Avoiding Sleeping on Your Back During Pregnancy

Avoiding Sleeping on Your Back During Pregnancy

May 10th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

You hear a whole lot of information while you are pregnant. Not only do you get a whole packet of information from your doctor, but you are inundated from other sources as well. Every woman that has been pregnant has some advice to give. Some of it can actually be helpful, and some is based on old wives’ tales. There are, however, certain facts that you should never ignore. When you find something out from your doctor or another trusted resource, then you really should pay attention. One such aspect of pregnancy that you should always pay attention to is sleeping on your back. Though sleep position doesn’t sound like it would play a big role in pregnancy, it really can and so you should respond accordingly.

The Role of Sleep Positions

As soon as you find out that you’re pregnant, you should really do your part to avoid sleeping on your stomach. This seems rather obvious, but ensures that you don’t crush the baby or disrupt their normal functioning. A lot of women are quite surprised though to learn that they should not sleep on their back when they get into their second trimester.

A variety of pregnancy-related issues can be compounded from sleeping on your back during the last 6 months or so of pregnancy. Not only can it cause additional symptoms in you, but it can also cause problems for your baby. You may end up suffering from backaches, hemorrhoids, and even further problems with your digestive system. You may also develop low blood pressure as the uterus rests on your major blood vessels. If in doubt, look to reliable resources such AmericanPregnancy.org for potential dangers related to sleep positions.

Putting Pressure Where It Doesn’t Belong

Though sleeping on your back may not initially sound problematic, you will see later on that it can be a danger. In your first trimester, you aren’t really experiencing much growth in the way of your uterus or the fetus. However when you enter the second trimester, you quickly find that the uterus, and the precious cargo inside it, is growing and becoming a main focal point of your body. Therefore you can see where the extra weight that is comprised in the uterus can become an issue if it rests on your organs and blood vessels. This can interfere with the baby’s ability to get a proper blood supply and can cause potential damage if done over a lengthy period of time. When you lay on your back, your uterus has nowhere to go and therefore rests on the very organs that supply your baby with what they need. This is where the low blood pressure comes in, and ultimately where you find great concern that the baby may even suffer from a lower heart rate.

Don’t Panic If You Find Yourself On Your Back

Once we’ve heard about this potential fear, it’s enough to scare any of us into sleeping on our sides as is recommended. But what happens when you wake up and find that you are on your back? This can send some pregnant women into hysterics as they worry that there may have been some damage created to the baby. The reality is that if you find yourself on your back during the night, the best thing to do is simply change positions. Oftentimes you will wake yourself up on your own if you find yourself in this “wrong” position, and then it’s just a matter of switching it up.

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.

Expected Pregnancy Symptoms Week By Week

Expected Pregnancy Symptoms Week By Week

March 25th, 2010 by admin  |  1 Comment

Most pregnancy information focuses on the growth and development of the fetus, and what you need to do to help that process along. But there are many pregnancy symptoms and changes that you yourself will experience during pregnancy that may or may not have any bearing on the infant itself. It is important to understand what pregnancy symptoms to expect, and how to take care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of your baby when it arrives.

Pregnancy Symptoms During First Trimester (Week 1 – Week 14)

The first few weeks of pregnancy is often the most difficult for the mother. It starts with morning sickness, which can actually come on throughout the day, at any time. This nausea is rarely beaten by anything you do. It is important to keep your strength up, and to nourish your body. Even if you don’t feel like eating, remember that your baby is taking most of the nutrients your body has stored, and it is important to get something down. Eating small meals can help, but if solid food doesn’t work you should take in plenty of fluids, as well as chicken, beef, or vegetable broth.

The first trimester can also bring fatigue, so make sure you are getting plenty of rest. If you don’t work, taking naps during the day can be a huge help. You may also experience some tenderness in your breasts, which can usually be relieved by wearing an extra-supportive bra that limits movement. You will also have increased urination, so be sure to drink lots of water. Drinking water and juices will also help you avoid the issue of constipation that will generally arise in the first trimester, and last throughout the pregnancy.

