Healthy pregnancy - maintaining yourself

Pregnancy brings joy with the Tower of increasing size, pain, and muscle aches. The body undergoes considerable change due to changes in hormones. Changes in the skin, there are dark spots on the skin of the face and stretch marks. Results in sleep disorders, bad digestion, frequent urination, constipation, weight etc. It's a few symptoms of pregnancy. Given that these changes take place gradually, one begins to adapt to them for joy, it will bring after nine months. It is very important to maintain the health of pregnant and go through the process with a State of mind relaxed and happy.

Maintaining the health of pregnancy

With the advent of the first signs of pregnancy, get ready for the new changes in your life. Happy and comfortable stay. See your doctor for all problems and adapt to your lifestyle to overcome the initial changes of the irritating body with more rest and relaxation. Follow the tips for a healthier pregnancy.

Tender breasts: wear a soft and comfortable maternity or care nursing bra with extra support. Apply cream moisturizing heavy nipples after washing with water only.

Dizziness: Expanding uterus exerts pressure on blood vessels, more nausea and vomiting can make one feel dizzy or double-headed light. To overcome this problem, maintain the health of pregnancy with frequent but small meals. Avoid standing or sitting in a position for long, lay down on your left to relax, stand up slowly, and let not your body get more heated.

Hemorrhoids: they too are caused from an increasing pressure on the rectal veins and constipation. To prevent hemorrhoids drink lots of fluids, take rich dietary fiber and strain not bowel while evacuating.

Leg cramps: as increases body weight and metabolism change takes place, pressure on the legs and feet increases. Eat rich food of low calcium bold, go for short walks, stretch and flex leg and foot muscles, use heating pads to relieve cramps in the legs.

Swelling: Important during pregnancy weight gain can cause swelling and swelling. It could be a sign of hypertension or toxemia, consult the doctor immediately. To avoid swelling and maintain a healthy pregnancy, avoid caffeine and salty foods. Stand with your feet high and drink at least eight glasses of water to keep your body hydrated.

Teeth and gum problems: maintain good oral hygiene by brushing teeth regularly; avoid eating candy and take calcium-rich foods. Oral bacteria due to gum disease can affect the fetus and result in the birth of low weight babies or a premature birth.

Similarly take all natural preventive measures to fight the other various changes in the body because of the pregnancy. Feel free to call your doctor in an event of vaginal discharge, bleeding, fever or chills, abdominal pain or any abnormal discomfort. Health pregnancy results in a happy you and baby health.

Apurva Shree is the pregnancy online editor free information resource http://www.earlypregnancy-symptom.info , it has developed this site to provide valuable information on the early symptoms of pregnancy and the methods that are useful to take advantage of your pregnancy period and the ways in which you greet your new world of motherhood. http://www.earlypregnancy-symptom.info is your free resource that provides not only information on the early symptoms of pregnancy but other aspects of pregnancy too.

Design tips - understand the signs of false pregnancy

It is advisable to understand the signs of pregnancy. Remember, a symptom of pregnancy cannot promise you are pregnant. It will therefore be wise not to claim your design as soon as you feel the first signs of pregnancy. It should be due to some other pathological problems.

Make sure that you carefully check and seek the advice of your doctor so that you are the subject is surely a specific symptom of pregnancy or perhaps a sign of some other health problems. Even when you look at and positive feeling, it is really a symptom of pregnancy, try to make your pregnancy clearly demonstrated by way of a test before it announces your family or your friends.

Any information provided in the following paragraphs is makes it easier to identify signs of false to you.

Morning

Morning is regarded as the most frequent and clearer signs of pregnancy. But the truth is that a sick stomach may be due to many other causes such as indigestion, food poisoning and various other stomach problems.

Missed menstrual period

A menstruation missed seems to be a second positive sign of pregnancy. But unfortunately, there may be various reasons behind missing a menstrual period. Primarily, you may not breach your period at all; Perhaps it is just fine for a week or two. Delay in menstrual cycles is quite normal. In addition, it is possible to miss a menstrual cycle of excessive emotional stress, breastfeeding, hormonal imbalances and many others.

Frequent urination

The next sign of pregnancy is usually frequent urination. However, it is usually caused by bacterial infections, diabetes issues and also increases the consumption of water and so forth.

You can also find explanations other than pregnancy for various other signs and symptoms such as the sensitivity of the chest, blackening of the vicinity of nipples. Hormonal imbalances could potentially cause these symptoms.

Light bleeding

Light bleeding due during menstruation date can also be a sign of pregnancy. But the situation could also be caused by vaginal bacterial infections, abrasions resulting from sexual relations and also exchange of pill contraception.

Confirming your pregnancy.

Initially, you will need to wisely discuss any symptoms you feel. Make sure that you talk to a medical expert. Then you can proceed to get a pregnancy test to find confirmation. You can try a pregnancy test base in your own home, which requires soaking a medicated band directly in urine so that you can identify the level of HCG. Many of these bands can be purchased in pharmacies. If you may think that it is unreliable to do the test yourself, you have to a health care clinic. They will try the same technique simply because his level of precision.

Manage the dissatisfaction

Don't be not sad if the result of the test proves to be negative. Stay focused with your employment, consulting, and writing articles on pregnancy may be useful methods to deal with these situations. Surf on the Internet to find web pages that provide information and facts on pregnancy.

