FitSugar

Birth Size and Breast Cancer

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:00:00 PDT

And you thought your relationship to your mother was already complicated. Last year we learned that the size of your mother's hips might affect your risk for breast cancer. Daughters born to mothers with wide hips, according to a Finnish study, are three times as likely to develop breast cancer. New research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine adds more insight to the mother-daughter breast cancer connection. This time, however, the factors putting you at risk are your birth weight and birth length.

After analyzing data from 32 studies that evaluated more than 22,000 cases of breast cancer among more than 600,000 women, this study found that baby girls born weighing 8.8 pounds or greater had an increased chance of developing breast cancer, by 12 percent. If the baby girl was born long, measuring over 20 inches in length, her chance of developing the disease rose by 17 percent. While those numbers seem high to me, the epidemiologist behind the study feels they are quite modest and should not be a large concern for women that were considered large or long babies.

The connection between birth size and breast cancer is not understood, but could be related to high estrogen levels in the womb. These research findings are interesting, but have not yet affected the medical and screening practices for breast cancer. In other words if you weighed over 8.8 pounds at birth, you need not rush out for a mammogram. However, these findings could be a piece of the ever complicated puzzle of this disease.

For more information, visit the FitSugar Health Guide section on breast cancer.

Source

8 Myths About Sex Differences

The Good Men Project — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:00:49 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Agustín Fuentes points out that when it comes to men and women, what "everyone knows" isn’t what science shows.

Everyone knows that men and women are really different. We think differently and act differently because we are wired differently. I mean look at our brains and genitals: they are just plain different. Right?

Wrong.

What if many of the things we assume about the biology of difference are not so different at all? What if it is not our “wiring” but the ways in which our bodies and minds develop and play out in society that makes us seem so unalike? Could it be that men and women are more similar than we think?

I Dumped the Love of My Life and Now She Doesn’t Trust Me

Yes, women give birth and lactate and men do not. And yes, men are, on average, slightly larger than women and usually have greater upper body strength. There are these basic biological differences between the sexes and they are important . . . but why always focus on the differences and not the biological, and behavioral, similarities? Ahh, that would be because of gender.

Gender is a powerful reality; it is the perception and expectation of differences between males and females and it shapes both our bodies and our society. Gender differences are real and important, but they are not hard wired or even static. There is no biological or evolutionary mandate that only women really care for babies and show emotions, or that males are the best at economics and politics and prefer beers and skirt-chasing to domestic bliss. These are patterns of gender roles and expectations that shape the ways we look at our biology and behavior. They influence the way we expect the world to be. It is the strength of the societal myths about sex that fool us into thinking that men and women are so different by nature.

So let’s bust some of those myths.

Gender and sex are the same thing.

Sex and gender are interconnected, but not the same thing. Sex is a biological state that is measured via what chromosomes you have (XX or XY, usually) and aspects of your body and physiology. Gender includes the roles, expectations and perceptions that a given society has for the sexes. Most societies have two genders on a masculinity-femininity continuum. Some have more. We are born with a biological sex, but acquire gender. There is a ton of individual diversity within societies and sexes in regards to how sex and gender play out in behavior and personality.

There is an extensive body of data demonstrating this, but people interested only in specific differences between men and women choose to ignore it.

Male and female genitals are totally different.

Most people think that male and female genitals are about as different as can be: penis=male and vagina=female. But even this basic dichotomy is not quite correct: the genitals emerge from the same mass of embryonic tissue. For the first six weeks of life the tissue masses develop identically. At about 6-7 weeks, depending on whether the fetus has XX or XY chromosomes (usually), the tissues to start to differentiate. One part of the tissues begins to form the clitoris or penis and another forms the labia or scrotum. Another area begins to form into either the testes or the ovaries. This means that physiologically, male and female genitals are made of the same stuff and work in similar ways.

Male and female brains are different.

If there were really deep seated differences between male and female human behavior and biology they should show up in the brain. The genitals start in the same place and end up looking different, the brain does not. Our brains are pretty much the same. Male brains are a bit bigger than females’ (like their bodies) and females’ brains stop growing earlier than males (as with their bodies). However, whatever one may believe about other organs, in the case of healthy brains, size really does NOT matter one iota. There also might be a few differences in a small part of the brain called the straight gyrus (need more testing in this one). Other than these minor aspects there are no consistent and replicated reliable differences in male and female brains; it is a human brain . . . but how we use it is another matter.

Hormones make the difference.

Everyone thinks that males and females have different hormones . . . testosterone for men and estrogen for women. Nope, all the actual hormones in males and females are the same: there are no male-only or female-only hormones. Both men and women can get a flood of testosterone when they get into a fight or take part in an exhilarating sports match. Both men and women can get a flood of oxytocin and prolactin when they pick up a newborn baby. There can be differences in the levels, patterns, and impacts of some of these hormones in male and female bodies, but individual variation is often more important than the variation between the sexes.

Keep reading for the rest.

Is Pregnancy a Disability?

BabyCenter — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:16:40 PST

Shortness of breath. Inability to lift heavy objects. Need for specific seating. Exhaustion. Months of nausea followed by months, possibly a year, off work. Are these the markers of a disability?

