Health and fitness level in pregnancy

     

      

A woman’s biological clock and career clock can be handled simultaneously as long as she is in control of her own health and fitness level. Every woman today sacrifices a lot to make her career and it is unfair for her to give it all up only because she needs to plan her family too. I agree the biological clock has a time frame but as extensive medical science has become we can afford to also have children as late as possible there was a time when everyone felt kids should be delivered before 35 but not anymore the 35 of our times is 45. Now as women are more active stronger medical science is better we have better facilities, so even if you have got late due to your career you can still go ahead and have a safe and healthy delivery. Working full time in the office then a full time mom and a full time family care taker only God Almighty knows how she handles it and does a wonderful job at it too. Thorny is an understatement it’s an unattainable task which is made possible by every other hard working Canadian women. Sometimes it does get out of hand and we tend to stress out, but self discipline and sensible time management can solve all your issues. It is important for every woman to do the following to remain stress free and calm-
Stop feeling Guilty you are no super woman; you are doing as much as you can.
Appoint the best nanny or day care service for your little one after all you can afford it.
Plan your morning chores in advance it will help.
Making a time table every weekend is essential; time management is the only key.
Keep your office updated about your baby so they know you have an infant and there can be times when you will have to leave a board meeting to attend to your sobbing baby.
Remember quality is always better than quantity; it is not about the amount of time you spend with your little one it is about how you spend the time with your angel
Plan some time with daddy too, sharing the babies responsibility is best for you.

Read More: http://www.justthefactsbaby.com/

Breast engorgement

Post pregnancy it is normal for your breast to become heavy larger and sensitive as the milk producing hormones will start generating milk in large amounts to satisfy your baby’s hunger. This heaviness of the breast will ease out in the following weeks as the more your baby will breast feed the softer the breast will get.

But even after breast feeding if you still feel the heaviness and hardness as well as painful breast then for sure you are suffering from breast engorgement. The puffiness of your breast will be too much extending all the way to your armpits, your baby will find it difficult to feed due to the hardness of the areola and your nipples will be very painful and highly sensitive. You are most likely to develop high fever. Breast engorgement leads to impenetrability for the baby to feed properly as well as lead to grievous health concern for you.

To prevent breast engorgement make sure you are feeding your baby as many times as possible that is at least after every 2 hours. In day you should feed your baby at least 12 times and that too exclusively your milk. While nursing your baby make sure you first nurse on one breast properly and then switch to the other breast. For proper feeding the baby will take close to 15 to 20 minutes on one breast after that only switch the baby to the other breast. In case your baby does not feed on the other breast make sure the next feed you begin with the other breast.

For the first month keep your baby on breast milk only, try and avoid starting with formula milk at least for the first month unless there is a medical reason to start top feed. In case your baby is not feeding properly on your breast then pump out the milk using a breast pump and save it in a bottle and feed it to the baby through a bottle. If the baby has missed a feed if they are sleeping don’t let the milk remain inside your breast make sure you hand press it or use a breast pump and pump out the milk and store it in the refrigerator to feed it to the baby later.

To treat engorged breast massage your breast every time you are feeding your baby this will increase the milk flow and relive your breast of tightness hardness and pain. Before feeding a quick warm shower will increase the supply of the milk you can also use a cloth drenched in warm water as a compression. Nurse your baby as recurrently as possible keep a distance of 2 hours between each feed in case your breast are feeling too full or heavy then express milk through and pump and store it.

In case you feel pain or heaviness of the breast you can use ice packs or cold compression to ease the pain. You can also use frozen bags of meat green peas even corn. Buy high-quality supportive and superior quality nursing bras. Avoid under-wire bras till you are breast feeding as they can cause breast engorgement. Engorgement is a common problem that many women face there is nothing to get paranoid about it gets healed as fast as it appears don’t over think it. For pain you can take a Tylenol, if you have excess pain then just consult the doctor. Breast engorgement get healed within a day or 2 so relax just make sure you are feeding properly or pumping your milk every two hours for engorgement to heal faster.

PRENATAL CARE FOR BABY'S BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

Prenatal care is important and there is a reason why every topic about children has to be about prenatal first. The baby's development begins when they are in our wombs, from their physical to mental to emotional development everything, hence prenatal care is indispensable. As what you eat and what you go through mentally plays a massive role in your babies overall development. What a mother experiences during her pregnancy days does play a huge role in developing the baby's behavioral skills. A mother who has been under stress and anxiety all the time is bound to have a nervous baby who will react with the same fear and anxieties at all times. A mother who has been calm and peaceful in her pregnancy months will deliver a calm and peaceful baby and a mother who has been irritable cranky and harried at all times will give birth to a cranky baby. 

