medicine

The holiday travel season has officially begun, with many schools beginning their Winter breaks at the end of this week. The bags are packed and boarding passes are printed, but is Mama going to throw in one extra item to help ensure a smooth journey?

For some, giving lil ones a single dose of medication like Benadryl or Dimetapp is like buying trip insurance — it's a lil safeguard against a midtrip disaster. The sleep-inducing elixirs can be just the ticket to a peaceful — meltdown-free — flight across the country or to grandma's house. What do you think?

Wondering which first-aid supplies are must-haves for new moms? Circle of Moms members swear by these 9 nursery essentials to help you avoid frantic late-night runs to the store.

1. Baby Thermometer

Baby thermometers are essential for quickly confirming whether your flushed newborn is running a fever. While there are many kinds of thermometers (ear, armpit, rectal, mouth, forehead), several moms, including Rebecca K., prefer those that show easy color-coded readings: “I use the Vicks brand thermometer. It has a large lighted digital face, the face turns green if there is no fever, amber if there is a low grade fever, and red if a high fever. It takes 8 seconds to get a temperature.” Don’t forget to keep rubbing alcohol swabs on hand for disinfecting, plus petroleum jelly for rectal thermometers.

2. Infant Nail Clippers or Nail File

Baby nails can causes bad scratches if left untrimmed, especially if a child develops an itchy skin condition like eczema. In addition to nail clippers or a nail file, mother-of-one C. P. recommends scissors: “The scissors help get the very corners of the nail on an infant, which is where they tend to get scratches from even with clipped nails.”

3. Children’s Pain Reliever

Though you’ll want to check with your pediatrician about administering infant pain medications, Krystal W. recommends them as one of the best baby shower gifts for a new mom: “Soon enough there will be a time where they need Tylenol or Motrin, and they will have you to thank when they don’t have to leave to find infant medicine at 2 a.m.!”

4. Gripe Water and Mylicon

Many moms are relieved to have gripe water and Mylicon on hand when their babies become gassy or colicky. As Michelle K. recalls: “My little ones had really bad gas. So Mylicon drops were a lifesaver for me.” And Paige S. raves about gripe water: “Definitely a life saver!! It helps with colic, upset stomach, cramps, hiccups, teething, and gas. Sometimes we can't get her to calm down and we give her some gripe water and it helps a lot!”

5. Diaper Rash Cream

From Bourdreaux Butt Paste to Desitin, moms tout many different diaper rash creams as miracle workers. Some products receive consistently high marks, including Melanie B.’s favorite brand: "Triple Paste. It is THE BEST on the market… Both my daughters have eczema and sensitive skin, so Triple Paste has been a lifesaver, or should I say, a butt saver.”

6. Nasal Aspirator and Saline Drops

“An aspirator (boogie sucker) and saline nose drops are another must have,” shares Christie E. “My son had RSV at 7 weeks (basically a cold, but since they have no immune system, it was pretty stressful), and I couldn’t tell you how many times I used it.” Others, like Nicole K., encourage getting a battery operated nasal aspirator: “I absolutely love it and works so much better than the regular ones! I couldn't imagine not having one.”

7. Pedialyte

Another product you’ll want to check with your pediatrician about, Pedialyte can help rehydrate sick babies. As Nancy L. shared: “My son is just recovering from severe diarrhea. The doctor said it was okay to give him Pedialyte. He was 7 weeks when he got sick. It would keep him hydrated due to all the nutrients they lose."

8. Nipple Cream

Nursery first-aid kids should have products for moms too! Many Circle of Moms members agree with Bethany B. that Lansinoh nipple cream and nursing pads are a “gift from God” for sore and leaking nipples (Medela creams are popular too).

9. Emergency Numbers

You can always call 911 in an emergency, but having a list of other emergency numbers handy in your medicine kit (and programmed into your cell phone) is smart. Include numbers for the closest hospital, your family doctor, Poison Control, and local police and fire departments.

Image Source: o5com via Flickr/Creative Commons

As communities and conversations on Circle of Moms illustrate, many women know all too well about thyroid hormone problems; too much or too little can slow down or speed up metabolism and cause a host of symptoms that can make you feel out of sorts in an all-around kind of way. When you add pregnancy to the mix, thyroid issues can get even more complex.

