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7 pregnancy mistakes to stop right now
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Here are 7 mistakes pregnant woman should avoid at all costs. - photo by Tamsyn Valentine
When I became pregnant with my first child, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I turned to three sources: the Internet, my mom, and my best friend.

Most of the time, these three sources covered the basics of what I needed to know, or what they thought I needed to know, but sometimes they conflicted or just confused me. I quickly learned that my doctor was the best source, along with books he recommended.

These helpful insights not only helped me to know what I should start doing, but the things that I needed to stop.

For those of you in the same boat, or for those of you preparing for pregnancy, here are 7 pregnancy mistakes I learned that are important to stop immediately- for the health of your new baby and yourself.

1. Not getting enough sleep

For most women nowadays, the world does not stop the moment she finds out she is pregnant. You still have to work, pay bills, feed yourself and your husband, etc. But the one thing that pregnant woman need to make sure they are getting is a sufficient amount of sleep.

Your body and your baby are going through massive changes and it needs all the energy it can get. Sleep deprivation is one of the worst things you can do, so try to go to bed earlier or make time for napping to get the sleep you need. We all know once the baby comes that sleep will be a hot commodity you wont be able to get enough of.

2. Eating for two

Pregnancy is not an excuse to start eating whatever the heck you want. Weight gain is necessary and healthy, but gaining too much weight can create problems for you and your baby and is completely unnecessary. You and your doctor know how much weight gain is appropriate.

Make sure to eat as many nutrient rich foods as possible. Most doctors say 200-300 extra calories is the right amount. Eat 5 small meals a day. Know that it is ok to indulge every once in a while, but dont overdo it.

3. Not exercising

Exercising during pregnancy is just as important as eating right. Even if you did not exercise a ton before you got pregnant, doing some form of activity during pregnancy is recommended. Obviously if this is the case, talk to your doctor and make sure everything is a-ok, and then they will probably recommend what you can and cant do.

There are many videos, You-tube channels, books, and trainers who can help you come up with a good exercise routine for pregnancy. If that doesnt interest you, or you dont have the time and money, just make sure to take frequent walks or light runs.

4. Not talking to your baby

This is one that I did not understand was actually super important, but it definitely is. Talking to your baby-bump is a great way to begin bonding with your baby, so do it as much as possible. Read to it, stroke it, sing to it, play music to it. Whatever it may be, it is never too soon to start telling your baby how much you love it.

5. Getting too stressed

Some studies show that high levels of stress in pregnancy may cause certain problems during childhood, like having trouble paying attention or being afraid. Its possible that stress may also affect your babys brain development or immune system. Trying relaxation techniques and making sure to not put yourself in high-stress environments help with this issue. Dont be afraid to ask your spouse for help with things that are stressing you out.

6. Not researching healthcare

Healthcare is absolutely essential when having a baby. If you havent had healthcare before, this is the time to research and research some more to make an informed decision about the type of care you will need and where you will decide to have your baby.

If you already have healthcare, this is a good time to double-check that you have the coverage you need for how you are deciding to have your baby, such as an at-home birth vs. hospital birth.

7. Not joining a birthing class/Lamaze class

If you dont even know what this is, find out as soon as you can. These classes offer great insight and help, especially for first-timers. Usually the hospital where you are going to have your baby offers these types of classes, and they are relatively cheap. If not, just go online and look for one in your city or a city near you. These classes are a necessity and should not be put off or not done. Having a baby is a big responsibility and doing everything you can to prepare for it is only going to help you both in the end.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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