Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 35 (part 3) - What Is Placenta Previa?
With placenta previa, the placenta attaches to the lower part of the uterus instead of the upper wall; it lies close to the cervix or covers it. The problem occurs about once in every 170 pregnancies.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 28 (part 1) - The Placenta and Umbilical Cord
Your baby’s eyebrows and eyelashes may be present. Hair on baby’s head is growing longer. The baby’s body is becoming plumper and rounder because of increased fat underneath the skin. Before this time, baby had a thin appearance.
What Is Placenta Calcification
In the past, placenta calcification was only identified after the birth when the placenta (also called the afterbirth) was physically examined by the doctor or midwife. Small white calcium deposits like little hard stones were seen and felt. This was not thought to be a problem. It was said that the placenta was simply ageing – a normal phenomenon when baby is due or late.
Things Extremely Interesting About Placenta
Mothers should know that when ovum is fertilized, placenta will be formed. At this time, cells will be divided into 2 groups: 1 group of cells will become baby and the other will form placenta.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 51) - Placenta on toast
The thought of eating the placenta may turn your stomach, but some women choose to do exactly that. The organ is revered for its spiritual properties, and devotees of placentophagia believe the nutrients it contains, including vitamin B6, will help prevent them from developing postpartum depression.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 27) - Low-lying placenta & Maternity swimwear
Placenta previa is when the placenta is either partially covering (minor) or completely covering (major) the cervix. In major placenta previa, the baby cannot be born vaginally.
Pregnancy Nutrition : First Trimester Expectations - Your Baby’s Development
Your doctor can discuss your progress in a few weeks, which are measured starting from the first day of your last menstrual day of period it your uses of doctor to calculate your expiry and the age gestationnel of the baby.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Your Current Medical Condition and Medications (part 3) - Nonprescription Medications
Many people, not just pregnant women, hold the false belief that medications they can buy without a prescription (over-the-counter medicine) are harmless. Nothing could be further from the truth. Carelessness with over-the-counter preparations could harm you and your developing baby.
What to Eat When You're Pregnant : A Healthy Weight Gain (part 2) - How much weight should you gain?
The amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy depends on your weight before you became pregnant. Women who are overweight need to gain much less weight than those who are underweight, to produce a healthy baby.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : How Age Affects Your Pregnancy (part 1) - Some Pregnancy Problems in Older Women, Genetic Counseling
Problems healthcare providers see more often in older pregnant women include gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, placental problems, more miscarriages, more Cesarean births and a slightly higher risk of giving birth to a baby with genetic or chromosomal abnormalities.
The Healthy Home : Let’s Get Cooking (part 6) - Our Plastic Kitchen - Plastic Wrap, The Plastic Code
PVC is a hard, resinous material that requires plasticizers, stabilizers, flame retardants, and lubricants to be of any practical value. These additives—which aren’t chemically bonded to the plastic’s basic building blocks—are what make PVC one of the most toxic plastics in our homes today.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : More Than One Baby (part 5) - Delivering More Than One Baby
Multiple fetuses are often delivered early. How babies are delivered often depends on how they are lying in the uterus. All possible combinations of fetal positions can occur.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : More Than One Baby (part 3) - Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome
Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), also called chronic intertwin transfusion syndrome, occurs only in identical twins who share the same placenta. The condition can range from mild to severe and can occur at any point during pregnancy, even at birth.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : More Than One Baby (part 2) - Increased Risks Associated with a Multiple Pregnancy
If a woman is pregnant with more than one baby, her risk of problems during pregnancy increases. You can minimize your risks, and possibly avoid them, with good prenatal care and careful attention to your health.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : More Than One Baby (part 1) - How a Multiple Pregnancy Occurs
A multiple pregnancy occurs when a single egg divides after fertilization or when more than one egg is fertilized. It also happens with fertility treatments, when more than one fertilized egg is placed in the uterus.
What to Eat When You're Pregnant and Vegetarian : Planning a healthy diet (part 2) - Protein foods,High-fat or high-sugar foods
As well as providing essential fatty acids, fat is needed for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. It is estimated that about 30g of fat is needed each day. However, fat shouldn’t make up more than 35% of your calorie intake.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Tests for You and Your Baby (part 7) - Tests for Blood-Sugar Levels, Nuchal Translucency Screening , Fetal MRI , Instant Risk Assessment
Many doctors test every pregnant woman for diabetes, usually around the end of the second trimester. Testing is particularly important if you have a family history of diabetes. Blood tests used to diagnose diabetes are a fasting blood-sugar and glucose-tolerance test (GTT).
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Tests for You and Your Baby (part 6) - Chorionic Villus Sampling,Fetoscopy, Fetal Fibronectin , Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) analyzes chorionic villus cells, which eventually become the placenta. The test detects genetic abnormalities; sampling is done early in pregnancy. The advantage of CVS is that a healthcare provider can diagnose a problem earlier in pregnancy.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Tests for You and Your Baby (part 5) - Alpha-Fetoprotein Testing, Multiple-Marker Tests
The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test is a blood test done on the mother-to-be. As your baby grows inside you, it produces alpha-fetoprotein in its liver. Some alpha-fetoprotein crosses fetal membranes and enters your circulation.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Tests for You and Your Baby (part 4) - Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is a test done on fetal cells and is often offered to women over 35 or women whose screening-tests results are abnormal. Most women who have amniocentesis are being screened for chromosomal defects, such as Down syndrome, Turner’s syndrome or neural-tube defects (spina bifida).
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Tests for You and Your Baby (part 3) - Specialized Tests You May Have
An ultrasound exam may be one of the most exciting tests you have during pregnancy! You and your partner can actually see your growing baby. The test is a valuable tool for your healthcare provider because it enables him or her to check for many details of fetal development. (Ultrasound, sonogram and sonography refer to the same test.)
Why Do Pregnant Women Have Mood Swings?
One of the most noticeable symptoms of pregnancy is mood swings. With all the changes taking place in the women’s body, there’s no surprise that mood swings is a companion of these changes. According to an association, the physical changes, fatigue and hormone changes can have a part in mood changes.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : How Your Baby Grows and Develops (part 2) - The Umbilical Cord, The Amniotic Sac
The umbilical cord is the connection between your baby and the placenta. It is usually about 24 inches (60cm) long. The cord is gray or white, coiled or lumpy, and contains two arteries to carry baby’s blood to the placenta, where it absorbs oxygen and nutrients. A vein in the umbilical cord carries blood and nutrients back to the baby.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : How Your Baby Grows and Develops (part 1) - Normal Fetal Development
Sometimes women express concern about giving birth to a large baby. Many factors affect how big your baby will be. If you are in good health, have no medical problems, don’t gain too much weight and take good care of yourself during pregnancy, you’ll probably have an average-size baby.
Tips To Have A Positive Body Image After Pregnancy
Pregnancy changes your body in many ways, even after your delivery. Although you lose the weight of your baby, the amniotic fluid and placenta right after the pregnancy, you still need time to burn the fat that accumulated in pregnancy. Your stomach also gets bigger after you’re pregnant.
What to Eat When You're Pregnant and Vegetarian : Common complaints and how to deal with them - Gestational diabetes, Pre-eclampsia
This is a temporary form of diabetes that affects about 5% of pregnant women. It develops when hormones from the placenta interfere with insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
Organic Juices for a Healthy Pregnancy : Orange Broccoli, String Bean Juice, Carrot Cauliflower
This juice is a good source of manganese for glucose metabolism, which will ensure that the nutrients from your food are getting to your cells for energy. In addition, broccoli contains a substance called sulforaphane, which produces enzymes that protect blood vessels and helps to reduce cell damage.
Organic Juices for a Healthy Pregnancy : Wake Up Watercress Smoothie, Orange Lemonade Lift-Off, Apple Banana High
Watercress is a member of the mustard family and due to its iron content, is often recommended as a vegetable that can help pregnant women who are anemic or at risk for developing anemia during pregnancy.
The Truths Behind The Delivery Room (Part 2)
Whether you choose normal delivery or caesarean, or have the doctor predict about the time and how difficult the first delivery is, you may never know how you can come through the labor pain. Some women predicted to come through an extremely difficult labor can easily push the baby out within a few minutes without having any pain.
The Truths Behind The Delivery Room (Part 1)
The closer you are to the labor date, the more nervous, anxious and curious about what happens behind the delivery room will be. Let’s try to find out the little secrets below to be less shocked like a fish out of water at that great time of your life, shall we?
Breastfeeding Your Baby (part 1) - Breastfeeding Counselors and Lactation Consultants, Benefits of Breastfeeding
If you have problems breastfeeding after baby’s birth, people are available to help you. Contact your local La Leche League to be put in contact with a breastfeeding counselor who can offer support and share experiences, usually for no fee. She may be available by telephone to answer questions, or she may visit you at home.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Your Health and Medical History (part 11) - Alcohol, Abuse of Other Substances
When we discuss substance abuse, we refer to use of drugs prohibited by law, but we also include use of legal medications, such as benzodiazepine or barbiturates. These substances may also have harmful effects during pregnancy, regardless of whether they are used for legitimate or illicit reasons.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Your Health and Medical History (part 10) - Substance Abuse
Every action you take during pregnancy may potentially affect the baby growing inside you. Substance abuse is never healthy for you; when you’re pregnant, it can also harm your baby.
