Delight in Pregnancy Bedrest
November 14, 2007
My first experience with bedrest was at 30 weeks into my second pregnancy when I was dilated between 2-3 centimeters. I was on strict bedrest which I renamed "pregnancy prison." All my life’s freedom as I knew it was put on hold or "put to rest." I had a bad attitude about the whole thing and fantasized that the baby would come early so I wouldn’t have to suffer any longer. My wish of an early delivery came true 4 weeks into bedrest.
The next pregnancy came and the physician ordered me to bed at 20 weeks. I had at least 16 weeks ahead of me confined to the beautiful surroundings of my bedroom. I knew I had to make a change in my attitude for the health of my child. This time bedrest wasn’t so bad and the pregnancy lasted 37 weeks. Listed below are some of the things that helped me get through my limited pregnancy activity.
? Did relaxation exercises daily
? Had friends over to watch TV (snacks a necessity)
? Got up every hour for 5 minutes to stretch, eat or go to the bathroom
? Cleaned the toilets once a week
How To Prepare For Natural Childbirth
November 10, 2007
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT BIRTH IS NATURAL, NORMAL AND HEALTHY.
? A doula at the delivery has been proven to shorten labor, improve mother’s satisfaction and reduce the need for pain medications.
? Don’t allow anyone at the delivery who doesn’t have faith that you can labor without medication. Kick out or do not invite any "Nervous Nellies."
? Do your research by talking to childbirth educators, surfing the web and reading books on childbirth. You have to know why and what you want to make this a reality.
CHOOSE A PHYSICIAN WHO IS SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR BIRTH WISHES.
? If you will be laboring in a hospital, your doctor can make or break your experience to have natural childbirth.
? Choose someone wisely who will allow you to have your birth experience, not theirs.
? Plan ahead: Labor is too late to start talking about what you want.
? If you belong to a group of doctors and will not have your original doctor at delivery, you may need to be more aggressive with your desires.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy, and Weight Loss After Pregnancy
November 6, 2007
How much weight gain is normal during pregnancy, and will you continue to have weight gain after pregnancy?
How will the link between pregnancy and metabolism affect how you’ll be losing weight after pregnancy?
Understand what causes excessive weight gain during pregnancy, and…
You won’t have any problems with excessive weight gain while you’ve been pregnant.
Will you get fat by having children?
Whether you’ll have weight gain during and after pregnancy is a choice, because it’s totally within your control once you understand what’s really going on, however…
Most women do have weight problems because of bearing children, and the reason is simply malnutrition. Strange but True!
The first thing you have to understand about pregnancy, is that the baby comes first. That’s a "Survival Issue". Once you get pregnant, everything is geared for the survival and health of the baby.
If it wasn’t that way, we would not have survived as a Species!
What does the Baby Need?
In order to grow properly and be born healthy the baby is going to need lots of Nutrients, Vitamins, Minerals, Enzymes, etc…
Baby Shower Gift Ideas
November 2, 2007
Selecting a present for a new mom or dad can be a challenging task. Baby showers are a great way to help support a new mother with her new baby. New mothers can sign up at a gift registry to avoid duplicate gifts and to indicate her gift preferences. Here are some good gift ideas for baby showers:
1) Diapers - Diapers are a popular gift for baby showers. Every new mother will need plenty of diapers for her new baby and this is a very safe gift to get if you do not have any other ideas or don’t know what other people are getting.
2) Personalized Blanket - A personalized blanket is a nice gift for a new baby. Having the name on the blanket gives it a personal touch and makes it a great keepsake even after the baby outgrows it.
3) Stuffed Animals - A new baby needs plenty of toys to stay entertained. Stuffed animals are always a favorite among newborns. A teddy bear is the most traditional gift, but other stuffed animals are also acceptable gifts.
Your Role as an Expectant Father
October 28, 2007
Quite often expectant fathers get bent out of shape over what they should be doing during the pregnancy. The pregnant woman is often the focus of all attention. She’s the one carrying the baby. She’s the one doctors examine. She’s the one with oodles of books written especially for her. She’s the one who has to push when the time comes and they put the baby on her belly when it is delivered. So, the question is: Are you only along for the ride? Yes, you really are only along for the ride.
However, there are a few specific things that you can and should do in the 9 1/2 months of pregnancy that will go a long way to make you a more equal participant in the whole affair.
Get Educated
Once you find out that you are pregnant, the expectant father should - as soon as possible - get educated about what is ahead. This means reading every part of this website! It is simply too late to wait for the second or third trimester to get a handle on the complexities of pregnancy. The staff at thefunkystork.com knows all too well that the first trimester goes by really, really fast! Take the time right away to explore the resources that are available online, from your medical professional and from books. The more that you know about pregnancy now, the easier the next months will become.
