If you find out that your body is not functioning as it should be during pregnancy, your first response will likely be one of panic. Is your pregnancy in danger? How is this affecting your baby? What can you do to fix it? Unfortunately, certain complications can come out of the blue and may demand immediate changes to your lifestyle for the remainder of your pregnancy. On the other hand, not all pregnancy complications are equally severe, nor are they treated in the same way. Learn about some relatively common issues that can affect your prenatal health, and how to manage them for the months ahead.
Placenta Problems
The placenta is a crucial organ in pregnancy, and it’s also the site of some of the most common complications. If it does not form correctly, does not implant in the right place or does not work properly at any given time in pregnancy, your baby and your life could be in danger. Luckily, there are often warning signs to watch out for, and the quicker you can seek treatment, the better.
Generally, placental problems are discovered in the second half of pregnancy, and they almost always increase the chances of a premature birth. There are similar risk factors for different placental problems, which include:
• Cigarette smoking
• Pregnancy after 35 years old
• Carrying twins, triplets or more
• Cocaine or other drug use
• Certain abnormalities of the uterus
Placental abruption, which occurs in about 1 of every 100 pregnancies, is when the placenta begins to peel away from the uterine wall before delivery, which interrupts the transfer of oxygen and nutrients from your body to your baby. Heavy bleeding after week 20 could signal a problem, and if an abruption is suspected, you’ll need to have an ultrasound to confirm. Slightly less common but still serious, placenta previa involves a low-lying placenta that covers part or all of the cervix. This condition is particularly dangerous when labor begins, as you could start bleeding heavily once the cervix begins to dilate, endangering you and your baby.
Treating Pregnancy Complications
There’s no one universal treatment for placenta, blood, metabolic or other complications, but fetal monitoring is often the first step to resolving the problem. Unless you’re near term (at or around 37 weeks), your doctor or midwife will probably work to prolong the pregnancy until your baby develops enough to survive outside the womb. Depending on how severe your complication is, you may be monitored electronically or ultrasonically in the hospital and then sent home shortly after. More advanced placenta abruption or placenta previa may force you to stay in the hospital for the rest of the pregnancy, or perhaps you’ll be told to go on bed rest.
In cases where delivery cannot be postponed without endangering the life of mom or baby, you may need to give birth right away by cesarean section. Although babies born before 37 weeks often struggle with their breathing, there are some ways to increase a premature infant’s chances of survival and healthy growth. Drugs called corticosteroids will help to rapidly mature the lungs, and they will the best course of action in very premature deliveries.
Pregnancy doesn’t always go smoothly, but keep in mind that medical advancements have increased premature infant survival rates enormously. Furthermore, a mother’s chances of dying during delivery have dropped dramatically, especially when giving birth in the hospital. The best things you can do for your pregnancy and your unborn baby are eat well, stay fit and avoid harmful substances throughout pregnancy to give your baby the best start possible. If complications do arise, take comfort in the fact that swift response and good medical care will most likely help you out of danger.
Please Note: If you are ever experiencing any pregnancy complications you should notify your doctor immediately.
We all hope when our child is born that they are healthy with no issues. That doesn’t always happen. This little boy Jack was born with some challenges and required and continues to require major surgery. While Jack was in the hospital he noticed all the lonely kids that were there all around him. Instead of just looking the other way, Jack went home and started a charity that raises money for stuffed animals and other toys for the other kids in the hospital. He has been doing this now for the last year and a half. He started this when he was just 6 years old!!! Truly an amazing boy and obviously some amazing parents.
I made this video for jack, if you like it click on the video and it will take you to you tube and then you can give it a thumbs up.
Gender selection of children is a controversial topic, particularly in terms of genetic therapy and the ethics of picking the sex of your child. While there certainly have been advances in the field of genetics, there are actually some natural and completely ethical things that you can do that will increase the likelihood of selecting a gender for your child. While no method is 100% accurate, if you are determined to have a boy or a girl, there are a few things that can be done to significantly increase your chances of conceiving the gender of your choice. Remember, the most important thing is to have a healthy baby, regardless of their gender. But if you do want to try to pick the gender of your child, it is possible. Here’s what you need to know. Differences in Sperm
The sperm that carry the Y chromosome are the “boy” sperms, while the ones that carry the X chromosome are the “girl” sperms. The Y sperm are faster, smaller, more agile but they do not last as long as the “girl” sperm. The X sperm are bigger and move quite slowly. In addition to their overall speed, they have different preferences in terms of the acidity of the vagina and cervix. An X sperm does better in an acidic environment while the Y sperm prefer an alkaline environment. How These Differences Affect Conception Now that we have established the differences between the sperm that carry different chromosomes, it is important to understand how these differences can be used for natural gender selection. Once you have this information, you can begin trying to conceive a child that will be a specific gender. If you want to have a boy, the timing is crucial. Since these sperm do not live long, it is vital to time your intercourse as closely to ovulation as possible. This gives the Y sperm time to reach the egg before the X sperm do, increasing the chances that you will have a boy. If you want to have a girl, you need to give the X sperm plenty of time to reach the egg. Since they live longer, this means that you want to time intercourse a few days before expected ovulation. By the time you ovulate, the Y sperm will have already died off, leaving only the X sperm behind. They will have the time needed to travel up through the cervix to reach the egg and fertilize it.
