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Around 70% of parents who have the opportunity to learn whether their baby is a boy or a girl before the birth will opt to do so: the rest want to keep it a surprise. The most important reason for knowing the sex of the fetus is in the case of sex-linked genetic diseases. If a particular disease runs in the family and only occurs in one sex, parents may well be concerned about their baby’s chances of having the disease. The other reason is curiosity: some people want to know in advance so they can have the name, nursery and wardrobe all lined up. Ultrasound is most commonly used for determining the sex of a baby, since it’s non-invasive and relatively simple. The genders tend to be fully differentiated at around 12 weeks after conception, so as long as the technician or doctor can get a clear view, the chances of getting it right are high. After the 12th week of pregnancy, accuracy approaches 99%.

Sometimes the doctor will test for illness, disease or fetal abnormality by using amniocentesis; a procedure in which a sample of amniotic fluid is extracted and tested. If you’re having amnio done for another reason, you can also have the sex of the baby determined, but because amniocentesis carries risks of miscarriage or infection, you’d only use it for sex determination if something else is being tested for. Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is another test used to look for genetic disorders: in this case, a small sample of the sac where the baby develops is taken from the mother. This sample can also be used in a secondary fashion to determine the baby’s gender.

The pros and cons of learning your baby’s gender are simple, but the psychological effects can be great. If you are sure you’re carrying a much-wanted son but find instead that your baby will be a daughter, it may cause you some dismay. Inheritances may be affected in families that only pass assets on to one gender. Because ultrasound determinations aren’t 100% accurate, there is a 1-5% chance that you will be told your baby is a boy when it’s a girl, or vice versa. If you don’t mind surprises, that’s fine, but if you’ve been making decisions about nursery school waiting lists, nannies vs mannies or pink vs blue, you may find yourself in a middle of a gender confused nursery. Get the best information you can by making sure the person who interprets the ultra sound photo feels very confident in the prediction. If the picture is unclear, you may want to wait and have the ultrasound done at a later time.

Lasik is not suitable for everyone. Among many elements contributing to lasik candidacy are age, overall health and the condition of the eyes. Women who are pregnant or nursing, may need to postpone laser eye surgery in order to avoid unnecessary complications.

Lasik eye surgery should be avoided while pregnant or within six months of becoming pregnant. Lasik should also be avoided during breastfeeding. Hormones produced during pregnancy and lactation amplify existing eye conditions. In addition, the increased fluid that a pregnant woman retains actually changes the shape of the eyeball, in turn changing vision. If a woman were to have lasik surgery while pregnant, it would be nearly impossible to tell if any negative changes in eyesight during lasik recovery were because of the surgery or because of the pregnancy.

Many women experience dry, itchy, or light-sensitive eyes due to the drop in estrogen that occurs during pregnancy. Because eyes are normally a little more sensitive and itchy after lasik surgery, not only is this surgery potentially ineffective for pregnant and nursing women, but will be more uncomfortable.

Also, medication given to relieve complications related to lasik can pass through the uterine wall to the unborn child or to the baby through breastfeeding. About two or three months after pregnancy and nursing, the body should return to normal and lasik will once again be a safe option. Most women, however, choose to wait until they are finished having children before having lasik.

Lasik Surgery and Refractive Instability
The goal of laser eye surgery is to pinpoint and correct unwavering refractive errors. As a result of natural hormonal changes, women who are pregnant or nursing commonly experience vision fluctuation. In addition to hormonal changes, vision may also be affected by corneal pressure due to fluid retention. Refractive instability during pregnancy and lactation hinders the ability of the lasik surgeon to determine actual vision problems.

Under the environment of fluctuating vision, an inaccurate assessment of your refractive state can result in an inaccurate lasik surgery procedure. Patients who elect to have lasik while pregnant or nursing may experience overcorrection or undercorrection once hormonal balance returns to the body. In addition, the lasik recovery process will involve periodic vision changes as the eye adjusts to the procedure. But it’s impossible to identify whether vision fluctuation occurs as a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding, or laser eye surgery.

Dry Eyes and Pregnancy
Pregnancy can also cause dry eye conditions. In fact, most women find it too uncomfortable to wear contacts during pregnancy. Dry eye conditions can pose additional difficulties during recovery from laser eye surgery. People with dry eyes experience longer, more troublesome recovery periods.

Lasik Surgery and Medications During Pregnancy
Prescribed medications are another concern for potential lasik patients who are pregnant or nursing. As part of the process, patients are required to take antibiotics and steroid eye drops before and after the lasik procedure. Many patients also receive mild sedatives as a calming agent during laser eye surgery. As a result of entering the bloodstream, your baby will be exposed to these medications.

There are no hard facts about the risk of medications associated with lasik for patients who are pregnant or nursing. However, possibility presents an essential precaution. As an elective procedure, laser eye surgery can easily be postponed in order to avoid unnecessary complications for you and your baby.

Surgery Not for Everyone
Despite what some ads may suggest, the surgery isn’t for everyone. You must have healthy eyes with no visually significant cataracts, glaucoma or severe dry eyes, says laser vision correction specialist Sandra Belmont, M.D. Also, people with extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness may not be eligible, especially if they have a thick cornea, a large pupil and/or an eye that isn’t easy to get to. And, for some farsighted patients, the results may diminish with age as their eyes naturally lose focusing power.

Pregnancy and Postponing Lasik Surgery
Patients who are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive should postpone laser eye surgery until vision has stabilized. If you are pregnant, it is best to wait at least two months after you have stopped breastfeeding. Women electing not to breastfeed should postpone lasik for a few months after giving birth, allowing enough time for hormonal balance to return. Patients should also wait six months to conceive following laser eye surgery.

Another important consideration is that the drugs used to correct complications of refractive surgery may be dangerous to the pregnancy or may pass through lactation to the infant during breastfeeding. Pregnancy and nursing are contraindications for all types of elective refractive surgery.

Tags: Lasik pregnancy, lasik eye surgery during pregnancy

Thomas Easterling, professor of obstetrics, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle answer:

Well, if you have a high fever in the first trimester when the baby is forming, it can cause neural tube defects. After the first trimester, having a fever puts a certain metabolic stress on the baby — you’re both burning up calories and oxygen faster, so it’s like the baby has a fever too. But it’s not dangerous unless the pregnancy is already on the edge. If you have cystic fibrosis or heart disease, for instance, a fever at that point could tip you over into more serious complications. A fever from the flu won’t directly hurt your baby after the first trimester, although pregnant women can get very sick from the flu and should be vaccinated against it. But if you’re totally healthy, a routine cold with a fever isn’t going to have much effect on either you or the baby.

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As you journey through the months of pregnancy, your body goes through many changes — both physical and hormonal. When this happens, you face some new obstacles in your sex life. A big question that is often asked is: “What are some good sex positions during pregnancy?” The answer to this question depends on a couple of factors, including:

• The trimester you are in
• Whether you are having a high-risk pregnancy.

