Benefits To Baby

• Breast milk contains important antibodies which boost your babies immune system
• It contains the perfect blend of nutrients and energy for your newborns early months
• Your child won’t have the digestive problems caused by formula milk
• Your child will have less weight problems later in life
• Babies who aren’t breast fed suffer from higher rates of illness & disease
• Breast fed babies demonstrate higher IQ & intelligence levels later in life

Benefits To The Mother

• You’ll lose weight quicker after your pregnancy
• You’ll stop any post birth bleeding much quicker and your uterus will return to normal size faster
• It actually reduces the chances of developing breast and ovarian cancer
• It helps you develop a closer bond with your child
• It works out to be cheaper, you don’t have to sterlise bottles or do any of the other chores
• You’ll actually feel better, both emotionally and physically.

The above is a quick summary of only some of the benefits of breast feeding, so if you didn’t realise the above positives, then getting ready to breast feed has to be your next challenge. No one will claim it’s easy but if it’s your first time then spending some time researching and planning how to take care of your breasts will be an extremely huge step in the right direction. This article will give you a head start on the problems and the methods you can use to have a positive breast feeding experience.

The Problems

Getting your baby to latch on for the first time isn’t always easy. In fact most new mothers will experience soreness, swelling, cracking and even light bleeding around their nipples. You’re breasts are going to get much bigger due to the milk, and in many cases this can lead to a lumpy feeling that can feel quite uncomfortable. As we said before it’s not always a smooth ride but if you follow some of the tips we’ve outlined below you’ll be able to alleviate and cure most of common problems.

Breast Care Tips

• When breast feeding try different positions and angles so that you use up all the milk in the various parts of your breasts. This should help with lumpy painful breasts.
• If you develop cracks or soreness around your nipples use sesame seed oil or vaseline to reduce the dryness.
• Select a loose fitted cotton bra which gives you the extra support where you need it without the added pressure.
• Try to relax as much as possible when breast feeding. This will make your life a whole lot easier. Any emotional stress or problems in your life may strongly disturb your milk secretion.
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of calcium, iron and vitamins. The more leafy vegetables and fruits you get in the better. Ultimately if you want your breasts to continue with their supply of fresh nutrient rich milk you’re going to have to eat properly.
• Drink plenty of water and fluids to ensure you’re hydrated and your breasts keep making that milk
• Don’t use soap on your breasts, your body secretes natural oils to keep them soft and lubricated, just use warm water and a moist cotton cloth.
• If you don’t want to stop breast feeding but are sore, use ice 5 minutes before you feed to numb any soreness and pain.
• Leave your breasts out to breathe sometimes, we all need some air
• If you’re really having more severe problems with cracks and soreness, it’s best to consult your Doctor or midwife sooner rather than later. The quicker you figure out how to remove the pain the quicker you’ll be back to feeding.

Final Words

In parting, breast feeding is the best gift you can give to your newborn child. You’ll feel better, your baby will feel better and it’s something that can never be substituted with anything else. Remember you’ll only get one chance to breast feed your baby so don’t miss out.

The problem arises when you’ve passed your delivery date and things just don’t seem to be moving along. In response to this situation and the endless numbers of questions we receive everyday, we thought we’d share some useful tips and methods on how to get your labor going naturally.

The Myths

It’s a funny world out there, so along with the real life methods and tips on inducing labor naturally you’re going to find the weird and wonderful aswell. Most of these are not only unsubstantiated but carry no scientific basis behind them, so don’t touch these with a barge pole. Examples include sleeping upside down, eating excessive amounts of butter mixed in milk and even painting the house white. Don’t ask us where these came from because we have no idea, but certainly they’re the ones to avoid.

The Real Labor Inducing Methods

As well as the most commonly known techniques such as walking, nipple stimulation and even sex we’re going to spend most of the article covering the more lesser known techniques in the hope that you’ll find something to suit your personal situation.

Dancing & Music

The first tip is dancing, it’s not very well known but one can induce labor by doing certain forms of dancing. Examples include hula dancing and belly dancing, obviously any form of dancing is fine as long as you do it gently. You might feel a little strange at first but it’s a great way of giving your labor a kick start. Try going into a room, sticking on some relaxing music and dancing, the movements will stimulate the uterus and contraction may begin, so be prepared.

Relaxing

Sometimes the excitement and desire to deliver your baby can mean it just doesn’t happen. Whatever it is, some women have found that simply relaxing and forgetting about the baby can sometimes help get the labor going.

If you feel anxious and can’t stop thinking about labor and the delivery room then relaxation maybe the solution for you. The key point here is do something that will a) relax you b) take your mind off the pregnancy. Some people like to meditate others like to go out and do some shopping, either way do something that will take your mind away from the delivery room.

