Are you pregnant or scared that you might be pregnant? Are you afraid of how a pregnancy could change your life and are not sure what you should do? Do you already have small children? Is money tight? Do you ever feel like no one really understands how it feels to be in your life or situation? Do you ever feel alone?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, a pregnancy resource center can help you.

If you think you might be pregnant, we can offer you a pregnancy test and an ultrasound at no cost to you. At the time of your pregnancy test, you will meet with a consultant who will discuss with you any questions that you may have.

If money is tight and you are not sure how you are going to be able to get what you need for your baby, we can help. We have a material assistance program. We have a boutique which carries everything from diapers and wipes to clothes and baby furniture including cribs and strollers. You do not need cash to shop at our boutique. The items can be purchased with Baby Bucks and there are 11 different ways that Baby Bucks can be earned.

One of the ways that Baby Bucks can be earned is through our classes. Both group and one on one classes are offered. At class you will have the opportunity to meet other people who are in similar life situations and develop new relationships.

The goal of pregnancy resource centers are ultimately to be there to help and support you in any way that you may need so don’t be afraid to call or stop in and ask for help.

The Women’s Center-Dayton is a pregnancy resource center that offers support and solutions for unexpected pregnancies. Women’s Center-Dayton provides women with free pregnancy tests, ultrasound scans, consulting on pregnancy decisions, and a material assistance program. To contact the Women’s Center-Dayton call (937) 228-2222 or email info@womenscenterohio.com. You can schedule an appointment by phone or online by visiting our website www.womenscenterohio.com.

Breastfeeding puts many demands on a mother. The health benefits to the baby are incomparable. Acclimating to your new life as a mom to a newborn is scary. Add sleep deprivation on top of all the other things on your mind and life can be a mess. Breastfeeding does mean shorter naps and less sleep at night because your baby digests breast milk easier than a formula.

Night Time Feedings

During the night, your baby will still need to eat every couple of hours. Placing a bassinet, crib or half bassinet by your bed will keep these feedings stress free. Keep lighting low and stimulation to a minimum. These precautions will keep your body from waking up and will help teach your baby that nighttime is for sleep. Keep a nursing pillow close by or a husband pillow to support you and the baby during breastfeeding.

Breast Sleeping

Some babies fall asleep at the breast. This causes problems later on because they become used to nursing right before sleeping. Make breastfeeding about nourishment – not sleep – for your baby otherwise they may need you and only you to calm themselves down. Introduce a pacifier after breastfeeding is well underway for sleep and for naps.

Overall, enjoy this magical time with your baby. Never again in their life will they depend on you as a baby does during breastfeeding. Cherish your newborn and the precious time you get to spend with them.

Learn more about Womens Center Ohio:

• Main offices in downtown Dayton, Ohio
• East Dayton pregnancy services
• Kettering, OH pregnancy services

My Father’s House Inc., Prenatal & Resource Center is a Christ centered non-profit organization that assists young adults, men, and women with prenatal care and community resources such as adoption, education, abortion alternatives, counseling and transitional housing. Our mission is to meet the on-going medical, spiritual, and emotional needs of our clients. We offer hope and answers, an opportunity into a blessing.

Teen pregnancy rates in the Eastern Panhandle stand among the highest in the state. Berkeley county had the second highest birthrate ranked 5th for highest pregnancy rates for girls ages 15-19. It is believed that teen parents are more likely to drop out of school, remain unmarried, and live in poverty.

We are here to assist and encourage. At My Father’s House we believe in hope for the hopeless. Our professional and dedicated staff is trained to provide physical and spiritual guidance.

Did you know that 82% of teen pregnancies are unplanned and 2/3 of those pregnancies occur between the ages 18-19? Nearly 1/3 of teens choose to abortion to terminate an existing pregnancy. 50% of all women obtaining abortions are under the age of 25. There is no simple solution to a pregnancy and abortion can have some devastating effects. It is important for the mother and the unborn child to consider all your options before you decide to terminate the pregnancy. It is also important to use birth control and contraceptives regularly. Using birth control and contraceptives irregularly can make them as ineffective as not using them at all.

