If you are reading this while pregnant and therefore reaching numbers on the scale you have never seen before, congratulations and do not be alarmed. Please know this: You are not fat. You are pregnant. Your body is working like a retailer before Christmas readying itself to deliver.

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am currently 38 weeks and five days pregnant and I had my weekly OB appointment today with my midwife. She checked me and I am about 75% effaced, but have not yet begun to dilate. She said that next week at my next appointment they will again check me and they will start to rupture my membranes for me to get things going. What can I expect at this visit and does that mean that I will have my baby next weekend? My due date is next Sunday, November 7th.

Thanks.

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
What determines when a woman will start showing -- weight, height, genetics, water retention, none of the above? My sister is 15 weeks pregnant and is not showing at all. I'm 12 weeks and am really showing. She's much more slender then I am, weighing about 15-20 pounds less (same height though). Just curious on why this is.

Thanks,
JKoestler

QUESTION

Dear Nutritionist,
I am very worried I did something harmful for my baby. I am 19 weeks pregnant.

I went to Panera for lunch and got a chicken sandwich. I ate a few big bites before it occurred to me that the cold chicken might be a bad idea. I looked it up and realized that we are not to eat cold chicken sandwiches while pregnant.

How badly did I mess up? What are the odds I've hurt by baby?

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I had a miscarriage 3 weeks ago, I bleed for only a few days. My husband and I decided to start trying as soon as possible again. My Ob advised this was fine from 2 weeks as this is when I am likely to ovulate. I did ovulation tests from day 11 of my cycle and we started trying from then.

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I'm 23 years old. 5'7" and was about 126lbs at the start of the year. I decided to start running as part of my New Years Resolution. I'm in no way a "runner" and much more than a mile or so is tough but I have stuck to it. I am now 120lbs and my period is late.

My last period was on Jan. 22nd. My periods are usually 28-31 days apart. I am now on day 34 with no period. I had sex on Jan 26th (still bleeding a little) and again Feb. 23rd.

This is biased, so I will defer to our other members to review the product and share what they think. The product is chewable prenatal vitamins from Bloom'en Nutrition which were specifically designed for expecting mothers who could not tolerate large prenatal vitamin pills. The soft chews, they are kind of like a Starburst candy, provide the omega 3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) as well as folic acid and vitamin D. The product is intended to help expecting mothers get access to the folic acid and DHA that they need, even if they can't swallow prenatal horse pills.