Remember, there are many ways that you can still enjoy sex with your constantly changing body shape!

When thinking about sex positions during pregnancy, keep the following suggestions in mind:

• It is best to try positions that do not put your partner’s weight on your abdomen. This can help you avoid unnecessary discomfort. Your baby is protected inside of you — the uterus is quite a safe place for your baby — so you do not need to worry that sex will hurt your baby (always clear it with your healthcare provider first, though).
• You do not want your partner to thrust or penetrate too deeply. This can irritate the cervix. You and your partner can work together to find some comfortable positions that are satisfying and work for both of you.

The best way to find the most comfortable positions for sex during pregnancy is to explore and experiment; but here are a few positions to get you started:

Side-Lying: Front to Back
For the side-lying front to back sex position, have your partner lay behind you (like the spoons position) and enter you from behind. It may be helpful for you to support your upper leg with a pillow.

Side-Lying: Front to Front
The side-lying front to front position won’t work as well later in pregnancy, as your belly grows, but try it early on. The advantages to side-lying front to front include being able to see your partner and not having pressure on your belly. Again, it may help to support your upper leg with a pillow.

Partner on Top
As you progress through pregnancy, having your partner on top of you can become uncomfortable. So a little modification to this sex position during pregnancy is to have your partner on top, with his weight supported by his arms. This way, he is not pushing on your belly, yet you are still able to enjoy this position. Do not stay on your back for very long periods of time while pregnant, though, as the extra weight of your baby can put added pressure on your abdomen and eventually your aorta, making you pass out.

Back Entry
For this sex position, you are on your hands and knees with your partner behind you. This position will work very well, especially as your move later in your pregnancy and your belly gets bigger. There is no extra weight on your belly, and your partner will have room to maneuver. This position can allow deeper penetration, so remind your partner not to thrust too deep.

Partner’s Lap
This sex position is pretty self-explanatory — sit in your partner’s lap. For a little variety, have your partner sit on a chair, and sit facing him.

Woman on Top
One of the advantages of the on-top position during pregnancy is that you can support the weight on your knees, either facing towards or away from your partner, while he is lying down. This position avoids unnecessary weight on your belly; it also allows room for your growing belly.

Final Thoughts on Sex Positions During Pregnancy

Sex during pregnancy is just another part of your changing life. It can be a fun, bonding experience for both you and your partner. Always be open in communication, and let your partner know if something is uncomfortable. Also, if you get to a point where the actual act of intercourse is not comfortable anymore, there are other ways to be sensual together, such as oral sex or massage.

Tips for Better Sex During Pregnancy

1. Think round, think big. Consider what you’re getting and not what you’re losing. Your new roundness provides more surface area for your lover to see and touch. Any time you feel yourself falling back into your old mindset, call a friend who’s been there and ask her to talk you out of it. Stand in front of a mirror and embrace the new version of yourself. Take pride in your “new” body – give it the respect it deserves.
2. Give yourself a sexy look. Just because your body is getting bigger doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look your best. Treat yourself to a new hairstyle, change your make-up, and buy a new nightgown revealing what’s appealing. This is likely to spark your mate and push your sexual image up a notch.
3. Act sexier than you feel. Social scientists have shown that acting can affect feeling. Smiling, for example, causes your brain to release the same chemicals it would if you were actually happy – thereby making you happier. If you act unsexy, you may cause your partner to feel unsexy, making him retreat. If you act sexy, you may soon surprise yourself with feeling sexy!
4. You are attractive to your mate. If you convince yourself that your blossoming belly is no longer attractive to your husband, you are setting yourself up for a sexual slow down. Besides, this probably isn’t true. It’s the different shape that attracts males. And certainly during pregnancy you will look and act differently than at any other time in your relationship. Research doesn’t support your assumption that you are not attractive to your mate; most men find their wives’ newly rounded bodies appealing. Your mate is likely to love the fleshy feel and curvy look of your pregnant body. Add to these features the possibility that once you are past the yucky early months of pregnancy you are initiating lovemaking and your mate is likely to feel excited about your sexuality while pregnant.
5. Have a sex talk. Tell your mate about the way pregnancy is affecting your sexuality; and ask your mate to tell you how he feels about your new look. Each partner should explain his or her feelings. Be sure that he does not interpret your disinterest in sex as disinterest in him, for example, or you don’t assume his confusion over how to touch you now means he’s not interested. By the same token, avoid projecting your sexual uneasiness onto your mate. He will probably find you more attractive than ever.
6. Share your body. Be sure to include your husband in the pregnancy by being proud of – rather than hiding – your body’s milestones: your darkened nipples, the first tummy bulge. Focus on what is new and exciting that you will both enjoy only during pregnancy. For example, your new breasts will be “all his” for the rest of the pregnancy – what a turn on, without resorting to silicone! Lie nude together watching and feeling the baby move. Your mate will enjoy side views that he has never before seen. One fun project can be taking “as you grow” photos, month-by-month photos showing, from all angles, your changing pregnant image. Your mate will enjoy his “pin-up wall.”
7. Have a fling. Have periodic weekend “dates” before baby arrives; after he or she comes you will have less energy for each other. The best time for ambitious sexual retreats is during the middle months of pregnancy, but make an effort to spend romantic time enjoying each other throughout the pregnancy.
8. Avoid the “sex as a service” feeling. While for most couples a certain amount of “obligatory” sex is usual during pregnancy, don’t let your mate feel you are always “servicing” him (or her!), even though sometimes you are.

Tags: intercourse during pregnancy, safe pregnancy, safe intercourse positions while pregnant, sexuality during pregnancy

The answer is usually yes. As long as you are having a healthy pregnancy, sex will be safe. If you have had bleeding or other complications, it is important to check with your healthcare provider before doing so. Don’t worry, the baby is protected very well in the amniotic sac. It will cushion the activity for him or her. One thing to keep in mind is to not have your partner penetrate too deeply, as this could irritate your cervix. Otherwise, have fun!

Physical Changes Bring Pleasure or Pain

The changes in the sexual organs that accompany pregnancy can lead to one woman’s pleasure and another woman’s pain. The same hormones that prepare your body to birth and nourish your baby also change the way your body experiences sex. During pregnancy, your breasts become increasingly full and your nipples become larger and more sensitive; during lovemaking blood flow to your breasts increases even more. While your more voluptuous look may be a turn-on for your mate, heightened breast sensitivity can be either irritating or stimulating for you, depending on where you are in your pregnancy.

A new study, led by an Indian researcher, has suggested that women who drink alcohol during pregnancy put their babies at risk of developing autism.

Raja Mukherjee, a consultant psychiatrist at Surrey Borders Partnership NHS trust, earlier found that drinking while pregnant can give babies a condition called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

He has now come up with his latest finding suggesting that the consumption of alcohol by expecting mothers can also cause autism.

This is the first research to cite that autism may be triggered by the child’s mothers alcohol intake during pregnancy.

