Join Sai Baba Announcement List


DOWNLOAD SAMARPAN - Nov 2018





Author Topic: Tips for Pregnant Women  (Read 113045 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline fatima

  • Member
  • Posts: 1443
  • Blessings 16
Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
« Reply #15 on: February 17, 2008, 02:13:17 AM »
  • Publish
  • Driving Safety Tips for Pregnant Women

    On a three-point safety belt, always position the lap belt portion as low on the abdomen as possible. The shoulder belt should be routed over the sternum.
    Leave the air bag operational.

    Drive a vehicle that allows the most clearance between the steering wheel and abdomen.
    Remove or adjust coats to make sure they do not interfere with low placement of the lap belt.
    Minimize driving in hazardous conditions, such as in bad weather or on icy roads.
    Position the steering wheel to maximize abdomen-to-wheel clearance, while aiming it more toward the chest than the head.

    When possible, ride as a passenger rather than drive to avoid potential contact with the steering wheel.
     
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #16 on: February 17, 2008, 02:18:02 AM »
  • Publish
  • Top Tips for Increasing Breast Milk Supply


    If your milk supply seems to be dwindling, there are positive steps you can take to increase production. Consult this list of top tips for increasing your milk supply.

    The amount of milk your breasts produce is subject to a number of factors, but they all relate to two factors: your health and well being and nursing frequency. Try any or all of the following steps to increase your milk supply.

    Take care of yourself to increase milk supplyWhen baby naps, take a nap yourself, if you need to. Resting is a necessity, not a luxury, especially when you’re the source of your baby’s nutrition. Even if you can’t sleep, you can rest … and you should

    Fuel the machine]Make a point of eating well and drinking plenty of fluids. (“Plenty” means drink as much as you need to but not so much that you feel uncomfortable). You may find that eating six small meals each day will help keep your energy level up better than three large ones.

    Practice saying, “Yes, thank you”—When friends or family members offer their help, accept it gratefully. Would you rather be running errands, cleaning your house, and washing a few loads of clothes or resting and caring for your baby? Be sure to tell your helpers specifically what they can do to help.

    Nurse frequentlyBreast milk production is a demand/supply function. The more your baby nurses, the more milk you will produce. Shorter, more frequent nursing sessions are more effective at building and maintaining your milk supply than longer feeding sessions that occur less frequently.

    Perfect position]Offer both breasts at each nursing, alternating sides at each session. “Switch nursing” can also be effective in increasing your supply. When your baby’s active sucking at the first breast slows and there are long pauses between each suck, take him off the breast, burp him, and offer your other breast. Switch nursing triggers more letdowns in a feeding and keeps the milk flowing faster. This may interest your baby in nursing longer at each session. Keep everything calm and low key; small infants can become overtired and frustrated, so be alert for signs of stress

    Avoid using breast replacementsYour breasts produce milk in response to the stimulation of your baby’s sucking, so when you need to increase your milk supply, ban (at least temporarily) pacifiers and bottles until your breast milk has become more plentiful. Also, don’t use nipple shields, because they can lead to under-stimulation of the breast, which will reduce your supply.

    Nurse first]For older babies who are getting additional nutrition, nurse them before you offer solid foods or giving them water, juice, or formula.

    Any of these techniques can help you to increase your milk supply. However, illness, different medications, caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can all decrease your milk supply. If you have any questions or concerns, consult with your pediatrician, a lactation consultant, or a local breastfeeding support group.
    « Last Edit: February 17, 2008, 02:23:18 AM by fatima »
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #17 on: February 18, 2008, 02:39:06 AM »
  • Publish

  • Pregnancy Quotes!



    If pregnancy were a book they would cut the last two chapters. ~Nora Ephron


    Life is tough enough without having someone kick you from the inside. ~Rita Rudner


    Think of stretch marks as pregnancy service stripes. ~Joyce Armor


    There are three reasons for breast-feeding: the milk is always at the right temperature; it comes in attractive containers; and the cat can't get it. ~Irena Chalmers


    You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment. ~Dave Barry, Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn


    People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one. ~Leo J. Burke


    One of the most obvious results of having a baby around the house is to turn two good people into complete idiots who probably wouldn't have been much worse than mere imbeciles without it. ~Georges Courteline, La Philosophie de Georges Courteline


    You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back. ~William D. Tammeus


    The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh


    When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty


    It is much easier to become a father than to be one. ~Kent Nerburn, Letters to My Son: Reflections on Becoming a Man


    There are three stages of a man's life: He believes in Santa Claus, he doesn't believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus. ~Author Unknown
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #18 on: February 18, 2008, 02:45:04 AM »
  • Publish
  • Early Pregnancy Symptoms

    An early pregnancy symptom is a signal which indicates to the mother, early on, that she is brewing a baby in her belly. There are many different early pregnancy symptoms, and here are some of the more common or oft-cited ones.

    Menstrual Cycle Changes

    Perhaps the most common early pregnancy symptom is the alteration in some way to a woman’s menstrual cycle.  This can manifest in many ways: the pregnant woman may find that she has missed her period altogether.  This can be a false sign for a non-pregnant woman, but it is definitely a strong early pregnancy symptom for a lot of women who keep track of such things.