Adoption can provide a suitable alternative to abortion. You can set the parameters with the adoptive parents. It can be a closed or open adoption. Any decision is hard for a young mother; you don’t do it alone. My Father’s House will be happy to assist you in your time of crisis or make sure you don’t have to make it to that point by going over preventive strategies such as abstinence. African American teens 16-18 are more likely to get pregnant. Pregnant teens are less likely to go to college. The U.S. has the highest rate of any industrialized county in the world.

If you are a young mom or teenager who is pregnant, there is a wide range of services to support you during pregnancy and after you have had your baby. Being a teen mom is hard work, it’s a lot that you have to do. It’s okay to ask for help if you need it. Just don’t take advantage of it. It’s very important that you take your time and think about what you want and not be pressured in to a decision by others. My Father’s House is happy to give support and counseling to a mother in need.

My Father’s House Inc. is located at 101 Medical Court, Suite 212 Martinsburg, WV 25401. We can be reached by phone at (304) 260-5600 or by email @ felicia@myfathershousecares.com . You can also visit us on the web at www.myfathershousecares.com.

Our focus at My Father’s House Inc. is to improve the medical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the clients by offering: Free pregnancy test, Free STD testing, Education on pregnancy and all options including abortions (we do not offer or perform abortions.), Maternity and baby clothing, Baby formula, Post abortion support, Mentor mom program, Ongoing peer and professional counseling, Referrals to other community organizations, Abstinence and relationship Education, Childbirth education, First time pregnancy classes, Earn while you learn classes, Maternity Home, Guys for life mentoring program.

My Father’s House is here to lend a helping hand to the pregnant, mothers, and fathers. We offer our services to anyone who may need them. We are Christian based and hope that every client that we receive feels God’s love through us and are comfortable in their time of need.

While Egiving.com provides electronic and online giving portals for many types of Christian ministries, they specialize in pregnancy centers. One of those centers, Pregnancy Choices in Mount Vernon, Washington, is led by Executive Director Emily Schaap. According to Schaap, George and Louise Eusterman at Egiving Systems have been instrumental in remarkable growth she’s seen in their donor base: “With Egiving, everybody wins! Our donors are happy, our ministry is growing, and we’re spending less and less time working on fundraisers.”

That kind of testimonial is echoed by leaders of other pregnancy centers, as well. Bob Daino, the board chairman and head of technical support at the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Rockland, New York, credits Egiving.com with getting them well on their way to meeting their goal of having over 80% of their budgetary needs met through recurring electronic gifts set up through Egiving. He specifically refers to “George’s wise and experienced guidance” as well as “the simplicity and power of the Egiving internet-based system” for “revolutioniz[ing] our ministry’s financial support foundation.”

The kind of impact Egiving.com is having on pregnancy centers across the country means that Egiving is meeting its goals, too. By helping ministries free up valuable resources such as the valuable time and energy of both paid employees and volunteers, ministries have more opportunities for growth, expansion, and — you guessed it! — ministry. Ministry is about people, not dollar signs, and Egiving knows that. But we also know that funding issues keep many ministries from reaching people for Christ and bringing God the greatest glory possible.

The people that pregnancy centers serve, of course, are women who might be considering abortions and their unborn babies. Because God cares about these individuals, so should we. However, ministering to them effectively takes more than a little TLC. Sometimes, young mothers have no means of receiving medical care or pregnancy testing, other than through Planned Parenthood or other groups that encourage abortions.

One major measure that has aided many women in determining that the baby growing inside them is actually a real, living person, is by viewing a sonogram of the fetus. For many would-be moms, simply seeing images of other women’s babies does not have the same effect as seeing her very own baby’s silhouette on the screen. Having championed “Option Ultrasound,” Focus on the Family estimates that 90,000 babies’ have been rescued, to date. However, such services are costly, and for many pregnancy centers, they are cost-prohibitive.