The behavior of the baby has a lot to do with the emotional up heals of the mother. Nutrition is vital for the baby, good nutritious food will help in the physical development of the baby but the mental development will depend a lot on the emotions and temperaments of the mother. Only because your baby is in the womb and not in your arms, you can't see it or hear it or feel it doesn't mean the baby can't hear or sense anything. They can hear and feel the anxieties and trauma of the mother and their behavior will depend a lot on it. So it is important for the mother to be at peace and calm at all times. I agree pregnancy is not easy there can be turbulent times where are hormones act up, I agree it is not easy to be calm at all times but you can try to divert your mind into good activities. Join a good yoga class, yoga is said to have some great benefits for the physical and mental health. Breathing exercises in yoga will help you relax and can down. Go for a walk, if you are upset about something or just plain angry best therapy is taking a walk in the open fresh air. It will help your relax and also calm your nerves plus help you think clearly. Prenatal care is predominantly essential as it is direct and indirect care for your baby. While eating nutritious food remember it is for your baby's health as your baby will get the good vitamins and minerals from it. Same way keeping calm, distressed and happy will keep your baby happy and help in normal brain development of your baby. So whatever you are doing when pregnant just don't forget you are doing it for your baby.

why proper dental care during your pregnancy is crucial for mom and baby

Bleeding and tenderness of the gums during pregnancy is not an uncommon ailment. Gingivitis is commonly seen during pregnancy, this is a common problem that many face when pregnant. 

What is Gingivitis? 

Tenderness of the gums along with swelling and bleeding of gums while brushing as well as flossing is called Gingivitis. Hormonal changes in the body lead to making the gums and teeth more sensitive and prone to the bacteria which causes plaque, this leads to gum inflammation tenderness and invariably lead to bleeding.

In rare cases it is also seen that gingivitis leads to a mouth tumor called a benign nodule it is seen in rare cases only, this tumor happens only during pregnancy, after delivery this tumor automatically disappears but in cases it doesn't go on it's own, it needs to be removed as this tumor can lead to interference while chewing food and if not removed can become a bigger problem later. 

While pregnant if it has appeared and causing you major discomfort along with bleeding consult your health care expert immediately and have it removed. Gingivitis is a kind of a gum disease , whether it can be harmful to your pregnancy has no relative conclusion, in most cases it is harmless but in some a severe gum problem has seen low birth weight of your baby as well as pre term delivery.

Gingivitis should not be taken lightly it should be treated as soon as possible as it has known to get more severe and lead to severe complications. To treat gingivitis you need to maintain a good standard of oral hygiene, brush regularly at least twice a day with a soft bristle brush. Floss regularly and also use mouth wash every night to gargle. Get your dental check-ups done regularly to get the plaque removed. Inform your dentist of your pregnancy to ensure she takes care of your dental issues carefully and prescribes you with pregnancy safe medication to treat your gums.

Essentials of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is crucial during pregnancy for yours and your unborn babies health. You want a healthy pregnancy make sure you are taking all your vitamins properly, and the only source of vitamins is healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts make sure you are eating a well balanced vitamin and mineral enriched meal.

There are many vitamins and each one has it's own role for our body but the most essential ones are vitamin A, Vitamin  C, Vitamin E  and Vitamin D.
Vitamin A- The only source is fruits and vegetables, vitamin A is vital for the baby's hair nail and skin development as well as protecting the baby from infections.
Vitamin E- A vitamin one should have all through their life important for immunity, repairing the wear and tear of tissues and improves the body's metabolism. Olive oil is a super source of vitamin e and so are many kinds of nuts.
Vitamin D- The source of this vitamin is the sun, nowadays many are known to suffer from this deficiency and it makes you feel weak and lethargic.  Make sure you take some sunshine especially the morning sun, it will give you the dose of vitamin D and make your skin and hair glow.
Vitamin C- Citrus fruits are the best source of vitamin c, oranges, sweet lime, lemon superb ways to gain some vitamin c. Again a vitamin that makes the immune system stronger to fight cold and flu attacks. Not only that vitamin c is essential for the repair of body cells and bones so it keeps the baby protected from injury by healing the injury faster. 

Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C as we all know is an essential vitamin for the body. Each and every vitamin has it's own importance but the need for a daily dose of vitamin c is a must. why? Let me explain vitamin c helps your body to fight any kind of infection, it helps develop a structural protein called collagen which helps in bone repair. Some research has also shown that vitamin c deficiency can lead to slow mental development of the baby. And if you have low hemoglobin the best way to make your body absorb iron will be by adding vitamin c with it, vitamin c helps the body to absorb iron from the iron rich food. The signs of vitamin c deficiency are weak and poor quality hair, inflammation and sensitivity in the gums, dry patchy skin and delayed healing of an injury.

The amount of vitamin c a pregnant women needs per day is as follows-
Pregnant women who are in their twenty plus need about 85 mg of vitamin c, young girls who are 18 and below and pregnant would require about 80 mg of vitamin c. Breast feeding mothers would require 120 mg of vitamin c.