Top Foods Dangerous For Pregnant Woman And Fetus
Take a tour around the forums for women, I see that most pregnant women wonder “which food to eat, which food you should avoid in pregnancy”. It can be stated as one of the top concerns of pregnant women as not everyone wants to eat foods that are dangerous to their health as well as their baby’s.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Your Health and Medical History (part 9) - Toxoplasmosis, Urinary-Tract and Kidney Problems, Tay-Sachs Disease
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the microbe Toxoplasma gondii. It is spread by eating infected raw meat, drinking infected raw goat’s milk, eating infected raw eggs, eating food that has been contaminated by insects or by contact with an infected cat or its feces.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 41 (part 2) - Inducing Labor
There may come a point in your pregnancy that your doctor decides to induce labor, which means labor is started to deliver your baby. It’s a fairly common practice; each year, doctors induce labor for about 450,000 births.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 41 (part 1) - What Happens When You Pass Your Due Date?
A pregnancy is considered overdue (postterm) only when it exceeds 42 weeks or 294 days from the first day of the last menstrual period. (A baby born at 41 weeks, 6 days is not considered overdue, even if it feels like it to you!)
Your Pregnancy After 35 : Your Health and Medical History (part 6) - Lyme Disease, MRSA, Rheumatoid Arthritis , Rubella
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; sounds like MERSA) is a bacteria that causes difficult-to-treat infections because antibiotics often don’t work against them. The bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, also called staph) are resistant to many antibiotics; antibiotics that were effective in the past no longer work.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 40 (part 3) - Your Labor Coach, Vaginal Delivery of Your Baby
Your labor coach may be one of your most valuable assets during labor and delivery. He (or she) can help you prepare. He can be there to support you as you go through the experience of labor together. He can share with you the joy of the birth of your baby.
Comparison Between Normal Delivery And Caesarean (Part 2)
Caesarean is a savior for pregnant women and fetuses having unusual problem such as the unfavorable position of the fetal head, having dangerous defects such as heart diseases, kidney diseases, placenta praevia… With this method, pregnant women don’t have to waste their strength and don’t have to stand the labor pain; they will be completely of sound mind during the caesarean.
Comparison Between Normal Delivery And Caesarean (Part 1)
Let’s find out the plus and minus of normal delivery and caesarean to choose the suitable method for your childbirth.
Things That Pregnant Women Should Avoid
The diet can affect your child, even no matter what you do when you are pregnant. Hence, you must avoid some special things to protect your child.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 39 (part 3) - Anesthesia Problems and Complications, Cord-Blood Banking
You may have heard about storing blood from your baby’s umbilical cord after birth. Cord blood is blood in the umbilical cord and placenta, which in the past were usually thrown away after delivery. Stem cells have proved useful in treating some diseases. Treatment corrects and/or replaces diseased or damaged cells.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 39 (part 2) - What Is an Epidural Block?
An epidural block provides excellent relief by blocking painful sensations between the uterus and cervix, and your brain. Medication in the epidural prevents pain messages from traveling up your spinal cord to your brain.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 38 (part 2)
You may not feel much like eating now, but it’s important to eat healthfully. Snacks might be the answer—eat small snacks throughout the day to keep your energy levels up and to help avoid heartburn. You may also be tired of the foods you’ve been eating.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 38 (part 1) - Tests You May Have during Labor, Breech and Other Abnormal Presentations
If you think you may be in labor and go to the hospital, you will have a labor check. Vital signs will be taken, a monitor will be placed on your abdomen and a pelvic exam will be done.
Noticeable Things In Daily Routine Of Pregnant Women (part 2)
Some food when eating raw may cause listeria infection (causing miscarriage, meningitis and sepsis), disease caused by xanmon bacteria (causing diarrhea) and other dangerous diseases.
Noticeable Things In Daily Routine Of Pregnant Women (part 1)
All researching documents show that, dyeing hair during pregnancy is safe but it’s the best to wait till the first quarter is over, when your fetus has attached to the womb and had less affection from the chemicals from hair dyes.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 37 (part 1) - How Your Actions Affect Your Baby’s Development
Most women plan on a vaginal birth, but a Cesarean delivery is always a possibility. With a Cesarean, the baby is delivered through an incision made in the mother’s abdominal wall and uterus. An
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 36 (part 1) - Restless-Leg Syndrome
You have only 4 to 5 weeks until your due date. You may have gained 25 to 30 pounds (11.25 to 13.5kg), and you still have a month to go. It isn’t unusual for your weight to stay the same or change very little at your weekly visits after this point.
Your Pregnancy After 35 : First-Time or Repeat Pregnancy ? (part 1)
With a repeat pregnancy, you may feel baby move sooner than with a first pregnancy. Part of this may be because you already know what baby’s movements feel like, so you identify them sooner.
What Is… Fetal Distress And The Non-Stress Test
Just as your heartbeat changes from time to time, it’s normal for your baby’s heart rate to also fluctuate. A baby’s heart beats much faster than an adult’s – on average between 120 and 160 beats per minute (healthy men have a pulse of about 60, for women it’s 80).
Discover Interesting Things In 40 Weeks Of Pregnancy (Part 3)
In the 3rd term of pregnancy, though you can feel more tired and the body is heavier, you and your fetuses have been through 2 thirds of the path. Soon you family will be glad to welcome a new dear member. In the remained one thirds, there’re changes that cause discomfort to pregnant women.
Discover Interesting Things In 40 Weeks Of Pregnancy (Part 2)
Fetuses will have the size of a peach in the first 3 months, increase height in the 3 medium ones and have the height and weight increased at the 30th week: they’ll weigh 1.5kg and look like complete infants.
Discover Interesting Things In 40 Weeks Of Pregnancy (Part 1)
Getting pregnant and having babies are ones of the most marvelous and sacred things of the nature. In 9 months and 10 days of pregnancy, women’s bodies have to change to adjust the pregnancy and foster fetuses. Even the fetuses experience different developments to prepare for the due day.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 32 (part 3) - Cancer and Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a happy time for most women. Occasionally, however, serious problems can occur. Cancer in pregnancy is one serious complication that occurs rarely.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 32 (part 2)
If you’re expecting more than one baby, your nutrition and weight gain are very important during pregnancy. Food is your best source for nutrients, but keep taking your prenatal vitamin every day. The vitamins and iron in prenatal vitamins are still essential to your well-being and the well-being of your baby or babies.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 32 (part 1) - How Your Baby Is Growing and Developing
The rate of multiple births is going up—since 1980, the rate of twin births has increased 70%. Statistics show that close to 4% of all births in the United States are multiple births. If you’re expecting more than one baby, you’re not alone!
Recommended Perfect Diet For Pregnant Women
Becoming pregnant is a normally physiological phenomenon of most women. However, the demand about nutrition in this period will increase highly. The things that you eat in 9 months of pregnancy are extremely important because those nutrients will have direct effect on fetus.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 30 (part 1)
A baby is usually quite active during pregnancy. We believe these knots occur as the baby moves around in early pregnancy. A loop forms in the umbilical cord; the baby moves through the loop, and a knot results. Your actions do not cause or prevent this kind of complication. A knot in the umbilical cord doesn’t occur often.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 29 (part 2) - Bed Rest to Treat Premature Labor
The treatment used most often for premature labor is bed rest. A woman is advised to stay in bed and lie on her side. (Either side is OK.) The term bed rest can cover anything from cutting back on activities to being confined to bed for 24 hours a day, getting up only to go to the bathroom and to shower.
Golden Advice For Pregnant Women In The Second Quarter Of Pregnancy (Part 2)
Stand straightly, the left hand will cling on a fulcrum. The right foot will do the movements in the front and back. You also do similarly for the left foot. After that you will turn your body with 180o and repeat those movements.
Golden Advice For Pregnant Women In The Second Quarter Of Pregnancy (Part 1)
These 3 months are surely the period that you are the healthiest and have activities most. You should prepare to welcome the most anxious event. Fetus will begin to move in your womb. The unpleasant feeling and morning sickness in the first 3 months will disappear.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 28 (part 2) - How Your Actions Affect Your Baby’s Development
The problem affects about 2% of the population in the United States and Canada. It is equally common in other countries. Asthma may occur at any age, but about 50% of all asthma cases occur before age 10. Another 33% of the cases occur by age 40. About 70% of people with asthma also suffer from allergies.
Foods That Can Cause Miscarriage And Defect For Fetus
Pregnant women’s diet always ensures the main sources of necessary nutrients to provide fetus. If pregnant women eat some unhealthy foods, fetus’s health can be threatened seriously.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 27 (part 3) - Babymoons, Lupus
Many parents-to-be are now scheduling a babymoon before the end of pregnancy. A babymoon is a prebaby vacation—a trip for expectant parents to reconnect and to enjoy each other’s company before baby’s birth. It usually focuses on relaxing and pampering.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 26 (part 2) - Fish Can Be Healthy during Pregnancy
Eating fish is healthy; it is especially good during pregnancy. Women who eat fish during pregnancy often have longer pregnancies and give birth to babies with higher birth weights. Studies show the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may help protect you from premature labor and other problems.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 26 (part 1) - Previous Weight-Loss Surgery
Before pregnancy, some women have weight-loss surgery to help them lose weight. Bariatric surgery is defined as surgery related to the prevention and control of obesity and related diseases.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 25 (part 3) - Thyroid Disease, Velocardiofacial Syndrome, Familial Mediterranean Fever
At-home teeth whitening products are very popular, and many people use them. Are they safe for pregnant women? We advise you to wait until after pregnancy to whiten your teeth.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 25 (part 2) - Stress during Pregnancy, Falling and Injuries from Falls
Feeling stress is common during any woman’s life. Stress is what you feel in situations that are dangerous, difficult or menacing. Chronic stress is stress caused by ongoing situations or problems, such as unemployment, deployment of your partner, financial problems. Anxiety is magnified worry and is greater than justified.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 23 (part 3)
Some women develop diabetes only during pregnancy; it is called gestational diabetes. It occurs when pregnancy hormones affect the way your body makes or uses insulin, a hormone that converts sugar in food into energy the body uses.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 23 (part 1)
Baby’s body is getting plumper but skin is still wrinkled. Lanugo hair on the body occasionally turns darker at this time. The baby’s face and body begin to assume more of the appearance of an infant at birth.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 22 (part 1) - What Is Anemia?
