Pregnancy Blog

The five basic tips I am about to mention are the specific suggestions of the “March of Dimes” for you to adhere to, in order to have a healthier, happier baby. Of course, there are many details included in these basic instructions that must be paid closer attention to. Nonetheless, when seeking information on how to care for your infant, and of course your unborn child, “March of Dimes” is a great source to trust in for the safety of your infant and and the overall health of your child as he or she grows. You want to do the right thing in order to avoid any possible birth defects, low birth weight, malnutrition, disabilities and, most importantly, to reduce the risk of having a miscarriage.

The March of Dimes has a positive reputation for saving babies, and they (quite rightly, in my opinion) pride themselves on the provisions and care they make available to expecting mothers, women with infants, and special needs babies. I believe that it is very important to promote this (the March of Dimes) and many other programs like it. In this article I will briefly describe the latest, general recommendations that the March of Dimes has made available to their many donors as well as to the general public.

These five recommendations, essential for your baby’s health, are not mentioned in this article, nor are they presented by the March of Dimes in order of importance. Each and every piece of advice that I am about to pass on to you is just as significant as the next. Each should be, by any mother who is breastfeeding, any expecting mother, or any woman trying to become pregnant should carefully digest. I will add some of my own insight to these basic guidelines as well.

Firstly, the March of Dimes instructs expecting mothers to get early and continuous pre-natal care. In my opinion, as much as prenatal care is important, having the right physician is very important. I recommend that if experience any uneasiness, or feel in any way hesitant with your current doctor – seek a second opinion at least, but most often, find another one. Follow your pre-natal care doctor’s instructions. Be sure to make this top priority. Mostly, the March of Dimes suggests, that prenatal care is essential to preventing the risk of low birth weight.

Although these are basic and absolutely logical measures for any pregnant woman to take, this top five list of guidelines sent to me by the March of Dimes can not be over-emphasized. Believe it or not, some people really do not realize the full extent of the dangers of breaking these general rules of pregnancy, if you will. The second on the list is to eat nutritious foods! Yes, you do need to gain weight while you are pregnant – but if all you do, for instance, is eat extra amounts of fast foods. When you are not eating right while pregnant, you are getting the extra calories, but not the extra vitamins and minerals required from the calories consumed. Everything you eat goes straight to the baby too, therefore, if you are not getting enough vitamin C, the baby is also not getting enough vitamin C, and so on.

Next, it is very important that a pregnant woman does not smoke. In addition to increasing the risk of low birth weight, a woman who smokes while she is pregnant increases the risks of having a miscarriage. Many women who are smokers and are trying to become pregnant can miscarry right away. And, believe me, if a miscarriage happens (no matter when it happens) it is always very saddening, unfortunate and sometimes even tragic for the expecting parents.

Fourthly, the March of Dimes foundation wants you to know not to use drugs while pregnant. Taking drugs can cause birth defects, and even the death of your baby, often however, this piece of advice is misinterpreted. When professionals such as pre –natal doctors, OBGYN and other specialists say not to use drugs (while pregnant) they do not simply mean illegal, mind and / or mood altering chemicals. Prescription drugs, as well as drugs that are sold over the counter are often potentially dangerous for your baby – especially with frequent use.

As a matter of fact, (I will add) there have been many drugs previously approved by pre-natal physicians that have proven to cause severe birth defects. For example: the prescription drug called Paxil. If I were an expecting mother, I would avoid any and all medications possible, because sometimes science figures out the dangers after assessing the benefits of certain drugs. This is especially detrimental when considering the use of such drugs by women who are trying to become pregnant, expecting a baby, or caring for her infant. I feel very strongly about this subject. It must be extremely frightening to realize that your child has suffered any kind of birth defects, to have a miscarriage, or worse. Therefore, it is essential to do everything in your power to avoid any of the above problems.

Lastly, the March of Dimes emphasizes the rule of thumb for pregnant women that you should not drink while pregnant. The devastating effects of fetal alcohol syndrome or, FAS, have been widely recognized for a long time now. Fetal alcohol syndrome can develop in your baby even if you only drink a tiny bit while pregnant. As a matter of fact, I would recommend that if you are simply trying to become pregnant and are taking pregnancy tests on a regular basis you should still avoid alcohol as much as possible. In correlation with the fourth of these pregnancy guidelines, many over the counter drugs contain alcohol. These include medications for colds, for allergies, for sleep aids, and more which may contain some alcohol, as well as other active ingredients that can be harmful to your baby.

