Kristie McNealy, MD

Winner Announced – Grains of Goodness Giveaway

Kristie — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:01:44 +0000

In the midst of celebrating little M’s one month birthday (I can’t believe it’s really been a month), I managed to forget to announce the winner of the Grains of Goodness giveaway I hosted last week. I’m pretty sure it’s his fault. He did take my brain with him when he was born after all [...]

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Easy 100% Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Kristie — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:54:59 +0000

Ok, before I get started, I have to admit that the 100% part of the title to this post drives me a little bit batty. The part of me which loves to argue semantics cringes, because obviously, this bread has something in it other than whole wheat. Unfortunately though, I’ve found that googling for a [...]

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Baby Wearing Safety – CPSC Warns of Hazards of Bag Style Slings

Kristie — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:21:51 +0000

Yesterday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning to parents urging caution when using slings to carry infants less than 4 months of age, as a result of 14 deaths “associated with sling-style infant carriers”. The rather vague description of the types of carriers that pose a danger has caused a lot of confusion among [...]

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31 Days of Aries Book Tour and iPod Touch Giveaway

Kristie — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:54:42 +0000

This month I’m excited to be participating in the 31 Days of Aries blog book tour, celebrating the release of Aries Rising, the first in the Star Crossed series of young adult books by Bonnie Hearn Hill. Aries Rising features Logan McRae, an ordinary highschool girl who finds an old astrology book, and uses it [...]

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Whole Grain Goodness Giveaway

Kristie — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:42:58 +0000

I know that back in January, I posted some goals for 2010, and one of them involved continuing to reduce our dependence on packaged foods. Then, baby number four was born, and he turned our world right upside down. It’s kind of amazing how foggy my memory was about just how hard it is to [...]

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Two Weeks of Chaos

Kristie — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:07:43 +0000

I can hardly believe it’s been two weeks. TWO WEEKS!! At this rate, he’ll be in kindergarten before I get back to writing regular blog posts. All the way back on February 13th, I woke up having contractions. They weren’t exactly painful, but they were enough to wake me up and get my attention every 15 [...]

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Disney on Ice and Arenacross Denver Discounts!

Kristie — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:38:11 +0000

I’ve been very wrapped up in being a mommy to baby M, as well as the three big kids over the past two weeks, and I have a lot of blogging to catch up on. Today I have one last batch of Disney ticket deals to share. I probably won’t have any more discount codes [...]

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My Funny Valentine

Kristie — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:52:41 +0000

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 [...]

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39 Weeks . . . and Counting

Kristie — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:51:05 +0000

As of today, I’m 39 weeks pregnant. If I don’t go into labor before tomorrow morning, I’ll officially be the most pregnant I’ve ever been – 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, [...]

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Other Uses for Cloth Diapers

Kristie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:36:53 +0000

I haven’t been in the mood for blogging much lately, but I got a little inspiration today while watching the younger two kids making some sort of crazy creation out of a stack of cloth diapers they were “folding”. So, for those of you wondering what in the world you are going to do with [...]

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Get Me Out Explores the Sometimes Shocking History of Childbirth

Kristie — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:29:15 +0000

As you’ve probably noticed by now, I’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, [...]

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Disney Live and Monster Jam Coming to Denver!

Kristie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:01:06 +0000

Before I type yet another pregnancy update, I wanted to take a minute to let all my Denver area readers know about two more shows from Feld Entertainment that will be coming to Denver in February. Both of these shows are a little different than the Disney on Ice shows I’ve posted about in the [...]

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Anticipation

Kristie — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:36:41 +0000

Many of you caught snippets of this on Twitter yesterday, but here’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’ve had before in this pregnancy, so it crossed [...]

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Make a Promise and Help Fund Cervical Cancer Screening for Women in Need

Kristie — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:02:40 +0000

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and Hologic, Inc. has partnered with the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) to fund cervical cancer screening for women in need. Hologic will donate $1 towards preventive healthcare for women for every person who “makes the promise” to take care of their health and passes it on to friends [...]