Melissa Bell invites you to visit its lenses to find the answer on How do you get pregnant and How long to become pregnant. It will give you access instance to the secrets on how to become pregnant naturally within 2 months, even if you are on your end 30 or 40

Pregnancy Nutrition Guide

By Dr.Sally Zeinatie
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
When you’re pregnant, you are indeed “eating for two.” But this doesn’t mean eating twice as much as you did before, as a lot of people assume. What’s most important to remember is that everything you eat and drink passes directly to your baby, so make sure you cut out the things that are bad for both of you and stock up on the healthiest items possible.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
A reasonable, though not enormous, weight gain during pregnancy is essential for your baby’s health. Generally, moms-to-be will gain between 10 and 15 kg. As your pregnancy progresses eat smaller amounts more frequently, rather than two or three large meals a day. This way, you won’t overload your stomach, which is being squeezed by the growing uterus, and you are less likely to suffer from indigestion.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
A general rule is that foods have a higher nutritional value when they are raw and unprocessed, so concentrate on fresh foods whenever you can. And don’t even think about dieting. If you eat the right things, you won’t gain weight permanently. In fact, you may find that your new, healthy eating habits will help you to stay slimmer after the birth more than you were before you got pregnant. Ask your doctor for specific instructions, but here are some basic “dos” and “don’ts” for good pregnancy nutrition:
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Protein
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Your protein requirement doubles when you’re pregnant. Protein is found in lean meat, fish, chicken, hard cheeses (gouda, falamenc etc.), milk, hard-boiled eggs, legumes (for example, lentils, beans and chickpeas) and nuts.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Calcium
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Your calcium requirement is 50 percent higher when you’re pregnant, particularly during the first two months when the baby’s teeth and bones start to form. Calcium-rich foods include milk and milk-based products like yogurt and cheese. You’ll need four or five servings a day (a serving equals 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of yoghurt or about 30 gm of cheese). Choose low-fat or skimmed products. Calcium is also found in sardines, gargeer, spinach, nuts, and bamia.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Fiber
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Fibers Help to combat any tendency towards constipation when you’re pregnant. Found in aysh baladi, brown bread, raw vegetables and fruit, beans (ful, white beans etc.) and nuts.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Folic Acid
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Research suggests that getting enough folic acid before conception and for the first few months of pregnancy can reduce the risk of your baby being born with a neural tube defect. Found in spinach, fresh orange juice, ful, lentils and peanuts. Many doctors prescribe a folic acid supplement, so ask yours about this.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Iron
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Extra iron is needed to cope with your increased blood supply. Lean red meat is one of the best sources. You can also get iron from chicken, shellfish and tuna, raisins, apricots, prunes, artichokes, gargeer and spinach.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Carbohydrates
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Carbohydrates can help to alleviate morning sickness. More nutritious sources are bread, crackers, macaroni, rice and potatoes.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Liquids
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day or vary this with un-sugared fruit or vegetable juices or herbal teas that your doctor approves. Also drink at least a half-liter of pasteurized milk every day - or use it on cereals or in soups and sauces.
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
DON’Ts
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
*Liver, including liver sausage or spreads
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
These contain high levels of vitamin A which could harm your baby
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
*Raw eggs
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
Soft cheeses and blue-veined cheeses
Goat’s milk or cheese
Un-pasteurized milk or milk products
All the above may contain harmful bacteria
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
*Cakes, biscuits, chocolate, salty foods
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
These contain too much fat, sugar or salt
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
*Sugary, fizzy drinks
Tea, coffee and hot chocolate
These contain sugar and/or caffeine
Pregnancy Nutrition Guide
*Smoke or drink alcohol
Both cigarettes and alcohol are poisons which can harm your baby very seriously. Pregnancy Nutrition Guide

Eating Healthy after Delivery

By Health Tips & Technics

You have had your baby! Suddenly all the necessary and unnecessary advice you got throughout pregnancy from friends and relatives seems to have doubled. When you reach out for that piece of mango, your mother-in-law is horrified. You can’t eat that she says pulling the fruit away. You have just delivered!. Your mother wants you to have a tablespoon of ghee with each meal. An aunt who has come to see the baby checks with your mother if you are getting a special mix of dried fruits and nuts.

Who should you listen to? Having just delivered, do you really need to have a special diet? Can you eat normal food or does everything have to be specially prepared for you? If you have had a caesarean section, will any food affect the wound?

Indian culture places a great deal of misplaced importance on food and its effects on the woman who has just delivered. Common sense should dictate what you eat after a delivery.

After the delivery you will find you have lost more than half of what you had put on in pregnancy. You still have to lose a few kilos to regain your pre-pregnancy weight.

Obesity in women starts very often in pregnancy. If you don’t lose all the excess weight after the delivery, you will put on even more in a subsequent pregnancy. This additional weight tends to accumulate each year.
How much weight should you have gained in pregnancy?

The amount of weight you should gain in pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy body-mass index (BMI) If you have gained the ideal amount of weight then you fill find it easier to regain your pre-pregnancy weight. If you have gained more than you should have then you will have to work harder to take that weight off.

You do not have to eat large quantities because you are breast feeding. It is important to eat a balanced diet. There are no foods that will affect the baby. There are no specific foods that you should not eat after the delivery. A balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables is very important after the delivery.

When you are breastfeeding, you should drink 2 glasses of milk and eat 2 cups of curds a day. If you have gained too much weight in pregnancy you can drink low fat or skim milk. Even curds can be made from low fat or skim milk.

Proteins are the building blocks for the baby. Make sure that your diet includes dairy products, grains, nuts and pulses, eggs, meat, fish or poultry. Avoid deep fried food.

Carbohydrates provide you with energy. When taken in larger quantities, you will only get empty calories. You do not need to increase the quantity of rice that you normally take. Substitute chapathis for rice at one meal. If you are gaining too much weight.


Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and roughage. A rainbow of vegetables and fruits on your plate provides excellent nutrtition! Greens will help avoid constitpation.

Many women of childbearing age have low Iron stores. It is important to be on a combination supplement of iron, B –complex and folic acid for a few months after a delivery. Calcium requirements double during pregnancy and lacation.
Old wives tales”

Eat plenty of ghee. It will help the uterus heal. Not true! This will only make you put on unnecessary weight and is very unhealthy since it is a saturated fat. Avoid spicy food and hot or cold drinks because it will harm the baby. Not true!

Eat lot of garlic, it will increase milk flow. Not true! Garlic by itself does not increase the flow of milk. It makes the milk smell which may tend to make the baby suckle more.