    Instead of the complete absence of one’s period, a pregnant woman might learn as such when the flow level of her period suddenly changes.  She may find that he period’s flow is much heavier than usual.  Or, in other cases, she might find that her flow has seriously lessened.  Either way, she may take this type of change to be an early pregnancy symptom.

    Body Changes

    Through the pregnancy, a woman will likely find some weight gain associated.  But, in the beginning, weight gain that just suddenly occurs without any change to diet or exercise habit can be a reliable early pregnancy symptom.  Breast tenderness is also a fairly accurate sign of pregnancy and is something many women take a cue from and buy a home pregnancy test.

    Additionally, a pregnant woman may take as an early pregnancy symptom the strange bouts of nausea she finds herself afflicted with.  Commonly called morning sickness, this seemingly incontrollable state of sickness can be very intrusive but, at least, is a strong early pregnancy symptom on which many women rely.

    Eating Habits

    Many pregnant women note that their eating habits, on reflection, had changed due to their food desires and aversions that accompanied their early pregnancy.  Some women may crave the stereotypical pregnant woman’s meal - pickles and ice cream.  Other women may desire more meat or maybe more fruit or perhaps a donut - or twelve!

    Still others cite as an early pregnancy symptom their need to avoid certain foods or food types.   A pregnant woman may find that she completely cannot stand the idea of looking at a particular type of food.  Another may find that she thought she could eat a type of food, but later realized that it only seemed to cause a wave of nausea later on
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #19 on: February 19, 2008, 03:19:07 AM »
  • Publish
  • What is false labor?]

    As you approach your due date, the painless and infrequent Braxton Hicks contractions that you may have been feeling since mid-pregnancy might sometimes become more rhythmic, relatively close together, and even painful, at times fooling you into thinking you are in labor. But unlike true labor, this so-called "false labor" doesn't cause significant progressive dilation of your cervix, and the contractions don't grow consistently longer, stronger, and closer together.

    Note: Not every woman experiences bouts of false labor. And in some cases, the strong, regular contractions of true labor come on with little or no warning.
    How can I tell if I'm in false labor or true labor?
    Sometimes it's very hard to tell false labor from the early stages of true labor. If you're 37 weeks or more, here are some things that might help you sort it out:
    •  False labor contractions are unpredictable. They come at irregular intervals and vary in length and intensity. Although true labor contractions may be irregular at first, over time they start coming at regular and shorter intervals, become increasingly more intense, and last longer.

    •  With false labor, the pain from the contractions is more likely to be centered in your lower abdomen. With true labor, you may feel the pain start in your lower back and wrap around to your abdomen.

    •  False labor contractions may subside on their own, or when you start or stop an activity or change position. True labor contractions will persist and progress regardless of what you do.


    What should I do if I feel contractions?

    If you're not yet 37 weeks, don't waste precious time trying to figure out what's going on. If you notice any signs of labor, call your doctor or midwife right away in order to rule out preterm labor. After 37 weeks, you can sit out the contractions (whether false or from true early labor) at home and see what develops, unless your practitioner has advised you otherwise.

    False labor contractions can be a real drag, interfering with your sleep and making you tired and cranky. Taking warm baths and drinking lots of liquids can sometimes help. You might also feel anxious, wondering when true labor will start. And if you have an older child, you might be constantly wondering if it's time to call the babysitter. (When in doubt, call the babysitter — there's no harm done even if you don't end up needing to go in, and you may be able to rest more easily knowing that help is at hand.)

    Keep a stopwatch nearby to time your contractions for a while until you get a sense of what's going on. And don't hesitate to call your doctor or midwife to check in if you're concerned, confused, or just need a little encouragement.


    What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
    Braxton Hicks are sporadic uterine contractions that actually start at about 6 weeks, although you won't be able to feel them that early. You probably won't start to notice them until sometime after midpregnancy, if you notice them at all (some women don't). They get their name from John Braxton Hicks, an English doctor who first described them in 1872.

    As your pregnancy progresses, Braxton Hicks contractions tend to come somewhat more often, but until you get to your last few weeks, they should remain infrequent, irregular, and essentially painless. Sometimes, though, Braxton Hicks are hard to distinguish from early signs of preterm labor.

    Play it safe and don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. If you haven't hit 37 weeks yet and you're having four or more contractions in an hour, or have any other signs of preterm labor, call your caregiver immediately.

    By the time you're within a couple of weeks of your due date, these contractions may get more intense and more frequent, and cause some discomfort. Unlike the earlier painless and sporadic Braxton Hicks contractions that caused no obvious cervical change, these may help your cervix "ripen": gradually soften and efface, and maybe even begin to dilate a bit. This period is sometimes referred to as "pre-labor."