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Chef’s Requested Bacon Wrapped Filets in Pan Gravy with Roasted Veggies

Kristie — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:57:42 +0000

Back in November, I shared a recipe using Chef’s Requested Flatiron Grill Steaks. It took me a while to get the chance to film my latest creation, but today I’d like to share a recipe and video featuring Chef’s Requested Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon in pan gravy with vegetables roasted in foil. This makes a [...]

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Voluntary Recall of HAPPYTOT and HAPPYBABY Baby Food Pouches

Kristie — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:06:02 +0000

This week, Nurture Inc. announced a voluntary recall of HAPPYTOT Stage 4 and the new HAPPYBABY Stage 1 and Stage 2 pouch products due to a packaging defect. According to the company and the FDA, some of the pouches were discovered to be leaking or swollen, which could indicate a problem with the safety of [...]

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Healthy Accomplishments in 2009 and Goals for 2010

Kristie — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:18:10 +0000

2009 brought a lot of changes in the way we do things in the McNealy household. I used my Christmas money last year to invest in cloth diapers, and as of this week, we’ve been cloth diapering for a solid year. I still use disposables for travel and other odd times, but I can count [...]

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Pregnancy Pointers – The Hospital Bag

Kristie — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:35:01 +0000

It’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’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 [...]

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Exciting Plans for 2010

Kristie — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:38:52 +0000

As 2009 draws to a close, my head is full of all of the things we’ve got coming up in the new year. Starting some time next week (there are still a few details to be worked out), I’ll be taking up a position as an expert blogger on women’s and children’s health topics on [...]

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Breech Babies – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:46:51 +0000

Now that I’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 [...]

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Christmas Wishes for the NICU

Kristie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:56:23 +0000

As we prepare our Christmas dinner, and bake up treats for our special Christmas breakfast, my belly can’t help but get in the way. It’s straining my usually way too big apron to it’s breaking point, and bumping into the counter as I lean in to grab a bowl or dish. Four years ago on [...]

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Managing Pregnancy Weight Gain Through the Holidays

Kristie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:04:37 +0000

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’re struggling with morning [...]

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Holiday Cheer and My Fave Christmas Cookies

Kristie — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:04:53 +0000

It’s been a crazy week, filled with two birthdays, Christmas shopping and plenty of packing and shipping. I wanted to take a few minutes to wish you all a merry Christmas and share my all time favorite Christmas cookie recipe. Every year, for as long as I can remember, I’ve had a hand in baking and [...]

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On This Day . . .

Kristie — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:16:04 +0000

Over the past seven years, December has been an eventful month for us, and I don’t just mean the regular holiday type eventfulness. So far, we’ve managed to have two unexpected December babies (one 4 weeks early and the other 9). As a result, I’ve spent more of December in the hospital than I’d care [...]

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PuffPac Provides a New Twist on Gift Wrapping – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:50:50 +0000

With the holidays rapidly approaching, I wanted to share a new gift wrap product I had the chance to try out recently. The PuffPac, an inflatable gift wrapping product, takes the fun of a mylar balloon and lets you add a gift inside. To use a PuffPac, you simply slide your gift inside, seal the pouch [...]

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Cold and Flu Prevention and Safe Natural Remedies – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:18:47 +0000

The changes in recommendations regarding the use of over the counter cold remedies in young children over the past few years have made knowing what is safe to give your kids more confusing than ever. This is especially true if you’re like me, and certain medications that were fine when your oldest was a toddler [...]

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Disney on Ice Worlds of Fantasy Review and Ticket Discount

Kristie — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:41:41 +0000

Disney on Ice is in Denver again, and I have ticket discount codes and a review for all of you! Disney on Ice: Worlds of Fantasy opened at the Pepsi Center last night. Thanks to Feld Entertainment and Mom Central, I was able to take my girls for a special night out to see the show. [...]

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US Scores a D Again on Premature Birth Report Card – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:11:09 +0000

Today, I wanted to wrap up Prematurity Awareness Month by taking a quick look at the 2009 Premature Birth Report card, an annual initiative of the March of Dimes. Once again, the nation as a whole scored a ‘D’ for their premature birth rate. There wasn’t a single state that got an ‘A’, and for [...]

