Healthy Food Tips During Pregnancy

 

When you find out that you are pregnant, one of the first things that comes to mind, after the euphoria has worn off, is what to do and what not to do to ensure that you give birth to a healthy baby. Suddenly good nutrition becomes incredibly important and right from the start of your pregnancy, you become more conscious about what you should eat and how it could affect the growth of your baby.

 

If you are planning to fall pregnant, you should start thinking about eating healthily before conception as the unborn fetus will benefit most from a healthy diet during the first three months of your pregnancy. A nutritious diet with a steady supply of essential vitamins and minerals, and a balanced amount of protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients, especially iron, is crucial to the development of your baby and will help form a healthy placenta.

 

There is so much information and a wealth of myths on what to eat and what not to eat during pregnancy, that moms-to-be can become quite confused. Added to this is the strangest food cravings that often accompany pregnancy. The following informative facts will help you separate the truth from myth and decide what is best for you and your baby.

 

- There is no need to eat for two.

 

A pregnant mom with average weight will need roughly 300 more calories per day, the equivalent of one banana for example.

 

If you are underweight at conception, speak to your doctor about a weight gaining program to ensure that you get enough nutrients to feed the placenta.

 

If you are overweight, to not go on a diet as you will risk depriving your baby of essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development. Change to a healthy diet and consult a nutritionist to help you cut out unhealthy food options.

 

You will gain weight during pregnancy as the baby grows and your doctor will monitor the growth of your baby throughout to ensure healthy development.

 

- For safety, the following foods need to be avoided during pregnancy:

 

• Undercooked or raw poultry and meat to avoid the risk of salmonella or toxoplasmosis.


• Lightly cooked or raw eggs in recipes such as chocolate mousse or homemade mayonnaise.


• Unpasteurized milk, goat or sheep milk, and all types of pt to avoid the risk of Listeria, a build-up of vitamin A in liver products that may cause harm to the fetus.


• Certain cheeses such as Camembert, Brie and blue-veined cheese such as Danish Blue or Stilton due to the risk of Listeria.


• Avoid peanuts, especially if there is a family history of allergies, including conditions such as hay fever, asthma or eczema.


• Avoid eating raw fish and include oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, fresh tuna, trout and sardines in the diet no more than twice a week to avoid a build-up of pollutants.

 

- Do not consume alcohol in any form during pregnancy to avoid fetal alcohol syndrome.

 

A Few Handy Tips

 

- To ease the discomfort of morning sickness eat smaller meals and include small amounts of carbohydrates.

 

- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Milk and herbal teas such as chamomile, cinnamon and ginger can be soothing. Ginger reduces the feeling of nausea.

 

- Have something to drink or eat before getting up in the morning.

 

- Get plenty of rest and light exercise in fresh air such as a gentle walk.

 

- Don’t drink any alcohol.

 

Include the following nutritious food in your diet on a daily basis:

 

Broccoli, bananas, avocado, well cooked eggs, green leafy vegetables, nuts and nut butters, lean poultry and meat, whole grain bread, dried lentils and beans, Greek yoghurt.

 

Listen to your body and satisfy your cravings within reason. A happy mom who eats a healthy diet will have a good pregnancy and a healthy baby.

 

 

Author : Aria Meyer is a fashion and parenting blogger. She writes for several parenting blogs. She is currently living in West Covina and working closely with Mydeebaby to help them grow the fashion and apparel department.

Categories: diet, Food, Healthy, pregnancy, Pregnant

Pregnancy And Obesity: What Are The Risks?

Obesity is a condition which vastly affects your health in a number of ways, but when you’re pregnant it can be extremely damaging to both you and your baby’s health. There are a number of possible complications and risks attached to obesity during this important stage in your life, but there are ways you can avoid these issues and promote a healthy pregnancy. Your BMI, or Body Mass Index, is usually used to determine whether or not a person is obese. If your BMI is less than 18.5, you are underweight (this is also damaging to your health and has its own set of issues attached to it). 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal; 25 to 29.9 is overweight, and anything higher than 30 is obese. A BMI of over 40 is considered extremely obese and this can have a negative impact on a woman’s success in In Vitro Fertilisation or IVF as well. So what are the risks? Firstly, gestational diabetes is a major risk for obese women during pregnancy and can affect the health of your baby as well. Preeclampsia is a condition which causes high blood pressure and protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Likewise, thrombosis and obstructive sleep apnoea can also affect you. There may be problems in labour; obesity can also interfere with the ability to use certain types of medication such as an epidural block. On an even more serious note, obesity can increase the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

 

