Women’s Health Blog

It’s all great to hear advice during your pregnancy, especially unwelcome advice. I’m sure you’ve been told by one person or another how to live. Am I right? It only gets worse the further along in your pregnancy you are. Someone will want to tell you that you shouldn’t bend, or walk a certain way, not to pick up a baby in case you hurt the one in your stomach or put yourself in labor. As the pregnancy gets closer to the due date you’ll be told many different home remedies of how to put yourself in labor. Got a headache? Someone can tell you exactly what to drink to get rid of it without any medication, remember it is important to ask a doctor before trying to take something you’ve never tried before doing it. But the most fun I have during the course of the 9-10 months stretch is hearing all the wives tales, also known as myths.

I’m pretty sure you aren’t going to even care at this point what sex the baby is, all you want is for the morning sickness to stop. You may even be counting down the days until the first trimester is over. Chances are if you morning sickness someone is bound to tell you what sex of the baby is. One wives tale is if you are having severe morning sickness is a sign you are having a girl.

Here’s a wives tale that is a lot of fun and you can test it on everyone in your household. Take a thin piece of string or your hair, slide your ring down it, hold it above your belly and let the ring dangle above it. If the rings spins in a circle it is a boy, but if it goes from one side to the other, it is a girl. Once you’ve tried it out on your tummy, get someone in your house and do it above their hand. Does the ring spin in a circle above your husband’s hand? Hmm, is it really and old wives tale or is there really something to it?

Many women claim to suffer from bouts of heartburn during the pregnancy, according to the old wives tell this would mean your baby will be born with a head full of hair.

Right before the end of your first trimester your doctor will listen to your baby’s heart rate, this is to make sure the baby is doing alright. The wives tale goes, if the heart rate is high it is a girl and a low one is a boy.

Ever have someone tell you that you are carrying high or low and wonder what that really means? Basically if you are carrying your baby low it is closer to your abdomen, a high baby is closer to your chest. Look at yourself in the mirror. How is your baby sitting? The old tale says that if you are carrying high it is a girl, carrying low is a boy.

Wives tales can be a lot of fun but keep in mind these arent fact. Dont go preparing your childs room just because one of these told you, you were going to have a girl.

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There is nothing more stressful than to have something go wrong during pregnancy. It doesnt matter if it is your first time being pregnant or your fourth. There are many things to be concerned about during your pregnancy and it is easier when you know what they are.

Vaginal bleeding- This may also known as spotting, but make sure that is what is going on. There is a difference between actively bleeding and spotting. Spotting is lightly bleeding kind of like your period, the blood can be red, pink or even brown. If you are bleeding actively with any pain call your doctor, if you cant get a hold of him go immediately to the emergency room. Bleeding can be a number of things from implantation, ectopic pregnancy, labor, infection or even miscarriage. Always let your doctor know, so everything can be ruled out, youll feel better too.

Stomach pain or cramping- During the pregnancy it may be hard to decipher the difference between a growing pain and an actual stomach pain/cramping. However, if you do get a pain of any sort rest. After a few minutes if it doesnt subside, call your doctor and describe the pain to him. Dont worry about it if you find out you only had gas or were having Braxton hicks contractions, at least you know everything is okay with pregnancy.

Gush of liquid- This could mean you are in labor and that your water broke, however if it isnt close to the time of birth it can be something else. Call your doctor immediately and head for the emergency room.

Dehydration- While you are pregnant it is easy to become dehydrated, especially if you have morning sickness or just dont drink those 8 glasses of water. If you find yourself pale, dry mouth or dizzy, you could be dehydrated and should be seen by a doctor. Dehydration can cause premature labor and/or distress on the pregnancy.

Painful urination – Could be a urinary tract infection, also known as UTI. This can be easily treated with medication or by drinking lots of fluids and cranberry juice. A urinary tract infection isnt something to be embarrassed about, it is very common amongst pregnant women. The growing belly pushes against your ureters and makes it harder for it to flow through. Which of course can cause infection. Another way to find out if you have it is if you have a foul odor when you pee.

Pregnancies can be scary enough, theres no reason to add to it. If you are ever in doubt or have a concern talk with your doctor. It is common that first time moms are worried about many pains that they feel. Never fear calling because you are afraid of waking the doctor up or because you feel silly. Being silly might just save the baby. While you are worrying, you are only causing stress on you and the baby, find out whats wrong and relieve your anxiety.

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Whether you just found out youre pregnant or youve known for a few months, announcing your pregnancy to family and friends can be a lot of fun. Some may want to wait until a certain time during their pregnancy, while others want to call everyone immediately after finding out themselves.

Telling The Father
Have a romantic dinner for two with candle lights, it may be your last time for a while, between morning sickness and raising your little one. Serve up baby carrots, baby back ribs and anything else you can think as baby. At the end, pour apple juice instead of wine and hand him a present. Inside you can have a tiny baby bib that says, I heart My Daddy
or a pair of baby booties.

If you cant tell the father right away because hes away on business, or deployed try sending him a care package. Inside the box place a few baby items, everything in blue and pink and a baby naming book in the center. Place a note on top of the book with, I need a name soon, Ill be here by June. Or whenever the baby is due.

