Watch the astonishing development of the baby, week by week during pregnancy, through the remarkable “eyes” of ultrasound. Here is a a stunning collection of moving and still pictures of the growing baby in this new YouTube video based on the recently released Harvard Medical School book, Your Developing Baby.
Tag Archives: Pregnancy
Walking from the Heart
This fall, I participated in the American Heart Association HeartWalk in Boston. This was significant for me on several levels: I did the walk with my two children, now 25 and 21. These are children I was not supposed to have— according to the doctors I had seen when I was growing up—because the stress of pregnancy and childbirth was considered too much for a heart compromised by Marfan Syndrome. But thanks to the skill and watchful care of a wonderful cardiologist, I was able to thrive through two pregnancies (with planned C-sections), and rejoice with my husband at the birth of our children, who are now well-launched in their own lives and continue to be two of the joys of ours.
The HeartWalk was also significant because I was actually able to complete two of the miles without pain—thanks to the benefits of “physical therapy boot camp” and my new program of regular gym workouts. Again, I feel as if I have “outwitted” some of the usual problems of Marfan Syndrome—joint pain— as long as I am faithful to the exercise routine. Walking that distance was meaningful for another reason: In 1995 I had mitral valve replacement surgery and woke up with half my body paralyzed by a stroke caused by a wayward piece of tissue that had lodged in my brain. I recovered by using integrative medicine (another story), so doing this walk without a cane or other assistance was particularly sweet!
Last—and certainly not least—my family and I walked on the HeartWalk team of the very cardiologist who, 30 years ago, heard and understood how important it was for my husband and me to have children, and who helped make our dream come true. Now, all these years later, here is the result. As I look back on the past 30 years, I realize even more how imporant it is not only to “own our health,” but also to find the right medical partners to help us.
Filed under Boot camp, Chronic Pain, Health, heart arrhythmia, Marfan Syndrome, Pregnancy, stroke
iParenting Media Award just in time for Mother’s Day!
iParenting Media has just announced that Your Developing Baby has won a 2008 “Excellent Product” award. This visual tour of pregnancy through the wonders of ultrasound uses both 2-D and 3-D images, along with explanatory diagrams drawn by Peter Doubilet, MD, PhD, one of the authors. It was a joy to explore “the world within” with Dr. Doubilet and Dr. Benson, and a privilege to help them share their knowledge with others.
Filed under children's health, Health, Pregnancy, Ultrasound
Extraordinary videos of babies in the womb
Two new videos have been added to the Your Developing Baby website showing two- and three-dimensional images of babies moving in the womb. Unless you’ve been spending time in an ultrasound room, you have never seen anything like this. (Just click on the “Video” button along the top bar.)
Filed under Health, Pregnancy, Ultrasound
The World Within: An Ultrasound Tour of Pregnancy
A new book coming out this spring will offer a detailed “tour” of pregnancy, from conception to birth, using 2D and 3D ultrasound images. Your knowledgeable tour guides are two radiology professors at Harvard Medical School, Peter M. Doubilet, M.D., Ph.D., and Carol B. Benson, M.D. I had the privilege of helping them write this book, and learned a great deal in the process, especially from the original diagrams — drawn by Dr. Doubilet — that make it easy to understand the ultrasound pictures. However, the striking 3D images of the face and body hardly need explaining! You can learn more about the book, called “Your Developing Baby,” and see some of the images here. A great Mother’s Day present for any mother-to-be.
Filed under Doctors, Health, Pregnancy, Ultrasound
Own Your Health 