There is a fine balance in your body between the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to the rest of your body and the destruction of these cells. Anemia is the condition in which the number of red blood cells is low. If you’re anemic, you don’t have enough red blood cells.
Fitting in Fitness (part 1) - Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy
Exercise has no harmful effects on a fetus and does not increase the risk of miscarriage or birth defects in a normal pregnancy. In fact, there is no doubt that if complications do not limit your ability to exercise during pregnancy, a regular fitness routine can be a big plus for both you and your baby.
How To Take Care Of Pregnant Women In The First 3 Months
When you surely know that you become pregnant in the 5-6th weeks of pregnancy (after being checked by obstetrician). After the happy minutes, you need to make a careful plan for eating, drinking and taking care of your health. In the first 3 months, pregnant women need to pay attention to eating, drinking and exercising to prevent fetal derangement and miscarriage.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 19 (part 1)
Crown-to-rump length of the growing fetus is 5¼ to 6 inches (13 to 15cm) by this week. Your baby weighs about 7 ounces (200g). It’s incredible to think your baby will increase its weight more than 15 times between now and delivery!
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 18 (part 3)
You need about 30mg of iron a day to meet the increased needs of pregnancy. Baby draws on your iron stores to create its own stores for its first few months of life. This helps protect baby from iron deficiency if you breastfeed.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 18 (part 1)
Between 50 and 80% of all pregnant women have back and hip pain at some time. Pain usually occurs during the third trimester as your tummy grows larger. However, pain may begin early in pregnancy and last until well after delivery (up to 5 or 6 months).
12 Things Seriously Affecting Fetal Health (Part 2)
Most of pregnant women over-absorb nutrients but, few of them have malnutrition, which is one of the most effective things to fetal health. Pregnant women have over-whelming malnutrition or weight loss can cause bad effects on fetal developments and the metabolism between pregnant women and fetuses.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 17 (part 2) - How Your Actions Affect Your Baby’s Development
Ultrasound is performed at different times for different reasons. During the second trimester, it can be used with amniocentesis, with bleeding related to placenta previa or abruption, when there is concern about intrauterine-growth restriction (IUGR), to evaluate fetal well-being and to diagnose multiple fetuses.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 16 (part 4) - Rh Disease and Sensitivity
Everyone has either Rh-positive blood or Rh-negative blood. If you have the Rh factor in your blood, you are Rh-positive—most people are Rh-positive. If you do not have the Rh-factor, you are Rh-negative. Rh-negativity affects about 15% of the white population and 8% of the Black/African-American population in the United States.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 16 (part 2) - How Your Actions Affect Your Baby’s Development
If necessary, amniocentesis is often performed around 16 to 18 weeks of pregnancy. By this point, your uterus is large enough and there is enough fluid surrounding the baby to make the test possible.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 16 (part 1)
Fine hair covers your baby’s head. The umbilical cord is attached to the abdomen; this attachment has moved lower on the body of the fetus. Fingernails are well formed.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 15 (part 2)
Ultrasound can be used during the second trimester for several reasons. These include diagnosis of multiple fetuses, with amniocentesis, with bleeding related to placenta previa or placental abruption, intrauterine-growth restriction (IUGR) and evaluation of baby’s well-being. Ultrasound at around 20 weeks may be done to determine if the placenta has attached normally and is healthy.
Things That You Should Know When You Become Pregnant At The Age Of 40
Many women become pregnant in the first time at the age of 40. Although we cannot deny that the rate of becoming pregnant at this age is lower than the popular age of becoming pregnant a lot.
Strange Things Happening In Pregnancy That Pregnant Women Should Know
Being pregnant is a miracle as your body will be completely changed with the little creature inside. Physical and emotional changes are various to every pregnant woman.
7 Important Things That Pregnant Should Keep In Mind
According to long-term researches, it’s proved that there’re many things that women should and shouldn’t do in pregnancy. That abstaining is hard but, it can bring so many benefits for both mother and children.
Breastfeeding - How Milk Is Made
When I gave birth to my twins a few years ago, I thought I knew a thing or two about breastfeeding. My older son had nursed for 14 months with nary a problem, and I'd been researching, writing and editing breastfeeding articles for this magazine for more than 10 years.
How to Heal After Having Baby (Part 1)
Your baby’s finally here, and you’re excited, but you’re also exhausted, uncomfortable and on an emotional rollercoaster. No matter how you birthed your baby, the physical changes of the postpartum period are immediately visible, unlike the gradual changes of pregnancy.
Fertility Falling Pregnant - Struggling To Get
You’ve started your family, and now you want to expand it or complete it. Your firstborn came along with ease, after nothing more than a romantic dinner with pink champagne and a night of passion, so you assume making your next child will be a similarly lovely and effortless affair.
Keep A Close Eye On Your Blood Pressure This Month
Pre-eclampsia presents with high blood pressure (hypertension), Oedema (swelling) and proteinuria (protein in the urine). If left untreated, the condition can turn into dangerous eclampsia with symptoms including convulsions, coma and even death. More pregnant women today are at risk for pre-eclampsia because of our diets and lifestyles, which make us susceptible to hypertension and Type 2 diabetes.
Tips That Help Educate Babies When They Are Still The Womb (Part 2)
While sound education has become so popular and been applied by many women, other educating methods for fetuses like educating by senses such as feel, taste, smell and eyesight are still quite strange. However, it hardly denies the certain effects of education on fetal development. Therein, eyesight education brings many positive, easy and safe effects to pregnant women and fetuses.
10 Pregnancy Problems That You Should Be Aware Of
It often occurs from the 13th week after the conception. So far, there has been no rule or specific benchmark relating to the phenomenon. Everyone can have different ways but one reason which is due the fact that abnormal chromosome cause damages on sperms.
Does Ultrasound Tests Do Any Harm To Fetuses?
When should pregnant women take ultrasound tests? What is ultrasound test for?... That are all the questions that pregnant women really want to know the answers.
Keep Away From Factors That Cause Fetal Defects
To pregnant women who have high fevers in the early pregnancy, their newborns will have no sign of defects but, the newborns still need long-term observation. When pregnant women have high fevers, fetal brain cells will be affected; fetuses will have a decrease of nervous cell number, which leads to intellectual disability.
Allergies During Pregnancy - What to Expect
If you’ve suffered from allergies all your life, then you’ll know that even though your allergies can’t be cured, they can be treated with anti-histamines and low-dose steroids. But what happens when you’re pregnant and in the same way that you can’t drink, smoke, or eat sushi for nine months, you also can’t pop your allergy meds into your mouth anymore?
Decoding Scans
A definite diagnosis of Down syndrome can currently only be made by invasive testing, commonly by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Down syndrome occurs when the baby receives an extra chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). It is one of the most common serious abnormalities that occur and is associated with severe mental retardation.
All Problems About Pregnancy Ultrasound
When should pregnant women have pregnancy ultrasound? What is the purpose of ultrasound? What should pregnant women do before having ultrasound? All pregnant women want to know these things.
Be Careful With Top Of Dangerous Diseases In Pregnancy
Pre-eclampsia or poisoning pregnancy or high blood pressure because of pregnancy is popular to pregnant women that have first born child. Basically, pre-eclampsia is understood: the state that mothers’ body cannot adjust to pregnancy. Most pre-eclampsia appear after the 30th week and it can rise suddenly or slowly.
Things That Make Pregnant Women Anxious
We can take roll call of things that make pregnant women anxious, especially women are pregnant in the first time.
Things That Pregnant Women Should Know About Amniotic Fluid
Pregnant accident because of amniotic fluid is considered dangerous accident during pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women should be vigilant with their amniotic fluid state.
Tips To Improve Gestational Depression
The most happiness of married couples, especially women, is to become parents. However, lately, there have been pregnant women complaining about their headache, insomnia, concentration lack, sadness and boredom… After researches, it’s concluded as signs of depression.
What Do Fetuses Do In The Womb?
Sharp 3D ultrasound images that have high qualities help us to have a specific look at the development process of fetuses in 9 months of pregnancy. Moms should try taking a look at the fetal development.
When Should Pregnant Women See A Doctor?
Vaginal bleeding in 3 early months of pregnancy can be a sign of miscarriage. On the second and third stage, fetuses can have placenta problems. If fetuses are in the situation, call the doctor for timely treatment.
Essential Nutrients For Pregnancy
There’re 3 essential nutrients for pregnancy, such as folic acid (vitamin B9), iron and iodine. Besides, pregnant women also need providing with other nutrients to have a healthy pregnancy.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 13 (part 3)
Caffeine is a stimulant found in many beverages and foods, including coffee, tea, various soft drinks and chocolate. It may also be found in some medicine, such as headache remedies.
