Kristie McNealy, MD

SofLens Daily Disposables Lenses For Sensitive Eyes

Kristie — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:59:33 +0000

I have extremely sensitive eyes, and when I wore contact lenses, I bounced from one disposable contact lens to another in search of a pair of contacts I could wear comfortably all day long. Of course, this was more than a couple of years ago, so their were fewer options for people who had trouble [...]

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Save on Cord Blood Banking Through June 28

Kristie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:17:20 +0000

I’ve been asked by a number of parents what I think about cord blood banking, and honestly, while we’ve considered banking cord blood for our kids, the cost has always been an issue. If you’re expecting right now though, Cryo-Cell is offering a $725 discount on their U-Cord service, which saves you about 45% off [...]

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Do ADHD Drugs up Risk for Cardiac Deaths in Kids?

Kristie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:56:59 +0000

In short, we don’t know. Yesterday, a study was released online in the American Journal of Psychiatry which demonstrated an association between stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, and sudden death in kids. The headlines generated by the release of this study are downright scary, but as parents, the question is, how worried do we need [...]

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Qubits Building Toys

Kristie — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:59:41 +0000

As a homeschooling mom, I’m always looking for fun, quiet toys that exercise my kids’ minds and creativity. When we received a set of Qubits Construction Toys, I was anxious to see what my kids thought of them. Qubits are a soft, flexible building toy that is CPSIA certified. They don’t contain any magnets, motors, or [...]

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Gardening Has it’s Ups and Downs

Kristie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:49:57 +0000

Last month, I blogged about my garden, and I’ve decided it would be fun to share updates all season long. Since I last wrote about it, the garden in both our back and front yard has been flourishing, with the exception of our cucumbers. I’m not really sure what’s going on with them aside from [...]

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Be The Match: Join the Marrow Registry

Kristie — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:48:53 +0000

Thousands of people hope to find their perfect match for a bone marrow transplant that could save their life. Right now, Be The Match RegistrySM (previously known as the National Marrow Donor Program) is running a Marrowthon until June 22, 2009. The goal of the Marrowthon is to add 46,000 new donors to the registry, [...]

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Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition on Importance of Vaccines

Kristie — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:46:05 +0000

Earlier this week, I wrote about a recent study out of Colorado which showed that when vaccines are refused the risk of contracting whooping cough increases nearly 23-fold. The same day, I happened to connect with the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition on Twitter. Considering the importance I place on these findings, I asked if they’d [...]

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Pertussis Study Highlights Risks of Vaccine Refusal

Kristie — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:12:58 +0000

A new study out of Colorado has shown that parents can’t depend on “herd immunity” to protect their children from vaccine preventable diseases. The study, which was a collaborative effort between the University of Colorado, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Community Health Services, Denver, was published in the journal [...]

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How Does Your Garden Grow?

Kristie — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:34:10 +0000

While I’ve dabbled in gardening in the past, mostly in containers on my back patio, I’ve never considered myself gardener. This winter however, with grocery prices rising, and our focus on eating whole, organic foods increasing, I really began to wish that I had put some effort into gardening and storing veggies last summer. We began [...]

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Speak Out for Child Healthcare Reform at Speak Now for Kids

Kristie — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:46:51 +0000

I learned a lot about medicine, insurance and healthcare delivery that they don’t teach in medical school while our daughter spent the first 46 days of her life hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. My own experiences, and the stories I’ve heard from fellow preemie parents have continued to highlight many of the problems [...]

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Elderberry Extract Sambucol Fights Flu

Kristie — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:23:42 +0000

If you’re looking for natural flu remedies in the wake of the recent swine flu outbreaks, the black elderberry extract Sambucol is a choice that rises to the top of many lists. A small study published in the ’90s showed that 93% of flu patients given Sambucol were completely symptom-free within two days, while those [...]

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Swine Flu Symptoms and Prevention: What to Do

Kristie — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:54:23 +0000

Swine flu is all over the media today, and I just finished watching the latest CDC press briefing live on the CBS website. According to the individual who spoke at the briefing, their are currently 40 confirmed swine flu cases in the US, in 5 states. The median age of infection is 16 years, with [...]

