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Dr. Linda Has Returned and Is Launching a Prenatal App

Hi, pregnant moms. Thanks so much for your patience as we continue to hammer out “glitches” on my website. Would you believe that my former webmaster just disappeared in thin air leaving me hanging? As my new webmaster and I attempt to hammer out technical problems, I appreciate so many of you who have downloaded my free chapter on how to prepare for the labor room experience. Please drop me a…

July, New Interns and Hospital Mistakes. Heads up Pregnant Moms!

June 30th is traditionally a day of celebration for most senior residents. It’s the last day of their residency training and the beginning of new careers. I remember that day well. I was the chief resident on-call and gratefully managed to end the night without any disasters. However, in the midst of my glee, I lost my keys – all of them — and to this day, more than 25 years later, I still don’t…

Tweaking a Pregnancy Test is NOT Cool

One of the most important diagnostic tools an ob-gyn provider uses is a pregnancy test and while it’s great that there are companies that make over-the-counter tests, in the wrong hands it can be abused and even dangerous. There is a new phenomenon that has emerged called “teaking” which involves enhancing the pregnancy test result to make the test line clearer. This is accomplished by using a…

Frozen Ovarian Tissue Removed as a Child Produces a Healthy Baby Boy

It’s being called a medical breakthrough and rightfully so. Each year 10.9 % of women ages 15 to 44 are diagnosed with infertility and 7.4 million women use infertility services each year. One percent of those patient have Premature ovarian Failure (POF), a condition where the ovaries fail to produce eggs earlier than age 40. In a story that began in the Congo and ended in Belgium, a 11 year old…

65 Year Old Grandmother Gives Birth to Quads? Yes. It’s True.

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, a story emerges that gives you reason to pause. Please meet Annegret Raunigk, a 65 year old German mother of 13 with 7 grandchildren. On May 19, 2015, she made history by delivering quadruplets (four babies) at 26 weeks via emergency C-Section. It’s not clear why she had an emergency C-Section but thank God all four of the babies are okay for the moment.…

Does Having a Boy or Girl Place You at Risk for Diabetes?

A recent article in a well respected journal says, yes, being pregnant with either a boy or girl could increase your risks for developing diabetes during pregnancy or years later. According to an article published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, a group of researchers reviewed information from over 60,000 Canadian pregnant women and discovered that women who had sons developed diabetes…

The metaphors of life can sometimes be seen in the most mundane occurrences. But actually they’re not mundane, they’re significant beyond measure and can serve as our greatest teachers. A few days ago, I bought a replacement for our old trash can – a body of stainless steel that had served me well for year, but as the years wore on, the trash can became problematic. Its heavy D batteries kept…

Courtesy of the New York Times

Elisabeth Bing is gone — but oh what a legacy she left!

100-year-old Bing died on Friday, May 15th in her Manhattan home according to the New York Times. While her name might not be familiar to some, any woman who used the Lamaze technique during childbirth should thank her profusely.

Bing was born in Germany but fled with her family to London during World War II.…

  Cell phone use has always been controversial, especially in light of the untimely deaths of CEO Reginald F Lewis of Beatrice Foods, Inc and legal-eagle Johnny Cochrane. Lewis died of a brain hemorrhage at age 50 in 1993 and Cochrane died of brain cancer in 2005. The unexpected deaths of both men were shocking and rumored to have been associated with cell phone use although never proven.

Wirele…

Wisdom for a New Mother

As some mothers continue to bask in the post-Mother’s Day glow, while others leap back to the frenzy of their busy lives, I urge all mothers, especially the newly initiated to please hit pause – and read the incredible advice provided by renowned author Anna Quindlen. My eyes watered as my head nodded in agreement because her words spoke my truth regarding this motherhood journey. Yes, it’s a…

A Mother’s Tough Love: All Praises to Toya Graham

We don’t carry out babies in our wombs or hearts to end up losing them to ignorance. As a mother of two teen sons, I totally understand why Toya Graham “lost it” when she saw her about to make a “life-altering mistake.”

Rest in peace, Freddie Gray.

Jill Duggar Knows Sometimes a C. Section is Necessary

Courtesy of People Magazine

Jill Duggar Dillard is a name you might not recognize but we all know her mother – Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting. Jill gave birth to a healthy baby boy on April 6, 2015 who weighed a whopping 9 lb 10 oz and she should count her lucky stars that he was born healthy given the stormy course of her labor which lasted almost 3 days. Here are the facts regarding…

Should Your Job Honor Your Doctor’s Note if you’re Pregnant? The US Supreme Court Says Yes

Courtesy of The New York Times

Kudos to Peggy Youngfor doing what many would be afraid to do. She sued her employer, United Parcel Service (UPS) because they refused to honor a note from her prenatal provider that requested light work duty. Young was pregnant and could not lift more than 20 pounds without jeopardizing the safety of her unborn child.  UPS, with the backing of large corporations…