Foods That Induce Labor

For some people certain foods will stimulate their system to get labor going naturally. Now although there’s no scientific proof with these methods, some women and cultures swear by them, so if you’re not afraid of trying something different check out some of the foods below:

• Castor Oil - This is an age old method which apparently goes as far back as the Egyptians, but essentially it works by acting as a laxative which not only stimulates the guy but also the Uterus. Drinking oil is a pretty nast experience so only do this if you think you’re strong enough. A suggested cocktail is mixing it with orange juice and water.
• Spicy Foods - If you’ve been eating spicy foods throughout your pregnancy this technique may not work but if it’s not your normal stuff, then eating spicy foods may well get the labor contractions going. Just remember not to eat too much, excessively spicy foods such as curries may cause indigestion which wouldn’t be great during your labor.
• Pineapples - Yes funnily enough pineapple is on the list too. Apparently it contains the enzyme bromelain which is thought to soften the cervix, preparing it for labor.

Final Words

Well we hoped you picked up a few new methods from the article, and just remember try these techniques at your own risk, they’re not proven but a large number of women do swear by them. Lastly if you’re at all unsure about a tip or recommendation then always refer back to your doctor who will be the best person to advise you of your situation.

Firstly the term diet has nothing to do with starving oneself and going to extremes to lose weight for superficial reasons. When we talk about the pregnancy diet it’s about improving the foods that go into your body for the purpose of better health, for you and your baby.

Secondly what is good for one pregnant woman may not be for another. Your pre-pregnancy health, weight and general physical condition before you hit pregnancy is as much a factor in determining what’s good for you as the actual foods you’re eating. This means taking our tips and guidelines as broad recommendations that you can tweak and change according to your own personal needs and preferences.

Lastly if you’re in any doubt over your health or have a question about your pregnancy always consult your doctor who will be able to offer you the best advice for your situation.

Underweight Before Pregnancy

If at the start of the pregnancy you’re underweight then you really need to start adding some calories. You’re eating for 2 now, so you’ll need the extra energy and fuel to keep you both healthy.

However in adding extra calories don’t just throw in poor quality food, a good pregnancy diet is one that consists of a good portion of proteins, lots of vegetables and plenty of carbohydrates (the complex type e.g. wholemeal bread as opposed to white).

But Morning Sickness Kills My Appetite

Now we understand that pregnancy can often bring on different levels of morning sickness, which in many cases makes it extremely difficult to eat in the morning. For such cases taking meal supplements can help you maintain your calorie intake and energy levels.

Just remember that a pregnant woman who is underweight at the start of their pregnancy will often gain more weight than normal during pregnancy. The body has a way of helping you out and ensuring you and your baby are safe, but despite this most doctors will still recommend a higher calorie diet to get you going. Just remember to avoid the refined sugary foods to fill up your calorie consumption, their not good for you and won’t have a good effect on your mood.

Overweight Before Pregnancy

If you happen to be overweight before pregnancy then your body is probably already under stress from carrying unwanted extra weight. Now the thing here is not to panic, in most cases it’s probably not an issue of reducing your calories but switching them for better quality foods.

Some doctors may put you on a lower calorie diet but whatever they recommend will still be within healthy levels so it’s not like you’ll be starving during your pregnancy. We personally recommend switching the refined, high saturated fat foods out and switching them with wholemeal, and unrefined alternatives. Fruits, vegetables, olive oils and natural foods with good clean nutrients are the way to go.

Pregnancy is a tough time, so eating correctly will have huge benefits for you, not only throughout the early stages but even post pregnancy. Just remember that being overweight puts you at higher risk of diseases such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. So take your nutrition and diet seriously.

What About Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a diabetic condition that temporarily appears in around 2% of pregnant women and then fades away after the baby is born. We’re mentioning this because if you’re one of the few that gets affected you’ll need to include plenty of starchy foods such as wholemeal bread, pasta, rice and potatoes in your diet. Gestational diabetes isn’t easy but there’s plenty of help out there if you need it.

Well we hope you enjoyed this article and were able to gain some useful tips for your pregnancy diet.

Tip 1: Know Your Body

The first tip to getting pregnant is to know your body. Every womans body is different, normal for one person is different for another. So monitor your menstrual cycles and keep any eye out for whats irregular because that’s extremely important to conceiving your baby.

Tip # 2: Timing Your Intercourse

The second tip is choosing the right days for intercourse. If you want a baby then you’ve a much higher chance of conceiving if you do it around your ovulation days. Your ovulation days represent a womens most fertile days, so it makes sense to time plan it around those days. In general these are the 14 - 18 days starting from the day the menstrual period starts.