Ajwain water is good for you not true!
Avoid certain kinds of lentils, root vegetables and certain fruits. Do not eat papaya, pineapple and mangoes after a delivery. Not true

http://www.healthtips.in/eating-healthy-after%20delivery.asp

Folic Acid Foods to Prevent Deficiency

By Jairlyn on December 2nd, 2009 HealthMad.com

Folic acid, also known as Vitamin B9, is an important vitamin for red blood cells and several other body functions. This supplement use and eating Folic acid rich foods preventing a deficiency is easy.

What is Folic acid
Folic acid is a water soluble vitamin a.k.a. vitamin B9. Folacin is another name for it. In its natural form Folic acid is called Folate. The liver changes the Folic acid into dihydrofolic acid and it is this form that the human body makes us of. The speed at which the liver makes dihydrofolic acid is rather slow so it is important to keep a good level of Folic acid in the body. Vitamin supplements can help in this. Folic acid is vulnerable to break down in ultraviolet light.

Folic acid is key to the body. It aids with the synthesis and repair of DNA. It’s important for cell growth, especially those cells that grow and reproduce rapidly. In children and adults this is primarily red blood cells. In unborn infants it is nearly everything as they grow and mature quite rapidly. An increase and supplementation of Folic acid is very important for pregnant mothers.

Folic acid deficiency issues
There a number of diseases and conditions caused by Folic acid deficiency because it is required in so many body processes. Anemia is a common condition. Anemia comes in multiple varieties but most center around a low red blood cell count. As it is the red blood cells that take oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body this can add to numerous other problems of most organs. Weakness and fatigue may happen with Anemia from a low oxygen amount in the human body. Fatigue can be common for a multitude of conditions or even just a lack of sleep. This makes it difficult to self diagnose.

Mental issues like depression or confusion can occur. Those that have a Folic acid deficiency will also have a higher risk of stroke and heart disease.

Women that are pregnant and have a Folic acid deficiency also means to a deficiency for the unborn child. If this occurs during the first trimester then a condition called Neural Tube Defects can develop. The end result is a deformation of the spine, skull and brain in the child. Extra vitamin supplements in before this happens after conception are highly encouraged. For both men and women, a Folic acid deficiency can cause sub-fertility rates as vitamin b9 helps with reproductive cells.

Ways to get Folic acid
There are numerous Folic acid foods that can get most of your daily Folic acid requirements. Leafy vegetables such as turnip greens and romaine lettuce are high in Folic acid. Some other vegetables such as asparagus, beets, and broccoli are also good sources of Folic acid. Some legumes like peas and beans have good quantities of Folic acid. Brewer’s yeast is an additional source.

Though perhaps a little controversial, some grains and cereals have Folic acid added into them. Not all governments require or even encourage the increase of Folic acid into foods. In the United States, enriched cereals and breads had Folic acid introduced in 1998. Carefully check the label of any grain product to check if it is or is not fortified with Folic acid.

Vitamin supplements have a higher bioavailability then natural Folic acid in foods. Bioavailability is the how easily a food or nutrient gets absorbed by the body. For this reason, taking vitamin supplements might be the best way to get the recommended daily allowance. Especially in pregnant or seeking to become pregnant women that will need a dramatic increase in their Folic acids levels.

Risk of toxicity is low because it is water soluble and if you do consume more then you absorb the rest can be carried out with urine. The one known side effect of Folic acid o.d. is that it worsens the effects of vitamin B12 deficiency. However if one is taking a multivitamin supplement this will be a lessened concern since both vitamins will be consumed at the same time.

PMS Symptoms and Pregnancy Symptoms

Post menstrual symptoms and the pregnancy symptoms share some of the indications. The extent of these symptoms varies for each woman. For one woman they may vary in intensity in each month. Good news here is that there are treatments available to relieve the post menstrual symptoms. No matter the pregnancy symptoms can also be treated but this treatment should first be consulted with your gynecologist to safe the growing fetus.

PMS Symptoms
It is generally believed that the symptoms of post menstrual come into place because of the lack of a certain hormone. This hormone is termed Serotonin. It is a chemical produced by the brain and it greatly helps to control sleeping patterns, moods and appetite. Serotonin also helps the signal to travel from one nerve to another. The other possible cause can be the variation on the levels of the hormones that takes place during the menstrual cycles.

If the post menstrual symptoms are because of Serotonin levels the women may experience mood changes, anger, irritability, food cravings and aggressive behavior.

If the PMS are caused because of the hormonal changes the women may experience headache, or breast ache. Weight gain and bloating may also come into place.

Treatment of the symptoms of PMS may include some prescribed medicine for pain relief or some antidepressant tablets. Some women are also put on the birth control pills for the stabilization of the periods.

Pregnancy Symptoms
Pregnancy in its initial days may also cause the women to feel certain irritable things. The first and the foremost symptom of pregnancy is the missed period. Pregnancy symptoms also include nausea, morning sickness, tender breasts, tiredness or depression. Some of these symptoms resemble post menstrual symptoms. So if women missed a period it is better to have a pregnancy test done for confirming pregnancy. Sole dependence on these symptoms may be misleading. Timely confirmation of pregnancy is essential for the healthy growth of pregnancy.

Possible Treatments for PMS symptoms and Pregnancy Systems
Treatment of pregnancy symptoms is tricky. As the ingredients of the prescribed product may or may no be safe for the growing fetus. Good prenatal care is essential for the better health of the mother and the child. So it is always better to consult the doctor timely for this.

Because of the side effects attached with the prescribed medicines most of the women today wants to use some herbal supplements to help relief their post menstrual symptoms. Herbal supplements have either no or minimal side effects.

It is suggested that one must ask her doctor even before starting any herbal medicine as it may effect the performance of some prescribed medicines. The best herbal supplement is one that has gone through intensive checking. The metabolic path of which has studied at the molecular level. Interactions of various ingredients of the supplement should already be thoroughly studied. The herbal supplement should meet the basic pharmaceutical standards. These standards guarantee the consistency of standard in the whole pack and in the subsequent pack as well.