Mukherjee said that the findings of this study might elevate concerns about the increasing alcohol consumption among women of childbearing age.

For the past 18 months, Mukherjee was examining children who have been damaged by their mother’s drinking during pregnancy and discovered that a high proportion of them have autism.

“Genetic conditions are by far the most common cause of autism but that is not to say that other things cannot cause it, and prenatal alcohol appears, possibly, to be [a cause]. Unlike genetic conditions, this is 100% preventable, Times Online quoted him, as saying.

While the Department of Health noted that more than half of all mothers drink alcohol while pregnant, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will issue a new warning about the dangers.

The findings of a recent survey suggest that 8 percent of women aged 18 to 24 had consumed at least 35 units of alcohol, i.e. about 15 glasses of wine, during the previous week. Binge drinking among young women has caused number of alcohol-related deaths in women aged 35 to 54 doubling between 1991 and 2005.

The British Medical Association warned earlier this year that the increase in alcohol consumption by young women will be seen in a rise in drinking during pregnancy thereby putting more babies at risk of being damaged by alcohol while in the womb.

In fact, Mukherjee has also warned earlier against any drinking during pregnancy as he thinks that even low levels of alcohol may endanger babies.

Drinking during pregnancy can cause foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which includes disorders ranging from minor anomalies such as low birth weight to severe FAS, the symptoms of which include mental retardation and facial abnormalities such as a short nose.

Tags: alcohol, drinking wine during pregnancy, alcohol abuse, drinking alcohol during pregnancy, drinking alcohol, effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, wine, pregnancy, drinking alcohol during early pregnancy

Pregnancy symptoms can also vary in their intensity, frequency and duration. The following early signs and symptoms of pregnancy checklist is only a guideline. Also keep in mind that many of the earliest pregnancy symptoms can appear similar to routine pre-menstrual discomforts.

If you are not trying to conceive, you might think it is just your period coming on again, when in reality you may be experiencing very early signs of pregnancy.

If you are trying to conceive, you may be frustrated when you think you may be experiencing early symptoms of pregnancy but they are only pre-menstrual symptoms.

Although each of these are considered typical early symptoms of pregnancy, they may happen earlier or later than the order in which they appear on the following list.

Remember, some of the earliest signs of pregancy may be subtle, not obvious. Whenever there is any question that you might be experiencing early signs of pregnancy, do a home pregnancy test.

You will experience a wide variety of physical and emotional changes during pregnancy. These may include any or all of the pregnancy symptoms listed below.

photo credit: bies

Early signs of pregnancy: #1 Missed Period.
Perhaps the most obvious early symptom of pregnancy is when you’ve missed your period. This possible sign of pregnancy is often what causes women to search for more details about the other pregnancy symptoms.

Early signs of pregnancy: #2 Just “Feeling” Pregnant
This early pregnancy symptom may be the reason why you are checking this list right now. Many women believe they have an intuition about pregnancy signs. Their intuition is often proven correct.

Early signs of pregnancy: #3 Breast Tenderness
When you become pregnant, your body begins preparing your breasts for producing milk and breastfeeding. Hormones start increasing. In addition to breast tenderness and swelling, your nipples may feel sore or extra sensitive. Some women notice their nipples darken in color.

Early signs of pregnancy: #4 Fatigue
One of the earliest pregnancy signs for some women may be fatigue and exhaustion. You may start going to bed sooner, or find it harder than usual to get out of bed in the morning. If you are working, by noon you may feel like you need to lie down. Exercising seems like too much effort. A simple activity like shopping may leave you feeling wiped out and lightheaded. This early pregnancy symptom is caused by all of the changes that your body is going through, plus the increasing levels of hormones.

Early signs of pregnancy: #5 Frequent Urination
An early symptom of pregnancy that others may notice you experiencing is frequent trips to the restroom. Your family or friends may comment that you seem to be going off to the ladies room quite often lately. One cause of this pregnancy symptom is that the swelling uterus can put pressure on your bladder

photo credit: J. Star

Early signs of pregnancy: #6 Nausea
One of these pregnancy signs of queasiness, nausea and vomiting can take you by surprise when you least expect it. These early pregnancy symptoms may come as soon as a week into the pregnancy. Many women experience nausea in the morning when they have coffee and/or eat something on an empty stomach. This is known as morning sickness (see below). Other women notice nausea in the afternoon or evening. Others feel queasy all day.

Early signs of pregnancy: #7 Dizziness and/or Fainting
One of the more surprising pregnancy signs is dizziness and/or fainting. Going up stairs, standing up suddenly after sitting for a time, or just having to stand in line at the grocery store can make you feel light headed. You might even faint. As the uterus swells it compresses arteries in your legs. This can drop your blood pressure and make you dizzy.

Early signs of pregnancy: #8 Food Cravings, or Aversions to Foods
A well-known cliché is the pregnancy sign-symptom of craving certain foods or unusual combinations of foods. For example, one woman said she craved midnight snacks of warm peach pie topped with vanilla ice cream. Everyone has a funny story about food cravings.

Less well known but equally common pregnancy signs are aversions to certain foods. You may find that some foods you previously enjoyed are no longer appetizing. One woman told us she had always liked pizza, but couldn’t stand it at all while she was expecting. Just the smell of it made her feel nausea. This problem may come and go for some women. For others it could last throughout pregnancy.

Early signs of pregnancy: #9 Sensitivity to Aromas
Another related early symptom of pregnancy is a heightened sensitivity to aromas. Even a favorite aroma, such as the smell of a food or perfume, can make you gag. The smell of fresh mowed grass, the smell of a gas station, smells of various foods, household cleaners, perfumes, cigarette smoke, etc., can all cause you to feel nauseated (see nausea symptom above). This is thought to be yet another side effect of the estrogen that is flooding your body.

Early signs of pregnancy: #10 Morning Sickness
This pregnancy symptom is well known, and it is related to the nausea symptom. It can be caused by a variety of factors. Your body is craving food and you have not eaten all night so your tummy feels queasy. Your body has way more hormones coursing through it than normal and this can . You are sensitive to aromas and foods, so your morning coffee may not agree with you. The usual breakfast you typically have may not settle well in your stomach during this time. One woman usually had a scone along with a coffee late’ for breakfast, but found that during pregnancy it made her feel sick. She changed to tea and toast and that worked well for her. Each woman is different and will have different foods that may or may not contribute to morning sickness.

Early signs of pregnancy: #11 Heartburn and/or Constipation
This pregnancy symptom is caused by the uterus starting to swell and pushing against the stomach and other organs as it grows. Also, increasing levels of hormones may slow down digestion and bowel functions to allow the body to absorb as much vitamins, minerals and nutrients as possible from foods. Taking a quality prenatal multi-vitamin-mineral supplement is important to help your body get the nutrients it needs for your growing baby.

