Posts Tagged pregnancies
Best Treatment For Infertility – Natural Treatment as the Starting Point
Posted by in Pregnancy on February 20th, 2010
Around 15% of couples in the Western world will experience difficulty conceiving. Of course, most will look towards what is the best treatment for infertility. Over the last few years huge industries have grown, with millions of dollars being spent developing and perfecting reproductive technology. What some consider shocking though, is what scant regard has been given to simple self help measures which couples can do for free, with emphasis placed on revenue-producing procedures which are often costly, length and invasive and actually result in viable pregnancies about a quarter of the time.
We are all well aware of the impact diet and lifestyle has on our bodies. An unhealthy diet and lifestyle can result in poor cardiac health, certain types of cancers, depleted bone strength, poor vision and joint problems. It therefore makes perfect sense that diet and lifestyle will have an impact on fertility, as conception and pregnancy are simply just two of many systems within the body, all of them subject to the same influences.
Before even contemplating consulting fertility clinics, the best treatment for infertility is to make sure you and your partner are in the best possible health to enable you to conceive. Taking a close look at your diet and lifestyle will help get you on the right road.
Firstly, a woman who maintains a healthy BMI is much more likely to maintain a regular pattern of ovulation, with excess weight contributing to PCOS and causing general hormonal imbalances. Therefore, a good starting point is to take a critical look at your weight. Now if you are considerably overweight and the road ahead looks like a mountain, then don’t despair too much. A recent study has shown that just by losing 5-10% of your body weight can be enough to jump start ovulation or to get it back to a more regular cycle. In addition, losing this amount of weight can also cut your risk of developing diabetes.
Exercise is very important. The best treatment for infertility is to take moderate amounts of exercise. Too much, and you run the risk of “turning off” ovulation. Too little, and your body will not be as healthy as it should be and the link between fertility and a healthy body cannot be overlooked.
What you put into your body is crucial. Avoiding known harmful elements such as smoking and illegal drugs is essential. You should also take a critical look at any prescription drugs you might be taking. Also, watch your caffeine intake-although a couple of cups of coffee and tea are thought to be fine, some experts believe that more than this can be potentially harmful. Whilst on the subject of what you drink, keeping well-hydrated is vital for maintaining healthy bodily functions, including conception and pregnancy. Therefore you should ensure that you drink 2 liters of fluid each day.
Of course, what you eat is important and is arguable the best fertility treatment around. Following the principles of a healthy diet is crucial. You should-
* Avoid trans fats
* Eat “healthy” oils, such as olive oil
* Eat plenty of lean protein-particularly that from vegetable sources
* Avoid products made with white flour-choose wholegrains instead
* Drink a glass of whole milk each day
* Take a good all-round dietary supplement – some are specially designed for pregnancy
* Take Folic Acid as soon as you start to try for a baby
* Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
Another good natural treatment is to avoid stress. Hormones secreted during stressful times can adversely affect fertility, so if you have sources of stress which you cannot avoid, then try simple relaxation techniques, such as listening to gentle music in a darkened room or even buying a specially designed relaxation CD.
There is a holistic system which has been clinically researched over 14 years and which guarantees to help couples become pregnant quickly. Containing secret natural infertility cures, powerful techniques and the step-by-step holistic infertility cure system which is all you will ever need to permanently eliminate infertility within weeks, most women will become pregnant within 3-4 months.
This “no stone unturned” system does not use drugs or surgery and has no side effects. In terms of a natural cure, I believe it is the best treatment for infertility-but take a look and decide for yourself.
To see further details, please visit Get Pregnant Quickly.
Article Source: Best Treatment For Infertility – Natural Treatment as the Starting Point
Pregnancy Week by Week Guide: A Necessity for a First Time Mommy-to-be
Posted by in Pregnancy on February 8th, 2010
A pregnancy week by week account is a must have during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a realm of the unknown for a first timer. There are a lot of changes that will happen. It is always a good idea to prepare your self for the things that will happen in the coming weeks.
A pregnancy week by week guide is a complete guide that discusses what happens at each week of pregnancy, from the development of your baby, to the changes that will happen and you will encounter each week. It is divided into three parts: the first trimester, the second trimester, and the third trimester. Most of the guides start of with the first week, which is actually the ovulation stage and not the actual conception, and lasts up to 42 weeks since some pregnancies reach and are terminated during the 42nd week.
There are some guides that also include tips on how to avoid or how to cope with the different changes that you will encounter during each week of pregnancy. Some also have lists of things to purchase in preparation of the birth of your baby.The guide is really helpful for a first time expecting mother.
