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	<title>Kristie McNealy, MD &#187; Pregnancy</title>
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	<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com</link>
	<description>Healthy Living at Home</description>
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		<title>My Funny Valentine</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/my-funny-valentine/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/my-funny-valentine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:52:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[full term]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=1145</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Despite the jokes, apparently, the 14th was THE day . . .
The newest member of the McNealy clan made his way into the world today, February 14th, at 1:16am.  A sweet Valentines gift for all of us, weighing in at 7lbs 8ozs and measuring 19 1/2 inches long.  He baked for 2 days longer than [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/my-funny-valentine/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>13</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>39 Weeks . . . and Counting</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/39-weeks-and-counting/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/39-weeks-and-counting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:51:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[39 weeks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=1143</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As of today, I&#8217;m 39 weeks pregnant.  If I don&#8217;t go into labor before tomorrow morning, I&#8217;ll officially be the most pregnant I&#8217;ve ever been &#8211; a concept that seemed ludicrous around the midpoint of this pregnancy.
As much as you might be thinking that I should simply be overjoyed to carry this baby so long, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/39-weeks-and-counting/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Get Me Out Explores the Sometimes Shocking History of Childbirth</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/get-me-out-explores-the-sometimes-shocking-history-of-childbirth/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/get-me-out-explores-the-sometimes-shocking-history-of-childbirth/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:29:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Products and Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[childbirth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Get Me Out]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=1137</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As you&#8217;ve probably noticed by now, I&#8217;ve been a little distracted (perhaps fixated) on when and how our newest addition is going to make his entrance into the world.  Fittingly, I received a copy of Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank by Randi Hutter Epstein, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/get-me-out-explores-the-sometimes-shocking-history-of-childbirth/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Anticipation</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/anticipation/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/anticipation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:36:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[36 weeks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=1122</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many of you caught snippets of this on Twitter yesterday, but here&#8217;s the whole uneventful tale for your reading pleasure . . .
Yesterday while I was doing laundry, I noticed that I was feeling very crampy and uncomfortable.  It was a different sort of uncomfortable than I&#8217;ve had before in this pregnancy, so it crossed [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/anticipation/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pregnancy Pointers &#8211; The Hospital Bag</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/pregnancy-pointers-the-hospital-bag/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/pregnancy-pointers-the-hospital-bag/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:35:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hospital bag]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=1091</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s time to admit that this baby could be here any day now, and to celebrate the occasion I packed my bag for the hospital today.  Actually, it&#8217;s more like repacking, since I put together a bag with some comfort items and few quiet, crafty projects back when I was put on bedrest at 20 [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/pregnancy-pointers-the-hospital-bag/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Breech Babies &#8211; Medical Monday</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/breech-babies-medical-monday/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/breech-babies-medical-monday/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:46:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=1084</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Now that I&#8217;ve hit the 32 week mark, most of my worries over this baby and delivery have shifted away from preterm birth and towards more mundane pregnancy issues. Aside from wicked pelvic pain, the thing that has been on my mind most lately is breech presentation.
My second child was breech, but she was delivered [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/breech-babies-medical-monday/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Managing Pregnancy Weight Gain Through the Holidays</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/managing-pregnancy-weight-gain-through-the-holidays/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/managing-pregnancy-weight-gain-through-the-holidays/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:04:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Nutrition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weight gain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=1078</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The holidays present a challenge to anyone who is trying to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, but being pregnant during the holidays can make life even more challenging.  Between cravings and the abundance of holiday goodies, it can be easy to pack on the pounds.  On the other hand, if you&#8217;re struggling with morning [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/managing-pregnancy-weight-gain-through-the-holidays/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Fetal Fibronectin Test Helps Predict Preterm Birth &#8211; Medical Monday</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/fetal-fibronectin-test-helps-predict-preterm-birth-medical-monday/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/fetal-fibronectin-test-helps-predict-preterm-birth-medical-monday/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:35:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Products and Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fetal fibronectin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medical monday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=977</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As I mentioned last week, I&#8217;ll be focusing on prematurity related Medical Monday topics all November long for Prematurity Awareness Month.  Don&#8217;t forget to register for Fight for Preemies on November 17th!
**********
Doctors have a number of ways to predict which women will deliver their babies too soon,  but did you know that the presence of [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/fetal-fibronectin-test-helps-predict-preterm-birth-medical-monday/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hospitals To Crack Down on Inductions &#8211; Medical Monday</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/hospitals-to-crack-down-on-inductions-medical-monday/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/hospitals-to-crack-down-on-inductions-medical-monday/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:41:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medical monday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=951</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s Prematurity Awareness Month, so my Medical Mondays posts all month will focus on preventing preterm birth. 
Late preterm babies face considerable health risks, such as breathing and feeding difficulties and prolonged hospitals stays.  Despite this knowledge, a significant number of deliveries in the US are elective inductions before 39 weeks gestation.
