A lot of worrying comes with being pregnant, there’s no way around it. Every new symptom brings on so many questions, and even the slightest twinge of pain in any part of your body can send you into a Googling frenzy.

Anytime you feel severe, persistent pain, you should seek medical advice from your doctor to rule out a problem. But many moms find that slight to moderate pains come and go, and most of these are just par for the course. Here are some painful problems that are typically normal and part of a safe, healthy pregnancy, plus some tips from Circle of Moms members on how to relieve the hurt.

1. Round Ligament Pain

One of the first pains you might experience as your belly starts to grow is round ligament pain. These are felt primarily in the lower abdomen and in your sides, sometimes as a sharp, jabbing sensation. According to WebMD, round ligament pain occurs when the round ligament that connects the front part of your womb to your groin begins to stretch. It is "one of the most common complaints during pregnancy and is considered a normal part of pregnancy."
In discussions about round ligament pain, Maddie B. describes it as "sharp pains in my belly and my back, also sometimes in my bladder." Serena L. found the pains to be worse in her second pregnancy: "I thought it would have been the opposite because logically your muscles have to stretch the first time more, right? Yeah, not so much. My doctor explained it to me that the muscles have to work harder with every pregnancy thereafter because your first baby stretched things out."
Sally P. and Lisa M. both found that the only thing that really helps is to lay down for a while and rest the ligament: "I went and laid down and took a nap for about a hour and then I was better," shares Lisa.


2. Slight Abdominal Cramping

Obviously, ligaments aren't the only thing stretching and growing in there! Your uterus is going through some 'feats of strength' itself, and that kind of expansion can cause some pain. When "Mommy 2 Be" had cramping at 17 weeks, moms advised her to see her doctor or go to the hospital if the pain became severe. But several members, as well as her own mother, advised that slight to moderate cramps usually happen when the uterus is "growing and stretching."
Abdominal cramps that happen very early in pregnancy can be caused by bloating and constipation, a very common yet uncomfortable pregnancy side effect. This kind of cramping can be one of the first signs of pregnancy, but can also continue well into the 2nd and 3rd trimester. Luckily there are some things you can do to help keep your bowels moving. Melanie T. suggests eating "anything with fiber!" and plenty of fluids, especially prune juice and water. Many moms say drinking lots of water works best. Joy B.'s doctor also recommended exercise: "i go for a walk of between 2 and 4 km every day as moving around also helps ease constipation."
If natural remedies don't do the trick, it is safe to try a very gentle over-the-counter stool softener. Amber K. is a nurse and mom of 2, and she suggests Colace brand stool softener: "[Colace] is just a stool softener...not a stimulant and perfectly safe... They are little red gel-like caps and they are sold over the counter (OTC) at any store."

Between carting kids around to soccer practice and piano lessons, to managing work, PTA meetings, and running the household, moms can seem like superheroes. We've come up with the top 10 essentials that every mom-on-the-go should have on hand to make that transformation into Supermom just a little easier.

Tissues
From wiping little noses to a quick solution for mopping up spilled juice, tissues can be a life saver when you're in a tight spot. Throw a pack in your purse to ensure you're never caught off-guard.

Baby wipes
Baby wipes aren't just for baby's bottom--they're also perfect for quick clean-ups in the car, wiping off germy shopping cart handles, or for freshening up during a long day. Their many uses make them an essential item to always have on hand.

Hand SanitizerWhen soap and water isn't an option, hand sanitizer is the perfect substitute for cleaning little hands in a pinch. A quick drop can kill most germs, and works great for eating on the go or cleaning up after the playground.

Daily Calendar
Keeping track of your child's busy schedule, not to mention your own, can be a job in itself. A daily calendar where you can jot appointments, practices, and important memos will help keep you sane and organized. Purchase a pocket-sized one to fit in your purse so your schedule is always at your fingertips.

Smartphone Apps
Running errands all day with your kids in tow can be taxing on everyone. Download a few age-appropriate smartphone apps to keep your little ones entertained in the car, at the grocery store, or in waiting rooms.