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The Inner Game of Stress – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:26:48 +0000

Back while I was on bedrest, I spent some time reading a new book, The Inner Game of Stress: Outsmart Life’s Challenges and Fulfill Your Potential. It was pretty good timing, because stress over the baby’s well being and the challenges of managing our household while horizontal on the couch had pretty much overwhelmed [...]

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A Brief Rant on Prematurity Awareness . . . Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:21:16 +0000

Today, for Prematurity Awareness Month and Medical Monday, I’d like to share a personal rant. Each October, stores are flooded with pink ribbon merchandise. Newspapers, magazines, websites, even grocery store ads, manage to “think pink.” According to the National Cancer Institute, 12.7% of women, or 1 in 8, will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their [...]

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Disney on Ice Ticket Winner Announced!

Kristie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:28:25 +0000

As I mentioned last week, Disney on Ice: Worlds of Fantasy will be performing at the Pepsi Center from December 4th through the 6th, and then at the Denver Coliseum from December 11th through the 13th. I have a 4 pack of tickets to give away today, but in case you’re not the winner, here’s a [...]

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Unstuffed Peppers Recipe Featuring Chef’s Requested 100 Calorie Steaks

Kristie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:05:26 +0000

Last month, I shared a review of Chef’s Requested 100 calorie Flatiron Grill Steaks, a unique steak that is perfectly portioned to be 100 calories with just 3.5 grams of fat. I promised you’d hear more about these yummy steaks in the future, so I’m going to share a recipe I like to make with [...]

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AquaHydrate Sports Water for Proper Hydration – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:29:46 +0000

Elite athlete or not, staying hydrated is important. When your body is dehydrated, it simply can’t perform its best. Unfortunately, many sports drinks come loaded with sugar, calories and additives like artificial colors and flavors your body doesn’t need! If you’re looking for a calorie free beverage that will help you stay hydrated, AquaHydrate sports water [...]

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Ski Banz Winner Announced!

Kristie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:23:07 +0000

Thanks to everyone who entered the Ski Banz kid’s ski goggles giveaway! Remember, if you’re not a winner, you can always hop on over to the Baby Banz site and order a pair or two. For just $15, they are really a bargain when it comes to quality ski goggles that will help protect your [...]

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Why I Fight for Preemies

Kristie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:36:10 +0000

I’ve written about it so many times, I don’t know what I’ve said and what I haven’t anymore. But, today is Prematurity Awareness Day, and I HAVE to say something. Prematurity has cast it’s shadow on my life more than once. The first time I was just a girl. My aunt and uncle had a little [...]

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SPIN Program Decreases NEC and Ups Human Milk Feedings in Preemies – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:35:10 +0000

A special research and feeding program has simultaneously increased the rate of human milk feeding and decreased the rate of a serious medical complication in premature babies at UC San Diego Medical Center. Since the implementation of the Supporting Premature Infant Nutrition program (SPIN) at UCSD, the rate of human milk feeding has gone up [...]

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Being Thankful for My Healthy Kids

Kristie — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:46:00 +0000

It’s easy to take health for granted until something goes wrong. Today, all of my kids are healthy, and for that I am thankful. I know what I have to be thankful for because we haven’t always been so lucky. Four years ago this December, I was admitted to the hospital in preterm labor. I was [...]

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Can We Find 500 Bloggers to Fight for Preemies?

Kristie — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:59:44 +0000

Tuesday is Prematurity Awareness Day, and as I type this, 379 bloggers are registered to Fight For Preemies. That’s great, but it would be really awesome if we could get 500 people registered and blogging in time for the big day. In the US, 1 in 8 babies are born premature, but prematurity is a global [...]

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Disney on Ice: Worlds of Fantasy Denver Ticket Giveaway!

Kristie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:33:20 +0000

**Comments are now closed. I’ll be announcing the winner of the Disney on Ice tickets shortly** Disney on Ice is coming to Denver again, and I have discount codes and a ticket giveaway for my local readers! Disney on Ice: Worlds of Fantasy will be performing at the Pepsi Center from December 4th through the 6th, [...]

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Give Thanks for #HealthyKids

Kristie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:52:07 +0000

Too often, we take our health, and the health of our kids for granted. It doesn’t even cross our minds until something goes wrong. The Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition (CCIC) would like to change that, by encouraging people to give thanks for the healthy kids in their lives during “Healthy Kids Thank-A-Thon 2009”. The CCIC works [...]

