Exercise During Pregnancy-Pregnancy Exercise at it's best!

Exercise During Pregnancy

For some women the thought of exercise during pregnancy is as appealing as a root canal without novacane.  In their minds they have a nine month pass to keeping up with their gym routine.   The first three months they are battling morning sickness and exhaustion.  The next three months they are beginning to show.  The last three months are so uncomfortable that walking ten feet to the bathroom is pure torture, so there is no way they will be able to walk on a treadmill for ten minutes. 

On the other side of the coin, there are some women who do not let something as little as creating a life stand in their way of exercise.  These are the women we might see actually teaching a class at the gym, or speed walking throughout our neighborhood with their protruding bellies. 

Most of us however fall somewhere in the middle and that is just how their doctors like it.  Exercise comes highly recommended when pregnant.  Not only does it help control weight gain, but some women swear it helps with delivery also.  There are some things to keep in mind in order to protect yourself and your growing little one. 

For starters you need to keep an eye on your heart rate as you are working out.  Letting your heart rate rise to high could be dangerous to your little one especially in your first trimester.  You want to maintain a steady heart rate and should do the talk test throughout your workout to make sure you are at a safe level.  The talk test is when you talk during your workout.  If you are having a hard time talking and wind up huffy and puffing more than getting out actual words, then you are working too hard and need to take it down.  Most doctors recommend that you work at a pace where talking is challenging but still doable.

Pregnancy is not the time to try out new exercise routines.  This means that you should not try the new spinning class that your gym offers.  Stick with the routine you have already been doing and that your body is use to.  You may find that you have to make some modifications to some of your exercises as your pregnancy progresses.   If you are a runner, a modified low impact jog through out your first trimester is fine but once you enter your second trimester and begin to show, your jog has to be brought down to a walk.  For those of you who love sit ups, crunches and floor pushups, you can continue to do these up until you hit about 14 weeks or so. After that time period no floor exercises are recommending.

If you do not have any sort of exercise routine in place before you get pregnant, this still does not give you a free pass.  Almost every doctor will tell you that walking is a great exercise for any pregnant women who are not high risk.  Walking at least thirty minutes, three times a week is a safe way for a pregnant woman to stay active.

Walking is something you can do through out all three trimesters though you might find yourself moving at a slower pace by your third trimester.   Another great plus to walking, especially as you approach your due date, is that walking can actually bring on labor.  Many doctors will advise their patients to walk, walk and walk some more in the weeks leading up to their due dates to get things rolling.   Some women who have walked throughout their entire pregnancy have an easier delivery and recovery period.

The days of pregnant women kicking their feet up and not moving from the couch for nine months are days of the past.    While strenuous exercise is a no no pregnancy is no longer a good excuse to stop moving. 

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Eating to Conceive-Eating Guide Before Getting Pregnant

Eating to Conceive

Almost every woman knows that it is important to eat well while you are pregnant. The benefit it provides you and your baby is invaluable. But, do you also know how important it is to eat well even before you get pregnant?  If you are actively trying to get pregnant you have to make sure your body is prepared to accept the challenge.  The first thing you should do before even beginning to try is to talk to your doctor to see how you measure up health wise. Does he think you need to lose a few pounds before getting pregnant or does he feel you need to gain a few? Your doctor may recommend that you change your eating habits and start exercising. 

As soon as you decide you want a baby, you should begin to get in the habit of eating healthier. Slowly begin to cut out caffeine. If you smoke, now is a good time to quit rather than waiting until you have that positive test.   Smoking can decrease your fertility and increase your risk of a miscarriage if you are still smoking when you are pregnant. 

Another thing you can do is to start taking prenatal or at least a multivitamin supplement that contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. You can also begin to add food into your diet that is rich in folic acid such as spinach and other green vegetables, peanuts, and orange juice. You can also start by taking a prenatal vitamin also.  These vitamins contain iron, folic acid, and calcium along with vitamin C, D, B and vitamins B6 and B12 also. 

Reevaluated your diet. Start to eat foods that have plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Lay off the fat and excess sugar. You want to eat foods that have a high nutrient density.  Eat at least five portions a day of fruits and vegetables along with protein and iron rich foods like dried fruit, and green vegetables.  Try to steer clear of raw fish like sushi, and steer clear of undercook shellfish, meat or chicken. You also want to try to avoid fish that has high mercury content like swordfish, shark, or king mackerel.  Cut out any food that has unpasteurized milk in it including cheeses such as brie, camembert, and some Mexican cheese.  Also cut out foods that have raw egg in it including homemade cookie dough. 