Determining whether you’re pregnant or not has now been made easier. Thanks to homemade pregnancy tests. Now, you don’t always need to go to the hospital to find out whether you are indeed expecting a baby or not. However, a urine pregnancy test may not always be the best pregnancy test. These tests can have a certain level of inaccuracy percentage especially when used at the wrong time and with the wrong process. If you are planning on conducting urine pregnancy test at home, take a look at the following tips below to ensure more accurate results.
Use your first morning urine. Your first morning urine, also known as FMU, contains a large amount of the hCG hormones which make it very ideal for testing. Your FMU will help facilitate a more accurate test reading. If you’re worrying about forgetting to take it first in the morning, place your pregnancy test on top of your toilet seat. Or if you really forgot to take it and you can’t wait until the next morning, your next option would be to hold your urine for at least four hours. Some say that doing so will help accumulate the same amount of hormones found in your FMU. The technique is to avoid overloading yourself on fluids in order to make your urine more diluted.
Be sure to read the instructions carefully before testing. While most home urine pregnancy test are very simple and easy to use, it helps a lot if you read the instructions properly. This increases the chance of a more accurate result. Reading and understanding every step may seem a little difficult especially if you’re anxious enough to see the results but always know what you’re doing. Different pregnancy kits have different indicators. Some use lines. Others use a plus. Note that a single mistake can ruin the accuracy of your pregnancy test.
Bring a clock with you. Know the time limit of your kit. Bringing a timer will help you deal with an unbiased pregnancy test. If the instructions say that you should not read the results after 5 minutes, then be patient enough to wait.
Use a cup. Some kits instruct you to help the stick in your urine stream. If you find this process uncomfortable, do not hesitate to use a cup. Use the cup to collect your urine and place the absorbent end inside the cup. Allow it to sit there according to the time requirement stated in the kit.
If you do not understand some things, do not hesitate to call the toll-free number indicated in the box. Customer service representatives will be more than willing to answer whatever questions you have in mind. Do not feel embarrassed. Confront your fears and doubts on the urine test process to ensure a more accurate result.
Women use a urine pregnancy test to confirm their hopes or paranoia. While these tests end up accurate most of the time, the best pregnancy test is the blood test administered by your physician.
You can find more information about urine pregnancy test at Aha Baby. You can also learn everything you need to know about pregnancy including best pregnancy test at Aha! Baby.
The answer is YES! Can women have fraternal (non-identical) twins? Of course! This happens when two eggs are released and two different sperm fertilize them. If a woman had sexual intercourse with two men within the window of opportunity, then it is possible for each of those eggs to be fertilized by different fathers.
Does this need to be in the same day? The answer to that question is NO! Sperm can survive for 5 days in a woman’s body. The eggs can live up to 48 hours. This means that you could have intercourse 5 days ago, have intercourse again with a different person days later. You ovulate with two eggs and become pregnant with both eggs. What are the odds? Does it matter? It only takes one sperm out of thousands to make it through.
I am sure this happens more times than is reported. I can’t imagine too many women coming forward that they cheated on their spouse, after the birth of their children. That is most likely a secret that no one will ever know.
Many women find some kinds of skin changes occurring during pregnancy. While these changes may be annoying, they are perfectly normal. If you are unsure whether a change is normal or not, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or midwife. They can check it out for you and advise you once they examine you.
Glowing Skin
Pregnant women are often told they are “glowing.” This is due to an increased blood flow to the small vessels just beneath the skin surface. Hormones released in pregnancy also increase the oils that are produced by skin glands that may create a bit of a shine.
Chloasma
This is also known as the “mask of pregnancy.” Some women experience this phenomenon. During pregnancy, a slight darkening appears on the face on the forehead, temples and center of the face. These areas may get darker when exposed to sun. After the birth, these marks usually fade.
Acne
Hormones often cause pregnant women to experience break outs, while women who normally get acne may find it improves during pregnancy.
Itchiness
It is common for the skin on the belly to become itchy during pregnancy as it stretches to accommodate baby’s growth. It may also affect the breasts.
Linea Nigra
This is a dark line that develops from the belly button and runs downwards. This is extra pigment. After the baby is born, the line will fade.
Nails
For some women, pregnancy may cause their nails to become more brittle or soft than usual, or to grow faster.
Rashes
Pregnancy causes many women to perspire more than usual, and this can result in heat rash. Some women also find they get itchy red bumps on their belly, arms, legs and buttocks in late pregnancy. This is not dangerous, but it is itchy and can be uncomfortable.
