Don’t Worry If You Drank Alcohol Before You Knew You Were Pregnant

Don’t Worry If You Drank Alcohol Before You Knew You Were Pregnant

May 12th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Every new mom-to-be has their set of worries. They worry about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. They worry about ensuring that they give their unborn child everything that they need to help them grow big and strong. They worry about the potential risk of miscarriage or birth defects. Along with these common worries comes the notion of what you can and can’t eat or drink during pregnancy. You may think that pregnancy is a time to consume whatever you want, but there is actually a list of restrictions or limitations. One such substance on the list is always alcohol in any form. Therefore this leads new moms to a scary new worry-what if they drank before they knew they were pregnant?

Usually Nothing to Worry About

Let’s face it, most women do not find out that they are pregnant until several weeks into the pregnancy. They may have just missed a period or realized that they were late and suddenly are surprised when they see the results of a pregnancy test. Therefore there could be the potential for several weeks of alcohol consumption which has many moms worried. There have even been experiments run on this very phenomenon in the medical community. The reality is that there isn’t much of a potential risk to your unborn child if the drinking was done that early on. The baby is just barely developing at this point, and therefore you can usually put aside all concerns.

Just Quit When You Know For Sure

It can become overwhelming to worry about all the things you ate, drank, or did before you knew you were with child. However all of this worry isn’t going to do anything positive for the baby in the long run. Do your best to avoid the temptation to worry, as hard as it may be. Chances are that when you were drinking, it was within the first few weeks, right around the time that you expected to have a period. The embryo is so tiny and just starting to develop, that some alcohol won’t hurt the development. As evidenced in forums and medical advice sites across the web, drinking in early pregnancy is one of the most common concerns of pregnancy. However the most important thing to do is to quit drinking alcohol once you find out that you’re pregnant. This will ensure that there is no further potential risk and that you get on the path of caring for your baby first and foremost.

When In Doubt, Ask Your Doctor

If all else fails and you really need to put your mind at ease, then by all means talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. This is a time when many women have a lot of worries and questions, and therefore you can and should always count on your doctor. Ask them their thoughts on the subject, and chances are that they will tell you undoubtedly that there is nothing to worry about. Though they certainly wouldn’t recommend drinking during pregnancy, doing so early on before you even knew will likely pose no potential dangers to your unborn child.

As with any aspect of pregnancy, always talk to your doctor first. Tell them about this concern at your first appointment just to clear your head. When they tell you the same thing and assure you that there is nothing to worry about, then just do your part to put this aside and focus on proper care for your baby moving forward.

Detecting the Early Signs of Pregnancy

Detecting the Early Signs of Pregnancy

May 11th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Pregnancy can be such a wonderful and miraculous time. For some it comes rather unexpectedly and therefore can catch you off guard. For others, it can come after years of trying and a great deal of stress along the way. No matter how prepared you truly are, the early signs of pregnancy can be something that you want to focus on. Though they say that every pregnancy is different, there are certain signs that act as a good indicator if a woman is pregnant or not; and although these can be symptoms of other health conditions, their presence means it is often well worth taking a pregnancy test to see if that’s what is going on. It is also worth noting that many times, the earliest signs of pregnancy can tend to come in pairs, leaving less room for doubt and necessitating confirmation.

Food Plays a Big Role

Some women may float through their pregnancies without one single food aversion. Others feel sick at the very look of chicken or other common culprits. As you will see on any early signs of pregnancy list, food aversions are often a big indicator. Food cravings often come later on, but the aversion to coffee, meat, or other commonly enjoyed foods can usually tell you that something is different. Some of the very things that you’ve always enjoyed or consumed on a daily basis may all of a sudden make you want to vomit. Just the smell of something like bacon cooking in a pan may make you physically ill. Food often plays a big role and shows up in the aversion form early on in a pregnancy, so keep an eye out for this.