The costs of providing ultrasound technology include purchasing a machine, paying a trained technician to operate it and interpret its results, and buying additional supplies and connected equipment. What does all of that add up to? $50,000—and that’s just for the first year! Many pregnancy centers realize that this kind of expense is unrealistic for them; however, with Egiving.com, the potential financial growth can help such goals to become attainable.

For more details about how Egiving.com can help your pregnancy center or other Christian ministry see increased financial stability and growth, visit the Egiving.com website today.

If you’re a working woman who’s just become pregnant, you’ll want to weigh your options carefully before deciding whether or not to continue working. Some women find the realities of pregnancy too uncomfortable or distracting to remain at work, and so they decide to stay home. Others, however, choose to continue working until their final weeks of pregnancy (or even up to their labor date) in order to reserve their maternity leave for the time after they’ve actually had their baby. If you’re one of the latter women, follow the tips below for working while pregnant.

1. Talk to your doctor.

Like most activities, you’ll want to consult your doctor before making a final decision on whether to continue to work throughout your pregnancy. Although working while pregnant is usually perfectly acceptable, it does depend on the specifics of your job and of your pregnancy. If, for example, your job involves lifting or physical labor, your doctor may not approve of your decision and may advise you to stay home instead. In addition to offering medical advice, your doctor could also help you to obtain tools and equipment to help make your day at work a little more comfortable. For example, many companies (especially larger ones) will cover the cost of special ergonomic chairs, back rests, etc. as long as the employee can produce a doctor’s note explaining their medical need for the item.

2. Deal with your morning sickness.

Although some women do not experience morning sickness at all, most do on a regular basis, and it is very difficult to avoid. And because morning sickness is not limited to just the early hours of the day, it could strike at any time during your work day. If you’re going to attempt to work through your pregnancy, however, you’re going to have to learn how to cope with morning sickness in order to continue to be productive at work. Keeping crackers on hand is usually a good idea because an empty stomach can exacerbate nausea. Ginger ale or ginger chews (as long as they’re made with real ginger) have also been proven to combat nausea in pregnant women.

3. Sleep and rest more.

Pregnancy often causes fatigue, and this can negatively affect your performance at work. As with morning sickness, however, you’ll have to find a way to cope with it if you plan on working through your pregnancy. Because caffeine is no longer an option, you’ll have to find more natural ways of coping with the exhaustion. Simply sleeping more is often effective, and taking a short midday nap during your lunch break could also help. And as much as you might be tempted to go out with friends after work, do chores, or continue working from home, this usually only serves to add to your exhaustion. Instead, most pregnant women usually have to rest once they get home in order to arrive at work the next morning free from fatigue and exhaustion.

If you plan to work through your pregnancy, you should follow the tips above. Although the side effects of pregnancy may be unpleasant, your employer likely will not see them as a viable excuse to perform poorly at your job. Therefore, you’ll have to find what works for you to combat pregnancy’s side effects like fatigue and morning sickness. Also, be sure to talk to your doctor because not only can they advise you on whether or not it’s even appropriate to work, but they can also aid you in making your time at work more comfortable and peaceful.

Providing solutions to difficult pregnancy decisions is our specialty at Women’s Center – East Dayton. To make an appointment online, go to www.womenscenterohio.com or call 937-610-7777.

You can give your baby the best gift of his/her life right now – before he/she is even born!

That gift? The best chance possible of being born healthy! How? Start now by eliminating all smoking including avoiding second-hand smoke and by not drinking any alcohol. Read on to find out what can happen to your unborn baby now and after birth if exposed to smoke and alcohol.

Smoke

Both first and second-hand smoke. (Second-hand smoke is smoke that you inhale from someone near you smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe.)

Second-hand smoke is very dangerous as the smoke you and, therefore, your baby are breathing is unfiltered. Both of you are inhaling more of the known carcinogens and dangerous chemicals.

