Should Couples Pick Their Baby’s Gender?

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Leave it to Chrissy Teigen to stir up the controversy again! The beautiful 31-year-old model wife to John Legend and mom to Luna, 9 months, started the conversation at the SAG awards last week. (That was, of course, the conversation about having more children.) When asked if she and John would be having another baby, Chrissy confidently replied: “Oh my God, a little boy is next for sure!”

Chrissy and John have been very open about their struggle to conceive. They tried for years to get pregnant before finally turning to IVF to conceive Luna. Of course, as soon as the words left Chrissy’s mouth, social media was aflutter as to how she could be so confident that she would be having a baby boy next.

That’s when Chrissy took to Twitter to clear things up. “Since this is coming up again, I said our next baby would be a boy because that is the embryo we have left. A boy. So. Yeah.” She also updated one minute later, saying: “And no, I am not pregnant.” (Well, that should definitely clear things up.)

It’s nice to see a couple being so open about their infertility struggle, as well as their decision to use specific boy and girl embryos. Chrissy’s comments are opening up the lines of communication about infertility, IVF, and gender selection. These are controversial topics, for sure, but very important ones as well. Personally, I wish Chrissy nothing but the best and I’m looking forward to more updates about her journey along the way.

 

Should couples pick their baby’s gender? Yes or no?

Orthodox Men Behaving Badly

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Pathetic, perplexing, and a downright disgrace: that’s my reaction to a news story about a group of 10 Ultra-Orthodox men who caused complete chaos on a flight traveling from Tel Aviv to London on Monday.

Blocking the aisle, repeatedly pushing the call button, refusing to take their seats, and harassing stewards eventually led to them being escorted off the plane by police. What sparked such wild behavior, you may be asking?

The men refused to sit beside women. Seriously, that’s the great “offense” that “made” them misbehave.

Such terrible conduct is not only inappropriate, it’s a potential hazard to everyone on board, and I fully support their removal. What I find so sad and strange is that anyone who do such a pointless thing.

With so many airlines competing for business, it makes sense that they cater to customers wishes. Offering reasonable accommodations for religious groups, such as providing an in-flight kosher meal, is standard practice. But there’s a big difference between being a person of faith and an extremist.  

This kind of nonsense has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with fear, hatred, and a sense of entitlement. Anyone who buys a commercial airline ticket knows that they can’t chose their seatmate. If these men are so offended by the mere presence of women, they can rent a private jet.

The secular world does not—and should not—conform to the whims of extremists. Public transportation is for everyone to use, not just a select group of lunatics.

Valentine’s Day Freebies

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It’s February 14th and love is in the air…too bad it often costs so much. ($100.00 floral arrangements and $50.00 boxes of chocolate? Yikes!) Here are some nice ways to enjoy the holiday without breaking the bank:

Free Photo:

CVS is offering a free 8×10 photo. Upload your picture and use coupon code VALENTINE at checkout. Choose same day in-store pickup and the total will be zero.

Free Food:

Qdoba is offering Buy 1, Get 1 Free entrees to all customers when they display a kiss of any kind (sticker, t-shirt, etc.)

Auntie Anne’s is offering Buy 1, Get 1 Free heart-shaped pretzels. Must use the Pretzel Perks app.

Don’t forget that local offers may be available where you live. In my area, I’ve seen coffee shop specials, juice bar specials, and a love-theme book reading at the library. Obviously, metro areas have more promotions, but even tiny towns may have surprises popping up today.

Belly Band: A Post-Pregnancy Must-Have

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During pregnancy, every lady expects that some significant—and often scary—changes will happen to her physically. While most of these are temporary (nausea, heartburn, weight gain), others can continue for years! Yes, I’m talking about stretch marks, saggy skin, and a doughy stomach.

As a first time mom, I truly, naively believed that after the delivery, my body would simply go back to “normal,” and I’d look exactly the same as I did before pregnancy. Unfortunately, that never happened!

Nothing I’ve ever tried completely eliminated the stretch marks and sags, but following a plant-based, low-carb diet and exercising definitely helped me shed the unwanted pounds. I was able to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, yet an over-all lack of muscle tone persisted, especially in the mid-section. (Seriously, my stomach was not just a muffin top, but a muffin middle and bottom, too.)

After doing some research online, I stumbled upon a belly band. I knew those could be used during pregnancy, but I was unaware it also provided post-delivery benefits. (Healthline has a great article about them and WebMD does as well.)

Bands come in two styles, pull-on (like a panty) and cinch (wrap style). Some are strictly for the abdomen and another kind covers both the abdomen and thighs. As I worry mainly about my stomach, I chose the former. 

The feel of the band can range from suffocating to merely snug, depending on the size and model. I like a firm fit, but need to breathe as well! It can take some experimenting to figure out what works best. The right one is noticeable but still comfortable. For me, the smooth fit and look of a panty band was so much better than a Velcro wrap.

I picked a black model because most of my clothes are dark and I wanted it to blend into the background. However, some ladies consider them to be fashion accessories. A quick search on Pinterest brings up over 1,000 images, many of which are extremely colorful.

While there are no quick fixes, with regular use over the course of a few months, I did see improvement. Because they’re relatively inexpensive and non-invasive, a belly band provides a safe and affordable option for ladies who want a smoother middle.