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Winter Sun Safety and Ski Banz Giveaway! – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:15:31 +0000

**Comments are now closed. Winner will be announced shortly!** Ski Banz Giveaway runs from November 11-17th – enter below! If the foot of snow we had on the ground before Halloween is any indication, summer is definitely over, and ski season is on its way. But, just because beach weather has drawn to a close, doesn’t mean [...]

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Fetal Fibronectin Test Helps Predict Preterm Birth – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:35:28 +0000

As I mentioned last week, I’ll be focusing on prematurity related Medical Monday topics all November long for Prematurity Awareness Month. Don’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 [...]

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Parents Charged After Preemie Baby is Starved to Death

Kristie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:48:34 +0000

A Lakeland, Florida couple were arrested on murder and felony child abuse charges after their 5-month-old daughter died in their home on November 1st. The baby, a preemie named Chauntasia Gardner, weighed only 6 pounds when she died of starvation. The story is disturbing on so many levels. I couldn’t possibly have time to type them [...]

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Kangaroo Care Saves Preemie Baby on Primetime

Kristie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:27:54 +0000

Tonight, Grey’s Anatomy (Hello, my name is Kristie, and I’m a Grey’s Anatomy addict…) opened with a baby being delivered 10 weeks premature by emergency c-section. Mom had been in an auto accident, and both mom and baby had bleeding on their brains. When the baby is failing, and her death seems imminent, Karev picks [...]

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Human Body Detectives Makes Learning About Health Fun – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:59 +0000

It seems as though my love of medicine has rubbed off on my oldest daughter. Maybe it was those 6 months she spent sitting in the back of the lecture hall with me before she turned one, or maybe it’s genetic. I guess we’ll never know for sure. Either way, as a homeschooling mom with [...]

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Hospitals To Crack Down on Inductions – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:41:17 +0000

It’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 [...]

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24 Week Baby Update and Announcements

Kristie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:52:37 +0000

By the time you read this, I’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’t very good. A [...]

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Busy Breathers Oxygen Backpack Makes Life on the Go Easier – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:47:14 +0000

A few months ago, I had the good fortune of meeting Michelle Staley, founder of Busy Breathers LLC on Twitter. Michelle is a fellow preemie mom as well as inventor of the Busy Breather backpack. Her product is something I really wish I could have gotten my hands on during the 17 months our daughter [...]

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Enjoy Chef’s Requested Steaks in Heart Healthy Portions

Kristie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:45:59 +0000

Maintaining a heart healthy diet can be difficult, especially if you love a good steak. Portion control can be hard, and figuring out how much fat is in a random cut of meat from your grocery store is even worse. Thanks to Chef’s Requested, you can now enjoy a steak without all the guilt. The new [...]

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Trick-or-Treat Food Allergy Safety – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:47:00 +0000

If you’ve got a child with food allergies, holidays provide special challenges. Treats are abundant, and everyone and their uncle is handing them out to your child everywhere you go around Halloween. So, how do you keep your child with food allergies safe and happy for trick-or-treating? Review the Rules If they are old enough to understand, [...]

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Free Spook-tacular Halloween Event at Pump it Up Littleton – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:18:01 +0000

Update - Details have changed. Instead of a canned food item, participants are being asked to bring a gently used coat to donate to Coats for Colorado. If you’re looking for a fun and free way to entertain your little ghosts and goblins this month, be sure to check out a Spook-tacular event taking place a [...]

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Free or Discounted IVF With Clinical Trials – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:37:14 +0000

**Note – I’ve once again had to close comments on a clinical trial post. Please contact the trials directly if you feel you may qualify.** Fertility treatments are expensive. Even with insurance coverage, many couples are forced to give up before they have a child of their own. The single post that seems to generate the [...]

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Advantages of Cloth with Convenience of Disposables

Kristie — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:50:47 +0000

I’ve been cloth diapering for about 10 months now, and I thought we pretty much had our system down to a science. Then we found out we were expecting baby #4, and I started my diaper hunt all over again. I’ve been trying to find both smaller diapers, and diapers that might make my life [...]