Find out what will be best for you and your baby – even if you are just trying to become pregnant. Often, a woman will not know that she is pregnant right away. It is virtually always at least a few weeks into her first trimester before a woman discovers her, quite happy condition. To have the happiest, healthiest baby you possibly can, seek information from foundations and sources such as the March of Dimes for the very best advice you can get. I would encourage you to expose anyone you know to whom this information is relevant as much of this kind of advice (as well as various resources they can check out on their own) as you can.

Many medical professionals and researchers are dedicated to bringing as many healthy babies into this world as possible, and continuing to reduce the number of birth defects that occur. In other words, your goals for your baby are also their goals for your baby. Thank you for seeking information to take care of your baby as soon as possible for the very best health benefits possible.

All women expecting a baby need prenatal care. Prenatal care can be provided by a doctor, midwife or other health care professional.

The progress of a pregnancy and to identify potential problems before they become serious for either mom or baby is the reason you need prenatal care. You as the mother will benefit from prenatal care.

Women who receive appropriate prenatal care generally have healthier babies and are less likely to deliver prematurely. The chance of having serious problems related to pregnancy is also decreased with appropriate prenatal care.

What should you expect during prenatal visits?

• You should expect to learn about pregnancy

• Your health care provider should monitor medical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes

• Your health care provider should administer tests for problems with the baby

• You should receive tests for health problems such as gestational diabetes

• Your health care provider may refer you to other services such as pregnancy/childbirth support groups, the WIC program or childbirth education classes

As soon as you suspect you are pregnant you should call a health care provider to set up appointments to confirm your pregnancy and/or to find out when you should come in for your prenatal care appointments. Be sure to keep all health care appointments during your pregnancy even if you are feeling fine. Make getting prenatal care a priority.

The best time to see your health care provider is actually before you become pregnant to give your health care provider a chance to get to know you and the present status of your health. These visits can address concerns and/or issues before you become pregnant.

A typical prenatal care schedule for a low-risk pregnancy that is normally progressing includes:

• Weeks 4 to 28: 1 visit per month (every 4 weeks)

• Weeks 28 to 36: 2 visits per month (every 2 to 3 weeks)

• Weeks 36 to birth: 1 visit per week

If you are a woman with a chronic medical condition or a “high-risk” pregnancy you may have to see your health care provider more often.

During your first prenatal care visit, your health care provider will most likely ask you a lot of questions. Have available the answers to the following questions for your first visit:

• Status of your health, your partner’s health and the health of your close family members (do not be concerned if you do not know all these answers)

• Do you have any medical problems?

• What kind of medications are you taking?

In addition, your health care provider will:

• Do a physical exam and a pelvic (internal) exam

• Weigh you

• Check your blood pressure

• Check a urine sample for infection

• Do some blood tests to check for anemia and see if you have had certain kinds of infections

• You will be asked if you want a test for HIV

• Do a pap smear to check for cervical cancer and other tests for vaginal infections

• Figure out your due date; most babies are born within two weeks before or after a due date

• Prescribe prenatal vitamins with folic acid

Your first prenatal visit will be the longest. During later prenatal visits you can expect your provider to:

• Weigh you

• Check your blood pressure

• Measure your belly

• Check your hands, feet and face for swelling

• Listen for the baby’s heartbeat (after the 12th week of pregnancy)

• Do any tests that are needed such as blood tests or ultrasound

• Ask you if you have any questions or concerns. If you have questions, it is a good idea to write them down in a list format so you do not forget at the time of the visit

Everything you tell your health care provider will be held in confidence. This means your health care provider cannot tell anyone else what you say without your permission. Do not be afraid or embarrassed to talk about issues that might be embarrassing. You need to tell your health care provider if you smoke, drink alcohol or take any drugs. It is safe to tell your health care provider if your partner hurts you or if you are afraid of your partner.

Researchers do not know exactly why women who get early and regular prenatal care have healthier pregnancies and healthier babies. Experts agree it does work. Make prenatal care a priority during your pregnancy for the sake of yourself and your baby.

A dental check-up early in pregnancy is also a good idea to help your mouth remain healthy. Your dentist may even recommend more checks during pregnancy.