Portable Snacks and Juice Boxes
If your child turns into a monster when he is hungry, you know the importance of having some snacks always at the ready. Portable foods like fruit and granola bars, juice boxes, and extra sippy cups are just right for when you're on the run and your child is ravenous.

Digital Camera
A picture-perfect moment can crop up at any time, and having a digital camera in your purse will ensure you never miss the opportunity to snap a picture. You'll never regret having too many pictures of your children and the memories that come with them.

Bandages
Boo-boos and bang-ups are bound to happen, but they're usually nothing a little bandage and a kiss can't fix. Keep a couple packages of different sized bandages in your purse so you can fix-up any scrapes your child manages to get during his day.

Stain Remover Wipes
No matter how careful you try to be, kids always manage to stain their clothes. Keep some stain remover wipes on hand to quickly remove any spills, messes, or marks from your child's clothing.

A Cute Bag for Mom
Just because you have to lug around a bag of mom essentials doesn't mean you can't look good while doing it. Toting a fashionable bag you love will help you feel chic and put together, even when life can feel a little hectic.

Here is their original story:

PREMATURE babies have a better chance of survival now, due to advances in medical technology and knowledge. But sometimes the best medicine lies not in expensive machines but in the simple touch of another person.

The story of twins Brielle and Kyrie Jackson of Westminster, Massachusetts, in the United States made national headlines five years ago and began a revolution in the way multiple-birth babies are treated in their first weeks of life. Not yet a month old, Brielle was losing her fight for life. Born along with her twin, Kyrie, on October 17, 1995, she weighed only two pounds at birth. While Kyrie, three ounces heavier but much stronger, thrived, Brielle's breathing and heart rate were poor and nothing the doctors at The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts-Memorial tried seemed to make any difference.
On November 12, Brielle's condition worsened dramatically. "She was turning colors," the twins' mother, Heidi Jackson, said. "She was getting really worked up. Her heart rate was way up. She was getting hiccups. You could tell she was just completely stressed out."
Nurse Gayle Kasparian, desperately seeking something to help Brielle, remembered hearing about a technique rarely used in America called "double bedding" or "co-bedding." Twins and other multiple-birth babies are put in the same crib, where, like in their mother's womb, they lie close together.

Even pools that look pristine harbour dangers for infants. "For newborns younger than 2 months we really worry about immunity — how vulnerable babies are to illness — so I recommend that parents not take their young infants into swimming pools, lakes, the ocean, and so on," says Howard Reinstein, a pediatrician in Encino, California and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pools can easily be contaminated with bacteria that cause diarrhea, which can be very dangerous for a young infant.

Also, because your baby won't be able to regulate his body temperature until he's around 6 to 12 months old, you need to make sure the water's warm enough for him. "If the water feels chilly to you, it will be really cold for your baby," Dr. Reinstein says. The pool should be at least 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for your baby to be comfortable. If he starts shivering, it's time to get out of the water. Too much heat can be a problem, too. Hot tubs, spas, and pools heated to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit are off limits to children younger than 5. Young children overheat more quickly than adults and the high temperatures in hot tubs can cause a child's heart to race or pose other dangers..

Finally, think about water safety. Drowning and near drowning are leading causes of death and injury for young children. Keep the following safety tips in mind when you're around any body of water with your child.

 

WITHOUT doubt, one of the hottest naming trends of the moment is the choice of a unisex name. 

From Alex to Spencer or Angel to Skye, dual-gender names are often seen as a way of giving a stylish and modern name that breaks the boundaries a little, providing your child with an identity that lets them stand out from the crowd.   
Many names have fluctuated between being predominantly male or female through the years – Ashley, traditionally a girl’s name is now on the rise as a boys name, whereas Reece is becoming increasingly popular amongst girls. And with more and more unisex names continually being added to the mix, if you are thinking of choosing a gender-neutral name, the options are getting bigger by the day.
 