When Is A women Most Fertile?

If this question is asked from several women, it is likely that each will give a different answer. The most common belief and a widely accepted answer is the woman is fertile throughout the month except for the period of seven days when she is having her menstrual periods. Still there are some who believe the woman is fertile after seven days of finishing her periods. The fact is there is only a small window of fertility. There are few days where the intercourse can make her pregnant. These are not more than five days in each of her monthly cycle.

Women can maintain a careful record of the start and finishing dates of her menstrual periods. It is the best way of finding out when a woman actually ovulates.

Normally the process of ovulation takes place after 10 – 14 days of the starting date of the periods. During ovulation the body temperature also increases. Many women can rightly detect the ovulation days by thoroughly recording their body temperature. The best time to intercourse, if somebody is using this method to time her ovulation is 5 days before the temperature starts to rise. This in turn mean that one should have the record of several months before coming on to the accurate dates of her ovulation, and knowing when is she most fertile.

As the technology is advancing there are many other methods to detect the ovulation. There are many interactive ovulation calculating equipments. To use this sort of calculators the women only need to know the date when their last menstrual periods ended. Instead of estimating the average length of the cycle they have to add their own length of the cycle and the calculator will give them exactly when she is most fertile. If somebody wants to conceive she can start having intercourse a few days before the exact date of ovulation. As the sperms can survive in the woman’s body longer than it can do in the man’s body. It is better to know about the partners sperm count. As if the man has a low sperm count he should not intercourse three days before the exact date of ovulation. In fact he should not even ejaculate; otherwise he would leave with no sperms when he really had to make her pregnant.

This should be kept in mind that any method used to determine the fertile period is only an estimation of the days of ovulation. There is no method yet devised that can exactly pinpoint the time and the date of the ovulation. The use of an ovulation calculator will give you an estimated date only which normally is the 15th day from the date of the start of the menstrual period for those who have an average 28 days long cycle. This may or may not be accurate for every woman. Some may conceive after one or two day they ovulate. But conceiving after this is highly unlikely.

Unlike the sperms the egg can only survive for 12- 24 hours after their release from the ovary. These facts are the reasons of this small fertility window.

Bleeding During Pregnancy

By: Constance Rock & Aleksandra Evanguelidi

During pregnancy, the mother should be extra careful to take proper care of her. A significant problem in time of pregnancy is bleeding. Bleeding during Pregnancy is a common problem but it needs immediate medical help to avoid big complications. Surf through and get an overview about bleeding in pregnancy.
Bleeding during Pregnancy is always a cause of worry but it has been seen that it is also a common problem in almost all women. During early stage of pregnancy, the fertilized egg takes a day or two to implant. This sometimes leads to light bleeding which is known as "breakthrough bleeding". Many a times, around the usual time of menstruation cycle, women experience early stage pregnancy bleeding. The causes of bleeding in early stage of pregnancy are stated below:

In case of any case of Bleeding during Pregnancy, a visit to the doctor is always worth it. Sometimes light bleeding is considered as a minor problem but fresh blood discharge along with abdominal pain can lead to serious trouble. These complications need immediate attention as it may lead to various pregnancy complications such as miscarriages, ectopic pregnancy or other placenta problems.

Women experiencing bleeding in time of pregnancy should keep track of every symptom and contact doctor for proper help. The doctor should be informed about the type of bleeding to diagnose the cause of bleeding in pregnancy easily.

You need to be very careful during pregnancy and abide by the advice of your physician. The common symptoms of Bleeding during Pregnancy include the following along with blood discharge:

•Cramps
•Contraction of muscle
•Pain
•Fever

Browse our site pregnancyxl.com to know more about pregnancy and pregnancy complications.

Having Guests at Your Birth

By Constance Rock & Aleksandra Evanguelidi

Every birth facility, other than your own home, has an official policy on guests attending births. While you will need to follow those guidelines, we have some additional suggestions that can help you decide what is best for you in this situation.

When thinking about whether or not to have someone other than your partner at your birth, consider the following:

•Why do you want them there?
•Is it because there’s something that you know they will provide for you?
•Are they someone that you can completely relax with?
•Do you trust them to be great with you even if you’re not able to be great with them?
•Are you considering inviting them because you think it would be good for them?
•Is it because they asked if they could be there and you don’t feel comfortable saying no?
When looking at the pros and cons, keep in mind that for many women, the more people she has at her birth, the longer the labor will be. Birth, for the most part, is a very private act. The hormones responsible for birth are the same as the ones involved with lovemaking. Consider how difficult it would be to have sex with others watching. That might be weird, right? Well, birth is not exactly the same, but it’s important to understand the similarities.

If you’ve looked at these considerations and it still feels right to invite someone, there are some important things to discuss with your guests before the birth. For example, what will their role be? Some suggestions are:

•Photograph or videotape the labor, birth and/or post-delivery.
•Prepare or bring food. (You might not be able to eat much in labor, but, everyone else will need to in order to keep up their energy for you. And you will probably be very hungry after giving birth.)
•Childcare for siblings.
•Run errands and answer phones.
•Massage and labor support.
It is a good idea for your guests to have an established role and parameters. That way they know exactly what you need from them and how best to support you. This will help them as much as it does you. Oftentimes people feel helpless watching someone in labor. They can see how hard you’re working but don’t know what will make a difference for you. Labor is not something they can rescue you from. It’s something only you can do. So, if they’re clear beforehand about what you want and they’re willing to be flexible about it, they really can make a difference for you.

Sometimes, even when you you’ve established their role beforehand, it just doesn’t work for you. Ask your guests to be willing to be flexible and not to personalize anything. You might not be able to be gracious with them when your labor gets intense. We’re not suggesting that you treat your guests badly, but labor is not the time to worry about being socially appropriate. Also, there are times when the only way to get labor moving is to have your guests leave. Or, you might decide once labor starts that you really want to be alone. Make sure that they know ahead of time that all invitations to your birth are conditional.