Subtle Yet Obvious Body Changes

One of the biggest things to look for is the way in which your body changes. Have you noticed that all of a sudden your breasts feel very tender for no apparent reason? Do you feel as if you are getting headaches every day and can’t really explain why? Though you aren’t going to necessarily put on the pregnancy weight until later on, the reality is that your body is going to change and it will likely happen early on. Some of the most obvious early signs of pregnancy include headaches, vomiting, and extreme nausea. These are often due to the changing hormones and the way that your body responds to them. The good news is that these symptoms usually go away into the second trimester, but they can make for a bumpy ride along the way. Keep tuned into this and if you feel nausea well beyond a day or two or feel as if you are constantly battling a headache, it may be time to take a pregnancy test.

Use Your Cycle to Guide You

Some women don’t necessarily keep track of their monthly menstrual cycle. However one of the first signs of pregnancy early on is a missed period. You may not even miss a period, but you may notice that you have a very light one a little earlier or right around the time that you would have had your period. This could be implantation whereby the embryo is implanting itself into the uterus. So look out for either a missed period or a slightly different period because those are usually good indicators. And of course if you have any lingering question, a positive pregnancy test is of course your best indicator that you are pregnant.

Avoiding Back Pain During Pregnancy

Avoiding Back Pain During Pregnancy

May 9th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

There are so many great things about pregnancy. There are also a lot of trials and tribulations that a woman may go through. It’s true that even the healthiest pregnancy may result in a whole plethora of symptoms. Being prepared for them and knowing how to ease those symptoms can come in handy. Though you can’t always avoid the symptoms, you can do your very best to manage them. One common symptom that many women experience during pregnancy is backaches. You can quickly see that there are some common culprits for what is contributing to the backache by doing a bit of investigating.

Take It Easy

It’s important to remember that you are lugging around a whole lot of extra weight with you when you are pregnant. Your body is different, the way in which you carry your weight is different, and the strain that is put on your body is different as a result. Therefore one of the best things you can do to ease the backache is to take it easy. Get off your feet whenever possible and take the strain off of your lower back. This is often where the pain originates from as this is where you carry the most strain. Therefore whatever you can do to put your feet up and take the stress off of this often-afflicted area will be much to your benefit.

Always Put Comfort First

Though you always want to be cute and fashionable, pregnancy is a time to put pregnancy first. Avoid high heeled shoes or any that may cause you to stand in uncomfortable or unnatural positions. As you can see by looking at a checklist even the posture that you maintain can help to avoid and ease backaches. You need to always remember that the extra weight that you are carrying around can pose a potential danger and mean a whole lot of pain. If you learn how to make comfort your number one priority and go for comfortable shoes, good posture, and take whatever other means are necessary, then you will live a much healthier and painless pregnancy overall.

Learn the Right Techniques

As back pain may be something that plagues you throughout your pregnancy, you want to find the best way to deal with it. Learn simple relaxation techniques that can help the muscles to relax and the pain to subside. Learn how to lay correctly in bed for the safest and most pain-free night of sleep. Find out how to alternate hot and cold compresses on your back, right at the source of the pain. These are all measures that can help you to get rid of the back pain or at least keep it to a minimum.

There are many different reasons that back pain may occur in pregnancy-it can be a simple result of the extra weight, it may be due to nerve pain, or it may even be due to a change in hormones. Whatever the reason for the back pain, you can find an effective way to minimize it. Take it easy, go for comfort, and of course treat the pain as necessary and you will find that constant backaches are a thing of the past.

Getting Physical: Guidelines for Children

Getting Physical: Guidelines for Children

April 10th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

We all know physical activity is important for good health, but often we forget that our children need to be physically active just as much as adults. With childhood obesity reaching near-epidemic proportions and juvenile diabetes on the rise, a warning sign is being sent to parents about the effects of lack of exercise on our children. By making physical activity a regular part of your child’s life early on, you will set her up for a lifetime of healthy habits.

How Much Exercise Should My Child Get?