Stress Can Delay Children’s Height Development
A research has shown that pressure can make children fall into depression state and delay their height development.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 12 (part 1) - Changes in Your Skin
During pregnancy, many things can cause changes in your skin, such as hormones and stretching skin. Below we discuss some of the changes you may experience.
Foods Reducing Children’s IQ
In addition, gum contains additive that prevents oxidization. If you eat over oxidized fat in a long time, these substances will accumulate in the body and it makes some systems of catalyst in the body be harmed. As a result, brain will develop badly or decline early. This is the reason why gum if food that reduces IQ index of children.
Allergy In Pregnancy
There are a lot of disadvantage elements from the living environment, foods that pregnant women eat can lead to allergy. Allergy can cause disadvantages for pregnancy, so pregnant women need to prevent so that they don’t catch this disease.
How To Deal With Dangerous Situations In Giving Birth
Successful process of giving birth is expectance of all pregnant women, but not all of the parturitions are smoothly. There are some dangerous events that pregnant women can meet in the process of giving birth such as hemorrhage, exhaustion… In these cases, doctors, pregnant women and relatives need to pay special attention to behave on time.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 11 (part 3) - Ultrasound in Pregnancy, Fetal MRI
Ultrasound is the standard test used to diagnose birth defects and other problems. It is often the first test used. However, there are some limitations to ultrasound. If a woman is obese, if there is less amniotic fluid or baby is in an abnormal position, ultrasound may not reveal problems.
Be Aware Of Dangerous Signs In Pregnancy
In 9 months and 10 days of pregnancy, it can be not as smooth as you thing. You can face with different symptoms, so you should know which ones are normal and which ones need treating.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 10 (part 4)
Nearly every pregnant woman receives information on Down syndrome. Older women have traditionally been offered various tests to determine whether their fetus is affected by the condition.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 10 (part 1) - How Your Baby Is Growing and Developing
When pregnancy is confirmed, it can affect you in many ways. Some women see pregnancy as a sign of womanhood. Some consider it a blessing. Still others feel it’s a problem. If you aren’t excited about pregnancy, don’t feel alone. It’s common.
Medicines Dangerous To Pregnancy
To the major of pregnant women, pregnancy is the happiest news. In that period of time, the palpitation, anxiety and thought that are due to the fact that you’re going to be moms in the future, can make you depressed.
The 6 Most Important Tests In Pregnancy (Part 1)
Genetic screening is carried out to detect some genetic disorders of parents, define whether they are dangerous or not. Although parents don’t have diseases, it doesn’t mean they don’t carry a kind of disease gene that can transmit to their children.
Habits Causing Miscarriage (Part 2)
Meat and fish aren’t cooked through (noodle soup of underdone beef, fish salad, sushi…, pregnant women shouldn’t eat these dishes although they used to be your favorite dishes.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 9 (part 1) - How Your Baby Is Growing and Developing
Baby’s arms and legs are longer. Fingers are longer, and the tips are slightly enlarged where touch pads are developing. The feet are approaching the midline of the body and may meet in front of the torso.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 8 (part 3) - Braces during Pregnancy?
It seems people of all ages are getting braces these days. We’ve been asked by women about braces for their teeth during pregnancy. They want to know if it’s OK to continue wearing braces during pregnancy, and they want to know if they can have braces put on when they’re pregnant.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 8 (part 2) - Miscarriage and Stillbirth
Nearly every pregnant woman thinks about miscarriage during pregnancy, but it occurs in only about 20% of all pregnancies. Miscarriage occurs when a pregnancy ends before the embryo or fetus can survive on its own outside the uterus, usually within the first 3 months.
3 Types Of Upward-Head Posture
Popular postures of babies in mother’s womb: babies lie along, they will lie with horizontal direction, some babies can lie with diagonal position. How does position affect the process of Birthgiving?
How To Make Pregnancy Become Perfect (Part 1)
To have a perfect pregnancy, mothers should pay attention to taking care of themselves before and during pregnancy. Mothers don’t always know about simple things that have big effects.
Delicious Vegetables Nutritious For Mothers Giving Breast
This is the first choice for pregnant women that have just given birth. Besides increasing mothers’ milk, sweet leaf also helps create vitality for sexual life, prevent osteoporosis, cure ulcerated place, reduce fever and placental retention, dirty blood after giving birth.
Tips To Prevent Miscarriage (part 1)
Miscarriage is the spontaneous end of pregnancy that often occurs in the 20th week of pregnancy. About 1 out of 5 pregnant women has miscarriage. Miscarriages often occur in the first 3 months and the 4 next months.
Discover Fetal Positions
Pregnant women are really interested in and curious about fetal positions in the womb. You always wonder where your babies are so that you can play with them, don’t you? Let’s find out!
Foods That Cause Miscarriage
While pregnant, women have to be careful with foods eaten daily. The followings are foods that can cause miscarriage.
Diseases Transmitted From Mothers To Children (Part 1)
There are many diseases that include mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding… The important thing is that they have to be early detected in order to have timely treatment for future mothers and avoid transmitting to babies.
When Should Pregnant Women Have Caesarean?
Caesarean is a surgery that is assigned when the process of beginning labor cannot progress or there is problem threatening life of mother and fetuses.
14 Things That Make Pregnant Women Nervous (Part 2)
One of gestational diabetes symptoms is not having the ability to transfer the glose that is stored in blood. This kind just has a small opportunity.
Diet For Mothers To Make Babies Smart
If women in the reproductive age are provided with enough folic acid daily, their children can reduce 70% of neural tube defects (NTDs) including congenital malformations of the brain and spinal cord.
How To Have A Healthy Pregnancy
The first thing should you do to have a healthy pregnancy is making a plan. You should improve your health, manage your weight, quit smoking and provide you with folic acid. Besides, you need to do the periodic check-up to ensure that your blood pressure, blood flow and thyroid gland function are still fine and uninfected with rubella
Will Children Become Smart When Listening To Music?
Brain cells of fetus are formed and developed with complex structure. Effect that has main purpose or don’t have main purpose of outside elements of fetus will affect process of forming and developing.
10 Bad Habits That You Must Give Up Before Being Pregnant (Part 2)
Scientists carried a research on a pregnant mouse and gave it a lot of snacks. They gave conclusion: In pregnancy, if mothers eat a lot of snacks that don’t have nutrients, newborn babies will be obesity and overweight.
4 Important Secrets To Give Birth To An Infant Prodigy
When you decide that you will become mother, you need to know that whether your body is ready to undertake this hard duty or not. In pregnancy, body is easily infected, especially infection of urinary and physiology.
Clear Away 20 Worries Of Pregnant Women (Part 2)
Do not eat rare meat doesn’t cook carefully, meat smoked out, ham, green vegetables aren’t washed cleanly. They can contain toxoplasmosis bacterium that can cause miscarriage or defects about organs of babies.
4 Important Secrets To Give Birth To An Infant Prodigy
When you decide that you will become mother, you need to know that whether your body is ready to undertake this hard duty or not. In pregnancy, body is easily infected, especially infection of urinary and physiology.
30 Tips To Help Fetus Be Healthy (Part 2)
When pregnant women travel with car, this is necessary thing that they have to do. The suitable position of belt can be under belly, above thigh, not on belly where pressure can be dangerous to fetus if accident takes place.
Weighing the Risks (part 1) - Pregnancy Weight Gain, Weight Woes
The health and weight of your baby at birth depend greatly on how much weight you gain over the course of your pregnancy. The weight of your baby factors into your weight gain, but your body also gains weight through its increase in blood volume—about 50 percent—as well as muscle, fluid, and tissue.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 4 (part 2) - Your Nutrition, Environmental Pollutants and Pregnancy
You probably won’t be able to eat all you want during pregnancy, unless you are one of the lucky women who doesn’t have a problem with calories. Even then, you must pay strict attention to the types of foods you choose.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 4 (part 1) - How Your Actions Affect Your Baby’s Development
During pregnancy, nearly every parent worries about whether their baby will be perfect. Most parents worry unnecessarily. Major birth defects occur in few births. Most birth defects occur during the first trimester.
The Warning Signs Of Pregnancy
Almost every pregnant woman has an annoying problem during pregnancy, but in some cases, the symptoms are dangerous. To avoid the risk of adversely affecting pregnancy, pregnant women should consult periodically as directed by doctor. This will help you detect early bad risks.
Pregnancy Nutrition Book : Eating for Two (part 3) - Face the Fat , Apply the Brakes on Sugar
Fat is an important nutrient that sometimes gets a bad rap. Its major functions in the body include providing an energy source, aiding in the absorption and transport of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, cushioning organs, and regulating body temperature.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 3 (part 3) - Folic-Acid Use
Folic acid, also referred to as folate, folacin or vitamin B9, is very important during pregnancy. Folate is the form of folic acid found in food. Folic acid is the synthetic version of this B vitamin. It’s important to take folic acid before trying to get pregnant and during early pregnancy because this is when it is most helpful.
Pregnancy Week by Week : Week 3 (part 2) - Exercise during Pregnancy?
Exercise is important to many pregnant women. In fact, studies show more than 60% of all pregnant women exercise. However, statistics also show that only 15% of pregnant women engage in 30 minutes of moderate exercise five or more times a week.