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Swine Flu Hits Mexico and US

Kristie — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:01:19 +0000

**Updates at bottom of post** Mexico City has shut down schools and large public gatherings in hopes pof containing a serious strain of swine flu that has been identified throughout Mexico and in two US states. While numbers vary between sources, it is estimated that more than 1,000 people throughout Mexico are sick with symptoms that [...]

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It’s Not Easy Being Green – Or is it?

Kristie — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:41:52 +0000

This morning, my oldest daughter enthusiastically greeted everyone by shouting “Happy Earth Day!.” Her enthusiasm for the “holiday” waned a little bit when she realized there weren’t any presents or fancy meals involved. I, on the other hand, began enjoying it a little more when I was able to claim saving energy as my excuse [...]

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Growing a Little Green for Earth Day – Pinto Beans

Kristie — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:36:05 +0000

For whatever reason, growing lima beans is the kindergarten project that I most remember from way back when. There’s just something magical about watching a little bean on a damp paper towel sprouting into a real live plant. So, when my oldest daughter asked if we grow some beans like project she saw in Highlights [...]

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Dramatic Decrease in VBACs and Increase in C-Sections in US

Kristie — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:13:38 +0000

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 [...]

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Estrogen Levels May Allow Docs to Predict and Prevent Preterm Labor

Kristie — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:33:52 +0000

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 & 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 [...]

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Breastmilk – Real Food for Babies

Kristie — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:58:10 +0000

Before I get started today, let me state this clearly: there are many reasons, both medical and social, why women might need to use formula to feed their babies. The rest of what I write here is not intended for families in these situations. That is, after all, why formula was invented in the [...]

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Contact Form, other Issues and New Look

Kristie — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:55:40 +0000

I just wanted to say hello and apologize for a few problems that have been plaguing this site lately. Yesterday, while I was trying to resolve a problem with a different RSS feed, I discovered that someone was copying their email subscription to the RSS feed for KristieMcNealy.com and republishing all of it on [...]

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Disney on Ice Disneyland Adventure: Fun with Mickey and the Incredibles

Kristie — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:38:22 +0000

This morning, the first thing our of my 3 year old’s mouth was, “Can I see the show again?” Last night, I got the chance to see Disney on Ice Disneyland Adventure with my family, as part of the Feld Family Activator program through Mom Central. I can honestly say that Disneyland Adventure is one [...]

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Making Your Own Frozen Convenience Foods

Kristie — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:02:58 +0000

One of the most difficult thing about avoiding packaged foods is figuring out what to feed yourself or your family when you need to get a meal or snack on the table fast. Thankfully, many of the frozen and boxed convenience food items that we take fro granted can be made from scratch, and stored [...]

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Giving Leftovers New Life – Garbage Bread

Kristie — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:57:26 +0000

When I was a kid, one of my younger brother’s all time favorite meals was something my mom called garbage bread. I honestly don’t know where the recipe came from beyond that, but despite the kind of unappealing name, garbage bread is a delicious combination of fresh baked bread, and your favorite meats, cheeses and [...]

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Real Food eBook Cookbooks

Kristie — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:15:24 +0000

I don’t own a lot of cookbooks, but as I’ve worked at teaching myself to cook new foods from scratch, I’ve found myself hunting down recipes more and more often. This especially true when I need to cook something that my egg and dairy allergic son will be able to enjoy. Cooking from [...]

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Disney Ticket Winner

Kristie — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:21:33 +0000

Just a quick announcement. The winner of the Disney on Ice tickets is comment #1 – Chris Walker! Congratulations Chris – I’ll be sending you an email in a minute with details.

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Depression Era Cooking Highlights Benefits of Real Food

Kristie — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:56:56 +0000

Eating healthier is just one of the reasons why I’ve spent so much time over the past year learning to cook real food, from real ingredients. While allergies and other issues were the driving force in many of the early changes we made in our diet, a desire to live a self sufficient, more sustainable [...]

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Eat REAL Food Month!

Kristie — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:20:46 +0000

Did you know that March is National Frozen food Month in the US? No? Nether did I, at least until yesterday, when I discovered a National Frozen Food Month emblem in my local Safeway ad. While I know that there are many ways to eat healthy utilizing frozen fruits and veggies, grocery stores are placing most [...]

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Texas Hospital Reduces Preterm Birth Rate by Half

Kristie — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:11:48 +0000

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’s Parkland Memorial Hospital has cut it’s number of preterm deliveries by more than half! In 1988, 10.4% of babies were born premature, which is close to the [...]

