Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Early Signs of Pregnancy
Morning sickness is said to be brought on by changes in a pregnant woman's hormones. The human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone that is relatively high during the first few months of pregnancy. HCG, changes in estrogen levels and even changes in blood glucose levels can bring about morning sickness. One way to combat a drop in blood glucose is for pregnant women to always keep food in their stomachs. While eating may be the last thing on a woman's mind if morning sickness is one of her early signs of pregnancy, an empty stomach can make nausea worse.
Eating small snacks throughout the day can go far in helping a woman to combat nausea. Pregnant women who suffer from nausea can usually tolerate eating small snacks. This is usually easier for a woman that trying to consume two or three large meals each day. Pregnant women are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids. This can help to prevent dehydration. Dehydration can occur if a woman is having a lot of vomiting with her morning sickness.
While nausea and morning sickness is one of the most common early signs of pregnancy, it can be very frightening. If a pregnant woman has many episodes of vomiting and it is causing her to lose weight she should notify her OB/GYN. There are occasions when a pregnant mother may have to be put on intravenous fluids or given medication. It is important to note that a doctor will be able to determine if a pregnant woman is experiencing normal morning sickness or if she has an underlying medical condition that is causing her to vomit and lose weight. Other causes of nausea and vomiting could include peptic ulcer disease, gall bladder disease, appendicitis, hepatitis, infections, kidney insufficiency and more. If you are pregnant and you think you are experiencing more than just a dose of morning sickness that accompanies the early signs of pregnancy, you should consult your doctor immediately.
In addition to nausea, other early signs of pregnancy can include changes in breast sensitivity. Many women report that their breasts become very tender and feel full and heavy. Spotting very early in the first few weeks of pregnancy is also fairly common. However, this spotting should be reported to your doctor. Normal spotting will generally be accompanied with a yellow colored mucous. Lack of energy and fatigue is also one of the common early signs of pregnancy as well as frequent urination. Energy levels generally return during the second trimester only to fall again during the third trimester. Many women report they feel the need to frequently urinate throughout their entire pregnancies, while others report this as just a problem during the first and third trimesters.
Pregnancy: A Memorable Experience
If you are presently unable to conceive, do not lose hope of having a baby of your own. There are several medical procedures to help you conceive that child. Just consult your doctor and ask for his/her advice on solving the infertility problem to get pregnant. Apart from medical procedures also, there are a large number of conception tips that you can avail of to resolve your "getting pregnant" problems. All that you have to do is watch out for your conception symptoms and try to conceive accordingly. That is the reason why it becomes essential to maintain a menstrual calendar.
Once you have succeeded in conceiving, be prepared for the host of troubles that are just waiting to harass you. From morning sickness and craving for certain foods to finding clothes that fit and labor pains, the journey from conception to delivery is a long one. Those nine months are an occasion for you and your partner to bond. Attend classes on pregnancy and baby care so that you are not at sea in future moments of crisis. Learn not to panic when the delivery is imminent. Also learn the best ways of burping your baby after a feed. You will have to admit that these are not issues that are limited to women only.
Of course, not everything is serious learning. You also have to take time out to decide the name for your baby. That is a task that everybody enjoys. If you are having twins, that means double the trouble of finding the perfect name. If you are having multiple births, prepare yourself for the many hours that will go into the search for the perfect name. However, believing that all will be well would be living in a fool's paradise. Debates and many arguments will follow over the choice of the name. Once the baby comes though, you will find the right answer. Pregnancy is a wonderful time for a couple. It is not something that you should miss out on.
Are You Ready For A Baby
With the advent of modern-day birth control, people are better able to control when they start a family. Not only is bringing a child into the world a heavy responsibility, thepregnancy itself can be quite cumbersome. Here are some things to think about:
1. Are you financially ready to have a baby? Raising a child can be very expensive. While finances shouldn't deter your from starting a family if you really want one, be prepared for a higher strain on your finances. You'll be spending less time in the mall for yourself and more time in the baby aisles of the supermarket.
2. Are you emotionally ready to have a baby? It is much easier to raise a child with a loving partner. Having a baby often puts a strain on the marriage, since the raising of a child can be quite stressful.
3. Is your biological clock ticking? While the above two questions might make you want to put off having a baby, remember that you only have so much time to have a child. It is much easier for a woman to have a healthy baby in her 20' and 30's than if she attempts to do so in her 40's. While modern medicine can cure a lot of diseases, it still cannot turn back the biological clock.
Tips On Getting Pregnant
There are several things you can do to help you to conceive.. It,s best to give yourself at least three months before you try to get pregnant, to start eating more healthily, and maybe losing a bit of weight if you need to.
You should start taking folic acid as soon as you start planning a baby. It,s a b vitamin that reduces the risk of some serious birth defects that can affect the spinal cord and brain.
If you smoke ,now is the time to stop as it increases the chance of miscarriage,and can lead to premature birth as well as low birthweight babies.
If you are on the pill or any other birth control ,now is the time to stop as it can take your periods a while to return to normal.
Timing is important as there are only a few days each month that you can fall pregnant, so working out when these days are will greatly increase your chances. You can buy ovulation kits which will pinpoint exactly when you ovulate by detecting hormones in your urine that can tell you when you are most likely to get pregnant.
You should avoid using scented tampons and douching as they can wash away cervical mucus and create a hostile enviroment for sperm.
It can take a while to get pregnant so you may need to be patient. You have about a 25% chance of getting pregnant each month, so it could take a few months .If you have been trying for a year and still have,nt conceived then you should see your doctor ,just to make sure there are no problems.
There are also things your partner can do to help ,like avoiding tight underwear as this can cause low sperm count, as can really hot baths and showers.
It can be really stressful trying to conceive and can become quite clinical for some couples, when it seems that all that is important is getting pregnant , so you need to try not to stress yourself out over this ,as it is more likely to happen if you are both relaxed about it.
If you find yourself getting to stressed try to get some exercise as it releases stress relieving hormones.
If you find that you are having trouble getting pregnant, then visit your doctor ,but you need to give it at least a year, unless you are over 40 then you should visit your doctor sooner if you are having problems conceiving.