When you smoke so does your unborn baby.
1. This poisons the baby’s environment.
2. The baby is swimming in nicotine.
3. You are passing on nicotine and carbon monoxide to your baby.

Smoking constricts blood vessels, including the umbilical cord which is the baby’s life line.
1. This decreases the baby’s supply of oxygen.
2. The decrease in oxygen affects the baby’s lungs, brain and other developing organs.
3. The decrease in oxygen can cause an increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and low birth weight

Babies born either prematurely or very small have many problems.
1. They often have trouble eating, breathing and growing.
2. They often need to be in a neonatal care unit (intensive care unit for newborns and premature babies) for the first few months of life, which causes separation from parents as well as huge expenses.
3. These babies are at an increased risk for colds, asthma, allergies, ear infections, respiratory infections and flu.
4. They are also at a greater risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
5. These babies often score lower on tests, have difficulty in school and have an increased risk of behavior problems.

Alcohol

(wine, beer, mixed drinks, wine coolers)

There is no safe amount of alcohol or safe time to drink during pregnancy. Any amount of drinking beer, wine or hard liquor can damage a baby’s developing brain and nervous system. Binge drinking is especially harmful.

The baby gets a higher concentration of alcohol and it stays in the baby’s system longer than the mother’s.

• Alcohol is a toxin that disrupts the growing brain.

• 1 in 100 babies is born damaged by alcohol.

• Alcohol is one of the most common known causes of mental and physical birth defects. Some of these are listed below.
1. delayed development
2. behavior problems
3. slow growth before or after birth
4. heart defect or other organ problems
5. vision and hearing problems
6. small facial changes, short in height, have smaller heads
7. difficulty with sensory integration
8. verbal difficulties
9. problems with fine motor skills
10. increased risk of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder
11. poor impulse control and poor judgment
12. learning problems in school
13. premature birth or undersized babies (see smoking above for problems associated with this)

Start being a good mother today. Give your baby every possible chance for being the most perfect baby born.

Talk to your doctor about any concerns or questions you have about smoking and drinking alcohol during your pregnancy. YOU just need to take that first step and ask for help.

Women’s Center-Sidney is located behind Culver’s Restaurant at 2579 Michigan Avenue near Walmart. Women can make a free initial appointment online by going to www.womenscenterohio.com and going to the Sidney location page. To schedule an appointment over the phone or to learn more about the services we provide, call 937-498-4425. We can be reached by email at info@womenscenterohio.com. All Women’s Center-Sidney’s services are free and confidential.

I had my first baby when I was 17. Pretty much everyone told me I should abort. I was too young, I couldn’t support it etc, they gave me a million reasons why I shouldn’t go through with the pregnancy. For some reason I was sure and I held out and had my son. I love him and know that I did the right thing.

But this time I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t tell anyone about my positive test except my cousin. The father of the baby was suspicious but I just kept putting him off because I just wasn’t ready for all this again. I really didn’t know much about abortion so I thought I’d get some information. I went to Women’s Center-East and talked to the ladies there. They told me about the procedure and they asked me if I knew anyone that had had an abortion. It really got me thinking because my best friend had one a long time ago and she’s never been the same!?!? She won’t talk about it but I can tell it bothers her.

They did an ultrasound that same day but I couldn’t hear the heart beat or know for sure how far along I was. I thought that might make it easier to have the abortion. After the ultrasound the nurse asked me if I knew Nick Cannon. She suggested I check out his video on YouTube “Can I Live.” I made the appointment for the abortion, but a couple days before I went I watched that video. I finally admitted what I knew in my heart all along! My baby may never be a Nick Cannon but he is just as important. When I went back for my follow-up ultrasound I knew I would let my baby live.

Take the time to find out about all your options and really think about how the decision will affect all the lives involved. Women’s Center-East was a great place to go and just sort things out.