This spring, the Joint [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/hospitals-to-crack-down-on-inductions-medical-monday/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>24 Week Baby Update and Announcements</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/24-week-baby-update-and-announcements/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/24-week-baby-update-and-announcements/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:52:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Products and Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby update]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[march of dimes mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=943</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By the time you read this, I&#8217;ll be 24 weeks pregnant.  24 weeks marks the threshold of viability.  Back when our 31 weeker was born, there were no options for babies born before that point at our hospital. That has changed some, but the outcomes for most babies born so early still aren&#8217;t very good.
A [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/24-week-baby-update-and-announcements/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ultrasound Update</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/ultrasound-update/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/ultrasound-update/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:35:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=924</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The past two weeks pretty much crept by, while we worried and waited for something to happen.  But finally, Wednesday arrived and I had my follow-up ultrasound.  Thankfully, we found out that things actually look better!
My cervix measured 2mm longer than last time, and there isn&#8217;t any change when they put pressure on my belly [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/ultrasound-update/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Bedrest 2009 &#8211; Still Here On The Couch</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/bedrest-2009-still-here-on-the-couch/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/bedrest-2009-still-here-on-the-couch/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:54:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=902</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Well, it&#8217;s been a week, and I&#8217;m still here hanging out on the couch, which is a very good thing.  I&#8217;m 21 weeks pregnant today, which leaves 6 days until my follow up ultrasound, and 3 more weeks until we reach the point where the baby would be considered viable.
I&#8217;ve spent the week blogging, stressing [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/bedrest-2009-still-here-on-the-couch/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Universal Bilirubin Screening Reduces Serious Newborn Jaundice</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/universal-bilirubin-screening-reduces-serious-newborn-jaundice/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/universal-bilirubin-screening-reduces-serious-newborn-jaundice/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:00:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kid's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bilirubin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jaundice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=869</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A retrospective study of over 350,000 infants has shown that universal screening for high bilirubin significantly decreases the incidence of dangerously high bilirubin levels.  The study compared over 38,000 infants who were born in hospitals with universal bilirubin screening policies to over 300,00 infants born in hospitals without a universal screening policy.
Researchers found that hospitals [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/universal-bilirubin-screening-reduces-serious-newborn-jaundice/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Oh Baby &#8211; Here We Go Again</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/oh-baby-here-we-go-again/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/oh-baby-here-we-go-again/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:24:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=862</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve written a lot about my other pregnancies, but  for some reason, I just haven&#8217;t had a lot to say about baby #4.  It&#8217;s probably a combination of morning sickness and the sheer chaos of taking care of 3 kids, a dog and 2 businesses, but I just haven&#8217;t had the energy to put this [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/oh-baby-here-we-go-again/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Induction of Labor Could Actually Reduce C-Section Rates In Some Cases</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/induction-of-labor-could-actually-reduce-c-section-rates/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/induction-of-labor-could-actually-reduce-c-section-rates/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:24:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=824</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I can&#8217;t tell you the number of times that I&#8217;ve heard that inducing labor increases a woman&#8217;s risk of having a c-section.  Having never been faced with the possibility of induction (my kids come early, and no one needs to coax them out), I&#8217;d honestly never really looked into the truth of this claim.
That is [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/induction-of-labor-could-actually-reduce-c-section-rates/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mom Pregnant with 12 Babies is a Hoax</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/mom-pregnant-with-12-babies-is-a-hoax/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/mom-pregnant-with-12-babies-is-a-hoax/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:02:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[multiples]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=818</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Just a day after I crossed my fingers and hoped that the story about the Tunisian woman carrying 12 babies was a hoax, news reports reveal the mom has psychological problems, and probably isn&#8217;t pregnant at all.
Apparently, what we didn&#8217;t hear from the initial news reports, is that when this woman first surfaced, she was [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/mom-pregnant-with-12-babies-is-a-hoax/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tunisian Woman Said to be Carrying 12 Babies &#8211; Will the Madness Never End?</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/tunisian-woman-said-to-be-carrying-12-babies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/tunisian-woman-said-to-be-carrying-12-babies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:13:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[12 babies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medical ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=806</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Note &#8211; You can check out an important update to this post here.
Earlier this year, octomom Nadia Suleman made a sensation when she gave birth to octuplets, but now a mom in Tunisia is heading straight for the record books by reportedly attempting to carry 12 babies.  Yes, you read that right &#8211; I said [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/tunisian-woman-said-to-be-carrying-12-babies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Study on Preemies and Cord Clamping to Begin</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/study-on-preemies-and-cord-clamping-to-begin/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/study-on-preemies-and-cord-clamping-to-begin/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:04:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cord clamping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=799</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A little over a year ago, I wrote about a small study by Dr. Judith Mercer, which showed that delayed umbilical cord clamping might reduce the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage and sepsis in preemies.  Today I read that Mercer, a nurse midwife, has begun a much larger trial of cord clamp timing in premature babies.