Sorry, ladies. You aren’t disabled. You are pregnant.

A month ago I pulled my car into a disabled space in front of a baby store. My daughter is disabled, and we have a badge. Next to me a man waited in his car, also in a disabled spot. No badge.

I knocked on his window. I tried - and probably did not succeed on any level - to not sound annoyed. “Sorry, but you are parking in a disabled spot.”

“But, my wife . . . ,” he sputtered, “she’s pregnant.” He gestured toward the baby store. “She’s inside, and I’m waiting for her.”

First of all: disabled spaces are not for “waiting” in. They are for ease of loading and unloading people in wheelchairs. They are for people, like my daughter, who suffer from seizures and might need be rushed back to the car and then the hospital, so need to be as close as possible to the car.

Let’s be clear, if his wife can stroll through a megababy store - it is literally the size of Kansas - she can walk the extra 10 feet across the lane to the nonhandicapped parking. She is not disabled.

However, as The Huffington Post reported this week, Jeannette Cox, a law professor at the University of Dayton in Ohio, thinks pregnancy is a disability. According to her research, the Americans With Disabilities Act should be expanded to include pregnant workers.

"The recent expansion of the ADA’s protected class now includes persons with minor temporary physical limitations comparable to pregnancy’s physical effects," said Cox. "This invites reexamination of the assumption pregnant workers may not use the ADA to obtain workplace accommodations."

To some extent, I agree with Cox. There is a culture of discrimination in America about pregnancy. I live in Britain and I am astounded by how little time and leeway American pregnant women are accorded. Policies and legislation that encourage women to work up until the moment of birth (and Cox encourages employers to consider that, with proper accommodation, women would be more able to do this, not less) and to return to work as swiftly as possible or else lose their job, are irresponsible in the extreme. Establishing breast-feeding, recovering from a C-section - these things all take time, and I doubt any health professional thinks only a few months, or as is the case for some women, a few weeks is long enough for mother or baby.

But a disability? Sorry. No.

Disability is a serious, life-altering complication. As such, the classification should be assigned only to those that need that level of protection and assistance. Return to my initial list of conditions: pregnant women do not require oxygen masks, care workers, wheelchairs, tube feeding - the symptoms of pregnancy are not such that a woman’s life is irrevocably and devastatingly changed long-term.

As soon as we start calling pregnancy a disability, disability itself is reduced to the challenge level of pregnancy. Never forget that - though exhausting and nauseating - pregnancy will pass. Feel grateful for that and the glimpse it gives you of a more challenging life.

Do you consider pregnancy a disability?

More great stories from BabyCenter.com:
Mom jeans no more!
Did you get the name you wish?
Getting highlights gives me guilt
How to overcome the baby blues
Katherine Heigl on "failing" as a mom

Source: Flickr User elicash

Do Solid Foods Help Babies Sleep Through the Night?

BabyCenter — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:37:30 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Andrea Updyke about that old wives tale that says babies sleep better after eating solid foods.

Feeding a baby can be a non-stop barrage of questions. Is he getting enough? Is he getting too much? How many wet diapers did I change? What color is the poop? I mean seriously, the amount of poop I have inspected just inches from my face is terrifying. And I will tell you this about the first few months of life; things change so fast it can be nearly impossible to keep up.

My babies are big. At birth, my boys were 11lbs and 10lbs. The first was a week early, the second a week late. I just make big babies, what can I say. Couple that with my choice to breastfeed and I was basically a non-stop all you can eat buffet. I don’t think my babies' bellies were ever the size of a marble or a ping pong ball or really anything smaller than a tennis ball ever. I mean, they ate all the time. And though all the experts said it wouldn't make a difference, both babies did immensely better when they started solids.

You can safely start solids between 4-6 months of age. While I had hoped to breastfeed exclusively until 6 months, we opted for solids at 5 months for both boys. Why am I telling you this? Well, because I think sometimes we get so caught up in what we think is right and normal that we forget to have conversations about what actually worked for us. No judgement, just dialogue.

My youngest is now just over 5 months old and until the past couple of weeks has been nursing or sometimes drinking a bottle every 3 hours around the clock. I discussed when to start solids with our pediatrician and he gave the same warning I have read all over the internet, solids won't really help the sleep thing. It's more about learning how to eat.

So I thought, why rush it? He is a happy baby. He eats well and sleeps well (when he sleeps). Maybe he just isn't there yet. But then 2 or 3 wakings became 4 or 5 and he was no longer content with a pacifier and eating more frequently during the day all the while watching my every move when I ate my meals. Over Christmas we decided to start feeding him oatmeal. Let me just tell you, there was no learning how to eat. This boy knew exactly what to do. He ate and he ate.

In the past two weeks he has increased to two meals a day, each with oatmeal and banana and he seems so content! His naps are better. He goes right to sleep when it's time for bed and last night he only woke up once in a 10 hour period.

Can it be the solids or is it really convenient timing? Maybe it's because my boys were so big to begin with? All I know is the more sleep mama gets, the happier we all are.

Someone pass me the sweet potatoes.