Why choose a unisex name?There are a variety of reasons you might consider a unisex name for your child: 

• Unisex names are a great way to pass on a family name.
• You might have a name you have always liked and want to use it regardless of gender the baby is born
• You can choose a single name during pregnancy, without needing to know the gender 
• A unisex middle name can provide a great alternative for them to their first name, if they want something a little different when they get older

Pros and cons of a unisex nameChoosing a unisex name carries a number of pros and cons that are worth bearing in mind.

 Pros:

• For girls in the professional world, having a name that could be thought of as gender neutral might give them an advantage on paper, as they can prove themselves on their work ethic and skill instead of being judged initially on their gender
• It is a name that they themselves will be able to pass down for generations to come, regardless of the gender of their children
• It steps away from tradition and gives your child something a little different

 
Cons:

• Having to clarify your gender could pose difficult situations in a child’s life
• Choosing the wrong name could lead to schoolyard teasing, particularly for boys: for example, it is more accepted for a girl to have a traditionally male name such as Billie, than a boy to have a traditionally female name such as Vyvien! 
• Though a name might be trending towards one gender when chosen, it could sway back to being the opposite gender by the time they are an adult, creating more and more situations where they have to clarify their gender in their adult life

Considering a celebrity unisex name?Celebrity popularity is one of the many influences fuelling this gender-neutral trend. Cameron became popular amongst girls once Cameron Diaz shot to fame in the 1990’s, whilst Kelly became increasingly prevalent as a boy’s name after Kelly Slater emerged as a surfing legend. Taylor shot up in the choices for both boys and girls since Taylor Lautner hit our screens in Twilight, alongside Taylor Swift topping the charts. And now recently, Harper, traditionally a male name, is starting to trend for girls since Harper Beckham arrived. 
 

TV characters have also contributed to the growing proportion of girls being given traditionally male names - Gilmore Girls with Rory, Grey’s Anatomy with Addison, Gossip Girl with Blair - whilst Quinn, another traditionally male name, is predicted to be popular amongst girls this year thanks to Glee success.
 
Many celebrity parents are also now opting for unisex names for their babies:

• Reiley: daughter to Stella McCartney
• Billie: daughter to Rebecca Gayheart & Eric Dane
• Bailey: daughter to Melissa Etheridge
• Dylan: daughter to Robin Wright & Sean Penn; son to Catherine Zeta Jones & Michael Douglas
• Angel: son to Kirk Hammett

 
Still unsure?If you like the idea of a unisex name, but are unsure about making the leap completely, there is always the option of going for a classic feminine name with unisex nickname – Charlotte becomes Charlie, Bernadette becomes Bernie, Samantha to Sam and Josephine to Jo. 

Yet if you like the name, but are concerned about the ambiguous gender implications, many names offer a female/male spelling to clarify the gender - Sidney/Sydney, Robyn/Robin, Kerrie/Kerry… or simply make up your own! 

EVEN for infants born full-term, a little more time in the womb may matter.

The extra time results in more brain development, and a study suggests perhaps better scores on academic tests, too.
Full-term is generally between 37 weeks and 41 weeks; newborns born before 37 weeks are called premature and are known to face increased chances for health and developmental problems.
The children in the study were all full-term, and the vast majority did fine on third-grade math and reading tests. The differences were small, but the study found that more kids born at 37 or 38 weeks did poorly than did kids born even a week or two later.
The researchers and other experts said the results suggested that the definition of prematurity should be reconsidered.
The findings also raise questions about hastening childbirth by scheduling cesarean deliveries for convenience—because women are tired of being pregnant or doctors are busy—rather than for medical reasons, the researchers said.
Women should “at least proceed with caution before electing to have an earlier term birth,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Kimberly Noble, an assistant pediatrics professor at Columbia University Medical Center.
The study involved 128,000 New York City public school children and included a sizable number of kids from disadvantaged families. But the authors said similar results likely would be found in other children, too.

