Health

Stefanie Keenan

If there was one thing Constance Marie wasn’t thinking about as a little girl fantasizing about her future, it was children.

A true tomboy, Constance never considered motherhood her calling. “I just didn’t grow up with that same desire to be a mom that many girls and women have,” she explains to Conceive magazine. What’s more, according to her, for good reason!

“To be honest, I’ve always been a little afraid of kids. I secretly thought they didn’t like me.”

However a string of events later in life led her on an unexpected path to motherhood. After adopting a local elementary school where she would spend time reading to the students, meeting her now fiancé Kent Katich and being cast as a mother in several movies — Tortilla Soup and Selena — having a child seemed like an inevitable next step in life.

The fact that she was quickly approaching 40 — and still not quite ready for a baby — wasn’t an issue for Constance. “I would read all of these stories about women having babies later on in life, and Latin women are known to be fertile!” she admits. “So I figured, ‘I have plenty of time.’”

The reality of the situation, however, soon turned from an excited couple looking forward to starting a family to one who dreaded discovering each month they had not yet conceived.

“At first you’re both like, ‘Yeah! We get to have sex all the time!’ Then after a few months you’re like, ‘Ugh, we have to have sex all the time.’”

Click below to continue reading about Constance’s fertility struggle.

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Richard Beetham/Splash News Online

Welcoming fraternal twin daughters in 2007 after struggling with infertility, Marcia Cross found herself counting her many blessings each night as she lay down to sleep with her husband Tom Mahoney.

“I already knew that every day is a gift, a blessing,” she tells the October issue of WebMD magazine, adding that each passing day of her sweet life was considered “a very lucky day” in her book.

However, the couple’s continued luck came to a startling halt when Tom was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and life as they once knew it took a drastic turn down a path of uncertainty. “Before Tom’s diagnosis, I used to say to him every night, ‘We are so lucky. We have each other. We have our babies,’” she admits. “Because life can turn on a dime.”

Fortunately, amidst the dark spot in their lives, Marcia and Tom seek happiness in their 2 ½-year-old daughters Eden and Savannah. And while she loves motherhood, the intense feelings are not exactly the ones the Desperate Housewives star once envisioned. “As much as I wanted them, I guess I’m surprised at how fulfilling I find it,” she muses.

Case in point? The tender moments shared by the twins that pull at Marcia’s heartstrings. “There are these moments that are so sweet and profound,” she shares.

“Like, last night Savannah helped me put Eden to bed first, and she sang three or four songs to her sister, who was lying in her crib. You get these amazing moments all the time.”

Motherhood hasn’t been all highs; Like many working moms, Marcia struggles with guilt when she finds herself working 14-hour days on her hit show. “I know they don’t need me every single second of the day…but I also know how every phase is so fleeting. And I hate missing any of it!” she says. That said, her stretches spent working well into the night are often balanced with days of downtime, quality time reserved for her family.

She may have years to go before Eden and Savannah are ready to venture out on their own, but Marcia notes that, when that day comes, she will be ready to offer her support where needed. “Really love ‘em — then let ‘em go,” she coaches. “They’re going to be who they’re going to be. And that’s the beauty of parenthood.”

Source: WebMD Magazine; October issue

– Anya

Matt Cardy/Getty

During a fundraising appearance at a new children’s hospital in Wales earlier this week, songstress and television host Charlotte Church revealed that she is all-too familiar with the fears many parents face when it comes to the health of their children.

Although the condition is not life-threatening, Charlotte’s 2-year-old daughter Ruby Megan suffers from breath-holding spells that have caused her to lose consciousness.

“Ruby does this thing when she holds her breath, especially when she is having a tantrum and wants her own way,” Charlotte, 23, explains. “She will hold her breath until she passes out.”

“The first time it happened it was absolutely horrendous. I took her to hospital and they said some children do this until the age of about three when they grow out of it.”

Doctors told Charlotte and her boyfriend Gavin Henson that Ruby can be brought to by spraying her face with water, or by blowing on her face. “Every time it’s happened she’s been fine afterwards,” Charlotte points out, “but it causes Gavin and I a lot of worry.”