In [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/study-on-preemies-and-cord-clamping-to-begin/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Saliva Progesterone Levels Could Predict Preterm Labor</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/saliva-progesterone-levels-could-predict-preterm-labor/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/saliva-progesterone-levels-could-predict-preterm-labor/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:27:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[progesterone]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=788</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A small study from University College London and King&#8217;s College London has shown that low levels of progesterone in saliva may predict preterm birth.  The study followed 92 women who had risk factors for preterm delivery.  A sample of saliva was collected from each woman from 24 weeks gestation until 34 weeks gestation [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/saliva-progesterone-levels-could-predict-preterm-labor/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>UK Midwife Says Epidurals Bad for Bonding</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/uk-midwife-says-epidurals-bad-for-bonding/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/uk-midwife-says-epidurals-bad-for-bonding/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:31:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=780</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[[ad#250x250]According to one of the Britain&#8217;s most influential midwives, pain during labor and childbirth is a good thing, and more women should be experiencing it.  In a quote in the Observer, Dr. Denis Walsh states:
Pain in labour is a purposeful, useful thing, which has quite a number of benefits, such as preparing a mother for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/uk-midwife-says-epidurals-bad-for-bonding/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dramatic Decrease in VBACs and Increase in C-Sections in US</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/dramatic-decrease-in-vbacs-and-increase-in-c-sections-in-us/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/dramatic-decrease-in-vbacs-and-increase-in-c-sections-in-us/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:13:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[c-section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vbac]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=672</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Statistics from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project show that fewer than 10% of women who had a previous c-section achieved a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) in 2006.  Between 1997 and 2006, there was a 40% rise in repeat c-sections, which we already know come with increased risk of childbirth complications*, particularly if a [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/dramatic-decrease-in-vbacs-and-increase-in-c-sections-in-us/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Estrogen Levels May Allow Docs to Predict and Prevent Preterm Labor</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/estrogen-levels-may-allow-docs-to-predict-and-prevent-preterm-labor/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/estrogen-levels-may-allow-docs-to-predict-and-prevent-preterm-labor/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:33:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[estrogen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[onset of labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm labor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=670</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The trigger for the start of labor has been a mystery, but new research which will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &#38; Metabolism (JCEM) has yielded very important information about the interaction of hormones and the onset of labor.  Researchers in Australia have found that the relative levels [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/estrogen-levels-may-allow-docs-to-predict-and-prevent-preterm-labor/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Texas Hospital Reduces Preterm Birth Rate by Half</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/texas-hospital-reduces-preterm-birth-rate-by-half/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/texas-hospital-reduces-preterm-birth-rate-by-half/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:11:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parkland Memorial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm birth rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[texas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UT Southwestern]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=610</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In a time when the preterm birth rate in the rest of the United states is steadily climbing, a carefully coordinated prenatal care program at UT Southwestern Medical Center&#8217;s Parkland Memorial Hospital has cut it&#8217;s number of preterm deliveries by more than half!
In 1988, 10.4% of babies were born premature, which is close to the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/texas-hospital-reduces-preterm-birth-rate-by-half/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Octuplet Birth Raises Ethical Questions and Public Outrage</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/octuplet-birth-raises-ethical-questions-and-public-outrage/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/octuplet-birth-raises-ethical-questions-and-public-outrage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:48:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Infertility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IVF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[octuplet mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[octuplets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[suleman]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=578</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On January 26th, 2009, a 33-year-old woman named Nadya Suleman gave birth to octuplets, 9 weeks premature.  The fact that this pregnancy was carried all the way to 30+ weeks is a miracle, but beyond that it looks like more of a nightmare.
According to statements made by Suleman&#8217;s mother, Angela Suleman, the woman chose [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/octuplet-birth-raises-ethical-questions-and-public-outrage/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>36</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Healthy Green Parenting on a Budget</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/healthy-green-parenting-on-budget/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/healthy-green-parenting-on-budget/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:12:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kid's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breastfeeding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cloth diapering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[going green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[saving money]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=544</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Having a baby and raising a child can be an expensive prospect.  With the economy in a recession, many families are tightening their belts.  Yet concerns about health and the environment have many parents wondering how to go green, keep their kids healthy and still not break the bank.
Fortunately, there are at least a few [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/healthy-green-parenting-on-budget/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chemical Found that Primes Uterus to Contract &#8211; Prematurity Awareness Month</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/chemical-causes-uterus-to-contract/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/chemical-causes-uterus-to-contract/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:12:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cause of labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chemicals that induce labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[contractions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prostacyclin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[uterus]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=489</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Despite our best efforts, doctors and scientists know relatively little about what causes the uterus to contract and a woman to go into labor.  However, recent research on uterine muscle tissue samples removed after scheduled c-sections has now brought us a step closer to understanding this complicated process.