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Crunchy Granola Bars – Cooking from Scratch

Kristie — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:45:03 +0000

A while back, we were stocking up on some pantry staples at Sam’s Club, and in a moment of weakness sheer brilliance, I ended up with 9 POUNDS of Quaker oats. Now, my girls can each eat 2 or 3 bowls of oatmeal in a sitting at breakfast, but I’m not sure that even they [...]

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Win Disney on Ice Tickets!

Kristie — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:35:56 +0000

I’m so excited to announce that I have a family four pack of tickets to give away for Disney on Ice: Disneyland Adventure at the Denver Coliseum! These tickets are good for either the March 12th or 13th performance at 7:30pm. If you’d rather not wait for my drawing (or you’re not in Denver), you can [...]

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Organic Skin Care from Nurture My Body

Kristie — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:10:21 +0000

In my continuing quest to reduce the number of potentially harmful chemicals in both the food and bath and body products in my home, I have been testing a variety of new products lately. So, when I was given the chance to try out a facial cleanser from Nurture My Body, I gladly agreed. Nurture My [...]

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Free Valentine Printables

Kristie — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:44:05 +0000

As some of you may already know, we are homeschoolers. While the decision to start homeschooling was pretty straight forward to us, there are a few things that I kind of felt like my kids were missing out on by not going to school, like having a big party and exchanging Valentines with their classmates. Thankfully, [...]

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Octuplet Birth Raises Ethical Questions and Public Outrage

Kristie — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:48:37 +0000

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’s mother, Angela Suleman, the woman chose [...]

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More Evidence Preemies Face Increased Risk of Autism

Kristie — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:15:39 +0000

We already know that researchers are finding an increased incidence of autistic traits in preemie toddlers, and now a much larger study has found a high rate of positive autism screening tests in preemies at the age of two. The new study, carried out at 14 hospitals in 5 states, studied babies born more than [...]

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Natural Body Products Customized for you by SALUS

Kristie — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:03:05 +0000

As a part of our family’s efforts towards improving both our overall health, and our impact on the environment, we began to look more closely at the products we put both in and on our bodies. We spent a long time searching on the web for body care products that we could feel good about [...]

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Basic Yet Tasty Homemade Bread Recipe

Kristie — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:34:42 +0000

Once we settled on a few foods that our son was definitely allergic too, I started trying to find foods in the grocery store, and a local natural grocer that he could eat. I quickly discovered that finding a bread without any corn (think high fructose corn syrup and corn meal), egg or soy ingredients [...]

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Cooking from Scratch for Health: Chicken Pot Pie

Kristie — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:08:25 +0000

In the process of reaching our family goals of becoming healthier, and becoming less dependent on convenience items like packaged or frozen foods, one of the biggest changes we’ve made in our lives is learning to cook more foods from scratch. One of the biggest motivators for this change came when we came to [...]

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Preemies Exposed to Toxic Chemicals in Medications

Kristie — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:50:08 +0000

A study recently published in the Fetal & Neonatal Edition of Archives of Disease in Childhood reveals that premature infants are being exposed to surprisingly high levels of non-drug ingredients found in liquid medications. These ingredients, known as excipients, are chemicals added to medicines to improve their taste, absorption and to prolong their shelf-life. Excipients [...]

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Healthy Green Parenting on a Budget

Kristie — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:12:45 +0000

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 [...]

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King Soopers Trashes Home Cooking

Kristie — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:13:43 +0000

Are you a prisoner in your kitchen?? Apparently King Soopers thinks you are if you bother to cook when you entertain instead of buying party trays from the King Soopers’ (our local Kroger brand store in Colorado) deli counter. Last night, while I was watching Saturday Night Live, a commercial came on that was seriously [...]

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Soothe That Cough or Cold Naturally

Kristie — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:18:12 +0000

With continuing concerns over the safety of over the counter cough and cold medications for young kids, and the ever changing guidelines from the FDA about the lower age limit for giving OTC cold medicines, I thought I’d revisit some safe and natural remedies for cold and flu season. For everyone looking to ease their children’s [...]