Obesity during pregnancy can lead to a number of health problems for your baby as well as you. Macrosomia, which means your child is slightly larger than average, is a risk to women who are obese, and can lead to the risk of childhood obesity. Chronic conditions such as diabetes in your child or as an adult can be a risk, as well as birth defects such as heart problems or neural tube defects. You should work with your healthcare provider to ensure you maintain a healthy weight during your pregnancy. As a general rule, if you’re obese, the recommended weight gain is 11 to 20 pounds for a single pregnancy, or 25 to 42 pounds for a multiple pregnancy. There are things you can do to improve your health and weight during your pregnancy – speak to your healthcare provider as well though, to ensure you’re on the right track. You should schedule a preconception appointment if you’re obese and considering getting pregnant – there are prenatal vitamins you should take and diet changes that can be beneficial to you. You should also seek regular prenatal care to monitor both your and your baby’s health during the pregnancy. This can help you avoid issues such as sleep apnoea, high blood pressure and diabetes. A healthy diet is important at any weight during pregnancy, so as to avoid any excessive weight gain and to ensure that you’re getting the right level of vitamins and nutrients. You should endeavour to be physically active during your pregnancy – your GP can help to suggest ways to achieve this without putting your body under too much strain. And, natural, as with any pregnancy, you should avoid harmful substances such as alcohol or smoking while you’re pregnant. While these are damaging to any unborn baby, they increase some of the risks attached to obesity and could damage your baby’s development. If you’re concerned about your weight, you should speak to your GP who can advise you of the various ways to stay healthy for you and your baby.

Categories: blood pressure, healthcare provider, high blood, Obese, obesity, pregnancy, Pregnant, Risks, risks attached, Sleep apnoea, weight gain

Warning: FDA Warns Against Using HCG For Weight Loss

Each year there is a new advance in the world of weight and fitness, a miracle drug that comes to light claiming to be the answer to every dieter’s dreams. Mostly these drugs turn out to be fairly useless, and sometimes they can even have the reverse effect and be damaging for your wellness and wellbeing.

 

Last year, the big thing has been for a certain homeopathic remedy which contains something called HCG. This stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, and is a hormone that is produced by pregnant women (usually found in the placenta). It has been used in the past to trigger ovulation in women who are undergoing treatment for fertility problems.

 

HCG can also allow the body to access the fat stores in the body and provide nutrients for when a woman is pregnant with a baby. This function can then be exploited to help people to lose weight. People usually take the HCG supplement plus a 500 calorie per day diet, and the theory is that this could help them shed one or two pounds every day.

 

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is certainly the case with HCG. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration, alongside the Federal Trade Commission, have actually issued a large number of warning letters to the companies who are selling over-the counter products containing HCG and labelled as a homeopathic weight loss remedy. This is because HCG has not been approved to be used for weight loss, and the claims that the products are making does not have any evidence to back it up. In addition to this, the hormone may have health risks associated with it, due to the lack of testing and evidence, and there are also serious health effects associated with very low calorie diets.

Categories: fda, hCG, homeopathic, loss, nbsp, Pregnant, weight, Weight Loss

Every Embarrassing Myth You’ve Ever Believed About Periods

Where did you learn what you know about sexual wellness? Was it from a well-informed, reputable source? Of course not. As girls, we often pick up everything we know about sex from whispers in corridors and, frankly, our wellbeing can suffer as a result. Therefore, we spoke to wellness writer and U by Kotex* Community Leader Jordan Miller, and got her to address a few sexual health myths that are in severe need of debunking!

 

1. Will swimming in the sea whilst on your period get you eaten by sharks? ‘I will totally admit that I’m scared to death of sharks,’ says Miller. ‘But that has nothing to do with my period and a lot more to do with the movie Jaws. There has never been a documented case of a shark attacking a swimmer because she was menstruating. So, go ahead, dive in and have fun.’

 

2. Are you not allowed to wash your hair during your period? Miller notes, ‘Thank goodness this is a myth, since I can’t imagine giving up my daily shower, especially during my period. There’s no reason for you to change any of your regular grooming and hygiene habits just because you’re having your period. In fact, a warm bath or shower will help you stay clean, and some girls say it helps with their cramps, too.’

 

3. Is bed rest a must during your period? According to Miller, ‘You should get plenty of sleep during your period, but you should always get plenty of exercise, too. You’ll feel better if you get up and get out there (especially since exercise has been shown to alleviate cramps and brighten your mood)!’

 

4. Does hot water increase your period flow? ‘The good news and the bad news: pretty much the only thing that will change your flow is your own body,’ Miller explains. ‘So you can’t make it lighter (sorry!), and you can’t make it heavier. And a nice warm bath or shower, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel can help with cramps.’

 

5. Is it impossible to get pregnant during your period? The commonly cited advice that you can’t get pregnant during your period ‘isn’t true, despite what a lot of people believe,’ Miller comments. ‘Tell your friends. Tell every female you know who’s sexually active or plans to be any time soon. You CAN get pregnant during your period. Once inside you, sperm can live for three to five days. Ovulation can occur during, or soon after, the bleeding phase. If you don’t want to get pregnant, either don’t have sex, or use birth control every single time you do.’

 

6. Are irregular periods bad for your reproductive health? Miller advises, ‘First, talk to your health care provider if you’ve missed your period. It can take anywhere from six months to a year to become regular after the first time you get it. And, for some girls, it never becomes completely regular. There are lots of things, including stress, illness and intense exercise, that can mess with your cycle. That’s why you should consult a heath professional first.’

 

7. Is there an age you have to be before you should use tampons? ‘If you’re old enough to have your period, you’re old enough to use a tampon.’ Miller asserts. ‘Just read the instructions and warnings and be sure to use it correctly. It helps to ask your mom or another trusted adult for guidance. Tampons shouldn’t cause pain or discomfort.’

 

8. Are all menstrual cycles are 28 days? Miller points out the 28-day cycle is ‘only an average. Days in the menstrual cycle vary from woman to woman. Your body will tell you what your cycle is, not other people.’