Let your guest know that you will need them to keep their energy calm and peaceful. Tell them that they should stop talking when your contraction starts. They can finish their thought after your contraction is over.

Some things that drive laboring women crazy:

•Talking during contractions
•People coming in and out of the room
•Too much excitement
•Smells, such as bad breath or perfume
•Phones ringing
•Being stared at
Being at a birth is very exciting and sometimes stressful. Because of the excitement, people will often forget that we all want the baby’s experience to be peaceful. The baby has only heard muffled sounds in the womb. Please ask your guest to refrain from shouting with excitement as the baby emerges. We will gently remind everyone as well.

When these considerations are looked at before the birth, choosing to have guests at your birth can not only make a huge difference for you, but it can be a profound experience for your guests as well.

Looking Ahead: Making Postpartum Easier

By Constance Rock & Aleksandra Evanguelidi

Twelve Tips for helping you after delivery:

•If at all possible, have your partner take a one to two-week vacation, leave of absence or paternity leave after the birth. This will give him/her time to bond with the new baby, to care for you and give you both time to learn how to be parents (again).
•It’s a great idea to take an infant-child CPR course before the baby comes. This skill will give you confidence once you are on your own with your baby and you never know, one day you might use it to save someone’s life.
•Arrange for a family member or friend, other than your partner, to come over every day to help with the meals and laundry for the first 2 weeks. Choose someone who isn’t going to expect you to entertain them; someone you will take care of you and support you in resting and recovering from the birth.
•Have your friends help with meals for the first 2 weeks. Ask a close friend to arrange a schedule for meal drop off with your other friends. This gives them the opportunity to see you and the baby while providing something special for you.
•Don’t try to be Wonder Woman. If other people offer to help, graciously accept. Although it’s sometimes difficult to except support, postpartum is a time in your life when you really are going to need it. And remember, it’s temporary and the opportunity to contribute to you could be a blessing to your friends. Think about a time in your life when you were able to do something simple that really made a difference for someone you care about. Didn’t it feel great?
•Keep a list on the refrigerator of things that need to be done so someone wanting to help knows what to do. Make a list of chores that you can do sitting or lying down; you’d be amazed at how many there are. Ask for help with cooking and cleaning: Your new job is to care for your baby. Allow people to contribute to you by helping you with all of the other chores. Running errands, dishes, laundry, cleaning, cooking and shopping.
•Arrange for your older children to spend part of each day with friends or a relative for the first few days after the birth. This will give you time to rest and to get to know your new baby. If your partner has time off, have him/her spend extra time with the older children. It’s not a good idea, however, to have an older child spend the night away from home at this time. S/he needs to know that all is well at home, and that his/her place is still secure within the family.
•Other suggestions for involving the older children: have the older children choose the clothes that the baby will wear right after the birth; they can help you pack them. Buy a special gift for the older children "from the baby." When friends come to visit, bringing gifts for the baby, ask them to bring something for the older ones, too; or have a few gifts on hand for the older ones. When friends arrive, ask them to spend some time with the older children first, then ask the older children to take them in to meet the new baby. Leave out the older children’s baby books or photo albums, so that they can show guests that they were babies once, too. Issue the birth announcements in the older children’s names (Billy Jones announces the birth of his new baby sister…) Try to arrange some special time with just you and each of the older children while your partner cares for the baby.
•Keep things you need by the bed. Put water and juice bottles by your bed. Bottles should be easy to open with one hand or your mouth. Also snacks like almonds or trail mix. Keep a phone near you. Diapers, wipes, change of clothes, burp cloths and the diaper pail should be reaching distance from the bed.
•Sleep when the baby sleeps. Don’t be tempted to take that time to catch up on the housework. If you wake up before the baby does, use that time to eat or shower. You might find that you really could have used that nap if you’re up all night with the baby.
•Record a message on your incoming phone line. People want to know you’re O.K. and they want to know about the baby. Record frequent messages about your birth, how it’s going and how everyone is doing. Include date of birth, baby’s weight, name, sex, etc. Also let your callers know you won’t be returning calls right away and to be patient with you while you bond and rest.
•Have someone call you regularly to check in on you. Especially between 10 days and one month after the birth. If you feel great, it will be a happy hello. If you’re having a hard time, it will give you a welcome opportunity to share and receive support.

The Single Most Important Lesson for Pregnancy

By Constance Rock & Aleksandra Evanguelidi

Tonight, I was sitting down to write this article and asked myself the question: “What is the single most important thing I tell my pregnant clients?”

Listen.
The body is constantly giving off subtle and not-so-subtle suggestions and recommendations to us throughout our lives. The more we adhere to these messages, the more we are paying attention to the electrical switchboards that make up our nervous system, our chemical body, and the neurological pathways that regulate synapse firing and hormone production. Like flashing lights on a car dashboard, you wouldn’t ignore the need to put gas in your car or cover up a blinking “Check Engine” light. So, why do we drink more caffeine when we are tired or put off eating or drinking when the sensations for hunger and thirst find us? During pregnancy, these messages are the most crucial to pay attention to because they are dictating to us not only the needs of the developing fetus, but the paramount needs of the host body that this fetus is growing inside of.

In the United States alone, approximately 12 percent of all births are premature. That means 1 in 8 women give birth to babies that are most likely to end up in the NICU for issues related to lung prematurity and breathing issues, digestive complications, and developmental problems. According to the doctors, sociologists, and other health professionals who study birth psychology, the time immediately following the birth of the newborn impacts the child more than any other time in their life and that the events leading up to and including the birth will stay imprinted with the child well through their adult years. So what does that say about a child who is born early and then whisked away to the sterile Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, hooked up to machines and IVs before ever having a chance to be held, gently welcomed to this world, and loved by its parents? Lifelong issues of trust, love, and safety are just the beginning.