    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #20 on: February 20, 2008, 01:51:39 AM »
  • Publish
  • 10 Tips for Breastfeeding

    Here are some helpful tips for making breastfeeding go more smoothly:

    1. Meet with a lactation specialist through your hospital before giving birth to prepare you for breastfeeding and to help ease the transition once the baby arrives. You can also request to have a lactation specialist on-hand postpartum to help with the first breastfeeding sessions.

    2. Take a breastfeeding class with your partner to help him understand the process and to encourage him to be more involved and supportive, both physically and emotionally.

    3. Nurse within the first hour of birth, if possible.

    4. Expect engorged breasts. Full, tender and painful breasts are normal until you get into the rhythm of breastfeeding your baby, and until the breasts adjust their milk production to the baby’s appetite. Regular breastfeeding reduces engorgement.

    5. It’s not uncommon for nursing moms to experience significant nipple tenderness or pain. Using lanolin oil can help soothe chapped and cracked nipples, making nursing less painful.

    6. Experiment with breastfeeding positions. Nursing pillows can also make your experience more comfortable and relaxing.

    7. Get dad involved early on. He can do nighttime bottle feedings using expressed (pumped) milk so you can get more sleep. If you don’t want to pump, he can help by bringing the baby to you for night feedings and then carrying the baby back to the crib.

    8. Speak with your employer ahead of time if you’re going to be pumping at work. Explain to him or her that you’ll need privacy, whether it means closing your office door or finding a private room that you can pump in.

    9. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. And don’t forget that much of what you put in your mouth ends up in breast milk, including food, fluids, medications, and alcohol. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about any medications you are prescribed.

    10. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctors if you have questions or problems, no matter how long after you’ve given birth. They’re there to help, and can recommend easy and practical solutions to your nursing needs.
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #21 on: February 20, 2008, 01:58:03 AM »
  • Publish
  • Baby Blues
    What are they?

    The baby blues are a period of mild depression which can occur about three or four days after your baby is born. About 50% - 80% of all mothers go through a patch of baby blues which lasts for a few hours, or, at most, for a few days and then it disappears.

    What causes baby blues?

    The blues may have several causes, some biological and some emotional.
    When a baby is born, there are very sudden changes in the mother's hormone levels. Some, required during pregnancy, drop rapidly, while others like those which start the production of milk, rise. These rapid changes may act to trigger the blues.

    Many mothers are unprepared for the extreme weariness which often follows a birth. The weariness is usually due to a combination of factors. In many cases the mother will have been anticipating the birth with some apprehension. This, as well as the physical exertion of the birth itself, can make mothers feel exhausted. To add to this discomfort could be sore stitches, sore breasts and muscular ache.

    Rest and quiet are most important after a birth. Few mothers get either, as they are busy responding to the needs of the baby, or, when they might be able to rest, they are disturbed by hospital or home routines or by visitors who may stay too long.

    Sometimes the baby may have a slight health problem such as jaundice or feeding difficulties in the early days. These problems are very common with new babies, but they cause mothers great anxiety. The problems do settle down as the baby gets older and mothers should try to talk to medical staff and allow themselves to be reassured that the baby will thrive.

    A new mother may feel that she will be unable to cope when at home alone with the baby. This is especially the case with first time mothers. Often the promise of practical help from family and friends can ease the situation, and as the mother learns how to cope at home her feelings of depression lift.

    If the mother is worrying about her ability to support the baby financially she can get advice from the social worker in hospital or from her health visitor when she returns home from the hospital. Many mothers are unaware of the range of benefits to which they are entitled once they have had a baby.

    Another reason could include the feeling of anti-climax after the birth of the baby.



    Symptoms of baby blues


    mild depression
     being very emotional and upset
     tearfulness for no apparent reason
     being tense and anxious
     difficulty sleeping
     constant worry about minor problems
     some mothers have pains for which there is no medical cause
     being unwell generally with no apparent cause and symptoms
     impossible to cheer up
     most mothers who have the blues feel very tired and lethargic most of the time


    How long do the blues last?

    In most cases the blues last for only a few days and then the feelings fade. If the blues do continue and seem to be getting worse then the mother should see her doctor and discuss the problem.

    What to do?

    Mothers who have the blues should be allowed to cry if they want to and allowed to express their fluctuating emotions. If they feel miserable they should not be told to pull themselves together. It can be a great help to a mother if someone listens to her and reassures her that her worries and misery will not last and she will soon feel better.

    A mother who has the blues must have as much rest as possible. It may also help the mother is she is told that the blues are very common and that they usually pass quickly.

    Affected mothers are often over-sensitive about what is said to them by relatives and medical staff. So tact and empathy from the staff can be very beneficial at this time.

    Make sure that people around the mother know that she is going through a bad patch. A sympathetic ear, a reassuring hug is all it takes to snap out of the baby blues. The community midwife may also be able to provide useful advice.

    Generally baby blues fade away in a couple of days and soon the mother will start enjoying her baby.

    In some cases, however, baby blues may worsen and develop into post-natal depression.
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #22 on: February 21, 2008, 02:17:06 AM »
  • Publish
  • Tips for bottle feeding

    Rinse all the bottles and teats thoroughly in washing up liquid and water to remove all traces of milk.
     