Categories: cycle, Hot Water, miller, Myths, nbsp, period, Periods, Pregnant, tampons, warm bath

Warning: Exposure to BPA Could Potentially Cause Miscarriage

The chemical BPA could have a serious effect on the wellness and wellbeing of pregnant women, as well as on the environment, the latest research has shown. Carried out in the last year, the research suggests that high levels of BPA could increase the risks of having a miscarriage. It may also contribute to women struggling to fall pregnant in the first place.

 

BPA is found in many different plastics and in the linings of certain canned foods. The research is not enough to categorically prove that there is a link between BPA and miscarriage/fertility issues but it is enough to prove the possibility that BPA could affect fertility and health in this way, and so further studies will now need to be carried out in order to draw attention to the effect that this environmental chemical could have on the health of pregnant women or those trying to become pregnant.

 

BPA stands for bisphenol-A and, along with other environmental chemicals, can have hormone-like effects on the human body. Tests show that BPA shows up in the urine of nearly everyone in the world, even though this chemical has now been removed from many reusable drink containers and baby bottles in recent years. The Food and Drink Administration also now say that BPA is safe to be used in other types of food container.

 

It is also very important to bear in mind that most fertility issues are not in fact in any way related to BPA, but due to numerous other health conditions, and that most miscarriages occur due to problems with chromosomes or the eggs.

 

The study is, therefore, not cause for any undue alarm but does indicate that a lot more research is needed to be carried out on the chemical BPA. Results so far show that women should avoid warming up food in plastic or cooking with plastic, as it is when in contact with heat that the chemical can leak out into foods, and then end up in the human system.

Categories: BPA, chemical, chemical bpa, Fertility, fertility issues, miscarriage, nbsp, nbsp bpa, Pregnant, Pregnant Women, Research, Women

Sex and Pregnancy: What Do You Need to Know?

If you’re trying to conceive, or you’re already pregnant, you’re probably taking steps to look after your wellbeing. However, one thing you may not have considered is that you need to take care of your sexual health. Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can go undetected for years, which means your wellness may be affected without you realising, and this can affect your baby. Some STIs, such as gonorrhoea, can cause infertility while others, like syphilis, can be passed onto your baby during pregnancy. Therefore, it’s a very wise idea to get tested and treated for STIs before you become pregnant, and even if you’re pregnant already.

 

When you’re trying to get pregnant, you obviously stop using contraception. So, if you or your partner has an STI without realising, you or he might pass it on, which can affect your fertility or your future baby’s wellbeing. This is why it’s absolutely essential to get tested for STIs if you’re thinking of starting a family with someone. If you have contracted HIV or syphilis, you can pass these infections onto your baby, either in the womb or at birth. However, if your doctor knows that you have an STI, he or she can take steps to help protect your unborn child. You may still be able to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child.

 

If you have an infection that cannot be completely cured, such as HIV or herpes, your doctor can still lessen your chances of passing on the virus to the baby – as long as you get tested! This doesn’t just mean that you need to prevent passing on the virus during pregnancy or when giving birth – although that is vitally important – but you may also need to take extra care to make sure you don’t pass any STIs to the child after birth. You should speak to your doctor or midwife you about any precautions you might need to take. Moreover, you can still catch an STI during pregnancy, which can cause problems for both you and your child. You might pass on this infection during pregnancy, labour, or during childhood, so tell your midwife or doctor immediately if you are pregnant and suspect you may have caught an STI.

 

However, if you and your partner are both STI-free, you can enjoy sex together even when you’re pregnant. Some couples can be worried about having sex during pregnancy, but some women find that pregnancy increases their sex drive for a time and both men and women often find pregnancy quite sexy. After all, this is the last chance you’re going to have to be alone and intimate together before a little interruption comes along, so you’d better grab it before you’re stuck changing nappies and too-tired for foreplay. The baby is well-protected in the womb, and won’t have any idea as to what’s going on. It’s good to have a chat to your partner about your turn-ons and turn-offs, as these can change as your hormones change during pregnancy.

 

Plus, when the baby is ready to be born, having sex can help get labour started (as anyone who’s seen Friends can attest). There are substances called prostaglandins in semen which help to soften your cervix, while nipple stimulation causes your body to release hormones that encourage your womb to contract. However, if you’ve had a miscarriage or early labour in the past, you may need to speak to your midwife or doctor about when it might be safest to avoid sex. Also, when having sex, you should still use a condom or practice safe sex alternatives unless you’re both 100% sure you’re free of STIs.

Categories: Baby, conception, doctor, pregnancy, Pregnant, STIs

What Foods Should You Avoid When You Are Pregnant?

When you are pregnant, one of your biggest health concerns may be to do with what foods you can eat and how they may affect your unborn baby. When you are pregnant, your wellness and the wellbeing of your unborn baby can be adversely affected by certain types of food.

 

Food cravings are a classic ‘side effect’ of pregnancy, and these are very normal and healthy, and can be given in to (whether they are peanut butter and pickles for breakfast or chocolate and cornflakes in the middle of the night). Some cravings can even be useful as they can indicate a nutrient or vitamin that is lacking in the pregnant woman, such as that she needs more protein (when she’s craving MacDonald’s) or that she needs more calcium (when she’s downing chocolate milk by the litre).