Certainly the wonder of science allows us to keep these babies alive, and gives them a chance at life that might not have been available 20 or 30 years ago. But, just keeping a baby alive isn’t enough if the child is going to suffer for decades when in actuality more can be done to keep these babies growing inside the mama, where all its needs can be met.

Statistically speaking, midwives have far better outcomes with their clients when it comes to pre-term babies. In our midwifery practice we have much better stats than is generally seen in obstetric care. Not to toot my own horn (well, actually, yes I am tooting), we had only 1 client out of 96 who had pre-term labor in 2008, and that was because her water broke before any other symptoms of labor began. Using evidence based medicine, we have seen the correlation between pre-term labor and stress, nutrition and hydration, and teaching a mother to listen to the signs her body is giving her.

The American College of Gynecology (ACOG) still states that the cause for pre-term labor is yet unknown, yet we in the midwifery model of care have seen over and over again trends that correlate to specific behavioral attitudes and stress levels, that when a mother is showing signs of early labor, with appropriate life coaching and adjustments to her work and emotional stress levels while incorporating herbal protocols, pregnancies are going full term and these babies stay in until it is safe for them to come out.

During our prenatal visits, we spend an hour discussing with our clients what they are eating, how they are sleeping, what kind of exercise they are getting, and how much water they are drinking. But probably the most important question we ask them is “How are you feeling?” It is amazing how few women get asked this question in routine obstetric care, when the answer gives the care provider so much of what they need to know about the well-being of their client. When given the space to share their fears, worries, and stress loads, we can speak to the immediate needs in terms of what will make the difference for my clients in order for them to find peace, right now. When women are able to feel some sense of power over their circumstances or given real time solutions to their immediate concerns, they are no longer caught in a stress cycle that is dumping stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline in daily doses to the baby.

I can speak from experience—being 38 weeks pregnant myself—that when my workload felt overwhelming and there was no break in sight, not only did I feel alone with no way out, but I was having massive contractions that felt like labor, at 26 weeks! Little did I know, I was on my way to being one of the 1 in 8 statistic. It took some serious talking to by my care providers in order to change how my work lifestyle was impacting my well-being and my growing baby.

As midwives, we are trained to hear the words and tones in a woman’s voice when she feels overwhelmed and her unmet needs are prevailing in importance over the needs of her body and the baby inside of her. We can discuss the symptoms she is having on a physical level and almost without fail, pinpoint her emotional turmoil or nutritional deficiencies to the periods in which she experiences the most contractions. When given the opportunity to see the effects of stress, lifestyle, and choices around her well-being and the potential hazards awaiting her and baby if things don’t change (and quick!) most women will make the choices that will bring a sense of balance back to the emotional and physical body. And the impact of these lifestyle changes has a ripple effect that has the potential to impact our lives and the lives of our children, too.

Consider that we as a culture have a tendency to bring our work home with us, that we spend far too little time in nature, with our families, and that swinging in a hammock is for the two-week vacation we have each year. What is the message we are sending our children? The most powerful teachings come from example, and self-care is perhaps the best example of healthy living I can think of to teach my own children.

So again, my advice to women at the conception gate or to one already pregnant: Listen. Listen to your heart and listen to your body. There are a million dos and don’ts out there, most of which will scare you into thinking it is barely safe to eat or drink without your food being nuked for 10 minutes before you consume it. And for every pregnant rule, there is some health professional there to tell you a study as to why there are several exceptions to that rule. What I want to tell you is to find that voice inside you that dictates the cravings and aversions, whether it be food, exercise, music, environments, smells or people and listen to it. There is a message your body is trying to communicate to you. You are about to be a parent. And soon after you cross this threshold, there will be a whole new set of rules and theories about the best way to raise this child so that they are smarter, quicker, wiser, kinder. And if you have already learned to flex this muscle of listening to your inner guidance, the job of raising this little being to be the best human you can, will be so much easier, and finding your way confidently through the maze of parenting options will be a breeze.

Anemia During Pregnancy

By Constance Rock & Aleksandra Evanguelidi

Anemia is a common problem during pregnancy where the oxygen-carrying capacity of your blood is diminished. Oxygen is carried to every cell in your body by a component of the blood called hemoglobin. Your blood will expand to almost twice the normal volume by the 28th week of pregnancy to ensure enough oxygen is getting to you and your baby. Hemoglobin takes longer to develop then other components of your blood and an iron-rich diet is essential to the development of hemoglobin. Making sure that an adequate amount of hemoglobin has developed can ensure a healthy pregnancy and a quick recovery postpartum. Being anemic puts you at risk for hemorrhage, shock, the need for a blood transfusion. These are scary things but luckily, anemia is easy to avoid or resolve with good nutrition and supplementation.

Some of the causes of anemia include inadequate intake of iron, folic acid and B12 in the diet, caffeine consumption, and back-to-back pregnancies. It’s important that you avoid caffeine during pregnancy. It not only blocks iron absorption, but it leaches calcium from your blood. Both iron and calcium are vital for growing a healthy baby and they’re vital to your health and longevity. Caffeine is in sodas, coffee, and black or green tea.

The most important thing you can do to avoid anemia is to eat an iron-rich diet. This is especially important if you’re vegetarian or vegan. Your body can absorb the iron in the food you eat much eaiser than it can from iron supplements. Most iron supplements are synthetic and are constipating. This not only makes you uncomfortable, but it can cause hemorrhoids. Nobody wants those.

If you’ve had pregnancies closer than 2 years apart, it’s even more important for you to eat a nutritious diet. Not only will it reduce your risk for miscarriage and postpartum complications, but it will increase your energy and vitality which are so important when you have little ones to care for.

Here is a list of foods that are high in iron that will help build blood:

•Clams, oysters, legumes, tofu, organ meats, especially chicken liver, whole grains, black rice, beans, dark leafy greens, figs, seeds, nuts (especially almonds), eggs, rosehips, blackstrap molasses, and seaweeds such as kombu.