Make sure you up your water intake.  Water should always be your first beverage choice before, after and during your pregnancy.  Water helps to flush your system of toxins.  Once you've gotten your eight glasses in, you can drink fruit and vegetable juices also.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do before you get pregnant is to cut out all alcohol.  The American College of Obstetricians and gynecologists have stated that women who drink might have a harder time getting pregnant than women who do not drink.  Another reason why you should give up alcohol is that most birth defects that are caused by alcohol exposure usually occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy, usually before you even know you are pregnant.  

Getting your body prepared for pregnancy is one of the best decisions you could make.  Your body will be more prepared for the challenge of growing a baby and the experience will be a little easier on your body. 


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Dietary information when you are expecting- Proper Diet For Pregnant Mother

Diet For Pregnant Mother

Every woman passes the important phase of her life when she becomes an expecting mother. Women have a wider role in the process of reproduction and as such during those tough months it becomes necessary that she is being given the utmost care. Because the health of the future offspring depends upon the health of the mother, you should quite be aware of the do’s and don’ts during this period. 

Tips for a healthy dietary plan

A balanced diet is the main rule for healthy eating when you are expecting that means your diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains and hydrating fluids. There are some food habits that could be harmful for your child and that’s the only part you should avoid.

Things you should avoid among your eating habits

1. If you love junk food it could give some extra calories without the nutritional benefits of healthy food and therefore try to curb it. Have an apple instead of doughnut.

2. You should totally avoid alcohol and caffeine because these avoid the absorption of two important nutrients (folic acid and iron) that are important during pregnancy and could effect the fetus with long term developmental effects.

3. A healthy diet should have around 20 percent of fat during pregnancy and all food has some proportion of fats. Fruits have 3 to 14 percent of fat, grains have 3 to 10 percent of fats, and veggies have 1 to 10 percent of fats as such you cant avoid fats totally but you don’t need enough fat either.

4. Many of the food that we take are full of preservatives, colorings, flavor enhancers and also hormones and antibiotics. These may help in making the taste of the food better but also produce few chemical residues and additives out of which most are safe but needs to be avoided. Such additives include Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that could lead to headaches and stomach upsets. Food colorings that are unsafe are blue 1, blue 2, green 3, red 3 and yellow 6. Olestra or Olean, Saccharin, red meat with much fat should also be avoided.

5. You should take pasteurized food that removes bacteria form food and is healthy during pregnancy.  Some common foods that are not pasteurized include ciders and fresh pressed juices where you should check the labeling to ensure that they are pasteurized. Some bottled smoothies and yogurt drinks, raw milk cheeses are not pasteurized and could be harmful during pregnancy.

6. Sea food such as fish is very healthy but you should avoid fishes such as shellfish like oysters that may contain bacteria. Swordfish, shark, tile fish may contain high levels of methyl mercury and could harm the developing fetus. Self caught fishes should be checked if they contain any contaminants and tropical fishes like grouper, and amber-jack may contain some harmful toxins. Seared fishes like sushi and sashimi are out of question here.

7.  Before taking fruits and vegetables you should wash them thoroughly and simply avoid sprouts that may contain bacteria called E.coli.

8.  There is risk in the intake of raw meat and eggs as they may carry illness as such avoid shrimp cocktails, frankfurters, luncheon meats and smoked fish meat during pregnancy.

9. You may think that herbals are harmless but even though you need top avoid raspberry tea, co hash, ginseng and green tea that could stimulate the contractions. You can take fruit, ginger or mint teas.

10. Never think of dieting during pregnancy but to nourish a healthy, growing baby is your responsibility so forget about high carbohydrates, low fat diet or liquid diets and supplements. You should have three balanced meals during a day. Vegetarian food is safe if you take supplements such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, folic acid, magnesium, calcium and vitamin D.

11.  Avoid poorly packaged or stored foods that could be spoiled or un-hygienically packed.  You should keep your food safe and thus always go for eating hot food hot and cold food cold. Don’t take foods where the packing has an expiry date and you have crossed the time limits.  You can use your nose to check if the food smells spoiled and if doubt, chuck it. Never take out frozen foods to thaw on the counter all afternoon but you can put them in the refrigerator in the morning and defrost in the microwave just before cooking. Keep your cooking surfaces clean and use smooth surfaces to cut meat. 

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Conceiving A Baby And The Best Conception Positions

 Conceiving A Baby-The Best Positions

Conceiving a baby successfully means understanding the best conception positions, your monthly reproductive cycle and your overall health. Conceiving a baby and pregnancy are wonderful events that are complex but very satisfying and exciting. Here are tips on the best conception positions and getting pregnant:

1. Know your fertile time - in general, ovulation occurs about 14 days before your next period begins. For women with cycles of 28 days, that could make day #14 your most fertile for getting pregnant (day #1 being the first day that your last period began). If your have a 30-day cycle, day #16 may be the best time to go for it.

2. Monitor your basal body temperature - the slight elevations in your body temperature when you awake each day signal your most fertile time. When conceiving a baby is the goal, use a basal thermometer that is accurate enough to detect these slight changes in your body temperature.