 

The other side of food and pregnancy, however, relates to foods that contain dangerous bacteria or chemicals which can interfere with the development of your baby or pose a serious risk to your health or even the survival of the baby.

 

No matter what, you must afford some fish, such as swordfish, mackerel, shark, tile-fish and albacore tuna, as these fishes have high levels of mercury. This can cause serious damage to the developing eyes of the foetus.

 

Any kind of meat or fish that has been undercooked is also off limits for a while (and this includes sushi) as these can be contaminated with bacteria that carry diseases, such as salmonella. Healthy adults would simply suffer from food poisoning, but a pregnant woman who got food poisoning like this could end up miscarrying or delivering prematurely. Make sure you store all meat safely and then cook it thoroughly to ensure that it is piping hot in the middle, as this will kill off any bacteria lurking in the meat.

Categories: avoid, Baby, Food, Food Poisoning, foods, meat, nbsp, pregnancy, Pregnant, pregnant woman, unborn baby

Fact or Fiction? The Most Common Pregnancy Myths

When it comes to pregnancy, there are so many myths and old wives tales that it can be hard to sort the fact from the fiction. People will claim that the gender of the baby is related to the phase of the moon at the time of conception, or the sexual position that you used to fall pregnant. Others will say that you cannot fall pregnant at all unless you have an orgasm.

 

Your number one priority should be your wellness and wellbeing, and so if you are trying to become pregnant you should seek advice first and foremost from your healthcare professional, and ignore the well-meaning and often strange advice of family and friends.

 

One common myth is that you need to stop the pill for at least six months before you will be able to conceive. In truth, as soon as you stop taking the pill, you can potentially get pregnant. Even missing a pill or two is enough to mean that you fall pregnant in some cases! At the same time, hormone-based birth control can have an effect on the cervical mucus, and it may take some time for this to reverse in order for you to become pregnant.

 

Others believe that if you have sex with the woman on top, you will not fall pregnant. This one is entirely untrue. It is possible to fall pregnant from any (vaginal!) sexual position, as ejaculation causes the sperm to be placed high up inside the vagina, and the sperm then swim. Due to the natural forces of gravity, it may make pregnancy slightly less likely, but it is most definitely not impossible.

 

One myth that is true is that if men were tight pants, it may be harder for them to father a child. This is because sperm does not like to become too hot. Tight pants restrict the testicles from moving around and this can lower the sperm count. Loose fitting cotton shorts are best for men who are trying to conceive a baby.

Categories: fall, fall pregnant, Fertility, Myths, nbsp, pregnancy, Pregnant, sexual position, sperm, tight pants, time

Eight Things That Might Surprise You About Being Pregnant

After you find out that you are pregnant, every myth you’ve ever heard suddenly does not match with reality. Pain in unusual places and uncomfortable sleeping positions make you wonder about all the things that you don’t know about pregnancy. Here are a few things you can expect when you are pregnant:

 

Digestive Issues

With a growing child pressing against your internal organs, your bowel movements become limited or turn into constipation problems. Excessive gas is also a problem. Eat many fruits and vegetables to keep your digestive system relatively regular during pregnancy.

 

Sciatica

Pain from sciatica is often the least expected thing to expect from pregnancy. Sciatica during pregnancy is very common, and usually occurs on one side of the body, but you could feel pain on both sides. As the largest nerve in your lower extremities, the sciatic responds to the baby’s growing weight with sharp pains down the legs as it is pinched during fetal movement. There is no true cure for sciatica unless the baby shifts its weight away from the nerve. You can, however, ease the symptoms by moving and walking. Your instinct might be to lay down and rest, but too much rest can actually make the pain worse.

 

Urination Problems

Your baby presses against your bladder during pregnancy that could cause leaks or accidents periodically. You may have incontinence problems after pregnancy as well. The bladder becomes weak during pregnancy and it becomes more difficult to hold your bladder. Make sure you continue to drink lots of water during the day. Lessening your water intake before bed will allow you to sleep through the night without having to empty your bladder every hour when you are trying to sleep.

 

Sleep Eludes You

You may be able to sleep in the first trimester, but a growing baby forces you to sleep on your side. For some mothers, side sleeping is cause for insomnia. As the baby develops, kicking and continual activity during the night may keep you awake as well. Except to be up in the night more often than you were before.

 

Morning Sickness

Some mothers vomit while others remain nauseous throughout the first trimester. These symptoms are not limited to the morning, as one might expect. There are some women who do not experience any nausea at all. Nausea can haunt you all day for several weeks. Be prepared to eat small meals to keep your stomach calm. Make sure to keep yourself hydrated if you are vomiting.

 

Cleaning Fury

Near the end of the pregnancy, you may go through a nesting period. With the need to clean, you’ll want to get everything in order before the birth begins. This is different for every woman, but often times, many will want to keep busy and get everything in order before the baby comes.

 

Loose Ligaments

Your body releases the hormone relaxin during pregnancy to ready the pelvis for birth. Be careful as you walk or exercise during pregnancy. Loose ligaments make you unstable and prone to accidents. If you choose to exercise, make sure you know your limits and take it easy to avoid any injury.