Women’s Center-East is a medical pregnancy center that offers support and solutions for unexpected pregnancies to women in the east Dayton, Riverside and Beavercreek areas. Women’s Center-East provides women with free pregnancy tests, free ultrasound scans, prenatal vitamins, consulting on pregnancy decisions and an educational and material assistance program. To contact Women’s Center-East call 937-610-7777 or email info@womenscenterohio.com. You can make an appointment online by visiting www.womenscenterohio.com.

I am so thrilled. Leah smiled up at me – her first real smile – not the kind that meant she had gas – a real SMILE! To me that smile said, “Mom, I love you.” It more than made up for my tiredness and all the night feedings and the crying. I picked Leah up, hugged her, kissed her and told her, “I love you, too.” What a beautiful mental snapshot I will keep forever.

The next picture is at the change table. I am so sick of changing dirty diapers. – How can such a tiny and sweet baby have so many? But then the YUCK changed to joy. I tickled Leah’s cute little tummy as always when I changed her diaper. I heard the most awesome and melodic giggle – her first giggle. That made me giggle, too. We are both enjoying this diaper change now.

How can I forget the first time that Leah reached out to touch my face with her soft chubby fingers? She smiled her angelic smile and again I knew she was saying, “I love you. I know who you are. You are MY MOM.”

It was early morning. As I laid in bed I could hear Leah cooing and babbling. I waited a few minutes just enjoying the sounds. Then when I went to pick her up SHE WAS SITTING UP IN HER CRIB – all by herself. I was so proud of her great accomplishment. My little baby was growing and changing so fast.

My next mental snapshot…. I was sitting in the rocking chair at 3 AM trying to comfort my feverish baby. I was filled with fear. I just wanted her to be well and get over her ear infection. Being a mom can be so stressful. We rocked and I sang lullabies until she fell asleep finally. I didn’t want to put her down feeling such protectiveness and closeness to her. I just wanted to hold her and comfort her forever and rejoice in being her mom.

I next picture… Leah wearing my favorite pink I LOVE YOU, MOM bib. She was sitting in her highchair saying, “Mamamamama.” She picked up one of her Cheerios and tried to put it in my mouth. She is sharing with me!

Her first birthday! A year of snapshots of smiles, tears, books read, spaghetti faces, never ending diaper changes, teething. My baby was standing about two feet in front of me smiling up at me in her pink princess birthday dress. And then she did it. She took her first two steps toward arms outreached for a hug.

Abruptly my alarm clock rang. I sat up smiling at the memory of such a beautiful and realistic dream. I reached over to my night stand to check the day’s schedule. I felt a horrible pain stab my heart. On today’s date was written:

Dr. Jones
Abortion
11:15 AM

If you are facing an unexpected pregnancy, you may have very conflicted feelings. Please don’t go through this alone. If you live in Shelby County, Ohio, Women’s Center-Sidney is here for

The best thing for your baby is breast milk.  But you may choose to formula feed for personal, health, or social reasons—that is completely up to you.  Whatever your reason when breastfeeding is not possible, a good formula can help a baby grow and thrive.  With monitoring and knowledge about formula usage, your baby can grow up healthy and well nourished.

Formula fed infants generally should eat two to two-and-a-half ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day.  Newborns, because of their small stomach capacity, can eat only one or two ounces at a sitting.   A good indicator that your baby is getting sufficient nutrition is weight gain.  After the initial weight loss after birth, your baby should be gaining an average of four to seven ounces per week for the first few weeks, thereafter an average of one to two pounds per month for the first six months, and one pound per month from six months to a year.   Below you will find the suggested amounts for formula feeding and the average infant growth:

The Women’s Center-Dayton is a pregnancy resource center that offers support and solutions for unexpected pregnancies for women in Dayton, Trotwood, Englewood, Clayton and Vandalia, Ohio.  Women’s Center-Dayton provides women with free pregnancy tests, ultrasound scans, consulting on pregnancy decisions, and a material assistance program.  To contact the Women’s Center-Dayton call (937) 228-2222 or email info@womenscenterohio.com.   You can schedule an appointment by phone or on line by visiting our website www.womenscenterohio.com .