When uterine tissue was exposed to certain chemicals [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/chemical-causes-uterus-to-contract/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Prematurity Awareness Month Link Love</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/prematurity-awareness-month-link-love/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/prematurity-awareness-month-link-love/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:46:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petition for preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness month]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=480</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Every day throughout November, I have dedicated myself to publishing a post in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month.  I haven&#8217;t been working alone though.  All over the web, parents and relatives of preemies have been doing their part to raise awareness by sharing their own thoughts and experiences of prematurity.  Today, I&#8217;m [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/prematurity-awareness-month-link-love/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Depressed Moms More Likely to Have Preemies &#8211; Prematurity Awareness Month</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/depressed-moms-more-likely-to-have-preemies-prematurity-awareness-month/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/depressed-moms-more-likely-to-have-preemies-prematurity-awareness-month/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:33:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[depression and premature birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[depression in pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness month]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prenatal depression]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=476</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A study of 800 pregnant women published in the journal Human Reproduction found that pregnant moms who were severely depressed had twice the risk of having a preemie, while women with less severe symptoms of depression had a 60% higher risk for preterm delivery.
The study was carried out by the research arm of Kaiser Permanente. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/depressed-moms-more-likely-to-have-preemies-prematurity-awareness-month/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Who&#8217;s Who in the NICU &#8211; Blogging for Prematurity Awareness</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/whos-who-in-the-nicu-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/whos-who-in-the-nicu-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:41:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[neonatologist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu staff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=465</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sometimes one of the most confusing parts of being in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is figuring out who’s who.  Doctors, nurses, specialists, technicians and therapists can all make up the team of professionals caring for your baby – a group sometimes referred to as your “care team”.  The number and types of people [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/whos-who-in-the-nicu-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Prematurity Awareness Month Facts Everyone Should Care About</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/prematurity-awareness-month-facts/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/prematurity-awareness-month-facts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:59:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging for prematurity awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost of preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness month]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity statistics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=422</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When my daughter was born 9 weeks early, I felt very alone.  Prior to that day, I only knew of two people who had delivered preemies.  One of them lived on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and the other had given birth to their preemie when I was just a little girl.  I [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/prematurity-awareness-month-facts/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Preterm Labor Warning Signs &#8211; Blogging for Prematurity Awareness</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/preterm-labor-warning-signs-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/preterm-labor-warning-signs-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:28:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging for prematurity awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fetal fibronectin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness month]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs of preterm labor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=420</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One goal of Blogging for Prematurity Awareness is to educate and empower moms-to-be about the risks of preterm labor and the impacts of prematurity so they can be better advocates for themselves and their baby.  With nearly half a million babies being born prematurely in the United States each year, 1 in 8 pregnancies [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/preterm-labor-warning-signs-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Natural Supplement May Up Preterm Delivery Risk &#8211; Blogging for Prematurity Awareness</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/natural-supplement-may-up-preterm-delivery-risk-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/natural-supplement-may-up-preterm-delivery-risk-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:56:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Nutrition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging for prematurity awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flaxseed oil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm birthrate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=414</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A recent study out of Canada examined the use of natural health remedies among women in Quebec before during and after pregnancy, and found that 10% of women used natural supplements while pregnant.  Surprisingly, researchers found that while the baseline rate of premature birth was 2-3%, women who consumed flaxseed oil during the second and [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/natural-supplement-may-up-preterm-delivery-risk-blogging-for-prematurity-awareness/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Blogging for Prematurity Awareness Month and Other Ways to Raise Awareness</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/blogging-for-prematurity-awareness-month-and-other-ways-to-raise-awareness/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/blogging-for-prematurity-awareness-month-and-other-ways-to-raise-awareness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:14:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging for prematurity awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[March of Dimes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petition for preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity awareness month 2008]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=377</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and all month long, fellow bloggers and I will be joining together to raise awareness to the growing problem of prematurity in the US and abroad.  Each year in the US, 1 in 8 babies are born prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy), an event that can lead to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/blogging-for-prematurity-awareness-month-and-other-ways-to-raise-awareness/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sequenom Noninvasive Prenatal Down Syndrome Test Proven Accurate</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sequenom-noninvasive-prenatal-down-syndrome-test-proven-accurate/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sequenom-noninvasive-prenatal-down-syndrome-test-proven-accurate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:45:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[down syndrome]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prenatal testing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sequenom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trisomy 21]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=352</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Earlier this year, I discussed an early, noninvasive test for fetal chromosomal disorders like Down syndrome that was being developed by a company called Sequenom.  You can read more about it here and here.  