Foods that contain high amounts of folate are also important to have in your diet. The following foods are rich in folate:

•Asparagus, barley, beef, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, cheese, chicken, dates, green leafy vegetables, lamb, lentils, legumes, liver, milk, oranges, split peas, root vegetables, salmon, tuna, wheat germ, and whole grains.

Your blood will be tested at the beginning of your pregnancy and then again at 28 weeks to make sure that your hemoglobin count is at least 11 or 12. If you are borderline anemic some of the symptoms you might be having include depression, fatigue, weakness, breathlessness, fainting, dizziness, nausea, inflamed or sore tongue and headaches. Below is a list of natural supplements that will boost your iron stores and raise your hemoglobin.

•First, make sure you are taking a vitamin that is whole food based. Our favorite prenatal vitamin is made by New Chapter. It’s an excellent brand that’s organic, 100% food and highly bioavailable.
•Mega Foods Blood Builder is an excellent source of iron and the cofactors necessary for maximum absorption.
•Himalayan Goji juice, 4 oz taken 2 times a day
•Yellow Dock tincture, 3 droppers taken 4 times a day
•Floradix Iron + Herbs Liquid Extract Formula
•Chlorella tablets, 6 tablets taken 2-3x a day
•Take a Vitamin B6, B12, and Folate supplement.
•Make sure you take extra Vitamin C with any supplementation. The extra vitamin C is necessary for the iron to be properly absorbed into the blood.
•Other herbs that contain iron and are safe during pregnancy are chickweed, burdock, dandelion root and leaves, purslane, nettles, red raspberry leaf and alfalfa. You can take these by tincture or make a tea infusion and drink throughout the day.
It would be ideal for you to incorporate these foods into your diet on a regular basis during your pregnancy and afterwards. Include these supplements into your diet if you’re feeling run down or you know your hemoglobin is low. They are extremely important for you to not only build rich blood, but they ensure that you are sustained well into breastfeeding and beyond.

Care Plan After a Cesarean Birth

By Constance Rock & Aleksandra Evanguelidi

Recovering from a cesarean birth requires much attention and support in order for you to heal properly and within a shorter period of time. A cesarean birth is traumatic to the tissues, muscles, and fascia, and to your emotional body as well. Most women express the after-effects of the experience as like being “hit by a train.” However, following these instructions and nutritional guidelines can truly make the difference in quickening up the healing process and having you feel better physically and emotionally.

Try to refrain from bending over, going up and down stairs, lifting or pulling, or exerting force of any kind for a least one week postpartum. The recommendation is to stay in bed for a two-week period, eating a diet of very nourishing warm teas and soups, the richer the better. Avoid cold beverages or foods that can constipate you like pasta and bread.

Natural Ways to Help You Heal
All of the supplements mentioned below can be taken for any length of time and do not affect breast milk in any negative way.

1. When a cesarean is performed on a woman’s body, many layers of muscles tissue are separated and pulled away from each other after the initial incision. What is then created is muscle trauma, which leads to bruising and inflammation of the sensitive tissues and organs.
Suggested Remedy: Arnica Montana 12c or 30c.
The suggested dose of this homeopathic remedy is 5 pellets under the tongue every 15 minutes for the first hour, and five pellets an hour every hour following. This will send messages to the tissues to repair and will dramatically increase the speed of healing.

2. Another supplement that it is imperative to take is an anti-inflammatory enzyme product.
Suggested Remedy: Enzymedica makes an effective product called “Repair.” Bromelain and Ginger extract will also help.
These types of anti-inflammatory enzymes work to digest the excess proteins that collect around wounds or traumas, essentially digesting the surrounding inflammation and speeding up effectiveness of healing.These enzymes should not be eaten with food, but can be taken every 2-3 hours.

3. Your first bowel movement may be uncomfortable and gas pains can be quite acute after surgery.
Suggested Remedy: A liquid essential fatty acid such as flax, borage, primrose blend, or hemp oil.
These oils help dramatically with the passing of bowels, which can be a very sensitive issue, especially if you have experienced any hemorrhoids, or a long pushing period. Essential fatty acids also serve to relax your nerves and help to balance your hormones. The recommended dosage is one tablespoon twice a day, and can be taken with food or on an empty stomach.

4. You may have been treated with antibiotics before or after your surgery. The shock of a surgical procedure can also upset your immune system.
Suggested Remedy: A probiotic product with a multitude of different types of strains.
These are active cultures that are in yogurt, but a specific probiotic should be taken in order to support the body to come back into while taking antibiotics and afterwards.

5. The following homeopathics are useful for the various complaints you may have to deal with after surgery. 30c strength every 2 hours for six days:

•Arnica Montana 30c – Treats bruising and relieves pain, reduces bleeding
•Staphysagria 30c – Promotes healing
•Bellis Perennis – for deep tissue trauma
•Raphanus or Carbo Vegetalis – For constipation or painful gas
•Calendula - for bruising and swelling

Thriving Postpartum: Avoiding Post-Partum Depression

By Constance Rock & Aleksandra Evanguelidi

The time period following birth is an extremely vulnerable and potentially volatile period. You are learning a new full-time job without a time clock you can punch out on, with “on the job” training, and even with manuals and “professionals” there to help, it can often be overwhelming. Listed below are some pointers to ensure you have the smoothest transition into motherhood. These are some effective tools to avoid postpartum depression.

Surroundings:
Who you surround yourself with after the birth is as important as who you invite to your birth. After a woman has given birth, there is an absolute need for support postpartum. Partners cannot be expected to be sole caregiver for both mom and baby, take care of the laundry, do the cooking, cleanup, and change diapers. It is just too much for one person, especially since they will most likely be getting up with you when the baby cries for each feeding. So, having extra hands to help out with all those tasks allows your partner the freedom to bond with the baby and share in the beauty and the awe of the experience with you.

