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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Preparing for Pregnancy and Delivery(pregnancy health)

pregnancy health
Pregnancy is an exciting and memorable event in a woman's life. Regardless of how often a woman gives birth, each pregnancy brings a sense of excitement and becomes a unique and rewarding experience. But whether it is your first pregnancy, second, or third, you will still feel some degree of anxiety when stories about labor and childbirth are shared to you or when you recall the pain that you went through during your previous deliveries. This feeling is actually normal. But if you stay confident, knowledgeable on how to get ready on pregnancy and delivery, well-prepared, and fully supported by your spouse, family, and your obstetrician, you are likely to have no problem going through the whole process.
Getting Ready for Pregnancy
Pregnancy often lasts for 40 weeks, and during this entire period, you will experience a lot of changes not only in your body but in your life as a whole. So, you have to know that there are really lots of things that go into prepping for motherhood, thus you need to make sure that you are ready for this new event in your life. To get ready for pregnancy, you need to consider three important factors: your emotional and financial readiness, getting fit, and knowing the things to avoid.
Before you get pregnant, you need to be emotionally and financially ready. This is because over the next nine months, you will be experiencing lots of changes, including discomforts, as your baby develops inside you. Pregnancy does not only bring physical changes but also emotional changes. So, if you are not emotionally ready, you may find it difficult to cope with such changes, giving you more feeling of anxiety, fear, and unhappiness during your pregnancy. Financial readiness, on the other hand, is also very important because pregnancy requires series of prenatal visits, vitamins and supplements, and preparation for baby's arrival which of course mean added expenses. If you are ready on this aspect, you are off to a healthy start for you and your baby.
Getting fit before pregnancy is also essential. In fact, you can have regular visits to your obstetrician even before pregnancy to help improve your possibilities of conceiving by maintaining reproductive health. You should also assess your weight, diet, and exercise regimen because these have significant effects on pregnancy.
And lastly, you should know the things to avoid during pregnancy such as smoking, alcohol, drugs, environmental hazards, too much stress, and some foods which are not recommended for pregnant women. If your habits include smoking, alcohol, and eating junk foods, and if your work or home is exposed to environmental hazards or is causing you too much stress, then you should start making some adjustments. This way, you will not find it difficult to adjust once you are already pregnant.
Getting Ready for Delivery
Once you determined that you are pregnant, you need to see an obstetrician to monitor your health and your baby's development. For the next nine months, you will be advised to have a monthly prenatal visit until delivery. This period also gives you the opportunity to make the necessary preparations for your baby's arrival. Parts of these preparations include educating yourself on important topics like labor and delivery, asking your obstetrician about the right birthing option for you, and organizing everything that you and your baby will need during delivery.
During pregnancy, you should take some time educating yourself on topics about labor and delivery. If you are well-informed on what you would have to undergo, you would be able to go through the process more easily and could get around complications without so much trouble since you already know what to avoid. So, make sure that you allot some time researching and reading books and online articles on pregnancy and delivery.
Your obstetrician can also help you a lot in getting ready for delivery. In each prenatal visit, your doctor will monitor your pregnancy progress. Before your due date, you will be asked to take an ultrasound in order to determine the condition of your baby. Depending on the result, your doctor will advise you what birthing option is right for you. Whether you are advised to go through vaginal delivery or caesarean delivery, this vital information can help you a lot in preparing for the process.
Lastly, weeks before the expected date of delivery, you should already start preparing everything that you and your baby will need. You can let your husband or someone close to you, like your mother or sister, to help you on this.
Knowing these things on how to get ready for pregnancy and delivery is not only a great way to prepare yourself for what's to come, but also to help you have a healthy pregnancy and successful delivery. Make sure that you keep these things in mind so you are off to a right start on becoming a parent.

pregnancy health

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Pregnancy -Maintaining your Health(pregnancy health)

pregnancy health
Couples trying for a baby are overjoyed on discovering the pregnancy. It is one of the happiest times for a woman to feel a part of creation; one cannot thank heaven enough for the blessings. Creating life is a miraculous feeling; one must develop a happy and positive outlook towards life and enjoy every moment of the pregnancy. It not only brings with it an expanding waistline but also many other body changes. To enjoy the fruits of motherhood one must take these changes in the stride and maintain good health and a happy attitude for the well being of both the mother and the baby.
Basics of a healthy pregnancy
Some of the early signs of a pregnancy are nausea and vomiting, indigestion, heartburn, over sensitivity in taste and smell towards common foodstuffs, backaches, headaches and general pains, fatigue and tiredness, swelling and soreness of breasts, change in body and complexion, and sleeping trouble.
As the body undergoes hormonal changes to accommodate a new life, a woman may feel initially feel uncomfortable. Try to overcome them by making some changes in your life pattern. Do not resort to over the counter medicines without consulting your doctor. Try a few simple methods to help you feel better:
Eat small meals at frequent intervals
Lie down and rest when tired
Apply heat to ease aches and pains
Avoid alcohol and smoking
Avoid strenuous exercises
Take small walks in fresh air
Wear loose and comfortable clothes
Call your doctor if the problems persist for professional help.
The emotional and mental changes are a part of pregnancy, along with the massive changes in the body. Do not get overly alarmed, but maintain good pregnancy health with proper nutrition, exercise and positive outlook towards life. Listen to the body signs and remain happy. Do not let irritability and mood swings disturb the life. The body's metabolism and the growing baby in the uterus can interfere with leading a normal life and disturb sleep patterns. Find ways to relax and get over these problems for a happier outlook during the pregnancy.
Do not hesitate to call your gynecologist, doctor or a midwife if there are any signs of problems or something is bothering you. Any abnormal vaginal bleeding, fluid leakage, fever, swelling of body, persistent pains and cramps or changes in baby's movements call for immediate attention by a doctor. Remedial measures in time leads to a happy and enjoyable pregnancy.
Keeping a pregnancy journal is another great idea, to keep a record of the happenings and feelings experienced by you during your pregnancy. It is a way of focusing on a your successes or changes to pave the way towards positive outlook and change in perspective during pregnancy. It also serves as means of sharing your personal experiences during pregnancy with other people, friends or family. Pregnancy journal can be reference record for your subsequent pregnancies too.

pregnancy health

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