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August 9, 2017 18:49
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August 5, 2017 12:41
Real Alternatives’ Toll-Free Referral Program
Toll-Free Referral Program
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A nonprofit organization based in Pennsylvania, Real Alternatives provides pregnant women with life-affirming support in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Indiana. A particular focus of the Real Alternatives staff is to help those women who are considering an abortion or are being pressured to have an abortion to gain awareness of options that will allow them to bring their child to term.
Among the core offerings of the program is the 1-888-LIFE-AID toll-free number, which serves the urgent needs of thousands of women annually who are living through an unplanned pregnancy. The toll-free referral program begins with general crisis intervention counseling, after which the woman is connected to a counselor operating in the local area in which she lives.
The Real Alternatives network spans nearly 130 social service agencies, pregnancy support centers, maternity homes, and adoption agencies, meaning that those seeking assistance are typically able to access a physical location within a one-hour drive from where they live. This translates into measurable results, as pregnant women receive support that addresses their specific situation in their local community.
June 1, 2017 13:34
The Uses of 2D, 3D, and 4D Ultrasounds For Expecting Mothers
3D and 4D ultrasounds
Offering assistance to women throughout their pregnancies and during the first year of their babies’ lives, Real Alternatives possesses a full range of parenting and pregnancy support services. Through a network of 144 nonprofit centers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Indiana, Real Alternatives assists women with prenatal care decisions to ensure that they deliver healthy babies.
The latest 3D and 4D ultrasounds enable mothers to view the fetus in greater detail as compared with 2D ultrasounds. Most pregnant women who have visited a physician are familiar with 2D ultrasounds, which involve a transducer or wand being placed in the vagina or on the belly. Sound waves that bounce off of organs in the body provide a cross-sectional view, or 2D image, of the fetus. The Doppler fetal ultrasound also enables the amplification of sounds detected, such that the fetal heartbeat can be heard.
3D and 4D ultrasounds are employed when assessing potential fetal anomalies and can identify issues, such as a cleft palate, that do not appear on traditional 2D sonograms. They can also be used in creating 3D images and 4D movies of a preborn baby, allowing expectant mothers to connect visually with the imminent new member of their family.
June 1, 2017 13:29
Blogger
Resisting Pressure to Have Sex as a Teen
Based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Real Alternatives teams up with government agencies in three states to assist pregnant women considering abortion. The organization offers empowering pathways to overcome those challenges associated with unexpected pregnancies. Real Alternatives provides free support and counseling that enable expecting women to choose life for their preborn baby.
The organization also provides a host of educational resources focused on preventing and treating STDs, as well as saying “no” should sexual pressure occur. This is particularly important during the teen years, when peer pressure is at its highest and romantic partners may have strong expectations of having sex.
When under pressure, the best response is to assert one’s personal identity. Emphasizing that “everybody is doing it” is never a good reason for any activity. Having had sex before is similarly not a valid reason for continuing an activity that is risky and that feels uncomfortable.
If one is pressured to have sex before marriage, the ideal response is that there is a gulf between intention and action. Being married and wanting to marry are two very different things.
May 19, 2017 14:39
Blogger
How Your Baby Develops in the Final Four Weeks of Pregnancy
From its headquarters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Real Alternatives coordinates statewide parenting and pregnancy support programs in Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. For 20 years, tens of thousands of women haven been helped. Real Alternatives is dedicated to providing educational resources to expectant mothers. In the “Hear the Heartbeat” section of its website, Real Alternatives discusses how pre-born children develop.
At week 35 the baby’s hand has a firm grasp. It is usually at the end of the third trimester that the baby’s head will dip or drop into the pelvis. This change often helps the mother to breathe easier.
Between weeks 36 and 37, the baby’s weight can be 6.5 pounds. The baby’s length is about 13.5 inches, from crown to rump. The heart is pumping 300 gallons of blood every day. The baby is fully capable of living outside the womb with minimal intervention. At week 37, the baby’s downy hair and vernix is absorbed into the amniotic fluid and swallowed by the baby. This will produce the baby’s first bowel movement after birth.
At week 38, the baby’s heartbeat can be heard outside the uterus. The baby is approximately 19 to 20 inches in length and typically weighs between six and eight pounds. The baby is ready at any moment to come into the world.
May 8, 2017 02:53
Standards for Excellence Accreditation for Pennsylvania Nonprofits
Pennsylvania Association for Nonprofit Organizations
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Abortion alternatives and pregnancy services provider Real Alternatives empowers pregnant women through programs and offices in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan. Real Alternatives maintains affiliation with the Pennsylvania Association for Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) and received accreditation through the organization’s Standards for Excellence program.