 

Hair Growth

With all the hormones coursing through your body, growing hair in unusual areas is common. Hair developing on your back, breasts and face can happen. Do not be alarmed, hair growth should subside after birth.

 

Pregnancy is a stressful period for your body, but a rewarding child is the prize. Take care of your body and be accepting of the different changes as you enjoy your developing baby. Don’t be alarmed or stress over these common symptoms that happen during pregnancy.

Categories: Baby, body, hair growth, loose ligaments, morning sickness, nbsp, pregnancy, Pregnant, Sciatica, sleep

What Vitamins and Supplements Should You Take in Pregnancy?

When you are pregnant, you will do anything to keep yourself and your baby health, be that through attending your mainstream appointments and scans or by looking into what complementary methods there are for improving your wellness.

 

One of the best things that you can do for the wellbeing of your unborn baby is to eat a healthy and varied diet, packed full of vitamins and minerals. These will help your baby to grow and develop as normal, and will help to give you enough energy as you carry out the difficult task of growing (and carrying around!) a little human. Fortifying your body will also help to prepare you for labour, and for the tiring months ahead when you have a newborn on your hands.

 

The best way of getting these all-important minerals and vitamins is by eating the aforementioned healthy diet, but it is also important to realise that even if your diet is perfect, there are some that you do not get enough of through diet alone.

 

Folic acid is particularly important – this is vital for protecting your baby as it grows, and you should aim to take around 400 micrograms of folic acid every day from before you are pregnant until around the 13^th week of pregnancy (although some like to continue with it longer, and there is no harm in this). This protects against neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

 

Vitamin D is also now recommended for those who are pregnant, and you need around 10 micrograms of this per day.

 

One to avoid is vitamin A (or anything containing vitamin A) as this can damage your baby’s eyes when they are still developing.

Categories: Baby, diet, folic acid, nbsp, pregnancy, Pregnant, Supplements, vitamins

Is Sex During Pregnancy OK?

You might think that once you get pregnant, your sex drive might decrease heavily and your interest in having sex would reduce very quickly. After all there will be massive changes going through your body and it may feel normal to you that sex would be a bad idea, especially as time goes on. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. For many, getting pregnant can actually spark up the sex drive and make you interested in having sex – perhaps even more regularly than you were having it before you got pregnant. So we’ve decided to look at what’s OK during pregnancy and if anything should be avoided.

 

The first thing to say is that as long as your pregnancy is progressing normally, you are free to have sex as often as you like. For many women, however, sex during pregnancy is the last thing on their mind. During the early stages of the pregnancy it’s likely that your sex drive will be seriously reduced by nausea, fatigue and on-going changes in the hormones – and these will make your struggle to want to have sex. Later on, while you may well be over these issues, your desire to have sex may well be sapped by weight gain and back pain; you can’t win.

 

Indeed, it is often the emotional issues revolving around pregnancy that can stop you wanting to have sex, even if the physical hindrances are a problem as well. It can be worries about how the pregnancy might change your relationship, change your life or change you that take the heaviest toll. It’s also true that fears about damaging the baby or causing problems with childbirth that you could make you think that having sex might be a bad idea. But what really is true about sex during pregnancy? What will it do to you and your baby?

 

One of the major worries can be the sex during pregnancy will cause a miscarriage. Generally however, there is no chance that sex during pregnancy could cause a miscarriage. The vast major of miscarriages are caused by problems with the baby’s chromosomes rather than anything you could do or not do. So therefore this should not be a worry for you when you consider having sex during pregnancy. But there are other problems that you might think about too, such as the possibility that even if it doesn’t cause a miscarriage, it might damage the baby.

 

If you do worry that sex while pregnant could cause issues with the baby then there is good news for you. The baby is very well protected by the powerful muscles of the uterus as well as the amniotic fluid inside the uterus. There is no chance that sex can cause damage to the baby while it is in the uterus. That includes pretty much all sexual positions – it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to find a position that will put any risk around the baby’s safety.

 

Oral sex is safe during pregnancy, although you must be careful that your partner does not blow air into your vagina, as in very rare cases this can cause problems and complications. Anal sex is not recommended as this can be particularly uncomfortable during pregnancy and also carries the risk of spreading bacteria to the vagina. This can of course cause unforeseen problems that could be very problematic for both your health and the health of the baby, so perhaps this is the one thing that should not be done during pregnancy as it carries with it far too much risk.

Categories: Baby, baby nbsp, miscarriage, nbsp, pregnancy, Pregnant, problems, Sex, Sex Drive

Trouble Getting Pregnant? Why Not Try a Fertility Monitor?

Infertility is a major health concern, but just because you have trouble getting pregnant, it doesn’t mean that infertility has affected your wellness. The chances are that you are getting your timing wrong, and need something that tells you when you can conceive. This is where Valley Electronics’ Baby-Comp® comes in, as the small computerised monitor can identify the days of the month in which you are more likely to conceive.

 

You are at your most fertile about halfway through your menstrual cycle, as this is when your ovaries release an egg to travel to the uterus, ready to be fertilised by a sperm. This normally gives you a six-day window in which you can get pregnant – the five days before ovulation and the day you ovulate. So, your fertility monitor can predict, with extreme precision, when you have the highest chance of getting pregnant by measuring your oral temperature and then using a built-in intelligent algorithm to compare this information with that from about 700,000 cycles of other women – with over 99% accuracy!