Things You Should Know About Cesarean
Consequently, many women want to be operated to take fetus out to be safer. This thing causes pressure on pregnant women and medical staff. I have some information to share with pregnant women and family.
Some Drinks Pregnant Women Should Say No With
If you use beverages containing a lot of stimulants, they will affect fetus’s development. According to many researches, these drinks also increase risk of miscarriage and premature birth.
Why Pregnant Women Should Sleep On Left Side?
Pregnant women often tell each other that sleeping on left side is good for fetus. However, not all mothers know the real benefit of this position.
Weeks 1 & 2—Pregnancy Begins (part 2) - How Your Actions Affect Your Baby’s Development
It’s never too early to start thinking about how your activities and actions can affect your growing baby. Many substances you normally use may have negative effects on your baby. These substances include drugs, tobacco, alcohol and caffeine.
Solve All Gestation Problems From A To Z (Part 4)
Level of swelling of every pregnant woman is different in pregnancy. Commonly, the parts of the body swelled are ankles, feet, fingers, wrists and face. This symptom is popular in the final months of gestation and becomes heavier when it’s hot, the end of day or you are redundant in weight.
Formula For Pediatric Weight Calculation
After birth, all babies have a same point, it is losing physiological weight. The main reason is the reduction of water in baby body (which is in its body when it is still in mother’s womb) through urine and stool.
Great Benefits Of Water For Pregnant Women
Drinking water brings many benefits for everyone, especially for pregnant women. Pregnant women are suggested to drink 2-2.5 liters of water every day (equal to 8 glasses of water). Besides fresh water, drinking fruit juice, vegetable juice is also good for pregnant women.
Does Caesarean Section Affect Sex?
Women cannot do the biological reproductive function normally, small or narrow or unbalanced pelvis (Cephalopelvic disproportion), about 30%.
Change For Better Things (Part 2)
Gaining weight too much in pregnancy makes you have higher risk of being obese. This is about 6 times higher when your child is 1 year old.
Possible Concerns During Pregnancy : Hypertension and Preeclampsia
Mild hypertension during pregnancy is not necessarily dangerous by itself, but it can be a sign of a more serious condition called preeclampsia. High blood pressure puts a woman at higher risk for preeclampsia.
Possible Concerns During Pregnancy : Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a type of diabetes, or insulin resistance, that develops around the middle of pregnancy and ends after delivery. Women who are pregnant, have high blood sugar (glucose) levels and have never had diabetes before are said to have GDM.
8 WEEKS PREGNANT : Understand and Control the Exhaustion
IF YOU ARE FEELING under the weather, it may help you to understand what’s going on in your body and how best to deal with these changes. These feelings have a purpose, and, thank goodness, they don’t last forever.
Preparing for Pregnancy (part 4) : Be Careful with Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs, Substance Use before Pregnancy, Work and Pregnancy
Don’t self-medicate with large amounts or unusual combinations of vitamins, minerals or herbs. You can overdo it! Certain vitamins, such as vitamin A, can cause birth defects if used in excessive amounts.
Preparing for Pregnancy (part 3) : Genetic Counseling, Pregnancy after 35, Weight Management before Pregnancy
If you’re planning your first pregnancy, you are probably not considering genetic counseling. However, there may be circumstances in which genetic counseling could help you and your partner make informed decisions about having children.
10 Super-natural Powers Of The Pregnant Women
Hey future mother, just forget all the tiredness and difficulties you are suffering from the pregnancy for a moment. Do you know that pregnancy brings you “super power” that you even do not know? Only forming a tiny body is a miracle itself.
The Fibroid Fact File
Fibroids often cause painful, heavy periods, they may lead to anaemia, and can even affect your ability to have a healthy baby. You might be surprised to learn they’re more common than you think. Around four in 10 women over the age of 40 have fibroids, but many won’t know.
Care For The Core
The fetus in the womb gets nutrients and oxygen through the placenta connected to the skin inside the uterus. The umbilical cord is the life line helping the child get things he needs to develop in the womb.
Sleep Like A Baby
If pregnancy complaints are keeping you awake at night, here are some safe solutions for back pain, leg cramps and more.
Pamper Rx
Jacuzzis therapy and hot mud cover, or any therapy that directly affect your body temperature is taboo during pregnancy. The researches demonstrated that steaming for 10 minutes during the first 4-6 weeks of pregnancy could cause high risk of miscarriage.
Identicals Misidentified
Researchers studied 1,302 parents of same-sex twins and found that 179 with identicals thought they were fraternal, and 12 with fraternals thought they were identical, perhaps because they got wrong information based on prenatal ultrasounds.
Fear Not The Gym
The money you’re still spending on that gym membership doesn’t have to go to waste just because you’re pregnant. Learn how to navigate cardio, weights and class options to stay fit and feel great in every trimester.
Bittersweet (Part 1) - Long-term risks to moms and babies
In many pregnancies affected by GDM, the baby absorbs the moth­er’s glucose and grows bigger than he or she should, and a Cesarean section is often necessary. In others, the baby is underdeveloped and has a low birth weight.
Rights And Wrongs About Diet During Pregnancy
In general, people usually worry about coffee and carbonated drinks because of caffeine in them. For this problem, researchers have shown that caffeine through the placenta can cause negative effects on fetus; the new-born baby is easily anxious and crying.
Necessary Minerals For Pregnant Women
Iron and calcium are two minerals which are necessary for women in pregnancy. Nevertheless, do not take iron and calcium whenever you are pregnant because calcium and iron in pregnant women’s blood should be controlled, lack or excess of them causes many consequences.
How To Prevent Difficult Childbirth
According to the statistics of researchers, there are up to 5% cases of difficult birth every year, and pregnant women who drop in this condition unluckily will face with many risks. Let find out reasons of difficult childbirth.
Big, Fat Diets
If you knew of a diet that would let you drop eight percent of your weight in 10 days with no hunger and no muscle loss, would you do it? ‘Course you would. But here’s the kicker – you have to imbibe your nutrients through a nasogastric tube.
To Have A Healthy Baby During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is an interesting experience in woman’s life. Although someone will undergo a difficult time of morning sickness, fatigue, body pain, and so on, they always desire their baby to be the healthiest.
Pregnancy Handbook: Your Mango-sized Baby
At 19 weeks gestation, you can get a good look at your baby’s gender, bending and touching… through ultrasound. Your baby is five months old in your pregnancy.
Love Since Embryonic Time
Being pregnant, you have to prepare strongly for solving many questions. They are the tension coming from antenatal examination, weight problem (enough or not) as well as pleasant and sweet moments when going shopping to buy shower gel and shampoo for upcoming angel.
Concerns After the Birth (part 1) Maternal problems, Congenital problems in babies
Following the birth, you may have a range of concerns about you and your baby . However, few of these are serious and are usually easily remedied or are part of the normal development of your baby or your recovery process.
Complications of Pregnancy & Labor
Certain conditions that are specific to pregnancy and some that occur more commonly in pregnancy mean that a pregnancy is classified as high risk. A high-risk pregnancy is closely monitored with more prenatal appointments and possibly additional scans. In labor, certain complications require immediate intervention.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Common Concerns in Pregnancy (part 2)
These problems occur as a result of increased blood volume coupled with the softening effect of pregnancy hormones on blood vessels. Allowing plaque to accumulate may exacerbate these symptoms and also makes the start of gum disease more likely.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Common Concerns in Pregnancy (part 1)
Pregnancy hormones affect every system in your body. In this section, you will find a list of common concerns with an explanation of the adaptation process that may cause these symptoms, information on whether medical help is likely to be required, and advice on measures you can take yourself to alleviate symptoms.
Pregnancy : Your Pregnancy-at-work Toolkit, Hazards at Work
Being prepared to deal with any pregnancy symptoms during working hours can help you to feel on the ball and remain professional with a minimum amount of fuss.
Life with your New Baby : 2nd Week: Day 13 Feeling close
It’s inevitable that your baby will be exposed to viruses and some believe this reduces the risk of allergies later on. However, small babies can be quite sick with a cold so try to avoid people with colds at first. Breast-feeding provides protection against viruses.
Postures for pregnant women to have a sound sleep
Turning the body and lying comfortably in the bed may be one of the biggest wishes of pregnant women, especially when they want to lie prostrate or supine since both postures cause problems for them.
Pregnancy : Nutrition During Pregnancy
A healthy diet not only helps ensure that your baby gets all the nutrients he needs for optimum growth and development, but it also minimizes the risk of pregnancy complications, and provides you with plenty of energy.
Pregnancy : What to do if the Test is Positive, What to do if the Test is Positive
The confirmation that you are about to become a mother heralds a new stage in your life, and now is the perfect time to start planning and preparing for the changes ahead. You may be experiencing mixed feelings about the news, and that’s entirely normal.
Life with your New Baby : The First 12 Hours (part 1)
A few minutes ago you were a couple—and now you are parents! The moment you have been dreaming of for nine months has finally arrived… so what happens next?
Labor and birth : Special Cases (part 5) - Cesarean Section
A cesarean section is the delivery of your baby by means of a cut in the abdomen. A cesarean rate of around 10–15 percent is thought to be reasonable, although in most Western countries the rate has risen beyond 20 percent and around 30 percent of all babies in the US are now delivered by cesarean, an all-time high.
Labor and birth : Special Cases (part 3) - Multiple Births
If you are having twins, you will get the chance to discuss your plans for giving birth with your obstetrician during the pregnancy. Your decision to have a vaginal birth or a cesarean section will probably be based upon several factors, such as the position of the babies.