There are tablets available but food is the best source of vitamin c and only including them in your diet would be sufficient to give your body the desired amount of  vitamin c. Foods that are a rich source of vitamin c are oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, yellow as well as red bell peppers, broccoli, potato, raspberries, tomatoes etc. 

Would Honey and Milk Induce Sound Sleep?

If you have a grandmother at home, then you have all your answers already. As a child when we were growing up, our grandmothers and mothers always ensured we were fed a glass of warm milk before bedtime and the reason was simple you will sleep well. Medically it may not be a fact, but psychologically it is a proven fact for many.During pregnancy disturbed sleep is a problem many face and so i guess the hot milk at bedtime tale got more momentum.

Milk does have some sleep inducing components like the hormone relation and amino acid tryptophan both these are said to relax the mind and induce a good sleep. In the night, usually pregnant women tend to feel acidic,anxious,hyper these discomforts lead to very disturbed sleep, so the idea of having a warm glass of milk with honey does sound appealing and relaxing.

To be true your lifestyle plays a role in your sleep pattern and not milk, if you follow a good healthy routine, then there is no reason to have a disturbed sleep.Make sure you have an early dinner and have a gap of at least 2 to 3 hours between your dinner and your bedtime.Avoid watching Television before you sleep, try and switch off the television atleast 30 minutes before your bedtime. Having unnecessarily heavy dinner can also trigger your digestive system and lead to disturbed sleep, so have a healthy and light dinner if you feel hungry then a glass of milk with honey or even some almonds will make sense.

But if you have lactose intolerance, then please do not have any dairy products at night. They will definitely trouble you; instead you can have a glass of soy milk with some almonds in it.

Years ago, my grandmother had given me a special formulae to deal with sleepless night, scientifically if it has helped or no i have no idea but emotionally it has not only helped but done wonders. A stressful day for me has always ended with her given recipe of magic milk, now that we are talking about it. Let me share it with you –

* A Glass of Milk (make sure in the night your milk isn’t whole milk but 2% or a 3%)

* A Table Spoon of Honey (you can also use organic honey, sugar content is less)

* An inch of turmeric (an Indian spice available at all Indian stores as well as your nearly by super marts)

* A few crushed almonds

In a pan heat milk add the pinch of turmeric, crushed almonds and heat once hot as per your choice. Pour it in your favorite bedtime mug adds the generous spoon of honey, stir well and enjoy it at your own leisure.

This has been my recipe for sleepless nights during prenatal days after delivery and even now when my kids are as tall as me.For women who are lactose intolerant you can opt for soy milk or almond milk.

Turmeric is known to be a miracle Indian spice. It has some amazing health benefits and also known as a natural antiseptic, so it will only do you good and is harmless to have.

Honey too has some super medical benefits not only does it increases your immunity, but is also a medicine to fight cold and flu. Honey is said to also cure sore throats. Almonds are the best source of vitamins, omega 3 and is the healthiest in the nut family a handful of almonds is a must for you and later also for your baby.

So go ahead and have milk with honey it will definitely put you to bed smiling and relaxed.

Safe Foods during Pregnancy

Eating healthy freshly cooked food is the best especially when you’re pregnant and when you are breast feeding. Healthy home cooked meals will always be more nutritional and provide with all the essential vitamins and minerals.

Keeping yourself healthy during pregnancy is very important, your body is not very high on immunity and it is very easy to get down with stomach infections. So it is crucial to make sure you double check your intake during pregnancy.

Keep all your groceries in the fridge, do not keep any food out in the open as it can get spoiled as well as infected.

Make sure you keep your surrounding clean and hygienic. You kitchen should be kept clean and sparking, the coking platform your utensils everything should be washed and kept clean. Make sure whatever meats or non-vegetarian meals you are consuming are well cooked and hot. No raw meats to be eaten during pregnancy.

If you are eating precooked meals make sure you heat the food very well before eating. When you are buying groceries or any food products check the manufacturing and expiry date. Avoid products which have expired as well as those whose expiry is close to date. Cereals, grains, dairy products are all safe and healthy foods to consume during pregnancy. Proteins like eggs, chicken, turkey are all good and can be consumed safely during pregnancy. But ensure they are well coked and not raw.

Fish is loaded with Omega 3 and hence has some amazing benefits if eaten during pregnancy. But shell fish like prawns, crabs, lobsters and squids should be avoided as much as possible. Stay away from Alcohol all through pregnancy and all through breast feeding. Complete Absentee from smoking is also crucial and has to be followed strictly.

Limited intake of caffeine is ok but in very small quantity and less regularly. Eating home cooked fresh meals is the best and safest in pregnancy. It is after all not just your health but all the health of your unborn baby that needs to be taken into account.