The episodes can be brought on whenever Ruby is displeased, Charlotte said, including “if she sees something she wants like sweets or chocolates.” It’s presented quite a problem for the couple, who now must weigh the pros and cons of giving in to their daughter. “If I stop her [from getting what she wants] it risks her having one of these breathing attacks,” Charlotte explains.

According to the UK newspaper Telegraph, medical experts estimate that about five percent of all children endure spells like Ruby, but it is very rare for a child to lose consciousness as a result.

As for Ruby’s little brother Dexter Lloyd, 9 months, Charlotte says that all is well. “[He] is as strong as a silverback gorilla,” she jokes.

Source: Telegraph

– Missy

Kiley Bishop/London Ent/Splash News Online

If you’ve ever witnessed a stranger suffering a seizure, you know how scary those moments can be; For those who live with epilepsy on a daily basis, however, seizures are just another fact of life. Actor Greg Grunberg falls into the latter category, as dad to 13-year-old Jake, who was diagnosed with epilepsy. In creating TalkAboutIt.org, however, the Heroes star says he hopes to remove the fear factor often associated with a seizure.

“I was getting ready for a speech on epilepsy and I was thinking, ‘If I’m going to make an impact, what does this community really need?’” he recalls in a new interview with PARADE. “From talking to all the top docs and people in the community, I kept hearing the same phrase in the back of my head, ‘If we could just get people to talk about this.’” Noting that “if everyone knew about it, it wouldn’t be so scary,” Greg adds,

“It’s interesting because I approach it from the [perspective of the] father of a child who has epilepsy. I’m incredibly passionate about it. It’s made me relate to anybody. Everybody’s got something they’re dealing with. I mean, I’ve got cholesterol that I have to watch. This is what we teach our son, don’t let it define you, but at the same time deal with it, don’t hide it or be ashamed of it.”

Teaching Jake and his little brothers Ben, 9, and Sam, 5, to accept themselves for who they are has, in turn, enabled Greg’s kids to be similarly accepting of others. “My kids are the ones who see another child or person in a wheelchair and walk up to them and go, ‘Hey what’s the matter? What happened?’” Greg proudly reports. “It’s not like they look out of the corner of their eye and they’re scared.”

“They deal with this every day. Like a kid in class who might be autistic, they end up being their best friend. And Jake leads a walk in D.C. with 15,000 people behind him. He’s got his arms in the air and he’s leading this walk on the Mall and I’m really proud.”

Between his website, his acting career, his rock band or even his entrepreneurial endeavours– Greg is creator of the iPhone app Yowza — finding time to unwind is tough; When it arises, however, Greg says he chooses to spend it with his sons. “Playing with the kids and spending time with them is great,” he explains. “It keeps me in that child mindset. Without my kids and my family, I’ve got nothing.”

Jake, Ben and Sam are Greg’s children with wife Elizabeth.

Source: PARADE

– Missy

Sam Sharma/Pacific Coast News

Like many parents-to-be, Kendra Wilkinson and her husband Hank Baskett were anxiously awaiting the ultrasound that would reveal whether their initial instincts of a baby boy were to be true or if the two would soon be seeking pink.

However, after a trip to the doctor only the day before, the couple were left with a much bigger worry: baby-on-the-way’s heart was showing abnormal beating patterns. “The doctor told us that there were heart problems — not problems, but it was like a skipped beat,” Kendra tells E!. “I was so scared and so was Hank, we were both very nervous.”

As baby’s health immediately became first priority, Kendra admits everything else was suddenly pushed to a back burner. “We didn’t even care about finding out the gender, we cared about finding out the next day if it was healthy,” she shares.

“I just wanted to get there and see that heart beating…and we did. We went there the next day and we were just both very nervous and excited at the same time, but we saw on the ultrasound the perfectly normal heart and that’s all we cared about.”

Once the health scare passed, doctors confirmed Kendra’s suspicions that she was indeed expecting a boy! “We cried and then all of a sudden…a penis! That was like the extra, to top everything off,” she laughs.

Baby boy — to be named Hank Baskett IV — is due on Christmas.

Source: E!

– Anya

Jeff Vespa/WireImage

As the weeks wind down in her second — and final! — pregnancy, nobody could blame Tisha Campbell-Martin for being a little anxious to deliver. In a new interview with Essence, the 40-year-old actress reveals that things got off to a rocky start with her baby-on-the-way, a boy due September 21st.