An accreditation program for nonprofits and community benefit organizations, the PANO Standards for Excellence provides access to a series of tools and resources that help these entities exceed government, management, and operational standards. Community organizations that acquire accreditation adhere to an ethics and accountability code that consists of six guiding principles designed to cover 27 topic areas, including best practices, legal components for nonprofits, educational resources, training, and implementation.
The accreditation process focuses on providing nonprofits and community organizations with a disciplined approach to ensuring standards are implemented and followed. The program delivers support to nonprofits and enables them to apply standards for accreditation through a structured or self-guided approach, or through a combination of the two.
April 26, 2017 11:08
Useful Prenatal Care Tips
Real Alternatives
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Since the 1990s, Real Alternatives has provided expectant and new mothers with free counseling, classes, and resources via its website and network of nonprofit centers. Operating predominantly in Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, Real Alternatives can help women make wise prenatal decisions to ensure the health of their babies. Here are some useful prenatal tips for women.
1. Folic acid. Ensure your child’s healthy development, particularly during the early stages of pregnancy, by ingesting between 400 and 800 micrograms of folic acid daily. Numerous multivitamins contain folic acid and it is also available as a specialty prenatal vitamin.
2. Control your eating. Though you’re eating for two, you don’t need to double your caloric intake. In fact, you only need an additional 200 calories per day during the first trimester, and an additional 300 in the second and third trimesters.
3. Speak to your doctor. Visit your doctor regularly to check on the fetus’ progress. Further, consult with your doctor prior to taking any new medicines, including herbal products and over-the-counter medications, to ensure your baby doesn’t experience any unintended side-effects.
April 26, 2017 11:02
Blogger
Alternatives to Abortion Services Program Helps Women in Pennsylvania
Based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Real Alternatives offers a comprehensive selection of parenting and pregnancy services as alternatives to abortion. In conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Real Alternatives administers the state-wide Alternatives to Abortion Services program with the assistance of a government-provided grant.
The program serves pregnant women of all ages at no cost, with a focus on confidentiality and compassion. It operates through approximately 100 nonprofit pregnancy centers across Pennsylvania, who provide non- judgmental and nondiscriminatory services. Women experiencing a crisis pregnancy who feel pressured into making a decision to abort their child can turn to the program for counseling referrals in addition to pregnancy, parenting or adoption support.
A statewide team of 355 pregnancy professionals and trained counselors work with the program, and provide a range of social and education services designed to support pregnant women and their families. Services range from informational resources about parenting and childbirth to access to clothing pantries and housing assistance.
April 13, 2017 02:43
Your Rights in Regards to Abortion
Rights
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A non-profit organization, Real Alternatives focuses on providing support and resources to families and women in relation to parenting, sexual health, and pregnancy. Through its work, Real Alternatives highlights alternative choices to abortion and provides information about the rights of women, including those under 18, in regards to forced abortions. Sadly, 11 -14% of women who come to Real Alternatives programs in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan state someone has pressured them to abort. Real Alternatives offers the following advice for those who wish to prevent forced abortion:
1. Refuse to sign any documentation that indicates an agreement to an abortion, including any documents stating that you have received information.
2. Speak to medical professionals and make it clear that you don’t want the abortion and your rights receive protection under United States law. Remember that lawsuits are an option.
3. Find the address and phone number of your local county courthouse, which you can contact if you feel undue pressure is being placed on you to have an abortion.
4. Contact the state to discuss benefits assistance, particularly if refusing abortion results in the loss of financial support from parents. Take note that the father is liable to assist in supporting the child, even if he has offered to pay for abortion.
5. Contact Real Alternatives by calling 1-888-LIFE AID at any point to receive advice from a counselor.
April 2, 2017 14:09
Contraceptive Failure Rates and STDs
Real Alternatives
Image: realalternatives.org
With state-wide programs in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Indiana, Real Alternatives serves as a parenting and pregnancy support organization. For more than 20 years, Real Alternatives has helped hundreds of thousands of women. The sexual health quiz on its website highlights the potential for contraceptive failure.
According to the Contraceptive Failure in the First Two Years of Use: Differences Across Socioeconomic Subgroups study, which was conducted in 2001, 13 percent of women who use reversible methods of contraceptives, such as the birth control pill, will experience contraceptive failure, which could result in pregnancy or sexually-transmitted disease (STDs) in the first year of use. A further 8 percent will experience contraceptive failure during the second year of use.
The study also discovered that the effectiveness of contraceptives varied based on the woman’s race, age, poverty status, and relationship status. Of particular interest is the discovery that 21.1 percent of women under the age of 18 experience contraceptive failure that leads to unintended pregnancy.