    Remember to sterilise all bottles and teats as long as your baby has milk in them.

    Teats should have the right holes. Too small and too large holes can be frustrating for your baby.
     
    It is a good idea to store spare sterile teats in a jar, so that you can use them in an emergency.

    You can sterilise a needle and widen a hole in a teat to increase the milk flow.

    Heat milk be standing the bottle in warm water. Microwave can cause hot spots and your baby's sensitive mouth may burn.
     
    Prepare feeds in advance for the whole day and store in the fridge upto 24 hours.
     
    Store bottles in the fridge but not in the fridge door. This is because the temperature is not easily maintained in the fridge door if the fridge is opened and closed often.
     
    Always wash your hands before touching sterile equipment.
    Drain sterile equipment on kitchen paper. Never use a kitchen towel or draining board for this purpose.

     An untouched milk bottle taken out of the fridge can be kept at room temperature for upto 3 hours. 

     Once your baby has started drinking from the bottle, discard the milk and don't offer it to your baby after one hour as your baby's saliva contaminates it.

     Prepare formula milk when the boiled water becomes hand-hot.

     Don't use repeatedly boiled water for feeds.

    Never use mineral water for preparing feeds.

    When travelling out, use ready-made formula milk available in cartons.

    Bottles taken out of the fridge can be kept with ice cubes in an insulated box upto 8 hours.

    Never carry a warm feed as it is a breeding ground for bacteria. You may want to carry a thermos filled with boiling water instead for warming the milk, when required.
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #23 on: February 21, 2008, 02:26:10 AM »
  • Publish

  • Early Essentials of Baby Care - A Few Tips

    As any health professional will tell you, and most parents know instinctively, the time in the womb and the first twelve months of a baby's life are the most critical in a child's upbringing. Mistakes and problems at that stage can have long term, sometimes permanent, effects.

    The foetus and the baby after birth depend entirely on the parents, especially the mother. You are the baby's life, and it is your responsibility to ensure the baby is properly cared for. Baby care is not just about feeding; it is about everything you allow the baby to eat, drink, see, touch and hear. You are the source of its learning, the source of its health, and the source of its love

    Baby care is a 24 hour job, and it involves every aspect of your own life and theirs. However, there are some basic essentials you need to apply, and here are a few tips for early baby care.


    1. Be Adamant About Breast Feeding

    There is absolutely no doubt that breast feeding is better for babies, and not just when they are babies. Studies have shown that breast fed babies are not only likely to be more happy and healthy as babies and infants, but right through childhood into their teenage years. Breast fed children tend to do better in school, adjust better to changes in their life, and have better attitudes to authority.

    Breast milk is vitally important for a baby's immune system, and this is critical to fighting off infections and viruses. In tropical and poor countries this can be a life saver, as tropical and water borne diseases can be a threat to infants. Breast milk should be the exclusive food for at least six months, and then as long as the mother and child want afterwards. Solid foods can be slowly introduced after that first half year.


    2. Ensure Baby's First Solid Foods Are Healthy

    After about 6 months a baby will take an interest in what older people, especially Mom and Dad, are eating. With their teeth now developing, they will want to try. This is another crucial stage. To look after your baby properly, you must ensure good quality and nutritious healthy food. Do not feed them junk food such as fries and hot dogs, canned food, or other garbage such as donuts. they would set your baby on the road to ruin. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be the mainstay of the diet, with a mixture of fish and meats.

    There is no agreement amongst professionals as to the need to puree food. In the case of our daughter, now 3 and a half , she wanted solids to be just that, solid. She wanted to eat what we had, which was mostly fish, vegetables, rice and fruit. Some advocate pureed food, but consider that babies in earlier centuries did not purify food, then it is worth trying small pieces of solid food. You can always mash or puree if the baby struggles; but our daughter insisted on what we had, and quite rightly too.


    3. Always Remember Just How Important You Are to the Baby

     When a baby is born, the parents and the siblings are the center of its life. A new baby is depending on the mother, and others who are close and frequently present. From its first moments, a new born baby will be picking up signals and learning from its immediate surroundings, which for much of the time involves the mother.

    It is important to be aware of this, and to ensure the baby is brought up in a peaceful, warm and secure environment. If parents must argue, then it should be out of earshot of the baby. Concentrate instead on the bonding with the baby, through talking, touching, carrying, and assuring. It is up to the parents to exude happiness, so the baby too is happy. Always be conscious of the baby in all of your nearby actions, so that the influence will be a positive one, not something that will cause fear or confusion in the infant.
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline tana

    • Member
    • Posts: 7074
    • Blessings 139
    • ~सांई~~ੴ~~सांई~
      • Sai Baba
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #24 on: February 22, 2008, 12:57:44 AM »
  • Publish
  • Om Sai Ram~~~

    Home Remedies for Foot Swelling During Pregnancy~~~   


    Swelling, or edema, is common during pregnancy. It's estimated that about 75% of women will experience swelling around the legs and ankles at some point during pregnancy. It occurs due to excessive accumulation of the fluids.
     