Typically, a mother’s level of thyroid hormone increases between 10 percent and 30 percent during pregnancy, most likely due to the increase in estrogen. Extra estrogen during pregnancy stimulates your cells to make more proteins with binding sites for thyroid hormone. To fill those binding sites, you make more thyroid hormone, but the amount free in your bloodstream, which stimulates your cells, should remain normal, as the increase in production should balance the increase in binding sites. Sometimes, however, the adjustment is imperfect, and you end up with too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism) circulating thyroid hormone, which can cause you to experience metabolic chaos.

Thyroid conditions are difficult to diagnose because they share some of the same classic symptoms associated with the hormonal changes in pregnancy, such as frenetic or low energy, excess weight loss or gain, and emotional fluctuations. In addition, hyperthyroidism can occur during pregnancy because two of the hormones produced by the placenta—hCG and hPL—mimic thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which does exactly what its name implies—stimulates the thyroid to produce thyroid hormone.

It’d be nice if you could just pop thyroid medication to handle these problems, but it’s not so easy. Because tests used to determine levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone in your blood often cannot distinguish among TSH, hCG, and hPL, it’s hard to be sure that the thyroid is causing your symptoms and, if it is, to determine the optimal dose of medication. In pregnancy, women who start out with hypothyroidism typically need to increase their thyroid hormone dosage by 50 percent because the increased estrogen produces an increased level of a protein that binds thyroid hormone, meaning even less thyroid hormone is available for the mother.

Another interesting note: There are talks about requiring a thyroid test for pregnant moms because there seems to be a strong link between undiagnosed hypothyroidism during pregnancy and reduced IQ in the offspring of theses moms.

A New York Times #1 best-selling author and host of The Dr. Oz Show, Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. is also professor and vice chairman of surgery at New York Presbyterian-Columbia University and the director of the Heart Institute. For more from Dr. Oz, check out You: Raising Your Child and You: Having a Baby, both co-authored with Michael F. Roizen, M.D.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Ouch! Diaper rash is a true pain in the bum—and as common as ants at a picnic. Caused by factors that include extended wetness, diarrhea, diet, and allergies, it shows up as inflamed, bright red skin on a baby’s rear end. Thankfully, over a thousand Circle of Moms members have shared their tricks for banishing the pesky rash, and here we're sharing 7 of the best.

1. Open Airtime

“The best remedy for diaper rash is to let your little one be diaper free for a few hours throughout the day,” advises Yesenia S., one of numerous Circle of Moms members who stress that open-air playtime is the fastest way to heal diaper rash.

2. Frequent Diaper Changes

Diaper rash is commonly linked to continuously wet diapers, so frequent changes are essential to prevention and healing. As Asawari S. recommends: “Make sure you change the diaper every 3 hours as a rule. The acidity of the wet diaper will add to the rash.”

3. Ointments

Every baby is different, so it’s no surprise that moms tout many different diaper rash creams as miracle workers. Still, some products receive consistently high marks, including Melanie B.’s favorite brand: Triple Paste. "It is THE BEST on the market…Both my daughters have eczema and sensitive skin, so Triple Paste has been a lifesaver, or should I say, a butt saver.” Others agree with mother-of-two Jessica S.: “I like the Bourdreaux Butt Paste, and not just for the funny name! It works better than anything else I’ve tried, and it’s really gentle on her skin. A lot of the other ones seem to burn if she has a bad rash.” Additional popular remedies include mixtures with Maalox (to neutralize the acid in your bub’s nether regions), or good old Vaseline.

4. Baking Soda and Corn Starch

If over-the-counter ointments prove unsuccessful, consider raiding your cupboard. Many moms swear by baking soda baths, while others like Lora J. recommend corn starch: “An old remedy is corn starch straight outta the box. It coats and soothes all in one.” Note, however, that if a yeast infection is involved, corn starch will worsen the situation.

