Author: Editor

Blood clots do not discrimonate by age, gender, ethnicity, or race. They can affect anyone – from infants and young children to teens, young moms and dads, those in middle age or senior cirizens. Across the country and around the world, elite athletes, public servants, musicians, doctors, nurses, business associates and many wonderful people from all walks of life are affected. A blood clot is diagnosed once every minute. www.stoptheclot.org Blood clots are gel-like clumps of blood that are beneficial for stopping bleeding if they form in response to an injury or a cut. But some blood clots form inside…

I want to share my experience with blood clots during pregnancy. Though my personal story, I hope that other women can better understand the very real possibility of a blood clot during pregnancy, and perhaps even save a life.  Debra Turner Bryant shares here personal experiences with blood clots during pregnancy and offers suggestions for women in similar situations. Real Stories from People Living with Blood Clots Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of motherhood with chronic illness is helping your children understand what is going on with your body and encouraging acceptance about how your illness may impact them. How can you help them develop empathy about what you’re experiencing, especially if your illness is invisible? Where’s the line between being honest and making them worry? What’s the best way to address their concerns in kid-friendly language? This is a topic that will likely need to be an ongoing discussion in your family – and sometimes reading a book together can help! Because there are…

MotherToBaby, a service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), is the nation’s leading authority and most trusted source of evidence-based information on the safety of medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Whether you are TTC (trying to conceive), pregnant, or breastfeeding, the MotherToBaby website has Fact Sheets (in English and Spanish) that answer frequently asked questions about the use of medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding. You can also email an expert or chat with one live if you have additional questions. If you are taking a medication while pregnant or breastfeeding, you can also…

For many moms, it is a time-honored tradition to have this thought on a regular basis: what do you mean it’s time to feed them AGAIN?!?! Feeding tiny humans (and their parents) is an endless and time consuming task!! We asked real mamas living with chronic illnesses to share their best tips and ideas for making cooking and meal planning easier! Weekly Menus & Grocery Lists “I sit down once a week with the schedule, look at what we have planned each day, estimate how tired I might be or how much time I will have to cook, and I…

For millions of people, chronic illnesses and depression are facts of life…Many people with [chronic illness] become depressed. In fact, depression is one of the most common complications of chronic illness. It’s estimated that up to one-third of people with a serious medical condition have symptoms of depression.Dealing With Chronic Illnesses and Depression, WebMD It’s extremely common for people living with chronic illness to struggle with their mental health. Being diagnosed with a lifelong illness can cause enormous life changes, make it difficult to do things you love, and impact your self confidence. Managing a lifelong chronic illness for years…

Whether you’re having a flare of your chronic illness or you caught a bug, keeping toddlers entertained when you don’t feel well is no easy task! We asked real mamas living with chronic illnesses to share their best ideas for entertaining toddlers when you don’t feel well. Relax your screen time guilt “No shame in screen time!” – Cheryl “We are camped out in front of the TV at times, and the guilt is real in these moments, but I try to remember that we need to have that downtime so we can rest and be ready for the next…

Worldwide about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth experience a mental disorder, primarily depression. In developing countries this is even higher, i.e. 15.6% during pregnancy and 19.8% after child birth. In severe cases mothers’ suffering might be so severe that they may even commit suicide. In addition, the affected mothers cannot function properly. As a result, the children’s growth and development may be negatively affected as well. Maternal mental disorders are treatable. Effective interventions can be delivered even by well-trained non-specialist health providers.World Health Organization Maternal mental health disorders are the #1 complications…

Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. Last year, people in more than 85 countries on all continents participated in Purple Day!www.purpleday.org Epilepsy is neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of awareness. On March 26th take a few minutes to learn about a condition that can affect anyone – one that impacts 1 in 100 people worldwide.…

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of motherhood with chronic illness is helping your children understand what is going on with your body and encouraging acceptance about how your illness may impact them. How can you help them develop empathy about what you’re experiencing, especially if your illness is invisible? Where’s the line between being honest and making them worry? What’s the best way to address their concerns in kid-friendly language? This is a topic that will likely need to be an ongoing discussion in your family – and sometimes reading a book together can help! When Mommy Is…