The Palms
Increasing levels of estrogen may cause red, itchy palms. Some women also experience this on the soles of their feet. This also disappears after the birth.
Swelling
In late pregnancy, you may notice increasing swelling around your ankles, hands and face. This is usually harmless. If you experience swelling along with sudden weight gain and increased blood pressure, get tests done to rule out complications like pre-eclampsia.
Skin Tags
Skin tags are small growths of skin that protrude from the surface of your skin. They normally occur on the neck, breasts or armpits. They are thought to be cause by hormones released during pregnancy. They do not go away after the baby’s birth, but they can be removed by a dermatologist.
Stretch Marks
Probably the most famous of all pregnancy skin changes, stretch marks occur on the belly and breasts. Fresh stretch marks are usually pink, red or dark brown, depending on a woman’s color of skin. Stretch marks can also appear on the buttocks, hips or thighs. Stretch marks are caused by tiny tears in the underlying tissue. There is no real way to prevent stretch marks, but it may help to keep well hydrated and to moisturize your skin. Stretch marks will fade with time to a less noticeable silver.
Spider Veins
Spider veins are small red spots with lines branching out. These are tiny blood vessels that become noticeable because of more blood volume. They fade after the baby is born.
by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher I’ve been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back. When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them.. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they’re welcome. Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn a nd waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater. She holds up a snapshot of an infant. ‘This is Luke, my baby brother, and I’m going to tell you about his birthday.’ ‘First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom’s stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.’ She’s standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I’m trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement. ‘Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, ‘Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!’ Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. ‘She walked around the house for, like an hour, ‘Oh, oh, oh!’ (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.) ‘My Dad called the middle wife.. She delivers babies, but she doesn’t have a sign on the car like the Domino’s man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.’ (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.) ‘And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!’ (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!) ‘Then the middle wife starts saying ‘push, push,’ and ‘breathe, breathe They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom’s play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.’
Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat. I’m sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it’s show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another ‘Middle Wife’ comes along.
Have you tried everything under the sun to get a flat stomach, only to come up disappointed? Have you fallen prey to all the gimmicks, fad diets and shameless infomercials promising you that elusive flat stomach that you desire?
Well fret no more, I’m going to let you in on the two ‘secrets’ that will help you shed unwanted fat and reveal your toned, flat stomach once and for all.
The first secret for a flat stomach is eating supportively. While this doesn’t seem like a secret at all, most women get this wrong in spite of their best – but misguided – efforts. Women have fallen prey to low-fat, low-carb, Hollywood, grapefruit, South Beach and every other over hyped diet that marketers can dream up, all in hopes of shedding those unwanted pounds. But eating supportively is isn’t about dieting or deprivation; it’s about moderation and balance. While cutting carbs or fats out of your nutrition plan might give you a temporary loss of a couple of pounds, it’s typically followed by a drop in metabolism and a weight gain of more than you lost in the first place once you go back to your old eating habits.
So what is eating supportively? Eating supportively is having protein and carbohydrates at every meal. It’s grazing on 4-6 meals or snack each day instead of missing meals and then gorging yourself. It’s enjoying a healthy breakfast and not drinking your calories. But most of all, eating supportively is enjoying the foods you love in moderation instead of in excess.
If eating supportively is the first secret to a flat stomach, then what’s the second? The second flat stomach secret is resistance training. Unfortunately, just as fad diets have stood in the path of women achieving the flat stomachs they so desired, so have the myths of spot reduction and cardio being the best method for fat loss. Late night infomercials have long promoted gadgets that promised to spot reduce those trouble spots that women struggle with and sucked us in with testimonials from fitness models that undoubtedly picked up a nifty paycheck for endorsing their wares. But spot reduction is a myth. Think about it – have you ever met someone with a flat stomach and fat arms? Didn’t think so. If spot reduction was possible then undoubtedly one of these happy customers would have toned and tightened their stomach, yet kept their flabby arms.
The other myth that has led women astray is the belief that cardio is the best solution for fat loss. Treadmill manufacturers have sold the virtues of the ‘fat burning zone’ and led us to believe that we could plod along on a treadmill watching Oprah and before long a flat stomach would be ours. These two myths have diverted us from the path of what really does work – resistance training. Resistance training is a flat stomach’s best friend because not only does an effective resistance training session burn plenty of calories while you’re doing it, but it keeps you’re metabolism revved long after you’re done. One recent study showed that you’re metabolism would stay elevated for over 36 hours after a resistance training session.
Try to get that out of an aerobics class.
And there’s another benefit of resistance training when it comes to getting a flat stomach. The lean muscle that you gain will raise you’re resting metabolic rate and help you burn more fat all day long, each and every day.
There you have it, two ‘secrets’ that are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and give you that flat stomach you’ve been longing for. So ditch the diet books and the aerobics classes and start eating supportively and resistance training. Before long that flat stomach will finally be yours.
About the Author
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy – Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to www.FitYummyMummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: “The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism.”
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