Invest in a pregnancy week by week guide that have everything covered, that way, you would be fully prepared to what you are about to face at each week of pregnancy. You wouldn’t have to worry anymore about the unknown. You would be able to face each week with confidence and fully enjoy the experience of being pregnant and waiting for the time when you would finally be able to see and hold your little angel.
Do you want an intensive week by week account of what happens during pregnany? Visit http://www.pregnancycheatsheets.com for more details.
Article Source: Pregnancy Week by Week Guide: A Necessity for a First Time Mommy-to-be
Tips for Stretch Mark Prevention
Posted by in Pregnancy on January 21st, 2010
There is nothing more exciting than getting the results back from a pregnancy test and knowing you are a pregnant. For a first time expectant mother, the news can be both exciting and scary. If you’ve had children before you will know that your body will go through a lot of different changes. As a new mom, you probably have read about changes you will experience and how to keep yourself healthy. One change that almost every mother will go through during their pregnancy is getting stretch marks.
Stretch marks occur in 50 to 90 percent of all pregnancies. They start to show on your stomach around the six month of your pregnancy. The skin stretches as your baby grows. Fare skinned women are more susceptible to stretch marks, and they are also hereditary. If your mom or sister got them, you probably will too. However, there are some things you can do to prevent stretch marks and keep your skin looking good and healthy. Here are some tips you should follow for stretch mark prevention.
It is important to make sure your skin stay pretty elastic so that it can stretch as your baby grows. One way to maintain elasticity is to drink a lot of water. Not only will this keep your skin in great condition, but it is important to stay hydrated for the health of you and your baby.
In addition to drinking lots of water, you should also eat healthy foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Natural foods that contain a lot of vitamins are fruits, vegetables, and leafy green vegetables. Eating these types of foods will provide proper nutrition, keep weight gain down, and will keep your skin healthy as well. One way of preventing stretch marks is to avoid rapid weight gain. You will gain weight during your pregnancy, but keep the pounds in healthy range which is 25 to 35 pounds.
Keeping your skin moisturized is imperative in preventing stretch marks. Your skin can become dry and itchy, but try your best not to scratch as this can cause stretch marks. Most pregnant women prefer to use lotions with cocoa butter in them, but there are other types of oils and lotions you can use. Lotions or oils used with emu oil are great to use. Oils, such as belly oils or eczema oil, that contain ingredients such as kukui nut oil, premium emu oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil will prevent stretch marks, minimize existing stretch marks, ease dry, itchy skin, hasten the healing of hemorrhoids and minimizes scarring.
These stretch mark prevention tips are easy to follow and manage. Using these tips can minimize the amount of stretch marks you may get or prevent them all together from appearing. Enjoy your pregnancy, stay healthy, and stay happy.
Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.
Article Source: Tips for Stretch Mark Prevention
Morning Sickness Symptoms – What Are They and How They Can Be Stopped
Posted by in Pregnancy on January 21st, 2010
Morning sickness symptoms occurs in the majority of pregnant women, up to 80% of them. In most cases these symptoms start to feel after 4th week and lasts up to 16th week.
Most of the pregnant women which experienced morning sickness symptoms have bouts of nausea and vomiting, usually in the first 3 months of their pregnancy. But these are not the only symptoms which may occur to a pregnant woman. She also may experience headaches and backaches, excessive salivation, frequent urination, constipation, the sense of smell increased and even lower abdominal cramps.
Many women find that the term “morning” sickness is entirely inappropriate as they feel sick at all times of the day and night. It is a miserable feeling, but generally clears up after about 14-16 weeks of pregnancy when the placenta starts producing the hormones which the ovaries have been responsible for until then. Sadly, some women find their sickness, continues right through their pregnancies and is only cured by giving birth.
You can put morning sickness symptoms to an end by trying to:
- eat ginger biscuits, dry toast and anything containing peppermint;
- have small, frequent, starchy snacks such as bread rolls;
- eat regularly even if you do not feel like it;
- take sips of hot water;
- get up slowly in the morning and, if at all possible, rest during the day;
- avoid any smells which you know make you want to vomit;
- wear travel sickness bands;
- ask an acupuncturist to show you the pressure point on your hand which controls sickness.
Shirley M. Duran is a mother of two and an author of a variety of related lifestyle issues and topics with which has helped hundreds of mothers become pregnant. For more information on related issues, it is recommended to visit: http://protectyourbaby.info/
Article Source: Morning Sickness Symptoms – What Are They and How They Can Be Stopped
Tips On Choosing Low Budget Stylish Pregnancy Clothes
Posted by in Pregnancy on January 15th, 2010
Amidst balancing a thousand things such as planning and designing the nursery, buying baby clothes, dealing with morning sickness and possibly leave from work, thinking about stylish pregnancy clothes probably takes a backseat during the initial few months of pregnancy. Especially as your shape does not start changing immediately, you will probably carry on wearing your regular clothes as long as you don’t start showing the baby bump.