Pregnancy Symptoms During Second Trimester (Week 15 – Week 27)

This is the easiest trimester of pregnancy for the mother. Most of the pregnancy symptoms from the first trimester, such as fatigue and nausea, will begin to fade and eventually disappear. You will still have frequent urination, and you may still experience constipation. Keep up a high fiber diet with lots of fluids to avoid this. Your spouse will enjoy this phase of the pregnancy as well, as your breasts begin to become enlarged. Do not be surprised if you have some seepage from your breasts, particularly after a warm shower. Lotion on your nipples and breast area can help prevent dryness caused by the seepage.

Due to hormones released during this trimester, your blood tends to circulate faster. This is what gives your skin the pregnancy glow, but it can also cause bleeding gums, nasal congestion, or leg cramps. Make sure to address any concerns with your doctor, and rest frequently whenever needed.

Pregnancy Symptoms During Third Trimester (Week 28 onwards)

This final trimester of pregnancy can be rather uncomfortable, and most women are happy to go into labor to end it. As your baby continues to grow, he will begin kicking you in the ribs. You will also have some shortness of breath, heartburn, and back pain due to the baby pushing on your lungs and stomach, and the sheer weight of the baby on your body. Circulation is still increased, so you may experience some spider veins, especially in the legs. If the uterus presses on veins near the legs, you may also experience some swelling of the ankles and feet. Fear not, the discomfort will be over soon!

Going Into Labor – Knowing It’s for Real

Going Into Labor – Knowing It’s for Real

March 20th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Starting as early as the second trimester you may begin to have contractions. This occurs as your uterus contracts and relaxes repetitively. Some of these may be caused by the baby’s stretching, while others are simply the uterus moving the baby into birthing position and preparing your body for actual labor. These practice contractions are called Braxton Hicks, after the scientist who first noted them in 1872.

Braxton Hicks contractions feel more like pressure than pain. They may be felt from inside the body, or by placing a hand on the belly. For the most part, it will simply feel like your stomach has tightened. While medical dictionaries may say that they are not painful at all, most pregnant women disagree, and say that they feel very much like real labor pains toward the end of the third trimester. This can make it difficult to tell if you are actually in labor or if you are having Braxton Hicks contractions, especially if it is your first pregnancy.

These pre-labor pains are perfectly normal, and nothing to worry about. They may increase in intensity as you move around, and lessen or disappear as you rest. If you are overly uncomfortable and having contractions try resting for a while and drinking a glass of water. This will usually make them stop. You can also take warm baths to relax the muscles, which will also relax the uterus and stop the contractions. If you are ever in doubt of whether your contractions mean you are in labor, try these methods to stop them. If they become more frequent and regular rather than ceasing, you may be in labor.

The easiest way to tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and real labor is the length and frequency of the contractions. Braxton Hicks contractions are often irregular in frequency, and do not become very close together. Labor pains, on the other hand, will be very regular in timing and frequency. They will start out at about fifteen or twenty minutes apart when you first notice them, and increase in frequency to about ten minutes apart. Once you have had contractions lasting more than thirty seconds at ten minutes apart for one hour or more, it is likely time to start heading to the hospital.

Braxton Hicks contractions are also less painful than labor pains, and not as intense. They usually occur only in the abdomen. Labor pains, by contrast, will typically encircle the abdomen and go around into your back. They will be very intense, and they will likely be painful. Rather than simply feeling a tightening of the abdomen, you will feel as though a ring within your stomach has cinched to half its original size. Walking will make the contractions stronger and more frequent, and help progress your labor.

If you are unsure whether or not you are in labor, you should call your doctor. He will ask you the intensity, length, and frequency of your contractions. If there is any doubt that you might be in labor, he will have you go to the hospital. It is not uncommon to make several trips to the hospital as contractions start and stop, preparing your body for giving birth. Even though these tips can help you determine the difference between fake and real labor pains, there is no guarantee. Especially with first pregnancies, contractions can come frequently and regularly without progressive labor.

Feeling Your Baby Move – When and What to Expect

Feeling Your Baby Move – When and What to Expect

March 19th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Being pregnant is very exciting, especially when it is your first pregnancy. It is common to want to experience everything at once, but you have nine months to experience all the joys and trials that pregnancy has to offer. Waiting for physical signs of your baby can be frustrating, but it won’t happen right away. Just as you won’t begin to show until around the fourth month, you have to wait until about the same time to feel your baby move.