 

According to Luke Manczak, managing director of the only authorised distributor of Baby-Comp® and Lady-Comp® in the UK and Ireland, ‘Our fertility monitors are very popular in the US and Europe, especially in Germany where they were developed by a team of gynaecologists, software specialists and electronic experts. The electronic brain, containing knowledge about fertility, is manufactured by leading suppliers in Germany where the device is also assembled.’

 

‘The project was also supported by the Innovation Fund and the Federal Ministry for Research and Technology,’ Manczak continued. ‘This is because research shows that fertility monitors are effective at helping women get pregnant in a natural way, and at minimising the need for complex, invasive, expensive medical procedures such as hormonal therapy, artificial insemination including in vitro, which result in many discarded human embryos (from many fertilised eggs only one is implanted). A recent survey found that 75% of women who couldn’t have children were able to conceive with the help of Baby-Comp®.’

 

Manczak added, ‘Fertility monitors also work perfectly well for natural family planning; allowing women to avoid invasive coils or pills, which studies have shown carry risk of abortion for all women taking the pills or using coils, by their anti-nidation mechanism, which doesn’t allow to attach the newly conceived embryo to the mother’s uterine lining. Unfortunately, many women are not given information by their doctors about anti-implantation mechanism and the risks they are exposed to, and the fact that these can be eliminated with a natural family planning approach such as the ovulation method.’

Categories: Baby-Comp®, comp, conception, Fertility, fertility monitor, fertility monitors, natural family, nbsp, Pregnant, Women

Pregnant and Carrying an STD: What Are the Main Risks?

Having an STD when you are pregnant is a serious health concern. Your wellness and wellbeing become of supreme importance when you are supporting another life.

 

A sexually transmitted disease – also known as an STD – can affect the wellness of pregnant women and her unborn baby. Pregnant women are not immune to STDs and should receive immediate medical attention if they think they may have contracted or be carrying one.

 

If you are pregnant, you will possibly find that you are automatically screened for STDs by your doctor at one of your first visits. This is to find out whether or not you are carrying one, so that proper medical care can be taken of you and your unborn baby. Throughout your pregnancy, you may have further tests to find out how any treatment is working and to keep an ongoing check on your wellness.

 

STDs include things like genital warts, HIV/AIDS, syphilis, herpes, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HPV and can cause symptoms such as painful urination and intercourse, weight loss, bumps, sores, warts, severe itching, rash, jaundice, aches, fevers, chills, and discharge from the genital area.

 

STDs can sometimes be passed to the baby either during birth when the baby moves through the birth canal or during pregnancy by contracting it through the placenta.

 

Some STDs are more treatable than others and some STDs are more dangerous than others, so it’s really worthwhile finding out if you have one and what you have, if you even vaguely suspect that something is amiss.

 

Ideally, the best thing to do is to get screened for STDs before pregnancy if you have any inclination that you may have an STD. If you have taken any sexual risks in your life, then the best thing to do would be to get checked out before attempting to conceive.

Categories: Baby, nbsp, nbsp stds, pregnancy, Pregnant, Pregnant Women, Sex, STDs, unborn baby

Bouncing Babies:How to Exercise Safely when You’re Pregnant

Fitness is a vital aspect of pregnancy, as exercise prepares your our body for the intensity of labour, helps you to cope with the physically demanding challenges of motherhood, and aids you in your attempt to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. However, before you get going on your pregnancy fitness programme, there are safety measures to consider for the sake of your wellness, as well as the wellbeing of your baby. You should always speak to your doctor before starting any exercise routine, but this becomes even more important when you’re exercising for two! Once you’ve done this, make sure you observe the following safety rules:

 

1. Don’t overheat: Your baby’s body isn’t as well equipped as yours to dissipate heat, so avoid prolonged exercise and ensure that you drink plenty of water. On hot, humid days, use fans or avoid working out altogether. Remember to wear light, loose, cotton clothing when exercising and skip the post-workout sauna or steam bath.

 

2. Don’t overdo it: High-intensity exercise can cause problems for your baby, so you need to keep your heart rate stays in a range of approximately 140bpm. This may mean you need to change to a lighter pace in your programme, and manage your expectations of how much you can do. It’s a good idea to regularly measure your heart rate and lengthen your cool-down period after aerobic workouts.

 

3. Know your timings:  After 28 weeks of your pregnancy, you should avoid frequent and prolonged exercise.

 

4. Keep upright: Doing exercise while lying on your back is a no-no from the beginning of your second trimester.

 

5. Avoid muscle overload: You shouldn’t use hand weights over 0.5kg, especially during an aerobic workout.

 

6. Prepare (down there): You can keep those birthing muscles strong and ready for action by performing exercises to enhance your pelvic floor. These are known as kegel exercises and, as an added bonus, are also beneficial to your sex life as they enhance your orgasm intensity. First, locate the pubococcygeus (PC) muscle by trying to start and stop the flow of your urine next time you’re on the loo. Locate the muscle that stops the flow, and then, try to tighten and hold this muscle for a slow count of three. You can also try quick kegels by tightening and relaxing the muscle as rapidly as you can.

