Poor nutrition may lead to various problems for the mother and child, so adopting a healthy diet is important for pregnant women. For one, women should learn what foods may be good for them during pregnancy. Choose foods from all of the food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, milk products and proteins) and ensure that you are getting vitamins and minerals like folic acid. Do not feel guilty about eating more than did before you were pregnant. Make sure you talk to your doctor regarding how many calories you should eat each day.

Just as important as foods that are good for pregnant women is learning which foods are not good for pregnant women. A healthy pregnancy also depends on staying away from foods that may cause harm. While pregnant, try to stay away from caffeine, alcohol, drugs and foods to which you may be allergic. Always handle food properly and avoid uncooked or undercooked fish, meat, eggs, etc to avoid food poisoning.

In addition to a regular diet, taking supplements that can help achieve a healthy diet and a healthy pregnancy. Make sure you consult your physician before taking any supplements, though. Too much of some supplements may not necessarily be a good thing and can actually be a poor decision in some cases. And, of course, exercise can be important for pregnant women as well. Try to stay away from high impact, stress and exercise alternatives for low-impact exercises.

The following signs may be indications that you are pregnant and it is best to visit the doctor, if there is a possibility that you are.

Missed Period
For some women, when “that time of the month,” that is, her period, time, comes around, not only does it last for about seven days, but it also comes twice a month. While on the other hand, some women never see theirs about every twenty-eight days. Yes, one month it may come, but the next, it does not.

If you are faced with the latter, lack of menstruation may not indicate that a baby, in on his/her way. Therefore, among other reasons, this is one of them as to why it is a good idea to keep track of it.

In addition, although it may usually skip a month, skipping two, may not be the norm. Therefore, it is a good idea to visit the doctor, if you are not seeing it as you usually do.

Growth And Tenderness Of Breasts
If you have noticed that your breasts have grown a bit and they are very sensitive to touch, it is a common change in the body when a woman has conceived.

Spotting
Your period and spotting are two different things. While your period continues throughout the day and last for about three or more days, spotting may only last for a few minutes or day and it is a light bleeding. When spotting occurs, pregnant or not, it is best to go to your health care provider.

Carving
I have heard some women saying that when they were pregnant, they had this desire to eat mud. Yes mud. I do not know how common this is but it is a fact that during this time in a woman’s life, she will usually get a craving for particular foods.

If you have been sexually active and you find yourself desiring certain foods, perhaps spicy foods, fruits, food from a specific restaurant and the list goes on, something is up.

Sometimes, out of the blue, some women get this desire to eat a special food that she had not eaten for years and expect this does not goes away until she eats it. If you suspect that you might be pregnant, it is best to visit your health care provider.

Unfortunately, the reasons for most miscarriages are not known. However, alternative fertility treatment in the form of Traditional Chinese Medicine has produced amazing results that helped stop miscarriage in women, especially when the cause of the miscarriage is unknown.Traditional Chinese Medicine builds on a strong foundation of pre natal care. This care is much more thorough than nutritional balance and exercise regime.

A study found that women who have had multiple miscarriages have a 25% chance of not being able to conceive successfully in their lifetime. The 75% who go on to conceive successfully had taken deliberate pre natal care when trying to conceive after miscarriage and in so doing managed to stop miscarriage from happening again.Physical and psychological elements will determine the optimum time to try getting pregnant after miscarriage.

Physical factors play a vital role. Some women bleed heavily during a miscarriage and this will hinder trying to conceive. Some women require dilation and curettage (D&C). Although D&C procedure is not known to increase the risk of miscarriages in future pregnancy nor does it make weaker the cervix. Nevertheless, the scraping action of D&C does water down the lining of the uterus, making it incapable of supporting a good implantation. In such instance, women are generally advised to allow their uterus 3 months to mend itself.

The phase of pregnancy loss has implication on the amount of pregnancy hormones that are in the body and so the length of time needed for the hormones to be purged out of the body. On average, it takes one month to six weeks for our body’s hormones to normalize. Trying to conceive after miscarriage before our hormones return to normal will result in confusing pregnancy test result as the kit may reflect the presence of pregnancy hormones resultant from the pregnancy loss as oppose to a new pregnancy.