This week, Sequenom announced additional study results, showing that their circulating cell-free fetal (ccff) nucleic acid SEQureDx™ Technology had had no [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sequenom-noninvasive-prenatal-down-syndrome-test-proven-accurate/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Evidence Preeclampsia May be an Autoimmune Disorder</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/evidence-preeclampsia-may-be-an-autoimmune-disorder/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/evidence-preeclampsia-may-be-an-autoimmune-disorder/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:56:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autoimmune]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hypertension]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pre-eclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preeclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Research]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=317</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to new research published in Nature Medicine, preeclampsia may be an autoimmune condition.  Investigators were able to induce the symptoms of preeclampsia in mice by injecting them with autoantibodies obtained from women with preeclampsia.  The most exciting thing about this research is that symptoms were prevented when the pregnant mice were given [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/evidence-preeclampsia-may-be-an-autoimmune-disorder/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Unique Blanket Protects Baby from Germs, Sun and Nosy Strangers</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/unique-blanket-protects-baby-from-germs-sun-and-nosy-strangers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/unique-blanket-protects-baby-from-germs-sun-and-nosy-strangers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:54:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kid's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby blankets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clip on blanket]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eclipse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secure2me]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solarveil]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=307</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a mom of a preemie, and two babies born during cold and flu season, I know what it&#8217;s like to worry over germs.  All babies are at risk for complications from RSV or influenza, but preemies are at a particularly high risk for hospitalization or even death if they contract either one of [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/unique-blanket-protects-baby-from-germs-sun-and-nosy-strangers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>High Heels to Hormones &#8211; Coping with Back Pain</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/high-heels-to-hormones-coping-with-back-pain/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/high-heels-to-hormones-coping-with-back-pain/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:40:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[back pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christina Lasich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high heels to hormones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy back pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women back pain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=200</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago, we brought you a guest post from Dr. Christina Lasich, author of  High Heels to Hormones: A Woman&#8217;s Guide to Spine Care, about back pain in pregnancy.  It&#8217;s been a busy few weeks, but since that last post, I&#8217;ve had the pleasure of reading High Heels to Hormones myself.
As [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/high-heels-to-hormones-coping-with-back-pain/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sickening &#8211; Rising Premature Birth Rate Linked to C-Sections</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sickening-rising-premature-birth-rate-linked-to-c-sections/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sickening-rising-premature-birth-rate-linked-to-c-sections/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:44:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[34 weeker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[36 weeker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[c-section rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[c-sections and preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[late preterm birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[near term]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premature birth rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[US birt statistics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/?p=181</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A joint effort of the March of Dimes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine analyzed data on the rising premature birth rate, and found that 92 percent of the increase in singleton premature birth is due to c-sections.  Birth data from 1996 to 2004 showed [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sickening-rising-premature-birth-rate-linked-to-c-sections/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Women Denied Health Insurance for Prior C-Sections</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/women-denied-health-insurance-for-prior-c-sections/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/women-denied-health-insurance-for-prior-c-sections/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:11:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[c-section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health insurance prior c-section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[private health insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[uninsurable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vbac]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=197</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With the number of people seeking private health insurance steadily growing, private insurers are looking for more ways to deny or limit coverage.  One particular reason for denial has been receiving press attention lately.  According to an article in the New York Times, women are finding themselves denied private insurance coverage or being charged higher [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/women-denied-health-insurance-for-prior-c-sections/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>6 Tips for Being on Bedrest with Young Kids</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/6-tips-for-being-on-bedrest-with-young-kids/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/6-tips-for-being-on-bedrest-with-young-kids/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2008 19:55:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bed rest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest with young kids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high risk pregnancy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/?p=180</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We discussed 10 ways to cope with the stress and boredom of bedrest earlier this week, so now I&#8217;d like to share 6 tips for coping with bedrest when you have other kids in the house.  I was put on bedrest with my second and third baby.  The first time, I had a [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/6-tips-for-being-on-bedrest-with-young-kids/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 Tips For Surviving Bedrest</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/10-tips-for-surviving-bedrest/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/10-tips-for-surviving-bedrest/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 20:37:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedrest tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coping with bedrest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hospital bedrest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm labor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/?p=179</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When you&#8217;re walking around, huge and pregnant, bedrest can sound like a fantastic idea, but when it gets right down to it, being on bedrest is hard.  Laying in bed all day can get very uncomfortable and boring, and when you have other children or a job that you&#8217;re worried about, it can also [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/10-tips-for-surviving-bedrest/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Oh, the Pains of Pregnancy! Reducing Pregnancy Back Pain</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/oh-the-pains-of-pregnancy-reducing-pregnancy-back-pain/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/oh-the-pains-of-pregnancy-reducing-pregnancy-back-pain/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 01:54:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[back pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christina Lasich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dr. Lasich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy back pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's back pain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/?p=190</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today, we&#8217;re excited to bring you a guest post from Dr. Christina Lasich, author of  High Heels to Hormones: A Woman&#8217;s Guide to Spine Care, about back pain in pregnancy.  Check out her bio below for more information about Dr. Lasich.