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Teava: Skin Care Products that Harness the Powers of Tea

Kristie — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:47:13 +0000

Teava Skincare uses the power of tea to solve common skin problems while also providing anti-aging benefits. Each Teava product is specially formulated with tea extracts which naturally beautify dull, dry or acne prone skin. I know tea is an amazing substance, full of vitamins and powerful antioxidants, so when I got the chance to [...]

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Private Practice Highlights Vaccine Dilemma

Kristie — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:31:11 +0000

Vaccinations have been a hotly debated topic over the past year, with most arguements centered around both the safety of the measels, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) as well as the general safety of thimerasol and other preservatives in vaccines. Fear of autism and growing uncertainty about who is telling the truth, has caused many [...]

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Medical Marketing for Physicians

Kristie — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:49:45 +0000

While most of my readers are moms and dads, I know there are a fair number of physicians lurking out there as well, so I wanted to share a resource with Medical articles on doctor advertising. Hippocrates Publishing is devoted to teaching physicians about the business of medicine – information that is often lacking in [...]

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Cloth Diapering: Getting Started

Kristie — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:42:24 +0000

If you would have told me a year, or even a month ago, that I would start off 2009 as a cloth diapering mommy, I would have laughed at you. Of all the household chores I can think of, I hate laundry the most, and I just couldn’t stand the thought of adding 3 or [...]

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Ringing in the New Year

Kristie — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:00:00 +0000

I wanted to write a quick post tonight to wish you all Happy New Year and apologize for my absence over the last month. I know my daily posts for Blogging for Prematurity Awareness Month ended rather abruptly, and I figure I owe any one who’s still reading a bit of an explanation. Near the end [...]

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$10 Kids Tix to Denver High School Musical: The Ice Tour

Kristie — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:05:57 +0000

I know this is a little off topic, but since many of my readers are parents, and a fair number of you are from Colorado like me, I thought I’d pass on this great deal. For the next two weekends, you can score tickets for kids 12 and under to Disney’s High School Musical: The [...]

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One Dollar Give Spreads Holiday Spirit to 31 Charities

Kristie — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:11:44 +0000

You’re probably all wondering why I disappeared so abruptly last month, and I can assure you it wasn’t because of too much holiday cheer. I’ll explain what happened tomorrow, because today, I need to give a belated introduction to The One Dollar Give! The One Dollar Give is a 31 day event which will be [...]

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She’s Traveled a Long Road – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness Month

Kristie — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:19:16 +0000

Tonight, I was inspired by an old post by Darcy at Life With My 3 Boybarians, where she discussed some of the struggles her son “Trouble” has endured since coming home from the NICU. While our daughter’s story isn’t any where near as long or dramatic as Trouble’s, it still irks me when people take [...]

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NICU Memories – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness Month

Kristie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:01:30 +0000

Yesterday, Debbie at Premature Grandmother (and founder of Elliot’s Preemie Tees) wrote a post about the NICU memories she will never forget. I once again found myself tearing up as I related to so many of the items on her list. I thought her post was such a great idea, so today, I’m going to [...]

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Chemical Found that Primes Uterus to Contract – Prematurity Awareness Month

Kristie — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:12:48 +0000

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 [...]

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Preemies at Risk for Kidney Disease – Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:02:39 +0000

A recent study which is set to be published in the January 2009 issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology has shown that low birth weight babies (those born weighing less than 5.5 pounds) have an increased risk for a type of chronic kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. This condition causes [...]

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Weights and Measures – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:32:15 +0000

1780g* – that’s how much our little girl weighed when she was born. She was 41cm long. Why do I know this? Well it isn’t because I have an odd infatuation with the metric system. It’s because she spent her first 46 days in the NICU, where weights come in grams, length in centimeters and [...]

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Prematurity Awareness Month Link Love

Kristie — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:46:33 +0000

Every day throughout November, I have dedicated myself to publishing a post in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month. I haven’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’m [...]

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Depressed Moms More Likely to Have Preemies – Prematurity Awareness Month

Kristie — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:33:32 +0000

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. [...]

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Preemies, BabyWearing and #MotrinMoms

Kristie — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:59:12 +0000

I was planning on sharing some links today, from some of the other bloggers who have been joining me in spreading awareness about prematurity in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month. Then, yesterday, a little debacle chronicled on Twitter as #motrinmoms sent me off in another direction. Recently, Motrin released an advertising campaign including a video on [...]

