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Fear of Childbirth and Tokophobia: You Are Not Alone
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction>Understanding the Origins of Fear>The Impact on Birth Choices>Creating Your Action Plan Bringing new life into the world can be one of the most profound experiences in a person’s life. Yet for many expectant parents, the journey toward childbirth is marked not only by anticipation and joy but also by significant anxiety…
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Asthma in Pregnancy
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction>Managing Asthma in Pregnancy>What to Expect During Labor & Delivery Pregnancy brings many changes to your body, and if you have asthma, you may wonder how your condition might affect your pregnancy—or how pregnancy might affect your asthma. The good news is that with proper management and care, people with asthma typically…
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Vaginal Seeding After Cesarean Birth
What Is Vaginal Seeding? Vaginal seeding refers to the practice of taking vaginal fluids from a birthing parent and applying them to a newborn baby’s skin, mouth, or nose after a cesarean birth. This is typically done using a cotton gauze or swab that has been placed in the vagina and then wiped on the…
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Citric Acid
Safety Status: Trying to Conceive: Safe Pregnancy: Safe Breastfeeding: Safe What We Know: Citric acid is a weak organic acid that occurs naturally in citrus fruits and many other foods. It’s widely used as a flavoring agent, preservative, acidulant, and antioxidant in many processed foods, beverages, candies, and pharmaceuticals. Commercially, it’s typically produced through fermentation…
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Inulin
Safety Status: Trying to Conceive: Safe Pregnancy: Safe Breastfeeding: Safe What We Know: Inulin is a naturally occurring prebiotic fiber found in many plants including chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onions, and bananas. It’s used as a functional food ingredient to increase fiber content, replace fat or sugar, and improve texture in various food products.…
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Xylitol Maltodextrin
Safety Status: Trying to Conceive: Safe Pregnancy: Safe Breastfeeding: Safe What We Know: Xylitol maltodextrin refers to a sweetener blend that combines xylitol (a sugar alcohol) with maltodextrin (a polysaccharide used as a thickener, filler, or preservative). This combination is often used in sugar-free products, baked goods, and as a tabletop sweetener, leveraging xylitol’s sweetness…
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Sodium Benzoate
Safety Status: Trying to Conceive: Limited Pregnancy: Limited Breastfeeding: Limited What We Know: Sodium benzoate is a preservative used to prevent bacterial and fungal growth in acidic foods and beverages, including carbonated drinks, fruit juices, pickles, condiments, and salad dressings. It’s the sodium salt of benzoic acid, which also occurs naturally in some fruits like…
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Polysorbates
Safety Status: Trying to Conceive: Limited Pregnancy: Limited Breastfeeding: Limited What We Know: Polysorbates (including Polysorbate 20, 40, 60, 65, and 80) are synthetic emulsifiers used to prevent oil and water from separating in many food products including ice cream, baked goods, salad dressings, and sauces. They’re also used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines as…
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Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)
Safety Status: Trying to Conceive: Safe Pregnancy: Safe Breastfeeding: Safe What We Know: Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), also known as cellulose gum, is a modified cellulose derivative used as a thickening agent, stabilizer, and emulsifier in many food products including ice cream, baked goods, dairy products, and sauces. It’s also used in pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and…
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Propylene Glycol
Safety Status: Trying to Conceive: Limited Pregnancy: Limited Breastfeeding: Limited What We Know: Propylene glycol is a synthetic liquid substance used as a solvent, humectant, and preservative in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products. In foods, it functions as a moisture-retaining agent, texture enhancer, and carrier for flavors and colors in products like ice cream, frosting,…