You may not even notice the first time your baby moves. It will feel like gas bubbles or stomach rumblings, and it will not be discernable as baby movement to first time moms until it becomes more frequent. This usually begins around 16-25 weeks. The initial movements are so light that they cannot be felt outside the belly, so your spouse will have to wait even longer before he can feel the baby. After the first movements, your baby will become more and more active as it grows, and you will feel the movement in a much more pronounced way.

If you are thin by nature, you will likely feel baby move earlier in your pregnancy, and the movement will be more pronounced for you. Your spouse may also be able to feel the baby move much sooner than the middle or end of the second trimester. On the other hand, if you are overweight by nature you may not feel your baby move at all until closer to 25 weeks, and you may not be able to really feel kicks from outside your stomach until the end of the second trimester or the beginning of the third trimester.

By week 28 of your pregnancy you will begin to feel actual kicks and jabs that can be felt by placing a hand on your stomach. The movements will still be few and far between, but will pick up pace and strength as your pregnancy progresses. By the middle of the second trimester, you will be wishing that the baby would stop kicking and let you rest.

The most active times for most babies through the third trimester is between nine in the evening to one o’clock in the morning, which is very inconvenient for mom. If you want to increase the movement of your baby at non-peak times so that siblings or your spouse can feel the baby move, you may try some music or simply rubbing your stomach. Some babies respond to this and other sounds, such as mom or dad’s voice, and kick or move in response.

In the third trimester your baby will kick and roll around more frequently. As your pregnancy comes to a close, your baby will become confined and start elbowing and moving around trying to make the most of his or her small space. You should not be surprised to feel feet poking you in the rib cage. This too will become less frequent as the baby moves into position for the birth around 38-40 weeks, and the kicking will come back down out of your ribs. However, the kicking will get more frequent and stronger, and by the middle of your third trimester you should feel your baby kick at least thirty times each day.

Your Baby’s Growth: Stages of Fetal Development

Your Baby’s Growth: Stages of Fetal Development

March 18th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

It can be amazing watching your baby grow and develop, but frustrating not to be able to see that development in the womb as well. There are many books that show pictures of the fetus at different stages that can help you determine what your baby looks like as it grows within you. At some point you will also have at least one ultrasound during your pregnancy, allowing you to see your baby up close and personal. For now, here is some basic information on how your baby grows and develops in the womb.

The progress of your pregnancy is broken down into either weeks or trimesters. A pregnancy is considered 40 weeks long, which doesn’t break down evenly into three trimesters, so this can be a bit confusing. Essentially, each twelve weeks equals a trimester, with the last month of pregnancy being a separate final stage.

The First Trimester

Most of the actual development of your baby occurs in the first trimester. Within the first month the eyes and heart is developed, and your baby begins to take on some rudimentary features. In the second month, all of the major organs begin to develop, including the digestive system, respiratory system, and nervous system. By the end of the first trimester, your baby has developed eyes, ears and kidneys almost fully. Your baby also has all of its limbs, and is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Your baby is still very tiny at around four inches long, and only weighs about an ounce.

The Second Trimester

Throughout the second trimester, your baby’s body is developing and solidifying. In the beginning of the fourth month, your baby’s skin is transparent, but by the end of the second trimester, your baby’s skin will be red and wrinkly. By the end of the fourth month, you should be able to tell the sex of the baby, and this is likely around the same time your doctor will schedule an ultrasound. You will also begin feeling movement in the fourth month, increasing throughout the second trimester. Your baby will become more defined, with nose fully formed, finger and toe nails, and even eyelids and eyelashes. Essentially, by the end of this stage your baby will be nearly fully developed, and be ready to grow. At the end of this trimester, your baby is about a half pound in weight, and is about the length of a banana.

The Third Trimester

Throughout the third trimester, your baby will continue to grow at an increased rate. The infant gains weight quickly, and will more than double in size in the next six weeks, to about three and a half pounds. Throughout this trimester, the baby’s organs become fully developed, and the baby prepares for birth. He will move down into the birth canal, putting pressure on your pelvis. Your baby will move more than ever before, and will now be able to fully hear and see. By the end of the third trimester, your baby is fully developed.
The final stage of pregnancy, or the last month, is actually just a time for the baby to ready itself for delivery. The baby continues to put on weight, and grow in size. The closer to 40 weeks you can be before delivery, the healthier and bigger your baby will be. However, an infant at 37 weeks is considered to be a term pregnancy.

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