Labor and birth : Special Cases (part 2) - Breech Baby
Breech labors and births are usually more difficult, so if your baby is still in a breech position in late pregnancy, you may be offered a procedure to turn your baby .
Labor and birth : Special Cases (part 1) - Premature Birth, Induction of Labor
If your labor is induced, the chance that you will need an assisted delivery with forceps or vacuum or a cesarean is increased. This is even more likely if you are having your first baby, if the cervix is unfavorable, or if you’re being induced relatively early in your pregnancy.
Labor and birth : 2nd and 3rd Stages (part 4) - After your Baby is Born - Cutting the cord
Your birth partner can provide verbal support to help you deal with the strenuous task of pushing your baby out with each contraction. There may be times when you’re not lucid and your partner will need to speak for you and liaise with medical staff.
Labor and birth : 2nd and 3rd Stages (part 3) - Delivering your Baby - Your birth partner
Your birth partner can provide verbal support to help you deal with the strenuous task of pushing your baby out with each contraction. There may be times when you’re not lucid and your partner will need to speak for you and liaise with medical staff.
Labor and birth : 2nd and 3rd Stages (part 1) - Delivering your Baby - Which positions to adopt
If you prefer a sitting position, try to sit in an upright or semi-recumbent position. If you adopt a sitting position on a bed, sitting at a 45-degree angle can help your breathing and reduce the risk of a condition known as aortocaval compression, which can affect how well your blood is circulated around your body and to your baby.
Labor and birth : 1st Stage of Labor (part 2) - How Labor Progresses - When it’s time to go to the hospital
Many couples feel unsure about when to go to the hospital. If your pregnancy is low risk, you will almost certainly be more comfortable at home at the start of labor and should wait until you’re in active labor, when your contractions are regular, occurring every 5–10 minutes, and painful, before going to the hospital.
Labor and birth : 1st Stage of Labor (part 1) - Approaching Labor
As labor approaches, your body starts to prepare itself for the task ahead and you may notice various physical symptoms and signs that labor is about to start. Not every woman experiences labor in the same way, and certain signs can occur either before labor starts or during labor.
Labor and birth : Pain Relief Options (part 5) - Drugs for Pain Relief - Managing the epidural
Once the epidural tube is successfully in place, the anesthesiologist will give the first dose of medication through it by means of a syringe. Once she is satisfied that the epidural is in the correct position and is working effectively, all subsequent doses, or “top ups,” can be given without another injection.
Labor and birth : Pain Relief Options (part 3) - Natural Pain Relief - Massage and touch, A natural home birth
Many women find massage helpful in labor to induce relaxation, bring about a sense of well-being, and alleviate pain. Your birth partner may find it relaxing and therapeutic too. Ideally, he or she will have had a chance to see massage techniques demonstrated in prenatal classes and to practice before labor.
Labor and birth : Pain Relief Options (part 1) - Coping with Pain
Labor pain is unique and quite different from everyday chronic and acute pain. Generally, pain is a warning sign that something is wrong, but labor pain acts as an “alert” that the birth process is underway and that you need a safe environment in which to give birth.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 54) - Bringing on labor
Although no “home” or alternative remedy has been proven to bring on labor, there are several harmless techniques that are thought to assist the body’s natural processes.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 50) - The stages of labor and you
There is so much variation in the time taken to complete the first stage of labor that for one pregnancy a woman might be in labor for days, whereas a subsequent labor might be a matter of hours.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 45) - Healthy snacking, Bach Flower Remedies
Large meals are likely to leave you feeling uncomfortably full, especially late in the third trimester. If you go long periods of time between meals, you may become light-headed and feel weak from hypoglycemia—low blood sugar.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 43) - Making the most of maternity leave
A baked potato is a great mini-meal, providing you with carbohydrates. Try different carbohydrate foods in the lead-up to labor to see which you like best.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 42) - Desperate for a toilet
In the third trimester you’ll be frequenting the bathroom regularly, as you did in the first trimester. At this stage it’s due to the increasingly heavy baby pushing down on your bladder from above. If you find that it hurts when you expel urine, you may have a urinary infection and should contact your doctor for a test.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 41)
During pregnancy, it’s common to eat more often than previously but to eat less at each meal. This is because your uterus has grown so much that all your other organs have moved around and are squashed into much less space. Your stomach simply has less room in it to fit the food so you can’t eat as much before feeling full.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 39) - Items for your hospital bag
Make sure you have all the items you need for your hospital bag. Remember to include items for yourself as well as the baby and, if you know you’re having a cesarean, pack enough items for a few days.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 38) - Prescribed bedrest
You may be closely monitored in hospital toward the end of your pregnancy if there is any concern about your health or that of your baby. A fetal monitoring machine will be used to check your baby’s heartbeat.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 36) - Kangaroo care & Pamper yourself
Many moms of twins find that feeding them simultaneously, using a specially designed breast-feeding pillow, is the easiest way to manage. This is something you may want to buy now. There is a variety of effective breast-feeding positions for twins that the consultant or a midwife can show you.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 35) - Your Rights and Benefits
Having a baby is a huge life change and many new parents find time and money are in short supply. Maternity and paternity leave and pay can help ease the transition, so it’s worth finding out what you’re entitled to.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 33) - Group B strep test & A diabetic pregnancy
Ten to 30 percent of pregnant women carry the strep B bacteria in the vagina or rectal area. Known as GBS (group B streptococcus), it is usually harmless in adults, but can cause a rare and serious infection in newborn babies if untreated.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 32) - Fuel for fitness, Getting up from lying down
Demand for nutrients is higher when you’re exercising and even higher when you’re pregnant. This is not the time to reach for low-nutrient, high-calorie snacks; ensure you make careful choices when it comes to the nutrients you put into your body.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 31) - What’s in your hospital bag?
Once your partner’s labor begins, your attention will need to be focused on helping her both practically and emotionally. So in addition to helping your partner prepare her maternity bag in advance, it’s a good idea to prepare a bag of your own.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 30) - Lie and presentation
Your baby’s “lie” means which way round she is lying, vertically or horizontally—a horizontal lie is known as transverse. The “presentation” refers to which part of the baby is closest to the pelvis, and would come out first.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 26) - Fabulous fiber
Fiber is very important in the third trimester, since it will help your digestive system work more efficiently. Dietary fiber—the indigestible part of plant foods—is the best natural way to keep the bowels regular. Most pregnant women who eat a diet based upon whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, are likely to be getting enough fiber.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 22) - A good night’s sleep
Insomnia is a common problem during pregnancy and can lead to fatigue, feelings of stress and anxiety, and irritability. Whether it’s brought on by your increased size, back pain, heartburn, getting up to empty your bladder, or something else, insomnia is not fun.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 21)
There have been numerous studies over the past few years involving women exercising while they’re pregnant. The bottom line is that exercise performed effectively and safely, at a moderate intensity and in healthy women, is beneficial.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 20) - How your babies lie in the uterus
Even if your twins are identical they’re individuals, and relating to them as separate people will help their development and your relationship with them. Even in pregnancy, some expectant moms notice how different their babies are from their different movement patterns in the uterus.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 16) - Planning for your Birth
As your due date approaches, you may start to think in greater detail about how you would like to manage your labor and birth. Being informed will help you feel more confident about the choices you make.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 13) - Buying for your twins
The clothes you buy for your twins should be easy to put on and take off, and, of course, machine washable. You’ll probably be given outfits as presents, so just buy the basics.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 12) - Choosing diapers
Disposable diapers are easy to use and ideal for when you’re out and about. But they cost more than cloth diapers, which can be washed and used over and over, even for your next baby.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 9) - Doppler scans
A Doppler scan is a special scan that analyzes blood flow through the placenta. If the placenta is functioning well, the blood flows easily.
Welcome to your Third Trimester (part 3) - Buying for your baby
During pregnancy, your core body temperature rises due to the effects of the hormone progesterone, your increased weight, and the greater demands on your body. Exercise generates heat and raises your core temperature even further, which is why you’re likely to feel extra hot when you exercise during pregnancy.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 47) - Sensible snacking
Pregnancy slows down your digestive tract, which can lead to unpleasant burping, bloating, passing gas, and an uncomfortable feeling in the stomach. Symptoms can be worse after you eat a large meal.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 46) - Listen to Mommy
Your developing baby’s ears are structurally complete, and studies show that he can hear clearly now. Far from cushioning him against noise, the amniotic fluid that surrounds your baby has excellent sound-conducting properties. Your heartbeat and digestive system provide a constant background rhythm, but he’s also aware of other sounds.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 45) - How to wear a seat belt
It may feel cumbersome to wear a seat belt while you’re pregnant, but it is essential, and a legal requirement. The good news is it’s possible to buckle up comfortably.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 41)
If you have a toddler already, she will undoubtedly be curious about why you have suddenly got so fat! Keep things simple, along the lines of “Mommy is growing you a baby sister or brother, but she/he won’t be here just yet.” Over the coming weeks, explain in more detail what having a new baby means.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 39) - Up close and personal
There are ways to reduce the symptoms, such as circling and stretching exercises to improve circulation and increase wrist mobility. Your doctor will be able to demonstrate these exercises. Wearing wrist splints and elevating your hands on a pillow at night can also help.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 37) - Keep toned
Effective strength training during pregnancy, using free weights (see image) or a machine at your gym, will help your body deal with the demands of pregnancy. Being stronger will help you carry the increase in body weight and also help you recover after the baby is born.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 36) - Making sense of doctor’s lingo
If you’re eating a healthy, nutritious diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and lean protein, you shouldn’t gain too much weight.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 35)
Deciding on a name for your baby is fun but not necessarily an easy task. In addition to finding one that you and your partner agree on, it can feel as though everyone has an opinion. Friends may tell you that they have already chosen a name, that it is “theirs” so you can’t use it!