So, who gets to come by? People who you know will help you feel relaxed. You do not want to invite anyone for his or her sake during this time period. Good questions to ask yourself are: “Would I need to take care of them and entertain them? Do they understand that both the baby and I will be sleeping for long periods of time, that I will probably not be doing my hair and makeup, and that they are here to run errands, cook, clean, and help out when asked?”

They are here to either serve a practical purpose in your recovery, or, they will end up taking precious energy and time away from your healing and bonding. It is important to find your own way through some of the challenges new moms face without someone watching your every move or telling you what you are doing wrong, this alone can make a huge impact on your confidence levels. Also, make sure that friends and family only spend short amounts of time with you. It is great to have a list of friends that want to come over postpartum—have them sign up ahead of time for a particular day of the week, and have them bring food! That is one less meal your partner has to forage for, and more time you get to spend together with baby, or sleeping!

So, which foods are best to eat postpartum?
According to both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, the best meals to eat postpartum are warming foods. That translates to foods such as soups, broths, stews, and foods that contains herbs like ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, miso (broth with seaweed is excellent), also richer foods with a high fat content such as salmon and sea bass, eggs, chicken, avocado, and raw nut butters. Foods to avoid postpartum, in order of colic-causing potential: tomatoes, orange juice and lemonade, chocolate, coffee, cabbage, tofu, beans, broccoli and cauliflower, and anything too spicy or acidic. Some babies also react to sugar, wheat, dairy, or even nuts. If your baby is particularly sensitive, avoiding dairy and wheat are the best options. Also, it helps to have Gripe Water as well as Rooibos tea for colic that seems intolerable. Both can be used with a dropper for almost immediate relief. As far as beverages are concerned, avoiding anything iced is also suggested. We do not recommend that you automatically start drinking Mother’s Milk Tea unless you have a history of not producing enough milk. Otherwise, you could over-stimulate your milk production. Essentially, there is no need to fix something that isn’t broken. The best teas to drink postpartum are nettle (fantastic minerals), raspberry leaf (tonifying), chamomile (calming/digestive) and Rooibos (antioxidants). Also, the herbs found in chai without the caffeine are ideal for postpartum recovery due to their warming nature. It is essential to make sure there is water next to mom at all times. Breastfeeding moms will suddenly get parched every time they breastfeed, so make sure to have a bottle or glass of water near at all times. You should be consuming 3 liters a day while breastfeeding, including teas and other juices.

Which supplements are the best to take postpartum to avoid getting PPD?
The number one supplement postpartum is FAT! Each nerve synapse in our brain is covered in a fatty myelin sheath, which protects it. During breastfeeding, it is considered a dry/wiry period and all of our fluids tend to go into the production of breast milk. This sensitive sheath can dry up and information (transmitters) does not pass across our nerves synapses very well, causing us to feel anxious, depressed, and sometimes even volatile. I suggest taking a liquid EFA (not gels) supplement twice a day by the tablespoon. Any combinations of the following fats are great: hemp, borage, primrose, flax, sacha inchi, and fish oils. Also, consuming more sunflower seeds, raw nuts, and olive oil are excellent additions to the diet.
Other supplements to take to avoid postpartum depression:

•Placenta: consuming your placenta is one of the best ways to balance the body’s hormones, balance the moods, avoid hair loss, strengthen and build the blood, spleen, heart, kidneys, adrenals, and restore endocrine balance in the body. This is common in many countries, although may be unpalatable to many.
•B12 sublingual: also protects the myelin sheath and helps to balance mood. Jarro 1,000 mcg sublingual, 2x a day.
•Spirulina, Barley Grass, and Chlorella: there are many types of green superfoods on the market. Their job is to feed and oxygenate the cells. Find one you like or a blend of them and take it in a smoothie or juice at least once a day.
•Trace minerals: I highly recommend taking a liquid trace mineral supplement postpartum to ensure your mineral needs will be met as you are meeting the needs of two now. Quinton minerals or Roxtract are some of the best.
•Sunshine: it is so simple, yet so important to get sunlight on your body postpartum. It will help your body break down the excess bilirubin that your blood has produced as well as to release specific endorphins that will support your mood. 20-30 minutes a day will have a profound effect.
•Rest: again simple, but not always easy to acquire. This is paramount to resetting the body’s systems and replenishing us in ways no supplement ever can. Sleep when baby sleeps, at least the first month of the newborn’s life.

In Ayurvedic Medicine, it is recommended that women get rubbed down three times a day in oil, head to toe (with special attention to the low back/kidney area), for the first 30 days postpartum. Our skin is our biggest digestive organ, thus we eat whatever we put on our body. Putting oil on our body not only stimulates the brain, lymph, and endocrine systems, but it gives women the nurturing touch back that moms are constantly putting out. Suitable oils for this would be sesame or extra virgin olive oils—both are considered warming. Coconut oil is not recommended for this due to its cooling effects.

Invest in a hot water bottle. Placing a warm bottle on your womb helps to ease post-labor cramping and fill the empty space where the baby once was. It is also a way to warm our inner core, which according to principles in Ayurveda is now “cold” and contraindicative to the healing process and creates a block in energy flow.

Lastly, purchase a long piece of stretchy fabric about 6 ft long. It is great to wrap your belly to pull back inside the organs that are finding their way back home. It also takes some of the pressure off your back, as your pelvis can be feeling a little unstable postpartum, especially if this is not your first child. Some slings are made of this type of fabric and can be used for both purposes.

As you are transitioning and feeling the tides of emotions swing through you, take some breaths and give yourself some space to honor the tremendous shifts that have taken place in a relatively short period of time. Your body has just undergone the most physically demanding tasks of growing a child, giving birth to it, and now sustaining its every nutritional and emotional need for the next few months, even years of its life. That in itself is a tremendous amount of energy and life force given to the care of another. Take the time you need to recover so that you will be able to maintain your vitality for the rest of your own life. Resting is crucial, eating well is paramount, and getting the nurturing you need ensures that you will heal well and enjoy being a new mom.