 

7. Give yourself plenty of support: A decent bra can be expensive, especially sports one, but a good, supportive bra is essential when you’re pregnant, as your breasts are going through big changes, and will need more support as they grow.

 

8. Take it slow: Rapid changes in direction aren’t a good idea when you’re pregnant, so you should exercise extreme caution when you are doing Step exercise classes.

 

9. Stretch safely: Stretching is very important before and after you exercise, as you could otherwise really injure yourself. However, there’s a new little person growing inside of you, so you need to stretch gently to avoid doing any damage.

 

10. Eat right: Proper nutrition is important when you’re pregnant in any case, but it becomes absolutely vital with regard to exercise. About two hours before your workout, have a light snack. You should also have a small carton of fruit juice with you when you’re exercising.

 

11. Know when to quit: You should stop immediately if at any time during your exercise session you feel very hot, faint, dizzy or short of breath, or if you experience vaginal bleeding, palpitations, blurred vision, or severe or continuous headaches. If exercising brings on lower abdominal pain, tightness or cramping, back pain or pubic pain, you should consult your obstetrician as soon as possible.

Categories: avoid, exercise, Heart Rate, Muscle, nbsp, pregnancy, Pregnant, prolonged exercise, Safety, Workouts

Pregnant Women’s Urine or Rat’s Urine? Your hCG Choice

With the recent surge in popularity for the hCG diet, you may think it’s a fairly innovative and modern new take on weight loss wellness. However, this diet was in fact invented in the 1950s by a British endocrinologist, Albert T.W. Simeons. So, did they get it right 60 years ago? Or have we simply run out of fad diets to offer the misguided public, and so have started dusting off the old wisdom?

Your body produces Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) during the first trimester of pregnancy. In fact, hCG is the fateful hormone that your standard pee-stick pregnancy test is looking for. According to the brilliance of Simeons all those years ago, if you weren’t pregnant, but you injected yourself with hCG, your brain would be fooled into thinking you had a bun in the oven. This would then make your brain give the command to your body to start burning up all your fat to protect a nonexistent developing foetus. Plus, on this diet you eat something on the order of 500 calories a day – but this is totally incidental, of course. Any weight loss you experience will really be down to the brain-rewiring power of the pregnancy hormones you’re getting, right? No; it’s the 500 calorie thing.

There are several reasons why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) isn’t too keen on the hCG diet. Firstly, depending on factors like age, build and activity level, the FDA recommends that your diet consist of 2,000 calories per day, give or take a few. However, they really don’t love the idea of women using hCG, which is approved as a fertility treatment, for weight loss, because of the involvement of urine. Yep, you read that correctly! The hCG diet practitioners extract the wellbeing-boosting hormone from the urine of pregnant women.

While hCG diet websites are all very careful to explain that this pee is really thoroughly cleaned before they give it to you, this only means that, instead of injecting yourself with the pee of knocked-up women, you’re just injecting yourself with PART OF the pee of knocked-up women. However, there’s always synthetic hCG, which doesn’t use the wee of pregnant women. It does, on the other hand, use the urine of pregnant rats. Which would you prefer?

Categories: diet, hCG Diet, loss, pregnancy, Pregnant, Pregnant Women, Urine, Weight Loss, Women

What Every Pregnant Women Needs To Know About Supplements

In order to give yourself the best chance of maintaining your wellness and wellbeing, and that of your unborn child, throughout pregnancy, there are certain vitamins, minerals and supplements that you should take.

 

Eating a varied diet is the best way to achieve this, but there are also some supplements that you are unable to get from food that you must take extra doses off to ensure you stay healthy.

 

Health professionals now recommend that you take at least 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day for the duration of your pregnancy, and longer if you breastfeed. They also recommend that you should take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, and should start this before you become pregnant and continue until you are around 12 weeks pregnant, or even longer if you prefer.

 

On the other hand, you should avoid vitamin A or anything that contains vitamin A as too much of this can do damage to your baby. .

 

Supplements of vitamin D and folic acid can be obtained from most pharmacies and supermarkets and your GP may be able to prescribe them in some circumstances. If you decide to take a multivitamin to cover all bases, make sure that it is a pregnancy-specific one, as many standard multivitamin pills contain too much vitamin A and not enough folic acid.

 

Folic acid is particularly important as it can help guard against certain types of birth defects known as ‘neural tube defects’ which cause problems such as spina bifida. Taking this supplement can help to guard against these even before birth, and you should also aim to eat lots of foods that contain folate, such as brown rice, some breakfast cereals, bread and vegetables. If you have not been taking folic acid but are already pregnant, you should start as soon as possible.

Categories: acid, folic, folic acid, nbsp, Pregnant, Supplements, vitamin, vitamins

Are You a Believer of These Sex Health Myths?

The internet is a great source of information for whatever you need to know about, but it can also be a risky place when it comes to your health. There are so many conflicting opinions online, as well as plenty of myths that can seem plausible if you’re not sure of the basic facts. A recent study carried out by Stanford University found that online information on adolescent reproductive health is riddled with errors and misinformation, which could mean that many of us are believing the wrong information and risking our health in the process. Here are some of the most common myths around sexual health and safe sex practices.