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Who’s Who in the NICU – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:41:23 +0000

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 [...]

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Buy JOHNSON’S Baby and Support March of Dimes – Prematurity Awareness Month

Kristie — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:53:02 +0000

Johnson & Johnson is teaming up with the March of Dimes to raise both money and awareness through their “Prevent Prematurity Campaign.” Johnson & Johnson will donate a dime to the March of Dimes (MOD) for every JOHNSON’S® Baby Care product purchased during November and December, up to $100,000. In addition to their financial donation, [...]

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Being a Preemie Mom after the NICU – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:11:11 +0000

A couple of days ago, I wrote a post about the emotional impact of prematurity, and I discussed the fact that being a preemie isn’t something you get to leave at the door of the NICU. What I want to talk about today follows along those same lines, and while it will probably resonate with [...]

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US Gets a D on Premature Birth Report Card – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:23:13 +0000

In honor of Prematurity Awareness Day, the March of Dimes released their national 2008 Premature Birth Report Card today. They gave each state, and the country as a whole, a letter grade based on how their premature birth rate compared to the Healthy People 2010 goal of 7.6%. Not surprisingly, with a premature birth rate [...]

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The Emotional Impact Prematurity – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:59:43 +0000

One day, almost 3 years ago, I walked out of the post partum unit of University Hospital with empty arms. It was Christmas Eve, and I was going home to celebrate Christmas with my older daughter, but my mind and heart were still in the NICU where our youngest struggled on a ventilator. While I [...]

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Healthy Choices Lower Your Risk of Having Preemie – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:06:06 +0000

Prematurity impacts 1 in 8 babies born in the US – that’s a preemie every minute! So, for today’s installment of Blogging for Prematurity Awareness Month, I’m going to share some healthy choices you can make to help reduce your risk of having a preemie before you even become pregnant. While there is nothing [...]

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Choosing a Pediatrician for Your Preemie – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:38:04 +0000

Earlier this year, a survey sponsored by MedImmune, the makers of Synagis, showed gaps in routine health care provided to preemies. The surveyed 202 neonatologists and pediatricians about current attitudes and practices when caring for the specialized health needs of preterm infants, and found that 70% of respondents felt that the health care system in [...]

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RSV, Germs and Protecting Your Preemie – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness Month

Kristie — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:08:45 +0000

Since it’s both Prematurity Awareness Month and the start of RSV season for many of us here in the US, I thought I’d spend some time today talking about RSV and protecting your preemie once you leave the hospital. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is a common seasonal virus. For most of the continental United States, [...]

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Preterm Birth Impacts US Infant Mortality Rate – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:33:04 +0000

According to birth data analyzed by the CDC, the US infant mortality rate dropped by 2% in 2006. But, before you cheer, they say we are sill falling further behind the infant mortality rate of other industrialized nations. While the US ranked 12th in the world for infant mortality in 1960, we had sunk to [...]

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Prematurity Awareness Month Facts Everyone Should Care About

Kristie — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:59:58 +0000

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 [...]

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Preterm Labor Warning Signs – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:28:52 +0000

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 [...]

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Natural Supplement May Up Preterm Delivery Risk – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:56:21 +0000

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 [...]

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Petition for Preemies – Blogging for Prematurity Awareness

Kristie — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:44:25 +0000

Yesterday, in my first post for Prematurity Awareness Month, I encouraged you to sign the March of Dimes Petition for Preemies. In the US, more babies die from premature birth than from any other cause, and the Petition for Preemies was started to urge Congress, the President, employers and healthcare providers to make a real [...]

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Blogging for Prematurity Awareness Month and Other Ways to Raise Awareness

Kristie — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:14:56 +0000

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 [...]

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Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips for a Fun not Frightening Halloween

Kristie — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:27:04 +0000

I don’t know about you guys, but one of the Halloween memories that sticks out in my mind are stories about sick people hiding needles and razors in Halloween treats. We were given strict instructions not to eat ANYTHING while we were out trick-or-treating, and local hospitals and police stations centers opened up x-ray facilities [...]

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Canada to Ban BPA in Baby Bottles – Should We Follow Suit?