“In the first few months I was bleeding and that made us very concerned,” she shares. “When you’re 40 things are a lot different, so I know I have some work ahead of me, but I also know this is the last time for me. My only concern now is my blood pressure, so we monitor that, but other than that I’m really healthy.”

At the same time, expectant motherhood is a state of being Tisha — who is already mom to Xen, 8, with husband Duane Martin — appears to enjoy. “I love being pregnant,” she raves. There are no regrets about going to bat for the blue team again, either. “I think I’m a boy-mommy,” she says. “Xen is so glad not to be the only child.”

“We waited for eight years before we had another child because he needed all of our attention. We say all the time how we kicked autism in the behind because Xen is so amazing — he’s going to a regular school and has friends of his own. He’s a true blessing.”

Her sunny outlook is equally apparent when talking about motherhood the second time around. “At 40, I have so much more to offer as a mom,” she notes. “Xen gave me so many gifts; it was such a learning experience.” Adding that she’s “hoping for the best in health” for her second son, Tisha feels confident that “it’s not going to be as hard as it was with Xen.”

“As much as Duane and I make light of his autism, it was not an easy fight, but we fought it. I’ve been praying for it and believe that it will be easier this time around. But regardless of the challenge, I believe God will never give me more than I can handle and I find peace and comfort in knowing that.”

Tisha says she wouldn’t be surprised if baby boy made an early arrival. “I swear he’s ready to come any day now,” she exclaims. “I’m just trying to get him to stay in there.” Once he’s out, however, Tisha says she’s ready to tend to the job at hand. “I’m so big right now — I told my doctor I didn’t even want to know how much I weighed,” she reveals. “I don’t look at the scale or anything. With Xen, I lost 80 pounds, so I’m looking forward to working on getting rid of this baby fat.”

In the meantime, Tisha says she’s content to continue munching on her two biggest cravings — ice and watermelon — and playing the name game with her husband and son. “We’re still working on it,” she concedes.

“Duane and I haven’t settled on one yet that we absolutely love, and every name Xen’s chosen is a cartoon character.”

Source: Essence

– Missy

Roger Karnbad/Celebrity

When Days of Our Lives star Galen Gering’s character Rafael Hernandez had to say goodbye to baby Grace due to meningitis, no one knew how close to home it hit for the father of two.

Shortly after Galen’s second son Jensen arrived last July, “the doctors came to us at 2:30 in the morning to inform us they had to take a spinal tap because they worried he might have meningitis,” the actor explains. “So I had already been through this entire frickin’ drill already. As hard as it was to film those scenes, it was also easy because I had lived through this horrific storyline in real life.”

The former Passions star knows that daytime storylines can sometimes be “fantastical,” but says baby Grace’s death “made sense and felt very real” to him. “It was definitely heavy stuff,” Galen, 38, said of the filming. “That week, I didn’t talk to anyone — I just hung out in my dressing room. A couple of times after work, I would just sit in my car for an hour before entering my house.”

Thankfully Jensen, who turned one on July 17th, is “alive and healthy” says his relieved dad.

Galen and wife Jenna are also parents to son Dillon Phoenix, 3 next week.

Source: TV Guide Canada

– Angela

Roger Karnbad/Celebrity Photo

For Marissa Jaret Winokur, it’s either go big or go home. After winning a Tony Award in 2003 for her performance in the Broadway musical Hairspray, she turned her attention to waltzing her way into the hearts of America on Dancing With the Stars, where she was eliminated after a nine-week stint on the show. Although she may not have won the prized disco ball trophy, Marissa took home a different grand prize only months later: her baby boy Zev Isaac!

The journey to motherhood was not an easy road for Marissa. After being diagnosed with cervical cancer during her time on Broadway, she was forced to let go of her dreams to become pregnant. Despite the rough patch in her life, however, Marissa refuses to dwell on the past; Instead, she often gives thanks for where she is today. “If it weren’t for being sick when I was 28, I wouldn’t have my husband [Judah Miller] or Zev, so I wouldn’t change anything that’s happened in my life,” she says.