Early signs of pregnancy: #12 Mood Swings and Irritability
With all of these symptoms of pregnancy to deal with, along with raging hormones, is it any wonder you may experience some mood swings and irritability? There is also the emotional adjustment period to your new responsibility. Your world has changed. Even when your pregnancy is carefully planned, it is normal for your mind to suddenly be filled with questions about the timing, your career, finances, insurance, labor and delivery, motherhood, even the future costs of college.

Early signs of pregnancy: #13 Higher body temperature
One of the pregnancy symptoms that takes a while to gauge is higher than usual body temperature. You may have been feeling a little bit warm lately and wondered if you are coming down with a cold or something. Take your temperature and see if it is higher than it normally would be.

photo credit: Altamar

Early signs of pregnancy: #14 Low Back Pain
Early pregnancy symptoms of low back pain can be “a real pain,” literally. This low back pain is caused by several factors. First is your weight change. You gain some weight because you are pregnant, your uterus gets bigger, and your baby grows larger every week. Next, your posture and torso are thrown out of alignment. This weight is mostly in the front of your torso, which pulls on your back. It is like wearing a backpack on your front instead of your back. This changes your posture and puts a strain on your back.

Early signs of pregnancy: #15 Implantation Bleeding
One of the less known pregnancy symptoms is the slight bleeding and spotting that can be caused when the fertilized egg begins to implant itself into the uterus. This is known as “implantation bleeding” and it usually takes place between 3 to 6 days after fertilization.
Once the egg becomes implanted in the uterus - congratulations, you are no longer wondering about pregnancy symptoms, you are indeed pregnant. At this point you might notice a little bit of red or pink spotting. Not all women experience implantation bleeding so it is not considered one of the most obvious pregnancy signs.

Early signs of pregnancy: #16 A Positive Pregnancy Test
If you are worrying about possible early symptoms of pregnancy, you can put your mind at ease with a pregnancy test. More than just a pregnancy symptom, this is scientific proof positive of whether you are expecting a baby or not.

Pregnancy Signs #17 : Bloating and Weight Gain
Yes some unavoidable weight gain is also a sign. Your clothes are getting tighter, you are feeling bloated, the weight showing on the scale is going up… you are getting bigger and that is simply part of being pregnant.

Tags: early sign of pregnancy, Early pregnancy, discharge early pregnancy, early pregnancy signs, early pregnancy sign, early pregnancy symptoms, early pregnancy signs checklist, early result pregnancy test, early result pregnancy test, cramping early pregnancy, early pregnancy test, early pregnancy test

photo credit: J. Star

If you’re like most pregnant women, it’s perfectly safe for you to continue working during your pregnancy. However, just being pregnant can present challenges. After all, your body works nonstop for nine months to create and nurture a baby. Factor in the demands of your job with all the related effects of pregnancy — from nausea and fatigue to back pain and swollen feet — and you can easily feel worn out.

Stay healthy and productive on the job by learning how to alleviate some common discomforts of pregnancy and understanding when occupational duties might jeopardize your pregnancy.

Easing Nausea and Vomiting

It may be called “morning” sickness, but the queasiness you feel during pregnancy — especially during the first trimester — can hit at just about any time of the day or night.

To help ease nausea when you’re on the job:

• Avoid nausea triggers. Certain foods and odors can aggravate nausea during pregnancy. That double latte you craved every morning before pregnancy or the smell of foods reheated in the break room microwave may now make your stomach flip-flop. Once you identify things that trigger your nausea, do your best to steer clear of these odors.
• Eat snacks and light meals. Crackers and other bland food can be lifesavers when you start to feel nauseated. Keep a stash in your desk drawer at work. Snacking can keep your stomach from becoming completely empty or too full — two conditions that can make nausea worse.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Your body needs more water in early pregnancy. If you don’t drink enough fluid, nausea can become worse. A good goal is six to eight 8-ounce glasses throughout the day.
• Get enough sleep. The more tired you are, the more nauseated you can become. Allow yourself extra time in the morning to get ready for work to avoid rushing around — something else that can trigger nausea.

If you experience severe, prolonged bouts of morning sickness, and simple measures such as these don’t help, tell your doctor.

Handling fatigue

Being pregnant, you might feel tired much of the time, especially during the first and third trimesters and even more so after a long day at work.

Fatigue is your body’s way of telling you to slow down, but this can be tough during the workday. To make it through the day, try the following:

• Take short, frequent breaks. Regular rest periods can improve your productivity, especially if fatigue interferes with your ability to concentrate or make decisions. Getting up and moving around for a few minutes can reinvigorate you. Spending a few minutes during your lunch hour or break time with the lights off, your eyes closed and your feet up also can help you recharge.
• Rethink your schedule. Recognize that your energy level fluctuates throughout the workday. If you’re exhausted by the afternoon, get your toughest or high-concentration tasks done earlier in the day. If it takes you longer to get charged up in the morning, put off energy-draining chores until the afternoon. If it’s an option in your workplace, explore the possibility of flexible work hours to take advantage of the times during the day when your energy level is high.
• Cut back on commitments and activities outside of work. This can allow you to get more rest when your workday is over. If you have a physically demanding job, it’s even more important to take it easy when you’re not working.
• Be active when you can. Although the last thing you may feel like doing at the end of a long day is exercising, it may help boost your energy level. Take a walk in the evenings after you get home from work or look into a prenatal fitness class — provided you have the OK from your doctor to do so.
• Accept help from others. During work hours, don’t be too proud to accept help and support from your co-workers. After work, you may be used to cleaning your house, mowing the lawn and running errands. But to get in extra rest time, consider hiring services to do cleaning or yardwork. Also look into online shopping and home deliveries to gain extra time.
• Go to bed at a reasonable hour. If you’re tired by 7 p.m., then turn in for the night.

Staying comfortable

Carrying around a growing baby can make everyday activities like sitting, standing, bending and lifting uncomfortable on the job.

Moving around every few hours can ease muscle tension and help prevent fluid buildup in your legs and feet. Empty your bladder frequently to help relieve pressure. And try these other strategies to make yourself comfortable throughout your workday.

Sitting

 
photo credit: bettina n

If you have an office job, the chair you sit in is important. While the weight in your body is increasing and shifting your posture, it helps to have a seat you can adjust for height and tilt. Adjustable armrests, a firm seat and back cushions, and good lower back support can make long hours of sitting much easier.

If your office chair doesn’t have these adjustment options, you can improvise. Use a small pillow or a specially designed cushion to provide extra support for your back. Put your feet up on a footrest — or your wastebasket or a box — to take pressure off your lower back and help reduce swelling in your feet.

Standing

During pregnancy, increased dilation of your blood vessels can cause blood to pool in your legs with prolonged periods of standing. This can lead to pain, dizziness or even fainting.