Medical researchers are good at stating the obvious. Hey, guess what? Pregnancy often times leads [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/oh-the-pains-of-pregnancy-reducing-pregnancy-back-pain/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Improving Preemie Lung Outcomes and Good News in Preeclampsia</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/improving-preemie-lung-outcomes-and-good-news-on-preeclampsia/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/improving-preemie-lung-outcomes-and-good-news-on-preeclampsia/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2008 03:49:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chocolate and preeclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chronic lung disease]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DEEP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Digibind]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pre-eclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preeclampsia research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Respiratory Distress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[surfactant]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/?p=165</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Several articles have popped up in the past couple of weeks that I think you&#8217;ll all be interested in.  The first two are positive news on the preeclampsia research front, and number three is a new study that may lead to a reduction in chronic lung disease in preemies who experience respiratory distress syndrome [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/improving-preemie-lung-outcomes-and-good-news-on-preeclampsia/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Exercise in Pregnancy Impacts Fetal Heart Health</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/exercise-in-pregnancy-impacts-fetal-heart-health/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/exercise-in-pregnancy-impacts-fetal-heart-health/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:54:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise in pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fetal heart rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heart health pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy exercise]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/exercise-in-pregnancy-impacts-fetal-heart-health/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[OK, I have to admit, after spending all three of my pregnancies either feeling like hell or being on bedrest, exercise and pregnancy are hardly things that go together in my mind.  After my reading today though, I guess they should.  A small study of women who exercised during pregnancy versus those that did not [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/exercise-in-pregnancy-impacts-fetal-heart-health/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Diet in Pregnancy and Infancy May Shape Future Eating Habits</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/diet-in-pregnancy-and-infancy-may-shape-future-eating-habits/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/diet-in-pregnancy-and-infancy-may-shape-future-eating-habits/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:49:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kid's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nutrition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breastfeeding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food preferences]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kids weight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mom diet during pregancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moms diet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/diet-in-pregnancy-and-infancy-may-shape-future-eating-habits/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When I was pregnant with our son, my midwife had me complete a 5 day diet history during my first trimester.  Between the fact that I was sooo sick I could hardly even look at a couple of the major food groups, and the fact that this was my third baby and I figured [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/diet-in-pregnancy-and-infancy-may-shape-future-eating-habits/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sequenom One Step Closer to Noninvasive Test for Down Syndrome</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sequenom-one-step-closer-to-noninvasive-test-for-down-syndrome/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sequenom-one-step-closer-to-noninvasive-test-for-down-syndrome/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:19:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[down syndrome]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[noninvasive down syndrome test]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[noninvasive screening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy screening tests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prenatal testing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sequenom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEQureDx]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trisomy 21]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sequenom-one-step-closer-to-noninvasive-test-for-down-syndrome/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As I posted earlier this month, there are a couple of US companies working on providing noninvasive prenatal diagnosis for genetic conditions like Down syndrome (Trisomy 21).  A recent press release from one of those companies, Sequenom, shows that they are one step closer to bringing their test to market.  Data from a [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/sequenom-one-step-closer-to-noninvasive-test-for-down-syndrome/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pregnancy After a Preemie &#8211; Almost Pain Free Progesterone Injections</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/pregnancy-after-a-preemie-almost-pain-free-progesterone-injections/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/pregnancy-after-a-preemie-almost-pain-free-progesterone-injections/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:36:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[17P]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydroxyprogesterone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pain progesterone injections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[post preemie pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie progesterone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[progesterone injection tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[progesterone injections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/pregnancy-after-a-preemie-almost-pain-free-progesterone-injections/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As many of you know, the care and medical treatment of pre-term babies has changed dramatically over the past decades.  The one fact that remains unchanged is that the uterus remains the best place for a baby to reside until term, under most circumstances.