    At the end of the day after standing for a long time, or when the weather is warm, some swelling of the feet occurs. You may notice that your feet feel tight, your shoes don't fit, or just a general puffiness. Most women report that swelling subsides after a good night's rest, or several hours lying down.
     
    When swelling is found all over the body it appears very serious. One should report this type of swelling to your midwife or doctor immediately. You should also report swelling that does not go away after many hours of rest. The swelling late in pregnancy is usually mild and limited to the ankles and legs.
     
    The amount of blood in body increases about 40 percent during pregnancy. Body holds water naturally. Your heart needs to work harder to circulate this extra fluid. For about one out of three women, swelling of the hands and feet occurs during the last three months of pregnancy and is often greater during hot weather. Some swelling or puffiness is not unusual or serious, but it can be uncomfortable.

     
    In the second and third trimesters, swelling in your legs and feet is a normal part of pregnancy. Fluids get "stuck" in these areas because more weight is pressing on them while at the same time your blood circulation has slowed down. Swelling usually appears in the second trimester, and can be lessened if you keep your legs raised for part of each day. You cannot avoid swelling by drinking less fluid or taking less salt.


    Home Remedies for Foot Swelling During Pregnancy~~~

    Boil some corn silk in a few cups of water and drink.
    Boil a few tablespoons of coriander seed in two cups of water. Reduce to a cup and drink twice a day for three days. This is very useful home remedy for foot swelling.
    Boil two cups of water with a teaspoon palm sugar and two teaspoons fennel seed. Reduce to a cup and drink thrice daily.
    Don't wear elastic topped socks or knee-hi pantyhose.
    Wear comfortable shoes. Slip on types work best.
    Put your feet up when possible.
    If you stand at work, try to move around slightly or get a stool to prop a foot up.
    Eat foods high in protein, such as beans, cheese, fish, meat, poultry and tofu.
    Do not stand for long time.
    Prepare a drink by adding the fresh juice of a lemon in a cup of warm water and drink to help decrease fluid retention. This is also very useful home remedy for foot swelling.

    Rest two or three times a day with your legs elevated higher than your heart. Lie down with pillows under your calves and feet or on your left side.

    Avoid wearing tight clothing such as pants, leotards and knee-high stockings. Varicose veins may be associated with swelling.

    Exercise is very important for reducing swelling. Exercise regularly by walking or swimming helps to remove the swelling.

    Avoid sitting with your legs crossed. Use a footstool when sitting and perform ankle circles whenever possible.
    Your fingers, feet, and ankles may swell later in pregnancy. Lying down 2 or 3 times a day and raising your legs above your heart for 10 or 15 minutes will reduce the swelling.
    Lie on your left side while sleeping. In this position the blood flow is better from your legs back to your heart; and this helps prevent swelling.
    Reduce salt in the diet. This also helps to prevent swelling of the feet Even though you are retaining water, continue to drink plenty of liquids.
    You may want to wear elastic support stockings. They will help your legs feel better.

    Jai sai Ram~~~
    "लोका समस्ता सुखिनो भवन्तुः
    ॐ शन्तिः शन्तिः शन्तिः"

    " Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu
    Aum ShantiH ShantiH ShantiH"~~~

    May all the worlds be happy. May all the beings be happy.
    May none suffer from grief or sorrow. May peace be to all~~~

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #25 on: February 22, 2008, 01:45:43 AM »
  • Publish
  • Quick Tips for Losing Postpartum Weight

    It is not a secret that losing weight after you have a baby is incredibly difficult for many women. Gaining weight in the childbearing years is almost a given for many women, though it need not be.

    Recent evidence shows us that there is a very simply method to preventing the pounds from packing on after you give birth:


    Walk every day.
    Walking 30 minutes a day also reduced the risk of keeping pounds and adding new ones for new moms.

    Limit your television viewing.
    By limiting your viewing of television shows by watching fewer than two hours a day, you can help lose weight postpartum.

    Eat fewer trans fats.
    Now with better labeling this should become easier to track.
    Keeping these three simple rules provides women with a 77% reduced risk of retaining that weight.


    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #26 on: February 22, 2008, 01:53:06 AM »
  • Publish
  • When To Start Teaching Your Baby

    When is it that I should start teaching my baby? That is a question that may come to mind for many first time parents; other parents may never consider the question at all, and just leave things to evolve naturally.

    In a way, that is an unnecessary question as, whether you like it or not and whether you mean to or not, you begin teaching your baby while it is still in the womb, and then continue through its early years, teenage years, and even into adulthood. So, perhaps it is better to rephrase that question slightly to "when should I consciously start teaching my baby?"

    Even with the rephrased question, the answer is the same: while the baby is in the womb. How can that be?

    While the baby is in the womb it starts to learn about its environment after about six months of pregnancy, when it is capable of hearing external sounds. Of course, it is aware of its internal environment earlier than that, but there is little you can do to enhance that. But when it comes to the external environment, you are in a position to have some influence even from that early stage of development


    What Can You Teach Your Baby In The Womb?