Kristie — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:06:34 +0000

Last week, Canada announced that it was moving forward with drafting regulations to ban the importation, advertising and sale of polycarbonate baby bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA), as well as reducing the amount of BPA released into the environment. This move will make Canada the first country in the world to regulate BPA. At the same [...]

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Late Preterm Babies Face High Medical Bills

Kristie — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:29:04 +0000

Recent research has shown that late preterm birth is on the rise, and that these babies face significant health risks. Not surprisingly, an additional study on late preterm birth has shown that late preterm babies, born between 33 and 35 weeks gestation, face significantly higher health care costs than their full-term peers. The study, carried out [...]

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Blog Action Day: When Illness Causes Financial Crisis

Kristie — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:15:09 +0000

It is shameful, that in the United States, many families coping with severe medical problems live in poverty, or are literally bankrupted by their medical bills. Over the past 6 or 7 years, I’ve met far too many families coping with extreme financial hardship while their children struggle in the NICU, battle cancer or [...]

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Preserve Memories with Beautiful Keepsake Footprint Jewelry

Kristie — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:51:13 +0000

Premature or not, babies are tiny for such a short time. I spent some time sorting through baby clothes recently, and I could hardly believe any of my kids had ever been that small (they all wore preemie sized clothes at birth). With the holidays coming, and baby memories in my mind, I wanted to [...]

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Sequenom Noninvasive Prenatal Down Syndrome Test Proven Accurate

Kristie — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:45:38 +0000

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 [...]

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A Shielding Lotion To Protect Skin’s Natural Moisture

Kristie — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:09:20 +0000

Several months ago, I got the opportunity to try out Skin MD Natural lotion in order to review it here, on my blog. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to get around to finally writing this article, but I can assure you, that after all this time, my whole family has had the [...]

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Honor Young Warriors During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Kristie — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:39:39 +0000

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. While we are all familiar with the many pink campaigns dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research and awareness, I have a feeling most of you didn’t even realize childhood cancer had a “month” of its own, or that the symbol of childhood cancer awareness is a gold [...]

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Behavior Problems in Extremely Premature Babies at School Age

Kristie — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:40:58 +0000

A new study published in the September issue of Pediatrics found an increased frequency of behavioral problems in extremely premature children born at or before 25 weeks gestation. The study was conducted at multiple centers in the UK and Ireland, and looked at behavioral reports from parents and teachers. In total, reports on 200 preemies [...]

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Making an Educated Choice on Vaccinations

Kristie — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:40:53 +0000

It’s been a busy summer, and I’ve been away from my blog far too long. I was pondering what to write about to get back into the swing of things when I read a post from Dr. Vartabedian, author of Colic Solved, about a new website called Vaccinate Your Baby. Vaccinate Your Baby is a product [...]

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Sunglasses Help Protect Eyes, Prevent Cancer and Vision Loss

Kristie — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:04:17 +0000

While most people recognize the need to protect their skin from the sun with sunscreen and protective clothing, there is much less awareness in the United States when it comes to the need to protect your eyes from UV light. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, exposure to bright sunlight may increase the [...]

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Soy May Impair Future Fertility

Kristie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:50:40 +0000

Recent research which looked at the impact of phytoestrogens found in soy on brain function in rats shows that physiologically relevant doses of the phytoestrogens genistein and equol have an impact on the region of the brain which controls reproductive functions in female rats. This brain region is very similar to the region of the [...]

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New Evidence Preeclampsia May be an Autoimmune Disorder

Kristie — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:56:11 +0000

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 [...]

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Memoirs of Preterm Birth and a Giveaway from MoBoleez

Kristie — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:07:04 +0000

Recently, Diane Curie Sam, founder of MoBoleez and a fellow preemie mom, was kind enough to share a piece she wrote about her son’s premature birth. She also sent us two of her unique and adorable preemie sized breastfeeding hats to give away to our preemie mom readers. MoBoleez breastfeeding hats are a [...]

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Unique Blanket Protects Baby from Germs, Sun and Nosy Strangers

Kristie — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:54:09 +0000

As a mom of a preemie, and two babies born during cold and flu season, I know what it’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 [...]

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Welcome to the New Home of my NICU 101 Articles

Kristie — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:04:06 +0000

I just wanted to welcome anyone who has landed on this page while looking for NICU101.com. From today on, the NICU, preemie and high risk pregnancy blog posts and articles that were posted on NICU 101, can now be found here at KristieMcNealy.com. This is a permanent change, so please make yourself at home here! [...]

