The Los Angeles Times reports:

The number of preterm births in the United States grew by more than a third between 1996 and 2004, and Cesarean sections accounted for the vast majority of the increase, researchers said this week.

Most of the upsurge involved what physicians call late-preterm babies, those born after 34 to 36 weeks of gestation rather than the normal full term of 38 to 42 weeks.

Physicians are concerned about the growing number of late-preterm babies -- which now account for 72% of all preemies -- because recent studies have shown serious health risks for them, including immature organs, breathing problems, feeding problems, difficulties regulating body temperature, jaundice and a threefold increase in death during the first year of life.

The full article can be read here.

This makes me REALLY sad, and a little ill. So many people believe their doctors wouldn't do anything to hurt them or their babies... this is just another example of where patient's need to inform themselves before consenting.

While many of the C-sections are medically necessary, experts fear that growing numbers are the result of physicians' fears of lawsuits arising from labor complications and mothers' desire to schedule births at convenient times.

Chloe had another bout with hives after a virus. I took her to the pediatrician this time to confirm, just to be sure. This seems to be her M.O. In fact, it confirmed for me that I did the right thing keeping her home from preschool on Thursday. All she had was a cough, a wet, deep cough, with some wheezing, which we nebulized her for. However, it was hard to tell if it was just allergies or if she was actually ill.

The rash confirmed the illness.

It was head-to-toe, on her face, swelling around her eyes, in between her fingers and toes, and in places the sun don't shine. There were so many, they were overlapping on her torso. They didn't seem to bug her TOO much. I'd catch her scratching a little, but not much. The only times I medicated her were when her eyes swelled shut, and at night (so that it didn't wake her). She still has some scattered hives on her upper torso, and upper legs mostly, occasionally on her face. It's been five days, though. Poor little bug.

Phil has been pointing out the Library of Congress's photo collection on Flickr.



I am loving all the pictures of the Suffragettes, voting, registering other women to votes...

Then there are the Titanic survivor pictures.



These are all so wonderful!

I just figured out why I get so much schoolwork done in the weeeeeeee hours of the morning. First of all, I CAN'T put away the dishes, too loud. I CAN'T put away laundry, too loud. NO kids, no threat of kids. No e-mails, IM's, phone calls, text messages or otherwise. All there is to do, is write my paper.

**YAWN**

And keep writing it today...

**YAWN**

And probably at 2AM tomorrow morning as well...

I will, like, always thank my, like, father for, like, tormenting me so that I, like, don't USE this, like, word as space filler.

In fact, he tormented me ANY time a word became space filler.

I love my dad.

Too many adults never lose this habit.

Our dear friend, higher educated at Stanford University... (if you're reading this, we love ya,G!)

One of my classmates, a doctoral student...

It's not a discriminatory habit. However, it's one we intend to free our children from, just as my dad did to us. Phoebe already catches herself when she does it - though we drove her to tears last weekend because of it. Bad Mom or Good Mom moment? Only time will tell.