    With the baby in the womb there is clearly a very limited scope for teaching as such. However, you can provide additional stimulation that will form an important part of their learning at that stage. You can provide many hints as to what the outside environment is like, in a way that sets a good foundation for their feeling of love and security.

    The main external awareness of a baby in the womb is sound. If you can make the external sounds comforting and welcoming then that will help the baby more than you may think. Music is a proven stimulation to babies, especially classical music; a daily dose of Mozart will stimulate the baby's brain and senses. With any luck, they will become a musical talent, but that is not an issue at this stage of their development.

    You do not, of course, have to restrict her to classical music. Whatever music you like, just turn the volume up a bit more than usual to ensure she hears it. The sound will be muffled, but by the time baby is born, she will be used to your musical tastes.

    Your aim should be to make the outside environment familiar to the baby. Most of that will happen naturally, and she will become used to the daily sounds, such as vacuum cleaner, liquidizer, lawnmower and other domestic noises that are penetrating.

    Our baby daughter was born in the Philippines, where our usual form of transport is a tricycle. I do not think it a coincidence that, once she was born, she was contented with the noise of a tricycle; and they are noisy here, I assure you, especially outside the womb! However noisy the tricycle, she would always be asleep within a minute or two, and even now at 20 months is particularly relaxed on a deafening tricycle.

    If you want to insist on having a most important sound in the womb, then it must be the voices of the parents. Getting to know the voice of mum and dad will come naturally, but dad especially can get up close and talk to the baby in the womb. It will not talk back of course, but you can rest assured, if she is awake, she will be intrigued by your up close and personal voice. It is something I did every evening with Saffron. That also had the effect of keeping her awake as long as possible during the evening, so she was less restless at night. That can be very helpful for mum to get a good night's sleep.

    Another external stimulation which I never learnt about for my now grown up children, and that is light. This can be even more useful for keeping baby awake in the evening. If you take a powerful flashlight, switch it on, and hold it close to mum's tummy, the baby in the womb will respond to it. I must say I thought it a silly idea, until the then unborn Saffron started moving every time the light was switched on. So, the flashlight became another tool in the "keep baby awake in the evening" campaign to stop mum being kicked so much during the night.

    Maybe Saffron did not appreciate my "keep her awake" tactics; no doubt she will tell you that in her Blog. She was probably wondering "who is this guy keeping me awake all the time; doesn't he realise I want to get some sleep?"


    Prenatal Stimulation For A Smart Baby

    Most parents think that parenting only starts after baby is born, but current research is proving otherwise. From the moment you learn that you are pregnant, you can start to stimulate and communicate with your baby.

    Think of the womb as your child’s first world, so whatever he experiences in the womb will shape his expectations of life after birth. This means that the prenatal period (time between conception and birth) is the critical time to establish the basic architecture of the brain and build the foundations for its future potential.

    Also, research in the field of prenatal stimulation found that external stimulation such as stroking the unborn baby through the belly, playing soft and melodious music, as well as light and vibrations are pleasurable to the baby.

    Baby learns life’s first lesson in the womb.

    When a mother actively engages her unborn baby in prenatal communication and stimulation, she is actually creating a conducive womb environment that will create a positive influence on her baby’s future life.

    According to Dr Thomas R. Verny – the world’s leading expert on the effects of prenatal and early postnatal environment on personality development – prenatal stimulation bodes well for healthy fetal development.

    "Every minute, there are new brain cells being formed in the unborn child. And as the new brain cells are being formed, pathways or circuits are being formed along the lines that help assist communication for whatever the child the needs. For example, the child will obviously need to breathe, the child will need to move when he is born, the eyelids will need to open and close; so all these organs and all the nervous tissue that supply these organs has to start developing long before birth.

    It’s the same thing with the brain circuits. The more you stimulate a child’s skin, or the more you stimulate its auditory nerves (hearing) the more those pathways will develop and become stronger so that when the child is born, he or she is better prepared for the world."


    5 prenatal tips to shape your child’s future today

    Here are some suggestions on what you can do today to stimulate and communicate with your unborn baby:

    Converse with your unborn baby One of the simplest ways for you to do that is to start communicating with your baby as if he or she is already present with you. Treat your baby as a conscious being. Begin talking, singing or even humming to your baby. This will help them get used to your voice and begin to recognize language formations.

    Think about your baby. Although your baby is not physically present with you at this moment, you can still think about him now and about the time when you would meet soon. Your baby will be able to sense your loving thoughts and this will provide him with a sense of comfort, love and stability.

    Use daily experiences to prepare your baby for life after birth The prenatal experience is all about preparing your baby for life after birth. So it is only fitting that you use normal, everyday experiences to share with your baby. It is all about showing your baby your lifestyle and the world that he will be born into. Make an experience out of the little activities in your daily life. Talk about your experiences to your baby no matter how mundane or ordinary it may seem to you. Remember, what seems ordinary to you is certainly not ordinary for your baby!