The human body is extremely responsive. If it detects pregnancy hormones, the body will function to nurture the embryo. If not, the body will stimulate menstruation in the woman. By permitting our hormones to normalize prior to trying to conceive after miscarriage will prevent the body from sending out wrong messages and give the body adequate opportunity to recuperate for future pregnancy.

It takes about a month after miscarriage before a woman’s cycle will return and a further 2 months before the cycle stabilise. However, there are women who go through indefinite period of irregular cycle after the miscarriage and some who many not have a cycle even several months after the miscarriage. This makes it getting pregnant after miscarriage extremely challenging and it is common for women in such situation to seek alternative fertility treatment as the standard clinical therapy has no solution for this problem. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a very accepted alternative remedy with well established results for stimulating a woman’s cycle.

The psychological aspect in getting pregnant after miscarriage is an avenue the couples need to deal with personally. Although doctors are
trained to recognize this need, it is beyond their medical expertise to supply any beneficial counselling. An open discussion between couples is seen as the most effective method to alleviate the sorrow and anxiety of forthcoming pregnancy.

Be candid and informative to the queries of your child. Also remember to furnish answers according to their level of understanding. It is important to satiate their curiosity. It is best to give them a time frame they can relate to like “He will arrive about the time of your birthday”. Do not start sending your child to nursery school, take away the pacifier or change his room in the nick of time.

Such actions send wrong signals. Instead of nurturing feelings of rivalry, place him as a guardian and playmate. Refer to the baby as “ours” so that the child feels involved. Start preparing the room of the baby along with the child and let him feel the honor of being “a big brother”. Involve him in the prenatal sessions so that he can actively sense the baby.

Be extra generous with those warm gestures with the child. Go that extra mile to make him feel reassured of your affection. Many books on reproduction can be read to your child for giving him knowledge and getting over the awkwardness. Above all, remember to make him feel important as your beloved child and as a would-be elder sibling.

What sleep postures to avoid?

During the advanced stages of your pregnancy, you should avoid sleeping on your back or your stomach. With the growing size of your abdomen, you will obviously find it difficult to sleep on your stomach. Sleeping on your back during pregnancy may aggravate back pain and breathlessness. This position is also not good for your digestive system and may lead to low blood pressure. Less blood may also reach the baby.

Good sleeping positions during pregnancy

The best sleeping position during pregnancy is commonly known as “SOS” or Sleeping on Side. It is better still to sleep on your left side with a pillow between your legs. You will also find it comfortable to keep your legs and knees bent. The SOS position improves circulation to reach your baby. For back ache, short breaths and heartburn, try the SOS posture with pillows to prop up your upper portion.

You can also put a pillow under the abdomen for convenience. It is perfectly fine to rotate positions during the course of the night.

In the first pregnancy, there is less risk of any harm to the baby but in subsequent conceptions, your Rh antibodies can destroy the red blood cells of your fetus. The fetus is then at risk for hemolytic disease or even death in the womb.

The incompatibility of the Rh blood type is tested by a blood test during the initial stages of pregnancy by an Indirect Coombs’ test. This test is also done regularly throughout the pregnancy to check the antibody levels. Between 18 to 22 weeks amniotic fluid is tested to check the Rh factor level.

Injecting Rh immune globulin treats Rh Sensitization but if you are already sensitized to the Rh factor, the injection is incapable of preventing any damage to the fetus. If the injection is injected during 28 weeks of the pregnancy, your blood does not produce the harmful antibodies that pose damage to your baby’s red blood cells.

If your baby is at risk of being harmed by your Rh factor then its growth is monitored throughout the pregnancy. There might be then need of a quick caesarean section and a blood transfusion if the risk is moderate. However, if it is at severe risk, multiple blood transfusion and preterm cesarean section might be performed to prevent the damage to the baby.

In the first trimester the obstetrician should prescribe prenatal tests to check the growth of the baby. You must get a full physical examination done to eliminate the risk of any fatal diseases including tests like Pap smear, HIV test.

The doctor must get a blood test done to determine the blood group and the Rh status, hepatitisB, chicken pox and take immunity against these. Get a urine culture done to test any urinary tract infection. Some expectant mothers may be at risk for diabetes, so get a blood sugar test performed. Get an ultrasound test done at about 10-12 weeks after you get pregnant. A baby might be at risk of genetic disorders so these screenings will inform about any birth defects. The baby’s blood sample should be tested for cystic fibrosis, thalassemia, or sickle cell disease.

