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• Pregnancy Message Boards
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Today is the Great American Smokeout!

Smoking in pregnancy is a big no no. There is a ton of evidence to show you the reasons it is dangerous, including new evidence that pregnant smokers have a greater risk of having babies with heart defects. It is also important to find the support you need to stop smoking to help you and your baby. Read on!

Related:

• 10 Reasons to Quit Smoking in Pregnancy
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy in Pregnancy
• Don't Drink Alcohol in Pregnancy
• Medications in Pregnancy

_{Photo (c) iStockPhoto}

About half of the people who become pregnant were planning on becoming pregnant, or even if they were planning it, they may not be taking really good care of themselves. So it's really important to plan for pregnancy before you try to get pregnant. This makes the chance of a healthy baby and pregnancy much higher than simply throwing caution and birth control to the wind.

Do you know what it takes to get pregnant? How often do you try? What should you avoid eating? Do you know what you need to do before you get pregnant? When do you ovulate? Test your preconceptional knowledge.

Related:

• 5 Signs You're Ovulating
• 25 Signs of Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Announcements
• Ovulation Primer
• Can I get pregnant if...
• 1st Trimester Ultrasounds

_{Photo (c) A.D.A.M.}

Did you know that it's International Babywearing Week? I love wearing my baby. With my first I thought I would hate it. I thought it would be difficult. I thought it would hurt. I figured it would be annoying. I was wrong on all three counts. Now granted, I've moved around with lots of different carriers. With my first baby I used an old fashioned Snugli. With my second baby I used the Original Sling by Nojo. We actually stayed with that one for a long while. Someone gave us a Maya Wrap with the twins. So I tried it and liked it. I found it to be a lot like my Original Sling, but without the padding. I found I liked the one without padding even more. The fabric was also sturdier. So we happily stayed there for a few babies.

Noa loved her Maya wrap. Then she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and placed in a Pavlik Harness. We couldn't use the Maya anymore. We spent about two days using the stroller. It was hard work and felt wrong for us to not be carrying her around. Someone suggested the Moby Wrap. I was really worried. It seemed complicated. But I gave it a try. Now we're loving the Moby Wrap and the Cuddly Wrap. Noa gets to be carried, even with her harness. We have even managed to do both front facing and newborn carries. So now we're stylin'! When she's done with her brace, I'm going to try the Mei Tai!

So, I've learned to try something before I judge it - that goes for slings as well as vegetables. (Thanks, mom.) What's your favorite way to carry your baby? Do you have a fun babywearing story? Feel free to share in the comments.

Related:

• Infant Carriers & Slings
• Cuddly Wrap
• Moby Wrap
• Mei Tai