The American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents over the age of two should participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, while older children and adolescents should aim for 60 minutes. This activity should be moderate to vigorous; this means that it should get your child’s heart rate up. If necessary, it’s ok to split the activity into more than one session; fifteen minutes in the morning and fifteen minutes in the afternoon will add up to 30 minutes just the same as doing it straight.

What Activities are Best for y Child?

The right type of physical activity depends on your child’s age, developmental stage and physical abilities. Your 3 year old probably isn’t coordinated enough to jump rope, but for a six year old it is a great choice. Most young children will get enough exercise just by spending an hour at a playground. Running around and climbing on play structures will increase heart rate as well as improve strength.

Older children will benefit from organized sports in more ways than one. In addition to improving their health, sports teach teamwork and increase self-confidence. Soccer is a great first sport for young children, as it is an easy sport to learn and carries less chance of injury than some other options. It’s always a good idea to choose a sport that your child is interested in playing. If they aren’t into it, they won’t have a good time and are likely to want to quit. Remember that fun is the name of the game! Children who learn that physical activity is enjoyable are more likely to stick with it through adulthood.

Your kids aren’t the only ones who should get in the habit of regular exercise. Remember that your children are much more likely to develop healthy habits if they see you engaging in the same practices; if they see you getting physical and enjoying it, they’ll want to do the same. Get involved in activities as a family; try bike riding, hiking, or throwing a ball around at the park. Good health isn’t the only benefit of exercising together; you will also get to spend quality time with your family.

General Precautions

With any physical activity, there are always a few precautions to keep in mind. Prevent injuries by making sure your child always has the proper equipment for the activity at hand. Especially on hot days, be sure there is plenty of water available and that your child consumes it. And don’t forget the sunscreen if you are playing outside; even on a cloudy day, damage can be done to the skin, so get in the habit of using it every time. Make sure your kids know to stop if something is hurting, and never keep playing on an injury.

Making physical activity a regular part of your everyday life will help your children to grow up healthy and strong. It may be the most important thing you can do to ensure your little one’s current and future health.

Understanding the Needs of Your Body During Pregnancy

Understanding the Needs of Your Body During Pregnancy

March 26th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Pregnancy takes a lot of you over nine months. Your baby takes nutrients from your body, and you experience changes due to hormones released during the pregnancy. It is vitally important that you consider what you need to do to keep your body and mind healthy during pregnancy.

Eating Healthy

Because your baby takes its nutrients from your body, you need to be sure you are taking in enough healthy foods to nourish both yourself and your baby. In addition to taking a prenatal vitamin, you need to increase your intake of certain foods, such as milk and spinach for calcium, carrots and squash for vitamin b, and easily broken down proteins like eggs and beans. You should also eat foods high in folic acid, which includes most leafy vegetables.

The Importance of Exercise

Especially throughout the second and third trimesters, you will gain weight rapidly. Part of this is due to the weight of the baby. However, it is also due to your increased food intake. The baby takes the nutrients, but not necessarily the fat. To stay healthy, keep blood pressure low, and avoid being overweight after the pregnancy, you need to exercise and stay fit. There are many exercise programs developed specifically for pregnant women, although most exercise routines can be continued throughout most of your pregnancy.

Physical Changes and Challenges

As your baby grows, you will have some back pain. This can often be relieved through back massages, taking frequent breaks from chores that require standing, and changing positions frequently. You can also take Tylenol for back pain during pregnancy. Don’t both with a chiropractor, however, as most of them will not do any adjustments while you are pregnant.

You may also have problems with dry skin, brittle nails, and breast tenderness. The best way to address these issues is to invest in good, nourishing body lotion loaded with vitamins and minerals. You can also get similar strengthener for your nails. For aching breasts, a bra that fits comfortably yet offers extra support can really help. The less they move, the less they will hurt.

Emotional Health

There are a million things that cross through your mind when you are pregnant. You will be excited, of course, but you may also feel worried about the pregnancy, the health of the baby, or your ability as a parent. This is all very normal, but you need to address your concerns. At the very least, talk to your spouse about how you are feeling. Ignoring these emotions and fears can mean higher chances of post-partum depression after your baby is born.

