March for Babies!!

Most people have heard of March for Dimes. But, have you heard of March for Babies?

March for babies is specifically to raise awareness of the risk of Pre-Mature Babies. Did you know that almost half a million babies are born too early every year? I'm not just talking about pre-mature babies due to health factors or pre-mature labor. Some moms actually ask for an early c-section or labor induction!!

I know the thought of having your child one or two weeks early doesn't sound like that big of a deal. Whats 1-2 weeks out of the 9 months you carry the baby? IT ACTUALLY MATTERS A LOT!!

A baby's brain and lungs are not fully developed until the 39th-40th week. The last two weeks are so critical.

I'll be walking for March for Babies on April 14th, 2012 !!
You can help by donating to sponsor the walk http://www.marchforbabies.org/Lizzsather 

What March of Dimes has to say about it...
http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/getready_atleast39weeks.html
 
Here's why your baby needs 39 weeks:

• Important organs, like his brain, lungs and liver, get all the time they need to develop.
• He is less likely to have vision and hearing problems after birth.
• Babies born too soon often are too small. Babies born at a healthy weight have an easier time staying warm than babies born too small.
• He can suck and swallow and stay awake long enough to eat after he's born. Babies born early sometimes can't do these things.

Why scheduling an early birth can be a problem
Experts are learning that scheduling an early birth for non-medical reasons can cause problems for mom and baby. For example:

• Your due date may not be exactly right. Sometimes it's hard to know just when you got pregnant. Even with an ultrasound, your due date can be off by as much as 2 weeks. If you schedule to induce labor or schedule a cesarean birth (also called a c-section) and your date is off by a week or two, your baby may be born too early.
• Inducing labor may not work. If your labor is induced, the medicine your doctor or certified nurse-midwife gives you may not start your labor. When this happens, you may need to have a c-section.
• A c-section can cause problems for your baby. Babies born by c-section may have more breathing and other medical problems than babies born by vaginal birth. (Most babies are born by vaginal birth. The mother's uterus contracts to help push the baby out through the vagina, also called the birth canal.)
• C-sections can cause problems in future pregnancies. Once you have a c-section, you may be more likely in future pregnancies to have a c-section. The more c-sections you have, the more problems you and your baby may have, including problems with the placenta.
• A c-section is major surgery for mom. It takes longer for you to recover from a c-section than from a vaginal birth. You can expect to spend 2 to 4 days in the hospital after a c-section. Then you'll need 4 to 6 weeks after you go home to fully recover. You also could have complications from the surgery, like infections and bleeding. So it's important to stay in touch with your health care provider even after you go home. 

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