“Obviously when it happens you’re like, ‘Why me? Why is this happening?’ But for me, Zev is the reason why.”

With actress Sarah Jessica Parker recently welcoming twin daughters through the use of a surrogate, Marissa reveals she is “totally” able to relate to the negative press the Sex and the City star has received, having been through the situation herself. “I think some people believed, ‘Oh well, Sarah didn’t want to carry a baby and get fat,’ or that she chose the easy way out,” explain Marissa. According to the 36-year-old, the reality of the situation is far from the public’s assumptions.

“I don’t think people realize that when you have someone else carry your child, it’s a last resort. I would have loved to carry my son. I would have loved to get fat. I wish I could have been pregnant…but it wasn’t an option. I’m sure it was the same for Sarah.”

Click below to read about the family’s move from New York to Los Angeles, and about the possibility of a second child!
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Mitchell Layton/Getty

Premature labor can be terrifying, for both parents-to-be. Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia knows that better than anybody, having missed last Monday’s game against the Oakland A’s to be by wife Kelli’s side after she began laboring at seven months pregnant. “It seems like everything’s OK,” Dustin revealed Wednesday. “I had to be there last night, obviously. It’s been tough.” The 25-year-old 2008 American League MVP adds,

“But she’ll be all right. She’s good. She’s a lot more together than I am, I can tell you that.”

Dustin feels particularly powerless over what has transpired. Noting that baby-on-the-way is the couple’s first child, he admits that he’s “learning on the fly.” Kelli’s premature labor “kind of happened real fast,” he shared. “I’m just glad she’s OK and the baby seems to be OK so we’ll wait and see. She’s probably going to be [in the hospital] a while, but we’ll get through it.”

“They’re giving her all this medicine, they gave her some shots to help the baby out so we’re trying to keep him in there for as long as possible. He probably wants a Red Bull or something.”

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said that there was never a question of whether Dustin would play. “He needed to be with Kelli, and she needed him,” Terry said. Once it became evident that Dustin was no longer needed at the hospital, however, Kelli was the first to encourage him to rejoin his team. Joking that he always does what he’s told, Dustin revealed that after their Tuesday game against the A’s he did return to his wife’s side. “It’s good I’m small,” he noted. “I slept in some little bed [at the hospital]. Hopefully she’ll be all right.”

Source: NESN

– Missy

Courtesy Redbook

The ability of a baby to heal the childhood wounds of his or her parents is a phenomenon that Mariska Hargitay knows all too well. Having lost her mom — actress Jayne Mansfield — in a car accident while still a toddler, Mariska is now mom to a toddler herself, 3-year-old August Miklos Friedrich. “Becoming a parent erased many of my negative childhood feelings and filled them with something new,” she tells the August issue of Redbook.

Many of those feelings were recently dredged up again, however. In January, the 45-year-old actress learned that she was suffering from a collapsed lung, and in March following surgery, her lung collapsed again. “I just thought, ‘Please make me better, please make me better,’” she recalls. “I got really scared that maybe something else was wrong.”

“All those old fears about my mom and my grandfather [who also died at an early age] came shooting up. Having a child changes everything. All of a sudden you have so much to lose, so much to live for. Sometimes things in life happen that allow us to understand our priorities very clearly. Ultimately you can see those as gifts.”

In fact, Mariska says she feels “like the luckiest person in the world” after all she’s been through. “I think you learn to feel grateful when you are exposed at such a young age to the fact that bad things can happen,” she explains. Like most moms, however, Mariska admits that she fears failure — “all the time.”

“It’s why being a mother is so loaded. A friend said to me recently, ‘You’re a really great mother,’ and I said ‘What?’ I feel like I’ve been preparing all my life, but I want to do all of it right.”

Although she has since returned to the set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where she sustained her injury, Mariska has definite ideas about what she would do with a year off. First and foremost would be more time with the Joyful Heart Foundation, which she founded to provide support for women who have been sexually assaulted. Then, she says, it would be time for some rest and relaxation with the people who matter to her most. “I’d go to Italy and take cooking classes, swim with my son,” she reveals. “I’d eat, see the countryside, and be with my husband (actor and writer Peter Hermann) and kid the whole time.”

Source: Redbook, August issue

– Missy