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 32)
You’re not alone in battling with your self-image in pregnancy. For some women, their changing body shape can create negative feelings. Eating a healthy diet and getting some exercise helps prevent excessive weight gain, and exercising will also lift your spirits and improve your sense of well-being.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 30) - Fibroids during pregnancy & Sitting correctly
Good posture can help to minimize pregnancy discomforts, including backaches (see Banish backaches page). When seated, make sure your lower back is supported by the back of the chair and keep your feet flat on the floor.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 29) - Feeling flexible
Stretching and flexibility exercises should be a regular part of your fitness program at all times, but especially during pregnancy. Being flexible enables your muscles to work more efficiently, alleviates tightness, helps prevent cramping, and leads to improved balance and posture.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 28) - Your 20-week Scan
This second-trimester ultrasound, typically done between 18–22 weeks, looks in detail at how your baby’s major organs and body systems have developed, as well as checking the placenta and the volume of the amniotic fluid.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 26)
Remember that unless you had an amniocentesis test or CVS test (see Amniocentesis), there’s no way of knowing your baby’s sex for certain. Sonographers can (and do) get it wrong, so don’t get too attached just yet to the name you’ve chosen.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 24)
Premature babies react to sounds with a “startle reflex,” so this provides strong evidence that babies in the uterus will hear and react to loud sounds, too, possibly with sudden movements.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 23)
Even if you work full time while you’re pregnant, this doesn’t have to have a negative effect on your relationship with your baby. As your baby grows, you will probably find that you start to develop a relationship with your “belly” as you anticipate your baby’s movements and perhaps talk to him.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 22)
Whether your baby develops into a boy or a girl depends on the presence or absence of a Y chromosome. Males are XY and the Y chromosome instructs the reproductive glands (gonads) to become testes.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 19)
According to ancient Egyptian, Greek, American, and Indian beliefs, the first movement marked the moment when the soul entered the fetus. Aboriginals regard the location where the first quickening is felt as highly significant for the baby.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 16) - Relieving stress
DVT stands for deep vein thrombosis, a condition in which a blood clot forms in a deep leg vein. DVT partially or completely blocks the blood flow in the vein, causing pain and discomfort.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 15) - Strengthening your legs & Enjoy a healthy vacation
A strong and toned lower body can be achieved by doing the exercises shown below. Strengthening these muscles will make day-to-day tasks, such as walking and climbing the stairs, a lot easier as your baby grows. Strengthening your leg muscles can also help prepare you for labor positions, such as squatting.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 12)
A temperature above 102° F (39° C) has been associated with spinal malformations in developing babies, and if a rise in temperature is maintained long enough, it may cause brain damage. The temperature of the amniotic fluid can also increase and it’s thought that an extreme rise in your temperature can cause problems with the flow of blood to the baby.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 11)
Some research has suggested that if an unborn baby shows a preference for sucking, for example, his right thumb, then he will prefer to lie with his head turned to the right after the birth. The same research suggested that this preference could be used to predict right- or left-handedness in the baby as he grows older.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 10)
The placenta now starts a second wave of growth that will take almost six weeks. The outer layer of cells in the placenta move into the coiled, or spiral, arteries in the uterus, destroying their muscular wall.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 9)
Recent research shows that living with a cat or dog in early childhood may reduce the risk of your child developing asthmatic symptoms. The study found that children residing with cats were more likely to have allergy-related antibodies to felines. Never leave your baby alone with a dog or cat.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 7)
Protein is required for the development of the baby and placenta, as well as to fuel changes taking place in your body . The protein requirement for pregnancy is 6 or 6.5 oz daily, instead of the usual 5 or 5.5 oz. Include a source in all three meals daily. Protein sources include meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 5)
Research has shown that women who exercise at a moderate to high intensity can cut their time in labor by up to three hours, and they tend to have less complicated deliveries than those who don’t exercise.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 2)
Vitamin C helps your body absorb more iron from your diet, so try drinking fresh orange juice with meals, and limit your intake of coffee and other caffeinated drinks: caffeine inhibits your body’s ability to absorb iron.
Welcome to your Second Trimester (part 1)
For most women, any discomforts of early pregnancy start to disappear this trimester. The high levels of pregnancy hormones, which are thought to contribute to sickness, are subsiding, and fatigue should begin to diminish.
Your 40-week Journey : The End of Pregnancy What to expect (part 1)
Preparation before labor and delivery is beneficial for most women and their partners, and breathing and relaxation techniques in particular help you to focus on your breathing, which in turn can help you to feel less tense and increase your confidence for dealing with the contractions.
Your 40-week Journey - Twins and Multiple Births We are having more than one (part 2) - How are twins conceived?
Depending on when the egg splits, they may also share a placenta. Identical twins, therefore, are the same sex and look almost completely alike since they share the same genetic makeup.
Your 40-week Journey - Twins and Multiple Births We are having more than one (part 1)
As having triplets is relatively rare—approximately 160 per 100,000 births—the majority of information and support for couples does relate to having twins. However, more and more research is being done to find out how to help and support parents having more than two children.
Your 40-week Journey : Testing, Testing Investigations in pregnancy (part 3) - Diagnostic tests Identifying fetal abnormalities
Amniocentesis is a diagnostic test used mainly to identify a chromosomal abnormality and it is the most commonly used test for identifying Down syndrome in a baby.
Your 40-week Journey : Testing, Testing Investigations in pregnancy (part 2) - Nuchal translucency and dating scans Ultrasound examinations
An ultrasound can be performed in the first trimester if menstrual dates are uncertain but in some locations it may be requested for all patients. Because the nuchal translucency scan has a small window of time in which it can be performed, 11–14 weeks in most centers, a dating ultrasound may be done prior to first trimester genetic screening.
Your 40-week Journey : Testing, Testing Investigations in pregnancy (part 1)
In pregnancy, your health-care provider listens to the baby's heartbeat with an instrument called a Doppler. Most providers use this device so the parents can hear the heartbeat too.
Your 40-week Journey : Sex in Pregnancy A fulfilling relationship
You and your partner may need to experiment more during pregnancy to find lovemaking positions that are comfortable for you and your rapidly growing belly. As pregnancy progresses, most women find that lying on their back in the missionary position becomes increasingly uncomfortable.
Your 40-week Journey : What's Happening to My Body? How your body changes (part 2)
Get moderate exercise, eat healthily, and consider talking about it with a registered dietitian. You need only 200–300 calories more per day, so “eating for two” is not a healthy option.
Your 40-week Journey : What's Happening to My Body? How your body changes (part 1)
I'm a model and I'm worried I'll get stretch marks. Is there anything I can do to avoid them?
Your 40-week Journey : What's Happening to My Baby? Fetal development (part 2)
You can ensure that your diet includes good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, as these are thought to play an important part in the development of the brain.
Your 40-week Journey : What's Happening to My Baby? Fetal development (part 1)
You can ensure that your diet includes good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, as these are thought to play an important part in the development of the brain.
Your 40-week Journey : What's a High-risk Pregnancy? Complications in pregnancy (part 2)
Placenta previa means a low-lying placenta, which occurs when the placenta is either partially covering (partial or minor), or completely covering (complete or major), the cervix.
Your 40-week Journey : What's a High-risk Pregnancy? Complications in pregnancy (part 1)
Cholestasis is a condition in which bile does not flow freely down the bile ducts in the liver, causing bile to leak into the bloodstream. This condition poses serious risks for both the mother and the baby, and so it is important that it is diagnosed with a blood test and managed as soon as possible.
Now You're Pregnant : What Do I Tell My Boss? Your rights and benefits (part 1)
Paternity leave is a relatively new concept in the US with other European countries far ahead in how much time a father can take off work after the birth of a baby.
Now You're Pregnant : Should I Go Swimming? Keeping active in pregnancy (part 1)
Kegel exercises involve squeezing your buttocks and pulling in your stomach muscles, then holding for 5 seconds and releasing. Repeat this 5–6 times several times a day. You could imagine your pelvic floor going up like an elevator, contracting your muscles a little more at each floor.
Now You're Pregnant : What to Eat…What Not to Eat Your diet in pregnancy (part 1)
Some experts have suggested that problems that occur later in life, such as obesity, diabetes, and other health problems, may be caused not only by what a person eats in their own lifetime, but also by what their mother ate while she was pregnant.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 35)
One of the best ways to curb your sweet tooth is to eat regular meals. This helps to steady your blood-sugar level and reduce sweet cravings. Try not to go longer than three hours without eating and, if you’re hungry, have a healthy snack between meals, such as a chicken sandwich, a low-fat yogurt, or fruit, which can be fresh, canned, or dried, such as raisins or apricots.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 34)
In addition to Down syndrome, screening tests also assess the risk of another chromosomal abnormality called trisomy 18. Babies with this condition have more severe mental and physical abnormalities than babies with Down syndrome and seldom survive beyond a year.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 33)
Not all women adapt well to pregnancy and for some dealing with the symptoms and worrying about issues such as weight gain, makes them feel out of control. The best way to cope with these feelings is to embrace the changes and remain in touch with your body by exercising and taking time to focus on what is happening inside you.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 31)
Herbal teas do not contain caffeine, but herbs and other dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and there’s not much research about the effects of many herbs on pregnancy.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 30)
The potential effects of taking antihistamines in pregnancy aren’t known, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and not take them. However, if your symptoms are very severe, see your doctor since there is one antihistamine available by prescription that can be taken during pregnancy.
