What is the best diet for pregnancy?

Food is the main source of nutrients for the body and fetus. So, one must know what to eat and avoid during pregnancy. During pregnancy, it is better to consume different types of food which include a variety of lean meats, grains, fruits, vegetables, and unsaturated fats.

What are the foods that should be avoided?
Some foods can affect your or baby’s health and should be avoided, such as:
• Seafood high in mercury
• Raw, undercooked or contaminated food
• Undercooked meat, poultry and eggs
• Unpasteurized foods
• Unwashed fruits and vegetables

What is the normal weight for pregnancy?

Your health care professional will reflect on Body Mass Index (BMI) for weighing aspect. You will be suggested to maintain weight in healthy ways.

What are prenatal vitamins?
For the better growth and development of a baby, prenatal vitamins are important as they contain nutritious elements like vitamins and minerals. Your healthcare provider will suggest you consume any prenatal vitamin.

Should a pregnant woman exercise?

Exercise is a way to a healthy lifestyle, but a pregnant woman should avoid activities that are risky and excessive.

Can a person travel during pregnancy?

It is safe to drive or travel during pregnancy where even air travel is allowed up to 37 weeks gestation. However, a woman can talk to her doctor about following some safety measures as well during travelling.

What are the safe medications during pregnancy?

To ease some symptoms of pregnancy, you can have some non-prescription medication where the healthcare professional will recommend you safe over-the-counter meds as well.

How Not To Stress Your Fetus

The Harmful Effects of Excess Stress During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is accompanied by a lot of emotions, stress and anxiety as it is a way of enduring the continuity of species. Stress and pressure are common during pregnancy, but excess of everything is not beneficial. The persistent stress and pressure during pregnancy can be harmful to the baby as well as to the mother. The buildup of stress can stimulate the levels of hormones including stress hormones that fuel up the muscles and make up your heart beat faster.

Tips for Reducing Stress During Pregnancy

• Try to stay fit and healthy by eating healthy foods. It’s important to manage your sleep where you prioritize the rest that is required for your body.
• You need to know that this situation is temporary by being mindful of the present. Mindfulness can help you to live in the present moment and avoid the problems that may be building up.
• Exercise and yoga go hand in hand and can be extremely helpful. Relaxation activities such as yoga and meditation can be helpful in managing stress along with preparing for labour.
• Talk about this to your partner or friend. Try to build a supportive network around you that can help you to come out of this period, and where you can easily share your worries and feelings to get relief.
• You can take some childbirth education classes where you will come across the knowledge of pregnancy and its related procedures. You will also learn some techniques to cope with the pressure.
• If by any means you are suffering from depression, you should consult a professional. Getting early treatment and counselling can map this problem and ensure your well-being as well.

Signs And Symptoms Of An Ectopic Pregnancy

Age and Fertility: Understanding the Relationship

Age is perceived as a major element that can determine the chances of getting pregnant because of the ability to conceive. As put before, the conceiving ability of women decreases steadily after 30 when pregnancy is thought to be gruelling. Nonetheless, the chances of getting pregnant are still valid as fertility is gradually tending to a lower bar, not diminishing suddenly go.

Complications in Pregnancy After 35

The rising graph of age concurs with many changes that occur in women. The major problem for women in their 30s is related to the difficulty of getting pregnant. As a matter of fact, the number of eggs in women starts to decrease after the 30s which affects the chances of getting pregnant due to the lower odds of conception. In that case, there are complications like premature birth, birth defects, high blood pressure etc. that may arise in older women as compared to women in their 20s. It’s better to opt for some prenatal screening tests in order to look and check out for any risks pertaining to birth defects.

Ways to Increase the Chances of Getting Pregnant at a Certain Age

Older women can try to conceive in a natural way and wait for some time. By the time, there is no success in doing so, a woman can consult a doctor and look for other possibilities, like taking reproductive medicines. Doctors can recommend drugs/medicines that may enhance and stimulate the production of eggs in women. And for another case, IVF (In Vitro fertilization) or egg donors may be suggested when the former method doesn’t work.