Standing also puts pressure on your back. If standing is part of your job, put one of your feet up on a box or a low stool to take pressure off your back and decrease blood pooling. Switch feet every so often. You also might find it helps to wear support hose, which can improve the circulation in your legs. Wear comfortable shoes and take frequent breaks to rest your legs. If your job requires that you stand four or more hours each day, tell your doctor. If he or she has concerns, you might need to modify your job duties or stop working earlier in your pregnancy.

Bending and Lifting

To prevent or ease back pain, follow proper form when bending and lifting. Check with your doctor about recommendations for lifting — in some circumstances, you might be advised to avoid heavy lifting during your pregnancy. Even if you’re lifting something that’s not too heavy, keep in mind that there’s a right way and a wrong way to lift.

Keeping stress under control

Stress on the job can inspire you to push hard and achieve many goals. But it can also exhaust you and take away the time and energy you need to care for yourself and your unborn baby.

It may be impossible to eliminate work-related stress, but you can do your best to minimize it. Talk out problems with a supportive co-worker, friend or spouse. Or your doctor might be able to refer you to a support group that can help you deal with stress before it affects your well-being.

Maintaining a good sense of humor and a positive outlook also can help. Surround yourself with positive, not negative people. Focus on the big picture. When you feel yourself getting angry or upset as a result of stress, stop and ask yourself if you can do anything to change the situation. If not, you may just need to let it go.

Learning and practicing some relaxation exercises also can help you release pressure that may build up during the course of a day. Yoga classes designed for pregnant women offer a unique chance to practice relaxation along with strengthening exercises.

Taking proper job precautions
Certain working conditions may increase your risk of complications during pregnancy, especially if you’re at risk of complications for other reasons. These activities and conditions include:

• Heavy, repetitive lifting
• Prolonged standing
• Heavy vibrations, such as from large machines
• Long, stressful commutes to and from work
• Exposure to harmful substances

Other job conditions also may be cause for concern. Frequent shift changes, for instance, may make it hard for you to get the proper rest. A hot work environment may decrease your stamina and ability to perform strenuous physical tasks. Activities that require agility and good balance may become more difficult later in pregnancy.

If any of these issues apply to you, mention them to your doctor. He or she will be able to tell you if you need to take any special precautions or modify your work duties. Your doctor can also make specific recommendations throughout the various stages of your pregnancy and, if needed, provide documents for your employer explaining any work restrictions you might need.

Tags: working during pregnancy, pregnancy

Pregnancy is the period when a lot hormone changes take place. This effect in shown in body with a lot of discomfort and pain in particular areas of the body such as hips, stomach, breast etc. Continued with labor, all it seems to be carrying mother’s nightmare.

However, the labor could make easy by pregnancy massage. It affects your body in a multitude of ways. Below are just some of the ways massage can help you adjust to your new changes and feel great:

Bodywork during pregnancy helps:

• Reduce stress, promote relaxation, facilitate transitions through emotional support and physical nurturing
• Reduce edema and blood pressure, relieve varicose veins, and increase blood and lymph circulation
• Relieve stress on weight-bearing joints (ankles, low back, pelvis)

Labor Support Massage helps:

• Length of labor reduced by 25%
• Oxytocin (Pitocin) use reduced by 40%
• Use of narcotics reduced by 30%
• Forceps reduced by 30%
• Epidurals reduced by 60%

Postpartum Massage helps:

• Improve breastfeeding
• Reduce musculoskeletal tension and pain
• Increase time spent with baby
• Decrease postpartum depression
• Promote recovery from cesarean birth, including healing of the incision
• Contribute to rehabilitation of abdominal skin, muscles and organs
• Facilitate postpartum emotional, physiological, and family adjustments
• Promote structural realignment of the spine and pelvis, and reorganization of movement

Recent medical journals have published positive results from massage therapy during pregnancy. The results tell it all:

• Reduced anxiety and improved mood
• Better sleep
• Less back pain
• Reduced norepinephrine levels (stress hormones)
• Fewer complications in labor

Precautions
Many massage therapists do not recommend massage in the first trimester.
Also, women with certain health conditions may not be able to have pregnancy massage.
It’s best to consult your doctor and a certified pregnancy massage therapist.

In addition, one of the most exciting findings shows that women massaged during pregnancy had babies with fewer postnatal complications and a lower rate of prematurity. Scientific fact behind what your intuition already new: a healthy mom who takes care of herself is better equipped to care for a child, even in utero.

Tags: pregnancy massage, pregnancy massage video

With more and more mothers expected taking a pre-baby to the skies, the question is common for pregnant woman. Some women worry about the effect of decreased air pressure on the fetus during air travel.

Flying is actually safe for pregnant woman with some requisite. Commercial air travel poses no special risks to a healthy pregnant woman or her fetus. However, certain conditions in pregnancy — such as severe anemia, sickle cell disease, clotting disorders and placental insufficiency — can put you at increased risk of problems.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the safest time for a pregnant woman to travel is during the second trimester (18 through 24 weeks). This is when a pregnant woman has the lowest risk of miscarriage or premature labor. Many doctors recommend that women avoid flying after 36 weeks of pregnancy or if they are at risk of preterm delivery.

During the flight, air pressure is adjusted to approximately that of between 5,000 and 8,000 feet above sea level. Although you and your baby will both have slightly less oxygen in your blood than you would at sea level, your bodies will adjust to this.

photo credit: grazie, davvero

Another concern about air travel during pregnancy is exposure to cosmic radiation at high altitudes. The effects of radiation exposure in pregnancy are very well understood. Although the exposure increases at higher altitudes, the level of exposure for the occasional traveler is not a concern. However, pregnant women who fly very frequently — such as pilots, flight attendants, air marshals and couriers — may receive radiation exposure that exceeds current recommendations.

Tips for Flying When Pregnant

photo credit: Kalense Kid

• Pregnant women should be aware that flying carries a greater health risk to the baby and mother than the average passenger.
• The risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is greatly accentuated and DVT preventative in-flight socks should be worn.
• Background cosmic radiation levels are also higher at altitude, which can be harmful to the fetus. Therefore, expectant mothers are recommended to avoid flying during the first three months of pregnancy if possible.
• Pregnancy represents on of the most valid times to splash out on a business or first class ticket, especially if you are making a long haul flight. Leg rests encourage better circulation, and greater leg room will provide greater comfort, then the more cramped economy class.
• Seat belts should be worn low around the pelvis.
• Avoiding immobility for the duration of the flight is paramount for expectant mothers, as the viscosity of their blood tends to increase. Try walking around the plane at regular intervals.
• Consume plenty of water throughout the flight and avoid the consumption of heavy foods, which, through prolonged immobility, can lead to stomach cramps and pain.
• Do not take sleeping tablets to circumvent jet lag; instead try to realign your sleeping patterns.

All airlines have policies regarding pregnancy and flying. So check with the airline before booking a flight. Below are some policies examples :

Singapore Airlines

Expectant mothers in good health can be accepted for travel under the following conditions:

Normal Pregnancy: Mothers can be accepted up until the 35th week of pregnancy. If pregnancy is up to limiting dates, passenger should hold a certificate of fitness for travel.