Poor reading skills
Of the children born at 37 weeks, 2.3 percent had severely poor reading skills and 1.1 percent had at least moderate problems in math. That compares to 1.8 percent and 0.9 percent for the children born at 41 weeks.
Children born at 38 weeks faced only slightly lower risks than those born at 37 weeks.
Compared with those born at 41 weeks, children born at 37 weeks faced a 33-percent increased chance of having severe reading difficulty in third grade, and a 19 percent greater chance of having moderate problems in math.
“These outcomes are critical and predict future academic achievement,” said Naomi Breslau, a Michigan State University professor and sociologist. Her own research has linked lower IQs in 6-year-olds born weighing the same as the average birth weights at 37 and 38 weeks’ gestation, compared with those born heavier.

‘Quite a stir’
The study was published online Monday in Pediatrics.
The research “will cause quite a stir,” said Dr. Judy Aschner, a pediatrics professor and neonatology director at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“There are still a lot of babies who are being delivered more or less electively at 37 and 38 weeks, with people thinking, ‘This is no big deal—these babies are full-term.’ I think this is a big deal,” said Aschner, who was not involved in the study.
According to Aschner, no one is recommending trying to delay childbirth for women who go into labor at 37 weeks or 38 weeks.
“I don’t want to panic moms whose babies come at 37 weeks,” she said. “But those elective early deliveries really need to stop.”
Some hospitals including Vanderbilt require obstetricians planning elective C-sections to complete a checklist and if appropriate boxes aren’t checked, the operation can’t be performed, Aschner said.

Risk factors
In the study, 15 percent of children were born in C-section operations but there was no information on how many of these were elective or medically necessary procedures.
C-sections can cause birth complications that also increase chances for developmental delays.
But the researchers took that into account, along with other risk factors including low birth weight, lack of prenatal care, smoking during pregnancy and neighborhood poverty—all of which could contribute to academic difficulties.
And they still found that birth at 37 weeks and 38 weeks was an additional risk.

AN online survey has revealed 42 per cent of children first use bad language by three years of age.

By kindergarten, more than 90 per cent of children have uttered their first rude word, leaving parents in shock, a survey has found.

Swear words starting with "f" and "s" were the most common first naughty word. Bloody, used by 5 per cent of children as their first bad word, ranks as the third most common. The two most popular expletives each was expressed by 28 per cent of children.

Linguistics expert Kate Burridge said it was not surprising children experiment with swearing as lively language is very much part of our vernacular. "They soon learn they get maximum attention (with a curse word)", Professor Burridge, of Monash University, said.

"In the old days they might have had their mouths washed out with soap or been sent to the bedroom with no supper but they get maximum attention and learn how potent these words are."

Parents admit their children often heard their first curse at home (52.7 per cent) but the overwhelming majority (78.4 per cent) actively discourage swearing. The second most common place for children to pick up obscenities was in the playground at school or pre-school (48.2 per cent) followed by television (31 per cent).

Sitting in the back seat of the car is another good place for kids to learn foul language (15 per cent).

Parents who generally refrain from swearing admit stressful driving situations have caused them unintentionally to use bad language in front of their child (9.7 per cent).

Etiquette expert June Dally-Watkins said the level of swearing on TV and in public was unacceptable. "I think it is disgusting and should be taboo," she said. "Parents should not permit it. Swearing is ugly. There is too much bad language going on and too much on television."

Ms Dally-Watkins said parents posting clips of swearing toddlers on YouTube was horrifying. Most parents agree with her.

Professor Burridge said foul language was not considered as bad as racist, sexist or religionist language. He advised parents did not need to panic if their child swore. "It is probably best to treat these as ordinary words," she said. "They have always been an important part of the vernacular." 

QUEENSLAND’S dynamic new premier Campbell “Can-Do” Newman will tackle the nuts and bolts of how he is implementing his 100-day plan in relation to parents in his electorate at a special Mums Brunch in Ashgrove.

The Mums Brunch, hosted by West Brisbane parents’ publication the KindyNews, will be held at the Marinara Café and Restaurant in Latrobe Terrace on Friday, July 27, 2012.

“We are very honored and excited about having the premier as our special guest in July,” KindyNews spokesman Karen Jackman said. “We are looking forward to hearing him articulate and outline his “Can-Do” plan to parents in his electorate. Our readers support and respect his energetic and positive approach to facing up to a very difficult challenge. This is going to be a must-attend event for Ashgrove parents.”