The Myths of Fitness During Pregnancy - The Straight Facts on the ACOG Guidelines
October 24, 2007
The American College of Obstetics and Gynecology (ACOG) guidelines are often misquoted or quoted with outdated information. In fact, two of the myths listed in this article were just printed in a current (Spring 2005), large national publication catering to expectant mothers. The latest and correct information on exercise during pregnancy needs to be widely distributed. Hopefully, this article will help to remedy some of the misinformation.
MYTH:
1. You can’t workout during pregnancy if you were not previously engaged in an exercise program prior to becoming pregnant.
ACTUAL: The 1994 ACOG Guidelines for exercise during pregnancy stated:
During pregnancy, women are permitted to continue to exercise. The current 20032 guideline is stated as, "Healthy pregnant women are encouraged to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week." It is important to note that the new recommendation is the same one made to women that are not pregnant.
MYTH:
2. You must keep your HR under 140 bpm.
Pregnant Women Dont Just Stay at Home; Go Shopping!
October 20, 2007
Most women like to go shopping. However, sometimes pregnant women reluctant to go out because they are afraid could harm them. That’s not true! Go and have fun. You don’t have to spend any money; just get out and window shop. Try on shoes; check out the new fall purses or sample a new cookie at the corner stand. Shopping is very therapeutic for women, and it gives you a chance to clear your mind.
If you are feeling ambitious, though, or cannot justify taking an afternoon off to shop, give yourself a chore, like deciding on nursery room colors or selecting a crib. Then, you will feel like you are accomplishing something as you go.
Do not get stressed out, however, if you do not find what you want right away. Remember, you are just looking now. There is no hurry to immediately find and/or buy everything, especially since friends and family will want to help by bringing gifts to your baby shower.
You Can Do Exercise During Pregnancy, but Dont Overdo It
October 16, 2007
Don’t get so lazy during your pregnancy. Move your body if you want to delivery your baby easily, do some exercise! Some studies show that women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to have easy labor and deliveries and faster recoveries.
This is exactly you must do for the benefit of you and your child, but you must not overdo it and consult your healthcare on the best exercise you can do.
The benefit of exercise during pregnancy not only will make your baby delivery easy, but also can combat fatigue, minimize back pain because your back muscles will be stronger, stress relief, reducing fat, and recover more quickly after delivery. Exercise can help you strengthen your muscles, which makes labor easier. Further, exercise helps you get your stamina and energy levels up-which will be necessary once baby arrives.
There are some forms of activity that are better than others during pregnancy. Certain exercises can help promote physical fitness and are less likely to result in injury. Among the best exercises for pregnant moms include: walking, swimming, stretching, yoga, dancing, stationary cycling, and low impact prenatal aerobics.
Things You Should Avoid During Pregnancy
October 11, 2007
Pregnancy is a time where you have to be careful with yourself. Many factors affect the development of a fetus into a healthy child. Whether you like it or not there some activities you should avoid for the sake of your healthy baby. There are pregnancy risks that you have to aware of.
To help you knowing what they are, here is some checklist you might want to consider:
? Don’t drink alcohol! You going to jeopardise your baby’s development. If you don’t want to have low birth weight baby, and having medical problems, better stop drinking once you know that you are pregnant.
? Don’t smoke! Chemical inhaled while smoking may cause premature birth, miscarriage, bleeding, etc. Also it reduced the amount of oxygen that baby receives. What ever you are, don’t smoke and avoid second hand smoke.
? Don’t drink coffee. Caffeine in the coffee has been shown to affect fetal heart rates. Caffeine can also increase risk of stretch marks. If you can’t stop immediately, try to stop gradually.
? Don’t do too much exercise! No doubt if moderate exercise is helpful for mother’s mental state and can increase oxygen flow to the fetus. However, too much exercise can be dangerous. Better you do activities like walking, swimming, and yoga.
Its Not A Sin For Pregnant Women To Have A Massage
October 7, 2007
Getting pregnant is really a moment of joy. Don’t get carried away with your morning sickness, or your hormone changing, keep your life going and treat yourself to a happy living. Relax and spoil yourself with a prenatal massage or deluxe pedicure at one of your area’s finer spas.
Don’t feel that you cannot have a good time as you start to get bigger, and your breasts become tender and your ankles are swollen, nothing will sound better to you than a long massage. Just make sure you let your masseuse know you are pregnant, especially if you are not showing, since he/she will need to know in order to serve you best.
While at the spa, it is important that you do not get into any hot tubs or go into any steam rooms, which can unnecessarily elevate your body temperature. Other services, however, are fine. Pedicures will especially be a welcome treat to your tired feet!
Massages will generally run around $80-$100 plus tips and pedicures generally cost around $35-$65. Although it can be expensive, it is still worth it to indulge in a spa treat from time to time. If you cannot afford to spare the time or extra money, however, ask your spouse to give you a nice massage and foot rub. He might even paint your toe nails if you ask nicely!