 
Recent studies with  17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) have shown [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/pregnancy-after-a-preemie-almost-pain-free-progesterone-injections/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Late Preterm Babies Face Significant Health Risks</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/late-preterm-babies-face-significant-health-risks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/late-preterm-babies-face-significant-health-risks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:22:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Preemies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[34 week preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[complications of late preterm birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gestational age]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[late preterm birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mortality rate near term]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[near term delivery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/late-preterm-babies-face-significant-health-risks/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A new study demonstrates the vulnerability of babies born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation (full term is reached at 37 weeks).  Babies born during this critical period of development have reduced fat stores, immature lungs and livers, and a brain volume that is just 60% of a baby born at term.  As [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/late-preterm-babies-face-significant-health-risks/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Link Between Herpes Virus and Highblood Pressure in Pregnancy</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/link-between-herpes-virus-and-highblood-preeure-in-pregnancy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/link-between-herpes-virus-and-highblood-preeure-in-pregnancy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:37:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HELLP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[herpes virus preeclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high blood pressure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pre-eclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preeclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy induced hypertension]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm birth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/link-between-herpes-virus-and-highblood-preeure-in-pregnancy/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A new study conducted in Adelaide, Australia has demonstrated a link between two common viruses and pregnancy induced hypertensive disorders (PIHD) and preterm birth.  Researchers used blood samples from newborn screening cards to test for the genetic material from different strains of the herpes virus, along with other common viruses like epstein-barr, varicella-zoster and [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/link-between-herpes-virus-and-highblood-preeure-in-pregnancy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>US Pregnant Women Getting Heavier</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/us-pregnant-women-getting-heavier/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/us-pregnant-women-getting-heavier/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:07:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Nutrition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how much weight should I gain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie McNealy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy weight gain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnant women gain too much weight]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/us-pregnant-women-getting-heavier/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Doctors generally recommend that a woman who is pregnant with one baby, and starts off her pregnancy at a normal weight, gain between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy.  Gaining too little weight during pregnancy increases the risk of having a low birth weight baby.  However, gaining extra weight is dangerous too, putting [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/us-pregnant-women-getting-heavier/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Autistic Trait Linked to Maternal Antibodies</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/autistic-trait-linked-to-maternal-antibodies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/autistic-trait-linked-to-maternal-antibodies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:47:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kid's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antibodies to fetal brain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autism spectrum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[causes of autism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hand flapping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[maternal antibodies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[regression and autism]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/autistic-trait-linked-to-maternal-antibodies/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Autism is a complex disease which includes children who experience developmental regression, and others who seem to have an early onset form of the disorder.  Repetitive behavior, like hand flapping and rocking, is one of the common characteristics seen in autism.   Now, new research out of the M.I.N.D. Institute indicates that an [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/autistic-trait-linked-to-maternal-antibodies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Women Choose Elective C-Sections Due to Fear</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/women-choose-elective-c-sections-due-to-fear/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/women-choose-elective-c-sections-due-to-fear/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 09 Feb 2008 09:13:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[afraid of delivery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[c-section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[choosing to have a c-section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[elective c-section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie McNealy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[labor fears]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vaginal delivery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/women-choose-elective-c-sections-due-to-fear/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve sometimes wondered what it is that makes a woman decide that she wants to deliver her baby by c-section before she ever even goes into labor.  After having three very different deliveries myself (vacuum assisted, urgent c-section, and a VBAC), I really couldn&#8217;t figure out what the motivating factor was.  Don&#8217;t get [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/women-choose-elective-c-sections-due-to-fear/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trial of Non Invasive Test for Fetal Genetic Abnormalities</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/trial-of-non-invasive-test-for-fetal-genetic-abnormalities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/trial-of-non-invasive-test-for-fetal-genetic-abnormalities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:02:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[amniocentesis risk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[downs syndrome]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[genetics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ikonisys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie McNealy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy screening tests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prenatal care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quad screen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sequenom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[triple screen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trisomy 18]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trisomy 21]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/trial-of-non-invasive-test-for-fetal-genetic-abnormalities/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today, most pregnant women in the US undergo a series of tests to determine the risk of their baby having certain genetic abnormalities like Downs Syndrome (trisomy 21) or Edwards Syndrome (trisomy 18).  Typically, these screening tests include the maternal serum quad screen, a test of the mother&#8217;s blood for levels of 4 different [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/trial-of-non-invasive-test-for-fetal-genetic-abnormalities/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Fetal Monitor More Comfortable and User Friendly</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/new-fetal-monitor-more-comfortable-and-user-friendly/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/new-fetal-monitor-more-comfortable-and-user-friendly/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:44:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[High Risk OB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Avalon FM40 and FM50]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fetal monitor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu 101]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Phillips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prolonged fetal monitoring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tocometer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[touch screen]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/new-fetal-monitor-more-comfortable-and-user-friendly/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After the week I spent hospitalized on bedrest during my second pregnancy, I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ll ever forget the hard, uncomfortable fetal heart monitor and tocometer I wore most of the time.  I don&#8217;t really mind, seeing as the fetal monitor warned doctors that my daughter was becoming stressed by my constant contractions in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/new-fetal-monitor-more-comfortable-and-user-friendly/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cord Blood Banking</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/cord-blood-banking/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/cord-blood-banking/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:12:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kid's Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ACOG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[american college of obstetrics and gynecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banking baby cord blood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cord blood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cord blood banking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie McNealy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leukemia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stem cell transplant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stem cells]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/cord-blood-banking/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) has issued a new opinion on cord blood banking in the February issue of Obstetrics &#38; Gynecology.  While ACOG does not take a position either for or against cord blood banking, it feels that there are certain key points obstetricians should be discussing with their patients.