    Reach out touch your baby. You may have noticed that you frequently rub, pat or touch your tummy throughout the day. Perhaps it is because we unconsciously know that this is one way of physically reaching out and communicating with the unborn baby. You can touch your belly in different ways and explain the difference of each touch to your baby as you do that i.e. patting, stroking, rubbing and so on. You can make tummy-rubbing a frequent daily exercise as you shower, while you are using an anti-stretch mark cream on your tummy and even patting your tummy in time to the music you are listening to!

    Keep stress at bay or under control. Maternal stress has a direct and negative impact on the formation of your baby’s personality even as early as in the womb. You see, your baby is totally dependant on you for all of his or her needs, including physical, psychological and emotional content. You have to remember that your baby is still at an extremely fragile and fertile state of development, so you have to be careful about the kind of environment and influences that you are creating for him or her.

    While it may take some time for you to get the hang of communicating with your unborn baby, rest assured that it will get easier as you continue to practice some of the suggestions above.

    After a while, it will become as natural as your performing your other normal, everyday routine. And the best part is, studies have shown that parents who engage in prenatal stimulation report having a closer and strong bond with their children. So take the time to stimulate and communicate with your baby during your pregnancy!
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #27 on: February 23, 2008, 01:46:35 AM »
  • Publish
  • Decorating Your Baby's Room - Getting the Nursery Ready For the New Baby[/color]

    Preparing for a baby's arrival can be one of the most exciting periods of a couple's relationship, and getting the baby's room ready, choosing the color theme, furniture and furnishings is an important part of that excitement and anticipation

    The priorities for a baby room, or nursery, are that it is warm, clean, and comfortable for the baby. It is also important for the baby's development and teaching baby about objects, animals and so on. Fresh out of the womb and for the following months, it is imporant for the baby to have plenty of visual stimulation around them. Such stimulation can come frombaby room decor such as mobiles on the crib or ceiling, pictures and patterns on the baby's bedding, and pictures on the wall.

    Most parents will put some pictures on the wall to attract the baby's interest as it grows. Often, those pictures are in the form of cheap posters. However, if you are intent on keeping the the baby room decor at a high quality level, then more sophisticated wall hangings may be more to your taste. Although the baby will not appreciate the difference, you probably wil


    Choosing a Baby Nursery Theme For Decorating Baby's Room]

    For those people who decide on a new nursery for a newborn baby, there are early decisions to be made on decorating and fitting out the baby's room. Most of us want the nursery ready for the baby the day she is born, so that there are no last minute panics after the birth and when it is time to take the new arrival home. So we need to get to work some months before the due date, bearing in mind she may well arrive one or two months early. One of the major decisions is "do we decorate the nursery in a particular theme" or not? And if so, what theme should we choose?

    Ideas For Baby Nursery Themes

    The choice of theme for decorating a baby's room will be influenced by a number of things. Firstly, striking a balance between visual aesthetics for the parents and the initial needs of a baby to be stimulated. Secondly, after the parents agree on a subject for the basis of the room design, is there sufficient decor available, in the way of bedding, rugs, wall hangings and so on, to carry that theme through successfully? Thirdly, the ever present budgetary factors.

    Unless one of the parents has an arts and crafts talent, in most cases the nursery theme chosen will be one of the more common ones. Here are some of the more widely used topics around which a nursery design may be developed, and because they are quite common, they are the easy ones to fulfil, as various products will be readily available to fit the overall design:



    Using a Color Theme

    However you choose to decorate the nursery, it will have a color scheme of some sort, good, bad or indifferent. But those who take their interior design seriously often want to use color coordination as a main feature of their room decor. Walls, whether painted or covered with wallpaper, carpets and rugs, baby bedding, and even picture frames, all smoothly blending into one.

    Such a design will no doubt look aesthetically pleasing if well done. But in the case of a baby room, is that really the best approach? For example, you may see many pictures of nurseries with pastel color themes, and these can look absolutely gorgeous, especially when the room's centerpiece, the crib, is elegant and of vintage design.

    With baby room decor, there is a need to consider the stimulation of the baby as she grows. She will probably spend a lot of time in the crib, and later on the floor, of her room. Her eyes will roam to those objects near her, and attracted to those that most stand out, the brighter colors and most distinct shapes.

    During this phase, bolder colors may be beneficial, rather than 100% pastel shades, however nice they may look. You will probably have seen some pictures of an infant's room that is all bright and bold colors, and using just about every color under the sun. That is certainly an option, though many of us would baulk at the idea of a clash of all primary and secondary colors fighting for space and attention in any room.

    In the end, it is likely that compromise of some sort will be the best answer. The parents have to live with the color theme, and the baby will not care one little bit. What is important is that you integrate some ways of providing future stimulation for the baby, through such items as mobiles, pictures and crib toys.


    Animal Baby Room Theme

    It is very easy to get babies looking at animal pictures as the months pass, and they grow from the newborn to infant stage. Using an animal theme as the basis for a nursery's decor is probably one of the best, and most popular choices. With such a variety of interesting shapes and colors, and with all their very different faces, animals can be a great stimulant to an infant, and great fun for the parents to show, and use as a teaching aid. The stores have a good supply of animal bedding, pictures and other wall hangings, and even rugs and cribs with animal pictures.