5. Switch Baby Wipes and Diapers

“You may want to try different wipes and diapers,” suggested mother-of-three Stephanie S. “There may be an allergy issue. My LO is allergic to all but Huggies Supreme and 7th Generation.” Kim N. agreed: “Be careful about the wipes you are using during changing. If they are fragranced or infused with alcohol, they will irritate his skin even more.”

6. Check Baby's Diet—and Yours

Diaper rash often develops after a baby is introduced to solid foods, or when a breast-feeding mom eats certain foods. As Christine N. shared: “When my babies had bad nappy rash I tried to limit the amount of dairy products they ate as these tended to make them worse.” Acidic foods, such as citrus juices, are another common culprit.

7. Rule Out Other Infections

Be sure to consult your pediatrician if diaper rash lingers, spreads beyond the diaper area, or is accompanied by fever, blisters, boils, pus or weeping discharge. The rash may actually be a yeast or fungal infection, thrush or eczema.

Image Source: futurestreet via Flickr/Creative Commons

A victory was announced earlier this week for South Carolina mom Abbie Dorn, 34, who was severely brain damaged in 2006 during a delivery gone horribly wrong. Through the legal efforts of her parents, who care for her full time, Abbie now has the right to 5 days of visitation per year with her 4 year-old triplets, plus monthly video sessions through Skype.

According to the L.A. Now blog of the Los Angeles Times, L.A. Superior Court Judge Frederick Shaller ruled that while “there is no compelling evidence that the visitations by the children will have any benefit to Abbie," there is also “no compelling evidence that visitation with Abbie will be detrimental to the children."

Abbie can't move, talk, eat or drink, the result of oxygen deprivation during the triplets' birth four years ago. Her parents, Susan and Paul Cohen, have been battling their daughter's ex-husband Dan Dorn for the right to visitation for Abbie (he has full custody of the children and they live in Los Angeles).

Her parents say that in spite of her incapacity, "Abbie's there," and has learned to communicate using blinks of her eyes to indicate "yes" and "no." More importantly, they've argued, both Abbie and her kids will benefit from having contact. Her former husband (he divorced her after she became incapacitated) has claimed that contact with Abbie traumatizes the children.

Many commentators have pointed out that the Dorns' story raises questions about the rights of mentally incapacitated parents. But we also wonder about the rights of their children.

If you became mentally incapacitated, would you want your children to be spared the pain and difficulty of contact with you?

Image Source: Via CNN

Dr. Andrew Lieber of Rose Pediatrics in Denver, CO., recently made national headlines in the United States, England and South Africa for his controversial response to the debate about childhood immunizations: he refuses to treat patients who are not receiving the standard series.

According to the American Academy of Pediatricians, Lieber is not alone: a growing number of children's doctors are refusing to see patients who are unvaccinated. According to the group's survey of its membership, 23 percent of doctors "always" or "sometimes" inform parents they can no longer be their child's pediatrician if the parents opt out of standard vaccinations.

Does that throw the Hippocratic Oath—especially the part about using "my power to help the sick"—right out the window?

The answer might be found in the third paragraph of the Oath, which reads, "I will use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgment: I will abstain from harming or wronging any man by it."

The rationale used by some pediatricians in banning the unvaccinated is that by insisting children are vaccinated they are using their best judgment to protect all of their patients.

Lieber gives parents up to four months to get their child's vaccinations started.

"By four months, if I can't help you come to terms with the scientific fact that vaccines are helpful, then I've done about all I can do to educate you," Lieber told MedPage Today, an online publication covering the medical industry, in describing his approach to coaxing the vaccine reluctant parent.

After that, he shows non-vaccinating parents the exit.

"I feel like I have a bigger responsibility to all the other kids walking through my waiting room," he explained.

And, having sat in plenty of pediatric waiting rooms, I get his point.

Not even flying Petri dishes, er, ah, I mean airplanes, are as icky as a pediatrician's waiting room. I don't care how brightly colored the walls are. Cheery decor simply does not make up for the snot-nosed kids, the air polluted by too many uncovered coughs and the occasional puking child. These places will keep the companies that produce hand-sanitizing lotions in business for the duration. Shining one of those lights that illuminate all the bacteria and viruses present on a surface in a waiting room could easily produce a biological horror show. I can well see how throwing in a kiddo who's carrying a communicable disease (one that's easily prevented by a childhood vaccine) not only adds to the discomfort of pro-vaccination parents, but may very well give the doctor reason to worry about liability issues.

