pregnancy

Staying fit during pregnancy

Kickboxing for Two: East Texans staying fit while pregnant

Published: Wednesday, June 29th 2016, 7:03 pm EDT
By Delaney Brey, Sports Reporter

TYLER, TX (KLTV)

Kickboxing isn’t something new to the exercise world or East Texas. But have you ever heard of an athlete kickboxing for two?

“I’m in my fifth month of pregnancy,” said Stephanie Licciardi, mother-to-be and exercise enthusiast. “Physical active is a lifestyle for us, and I want my children to grow up knowing that. It’s not just a fad you do, or a diet, or exercise when you feel like it. Sometimes it something you do when you don’t feel like it.”

Welcoming her seventh child into the world with a punch, Stephanie Licciardi isn’t just showing her kids how important a healthy lifestyle is, but also others who may need that extra push.

“When they see a pregnant woman doing the class it doesn’t scare them as much. I know a lot of people get frightened when they see the kickboxing class and there like well maybe I shouldn’t because I have this, this, and this. So, it eliminates the excuses,” said Josh Rincon, XTC fitness coach and former professional boxer.

“I just think it’s common because I’ve done it ever since I was pregnant with my almost 12-year old. So it is apart of my life, but I do get a lot of inspiration and compliments from other people,” said Licciardi.

Not a stranger to those hard days of being sore and wanting to skip out, this supermom says even she has to remind herself of all the benefits that keeping in shape has too offer.

“Easy delivers, and then it’s easier to get back in shape. I usually jump back in three weeks after I deliver, and get back down to per-pregnancy within a couple of months,” said Licciardi.

Licciardi will continue kickboxing until around 8 months, than it’s just spin class until she delivers. So if you are expecting or just someone wanting to try something new…”It’s such a good mental release and stress-reliever. You just feel better afterward,” said Licciardi.

Copyright 2016 KLTV. All rights reserved.

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With Her Ultrasound Broadcast on Facebook, the Zoo’s Orangutan Is Confirmed Pregnant

By Beth Py-Lieberman | smithsonian.com  | June 14, 2016

The female named Batang should deliver her new infant in mid-September

It’s official. For the first time in 25 years, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is expecting a baby orangutan. The new baby should arrive by mid-September.

Orangutan-PG

The news was made official today when the mother orang received an ultrasound and the entire event was broadcast live on Facebook.

Early Signs Of Microcephaly That Could Indicate A Problem

microcephalyWith Zika spreading across the United States, the fetal fears that began in Brazil have come a lot closer to home. According to The Washington Post, several women have faced the effects of contracting Zika virus during their pregnancies: one woman has already given birth to a baby with severe birth defects, while other mothers have miscarried or chosen to abort fetuses with early signs of abnormalities. Mothers who have Zika or are concerned that they could contract it are facing serious decisions and uncertain futures, leading many to wonder if there are any early signs of microcephaly.

After birth, microcephaly is fairly easy to diagnose, although the severity of the condition varies from infant to infant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Boston Children’s Hospital, typical microcephaly symptoms after birth include a head with a circumference two standard deviations below the average, failure to thrive, high-pitched crying, low appetite, and involuntary muscle contractions.

While still in utero, however, diagnosing microcephaly isn’t quite as cut and dry. According to the CDC, “Microcephaly can sometimes be diagnosed with an ultrasound test (which creates pictures of the body).” The CDC recommends going for an ultrasound late in the second trimester or early in the third trimester, although women who have contracted Zika should definitely see their physicians and undergo monitoring and regular ultrasounds as soon as possible.

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