You can also see how long it takes him to figure it out. Go to the dollar store and pick up a bunch of small baby items, a bib, rattle, bottle, booties, etc. For a week, leave an item laying around the house where he is bound to find them. At the end of the week if he hasnt figured it out yet, prepare the big gift. Have a large teddy bear sitting at the dinner table in the seat beside him, make sure there is a bib wrapped around him and maybe a sign that says Hi Daddy.

Telling Family and Friends
Show up to a family gathering wearing a shirt that announces your state. These days there are a ton of shirts out there with clever sayings, Baby on Board, A Bun in the Oven, or something related to the pregnancy. The moment you walk in or take off your jacket everyone will figure it out without you ever having to say a word. Now, get ready for the tears and excitement. Youll be answering a ton of questions.

If you already have children you may want to call the grandparents up and tell them that the next Christmas they may want to add one more to the list.

If this is the first grandchild, you may want to get a bracelet link for your mom that reads, #1 Grandma or grandparent t-shirts. This will not only be a great present for them but something they will cherish and love forever.

No matter when you spread the news it can be a lot of fun, just think creative and let the pieces fall. You may even want to try catching all of it on video, so think ahead and prepare for the BIG moment, and Im not meaning the birth.

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If you are pregnant, it would be normal to be worried about your constant bathroom trips, your weird cravings, your morning sickness and of course your big day. There are so many things to think about and exercise would probably be your last concern. However, researches have already proven that there are good reasons to stay active even during your pregnancy.  Exercise has long been known to be a benefit to everyone and pregnant women are definitely not an exception.

The fact that pregnant women need to exercise is clearly not a question. The larger question is how, what, and when do they exercise? Being pregnant may mean life has become a little more hectic than it usually did, however it doesn’t necessarily translate that there will be no more room for exercise. Fitness and pregnancy are two profound words that need to be in harmony all throughout the nine months. Studies have found that staying active by exercising through pregnancy will account for an easier and a shorter span of time in labor and birth. It would also help you recover faster after giving birth, less inductive surgery, and an over-all feeling of wellness all throughout.

Weight gain is one of the biggest concerns of would-be moms. Sure, pregnancy is the only time that gaining weight becomes healthy but excessive weight gain – now, that’s something we should avoid. Moderate exercising in your pregnancy would translate to less weight being gained and less time taken to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. Fitness and pregnancy is a combination of working towards your greater good, both you and the baby.

Prehistorically, women are required to stay out of exhausting activities while bearing a child and found their pregnancy to be much harder. Today, more and more pregnant women are looking at fitness and pregnancy with higher esteem. In fact, it is one of the most highly researched topics in the internet and innumerable varieties of fitness and pregnancy exercises have strongly emerged. Being fit would make you and your baby healthier and would also reduce the possibility of complications.

Okay, much has been said about fitness and pregnancy. Its benefits are undoubted and its purpose serves more meaning. Consult your local physician to seek more options and carefully plan your routine. Even mere regular walking can sure make a difference. Always remember that this is not the time to lose weight but instead be healthy.

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Pregnancy is one of the most exciting and anxious times in a woman’s life.  She contends with alternating feelings of joy and feelings of fear.  The changes taking place in a mom to be’s body are often confusing and sometimes uncomfortable.  Early pregnancy symptoms can be lessened using some tried and true methods used by mothers for generations, not to mention some of the more modern methods for feeling normal during a very unusual period in life.  The important thing to remember is that like everything else, this too shall pass and the result is a beautiful new member of your family.

Morning sickness that often includes nausea and vomiting is one of the classic early pregnancy symptoms.  This symptom’s name is a little misleading as morning sickness can and does occur at any time of the day.  Some methods to try to alleviate the discomfort are eating saltine crackers and drinking lemon lime soda and drinking peppermint or ginger tea may help.  Another idea is to eat a small snack high in protein before bed.  Fortunately morning sickness usually fades after the first trimester.

Another one of the early pregnancy symptoms that affects many pregnant women is fatigue and a lack of energy.  The reason this occurs is because of all of the hard work the new mother’s body is doing to support the growing life inside her.  Normal hormonal changes attribute to this symptom as well.  The only real fix for fatigue is to get plenty of rest.  It sounds easier than it is and mom will need the help and support of her partner and other family members to get the rest she and the baby needs.  Even a 20-minute nap or down time can do wonders for getting more rest and energy.

Luckily this symptom of dizziness is less common than some of the others, but still affects a large number of women.  Of all of the early pregnancy symptoms, new moms need to watch carefully for this one.  A dizzy spell could result in a fall or even fainting.  The biggest reason dizziness occurs is due to a shortage of sugar in the blood.  This is baby’s primary food source and a pregnant woman uses it more quickly than in a non-pregnant state.  Eating regular, healthy meals and not skipping meals and snacks is the best way to protect against feeling dizzy or faint.

Focusing on what a pregnant woman’s body needs to stay healthy is key in controlling many early pregnancy symptoms.  With the symptoms controlled, the new mom to be can focus on what’s important, having a healthy, happy pregnancy.

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