Honestly, I'd take issue with my kids being exposed to a preventable disease such as Whooping Cough just because another child's parent took a hard-line against vaccinations.

Whooping Cough, medically knows as pertussis, was once virtually eliminated in the United States. In 2010, it made a vengeful comeback with more than 21,000 human cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In California alone, there were 8,300+ cases, and of the 26 deaths, ten were of children.

That's just one disease. A disease whose prevention just requires a jab and maybe a few tears.

As pediatricians are on the front line in the war against childhood disease, I say let them each set their own rules of engagement. Not all will take Lieber's hardline stand, and thus the anti-vaccination parents will still be able to find a willing pediatrician.

I don't deny a parent's right to refuse vaccination. I understand and support the issue of religious objection. No problem. I am religious and my kids are vaccinated. That is my choice. Other parents have the right to make a different choice. But as the old saying goes, "your rights to not vaccinate ends where my kid's right to disease-free air begins." Okay, so that isn't exactly how that ditty goes, but the point is still made.

What do you think? Should doctors be allowed to refuse treatment to unvaccinated kids?

Image Source: UNICEF Sverige via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

They're a bunch of dummies! By using computerized birthing and baby dolls to simulate high-risk deliveries and everything from hemorrhage to seizures, medical staffers can practice and fine tune their responses to emergency situations without human lives being at risk. St. Peter's Hospital in Montana invested $16,000 in the birth doll set and a computer system that it uses to teach its staff. One report said:

Noelle is a training mannequin, much like Annie, the doll used for CPR classes. Noelle can simulate all types of birthing situations. She’s life-size, anatomically correct, has a heartbeat and pulse and can be hooked up to an IV. She comes with a baby — called Baby Blue — that also has life-like components.

A recent episode of Grey's Anatomy had doctors learning crisis response methods on dummies. What do you think of the practice?

Photo copyright 2010, ABC, Inc.

While cleaning out some cabinets, I had a dilemma: expired prescription meds — OK to just throw away? I almost tossed a pill bottle into the trash but then stopped; do old pills leach chemicals, or worse, what happens if the wrong person (or stray animal) has access to my garbage? A quick call to my doctor proved to be an invaluable lesson in dealing with expired or unwanted medication.

• Whatever you do, don't flush. Even though flushing unwanted drugs down the toilet may seem like a good idea, it's not — this isn't Goodfellas, after all. And the same goes for pouring anything down the drain. Septic systems can't break down the harmful substances in meds, which can end up in groundwater, lakes, rivers, or oceans, affecting animal and plant life.
• Take it back where you found it. Depending on where you live, there may be programs in place to dispose of your unwanted medicine. Call a nearby pharmacy or hospital to see if it has a take back program. Some trash and recycling providers will also accept unwanted medication.
• Using care, dispose of it yourself. If you have to dispose of your meds yourself, follow certain parameters to ensure proper care. Crush or break up any pills, and mix them in with kitty litter, coffee grounds, or any other undesirable substance. Place the mixture in a sealed plastic bag or container before throwing it in a trash can so the chemicals don't leak out into the garbage. Mix liquid medications with coffee grounds, sawdust, or kitty litter.

Motion sickness, tummy problems, and a sore throat: is there anything ginger can't help? Not likely. A new study says that the spicy root also soothes away sore muscles that often come after working out.

In two separate studies, researchers divided 74 healthy adults into two groups — one group of participants were given a daily ginger supplement, while the other group was given a placebo. Over the course of 11 days, all participants performed a variety of exercises that led to the kind of achy, sore muscles that a good workout is prone to do. At the end on the study, the group that was taking the ginger supplements had a reduction in pain of almost 25 percent when compared to the placebo group. Researchers believe that ginger may have anti-inflammatory properties — nature's own ibuprofen! Be sure to read up on other ways to beat post-workout pain.