Healthy Pregnancy

The Business of Being Born: A Must-See Documentary for Expectant Parents

Dr. Ben Kim — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 07:00:00 +0000

My wife and I haven't agreed on every little thing over the years, but there is one thing that we have always agreed on: the best experiences of our lives so far have been the home births of our two sons.

I still remember both home births as though they occurred a few hours ago.

Margaret's labor with our firstborn was about six hours long. With the help of three midwives, we sweated and huffed and puffed our way through every hour. And I mean we.

About halfway through the labor, I distinctly remember thinking, I'll never say no to this woman again...whatever she asks for from now on, my answer will be yes. I know this is a bit of a funny thought to have had while she was crushing my hands during each wave of contractions, but the point that shouldn't be missed is this: I felt some serious respect and awe for my wife as I witnessed her giving birth to our firstborn. Read more

Breastfeeding Tips For First-Time Moms

Margaret Kim — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Children's Health Issues

Healthy Pregnancy

This article was originally published in May, 2006

It's no secret that breastfeeding provides both a mother and her baby with numerous physical and emotional health benefits.

Unfortunately, some new moms who have every intention of nursing their babies end up switching to formula within the first few weeks of their babies' lives. Read more

Vitamin K at Birth: To Inject or Not

Dr. Ben Kim — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:37:18 +0000

Children's Health Issues

Healthy Pregnancy

Before my wife gave birth to our first child, our primary midwife asked us to think about whether we wanted our child to receive a vitamin K shot after he was born or not.

Vitamin K shots are routinely administered to newborn babies because 1.8 out of every 100,000 babies who do not receive vitamin K injections suffer permanent injury or death due to uncontrolled bleeding in the brain that may be the result of having extremely low levels of vitamin K in their systems. Read more

Are You Having A Baby Boy Or A Baby Girl?

Dr. Ben Kim — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 18:32:07 +0000

Healthy Pregnancy

During the second half of my wife's first pregnancy, our mothers and aunts told us that we were definitely going to have a baby boy.

How did they know with such certainty?

Because Margaret gained the bulk of her pregnancy weight at the front of her abdomen.

According to widely accepted folklore, if weight gain during pregnancy occurs mainly at the front of the abdomen, one can expect a baby boy. If weight gain occurs more evenly throughout a woman's body and face, it's most likely a girl. Read more

How To Prevent Your Toddler From Being Jealous Of A New Sibling

Dr. Ben Kim — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:47:47 +0000

Children's Health Issues

Healthy Pregnancy

Jealousy. Nowhere is this emotion more evident than in a toddler who suddenly finds a new baby in the house to gobble up mommy's and daddy's attention.

My mother-in-law once told me about walking into a room to see her then-5-year-old son about to smother his infant sister's (my wife) face with a pillow. In the same breath of laughter, she went on to tell of another time when she was nursing her youngest, when suddenly, her baby screamed in pain. My mother-in-law wheeled around to discover that her son had pinched his baby sister on the arm while he was behind his mother's back. Read more

Death By Lethal Vaccine Injection

Dr. Ben Kim — Wed, 24 May 2006 05:00:00 +0000

Health Warnings

Children's Health Issues

Healthy Pregnancy

Preface

Having a son of our own, it was crushing to read the following story about a mother and father losing their precious baby. I greatly respect and appreciate the courage that it must have taken for Christine Colebeck to share her experience with others. Thank you, Christine, for sharing Laura's story with us.

- Ben Kim

***

By Christine Colebeck Read more

Ultrasound: Weighing the Propaganda Against the Facts

Guest Writer — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 06:00:00 +0000

Healthy Pregnancy

By Beverley Lawrence Beech

The use of ultrasound in antenatal care is big business, and in any big business marketing is all-important. As a result of decades of enthusiastic marketing, women believe they can ensure the well-being of their babies by reporting for an early ultrasound scan and that early detection of a problem is beneficial for these babies. That is not necessarily so, and there are a number of studies which show that early detection can be harmful. Read more

Skin-To-Skin Contact Is Healthy For Mothers And Their Babies

Dr. Ben Kim — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 06:00:00 +0000

Children's Health Issues

Healthy Pregnancy

One of the reasons why my wife and I decided to have a home birth was to ensure that our baby would go straight where he belonged as soon as he entered the world: to my wife's chest. It saddens me to know that providing newborn babies with immediate physical contact with their mothers is not always given the priority it deserves in today's health care system. Read more

Breastfeeding: Best for Baby and Mother

Margaret Kim — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 06:00:00 +0000

Children's Health Issues

Healthy Pregnancy

One of the most powerful ways of giving your baby a healthy start in life is by breastfeeding. The following are a few of the numerous physical and mental benefits of breastfeeding: Read more

Cry It Out: The Potential Dangers of Leaving Your Baby to Cry

Margaret Kim — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 06:00:00 +0000

Children's Health Issues

Healthy Pregnancy

Among parents of infants these days, there is constant debate about how to respond to a baby’s cries. On one hand, there are proponents of the “cry it out” method, where the baby is left alone to cry in the hopes that he or she will eventually stop. On the other hand, there are the “attachment parents” who respond immediately to their crying babies and attempt to soothe them using various methods including holding and cuddling. While the cry-it-out method (CIO) has been popular in previous years, attachment parenting (AP) is gaining a foothold among new parents today. Read more

Is Ultrasound Scanning During Pregnancy Worth the Risks?

Dr. Ben Kim — Mon, 20 Dec 2004 06:00:00 +0000

Healthy Pregnancy

While ultrasound scanning doesn't pose the same dangers to human and fetal health as ionizing radiation, it is a mistake to think that ultrasound is entirely safe for a baby growing in your womb.

Ultrasound scanning works by sending sound waves into your tissues. As these sound waves bounce off of your tissues, a picture is created.

These sound waves are capable of producing the following physiological effects: Read more