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Ultrasound Update

Kristie — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:35:08 +0000

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’t any change when they put pressure on my belly [...]

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Coloring Book Helps Big Brothers and Sisters of NICU Babies – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:02:19 +0000

Helping siblings cope with having a baby brother or sister in the NICU is an issue that has been near and dear to me ever since our second daughter was born 9 weeks early. Her 46 day NICU stay was hard on all of us, but one of the worst things was trying to figure [...]

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Preemies Still Dying Despite More Aggressive Care – Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:23:10 +0000

Despite medical advances and more aggressive care, a recent study has yielded disappointing results about the survival of preemies at the edge of viability. The study, out of Johns Hopkins, compared the mortality rate and interventions provided to preemies born between 22 and 24 weeks of pregnancy between 1993 and 1995 to preemies born at [...]

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Bedrest 2009 – Still Here On The Couch

Kristie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:54:12 +0000

Well, it’s been a week, and I’m still here hanging out on the couch, which is a very good thing. I’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’ve spent the week blogging, stressing [...]

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Save on Holiday Shopping and Get Rewarded with iPerks – What’s New Wednesday

Kristie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:41:55 +0000

As part of my effort to reorganize around here, I’ll be sharing my posts about products and upcoming events in a weekly post I’ve dubbed “What’s New Wednesday”. If you’ve got a product or event you’d like me to share with my readers (preferably health or family oriented), please contact me. For the rest of [...]

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New Synagis Guidelines for RSV Prevention: Medical Monday

Kristie — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:26:19 +0000

First – a bit of housekeeping . . . Since returning from Type-A Mom, I’ve been trying to figure out a better way to organize my blog to cope with the increasing number of local events and products I’m getting involved with, without getting all the medical information lost in the shuffle. For the time being, [...]

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Universal Bilirubin Screening Reduces Serious Newborn Jaundice

Kristie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:00:48 +0000

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 [...]

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Oh Baby – Here We Go Again

Kristie — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:24:04 +0000

I’ve written a lot about my other pregnancies, but for some reason, I just haven’t had a lot to say about baby #4. It’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’t had the energy to put this [...]

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Type-A Mom Conference Wrap Up – Better Late than Never!

Kristie — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:41:03 +0000

I’ve only been home for three days, but somehow I still feel like it’s taken me absolutely FOREVER to write this post! I left for Type-A Mom Conference in Asheville last week feeling more than a little apprehensive about the whole thing. It was my first ever blogger conference, and on top of going, I was [...]

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Fight for Preemies: Bloggers Unite

Kristie — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:43:22 +0000

November is fast approaching (crazy, right??), and I wanted to remind everyone that November is Prematurity Awareness Month. 1 in 8 babies in the United States are born premature, a fate that puts them at risk for lifelong physical and developmental complications. On top of this, prematurity is the number one cause of [...]

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Type-A Mom Blogging Conference

Kristie — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:01:43 +0000

I’m typing from Asheville this morning, where I’m excited to be attending the first ever Type-A Mom Conference. If you’re here, please say hi. I’ll be speaking twice on Friday. First Renee Ross and I will have a session on turning your pre-kid career into a blogging niche. Later in the [...]

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See Zing Zang Zoom in Denver!

Kristie — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:35:04 +0000

I wanted to give a heads up to all of my Denver area readers that the circus is coming to town Zing Zang Zoom, by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, will be arriving in Denver on September 30th, and the show will be running until October 11th. I can’t remember the [...]

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Eat at Chili’s and Other Ways to Raise Childhood Cancer Awareness

Kristie — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:24:12 +0000

Earlier this month, I reminded you that September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Now I want to share a few ways that you can help. One of the easiest things you can do to help raise awareness and money for childhood cancer is eat at Chili’s. On Monday, September 28th, all Chili’s restaurants will be [...]

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Cirque du Soleil Adds More Shows in Denver

Kristie — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:18:35 +0000

This is a little off topic, but since it is good family fun, I’d thought I’d pass the information along to all of you. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet some moms who travel with Cirque du Soleil KOOZA, and learn about what their life on the road is like. It [...]

