle, many mamas forget to ever talk to their doctor or midwife about what to expect with labor!  It can be hard to understand when to call the hospital, or when to grab all the belongings and hop in the car -- especially with all of the Braxton Hicks stories. So here’s the scoop, Mama--we’re giving you the guide on how to know when it’s time!

When your friend or family member finds themselves in the NICU with their brand new baby, it can pose some unfamiliar territory for your relationship.  It’s easy to feel helpless when it comes to supporting a NICU mama and her family, but where there’s a will, there’s a way! There are a vast number of ways you can support her and her new little one, and we’ve rounded up some of the top ways to be there for your loved one!

Getting the nursery ready is one of the most exciting parts of pregnancy!  It can make your little one’s arrival feel more real, and prepares your home just for them.  This will be the space where you spend most of your time with Baby, where you’ll read to them, snuggle them, feed them, and watch them sleep, so it makes sense that you’d want the nursery to be perfect!  And that includes choosing their crib! With all of the options and variations, it can be a little overwhelming to choose the crib that works best for you, your home, and your baby -- that’s why we’re breaking it down for you!

For a mama that’s spent months growing her little one, all she wants to do is hold them in her arms!  So when that little bundle is admitted to the NICU, it can seem scary, and in some cases, like an actual nightmare. The NICU (or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) has a lot of bad connotations to it, but they can provide you and your new baby with the absolute best care around!  In many cases, the overwhelming fear that surrounds the NICU comes from a lack of understanding of what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what the NICU entails for your new family! We’ve got you covered, Mama — this is what life in the NICU looks like.

In the last 20 years, surrogacy has become a widely known, accepted, and practiced form of pregnancy and journey into motherhood!  A truly incredible experience, surrogacy requires real generosity from one side, and a lot of hope and optimism from the other, creating a strong bond in the shared experience.  But if you haven’t read into it, it can seem quite ominous and overwhelming! Perhaps you’re a mother who wants to offer her childbearing services to the world, or a woman who desperately wants to be a mother, but has hit roadblock after roadblock and needs another door to open.  Either way, we’ve done the research and have the scoop on everything you need to know about surrogacy--for the Intended Parents and the Surrogate.  We’re on the blog today with Part 1 of our Surrogacy Guide : for the Intended Parent!

Infertility.  The word no couples want to hear when planning their families, and a word that becomes quite frightening when facing it.  Most importantly, it can feel isolating, lonely, and confusing. But you’re not alone.  About 10% of women in the U.S. struggle with getting pregnant or staying pregnant.  But although that may be true, the whole experience can be confusing and difficult to navigate.  If you’re starting to face concerns of infertility or are already living it, we’ve got information to help you understand, and can give you options on moving forward!