Initially, cord [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/cord-blood-banking/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>5 Pre-Conception Tips for a Healthier Pregnancy</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/5-pre-conception-tips-for-a-healthier-pregnancy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/5-pre-conception-tips-for-a-healthier-pregnancy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Feb 2008 02:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trying to Conceive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conceive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conception]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie McNealy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pre-conception]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/5-pre-conception-tips-for-a-healthier-pregnancy/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re thinking about having a baby, or maybe you&#8217;re already trying, did you know that there are things you can do before you ever get pregnant that can help you have a healthier pregnancy?  Check out these 5 tips for getting a healthy head start to your pregnancy below:


Start taking a prenatal vitamin [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/5-pre-conception-tips-for-a-healthier-pregnancy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Folic Acid Supplementation Before Conception Reduces Prematurity</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/folic-acid-supplementation-before-conception-reduces-prematurity/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/folic-acid-supplementation-before-conception-reduces-prematurity/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:41:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[folic acid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[folic acid and prematurity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu 101]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preemie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prematurity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preventing prematurity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/folic-acid-supplementation-before-conception-reduces-prematurity/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We&#8217;ve known for decades that folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, but now research on taking folic acid before pregnancy has revealed a new benefit.  The largest study ever on pre-conception folic acid supplementation found that women who took folic acid supplements for at least a year prior to getting pregnant [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/folic-acid-supplementation-before-conception-reduces-prematurity/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Smoking Increases SIDS Risk</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/why-smoking-increases-sids-risk/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/why-smoking-increases-sids-risk/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:40:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adrenal glands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[catecholamines and SIDS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie McNealy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[second-hand smoke]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SIDS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SIDS risk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smoking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smoking and SIDS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smoking during pregnancy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/why-smoking-increases-sids-risk/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Smoking during pregnancy is known to increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).  When a baby is born, certain chemicals called catecholamines are released from the adrenal glands,  signaling the baby to take its first breath and transition to life outside the womb.  In adults, the adrenal gland is controlled [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/why-smoking-increases-sids-risk/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Preterm Labor Facts Every Woman Should Know</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/preterm-labor-facts-every-woman-should-know/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/preterm-labor-facts-every-woman-should-know/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:58:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[contractions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu 101]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pre-term labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pregnancy warning signs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm contractions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PTL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[signs of labor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/preterm-labor-facts-every-woman-should-know/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I wanted to get back to basics for today, so here&#8217;s some information on preterm labor (PTL) that I think every woman should be aware of:
Nearly half a million babies are born prematurely in the United States each year, and this number is on the rise.  That&#8217;s nearly a baby every minute, or 1 [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/preterm-labor-facts-every-woman-should-know/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>2 Cups of Coffee Doubles Miscarriage Risk</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/caffeine-increases-miscarriage-risk/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/caffeine-increases-miscarriage-risk/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:30:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[caffeine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[caffeine in pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie McNealy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[miscarriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[miscarriage risk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu 101]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/caffeine-increases-miscarriage-risk/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re pregnant, trying, or thinking about it, head over to my personal blogsite at KristieMcNealy.com for a post about caffeine and miscarriage risk.  A new study from the folks at Kaiser Permanente sheds new light on the long debated issue of how much caffeine is safe during pregnancy.Similar Posts:

Caffeine Raises Miscarriage Risk
Depressed Moms [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/caffeine-increases-miscarriage-risk/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Caffeine Raises Miscarriage Risk</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/caffeine-raises-miscarriage-risk/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/caffeine-raises-miscarriage-risk/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:28:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[caffeine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[caffeine and pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthy pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[miscarriage]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/caffeine-raises-miscarriage-risk/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For years, there has a been a debate about whether caffeine is dangerous for pregnant women.  While some doctors felt that consuming too much caffeine increased miscarriage risk, others felt that there were other factors related to healthy pregnancies, like morning sickness, that caused some women with healthy pregnancies to stop drinking caffeine.  [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/caffeine-raises-miscarriage-risk/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Folic Acid Awareness Low Among US Women</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/folic-acid-awareness-low-among-us-women/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/folic-acid-awareness-low-among-us-women/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:01:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[folate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[folic acid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Folic Acid for a Healthy Pregnancy seal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[March of Dimes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[neural tube defects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nicu 101]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Research]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/folic-acid-awareness-low-among-us-women/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[All the way back in 1994, the March of Dimes began a campaign encouraging women to increase their folic acid intake to prevent neural tube defects.  Then, in &#8216;96, the FDA approved the fortification of certain grain products like cereals and white bread with folic acid.  By the year 2000, interventions begun by [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/folic-acid-awareness-low-among-us-women/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>C-Section Rate at all Time High</title>
		<link>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/c-section-rate-at-all-time-high/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/c-section-rate-at-all-time-high/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:29:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[birth rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[c-section rate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cesarean section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[low birthweight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[national center for health statistics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NCHS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preterm birth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nicu101.com/c-section-rate-at-all-time-high/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to preliminary birth data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), cesarean section rates in the United States hit an all time high of 31.1% of all births in 2006.  This marks a 3% increase since 2005, and a startling 50% increase over the past decade.  Some of this increase is [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.kristiemcnealy.com/c-section-rate-at-all-time-high/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
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