The Center for Disease Control states the healthiest way for women to lower the incidence of sexually transmitted infections and unexpected pregnancy is to abstain from sexually activity until they are in a monogamous relationship. To effectively lower or prevent the risk of an unplanned pregnancy and/or becoming infected with a sexually transmitted infection which can lead to disease. Real Alternatives recommends the following:
First, delaying initiation of intercourse;
Second, reduce the number of partners you have if you are already sexually active; and
Third, decrease the frequency of intercourse you have if you are already sexually active.
March 17, 2017 19:08
Blogger
How Can I Help Real Alternatives?
Real Alternatives focuses on helping pregnant women choose adoption or parenting rather than abortion. Along with counseling and awareness initiatives, Real Alternatives provides pregnancy support programs and free parenting classes for parents of infants up to 1 year of age.
Certified as a “Best in America” charity by Independent Charities of America, Real Alternatives is dedicated to providing assistance to pregnant women and mothers by way of its hotline as well as through programs and services offered through its facilities in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Indiana. In 2016 alone, Real Alternatives helped over 30,000 women.
Because Real Alternatives is a registered IRS 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization, all donations to the organization are tax deductible. Additionally, individuals can donate vehicles to help Real Alternatives by going to http://www.realalternatives.org/Support/. To support the organization beyond financial gifts, Real Alternatives recommends spreading the word about its services and toll-free hotline, 1-888-LIFE AID.
March 17, 2017 19:06
Why Take Prenatal Vitamins?
Real Alternatives
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Real Alternatives administers services through Pregnancy and Parenting Support Services programs in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Indiana. A recognized nonprofit organization accredited with the Seal of Excellence, Real Alternatives has provided help to more than 300,000 women over the past two decades.
Prenatal vitamins are an important part of care when a woman finds out she is pregnant. Vitamins are crucial because they provide two nutrients important to a baby’s development but often lacking in diet alone – folic acid and iron.
Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps in the development of the baby’s neural system. By getting the proper amount of folic acid, the mother lowers the child’s risk of serious defects of the neural tubes as well as conditions such as spina bifida and cleft lip/palate.
Iron plays a significant role in the production of red blood cells. Mothers who don’t get enough iron in their diet run the risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia, which can lead to premature birth, low birth weight in the child, or in some cases, even death.
March 8, 2017 00:06
Blogger
The Miracle of an Unborn Baby’s Development
Real Alternatives reaches out to women and their families in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan to administer state-funded programs focused on pregnancy and parent education programs. The Harrisburg-based organization works through close to 100 centers in Pennsylvania and dozens of additional locations in the other two states. Real Alternatives’ services include distributing free pregnancy tests, offering compassionate and confidential counseling, and providing extensive connections to information on adoption.
The organization supports its pro-life perspective by referencing current scientific information on the unfolding of an unborn baby’s development in the womb.
The gender and genetic inheritance of a baby is determined at the moment of fertilization. As the baby’s body develops, it passes through three distinct trimesters.
In the first month of development, the baby already possesses the outline of a face. Nerve cells have begun to form, and circulation of the blood begins. During the initial trimester, the baby’s fingers, toes, and sense organs develop.
In the second trimester, a medical professional may be able to detect a heartbeat. The muscles and skeleton continue to strengthen, and the skin develops. The baby already has the ability to suck its fingers and can both hear and make swallowing movements.
During the third trimester, the baby frequently responds to outside stimuli. It often moves frequently, and lungs, brain, and reflexes have become finely developed.
March 8, 2017 00:02
How Real Alternatives Saves Taxpayer Money
Real Alternatives
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A nonprofit that focuses on counseling women who are considering abortion, Real Alternatives operates throughout Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania by offering advice, prenatal care, and support. The organization receives $7.2 million annually from Pennsylvania taxpayers to provide such services, with the Real Alternatives programs ensuring this cost is repaid many times over through the effectiveness of its programs, low administrative costs that fall below 8 percent, and excellent stewardship of the money that places financial accountability at the forefront.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of its programs, it refers to a 1999 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that suggests that each woman who received prenatal care saved $14,755 for the taxpayer that would otherwise have been spent on providing low birth weight babies with substantial medical care.
Adjusted for inflation, that figure increased to $20,767 in 2014. In that same year, programs operated by the organization provided prenatal care to 15,536, creating taxpayer savings of $322,636,112 as a return for the $7.2 million the organization received.