3. Monitor your cervical mucus - ovulation causes a change in the appearance and consistency of cervical mucus. By checking yourself each day, you'll be able to see the 'egg-white-like' vaginal discharge that indicates ovulation and your most fertile time for conceiving a baby.

4. The best of the conception positions is the missionary position - the time-proven 'man-on-top' position works with gravity to encourage semen flow toward the uterus that maximizes the chance of a sperm uniting with the egg, causing conception.

5. Use the rear-entry position - another of the conception positions is the 'doggy-style', which allows your partner to deposit semen close to your cervix.

6. Use the side-by-side position - again, this position allows your partner's sperm to start their journey as near your cervix as is possible. For all three conception positions mentioned, after ejaculation, you can remain on your back with your legs bent a few minutes to further maximize semen flow toward the uterus.

7. Adopt a healthy lifestyle - this is one of the most important tips for conceiving a baby. Healthy living includes a sensible diet, nutritional supplements, adequate quality sleep, managing stress, some exercise and weight management. Another of the conceiving a baby tips is to simply relax and enjoy your partner. Enjoy the closeness you'll experience with someone you truly care about.

And your desire for becoming pregnant and conceiving a baby will have even more importance to you if it means you'll be taking better care of yourself and your partner. Not only does that mean a more healthy you, it also means you'll increase the chances of having a healthier baby. That's the kind of beginning you want to provide that new person that you know is going to be a star.

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Pregnancy Complications-The Most Common Complications in Pregnancy

Complication during pregnancy is more common than most people think. Even for those who are healthy and have had children before, early pregnancy complications could arise, at no fault to anyone. This article explains some of these complications and what to watch out for.

Early Pregnancy complications

When you find you are pregnant, the first thing you must do is go see your obstetrician/gynecologist. They will perform an ultrasound to make sure that your pregnancy is advancing as it should. Regular visits to your OBGYN will prevent early pregnancy complications or at the very least, help identify them at an early stage. The two most common pregnancy complications are:

Ectopic pregnancies

Ectopic pregnancies are one of the most common early complications. Ectopic pregnancies refer to pregnancies in which the egg is fertilized outside the womb so the fetus begins to develop in the ovary or in the fallopian tube. This can be very dangerous not only for the fetus but also for the mother. If surgery is not performed, the tubes could burst and result in internal bleeding and in some cases, even death.

Miscarriages

Complication during pregnancy can lead to miscarriages, another common early pregnancy complication. Sometimes the cervix can open causing heavy bleeding with intense cramping pains. Other times, the baby can die in early pregnancy. When this happens, the mother can either wait for a miscarriage to occur or have a D&C. There are many different complications during pregnancy that can cause this to happen: blood clotting, infection, structural problems, or lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol or high caffeine intake.

High risk pregnancy

A pregnancy that is categorized as high risk is one which has a higher chance of complications arising. You may be considered high risk if you are carrying multiple babies, have a long term illness such as diabetes, or are over the age of 35. If you are high risk, you may be asked to visit your obstetrician more regularly as the pregnancy will need to be more closely monitored than usual.

Pregnancy over 35

It is not uncommon for a woman’s fertility to be affected over the age of 30 and once you are pregnant, you must be aware that it is more common for complications to arise. The chances of your child bearing birth defects are significantly higher than those women who are under 30 and miscarriages also become more common in the first trimester of older pregnant women. For those over 35, there will also be an increased risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. Don’t worry, as with today’s technology, almost all these complications can be treated as long as they are spotted early on.

Multiple pregnancies

A multiple pregnancy is one in which there are two or more fetuses. It’s considered to be high risk because with more than one fetus, it has a higher chance of developing complications. Almost half of twins that are born are premature with extremely low birth weights and underdeveloped organs. This makes them very vulnerable and it is not uncommon for only one twin to survive. Twins who share a placenta could result in high amounts of amniotic fluids.

It is important to keep this information regarding early pregnancy complications in mind during pregnancy and to regularly consult your doctor.

Why Couples Find Difficulty Conceiving: Causes Of Infertility

The term infertility refers to the abnormal incapacity to produce children by natural means of conception. It also refers to the incapability of a woman to go through the entire course of pregnancy.

Several couples throughout the world strive hard to conceive a child, however some find extreme difficulty in doing so and thus need medical assistance to be successful. Around percent of the people in the reproductive age are infertile according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a third of such cases affect females, another third affects males, and 15 percent affect both partners.

Technically, a couple is considered infertile if they are unable to conceive a child within six months of unprotected sexual intercourse (or 12 months if the woman is over 35 years old), according to the INCIID (International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination).

There are many reasons this may happen. Such factors may affect either the male or the female, or both partners.