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News from the Surgeon General’s Conference On Preterm Birth

Kristie — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:53:53 +0000

As prescribed by the PREEMIE Act, on June 16th and 17th, 2008, the Surgeon General’s Conference on Prevention of Preterm Birth convened to discuss issues and research initiatives related to reducing the preterm birth rate in the United States. So far, the biggest news out of the conference that I’ve heard, is the announcement by [...]

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One EpiPen May Not Cut it for Kids with Asthma & Food Allergies

Kristie — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:29:17 +0000

If you’re child suffers from asthma, as well as a life threatening food allergy, keep your eyes out for a new study in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. According to a recent study, nearly 1 in 5 kids who had an anaphylactic reaction to a food required a [...]

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High Heels to Hormones – Coping with Back Pain

Kristie — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:40:59 +0000

A few weeks ago, we brought you a guest post from Dr. Christina Lasich, author of High Heels to Hormones: A Woman’s Guide to Spine Care, about back pain in pregnancy. It’s been a busy few weeks, but since that last post, I’ve had the pleasure of reading High Heels to Hormones myself. As [...]

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My Baby Nest Carrier – The Support Preemies Need

Kristie — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:51:45 +0000

A few days ago, I found out about a promotion that supports the March of Dimes from My Baby Nest, LLC, the makers of the My Baby Nest baby carrier. During the month of June, for every baby purchased on www.MyBabyNest.com, My Baby Nest will donate a carrier to the March of Dimes. My Baby [...]

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Early Detection is Key in Breast Cancer Survival

Kristie — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:49:45 +0000

Did you know that the American Cancer Society estimates that 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States, and 40,480 will die of breast cancer this year? Thankfully, the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is 90%, and that number is even higher if the [...]

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Sickening – Rising Premature Birth Rate Linked to C-Sections

Kristie — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:44:40 +0000

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 [...]

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Women Denied Health Insurance for Prior C-Sections

Kristie — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:11:51 +0000

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 [...]

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6 Tips for Being on Bedrest with Young Kids

Kristie — Fri, 30 May 2008 19:55:55 +0000

We discussed 10 ways to cope with the stress and boredom of bedrest earlier this week, so now I’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 [...]

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FDA Warns Against Nipple Cream

Kristie — Sun, 25 May 2008 06:35:12 +0000

The FDA has issued a warning to mothers to discontinue the use of Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises Inc. According to the FDA, the cream, designed to soothe dry or cracked nipples, contains two ingredients which are potentially harmful to infants. These ingredients, chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol, could cause respiratory distress, [...]

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10 Tips For Surviving Bedrest

Kristie — Fri, 23 May 2008 20:37:52 +0000

When you’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’re worried about, it can also [...]

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Dry Eye Syndrome: Are Your Eyes Thirsty?

Kristie — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:14:46 +0000

For Millions, the Answer is Yes Today, we’re excited to bring you a guest post from Suzanne Paulson, founder of Eye Eco and creator of Tranquileyes. We hydrate our bodies with water, hydrate our skin with lotions and potions, but what are we doing to keep our eyes hydrated, healthy and looking their best? While few are [...]

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Birth Defects & Preterm Birth Linked

Kristie — Thu, 22 May 2008 19:01:03 +0000

A study published online in the Maternal and Child Health Journal has revealed a link between major birth defects and preterm birth. The research, which addresses one of the goals set forth in the PREEMIE Act, looked at the birth data from 13 states for the time period of 1995-2000 (about 30% of all [...]

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Vaccines Induce Autism Like Behavior in Monkeys

Kristie — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:58:46 +0000

According to a press release from the National Autism Association, evidence was presented at the International Meeting For Autism Research that giving vaccines to infant macaque monkeys induced symptoms of autism. Infant macaques were vaccinated according to the current childhood vaccination schedule, and then followed for signs and symptoms of autism. The study [...]

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Oh, the Pains of Pregnancy! Reducing Pregnancy Back Pain

Kristie — Wed, 21 May 2008 01:54:05 +0000

Today, we’re excited to bring you a guest post from Dr. Christina Lasich, author of High Heels to Hormones: A Woman’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 [...]

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