Delivery + Caring for a Newborn During a Pandemic
Tips on what to expect during prenatal care and delivery. CDC disinfection protocols, breastfeeding, and resources for new parents are discussed. Updated on April 2, 2020, we also talk about questions you should ask and about going back to work after delivery.
Using Telehealth For OB Patients During COVID-19
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telehealth was minimal in obstetric practice in the US. Despite its growth in other healthcare areas, few healthcare facilities or providers were set up to provide OB telehealth services. However, in the short span of 4-6 weeks, this has changed dramatically.
COVID-19 & Pregnancy: UPDATED Resources for Expectant and New Parents
Pregnancy and life with a newborn during the COVID-19 pandemic is frightening. We’ve asked members of our medical advisory board to continue to contribute the most relevant and up-to-date resources that they find as the situation evolves. We’ll continue to update this post as new information is available.
New Fetal Surgery Treatment for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Fetal Health Foundation Medical Advisory Board member Dr. Ahmet Baschat and 2015 Recipient of the Brianna Marie Memorial Research grant Dr. Jena Miller are co-authors of a new Johns Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy study that gives hope to families experiencing a diagnosis of fetal congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Lucy’s sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) story
Lucy’s tumor was Type 3, both internal and external, and much larger than her doctors considered operable. It was also mostly solid, which meant it required a blood supply, causing the heart to work harder to supply blood to both the baby and the tumor.
Best Apps for First-Time Parents
While we tend to use our phones as entertainment devices more often than not, smartphones are also full of information and tools for new parents. Whether you want to track your baby’s development in utero, log some of the less glamorous aspects of parenthood after birth, or just snap photos of your precious new addition, you can do it all with the help of your phone.
2019 Fetal Health Foundation Impact Report
Your support made a real difference to young families facing a fetal syndrome diagnosis. Read about the impact that the Fetal Health Foundation made in 2019. Download the report PDF and share!
How to Holiday Shop for the New Parents on Your List
Gift ideas can be hard to come by when you’re getting ready for the holidays; some friends and loved ones are just plain hard to buy for, or you may be on a budget that keeps you from buying the items you really want to get. When it comes to the new parents on your list, however, there are so many great choices that will help them feel better as they go through all the roughest parts of parenthood.
Daddy’s Diet Matters Too: How What Men Eat and Drink Affects Fetal Health
Until more recently, men’s diets and their effects on fetal health have never been taken into consideration. Dads, it may be time to hold off on that loaded cheeseburger and side of chili cheese fries. Here’s a look at why.
UC San Francisco Team Named Winner of Brianna Marie Memorial Research Grant for a Second Time
The recipient of this year’s Brianna Marie Memorial Research Grant goes for a second time to Dr. Teresa Sparks and team at the University of California, San Francisco to further support the completion of your research project titled “Non-Immune Hydrops Fetalis: Toward a Precision-Based Approach.”
Foods to Avoid When Pregnant
Whether it’s your first or fifth pregnancy, this is a special time.
It is crucial to carefully consider what you are eating and make sure you are on a healthy balanced diet throughout your pregnancy.
While you may have to cut out some foods for nine months, some are okay in small amounts.
PTSD and the NICU: When the Feelings Linger
9 years after our 100-day stay at the NICU, I was suddenly paralyzed by PTSD. Every horrible feeling of fear, anxiety, despair, and anger came flooding back all at once, as a sucker punch to the gut. Emotional scars I thought long healed were bleeding again, as I hurt for my friend and for my own experiences.
Dr. Chmait Performs Minimally-Invasive Fetoscopic Surgery for Spina Bifida
“We have a unique approach that is a technique first established in Brazil by Dr. Lapa, and we brought it over to the United States. Dr. Quintero and I have put together a fetoscopic treatment that is FDA approved to repair open spina bifida, that is entirely percutaneous (there is no laparotomy and no hysterectomy),” said Dr. Ramen Chmait, Director, Los Angeles Fetal Surgery.
The Best Possible Chance at a Fantastic Life
I saw my physician’s name come across my phone screen, and my heart sank. He explained that the ultrasound showed an abnormality, and he predicted a spina bifida diagnosis. I had no idea what that meant, and the rest of the words coming out of his mouth became a blur.
Noelle’s Light
I was so, so terrified. Not for me, but for her. Would she be okay? Would she be in pain? Please just save her! As I wheeled away from my family, the only feeling I remember is fear. In the OR, faces I didn’t know surrounded me. I was squeezing the hand of a person I’d never met as they prepped me for the emergency C-section.
Spina Bifida Research at UC Davis Provides Hope
Spina bifida, which literally means “cleft or split spine,” is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,645 babies are born in the U.S. with spina bifida each year.
Eli’s Story: Finding a Miracle at the End of a Diagnosis
“There’s a major problem with your pregnancy.” Are words no expecting parents anticipate hearing. At our routine twenty-week ultrasound, the ultrasound technician got the doctor, and we heard the words that would forever change our lives. “The bladder isn’t releasing urine” and “the amniotic fluid level is dangerously low.”
Babywearing and the Impact It Has on the Bond Between Baby and Caretaker
Kangaroo care (KC, sometimes referred to as “skin-to-skin”) is the most optimal way to promote close contact and can be done by placing your diapered (undressed) baby on your bare chest. This seemingly insignificant practice will actually promote a strong and healthy relationship between caregiver and baby while helping baby thrive exponentially.
Family Celebrates One-in-a-Million Odds
During Alysha’s 23rd week of pregnancy, their unborn daughter was diagnosed with a rare tumor growing on her heart. Fewer than one in a million babies develop this type of tumor – called a fetal pericardial teratoma – which often results in death.
Encouraging an Early Love of Real Food
By 15 months, babies eat 6½ teaspoons of added sugars per day, mainly from fruit drinks, soda, cookies, sweetened yogurt and ready-eat-cereals, which are introduced into the diet as early as 9 months. What it means: To put that into perspective, an 8-ounce cup of cola has about 6 ½ teaspoons of sugar. So, babies are eating as much sugar in a day as what you’ll find in an entire cup of soda!
Mother’s Mental Health: Caring for Yourself After a Difficult Pregnancy Diagnosis
By: Kylee Bennett Nearly 120,000 infants are born with congenital defects each year, and they don't always go on to live happy lives. If you’ve received a difficult fetal syndrome diagnosis, you’re certainly not alone. During this challenging time, it can be easy to...
Curing Spina Bifida
Growing up in the 1960’s, Dr. Diana Farmer’s mother taught Sunday school for disabled children where she first met children who had spina bifida.
“It was a really crummy disease,” Farmer said. Dr. Farmer is now leading innovative research, which holds promise of saving lives and lifetimes.
VIDEO: Fetal Surgery to Treat Paralysis Associated with Spina Bifida
In the video she discusses the improvements that resulted from the initial fetal surgeries, including a reduction in the need for shunts. She now believes that with the latest breakthroughs involving fetal surgery and stem cells that the paralysis associated with spina bifida will be cured in her lifetime.
Everett’s Update: Flourishing After Fetoscopic Surgery
Most mothers would probably tell their child to sit down and stop standing on the chair in the middle of their family photography session. But when you’re told your son will never walk and he mischievously climbs onto a chair with no help and stands there, posing for the camera … well, you let him do it.
When You Need To Start Baby Proofing
Your question should not be whether or not your child will find hazards in the home, but how soon and where will they find them. 2,700 children die from preventable injuries each year, and the majority of preventable injuries occur in the home. 120,000 children are permanently disabled from these preventable injuries. Learn the habits you should adopt to keep your children safe.