Source: March of Dimes Association

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

Green tea is known worldwide as one of the best, maybe even the only herbal plant that is able to cure and prevent cancer and other difficult illnesses that we humans are so susceptible to. But although it has many effective healing properties and is known to have a lot of benefits, drinking green tea may actually be a bad idea when experiencing pregnancy.

Scientists have discovered reasons and side effects that green tea can cause when a woman is pregnant or for women who want to conceive. Green tea and pregnancy don’t work together because the former can actually reduce the effectiveness of folic acid, which is very essential in order to prevent neural tube defects during the first month of conception in pregnant women. The best time to take green tea again would be after the first trimester, which is 1-3 months after conception.

Yes, green tea is reputed to have many health benefits and is even one of the leading solutions for prevention of cancer, but green tea and pregnancy shouldn’t go hand-in-hand because of the anti-oxidants and all the active elements in the green tea leaves, which has the potential of absorbing a lot of body folate, thus endangering the development of the baby.

Though many companies that produce green tea products have come up with solutions for green tea and pregnancy, it is still advisable to consult your doctor before taking green tea while experiencing pregnancy. The newer green tea products and supplements are claimed to contain herbs that are safe for consumption, but we cannot let our guard down as it may endanger the life of the baby when we least expect it. It is best to avoid green tea during pregnancy even if it contains a lot of nutrients that are good for the body.

There are a lot of instances when pregnant women experience negative effects when they drink caffeine or tea while going through their pregnancy, so as much as possible both drinks should be avoided despite their anti-oxidants and healing properties. Though it may seem harmless, many doctors and scientists have discouraged pregnant women to take in anything that has caffeine content.

Green tea is a lot better than caffeine, but as mentioned before it has the ability to absorb the folic acid in the body and therefore should be avoided as well. If you really cannot help but want to drink green tea, make sure you drink it after the first trimester to ensure that your baby will still be healthy. Regulate the amount of green tea taken for the sake of precaution.

How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? There could be no uniform answer to this question. It depends on your overall physical condition and your weight at the start of the pregnancy. Interestingly, women who are underweight or have a normal, healthy weight should gain more pounds than women who are overweight.

But what to do if you are gaining more weight than you should? The general guidelines will tell you to stop eating junk food, cut down on fat and red meat and increase your overall intake of complex carbohydrates. But most of all, you need to resist cravings for sweets and sugary drinks. The problem is that’s easier said than done.

However, the last thing you should do is blame it on the hormones and just give up. Michelle Moss has written a book that can help you stay healthy, attractive and in shape during pregnancy. Her guide is called Pregnancy without pounds. It covers all sort of things: preventing excess weight gain, avoiding stretch marks and cellulite, getting rid of pregnancy acne and so on.

You might be asking how she came to all this knowledge. Well, Michelle is a health coach and personal trainer who gave birth to two children. When she was pregnant for the first time, she decided to stay fit and good-looking through her pregnancy. Her guide is the result of the extensive research she did and of her own experiences during pregnancy. She promises that Pregnancy without pounds can help any woman to be a beautiful, healthy and sexy mother-to-be.

When you are pregnant, the mental attitude that you carry with you is just as important as the baby that you are now carrying within you. How you think affects how you feel and how you feel affects your baby. So what does any of this have to do with a pregnancy yoga DVD?

The answer is: plenty. Yoga is a unique form of exercise that works not only with your body but your mind as well. And while you are pregnant, that mental component is more important than ever. There are unique pieces of a pregnancy yoga DVD that you will not find in any other kind of prenatal exercise video. These unique pieces are what separates just an exercise video from a total mind-body experience.

A pregnancy yoga DVD often starts with a focus on breathing and on breath. This is a refrain that you will hear throughout your pregnancy yoga DVD: focus on your breath. What does this have to do with honing your mind? Having the ability to focus and breathe properly can help you clear and relax your mind. When you find yourself feeling stressed out during your day, this simple exercise of focusing on your breath can be a powerful tool in helping you calm your emotions and stay in control of yourself. And then there is the added bonus of how this breathing technique can also help you during childbirth.