However, when your clothes just don’t stretch any more, you have to contemplate ‘stretching’ your budget. But before you go ahead with your shopping, use the following tips to help you to save a few dollars.
Be Proud Of Your Baby: Firstly, gone are the days when women hid their pregnancies behind tent clothes and colorful sacks. Flaunting the belly is in, and so is looking elegant with a big tummy. If you plan carefully, you may actually get through your pregnancy with elegance and style, and no big hole in your bank account to show for it!
Take Stock Of Your Clothes: If you don’t really require too many formal clothes, your jeans and tees will carry you through a considerable portion of the pregnancy. In fact, you may pick up larger sizes of the stuff you loved wearing during the pre pregnancy period. You may continue to wear them after the pregnancy too, as your body takes time to get back to its earlier shape.
Stretchy Black Leggings: These are the best friends of a pregnant woman on a budget; stretchy black leggings add the stylish element when coupled with oversized tees or large unbuttoned shirts. You can raid your partner’s closet for the tees.
Consider Borrowing: See what you can borrow from your friends and family. While you pick and choose from the borrowed collection, you may consider that the loose overalls that seem so ghastly in the first trimester may be the only comfortable pair in the third trimester. Borrowing is also an economic way of finding out what is most comfortable for you – an A line or empire waist, or long tops over tailored slacks. Or do you choose between elastic waistbands and underbelly support?
After you have been through the above steps, you may consider buying a few classic pieces to team up with your existing collection. Classic drawstring pants, dark leggings and floral dresses, if you fancy, are good investments as stylish pregnancy clothes.
Bargain Hunt: Maternity clothes aren’t worn very long, they stay in good shape and color – so you may hunt for bargains at seconds’ sales and yard sales. Keep the seasons in mind when you shop, and look for clothes that will carry through the nine months. When you do decide to buy a fresh piece, look for the differences in prices between maternity wear shops, catalogs and online stores.
Don’t Skimp On The Basics: A supportive bra can go a long way in making you look beautiful, no matter what you are wearing over it. If you don’t skimp on such basics, you can get away with stylish pregnancy clothes even at a low budget.
Visit the given link to know about the factors concerning pregnancy health care. Know further about the essentials concerning the selection of stylish pregnancy clothes.
Article Source: Tips On Choosing Low Budget Stylish Pregnancy Clothes
Pregnancy Week By Week – Your 9-Month Guide For You and Your Baby
Posted by in Pregnancy on November 24th, 2009
You’re several weeks pregnant and you’re staring to notice changes in your body and your daily routines. Don’t panic over these — everything that is happening during your pregnancy week by week is normal because you are now carrying another life with you. The best way to deal with the changes is to carefully monitor them using a pregnancy weekly calendar.
How Can A Weekly Calendar Help You?
A pregnancy calender is a way for your to monitor developments throughout your pregnancy week by week. Keeping very close watch on the changes that are happening will help you enjoy the 9-month experience more and get rid of the unnecessary stress.
How Do You Use A Pregnancy Week Calendar?
The date of your calendar begins on the last day of your most recent menstrual period. Obstetricians use this same method to estimate the date you are due to give birth, which is more or less 40 weeks.
First time pregnancies are normally given one or two weeks before and after the expected delivery date, because pregnancies are different among different women; so you cannot accurately or 100% predict dates. Tracking changes in the pregnancy week by week is also beneficial, especially to all mothers excited to see their little ones get born.
Is It Reliable?
Remember that the experience of pregnancy varies and there is no single pattern to it. This is why although a pregancy weekly calendar is a major help, it is not totally accurate. You should still maintain regular visits to your obstetrician so he or she can better tell you what is happening to your body and how your baby is doing inside your tummy. A calendar is simply a handy guide on basic pregnancy issues and approximated schedules.
Having a calendar with you assists greatly in monitoring your pregnancy week by week and making sure you are doing the right thing at the right times. Not only that, having a monitoring system also helps bring you closer to your baby, as now you are more familiar with the development changes both outside and within you. You will surely enjoy your pregnancy the more involved you are with your body.
Monitor your pregnancy week by week using a pregnancy weekly calendar. Not only will this help you understand the changes in your body, but also help you bond with your baby more.
Article Source: Pregnancy Week By Week – Your 9-Month Guide For You and Your Baby
How Bed Rest Can Help Your Pregnancy
Posted by in Pregnancy on October 17th, 2009
While the vast majority of pregnant women experience no complications, a sizable minority does. Typically, about one in five pregnancies are high risk enough to warrant a doctor prescribing bed rest for part or all of the duration of a pregnancy. A pregnancy bed rest is often recommended if the woman has a history of pregnancy problem, or if she is expecting multiples. Bed rest helps pregnancy if you are facing problems like high blood pressure, vaginal bleeding, or premature labor.
Depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor might prescribe bed rest for as little as a few days, or as much as the bulk of your pregnancy. In most cases, a pregnancy bed rest can be done at your home, but in a few more serious cases, you might spend it at a hospital so you can be monitored more closely. While unlimited rest may sound wonderful to many busy, overstressed women, most find that after just a few days of bed rest, they are feeling bored and uncomfortable.
You might be prescribed partial bed rest, which means you need to stay at home, but can participate in some limited activity, like taking a shower, having dinner with your family, or making lunch for yourself. Since bed rest helps pregnancy, especially if there might be serious complications, you might be instructed to do 24-hour bed rest, which means that you must stay in bed all of the time. Depending on the situation, you might be able to get up and use the bathroom, although some women are instructed to use a bed pan.
If you’ve been instructed to do a pregnancy bed rest, you will most likely be instructed to lie on your side. Since this can become uncomfortable over time, you can alleviate some of this simply by changing sides every now and then. This has the added benefit of improving your circulation.
Even though most doctors believe that bed rest helps pregnancy, there is not much good research to show just how effective it can be for various conditions. Unfortunately, the research that has been done has sometimes been quite contradictory. While some research suggests that bed rest can help prevent premature labor, some actually claims the opposite; pregnancy bed rest might actually increase the chances of premature birth.
With such conflicting information, it can be hard to decide what to do. Even a lot of health care practitioners disagree on just how much bed rest helps pregnancy. Your best option is to be honest with your doctor if you have any concerns. Make sure you understand exactly why this method is being prescribed, and be sure to get specific information on exactly what you can and can’t do.
More and more practitioners are moving away from complete confinement to a modified approach, in which you combine rest with carefully chosen and regulated activity. Keep in mind that your doctor wants to do everything possible so you have an easier pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby.
You can find helpful information about Bed rest helps pregnancy and everything you need to know about pregnancy bed rest at Aha! Baby.
Article Source: How Bed Rest Can Help Your Pregnancy
How Can Bedrest during Pregnancy Help?
Posted by in Pregnancy on October 17th, 2009
If you are one of the many women whose doctor has prescribed bedrest during pregnancy, you might be wondering why you need to do this, and if it will actually help you deliver a healthy baby. While there is some disagreement on exactly how much good bedrest can do, many practitioners believe that the benefits of bedrest outweigh some of the potential drawbacks.
If you have been prescribed bedrest during pregnancy, it’s probably because you have a medical condition that places you at a higher risk, your family history or past pregnancies indicate a higher risk factor, or you might be carrying multiples. In most of these situations, the benefits of bedrest hinge on the body’s ability to normalize after being under stress, and creating a more manageable environment in which you and your baby can stay safe and healthy.
If you are going to spend most of your time in bed, it’s very important that you discuss with your doctor which position is best for you. For most pregnant women, lying on their side, with a pillow between their knees is recommended. You may also wish to look into a body bolster specifically designed for pregnant women.
Unfortunately, there are drawbacks as well as the benefits of bedrest. Long periods of bedrest will cause your muscles to lose tone, cause aching joints and increase the risk of blood clots due to poor circulation. The best way to combat these problems is through exercise, but be sure to check with your doctor before starting any program, no matter how light. If you are on bedrest during pregnancy, some exercises you might consider are: tightening your arm and shoulder muscles, squeezing stress balls, turning your arms and feet in circles, and pressing your hands and feet against the bed. Just be sure to avoid using your abdominal muscles. It may not seem like much, but you will be surprised at what a difference it makes if you are otherwise almost completely inactive.
If your doctor intends to put you on prolonged bedrest during pregnancy, you may wish to ask about getting some additional support. An occupational or physical therapist can work with you to come up with an exercise plan, and can also advise you on how to make your bed more comfortable. You may also want to consider seeing a therapist if you worry about the strain that prolonged bedrest may put on your spouse and children.
The benefits of bedrest can be considerable if you are in a high-risk pregnancy. It’s especially important that you relax and take good care of yourself if you have high blood pressure. Additionally, if you have any physical problems, like a weakened cervix, bedrest can help prevent putting any additional strain on the affected area. If it looks like you will be on bedrest for an extended period, be sure to find out exactly what you can and can’t do. If you have any concerns about bedrest and how to make it more comfortable and less frustrating, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor.
You can find helpful information about bedrest during pregnancy and everything you need to know about benefits of bedrest at Aha! Baby.
Article Source: How Can Bedrest during Pregnancy Help?
