Pavilion for Women's Blog

If you would have asked me about being a father a year ago, I would have told you I didn’t think it would ever happen. But, after months of fertility and a pretty uneventful pregnancy aside from the obvious complications of carrying multiples, I can say that I am so blessed to be celebrating father’s day this year.

When I was a little girl I loved to take care of people. I played with my dolls and cared for them using bottles, baby carriages and anything else I could get my hands on to make sure they were always neat and clean. Long after I should have outgrown my doll years, those little dolls were still placed neatly on the shelves, practically in mint condition. I’d like to think that the years I spent caring for my little dolls was a sign that I would eventually go into the nursing profession. I graduated nursing school in May 2008.

Now that the Pavilion for Women is open for business, it’s time to talk about the building blocks of healthy moms and babies — proper nutrition! All pregnant women have different nutritional needs, but here are a few general guidelines to get you started on the path to a healthy pregnancy. Weight Gain Did you know that a recent study linked both inadequate weight gain and excessive weight gain during pregnancy with increases in childhood fat mass? The study found that women who gained either more or less than recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) had children with significantly more fat mass at age 6 than their peers.

Ovarian cysts are very common in girls, and there are many times throughout a young woman's life when cysts may occur. The good news is that many of these cysts are small and self-limiting. Nonetheless, having an ovarian cyst may be a source of anxiety as they can cause pain or other hormonal disruptions. With the advances in prenatal ultrasounds, it’s now possible to pick up ovarian cysts in neonates. These cysts are usually due to maternal hormonal exposure in the womb. Cysts found prenatally should be followed up with another ultrasound sometime after delivery or ordered at the baby’s first visit.