More great stories from BabyCenter.com:
How did I miss pneumonia?
20 cures for cabin fever
Warning: New acetaminophen dosage change
You know you're at grandma's when . . .
4 cool ways to store Legos

Source: Flickr User dacia mitchell

A Whole Lotta Lil in This Week's Links

LilSugar — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:25:34 PDT

Throwing a Halloween bash? Don't miss our free printable box for stashing all of those sweet treats!
Think small! The kids will gobble up these bite-size party food ideas!
Beyoncé is launching a maternity line; see how she's dressing while expecting.
Yum! Six new candies for Halloween this year.
10 apps to help expectant mamas prepare for baby's birth.
Fold it up! Collapsible gear is all the rage in baby items these days.
Is a certain celeb sporting a fake baby bump? If so, here's how she's doing it!
What you need to know about maternity leave laws.
Hollywood moms' must-have item? An Aden and Anais blanket - see who's using them.
10 beautiful and unique birthday party invitations for kids.

Mountain Buggy Duet Double Stroller Proves Good Things Come in Small Packages

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:31:19 PDT

Double stroller pushers are often faced with a dilemma: sacrifice comfort for the convenience of a compact stroller, or choose a wide side-by-side carriage that is often unwieldy and hard to manage in crowds. The newest crop of double strollers is out to solve that dilemma with side-by-side pushchairs that mimic the size and maneuverability of classic single strollers. The latest to enter the market is Mountain Buggy's Duet ($600). The company sent us one of the first strollers off the assembly line for testing purposes. See how it measures up.

Who is this product designed for? As the narrowest side-by-side double stroller on the market, the Duet is perfect for parents of twins, or tots close in age, who use their stroller around town, not just for walks through the neighborhood.

Is it practical? The Duet gives double stroller-pushing parents more flexibility than ever before. It easily fits through the standard 32-inch door frame and maneuvers as smoothly as lightweight stroller down both nicely paved paths and torn up city streets. Able to accommodate two car seats (one seated slightly higher than the other) and two bassinets, the pushchair can be used from birth on up. The fully-reclining seats provide lil ones with plenty of space to stretch out and rest while the seats' independent canopies feature "flick-out sun visors" that provide extra protection once tots lay down. An adjustable handlebar provides both taller and shorter-than-average parents comfortable pushing positions.

Keep reading to see what sets the Duet apart from other double strollers and where it could use some improvements.

Melanie Brown Welcomes a Girl!

PopSugar — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:21:29 PDT

DrSugar Discusses Mommyrexia

DrSugar — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:38:53 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's discussing mommyrexia and the implications of eating disorders during and after pregnancy.

I recently read an article from the New York Post on "mommyrexia," a phenomenon garnering a lot of public attention recently. Mommyrexia describes pregnant women obsessed with staying skinny during pregnancy and then doing whatever they can to get back, as quickly as possible, to their prepregnancy weight/size after delivery. According to the article, these women count calories, exercise excessively while pregnant, and sometimes even forgo breastfeeding after delivery to free their schedules for tons of personal training and exercise. Society today is so obsessed with celebrities and body image, and in my opinion, is placing unwarranted pressure on women to maintain their slim physique during pregnancy, like Victoria Beckham and Rachel Zoe, and to be bikini-ready three weeks after delivery like Bethenny Frankel. As if there isn’t already enough pressure on the general population to be ridiculously skinny, this pressure now extends to the sacred time of pregnancy?

I feel compelled to write about eating disorders and their potential implications in pregnant women. However, I must add that there is a large spectrum of what can be considered normal regarding weight gain and activity during pregnancy. Every woman is different and will gain differing amounts of weight. Both activity and weight gain in pregnant women depend on multiple factors and should be determined on a case-by-case basis between a woman and her OB-GYN. By no means am I here to judge anyone on how they behave during their pregnancy. The purpose of this week's DrSugar column is to provide information on how eating disorders can affect pregnancy. To learn more, keep reading.

Not Your Mama's Childbirth Classes

LilSugar — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:21:06 PDT

Childbirth - and preparation for childbirth - is not a one size fits all experience. Expectant parents have options regarding the birth. Plenty opt for a traditional hospital birth while growing numbers are choosing to deliver in the privacy of their own home. Just as there are options as to how and where a mama-to-be gives birth, there are numerous ways to prepare for the big day. Lamaze, Bradley, and HypnoBirthing are some of the more popular classes couples take, but there are plenty of other methods for those looking for something a little different. Keep reading for a selection of slightly under the radar preparation techniques.

Kambiri Has a Mama to Love Her . . . But We Love Her, Too!

PetSugar — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:05:10 PDT

I'm not quite sure what makes Pygmy Hippopotamuses so cute - their small size or seriously squinty expressions. Take Kambiri, for example, she's giving the camera the stink eye like the man behind it is about to steal her leaf . . . that's also bigger than her head. Don't worry, lil girl, all eyes are on you, not the foliage!
Born in Sydney's Taronga Zoo - also the home to that superstar pygmy hippo named Monifa in 2008 - Kambiri is the first babe being raised by her birth mama in over 20 years!

See more cuteness of Kambiri and Petre when you

View 12 Photos ›