The difference between me being productive and happy versus unproductive and unmotivated pretty much comes down to how much sleep I get. The difference is night and day (excuse any sleep pun).

If I am asleep before midnight and sleep straight through till 7am, I am a dynamo all day.

If it's 1am and I am up at 6 am (newborn, nursing, sick kids, insomnia...name your reason) then I eat badly (I target greasy and salty foods, I have no idea why) and am not a happy person. Everything moves more slowly, my motivation is terrible and I feel down.

Carme Chacon - Spain's Minister of Defense is 7 months pregnant and has the opportunity to take her 16 weeks paid leave that Spain offers. Some are now wondering if she should go ahead and take these 4 months off - considering she has one of the most important jobs in the country.

Recent studies show that most women are not taking the recommended folic acid supplement during pregnancy. Folic acid is most important within the first 3 months of pregnancy, to prevent birth defects. In fact, women of childbearing age are told they should be taking a folic acid supplement (and eating folate-rich foods), in case they become pregnant, planned or unplanned (do you know how many pregnancies are unplanned? 50% !! yikes!) :-)

Anyone who's a parent or a parent-to-be has questions. Talk about your issues now.

By Steven Reinberg EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Women undergoing in vitro fertilization can increase their chances of becoming pregnant by up to 65 percent if they also have acupuncture, a preliminary study suggests. About 10 percent to 15 percent of couples have difficulty conceiving, and many opt for in vitro fertilization, in which a woman's egg is fertilized in a laboratory and then transferred into her womb. There had been some evidence that acupuncture can increase the success rate of this procedure.

By Steven Reinberg EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- In a finding that seems to turn conventional wisdom on its head, researchers report that babies of teenage fathers are more likely to be born with health problems than babies born to men over 40. "We found that being a teenage father was associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight and neonatal deaths," said Dr. Shi Wu Wen, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa Department of Epidemiology & Community Medicine.

(HealthDay News) - If you're pregnant and need to clean your home, here are suggestions to help keep mom and baby safe, courtesy of the American Pregnancy Association: * Make sure the area you are cleaning is well-ventilated. If possible, open the windows or turn on a fan. * Protect your skin from chemicals by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, as well as gloves. * Always check the label, to be sure there is no warning against use of the product by pregnant women. * Never mix two cleaning products together. Mixing chemicals can cause toxic fumes.

FRIDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- During pregnancy, asthmatic women should continue to use their asthma medication in the lowest dose possible to manage symptoms. So recommends a new Practice Bulletin just released by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The bulletin says women with moderate or severe asthma should also be monitored throughout pregnancy for fetal growth restriction and signs of possible preterm birth.

(HealthDay News) - Young babies cry frequently, and it's often difficult for new parents to understand what they are fussing about. The University of California, San Francisco Children's Hospital offers this checklist to help you figure out what's bothering your baby, and ways to pacify her: * Make sure her diaper is clean. * Try feeding her to see if she is hungry. * Check her clothing to be sure she is dressed too warmly, is too cold, or is otherwise uncomfortable. * Try gently rocking, swinging or walking your baby, or take her for a ride in the car to calm her.