Another powerful tool for your mind that you will find in a pregnancy yoga DVD is the relaxation technique taught at the end of most prenatal yoga DVDs. In this technique, you will be laying on your side with your eyes closed and will be guided through a relaxation technique. This technique has you relaxing each area of your body. This technique can help you learn how to consciously relax different areas of your body. This is great for all of those unique aches and pains that come with pregnancy. You can learn how to consciously relax those areas and release the tension you are holding in your body. And again, this is a great technique to help you release the tension in your body during childbirth.

Constipation in pregnancy can cause a lot of discomfort, including abdominal bloating and intestinal pain. It can even lead to hemorrhoids. Constipation in pregnancy is a common condition brought about by normal changes in the female body during pregnancy. Most pregnant women experience constipation in pregnancy. Fortunately, it is easy to alleviate constipation in pregnancy through home remedies and other natural treatments.

Causes of Constipation in Pregnancy

Constipation in pregnancy is caused primarily by the spike in progesterone levels. This hormone is responsible for relaxing a pregnant woman’s muscles and ligaments, to make them more pliable for labor. Unfortunately, progesterone also relaxes the intestines, thus causing constipation.

This relaxation of the intestines is also necessary: it slows down the digestive process, enabling the pregnant woman’s body to absorb more nutrients from the foods she eats. This helps ensure that the developing fetus will receive all the vitamins and minerals it needs. It also helps the pregnant woman to absorb more water, which she needs due to increased blood volume during pregnancy. Another cause of constipation in pregnancy is the iron in prenatal vitamins.

Natural Remedies for Constipation in Pregnancy

* More Water

You will need to drink than the usual recommendation of 8 glasses of pure water every day. Ask your health care giver how much water is best for you, depending on your weight.

* More Fiber

Eat more green leafy vegetables, whole grains and fruits. Many pregnant women swear by eating a few pieces of prunes or a serving of old-fashioned oatmeal every day. Prune or apple juice can also be effective.

* More Exercise

Exercise such as walking and yoga can help stimulate the intestines to be less sluggish. Ask a trained yoga instructor for pregnancy-safe yoga poses to relieve constipation.

* Prenatal Supplements

Ask your health caregiver for a different brand of prenatal supplements with a form of iron that does not cause constipation. You should also be getting enough calcium and magnesium - minerals that help ease constipation. Ask your doctor how you can best get the ideal amounts of these nutrients.

* Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies are effective and safe. Consult a homeopathic practitioner about the best homeopathic remedy for constipation in pregnancy. Do not attempt to self-treat using homeopathic preparations.

Constipation is a normal but uncomfortable and inconvenient part of pregnancy. This doesn’t mean that pregnant women just have to put up with it. Nor is it necessary to take laxatives and drug-based treatments that can cause more harm than good. Many natural remedies can safely and effectively relieve constipation in pregnancy.

When you are pregnant, you are often feeling exuberant, tired, thrilled, cranky and confused all at once, and what’s more there is a chance that you don’t want to forget it! Whether you want to look back on the days when you were carrying your child or whether you want to show your future son or daughter some of the thoughts that were going through your head when you were carrying them, you will find that a pregnancy scrapbook album is something that can help you! Making a pregnancy scrapbook album is a great way to preserve the memories of this time and when you consider the fact that it will never be quite like this again, this is something that is quite important to do.

When you are looking into creating a pregnancy scrapbook album, you will find that one of the best options that you have might be to stop and look for one that has a journal. Write in the journal as though you were speaking directly to your baby. Tell them what your hopes and fears for them are, and think about all of the questions that you have for them. Take some time and really think about what you want to say to your baby and what you want them to know about your world and your thought.

Remember to take the time to collect some media to preserve in the scrapbook. What was going on when you were pregnant with your son or daughter? They are going to be curious about the world that gave birth to them, so tell them about it. What was popular, and what was old-fashioned? Who was in charge and what did people think about it? Did something frightening happen when you were pregnant? Did you experience anything exciting or magical?

When you are putting together a pregnancy scrapbook album, take some pictures of yourself and your family. This can be a great way to introduce your child to everyone who cared about them when they were too little to remember. Life is short and none of those people will be around forever, so let your child know how well loved they are and how many people were around and looking out for them. You can even treat it a little bit like an autograph book; ask your friends and family to write some messages to your unborn child in it.

When you are considering putting together a great pregnancy scrapbook album, you may or may not be aware of the sex of your baby. Either way, don’t let this influence the design. Choose something understated and calm to reflect the period before your baby bursts into the world. You will find that this is a great way to contrast all of the media that you have in the book as well as to ensure that you are going to have free reign in order to contrast your decorations and trim.

