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Pregnancy is a time of tremendous change for the female body. Some of those changes can come with a bit of discomfort. There will be changes to your skin, breasts, muscles, uterus (a very large muscle), pelvis, digestive system, circulatory system, weight, genital area, and your sleep patterns, just to name a few. Women feel these aches and pains due to a hormone called relaxin which causes the ligaments to relax in preparation for delivery.

I think I am on the tail-end of my midlife crisis. It has been an excruciating few years as I experienced my existential crisis and it will most definitely leave its mark. Recent experience however, has me healing and viewing pain, my mental pain, in a much healthier way. It has helped me so much that I sometimes feel like I am cheating or simply using avoidance as a defense mechanism. The magic cure, at this point in time is simple: be content. When I first heard my inner vessel provide that suggestion, I scoffed. What? No way!

Surrender: To yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand.

If you enter one of our Lovelace hospitals, you may see some new FACES.

Local high school students are participating in the FACES for the Future program throughout Lovelace hospitals. FACES for the Future works to support underserved, minority students interested in careers in health care, mental and behavioral health, public health and global health.

Colorectal cancer, also known as colon cancer, is no stranger to our state. With approximately 800 new cases of colorectal cancer being diagnosed in New Mexico every year, raising community awareness of colorectal cancer is critical. Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is New Mexico’s second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death.

Most of the time we think of gastrointestinal health as something to pay attention to as we age or when we start seeing problems with our health. However, more and more research is coming out showing that our gastrointestinal health starts in our development, prenatally and throughout our infancy. Babies in utero are going through a complex process as they develop their immune system. For instance, we now know that vernix, the thick, waxy substance covering a baby in the womb, is not just for protection of the skin from soaking in amniotic fluid.

We’ve all been there. The kids are jumping on the trampoline and want you to join them. Or maybe when you feel a sneeze or cough coming, so you say a silent prayer that you won’t pee your pants. Urinary incontinence is common for women after childbirth and I always thought it was just the price we had to pay for having children. Women who are candid enough to talk about it often get knowing looks and laughter from other women who have experienced urinary incontinence, otherwise known as stress incontinence- the stressor being the cough, sneeze or jump.

Are you experiencing ear pain, balance problems or chronic allergies? You may need to receive treatment of ears, nose and throat conditions by seeing an otolaryngologist, also known as an ear, nose & throat (ENT) doctor.

Dr. Gregg Schmedes is an ENT in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is affiliated with the National Sinus Institute, a partnered provider of Lovelace Health System.

Keep reading as Dr. Schmedes speaks on the two main reasons for adult ENT visits, allergies and surgeries.

Are you ready to try for a baby or just recently found out you are pregnant? One important thing a woman can do in preparation for her baby is to take folate (also known as folic acid). Folic acid is a B-vitamin and is essential for proper cell growth.

Melissa Moore, CNM, MS, RN is a certified nurse midwife and explains the role of folic acid in preparation for pregnancy.

“Folic acid is most important before conception to prevent neural tube defects,” explained Moore.

Celebrations, festive decorations and spending time with loved ones are hallmarks of the holiday season. The holidays also present serious risks that can quickly put a damper on your plans. Lovelace Health System encourages New Mexicans to celebrate the season safely.

Director of Nursing and the Emergency Department at Lovelace Medical Center, Glenn Swanson, advises patients and their families to take precaution when getting into the holiday spirit to avoid an unexpected trip to the emergency room.