February 1, 2017 16:41
Blogger
Safeguarding Against STDs
Based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Real Alternatives boasts a network of more than 140 social serve centers in three states dedicated to supporting expectant mothers during their unexpected pregnancies and beyond. Real Alternatives also focuses on educating its clients about the best way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Every year, STDs impact the lives of nearly 20 million individuals in the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health has determined that there are more than 26 different forms of these diseases, which makes the need for prevention greater than ever.
We need to be concerned about 26 known sexually transmitted infections that can turn into incurable diseases that cause cancer, infertility, or death. Some may mistakenly think that using a condom completely protects themselves. Though condoms provide some protection, they do not eliminate the risk completely. This is a dangerous and unhealthy situation in the middle of a medically known epidemic of sexually transmitted infections. The possible exposure to sexually transmitted diseases is tremendous. Education is perhaps one of the most powerful tools that can enable individuals to protect both themselves and their partners.
The Healthiest Choice:
Based on the serious dangers of today's sexually transmitted infection dangers, medical science and common sense have shown that the healthiest choice for young adults is to live a chaste lifestyle by abstaining from sexual activity until marriage.
By being informed of the dangers of a risky sexual lifestyle and the advantages of living a chaste lifestyle, you can effectively lower or prevent the risk of an unplanned pregnancy and/or becoming infected with a sexually transmitted infection which can lead to disease. You can do this by:
First, delaying initiation of intercourse;
Second, reduce the number of partners you have if you are already sexually active; and
Third, decrease the frequency of intercourse you have if you are already sexually active.
Accomplishing anyone of these goals logically results in a reduction in the risks of pregnancy, births, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Science has shown that there is only one way to prevent an unplanned pregnancy and from becoming infected with a sexually transmitted infection and disease....that is by practicing chastity resistance skills.
January 11, 2017 20:15
Blogger
Processing of Emotion for Birth Parents
Real Alternatives exists to provide life-affirming options to women working through an unexpected pregnancy. Real Alternatives provides compassionate care to women. Trained counselors discuss parenting, and share information about adoption. By listening to women and understanding a woman’s hopes, fears and dreams, Real Alternatives helps pregnant women at a very vulnerable period in her life.
Some women dealing with an unexpected pregnancy may not feel as though they are ready to parent a child, some lack resources, some don’t want to be alone in raising a child. For women seeking a way to provide for their child, adoption is a loving choice, another way of parenting their child. Many birth mothers who chose adoption will opt to have an open adoption. The birth mother will have the opportunity to choose the adoptive parents. The birth mother and the adoptive parents will have the opportunity to meet prior to the birth of the baby. This period of getting to know each other greatly eases fears and anxieties faced by both the birth mother and the adoptive parents. It is not uncommon for birth mothers and adoptive parents to be anxious about meeting each another and wanting to be liked.
Choosing the adoptive family has a very positive impact on the process. The birth mother will find comfort in knowing who is caring for her child. Sometimes, depending on the open adoption agreement, a birth mother may receive pictures of the baby and sometimes post-placement visits. This allows a birth mother to be reassured that her child is thriving in a loving environment. This is exactly what a birth mother wants for her child.
Adoptive parents often express sincere gratitude to the birth mother and recognize her sacrifice.
Ultimately, women who choose adoption, do not choose adoption out of selfishness but choose adoption out of selflessness.
January 11, 2017 20:14
Caring for Yourself as a New Mother
Through Real Alternatives, pregnant women find the resources they need to prepare for motherhood. Real Alternatives provides a number of supportive services that helps expectant mothers to care for both themselves and their babies.
After you have given birth to a child, self-care may not be the first thing on your list of priorities. However, wearing yourself down not only limits your ability to provide care but is detrimental to your own health and well-being.
It may not be easy to find the time to take care of yourself, but you can enjoy a few moments of quiet by resting when your baby sleeps. You may not be able to fall asleep yourself, but you can sit or lie down and meditate, read, or just relax.
Simple exercises also help you to feel your best physically. This may take the form of easy stretches, at-home yoga, or a walk around the block with your newborn. Getting out of the house also helps you to take care of your emotional needs, which include connection with others. New mothers need to have a community around them and to know that someone is available to listen to their struggles.
If you ever start to talk yourself out of attending to your own needs, remember that your own well-being is directly linked to your baby’s.
November 29, 2016 15:38
Important STD Prevention and Treatment Information
Real Alternatives is an organization dedicated to supporting women and families with a variety of issues related to pregnancy, parenting, and sexual activity. The Real Alternatives website, www.realalternatives.org, provides a wealth of information on sexually transmitted diseases.
The national epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) affect more than 19 million individuals throughout the United States, equating to over $16 billion in annual health costs. There are roughly two dozen distinct STDs a man or woman can contract, each with its own physiological or health effects.