Causes of Male Infertility

There are several factors that could lead to male infertility. A common cause is the problem with sperm production. An infertile male may be producing very little sperm cells or very weak/immobile sperm cells. A man may also be affected by an underlying disease or medical condition such as endocrine problems, diabetes, Kallmann’s syndrome, hypogonadism, hyperprolactinemia, drug and alcohol-related problems, that hinder the production of hormones necessary for sperm production.

Some men might have problems on their reproductive organs themselves. Among such conditions include Klinefelter’s syndrome, testiscular trauma, mumps, Idiopathic failure, seminoma, varicocele, hydrocele, cryptorchidism, and the like. These conditions have direct effects on the testicles themselves, which are the organs responsible for sperm production. Some men might be able to produce healthy and plentiful of sperm cells but have problems of releasing them for proper intercourse.

They might have an obstruction in the vas deferens (the tube that connects the testicles to the penis), infection, retrograde ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and hypospadias. This prevents the successful transfer of sperm to the female reproductive system.

Causes of Female Infertility

As a counterpart to the causes of male infertility, females might have problems with the production of healthy egg cells. They might have problems in their ovaries such as polycystic ovary syndrome, luteal dysfunction, diminished ovarian reserve, Turner syndrome, anovulation, ovarian neoplasm and premature menopause, which hinder the healthy maturation and appropriate release of egg cells.

A woman may also be infected by other conditions that affect her reproductive health. Among such conditions include diabetes mellitus, adrenal disease, liver ailments, kidney malfunction, thyroid disorders, and psychological problems.

A woman may also have problems with certain glands that produce necessary hormones for reproductions.
Among such diseases include Kallmann syndrome, hypothalamic dysfunction, hypopituaitarism, and hyperprolactinemia. Some problems may also be affect the cervix, making it difficult for sperm to reach the egg cell. Such problems include anti-sperm antibodies, cervical stenosis, and insufficient secretion of mucus for the travel of sperm.The uterus or the womb itself might not be conducive for carrying a child. There could be uterine malformations, leiomyoma or uterine fibroids, and Asherman’s Syndrome.

Infertility is a difficult problem. Fortunately, the wonders of medical science has produced several treatments for both male and female infertility. To know more about them, one can simply consult a fertility clinic, a gynecologist or a urologist.

Pregnancy Miracle By Lisa Olson-A short Pregnancy Miracle Review

Becoming a proud mother for the first time is the moment which not a single woman will ever forget. This is a great journey in terms of joy and satisfaction. But, this is not the case with all the women. Various reasons are there that prevents them to have a baby through natural pregnancy. This is because wrong diet, lifestyle, pollution, tension, etc. Some guides are also available there, but most of them are over hyped and scams. However, Lisa Olson's Pregnancy Miracle is the one which worked for me and several others and I hope it will work for you too. In return to Lisa I have written below a genuine Pregnancy Miracle Review.

In my Pregnancy Miracle Review I will first tell you something about the author of Pregnancy Miracle book Lisa Olson who is also a nutrition expert. She was an infertile at first and overcame this problem and now she is a happy mother of two children. However, the journey was not good for Lisa as she had to go through several hours of research in nutritional supplements, Chinese drugs treatments and 14 years of trials and errors and at last Lisa found this method. This method helped her cure the infertility and I hope it will do the exact with you too.

As a sneak peak of the Pregnancy Miracle book I am just pointing out some general tips here. Lisa shows through her research that, men should avoid wearing briefs and recommends wearing boxers. In the boxers the testicles get enough space while in the briefs the testicles get almost no space. So, this narrow space generates overheat thus damages the sperm.

She also suggested not continuing smoking and drinking alcohol anymore if you are planning to have a baby. Smoking is containing harmful toxins that seriously reduces the health and vitality of the sperm therefore very less chance of getting pregnant naturally.

Lisa's Pregnancy Miracle program comes in a step-by-step format which saves time and helps you go forward with a plan. Through this guide Lisa will walk you through to reverse your infertility in short-run. This guide addresses all the problems related to pregnancy like endometriosis, cysts in ovary and tubal obstruction, etc. This guide is 100% safe, natural and has no side-effects.

After digesting the concept outlined, in the Pregnancy Miracle program you will get pregnant naturally. All over the world hundreds of women have been benefited through the guide and became pregnant naturally. They (including me) have not gone through any kind of risky surgery as well as no medicines were needed at all. This is 100% safe and the process is natural. One aspect Lisa stressed out very carefully and that is the psychological well-being of the women through weekly monitoring and one-on-one consultation. She also teaches how to get relief from stress and frustrations as well as helps build a better relationship and good family environment.

Through this very short Pregnancy Miracle Review I have tried to touch most of the things related to Pregnancy Miracle guide. This is not just another guide, but it helps you overcome all the hurdles like infertility, hormonal disorders, physical and psychological issues, etc. 

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