Now You're Pregnant : Why is Pregnancy So Scary? A safe pregnancy (part 1)
Although you may be tempted just to cut down, quitting smoking is best. The fewer cigarettes you smoke, the better. The carbon monoxide, nicotine, and other substances that you inhale pass out of your lungs, into your bloodstream, and cross the placenta with any cigarette you smoke
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 29)
A milestone in your baby’s development—the placenta takes over from the yolk sac to provide your baby with nutrients. Just like your baby, the placenta has needed to grow and develop a circulation to support the ever-increasing demands that are being placed on it.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 27)
You are tested to see if you are a carrier of sickle-cell disease or thalassemia, genetic disorders that affect the oxygen-carrying ability of red blood cells. These are most common in people of African, Hispanic, or Mediterranean origins.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 25)
Your relationship will inevitably change—going through pregnancy together is momentous—but as long as you keep communicating, you will be able to support each other. Being united now will stand you in good stead for the first year of parenting.
Trying for a Baby : How will I Know I'm Pregnant? Confirming your pregnancy
The most obvious initial sign that you are pregnant is a missed period. Other common early pregnancy symptoms include feeling extremely tired and bloated, having increasingly tender breasts, experiencing an increased need to urinate, and finding that you have a greater or lesser sex drive, although all of these symptoms can occur premenstrually.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 24)
A simple solution to help relieve feelings of nausea is to wear acupressure wristbands. Available from pharmacists, these bands have been clinically tested in the treatment of pregnancy-induced nausea. Unlike anti-nausea drugs, they don’t have any side effects and are easy to use.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 23)
During pregnancy, your blood and other bodily fluids expand almost 50 percent, an expansion that requires extra water and salt. The majority of salt in the diet comes from processed foods, not from the salt shaker or the salt you add in cooking. To manage your intake, eat whole foods you cook yourself and add your own salt to taste.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 22)
Exercise can help keep breathlessness at bay, and increase the efficiency of your heart and lungs (cardiovascular system), helping you to deal with the physical demands of pregnancy now and in later months.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 20)
Over the 40 weeks of pregnancy, you are likely to gain very little weight in the first trimester and then experience a steady weight gain of around 11/2–2 lb a week. In the final few weeks of pregnancy, it’s normal to gain a few more pounds
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 19)
Insomnia is common in pregnancy, due to anxiety or difficulty in getting comfortable. Exercise is a destresser and will tire you out, increasing your chance of a good night’s sleep.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 17)
The exercises shown are sometimes called “functional movement enhancers” because they increase the strength of the muscles that you use for everyday functions such as walking, carrying, lifting, sitting, and standing. The workout can be used alongside walking, swimming, or other cardiovascular exercises and can be done around 2–3 times a week.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 16)
Wearing a supportive bra can help with both the feelings of heaviness and soreness in your breasts, which are common in pregnancy. If your breasts are very tender at night, try wearing your bra at night while you sleep which may help.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 15)
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is vital for the development of your unborn baby’s skeleton. A daily 15-minute walk outside—with the sun on your skin—is sufficient; you can also boost your intake of vitamin D by eating oily fish, eggs, fortified cereals, and bread, and by taking supplements .
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 14)
You may be more likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies, which could affect the baby’s health; you are also more likely to give birth prematurely, and have a smaller-than-usual baby, who is more vulnerable to health problems.
Trying for a Baby : I've had a Miscarriage Why did it happen to me?
Older women have an increased risk of having a miscarriage. It is thought that this is largely due to the fact that older women are more likely to have babies with chromosomal abnormalities, which may have problems developing and miscarry.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 11)
The March of Dimes advises pregnant women or those trying to become pregnant to drink no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day. Going without your caffeine fix is a good thing when you’re pregnant, since research shows that, in high doses, it can increase the risk of miscarriage.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 9)
To do a back stretch, get on all fours and lower your bottom toward your feet while stretching your arms out on the floor in front of you. Lower your forehead as far as you can, keeping your neck and back aligned, and stretch your arms as much as you can.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 8)
Egg collection will be scheduled (see image), following the first stage of IVF. Not all follicles that were stimulated will contain eggs. Two days after egg retrieval, you will be given progesterone to thicken the uterus lining. Two to five days after fertilization, the most promising embryos are chosen to be transferred.
Pregnancy Day by Day : Welcome to your First Trimester (part 6)
One theory is that the female orgasm is an evolutionary device designed to convey semen into the cervix as the uterus contracts. If the woman climaxes up to a minute before her partner, or she doesn’t orgasm, she will retain less semen than if she comes at the same time or after him.
Trying for a Baby : We Want to Be Parents Preparing for pregnancy (part 3) - All about conception The beginning of life
Conception occurs once an egg is successfully penetrated by one sperm. The journey of the egg and the sperm, although apparently simple, requires a whole complex chain of events to occur for fertilization and implantation to take place.
New Parents : Losing a Baby Coping with a devastating loss
Parents who lose one twin are likely to have many conflicting emotions as they are faced with the prospect of grieving for their lost baby, while welcoming the surviving twin into the world.
A Healthy Pregnancy : Lifestyle Hazards
Many of us use chemicals daily in and around the home. In addition to personal products, such as bath oils, deodorants, and hairsprays, we also keep dozens of other substances around the home, including cleaning fluids, detergents, bleach, and air fresheners.
A Healthy Pregnancy : Illnesses and Medication
Whether you have a preexisting medical condition, or acquire an illness or infection during pregnancy, always consult your doctor before taking medication or before stopping any prescribed medication.
A Healthy Pregnancy : Sex and Relationships
In a low-risk pregnancy, sex is perfectly safe, although your levels of desire may fluctuate throughout pregnancy. Most women report that their interest in sex is the same or slightly reduced in the first trimester. In the second trimester, it varies from woman to woman, and in the third trimester libido often falls.
A Healthy Pregnancy : Your Pregnancy Diet (part 1)
Eating regular nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day is vital during pregnancy to keep your energy levels up, and to provide your growing baby with all he needs to develop well.
New Parents : He Looks Like a Pixie Is my baby ok (part 4) - The first 12 hours, step by step What to expect after the birth
You may feel incredibly protective toward your baby and overwhelmed by the immense responsibility of taking care of him. All of these feelings are normal and part of the huge adjustment you make after having a baby. Here is what to expect in the first 12 hours.
New Parents : He Looks Like a Pixie Is my baby ok (part 1)
Many factors influence your baby's sleep pattern, such as the type of delivery you had; the gestation of your baby; his health at birth; and the method of feeding your baby, with bottle-fed babies tending to sleep for longer stretches.
Time Out for Us Nurturing relationships (part 1)
Having a baby and caring for her is a full-time job, which can mean that you probably don't have much time to spend on yourself. Many women struggle to find time to do their hair and even put on makeup in the first few weeks and months.
I Still Look Pregnant Your body after the birth (part 1)
The term “afterpains” refers to the discomfort felt after the birth as the uterus starts to contract back down to its normal, pre-pregnancy size. These pains are often described as feeling similar to menstrual cramps.
They Said I Need a Cesarean All about cesarean births (part 2) - Your partner's role How partners can help during a cesarean
Although you should remain mobile after a cesarean operation, it is also important that you get plenty of rest. A cesarean is major surgery so you will need to avoid lifting and carrying heavy loads for the first few weeks.
They Said I Need a Cesarean All about cesarean births (part 1)
Cesareans are classified as elective or emergency. An elective cesarean indicates that a pre-planned decision was made during pregnancy to deliver the baby by cesarean before the onset of labor.
I'm Past My Due Date Do I need to be induced? (part 2) - Fetal monitoring in labor & Types of induction When your baby is overdue
During labor in the hospital, you may spend some time on an external fetal monitor. This monitors your contractions and your baby's heartbeat to check whether your baby is showing any signs of distress in labor.
I'm Past My Due Date Do I need to be induced? (part 1)
In many pregnancies, there are no changes to your baby's activities after 40 weeks and their movement patterns will be the same, although your baby's head will probably move lower into your pelvis as it gets ready for labor, resulting in a lighter feeling under your ribs and a heavier feeling down in the pelvic area.
How Long will It Last? All about labor (part 4) - The three stages of labor How your labor progresses
Your labor is divided into three stages. The first stage begins when you have regular contractions that open your cervix; the second stage starts when your cervix is fully dilated and ends with the birth of your baby; and the third stage is the delivery of the placenta and membranes.
How Long will It Last? All about labor (part 3) - A natural breech birth & Positions for the second stage of labor
If you are having a natural vaginal delivery with a breech birth, this will be carefully handled by an obstetrician. A vaginal breech birth can be slower than a head-first, cephalic, delivery as the bottom doesn't push down as much. The obstetrician will guide the baby out.
How Long will It Last? All about labor (part 1)
This is hard to determine since every woman is different and every labor is different. Also, how long your labor lasts depends on when you start timing it since the start of labor can be a gradual build up that occurs over a fairly long period of time.
 
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