Also a key speaker at the brunch is the chief executive of Queensland’s largest and longest established kindergarten provider.

C&K Preschooling Professionals’ Barrie Elvish will speak about “Children’s Right to Childhood”.  In particular, Mr Elvish will outline how C&K plans to action this view at its newly acquired Ashgrove premises: 

“We have just purchased part of the old Ithaca TAFE at Ashgrove and we intend creating an outdoor environment which challenges not just the existing regulations and future regulations, but also the perceptions of what might be safe and unsafe environments for children,” he said.

KindyNews’ Mums Brunches are held periodically for parents of young children as a relaxed forum for social engagement and the discussion of community issues relating to parents and carers of young families.

Event: KindyNews Mums Brunch
Theme: Letting Brisbane Kids Be Kids
Speakers: State Premier and member for Ashgrove Campbell Newman, Chief Executive of C&K Preschooling Professionals Barrie Elvish
When: 10am-12 noon Friday July 27, 2012
Where: Marinara Café and Restaurant, 34 Latrobe Tce, Paddington
Contact: Karen Jackman
Telephone/Email:  (07) 3870-3234 / 0406 2222 59  media@kindynews.com
RSVP: ASAP

CHILDREN would be given trees to climb in, a creek to explore and material to build cubby houses under proposals for a new childcare centre and kindergarten which aims to buck the trend of wrapping them in cotton wool. 

The proposal by C&K, which runs a string of childcare centres, comes as the organisation dedicates an entire weekend conference to the topic of "children's right to childhood" and the consequences of risk aversion.

International speakers, including New York's Lenore Skenazy who was dubbed America's worst mum after she let her nine-year-old travel by himself on the subway, will address the C&K early childhood annual conference at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

C&K chief executive Barrie Elvish said that over the past decade there appeared to be an increasing emphasis "on creating what the regulators and the governments like to say is safe environments for children to play in".

"By making it too safe we are actually not giving children the opportunity to build resilience," he said.

"What C&K is doing about it, apart from this conference . . . we have just purchased part of the old Ithaca TAFE at Ashgrove and we intend creating an outdoor environment which challenges not just the existing regulations and future regulations, but also the perceptions of what might be safe and unsafe environments for children.

"We are not talking about blindfold bungy jumps.

"We are talking about the ability for a child to learn through mistakes and a child to learn through failure - a child to learn if you do jump off something too high it might hurt you when you land."

Mr Elvish said it was part of a risk-benefit, rather than just risk, approach championed by conference keynote speaker Tim Gill, who helped change the way the United Kingdom Government viewed playground risk.

Yesterday Mr Gill said the journey to being a capable adult involved "a few bumps and scrapes and knocks".

LISTEN up, dads, according to PlumDistrict.com, most of you usually forget mum on Mothers Day.

This year, 62 percent of consumers polled by PriceGrabber plan to spend less than $100 on Mother's Day gifts and most will be ordered online. Flowers will be the most popular purchase; gift cards, clothing and accessories are next in line. But the tangible items that will be given to moms on May 13th aren't exactly in tune with what they want -- survey after survey reveals that this Mother's Day, mom's greatest wish is for a little R&R, ideally an entire day off from all responsibility.

PlumDistrict.com polled over 19,000 women and eight out of ten said they would prefer to sleep in on Mother’s Day instead of watching the sunrise with their kids. One out of three admitted that they secretly want to be alone on the holiday.

Forty-eight percent of moms who participated in an online survey for Ebates.com named a day at the spa as their number one gift choice. Men, however, mistakenly ranked spa day as number three on the list of what they think their partners want, placing flowers and jewelry above.

When CafeMom readers were asked to contribute to a Mother's Day wish list, the theme was overwhelmingly the same. "A day off from EVERYTHING," one woman responded. "Just one morning to sleep in! My 9 month old loooove being an alarm clock at 4 a.m.," another pleaded.

Tell us what you REALLY want this Mother’s Day by tweeting @kindynews #momwants.