So for a woman whose menstrual cycles are 28 days long, day 14 is their most fertile day. For the women who has a 30 day cycle length day 15-16 are the most fertile days. Whatever your own personal cycle is, knowing how it works and monitoring it is the key to success.

Tip # 3: Clean Foods & Folic Acid

The third tip is simply getting enough folic acid. It’s recommended that all women of child bearing age

a) consume a healthy balanced diet but more importantly
b) try to eat foods rich in folic acid like asparagus, orange juice, broccoli, peanut butter and lentils.

If you can’t manage your diet then you should atleast consider taking suppliments to help top up your levels. A good multi vitamin with an extra dosage of folic acid would be just what your system will need.

Tip # 4: Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking plenty of water is the key to any successful diet as it constantly flushes away unwanted toxins. However if you’re already pregnant or looking to get pregnant it’s even more important as it will help your body to be in the best condition possible. Ah and if you’re drinking plenty of water detoxifying your body then it also makes sense to quite alcohol and high caffeine products which have the opposite effect.

Well I hope the above tips come in useful for you, some of them are common sense but a reminder doesn’t do anyone any harm.

Y Sperms Give Boys

That’s right if you’re after a boy then you have to get a sperm carrying the Y chromosome to fertilise the female egg. Remember male sperms will carry either a Y or an X chromosome and it’s in your interest to get the Y carrying one to the egg first.

I guess the question at this point is how on earth do we achieve that ? Well funnily enough the Y chromsome carrying sperm is actually faster than the X chromosome, however the downside is that they’re much weaker so survive for a much shorter time once they enter the female body.

Knowing the above characterisitics are vital to giving the Y chromosome a better chance of winning the fertilisation race. At this point we’re going to give some tips on how to give the Y that head start.

Tip 1 : Time it Right

The first variable is the proper timing and as discussed the Y sperms don’t survive very long in the uterus so we need to make sure they don’t hang around waiting for the egg. Having sex/intercourse around your ovulation days will mean that there is less chance the Y sperm will simply die off waiting for the egg to arrive. If the egg is already there, the Y sperm whose already faster has a higher chance of getting to it and not dieing out.

Tip 2: Vaginal Acidity

The second variable is the PH or the reproductive acidity. The high PH makes the vagina a pretty hostile place for the sperm so making the vagina more alkaline can certainly enhance the chances of the sperm surviving for longer.

There are two ways to achieve the desired PH of the vagina. One is through diet and the other is through douching. In order to achieve the desired PH one should avoid food with high PH values and adopt the ones that have lower values. There are douching recipes and combining both diet and douching can give wonderful results.

Tip 3: Intercourse Position

The last variable that can help swing things in favour of the boy producing sperm is the way you have sex. The Y carrying sperm needs every little advantage it can get, so adopt a position that allows deeper penetration giving the Y sperm less distance to travel.

Some people may laugh at this suggestion but it does help and will certainly increase your chances of getting that baby boy.

Im only 1 cm dilated no clue about my cervix but I have a lot of swelling going on in my legs feet arms and face. I also had a sonogram at 36 weeks and he measured 5lbs 3 ounces so he should weigh a lot more now. Im also only 5 feet tall and only weighed 100lbs before I got pregnant so Im stretched to the limit and it hurts when he moves. Any advice?

Well on Monday afternoon I went to the hospital and they induced me around 9pm. That was my choice as I didnt want to be induced earlier when I finally got to 56 centimeters. I was put on an epidural around midnight monday and by the time I was at 10 I had to begin hard labor which took nearly 3 hours.

One reason was that I wasnt pushing correctly and he was not in the correct position. I had to push him around something that he was already supposed to be in front of and he was apparently turned slightly. Anyway they said they turned the epidural off at around 4:30 am that tuesday but I was still having the effects of it around 6:10 am.

Anyway to get back to my question it was difficult having to push hard for so long and having the doctor constantly walk in and out and react like I wasnt as far as I should be. I was just wondering about everyone elses 2nd pregnancies and if they turned out better than the first. Also I wanted to know if anyone knows if medicaid will cover a second pregnancy so close to a first.

My OB wouldnt be delivering my baby anyway whoever from her practice thats on call would. So Im thinking that since I wont know who is delivering my baby if I stick with my OB I might as well switch to a midwives group.

Will a midwife take me at 32 weeks ? Im a low risk normal pregnancy so far ? And how should I tell/contact my OB or OBs office?

Any advice/experiences would be helpful.