If you are pregnant, there are things you should know about pregnancy and tanning booths. Tanning beds safety while pregnant has become very questionable. A better choice might be to use the sunless tanning spray booth equipment to keep your golden tan.Initially it was believed that the use of a tanning bed after the first trimester was okay. During the first trimester the concern was about overheating yourself and the baby. However, in the past few years health officials are... Read More
Unless your practitioner gives you specific restrictions or instructions, you should keep active during pregnancy. This may be as simple as walking every day to get your heart rate moving, or it may be a complete fitness program designed to be safe during pregnancy. But you also need to do so safely.Exercise and fitness are activities you can control. They are important in pregnancy, just as they are during every other time of life. We all feel better when we're... Read More
It doesn't seem possible at the outset of pregnancy, but your skin really will stretch enough to accommodate your baby. Collagen and elastin in the skin guarantee it. It seems that collagen has the tensile strength of steel ? and by the end of the pregnancy, you'll understand why this is important.Elastin, just like the name implies, comprises the rubber-like, elastic fibers in the skin. From a scientific perspective, each elastin molecule will uncoil into a more extended conformation when... Read More
Labor and childbirth was an amazing, positive experience for me, both times. I am very fortunate, I know. But I do believe that if you prepare yourself through education (reading books, reading websites like this one, taking prenatal classes, etc) and taking good care of yourself while you are pregnant, you will have a far greater chance of a pleasant birth experience.There are many things you can do to increase your chances of an empowering childbirth experience. These are the... Read More
I coached as my wife was delivering our third child. She was at the final phase of delivery where the last few pushes would result in the birth of our second daughter. As the crown of our daughter's head protruded slightly from the very end of the birth canal, my wife's obstetrician yelled, "Stop! Don't push..."He quickly positioned a hypodermic needle and injected anesthetic into a section of my wife's perineal tissue - the skin between the vagina and the... Read More
Accurate dating of pregnancy is one of the most important steps in your prenatal care. Every decision you make and many tests that are run are directly related to or interpreted from where you are in your pregnancy. Using the first day of your last menstrual period as the starting point is the standard convention for dating pregnancies ¯ that's because it's a date most women can recall, whereas the actual date of conception is a little harder to pinpoint.It... Read More
Every woman gains weight while she is pregnant. This is the way how it is and always has been. And it is as it is: It is also perfectly normal for a woman wanting to lose weight after a pregnancy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with aspiring to get yourself back into shape right after having giving birth to a baby. In fact - weight loss to a certain degree is certainly encouraged. Overweight just causes different health issues in... Read More
By the time my husband and I finally got pregnant the first time, I had done a lot of reading about birth options and we had already decided to have a midwife instead of a doctor. We believe that pregnancy is a healthy state of being, and unless something came up, a midwife was the best way to go for us. Besides, where we live, a midwife can deliver babies at hospitals, so I felt that was the safest way... Read More
When a couple is unable to conceive a child, it is the couple's problem, and not the "fault" of one partner or the other. Female issues are the most common reasons cited, but some studies suggest that up to 40% of infertility is caused by one or more reasons originating with the male partner.For men, the problem can only be from one source- the sperm. However, that can involve a variety of difficulties from low sperm count, to poor motility,... Read More
New mothers sometimes experience "postpartum blues." This is understandable. Pregnancy and birth are very dramatic events for your body ? both physically and emotionally. So, it's common to feel a little weepy, irritable or moody in the first few days after birth.If you eat well, supplement your diet with high quality whole food supplements (especially omega-3 oils and B vitamins) and get enough rest, mild cases should pass quickly.But, if "the blues" continue for more than just a few days,... Read More
Obese and morbidly obese women are more likely to have pregnancy complications and caesarean sections than women of average weight, according to a study published in the April 2004 American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The controlled study is one of the largest ever to look at obesity in pregnancy, following more than 16,000 pregnant women at 14 medical centers across the country.Compared with women of normal weight, obese and morbidly obese pregnant women were at greater risk for gestational... Read More
What if you received a letter from a 13 years old girl telling that she is pregnant? Her monthly period has stopped. She is so scared and not knows what to do. How do you react to her and what should you do to help her?First, calm down yourself. If she is your daughter, your niece, cousins or your friend's daughter or who ever they are try not to show disappointment. Try to be cool when you face such situation.... Read More
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. Of course, this poundage depends on the woman's starting weight. If she is overweight, then she should gain less and if she is underweight, then she should gain more. Easy enough. Now, let's assume that your gal starts her pregnancy at a healthy and sexy weight. What the heck will she look like with thirty more pounds? Don't worry! It gets... Read More
What is Homebirth Midwifery? Homebirth Midwifery is prenatal care that may include homebirth care, newborn exams, prenatal and postpartum care, labwork and more. Homebirth Midwifery also consists of using alternative therapies like Aquanatal, exercise, herbs, hydrotherapy, massage and other modalities.Homebirth Midwifery is utilized to achieve and maintain a healthy pregnancy. With the ability to give birth in an individuals' own home and own natural pace, Homebirth Midwifery enables multiple advantages such as allowing women to work with their own bodies... Read More
Have you considered hiring a doula for added support during labor? Wouldn't it be easier for a mother to have someone nurturing, guiding, suggesting and comforting throughout the entire childbirth process? Doulas have your best interest at heart because they work for you not the hospital.WHAT ARE DOULAS?? Specially trained women helping women through childbirth.? Offer a continual presence vs. the hospital staff coming and going.? Provide pre-natal visits to go over birth plans and birth desires.? Give suggestions to... Read More
A doula is a Greek word meaning "woman servant." Doulas are trained professionals helping and guiding a woman and her partner through childbirth. A doula provides a continuous presence during labor and delivery as she takes care of a mother's emotional and non-medical needs.ARE YOU DOULA MATERIAL?Do you pick up childbirth magazines, immediately turning to the labor section, and you aren't even pregnant? Do you long to talk to anyone who is pregnant? I was this way before I became... Read More
In the olden days, mothers were told to toughen their nipples to avoid pain when the baby started breastfeeding. Rubbing with a wash cloth, pumping and even alcohol was once used to toughen the nipples.The number one reason why a woman has sore nipples is poor positioning and latching, not the lack of preparation. Possibly, the baby is not turned toward the mother or the baby's mouth is not over the nipple but on the tip of it. Some babies... Read More
Pain is the word most associated with labor. Women go to great lengths to deal with the discomforts of childbirth. They attend classes, buy products, read books and talk to their friends. However, relaxation is the one essential ingredient, often overlooked, which helps with the reduction of painful contractions. When Moms have fear in labor, their body tenses. When there is tension (opposite of relaxation), there is pain. Relaxation takes away the fear, therefore, reducing tension and pain. You can't... Read More
WHY LACK OF SUPPORT?Several years ago, ACOG, American College of Obstetrician and Gynecology stated, that the risk of vaginal birth after cesarean poses a threat of uterine rupture and isn't worth the risk to the fetus or the mother. Since then our hospitals and physicians have changed their views and policies. Larger hospitals with anesthesia coverage around the clock are a little more open to the idea of VBAC. Women aren't given the choice if they are at smaller hospitals.... Read More
EPIDURALS CAN SAVE YOU FROM THE "HORRORS" OF CHILDBIRTHIt is true that an epidural may make a woman have an easier birth, but may also complicate matters? Recently, I heard of a new study written by an anesthesiologist, stating that epidurals do not increase the woman's risk of cesareans. I immediately dismissed it as an attempt to sell a book. The audience is for women who are wanting the validation that it is OK to have an epidural. Guess what?... Read More