 

The first myth which many people buy into is that you can catch an STD from toilet seats, but this is a complete lie – most infections and diseases can’t survive outside of the body for very long, particularly on a cold and hard surface. This doesn’t even touch on the fact that urine is usually sterile, so you won’t find any STDs being transmitted through it. The main risks when it comes to the spread of STDs are mistakenly innocent activities such as skin-to-skin or mouth-to-mouth contact, which is a possible risk for those carrying STDs. Kissing can lead to herpes, or even oral gonorrhoea, and skin rubbing can spread pubic lice or scabies.

 

Another one which teens often fall for is the myth that you can’t get pregnant the first time you have sex. It may seem unlikely, but it’s a risk that’s not worth it – it’s been proven that around 20 percent of people get pregnant within the first month of having sex, and you’re just as likely to get pregnant on the first time as any other in your life. Going sans-contraception also puts you at risk of catching STDs. The same can be said of having sex while a woman is on her period – it’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant, but it can still happen. Sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to 72 hours, so if you have sex too close to the end of your cycle you could still get pregnant.

 

The morning after pill is sometimes thought of as an abortion, but this is not true. If you take the morning after pill when you are already pregnant, in other words when the egg has been fertilised, then it won’t make any difference. There is a difference in the drugs used for post-coital contraception and abortions, which is not always made clear by websites and could lead to a risky misunderstanding. Often, women avoid contraceptive pills as they believe that they will make them gain weight. The truth is that there has been little to no evidence of this, even though people still claim it is true. If you do happen to gain weight whilst on contraception, there is no proof that the pill is to blame. Many teenagers also believe that they are unable to use the IUD as it isn’t safe for adolescents – outdated information used to claim that women under the age of 18 weren’t able to have the IUD fitted as it wasn’t safe, but this is no longer thought to be the case. It’s a safe, effective and long-term solution to contraception that many people now opt for. If you’re looking for something stress-free which means you can put the thought of contraception out of your mind for many years, this is a great choice and offers next to no risks.

Categories: contraception, gain weight, health, Information, Myths, Pregnant, sexual health

Give Yourself 2 Years Before Having Another Baby

In an interview in Abujah, gynaecologist Dr. Fred Achem informed women of child-bearing age to give themselves a two-year pause before having another child.

This is due to the low blood levels that occur during childbirth, which are irregular and unstable, leading to effects such as anaemia, heart failure, fatigue, leg swelling and more. Following a heavy loss of blood, women need a long period of time to recover – more than you may think. Further still, another pregnancy so soon encourages the risk of miscarriage.

According to Codewit, during the interview, Dr. Achem said, “Our women must not continue to get pregnant every year. They have to recover from one pregnancy, rebuild their blood system up and that takes a minimum of two years. Once the blood level starts coming down, it manifests in her strength to carry the baby, it manifests in the size of the baby. And if the anaemia is very deficient, the baby may even succumb in her womb as a result of anaemia.”

One of the methods of avoiding anaemia is for expecting mothers (and those of child-bearing age in general) to take doses of iron and folic acid tablets, which then builds up the blood system. Nutrition is also a giant leap into healthy pregnancy by moderating weight and calorie intake.

“It is very important that women consider their own nutrition and stay on top of good nutrition all through pregnancies, moderate weight gain is very important.”

“It is not so much of what they eat but the quality of what they eat, and to address such things, it is better to avoid all those fried fruits which bring more calories to the system.”

Gynaecologists suggest a heavy mixture of good protein and vegetables to stave off anaemia and the awkward jostle of bowel movements.

Give Yourself 2 Years Before Having Another Baby

Categories: anaemia, childbirth, Fatigue, gynaecology, heart failure, pregnancy, Pregnant, swollen legs

Antidepressant safety during pregnancy

Depression in pregnancy is a common occurrence. If you suffer from depression during a pregnancy, it can be very difficult to decide whether to take any medication. On the one hand, you have a medical condition that requires treatment. On the other hand, you feel an extreme sense of responsibility towards the baby, and worry about the effects of any drugs on the wellness of your unborn baby (this is actually the case when it comes to taking any medication in pregnancy at all).

A recent study, however, seems to show that a group of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are safe to take in pregnancy, in so much as they do not appear to have any fatal consequences for the unborn baby.

The study showed that there appeared to be no link between the use of SSRIs in pregnancy and stillbirth or the death of newborn babies. Carried out by the University Hospital in Stockholm, the researchers said that whilst this marks an important piece of knowledge when protecting the wellbeing of depressed pregnant women, they urge caution.

Published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers said that decisions about prescribing SSRIs to pregnant women should still be taken with extreme caution and taking into account all other factors.

Some studies seemed to show that there may be a link between antidepressants and congenital defects, blood pressure problems in children and other difficulties, and for this reason, antidepressants are usually reserved for the most serious cases of depression in pregnant women. Depression itself can be a risk factor in other problems, however, such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Antidepressants are typically reserved for major depression in pregnancy because of concerns in some prior studies suggesting links to congenital defects, spontaneous abortion, neonatal withdrawal syndrome, and persistent pulmonary hypertension in the baby.

However, maternal depression is also associated with risks in pregnancy, including infant mortality and, especially, sudden infant death syndrome and so the emotional wellbeing of the mother should be taken as a serious consideration.

Antidepressant safety during pregnancy

Categories: Antidepressant, Information, Pregnant