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is a chronic intestinal disorder, not a disease. The intestines of a person with IBS do not function properly which can lead to many symptoms. The most common include diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating and abdominal pain. It is estimated that IBS affects as many as 20% of Americans, and affects women three times greater than it does men.

Depending on the types of symptoms a woman has, and the severity of her IBS, this disorder can be both physically and psychologically upsetting and cause plenty of anxiety. Some women worry that having IBS will affect their ability to become pregnant or cause problems during pregnancy.

Irritable bowel syndrome does not affect a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant, nor does it make her infertile. However, during pregnancy, IBS symptoms are generally worse than normal due to the hormonal changes a woman’s body experiences.

The following is a breakdown of what a woman with IBS can expect during pregnancy, and the different treatments she can try to help control symptoms.

First trimester – During this period, most women don’t feel the hormonal effects on their body, because they are too busy coping with morning sickness. At this time, IBS virtually disappears

Second trimester – As hormonal change becomes more apparent, IBS will usually strike. Women with irritable bowel syndrome will usually experience a stronger version of the symptoms they usually have.

Third trimester – Just as in the second trimester, IBS symptoms will continue due to hormonal changes. However, in many women, the symptom that is experienced the most is constipation, especially during the 8th month.

The reason constipation is the most common symptom is because pregnancy causes the levels of the progesterone hormone to rise. This hormone causes muscles to relax, which can result in the digestive system slowing down. Other reasons why constipation occurs are from lack of exercise, diet change, and the physical pressure of the baby on the bowel. Thus, even pregnant women who don’t have IBS are prone to constipation.

To help with constipation and other IBS symptoms during pregnancy, some women take medications. Not all medications that may be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome are safe for pregnancy. Therefore, you should discuss medical treatment with your doctor before taking any drug. However, the following is a list of medications that are usually safe to take during pregnancy:

• Acetaminophen (IE Tylenol) – helps with pain and discomfort

• Bentyl/Dicyclomine – prevents muscles spasms in the stomach and bladder and helps to relax them. It also reduces the production of stomach acid.

• Diclectin – helps with morning sickness

• Simethicone – helps to alleviate gas in the intestinal tract.
Medications are not the only answer when it comes to helping pregnant women treat their IBS symptoms. Alternative treatments include:

• Drinking plenty of water – prevents dehydration and helps with digestion

• Regular and safe pregnancy exercises – helps aid in digestion and reduces stress

• Sufficient sleep – reduces stress

• High fiber diet – Helps move slow bowels. This includes foods such as fruit, vegetables, and high fiber cereals. Note: keep in mind that if your IBS symptoms occur because of certain fiber foods, don’t include these as apart of your diet.

• Soluble fiber supplements – may help with diarrhea and constipation

• Ginger tea – Ginger tea can help treat morning sickness

• Hypnosis – This psychological treatment can be used to individually treat the symptoms a woman is experiencing.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways a pregnant woman can deal with IBS. The trick is to know what treatments work best, and incorporate them into a healthy and active lifestyle.

Having a baby is exciting for the mother to be. She looks forward to the birth of her child and to the new life ahead. The one thing she does not anticipate is the discomfort that comes about because of the pregnancy. A pregnancy massage has the ability to provide the mother to be with relief and different benefits. It’s important to know that one does not have to have a massage when she is pregnant. It’s a matter of preference. She can also discuss the benefits with her doctor before she does decide to have a massage.

The best time to have a massage is after the first trimester. The most comfortable position for the massage is when she is laying down on her side. She can use pillows to provide support and more comfort. Because during pregnancy a woman might react to some smells, the masseuse will use neutral smelling oils. If she doesn’t like it, she can inform the masseuse and they can find oil that will work for her.

The therapists work on all areas that have been causing her pain, but don’t work too long on areas close to the heel and ankle. Its said that they are connected to the uterus and the vagina. By having a sustained pregnancy massage in these areas there is a possibility of an early birth. A good pregnancy massage brings wonderful benefits to a mother to be. These include maintaining proper posture, reducing swelling of hands and feet and reduction of insomnia. The unborn child also feels the effects of the massage, as the mothers body starts to relax and feel better. The mother’s body is also prepared for the birth process.