Besides, a woman can adapt to some healthy lifestyle changes to increase the chances of getting pregnant at a certain age, like taking a healthy diet and quitting smoking. Moreover, trying to conceive during the ,ovulation period can also maximize the chances of conceiving.

Pregnancy & Addiction: Birth Defect Caused By Drugs

The period of pregnancy is crucial in one’s life where there is a need to adapt and avoid. It is very important to be cognizant of the things that can prove fatal for the mother or fetus both. In the same context, some drugs, alcohol or medications can cause some significant problems if taken during pregnancy. These have been attributed with causing birth defects as well where they are known as “teratogens”. Teratogen has the ability to alter the normal growth and development of the fetus.

Understanding the Risks: Medications and Pregnancy

The risk factor adhered to such drugs is inclusive of many factors, such as the type of the drug, size of the dose, periodicity of consumption, etc.

Types of Drugs that can Cause Birth Defects

The generic drugs that are linked to birth defects are:
• Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): The drug has the potential to cope with mental health disorders. However, recently it has been evaluated to be a risky factor in causing newborn hypertension, heart defects and other birth defects if taken during pregnancy.
• Accutane: As the name suggests, Accutane is helpful in treating acne problems. It is also enlisted in the list of drugs that cause significant problems as it has been examined as causing birth defects and stillbirth during pregnancy intake.
• Benzodiazepines: These have the potential to trigger calmness as they are psychoactive drugs. However, their intake during pregnancy can cause developmental birth defects like lacking muscle control and respiratory defects.
• Antibiotics: While antibiotics are regarded as a safe option during pregnancy, some groups have been established to generate developmental birth defects like heart defects and skull malformation.
• Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: They are useful in coping with pain and fever, but also concur with the risk of the neural tube and related birth defects.
Therefore, it is always necessary to consult the doctor before opting for medication.

Fetal Developmental Stages And Baby Growth

After the fertilization of sperm and ova, the egg develops that rapidly divides into many cells which reach the fallopian tube and remain there for three days. Then the fertilized egg is passed to the uterus and persists in dividing slowly, where it attaches to the endometrium for implantation. The further growth and development of the fetus occur in the uterus where the period is divided into three stages as:

First Trimester: From Fertilization to Baby’s Development

First Trimester: After the baby is conceived, this period begins and spans 12 weeks. It constitutes the first 3 months of pregnancy where the fertilized egg is divided into cells that will change into a fetus. The fetus begins to develop baby-like features where after three months all the organs and limbs are present. Generally, it is about 4 inches long.

Second Trimester: Comfortable and Baby-Like Features

Second Trimester: This is the second stage of pregnancy which has to be the best experience and remains up to 7 months or 28 weeks. The discomfort and symptoms of early pregnancy are no longer here. Facial features along with some movement are seen in the developing fetus, where it also responds to stimuli as well. The fetus is generally 14 inches long at the end of the seventh month and weighs between 2-4 pounds.

Third Trimester: Fetus is Fully Prepared for Birth

Third Trimester: This is the last stage of pregnancy which remains up to 40 weeks or 9-10 months (in some cases). During this stage, the fetus starts to gain weight along with body fat. Lungs are almost fully developed along with the brain, internal organs and other reflexes that begin to coordinate like the closing eyes, turning the head etc. The fetus is generally 17-19 inches long and weighs 5-6 ½ pounds. Finally, at the time of labour fetus is developed with all the organs and is prepared for birth.
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Teenage Nutrition: How Can Parents Help?

Teenage is a time of tremendous changes – emotional, functional, and intellectual growth backed by a sense of independence. But teenage growth isn’t just confined to emotional needs. It demands more nutrition. Nurturing good food habits during the teenage years goes a long way in keeping an individual healthy. Here’s how parents can ensure that their teen is having the right set of food as per the needs of the body.