As you get larger with your pregnancy, you may also begin to have feelings of being ugly or fat. You will feel like your body is no longer your own, and you want to reclaim it. When you start feeling really down, take yourself out for a girls day at the spa. If you cannot afford that, have a spa day at home with some friends. Get your hair done and put on some makeup to feel more like yourself. You might also want to go shopping for something sexy to wear after your pregnancy is over. This will help remind you that this form of your body is only temporary.

How to Choose Safe Exercises During Pregnancy

How to Choose Safe Exercises During Pregnancy

March 17th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Exercising during pregnancy is important for the health of both mother and baby. However, you need to know what is safe and what to avoid when exercising. This is largely going to rest on your level of fitness before you became pregnant. If you exercised regularly prior to pregnancy, then you can generally keep exercising in that manner during pregnancy while scaling back on the intensity. For instance, if you are a runner, then you can keep running. However, if you did not get a lot of exercise before pregnancy, then you will have to start out slow with an exercise program that is safe.

Having said the above, there are general dos and don’ts that apply no matter what your level of fitness was prior to getting pregnant. First of all, it is very important that you don’t overheat your body. This is what keeps pregnant women out of the hot tub at the gym when they would very much like to be in it. Overheating your body can cause your blood pressure to rise and it can cause dehydration and swelling. Of course, you need to sweat, but make sure that you don’t exercise in extreme heat and that you wear minimal clothing and keep the intensity of your workout to a comfortable level.

You should also keep your heart rate lower when you are exercising. When you begin to sweat you will begin to breathe harder and your body will begin to get warm. This is the maximum you should push your heart rate. If you are too out of breath to talk normally to someone, then you need to slow it down. Getting a heart rate monitor will help you keep track of your heart rate so that you can make adjustments as needed.

It is important to avoid high-impact activities when you are pregnant, especially in your third trimester. If you have been involved in a high-impact activity such as running or tennis prior to pregnancy and you are physically fit, then you can usually keep doing it and may be able to modify the activity to be easier on your body. If you are not used to any high-impact activities, then avoid them while pregnant.

When you do any strength exercises, keep the weight lower for the lower extremities. This will help keep your blood pressure down. Lunges and squats are fine, but no added weights. You should exercise 3-4 days per week for about 30-45 minutes during your first and second trimester. Once in your third trimester, bring the time down to 20-25 minutes 4-5 days per week.

When it comes to stretching, make sure your stretches are short and easy. In other words, don’t hold your stretches for too long. Your body is producing a hormone – yes the dreaded H-word – called relaxin that relaxes the tissues around your joints to prepare the pelvis for delivery. This also affects the muscles throughout the rest of your body and if you stretch too much you will end up with hyper-mobility of the joints, which can be painful and damaging.

Exercising safely while pregnant means ensuring that your body remains a safe haven for your developing baby. You want to be sure everything is going just fine. Exercise is very important and your body will bounce back more quickly after the baby is born. Just remember not to overdo it and you will be a model for good health all throughout your pregnancy.

Office Stretches for the Mother-To-Be

Office Stretches for the Mother-To-Be

March 16th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

No matter who you are, if you sit at an office desk all day, then it is a good idea to get up every few minutes and move around. It is also important that you stretch. However, if you are pregnant, then it is even more important to stretch and move about. While you may not feel the need to keep up a regular stretching and movement program each day at work while in your early pregnancy, you will find that, as time goes on and your body changes more and more, those stretches will be crucial to your overall level of comfort and health.

Starting stretches and movement during your early pregnancy will not only help prepare your body for later pregnancy and childbirth, it will also help build that habit of exercise early on so when you really need it it will be second nature to you. First of all, it is good to start each morning with some movement and stretches. You can run or walk on the spot (whichever is most comfortable for you) and you can do some general stretches.