Multiple Pregnancies: (twins, triplets etc) Mothers can be accepted up until the 32nd week of pregnancy.

If more than one month elapses between date of booking and date of departure a new doctor’s certificate is required and must be issued no more than three days outside departure date.

For urgent or compassionate cases, expectant mothers may be uplifted for travel after above limiting dates, but only with consent from our Singapore Airlines doctor. A doctor or nurse should also accompany passenger.

If mothers are wishing to travel with newborns, no infants are uplifted with in 7 days of birth unless approved by our Singapore Airlines doctor. Parents should be advised that if the infant is being raised on formula, you should bring your own onboard, as none is supplied by the airline.

In addition, parents should bring their own supply of nappies onboard as only an emergency supply is kept onboard.

Virgin Blue

Women can fly with Virgin Blue until 35 weeks in their pregnancy without producing any documents. After 36 weeks, expectant mothers must have a medical certificate issued for medical clearance before they are able to fly.

Qantas

Medical clearance is only required if you are having complications of pregnancy. International travel is not permitted after the 36th week for routine pregnancies or the 32nd week for routine multiple pregnancies. Some countries place limitations on the entry of non-national pregnant women. It is best to check with the local consulate if in any doubt.

For domestic travel there is no restriction for a normal uncomplicated pregnancy but medical clearance is required if you wish to travel past the 36th week for uncomplicated multiple pregnancy.

So, what are you waiting for? Happy flying with your baby inside

Tags: pregnant fly, pregnancy flying, pregnancy travel, Air Travel pregnancy

“Any helpful ideas on how to get rid of pregnancy heartburn?”

That’s the question wrote in Yahoo answers recently. Sure, there are many ways to heal pregnancy heartburn. You can take Mylanta or Tums. But, in this post let me show you how to prevent it. It’s natural way and doesn’t need any medicine.

The issue of pregnancy heartburn is common affecting between 30-40% of women during their pregnancy. Many dismiss it as part of being pregnant however, there are steps you can take to relieve the discomfort.

The truth is, pregnancy heartburn is caused in the most part by the same problems affecting the rest of the population. In short, digestive acids will slip through the LES(lower esophageal sphincter) back into the esophagus causing discomfort.

Relieving Pregnancy Heartburn

During pregnancy, the chances of the LES not functioning properly are thought to be increased because of the additional pressure put on the stomach through extra weight.

Try it yourself; have someone sit on your stomach after a meal and watch the acid rise back up the digestive tract. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling. Imagine how uncomfortable it will be for a pregnant woman.

Let’s take a look at some of the steps you could take to avoid uncomfortable episodes of pregnancy heartburn: Read the rest

“I realized that I was late getting my period and I started to worry that I might be pregnant. I bought a test and sure enough I found out I was pregnant. Now this sent my mind into a whirlwind of worry since I was already freaked out that I actually had HSV2 in the first place.”

You might have same worries with heather. While the chances of a woman with herpes passing the virus onto her baby are slim, there is still a possibility that the child could become infected with herpes at the time of birth. Educating yourself on herpes and pregnancy and how it can affect your pregnancy and baby are your best tools to protect yourself and your child. Following are some questions that you may have if you are experiencing herpes and pregnancy.

Can my baby get herpes from me?
Yes. While neonatal herpes occurs very rarely, with herpes and pregnancy, there is a small chance (less than one percent) that your baby will contract the virus from you at the time of birth. In 90 percent of the cases, herpes is passed from mother to baby via an outbreak in the birth canal. In some instances, the virus can be spread even if there are no herpes sores because herpes can be passed asymptomatically, meaning that it has reactivated but there are no symptoms (sores) to indicate it.

I was just recently diagnosed with herpes. Is my baby at less risk?
No. Actually, pregnant women who were just recently diagnosed with the virus before becoming pregnant or during pregnancy pose slightly more of a risk for passing the herpes on to their baby. This is because a woman who hasn’t had the disease for a longer period of time has not had as much of a chance to build antibodies to the virus that can be passed on to her unborn child. However, the risk of transmitting herpes is only slightly increased in newly diagnosed women, and women that get the disease during the first and second trimesters should still be able to provide enough antibodies to their babies.

Can I still have my baby naturally?
Yes. With herpes and pregnancy, unless you are having an outbreak with active lesions, most doctors and obstetricians will recommend a vaginal birth as the risks associated with a Caesarean section far outweigh the risk of your baby becoming infected with herpes. Because of the antibodies you have passed to your baby during the pregnancy, your child will be protected against the virus and there is only a minimal chance (less than one percent) of the disease being passed on.

What if I get an outbreak right before I deliver?
The most important thing you can do if you notice an outbreak before delivery is to tell your doctor. Where herpes and pregnancy are concerned, it’s always best to be honest and let your OB know as soon as possible that you have active lesions. This is the best thing you can do to protect your baby because your doctor can then determine which is the safest route to take for delivery.

How can I protect my baby from getting herpes?
When trying to control herpes and pregnancy, the best way to protect your baby is to educate yourself on the virus, take precautionary and preventative measures to lessen your chance of having an outbreak, and discuss your condition frankly with your doctor.

The story end with happy. Heather delivered a healthy, gorgeous 7 lb. 4 oz. baby boy on July 20, 2005. Her baby boy was born vaginally, and Heather was outbreak-free during the delivery. With so many wonderful herpes support groups online that helped, she could handle of her worries whenever they arose.

Please share if you have pregnancy herpes experienced. Or leave your comments down bellow.

Tags: pregnancy herpes, herpes pregnancy, pregnancy, herpes

“Im starting to have ALOT of lower back pains, and it keeps me up all night so I cant sleep… Its awful… I was just wondering if any of you ladies have found a way to make it any easier or less painful…
I was also wondering if this could possibly be a sign of premature labor… IDK… If you could help that would be great… “

Thank you,
~Tiffany

Sounds horrible isn’t it ? Up to 70% of pregnant women will experience some form of back pain during the pregnancy. There are lots of reasons for this and some are less obvious than others. One of the obvious reasons for pregnancy back pain is the increased frontal weight being carried for 9 months. Your back muscles and spine support this weight continuously and it can result in back pain. The less obvious reason is any already weak muscles in the back will be further strained during this time and conditions not originally related to pregnancy will be aggravated.

In addition, during pregnancy there are many body changes happening that can lead to pregnancy back pain. For example, pregnancy hormones lesson the firmness of joints and ligaments. Also, pregnant women often don’t maintain proper posture because of the additional weight they carry. It’s harder to keep the spine erect and there’s a tendency to bend slightly at the waist or hips. Your baby is precious weight, but it’s weight that can play havoc with a mother’s back.

There are ways to deal with pregnancy back pain though. The first thing you can do is easy – be aware of your posture at all times. You should try to keep your spine in its correct position during the 9 months and that may prevent a lot of the back pain. Also, there are some simple guidelines you can follow that will minimize the stress on your spine.

• Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees (or use snoogle pillow)
• Don’t try to bend at the waist; always squat and use your legs for lifting
• Use ice or heating pads for back pain
• Wear an abdomen supporting garment that takes some of the load off your spine
• Wear proper shoes which means no heels (they aren’t safe to walk in during pregnancy anyway)

You should also do exercises to prevent or reduce pregnancy back pain. Yoga exercises for pregnant women have become very popular, because they are no-impact activities. They are designed to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility, but also to reduce stress. Stress can make back pain much worse.

Other low impact exercises can reduce pregnancy back pain also. Regular walking is excellent providing both muscle strengthening and aerobic benefits. Another excellent exercise for pregnancy back pain is the pelvic tilt. This is where you lay on the floor with your knees bent. Then you flatten your abdomen against the floor and release. You can also do knee bends, side stretches and back arches.

The key to minimizing pregnancy back pain is developing strong back muscles ready to handle the additional weight in the abdomen. The weight of the baby stretches ligaments being softened by the pregnancy hormones. No wonder so many pregnant women experience back pain. If you are planning on becoming pregnant, one of the best gifts you can give yourself is a strong back. You can begin back exercises before you ever find out you’re pregnant.

I hope this article could help Tiffanny and many others pregnant woman who suffer from pregnancy back pain. Please comment for this or share your pregnancy back pain experience !

Tags: back pain, pregnancy, pregnancy back pain

“I knew even before I was born that my mother didn’t want me.”

“I could feel my mother’s fear and anxiety even before I was born.”

Parenting does not start once the child is born. Good parenting starts even before getting pregnant. It starts by caring about what you eat, how much exercise and sleep you get, and by making sure that you are taking responsibility for your feelings of anxiety and stress. Your baby will feel what you feel, so learning how to be in peace and joy before getting pregnant is part of good parenting.

I loved being pregnant. I had always wanted children so I was thrilled to be pregnant. I loved feeling the baby moving within me, awed by the very fact of creating new life. I loved feeling an elbow or a knee slide across my stomach. I loved that my body could be a receptacle for bringing through this soul, this angel from heaven. I could not think of anything more profound, more worth doing. Who was this unique little person growing in my body?

I read every book I could on parenting and thought endlessly how I wanted to be a different parent than my parents were.

The problem was that I have never thought about how much my relationship with myself and with my husband might affect this child.

My husband was angry, distant and withdrawn during my pregnancy and the first three months after giving birth to our son. He was a person who wanted control and he was not happy that I got pregnant six months before we had planned. He didn’t open his heart until our son smiled at him at three months of age.

Being young, I had no idea how to handle the loneliness I felt at not having my husband joyfully involved in the hugest event of my life. Had I known then what I know now, I would have done anything I could to get the help we needed to bring our relationship back into caring. We can’t go back, but I’m sure that my son felt the lack of joy that existed between my husband and me. I’m sure he felt the depth of my loneliness. I wish I knew then what I know now about taking responsibility for my own feelings.

Being pregnant and giving birth are enormous events in a woman’s life, especially the first child, which changes your life so dramatically. If you do not know how to take responsibility for your own feelings of anger, hurt, anxiety, depression and loneliness, things will only get worse after giving birth. A child does not solve problems for you.

It’s hard to imagine before having a child what it is like to be responsible for another life 24/7. If you have not learned how to lovingly parent yourself before giving birth, you might find yourself getting lost as parent your baby. Good parenting starts before getting pregnant, with learning how to take loving care of yourself.

If you have a desire to be a good parent, here are steps you can take before getting pregnant:

• Physical health: make sure that you are in good physical shape by eliminating sugar and artificial sweeteners. Start to shop in health food stores and buy only organic products. Eliminating pesticides and food additives is essential for good health. Also be sure to get enough exercise and sleep.
• Emotional health: instead of having your eyes on your partner, turn your eyes inward and begin to compassionately notice your own feelings. Start to treat your own feelings in the same way you are planning on treating your future child’s feelings - with caring and understanding. In addition, start to practice taking loving action in your own behalf - standing up for yourself, speaking your truth, taking time for yourself. Practice taking loving care of your own feelings instead of making your partner responsible for how you feel. Begin to notice what you think and do that may be causing you stress. Changing thoughts and behavior that cause your stress before getting pregnant is essential for good parenting.
• Spiritual health: practice opening to a higher source of guidance, wisdom, strength and comfort. This can be your own highest, wisest self within you, or a Higher Power outside of you. You will find that being able to turn a source of wisdom and comfort within or without will go a long way in helping you stay loving and stress-free with yourself, your partner, and your baby. In addition, this will help you know what to do in different challenging situations with your baby.

If you are planning on having a baby, start today in becoming a good parent!

Tags: teenagers dealing with pregnancy and parenting, parenting, parenting quotes, pregnancy parenting, parenting tip home-family-parenting, parenting home-family-parenting

Cleansing your skin during pregnancy is essential if you want to keep hormone-related outbreaks to a minimum. Since your skin may be more sensitive than normal, it may be beneficial to use a soap designed for sensitive skin. A glycerine based soap is perfect for this purpose. Avoid harsh astringents, even if you feel that your skin is very oily. Instead, try a gentle scrub of raw quick oats to remove excess grease. You should also not wash more than a couple times per day or your skin could end up very dry.

One of the best things you can do, both for your baby and your skin, is drink a lot of water. This helps flush the toxins out of your body and not only leaves your skin fresh and glowing, but can prevent hypertension during the final trimester, which can stretch your skin and damage it. So, up your water intake and keep that healthy shine.

Pregnancy can make you more susceptible to sun damage and you may find that you now tan unevenly or develop unsightly splotches. To prevent this from happening, try to stay out of the sun when it is at its strongest (usually 11 am to 3 pm) and use a good product with SPF of at least 15, if not higher. Also, to prevent discoloration problems, make sure you use a sunblock whether or not it is sunny out, since harmful rays can make it through clouds as well.

Should you experience a major breakout during pregnancy, be careful what you use to treat it. Certain acne treatments may be dangerous for your baby, especially during the first three months which is when most pregnant women find themselves battling pregnancy acne. Avoid using over the counter remedies until you have talked to your doctor about their safety. You can use a natural remedy such as witch hazel, though, without harmful effects.

If you use makeup, try to use a light layer to let your skin breathe. Most women will want to use a foundation or concealer to even out the natural variations in coloring that occur during pregnancy, but if you go this route, be sure to wash it off every night before going to bed. Leaving makeup on can block up pores and cause more outbreaks. Combined with the hormones of pregnancy, you could be in for some major trouble if you don´t clean off your makeup and cleanse your skin regularly.