Teenage Nutrition: Nurturing Good Food Habits

The essentials include a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, no-fat or low-fat milk products, beans, eggs, fish, nuts, lean meats, and more. All in all, a varied diet is the need of the hour.

Fruits and vegetables:

A 2000-calorie diet bag around 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables. Anything less than that isn’t good. Make sure that your teen consumes an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables.

Calcium:

Around 1300 milligrams of calcium could help you get adequate nutrition. Calcium is excellent for the bones and thus necessary for bone growth.

Proteins:

Who could forget proteins? Especially when we are talking about growth. Meat, poultry, and fish are highly recommended for a protein-rich diet. Estimates suggest that a teen must consume around five and a half ounces of protein daily.

The Importance of Whole Grains, Proteins, Fruits, and Vegetables

Energy is the driving force of teenagers. Who would miss out on whole grains? Your teen will need an adequate amount of whole grains for energy. Experts suggest six ounces per day. Whole-grain bread, brown rice, or whole-grain breakfast cereals could be given for better results.

Apart from these, iron-rich foods like spinach are recommended. It is seen that boys tend to double their lean body mass between the ages of 10 and 17 while girls need to recover the iron loss they undergo during menstrual cycles. Lastly, it would be smart to cut on fats. One must pick unsaturated fats like olives, canola, sunflower corn, and soybean.

For Parents: 6 Tips To Enhance Your Teen’s Personality

Teenage is identified by several social, emotional, and physical changes. From body growth to cognitive development, teenagers go through a lot. Parents must take care that the transitioning doesn’t turn out to be destructive for their teens. Utilizing teenage energy constructively becomes quite challenging, the same being guided by several factors. Channelizing the teenage thrill is not a cakewalk.

Tips for Enhancing Your Teen’s Personality and Future

Prefer discussions over commands. A teenager will not like being commanded. Indulge in consequence-oriented talks. It helps with decision-making. Teenagers don’t like being ordered. They develop rebellious behavior if they find out that they are being bossed.

Importance of Patience and Communication in Parenting Teenagers

Let them know that you have their back and they can count on you when in trouble. Maintain open communications with the teen. This could help you win their confidence.Try to engage them in social and extracurricular activities. This could channel their energy to some constructive stuff. The rush of thrill has to be managed effectively.

Encouraging a Healthy and Safe Lifestyle for Teenagers

Encourage their ability to resolve conflicts independently. Exercise giving advice rather than passing on judgments.Try to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Teach them to manage junk food and make use of digital media with safe limits.

Indulge in safety talks but in a way that doesn’t sound like a lecture. Instill the values of responsibility and safe driving.Teenagers have to be dealt with patiently. You can’t just scold them. It takes a great deal of patience to deal with them and shape their future constructively. The social acceptance that they seek during these years determines their personality to a large extent. It must therefore be taken into consideration that whatever you tell them shouldn’t interfere with their social image.

Sex Education for your Teen

Adolescence is recognized by rapidly changing hormones that cause physical changes, particularly in the sex organs. This makes them more curious to explore these changes. They might indulge in the wrong sources of information which are very harmful. It is, therefore, necessary to impart sex education to teens. Teenagers have a constant focus on the sex arena and therefore it is the right time to educate them.

The need to impart sex education to teens:

To help them get the right information rather than misinformation.
To help them gain information and skills that could aid decision-making in relationships.
To impart the knowledge of good sexual health
For the development of social and emotional skills that impart the qualities to become caring and empathetic adults.

Sex education is also found to be effective to tackle growing health issues in this age group. It is believed that sex education could go a long way to help control AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, pelvic inflammatory diseases, and syphilis.

The teens will be better equipped to understand the repercussions of teenage pregnancy on their health. Moreover, it stresses the role of abstinence and contraceptive methods including the use of condoms.