At the office you will generally want to get up and move around for about 15 minutes for each hour that you are sitting. During this time of movement or at any other time during the day you can do a few stretches, all while sitting in your office chair. Here are a few stretches that you can do quickly a few times throughout your work day:

Neck Stretches: While sitting in your chair with a straight spine you will gently rotate your neck. You can also gently let your chin fall toward your chest and rotate your head from side to side. Be sure to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed during these stretches. Another good neck stretch involves keeping your shoulders down and relaxed and then bringing first your left ear to your left shoulder and then your right ear to your right shoulder.

Wrist Stretches: Next you can move on to your wrists. After all, they are very likely typing at a keyboard all day. By gently rotating your wrists both to the left and to the right you can loosen them up. You can also flex them by taking each in turn, keeping your elbow straight, and gently using your opposite hand to slowly bend your wrist down until you feel a stretch and then up until you feel a stretch.

Shoulder Shrugs: Shoulder shrugs are another great and easy stretch to do while you are sitting at your desk. Make sure your shoulders are relaxed, but that you are not slouching. Sit up in your chair with a straight spine. Then raise your shoulders toward your ears, bring your shoulder blades together, and then push your shoulders back down.

Upper Body Rotation: Cross your arms over your chest and slowly rotate your body from side to side.

Hip Stretches: While sitting, bring your right ankle up to rest on your left knee. Keeping your spine straight lead with your bellybutton and slowly stretch over your bent knee. Repeat on the other side. You will feel this stretch in the buttocks and your outer thigh.

As you can see these are all stretches that you can easily do while sitting at your desk. They will help keep your body loose and flexible and in combination with getting up and moving regularly your circulation and back will feel better as your pregnancy progresses. When it comes time to have your baby, your body will be in great shape.

Is Running Safe While Pregnant?

Is Running Safe While Pregnant?

March 12th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

If you have just found out you are expecting a baby, then you are probably elated. After all, what better experience could there possibly be in the world? Of course, when you are pregnant, there are lifestyle changes to be made to ensure that you have a safe and happy pregnancy and a healthy baby at the end of it. When it comes to exercise, you might be wondering if you need to make any changes, especially if you are a runner.

If running as a sport is new to you, then starting this new exercise regime when you are pregnant is not a good idea. This is true of any type of exercise. However, if you have previously been running and are in good physical shape, then there is no reason why you cannot continue running well into your pregnancy.

It is pretty much unanimous that you can continue to run during pregnancy, but you will probably find that you will run less and that your pace will be slower. This is to be expected and is also advisable. During your first trimester you will be fatigued, during your second trimester you will feel more awkward, and during your third trimester you will feel both. You will also find that by your third trimester you center of gravity will have shifted and you should be careful to maintain your balance. Running on a treadmill is a good idea at this point.

When you find out you are pregnant it is a good idea to discuss your running activity with your doctor or midwife. They will tell you if there are any risk factors and any warning signs that you should watch for. If you have any risk of premature labor, have vaginal bleeding, pain, or dizziness, or if your water breaks early, then you will have to stop running.

Dailyruns.com featured an article called “Oh Baby! Running While Pregnant“. The article told the story of Paula Radcliffe, the 2007 New York Marathon winner, who won the title only 9 months after giving birth. She ran throughout her pregnancy. With the help of her doctor and specialists, she monitored the health of her baby, rested and took days off when she needed to, and had a healthy pregnancy. You can too, if you take care of yourself.

When running while pregnant, pay close attention to your level of hydration and your heart rate. Make sure you drink lots of fluids and listen to your body. If you feel tired don’t run that day. Slow down if you need to. Don’t push yourself the way you normally would. After all, it is common for runners to push past the pain and challenge themselves, but doing so when you are carrying a baby simply isn’t wise.

As a runner, you know your body. Continuing to run while pregnant is safe as long as you listen to your body. Your level of exercise will allow you to push on after your baby is born. You will be healthier and you will lose your pregnancy weight faster than if you were sedentary during your pregnancy. Best of all, you will keep that facet of your identity in a world in which you become mother. Holding fast to something as personal as your identity as an athlete is important and will help you as you venture into the world of parenting.

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