Skin care during pregnancy doesn´t need to be overly complicated, but you will need to take a bit more care than usual. Try to use fairly natural skin care products, as some chemicals can affect your unborn child. If in doubt, talk to your doctor. Apart from that, you should be able to enjoy a healthy pregnancy, for both your skin and your body.

[tags]skin care, pregnancy, skin, natural skincare products[/tags]

Tags: weight gain, pregnancy

Before you start any exercise you should work out your target heart rate. To do this you first need to determine your maximum heart rate. One way to do this is using the formula:

MHR = 220 - Age

Your target heart rate will then be 60%-65% of your maximum heart rate. So if you are 40 your maximum heart rate will be around 180 beats per minute (BPM) and your target heart rate will be between 109 BPM and 117 BPM. Once you have determined your target heart rate, try to stay within it. This will ensure that you don’t over exert yourself.

After you have performed the above heart rate calculations you can move onto the actual exercise. As promised here are the 5 exercises for pregnant women:

1. TAKE A DAILY BRISK WALK:- Walking is a good exercise which can be performed within your comfort zone. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes and monitor the distance you have covered.
2. YOGA:- Yoga allow you to relieve the stress, anxiety and worries associated with pregnancy. If you feel at any time you have overdone it when practicing yoga consult your doctor.
3. SWIMMING:- Swimming is another great way to exercise without placing undue strain on your body. It can help reduce the pain and pressure associated with pregnancy and is one of the best possible exercises during the third trimester.
4. PILATES:- Pilates can support more comfortable pregnancies by strengthening the abdominal, back and pelvic muscles. Pilates is also a popular exercise with new mothers because it helps them get their figure back.
5. WEIGHT TRAINING:- Weight training is a good exercise for pregnant women provided it is performed in moderation and light weights are used. The benefits can include more energy and reduced leg cramps.

If you decide to continue exercising when pregnant also make sure to take the following into account so that you do not over exert yourself:

• Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of rest.
• Try not to exercise when it is hot and humid as it will increase your core temperature.
• Do not exercise when you are sick.
• Make sure that you warm up five minutes before you exercise.

I hope this article gives you some ideas if you want to carry on exercising when pregnant. Keeping up your exercise routine will make you feel better, maintain your existing fitness levels and prepare your body for the additional strains and stress caused by pregnancy. Before beginning any exercise routine you are advised to consult your obstetrician and/or gynaecologist to determine which exercises are safest at each point of your pregnancy. However, as long as you follow the advice given you can formulate a fun, fitness routine to keep you active whilst pregnant.

Tags: pilates, yoga, excercise, fit during pregnancy, pregnant, pregnancy, fit

In many sad cases, the mother to be does not know of her pregnancy until much damage has been done, or even worse, knows of the pregnancy but is unable or unwilling to stop the use and abuse of drugs or alcohol.

Fortunately, many women take pregnancy as a motivation to change their behaviors, if only to protect the health of their unborn child; and to best ensure success when the stakes are so high, pregnant women needing drug or alcohol treatment need to consider residential rehab.

Unfortunately, although pregnant women seem deserving of immediate treatment above all others, the additional complications of treating pregnant women greatly limits the number of available facilities willing or able to take them in.

Ideally, pregnant women searching for drug or alcohol rehab need:

Safe detox
Both the bodily stresses of withdrawal as well as certain medications used to ease detox symptoms can harm the fetus. Pregnant women need to detox in a facility aware of the unique health needs of pregnant women.

Intense and comprehensive drug therapies
The personal toll of relapse extends to the fetus, and to ensure a successful period of treatment pregnant women need intensive and comprehensive therapies; ideally incorporating an intense period of one-on-one therapy and other group and cognitive therapies.

Prenatal care and education
All pregnant women deserve adequate prenatal care, and all unborn children benefit from appropriate medical management of a pregnancy. Pregnant women substance abusers often enter into treatment in imperfect health, and as such the risks to the fetus are proportionally greater. Comprehensive prenatal care within a residential drug treatment facility offers both the mother and child the best chance of health and happiness.

Parenting classes
Drugs don’t discriminate, and a substance abuse problem indicates nothing about a woman’s background, level of education or future capabilities as a parent; but all women benefit from parenting education, and since mothers newly struggling with sobriety face challenges above and beyond the normal mothering experience, they benefit greatly from parenting education and learned strategies.

Intensive aftercare
The single greatest predictor of long term success and sobriety is an intense and lengthy participation in offered aftercare therapies; with the stakes of relapse so high, pregnant women need intense and frequent aftercare and ideally case management observation.

What has potential for tragedy can turn to beauty if a substance abusing women uses a pregnancy as a motivation for change and treatment. Pregnant women need the most intensive care possible, they need it right away and they need it for as long as necessary.

Tags: detox, pregnancy, prenatal, pregnant woman, drug therapies, drug rehab

A pregnancy calendar is developed after years of research. They reveal the changes that occur in your body during the entire pregnancy period. However, you may not want to follow a pregnancy calendar religiously because every pregnancy is unique. So, there are bound to be certain variations in real life from what the calendar says. Say, you may have a profoundly larger belly than what the calendar suggests. Sometimes, the symptoms or changes mentioned in the calendar may be different than that experienced by you. However, small deviations should not worry you unless it is something completely unusual.

You can use the pregnancy calendar in two ways. You can enter the first date of your last menstrual cycle into the pregnancy calendar. This will calculate forward. The results shown will give you your estimated date of conception, end of first trimester, the date to book your first birthing class, the end of your second trimester, and your estimated delivery date according to the pregnancy due date calendar.

You can also enter the delivery date given to you by your doctor. This will calculate backwards. The pregnancy calendar will show you the same information above using either date.

Some of these pregnancy calendars will have information about the baby’s development. By following the information which is provided for you, you can plan various activities around these weeks.

For instance you will see the best times when you can do some harder exercises. You will also get to see the different types of foods which are good for a mother to be to eat. You can use this information which is sometimes found on a pregnancy calendar to augment your doctor’s advice.

By following your doctor’s advice with regards to the pregnancy calendar you will find that you are giving your pregnancy the best possible chance to proceed along lines which are safe.

In this manner you will find that will have a safe pregnancy as detailed in the pregnancy calendar. You can use the calendar to help plan other activities in your life like vacations and plane travel. While these may not seem that important there are some instances when you will need this advice.

Most pregnancy calendars are developed through years of medical research. They reflect the changes that happen throughout the average pregnancy. Since every birth experience is unique, you may notice some variations in your own pregnancy. For example, your baby may be significantly larger or smaller than the pregnancy calendar suggests. You may also experience symptoms that are different than those mentioned in the pregnancy calendar articles. In most cases, this is not a cause for concern.

A pregnancy calendar is not intended to be a substitute for adequate medical treatment. If you have questions about your pregnancy symptoms, your baby’s growth, or any possible complications, you should discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider. Since he/she is familiar with your unique medical history, he/she can provide the most accurate information.

Tags: pregnancy, pregnancy development stages, pregnancy calendar, baby’s development, baby