Consequences of sex education:

Appreciation of sexual diversity
Intimate partner violation prevention
Development of healthy relationships
Prevention of child sex abuse
Make healthy relationships
Make informed decisions about sex
Think critically about the world

Topics Covered in Sex Education for Teenagers

Sex education covers a wide range of topics beginning from body image, abstinence, contraception, gender human reproduction, human anatomy, pregnancy, and safe sex to sharing knowledge about birth control methods, sexual attitudes, sexual orientation, and sexually transmitted diseases.

It is important to impart sex education to teens as it helps them gain the right knowledge about sexuality. It is generally found that teens gather information from several sources which have a negative impact.

Preconception Planning: Is Your Body Ready For A Second Baby?

Hormonal Balance and Nutrient Checks for a Second Pregnancy

The preconception period which is three to six months before pregnancy is a crucial time to ensure a healthy pregnancy. It could help you to seek clarity on boosting the chances of a healthy pregnancy. But do you know why is it necessary to plan a second pregnancy?

Why is it Necessary to Plan a Second Pregnancy?

It is because a woman’s body takes immense time to recover from the first pregnancy. Research says that it takes a minimum of eighteen months for a woman’s body to get ready for a second baby. After an ocean change in the hormones, how do you know if the body is ready for carrying a second baby?

Ensuring Hormonal Balance and Nutrient Checks for a Second Pregnancy

Folic acid is used up extensively during pregnancy. The body thus demands 50%more iron during pregnancy. Keeping a check on iron deficiency thus ensures that the baby isn’t underweight or premature. Your store of iron and calcium has to be detained before being drained again. Otherwise, there will be adverse effects.

Hormonal balance:

It isn’t safe to bear a baby with elevated progesterone levels. Hormonal upsurges and abrupt hormonal changes are common in pregnancy. One must allow the hormones to get back to normal before bearing a new child.

Hormonal checks and ovulation trackers play crucial roles to ensure that the body is ready for a second baby. Make use of an ovulation tracker to ensure that your cycles are normal and place the pregnancy in such a way that makes the best of your nutrient store. Your body must have all the nutrients for the baby’s development. Also, one must ensure to keep an eye on the body weight and adjust it according to the body mass index (BMI). Apart from this, regular exercise could ensure that the body becomes healthy enough to bear a second child.

Is There A Right Time To Get Pregnant? Consult The Doctors

Timing is Key: Understanding Ovulation and Getting Pregnant

Timing is the key to getting pregnant. All you have to do is be in sync with the ovulation cycle. A brief window is available each month for conceiving. Women are more likely to get pregnant at the most fertile point of their monthly menstrual cycle which is marked by an upsurge in the luteinizing hormone. The most fertile phase lies 5-6 days before and after the day of ovulation.

While sperm can survive in a woman’s reproductive tract for five days, the egg can be fertilized only between 12-24 hours after being released from the ovaries.

What happens during ovulation?

The ovary releases a mature egg.
The egg travels way down the fallopian tube.
The sperm may meet it in the process and fertilize the eggs.

Estimates say that the majority of pregnancies result from having sex during the periods. The likelihood of conceiving is therefore marked at 10% five days before ovulation and 33% on the day of ovulation.

In many cases, the lack of knowledge about the ovulation cycle and the signs of ovulation creates an obstacle to conceiving. The tricky part lies in identifying when ovulation occurs because every woman’s menstrual cycle is different.

Ways to Track the Ovulation Period

Track your basal body temperature: It is the temperature when you wake up in the morning. During ovulation, it goes slightly up and stays up until the next period.
Make use of an ovulation predictor kit that is used to detect a surge in Luteinizing hormone.
Cycle charting apps could be helpful
Fertility monitors to keep a check on Luteinizing hormone and estrogen levels.
Cervical mucus method

There is a right time to get pregnant. All you have to do is track your cycle and time it right. Making out on the days close to ovulation is important.

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