There are a number of important facts individuals need to know when it comes to STD prevention and treatment. To start, STDs can be contracted by any sexually active person. While teenagers and young adults are most commonly diagnosed with STDs, individuals of any age or economic background can contract a disease following unprotected sexual intercourse.
Though symptoms of different STDs are often unnoticeable or infrequent, untreated STDs can escalate into serious, and sometimes fatal, health concerns. Women, for example, can develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) as a result of untreated STDs, a condition that greatly increases the odds of infertility and can eventually become life threatening. Other STDs can increase a person’s chances of developing cancer.
The United Stated Center for Disease Control states that abstaining from oral, vaginal, and anal sex or to be in an a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner, is the the only completely effective method of preventing STD contraction. For individuals who are already sexually active, they should immediately seek to be tested for STDs.
Those who are sexually active can immediately lower their chances of contracting a STD if they 1) start limiting the frequency of their sexual activity; 2) limit the number of sexual partners they have; and 3) postpone sexual involvement until they are in long-term relationship with someone with out a sexual transmitted disease.
To learn more about STD prevention and treatment, as well as take a quiz on STD risk, visit www.realalternatives.org.
November 16, 2016 13:53
Self-Care During Pregnancy
As a non-profit organization, Real Alternatives helps pregnant women to find the resources that they need to carry a baby to term. Real Alternatives service providers work to ensure that clients stay healthy and safe during pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant, her body needs extra care. This includes a balanced diet that includes approximately 250 more calories than the expectant mother consumed before pregnancy. These extra calories should primarily consist of protein, though the diet must also include plenty of fresh produce and fiber.
Women with pregnancy-related nausea, commonly known as morning sickness, may find relief from ginger supplements. An obstetrician or midwife, who the expectant mother should see regularly for prenatal care, may also be able to advise on potential sources of relief.
Exercise can also help to make a pregnancy more comfortable. Experts recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of activity per day, though each woman should pay attention to her body’s signals and stop before exhaustion sets in. All exercise routines, regardless of length, should include water breaks to maintain hydration.
Hydration is also important as a regular daily routine, as it helps to keep the digestive system moving smoothly. Women with constipation may need extra fiber or a stool softener, while those who have leg or back pain may need to avoid standing for long periods of time. A pregnancy support band may also help with fatigue and low back pain. In general, pregnant women must be gentle with themselves and prioritize their own well-being, both for their babies and for themselves.
November 7, 2016 15:54
An Introduction to Developmental Milestones for Infants
After the successful birth of a healthy baby girl or boy, many parents begin to immediately look ahead to their child’s next important developmental milestone. While inadequate development may signal a health concern, parents must appreciate the fact that milestones are not exact and that all children develop at different rates.
The first series of developmental milestones generally play out around 3 months of age. Around this time, infants should start lifting their heads and chests when left on the floor, a precursor to crawling. Three-month-old children should move other body parts when stimulated, while voices and other activities should prompt facial responses. Around six months, milestones focus on the child’s interactions with the surrounding environment. The child should, for instance, reach out for favorite toys when they are nearby and laugh when having a positive interaction with another person.
Around nine months, developmental milestones become more nuanced. If a toy is taken from a child and placed, for example, behind a pillow, the child should make attempts to move the pillow and reclaim the toy. Children should also begin feeding themselves smaller pieces of food, such as Cheerios, and can begin to stand up on their own around this age. Stranger anxiety also starts to begin around nine months.
Talking and walking are arguably the two most important milestones for parents. Walking can occur anywhere from 9 to 18 months, though some 18-month-olds may be running while others are taking their first timid steps. Talking, on the other hand, begins as early as six months as children use different sounds to identify different items or emotions. This may not develop into full speech for some time, as a 36-month-old child may still be talking in three or four word sentences.
As the nonprofit administrator of parenting and pregnancy support services for Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, Real Alternatives has served over 275,000 women since it launched in 1996. Real Alternatives offers free pregnancy test kits at each of its 144 centers in the three states.
Although the only way to be certain of pregnancy is by seeing a doctor, there are several early symptoms. One of the earliest signs is implantation bleeding, which can occur as early as eight days after conception when the unborn child starts to implant itself into the uterine wall. As a result, some women experience cramping and spotting.
Other signs, which can appear as early one to two weeks following conception, include fatigue, headaches, frequent urination, swollen or tender breasts, and darkening of the areolas. The most common early sign is a delay or difference in menstruation.
Typically, women miss their next period if they become pregnant, although some women have a lighter or shorter-than-normal period. If you're experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, visit a doctor or call 1-888-LIFE-AID.