That's Fit

A few weeks ago, I went to a movie by myself for the first time ever. I was feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, exhausted. I needed a few minutes of not being needed, and there was no babysitter in sight for a date night. So my husband took over and I took off. Thirty minutes into the film -- 27 Dresses at the $2 theater, if you're curious -- I realized that I was really enjoying myself.

As moms, we make time with our kids a priority, as we should. We also carve out couple time for our partners -- again, important. But far too often, there's little left over for ourselves ... and that's just not good for anyone.

CNN reminds us this Mother's Day that taking time for yourself is just as important as taking time for every other member in your family. When you don't have time to relax and unwind, you create stress on your emotional and physical health. So don't let this Mother's Day be the only day this year that you take time to rest and relax -- make it a regular occurrence. I'm already planning my next solo trip to the movies, but even a bubble bath or an hour alone to read a book in peace may be enough to help you refuel.

I'm already thinking about it: Mother's Day. Are you? The big day -- Sunday, May 11 -- arrives in less than one week. Which means you've got not quite seven whole days to think up a whopper of a gift for your mom -- or anyone who serves as mom to you. By "whopper," I mean not something big, expensive, or extravagant -- and not something that hails from your neighborhood McDonald's. I mean this: Thoughtful. Something that tells mom you know her, love her, and appreciate her.

For me, a candle fits the bill. I love candles. And my little boys know this. Every time we pass the Yankee candle shop in the mall, they ask me if I want to stop in for a visit. When we stroll the scented store together, they love finding fragrances and running them over to me. They also know I like quiet time. Once as they were backing out of the driveway in route to a guy's weekend getaway, they spotted me shedding a few tears as I waved them goodbye. "Enjoy the quiet, mom!" Joey shouted from his open window. He knows me well.

What do you know about your mom? Does she love the outdoors? Enjoy a home-cooked meal? Seek thrill and adventure? Give it some thought. And try to translate it into a whopper of a gift -- like a home-made gift certificate for an afternoon hike -- with you. Or a feast made by your own two hands with only the healthiest of ingredients. Or a zip-line excursion at a local ropes course location.

It really is the thought that counts. So start thinking now. And make your gift one that really matters.

I don't have many excuses to miss a workout -- I set my own daily schedule, I don't have children (only dogs), and I live in a warm climate (a Scrubs marathon on TV isn't a real excuse). I honestly can't imagine how hard it must be for new moms learning to schedule their time with babies and naps and feedings.

But, mamas with small children do get one advantage (sort of) -- they get to run with a stroller, which provides a much more intense workout that running without one. And, doing so doesn't give you bad form as was previously believed. Sheryl Crow is taking advantage, and why not? It allows her to get outside, get some great exercise, and she's spending time with her son.

If you're not sure how to start working out with a stroller, you might want to see if there is a Stroller Fit Class available near you. Also, check out the gallery below for the top user-rated jogging strollers from joggingstroller.com.

Almost every mom is more stressed than usual in the first months after having a baby. However, if that stress becomes overwhelming, it can lead to a depression -- a condition which can have serious consequences for her relationship with her child.

That's why doctors are looking for ways to recognize signs of high stress levels, so that they can get their patients help before it's too late.

One team of researchers thinks they've found an indicator -- even though the behavior might seem innocuous on the surface. They say that mothers who cradle their babies on their right side are more-likely to be under extreme duress. Previous studies have shown that most women -- whether they're left or right handed -- naturally cradle their baby on their left side, and in this more recent survey, the research team found that moms with high stress cradled their baby on the right 36% of the time (compared with less-stressed moms, who only cradled on the right 14% of time).

Especially because new mothers under extreme stress might not recognize it, or don't want to admit it, these sorts of clues may prove essential in getting these women the help they need.

Most soon-to-be mothers are great about adhering to the many rules and regulations that are necessary to ensure as healthy a pregnancy and baby as possible. No smoking, fish only once a week and definitely cut down on any pre-pregnancy drinking.

I was actually under the impression that a drink or two a week wasn't actually harmful (I've even heard that the occasional pint of iron-rich Guinness is good for pregnant moms) but then I came across this article from the UK that states some British doctors are recommending that women adhere to a no alcohol policy when pregnant or trying to conceive. The article states that while the Royal College of Obstetricians still asserts that a unit or two of alcohol once or twice a week is safe, many women don't know exactly how much that is and end up exceeding the limit. As a result, Government doctors are urging pregnant women not to drink at all.

I'm a 70s baby , as are the majority of my friends, and while I know that my mother was a teetotaler, I'm sure I've got a friend or relative whose mom smoke or drank a little during pregnancy and they all turned out fine. But I suppose that where the health of a new baby is concerned, it's better to be safe than sorry.

What do you think about the occasional drink during pregnancy?

Often when we hear about the many risks associate with obesity the focus is on the increased danger of developing potentially life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Less-discussed is the fact that obese women have a much harder time conceiving, and now, a recent study reports that those who do, run a higher risk of giving birth to babies with birth defects.

A report by the University of Texas at Houston found that babies born to women who were obese before pregnancy were twice as likely to have spina bifida and there was also an increased risk of heart, anus, penis, limb, diaphragm and naval defects. There were also higher risks for kids born to overweight women, but instances weren't nearly as high as for those born to obese mothers.

The article discussing the study points out that it is always a good idea for obese women hoping to become moms to try to lose some weight before getting pregnant. For severely overweight women who are already pregnant, it is important not to try to diet but rather to discuss with your doctor what is an appropriate amount of weight to gain, as well as how to stay as healthy as possible during and after your pregnancy.

While some think that childhood obesity is influenced by fathers, there are others who think it's actually the mothers that have the most impact on their kids' waistline. More specifically, it's thought that when mothers started to enter the workforce, it coincided with childhood obesity and the beginning of this epidemic we're facing. It's thought that this comes down to the simple fact that busy mothers have less time to devote to making meals and therefore resort to high-fat fast food.

I think blaming any one source for obesity is futile -- causes of weight gain are all around us, from the lack of activity in school to parents hesitation to let their kids play outside unattended to video games to child-targeted fast food marketing. And as a product of a household where both parents worked full-time, I can honestly say that not all working parents provide unhealthy meals, and if they're committed to forging healthy habits in their children, there are lots of options out there.

Signs posted up on doctors walls, television coverage, health news broadcasts, and even commercials all emphasizing the new proper procedure on how to cough in public. We are now supposed to cough into our sleeve or a napkin, tissue, hanky, or something cloth to catch the germs. Coughing on the hands or just straight out in to the air can transfer germs for up to eight hours as they float about waiting to land on something or you spread them around with your hands on everything you touch.

With all of this coverage, I still witness lots of people coughing unprotected into the air or on their hands. So what will change the habits of millions of people daily? I think it begins at home with mothers teaching the proper way to cough while impressionable minds still can grasp the new concept. I also think the school systems should jump on board emphasizing the proper way to cough and protect others from spreading germs. But for us old farts out here, well...., that lesson may be harder to teach. We just need to get a better prospective on how our carelessness can affect a lot of people and build a conscious. Nothing like getting coughed on a hundred times in a doctors office by people ignoring posters plastered all around the office on the proper way to cough to realize this.

I have had friends over the years make fun of me lovingly when I raise the neck of my shirt and cough down inside my shirt saying I look so funny doing that. I felt it was the best way on a spur of the moment kind of thing when the coughing urge hits, to keep my germs from flying about. Who is laughing now?