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Coconut Oil as an Alternative to Butter or Shortening

Kristie — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:47:18 +0000

I’ve written several different posts about the ways our diet has evolved since our son was diagnosed with food allergies. As we all became more conscious about reading labels and being aware of what was in our food for his sake, we began to think more about the way different ingredients were impacting our overall [...]

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Car Seat Safety and National Seat Check Saturday

Kristie — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:24:31 +0000

In honor of National Child Passenger Safety Week, I had the opportunity to learn about some excellent car seat safety resources from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Auto accidents are the leading cause of death in children ages 2 to 14, and 3 in 4 kids is less safe than they could be, because [...]

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Hooray Colorado Parents! Nearly 80% of Colorado’s Children Are Fully Immunized

Kristie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:17:26 +0000

Today, I wanted to share this guest post on childhood immunizations, and recent results of the National Immunization Survey. Thanks to Melanie for sharing this piece! By Melanie Marin a full-time mom of a kindergartener and a toddler, and part time coordinator working on immunization issues for a local public health agency in Larimer County It [...]

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September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Kristie — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:45:02 +0000

It’s getting a little crazy around here again, but I couldn’t let September 1st pass without reminding you all that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer is the number 1 disease killer of children, and despite the improving survival rates for most childhood cancers, 1/4 of all kids who are diagnosed with cancer still [...]

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CDC Considers Promoting Routine Circumcision to Reduce HIV Risk

Kristie — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:34:22 +0000

In the wake of their analysis of research out of Africa showing that male circumcision may reduce the likelihood of HIV infection in men, the CDC is considering making a recommendation for routine infant circumcision in the US. CDC officials cite the high rate of HIV infection in the US, and a need to do [...]

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Induction of Labor Could Actually Reduce C-Section Rates In Some Cases

Kristie — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:24:44 +0000

I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard that inducing labor increases a woman’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’d honestly never really looked into the truth of this claim. That is [...]

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Mom Pregnant with 12 Babies is a Hoax

Kristie — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:02:09 +0000

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’t pregnant at all. Apparently, what we didn’t hear from the initial news reports, is that when this woman first surfaced, she was [...]

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Is Organic Food Healthier, or is this Some Kind of Cult?

Kristie — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:43:13 +0000

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been running across some chatter on the internet over whether or not organic foods are “healthier” than other types of food. Many of the bloggers who are opting out of the organic food trend have a pretty harsh view of the organic food industry and those consumers who [...]

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Tunisian Woman Said to be Carrying 12 Babies – Will the Madness Never End?

Kristie — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:13:46 +0000

Note – 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 – I said [...]

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Ethical Issues in Extreme Prematurity Brought to Light by This Lovely Life

Kristie — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:50:48 +0000

Recently, my post about the HR 3200 healthcare reform bill sparked a little debate in the comments about neonatal resuscitation in extremely premature babies. I, like many parents of preemies, have strong opinions about how I would want my own child cared for if they were born very premature (before 25 weeks). However, aside from [...]

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Study on Preemies and Cord Clamping to Begin

Kristie — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:04:24 +0000

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 [...]

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ObamaCare: A Physician’s Point of View On The Negative Ramifications of America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009

Kristie — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 04:40:19 +0000

Healthcare reform is obviously the hot button topic of the day, and unfortunately, as a good (and well educated) friend of mine admitted today, the sum of the average American’s knowledge about the current healthcare bill comes from the nightly news. From their perspective, ObamaCare sounds pretty good. I’d like to share my take on this [...]

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Saliva Progesterone Levels Could Predict Preterm Labor

Kristie — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:27:17 +0000

A small study from University College London and King’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 [...]

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Unique Book Helps Parents Talk to Young Kids About Cancer

Kristie — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:43:24 +0000

[ad#250x250]A few weeks ago, I found out about a unique tool to use when talking with very young children about their parent or grandparent who has cancer. Someone I Love is Sick is a book that is geared towards children between the ages of two and six. It’s unique because the book is designed as [...]

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UK Midwife Says Epidurals Bad for Bonding

Kristie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:31:00 +0000

[ad#250x250]According to one of the Britain’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 [...]

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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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Do ADHD Drugs up Risk for Cardiac Deaths in Kids?

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

[ad#250x250]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

[ad#250x250]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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