In the second semester the doctor suggests regular ultrasound tests to check the baby’s growth and chances of any abnormalities. If the parent’s rh is different, rh immune globulin injection is given to the mother.

After 35 weeks you will be tested for Bstrep, if found positive you will be given antibodies to prevent the infection from passing to your baby. During these three months your blood will be tested for diabetes, STDs, anemia etc. An ultrasound is also performed to check the location of the baby in the womb.

If your baby is found at risk of any diseases the gynecologist prescribes a non-stress test to check the growth of the baby. As soon as the due date arrives, the doctor performs these frequently till the labor starts.

1. Oppose your doctor’s medical treatment
2. Ingest or inhale something not prescribed by your doctor
3. Make you feel anxious, or stressed out

Some popular pregnancy myths:

1. Some people say standing on your head after sexual intercourse may increase you chances of conceiving. Though lying down for 20 to 30 minutes after sex may help in conceiving but standing on your head is dangerous.

2. Old grandmother tales insist that the shape and height of your tummy can determine your baby’s sex. The shape and height of your belly is caused by your position of the baby, uterine tone and muscle tone.

3. One myth suggests that fetal heart rate indicates your baby’s gender with a faster one for a girl and a slower one for a boy. However, no such studies show convincingly that a fetal heart rate helps you in determining the baby’s sex. Moreover, the fetal heart rate keeps on changing with each advancing stage.

4. Can you believe it another one goes that the shape and fullness of your face may determine your baby’s sex. Every single pregnant woman gains weight and undergoes through many skin changes and this can by no chance establish your baby’s gender,

5. An absurd myth suggests heartburn during pregnancy causes your baby to be born with lots of hair. Heartburn is a common affliction during pregnancy and has no connection with your baby’s hair.

However, if you are impatient to know about your baby then consult your doctor.

However, the main problem arises after the child is born. Most of the children under five suffer from pet bites because of their ignorant exploratory behaviors. These naughty children very often have the tendency to irritate the pet. Therefore, very likely as an act of irritation the pet ends up by biting the young one, which may in turn cause serious injury and infection in certain cases.

There are various safety measures, which you should adopt to encourage a safe and healthy relationship between your pet and your newborn angel.

1. First identify the problematic area of your pet’s behavior and try to work on those parts by means of expert training, love and affection.
2. Make the pet try and understand the difference between the toys meant for its activities and those meant for the kid.
3. You can surely use a doll to start with and teach the pet how to behave with this new family member.
4. It is likely, that your pet gets jealous because of the attention given to the newborn baby and thus as an act of revenge the pet may plan something dangerous. Avoid such a situation by making the pet realize that it is his responsibility to love and take care of the child.
5. Never keep your pet alone with the child. A constant supervision is always necessary.
6. You must also remain conscious that after dealing with your pet you should wash your hands properly before getting on with your child.

A bit of carelessness on your part may have tremendous effect on your child. Always remember the proverb that prevention or precaution is better then cure.

Vaginal infection is also quite common during pregnancy. Candia albicans is the originator of this thrush infection. Candia albicans is a kind of yeast found upto 30% in a pregnant mother. It is usually not an encumbrance but tends to bother at times in form of itching, soreness or the typical white thick discharge. Clotrimazole or Canesten is the perfect treatment for vaginal infections. Capsule or tablet treatment, Fluconazole or Diflucan is not at all suitable as it may create complications in pregnancy.

There are many doctors who advise not to indulge in sexual relationships at the time of pregnancy. This, they do just to minimize chances of transferable sexual disease, which may naturally pass on to the growing infant causing severe damage. Chlamidya and gonorrhoea are two well-known sexually transferable disease affecting 1% to 5% pregnant women in UK. Nowadays HIV infection test have become customary before normal pregnancy.

Other common infectious symptoms at the time of pregnancy include chicken pox, troxoplasmosis, infection in the urinary tract and genital herpes. Pregnancy is a period when it is essential for you to be extra conscious and sensible enough to take the right amount of care both of yourself and of your child.