    There are, of course, many other possible themes you can choose for decorating your baby's room. Even a popular adult style such as Western can be used effectively. After all, a few cows and horses around the room will be well received by the baby later on. It is all a matter of what you as parents are happy with, balanced with the needs of the baby. Anyway, there is no need to have a theme at all; I am sure the baby will never complain. You may get everything looking perfect, and visitors gasping when they see the finely decorated nursery. But one thing is certain, the baby's first sentence will not be: "Oh, Mom and Dad thanks so much for the wonderful bedroom decor you did for me before I was born." However, you will get lots of fun later out of showing her the pictures on the wall and elsewhere, and in return she will give you lots of smiles and giggles


    Disney Character Nursery Theme ]

    With the effective merchandising of most of the famous Disney characters, you should never have any trouble with finding Disney related decor. Walt Disney had a genius for creating distinctive characters that children soon learn to love, so the old originals, such as Dumbo, Cinderella, Jungle Book, Lady and the Tramp, and many others, are rich in potential as a basis for a nursery decor theme. An advantage of choosing a Disney theme is that it can evolve over the years as the baby grows. Our daughter, now nearly 3 as I write this, is an avid Disney movie fan, watching Jungle Book, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella frequently. The more modern Disney movies provide a rich vein of possibilities too, and are sure to attract the baby's interest as she grows.
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #28 on: February 26, 2008, 03:15:27 AM »
  • Publish
  • Baby Care

    When it comes to having their first baby, many couples probably have no idea what to expect, nor much about how to care for the baby when it arrives. Their level of knowledge will depend on their exposure to other babies, and the part they may have played in their upbringing; plus what they have read and asked about in preparation for the baby's birth. For most Western couples, that really can mean they do not know what to expect from the arrival of their Bouncing New Baby.

    Things are really quite different from my home country, England, here in the Philippines. People generally are crazy about babies here, and a new baby's older siblings will usually be keen to play a part in baby care. If there is no older sibling, there will by a cousin nearby anxious to carry and look after the offspring. With this tradition, most new parents have a good idea of what baby care is all about, at least from the Filipino viewpoint; and when the baby is born, the parents know there will be a lot of people around to help.

    Such enthusiasm to help, and such pre-knowledge and experience, with a new baby is less likely in Western countries, so it is down to the parents to learn all they can before the baby is born, and then as they go along.

    The Elements of Baby Care
    There is a great deal to bringing up a child, but for a new born baby you are able to concentrate on a few basic baby care skills. Much of it will come naturally, for mother and father, and the most important thing of all is not really a skill. That is, love, the most natural baby care all.

    As a new parent, never forget that the baby loves you both totally. The need for love in return is imperative to its feeling of security, happiness and well being. So, although their is no skill in feeling love for the baby, there is some skill in making sure the baby is aware of it, always. Modern living can make us self centred. Having a baby is a wonderful opportunity to step back and view love in it's most natural and innocent form.

    The baby adores you both. If you can maintain that over the coming months, and then years, you will all be richer for it. Watch a baby learn to play as they get mobile, as they learn to chase and be chased, to bounce a ball, to play peek-a-boo. There is true happiness, and despite their age, it is a happiness you can learn from, simply by indulging yourself selflessly.

    The other elements of baby care are of a practical nature, and they are explored more fully in other parts of the website, if not now, then in the near future. These elements revolve around health, feeding, cleanliness, hygiene, warmth (or coolness in a tropical country), safety, security and learning.

    All of these elements, though, need to be wrapped in love; your love as parents. That will bring enduring happiness to all 3 of you.
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

    Offline fatima

    • Member
    • Posts: 1443
    • Blessings 16
    Re: Tips for Pregnant Women
    « Reply #29 on: February 27, 2008, 02:03:28 AM »
  • Publish
  • Baby Clothes

    Going into a store that sells baby clothes nowadays can leave you "umming" and "aaahhing" for hours as you browse around. The choice of new baby clothes is extensive to say the least. From Disney to department store own label baby clothes, you will find a seemingly endless choice if you live in a large town or city. Then, of course, there are the quality seconds stores, and the second hand stores, charity shops and garage sales.

    Maybe you will end up with a large variety of baby clothes, but whether you go for designer baby wear or a wardrobe of second hand outfits, there are a few things to bear in mind when making those choices. The article below offers a few thoughts on what you need to consider when choosing baby clothes.



    Choosing Baby Clothes


    Appearance Is Not Everything With Baby's Clothing

    When you are expecting your first baby, choosing clothes for your new baby is not so easy as you may think at first. To begin with, during pregnancy you will probably not know the gender of the baby, but really that is a minor point for the newborn.

    Looking after a baby is very much a practical affair, so when it comes to baby clothes, you will find you do need to be practical in your choice. However, with your first baby, you may not even know what "practical" is. After all, you have not had to feed and change a baby in the middle of the night before, bleary eyed and wishing you were tucked up in your own bed and fast asleep.

    As you prepare for the birth of your baby, put together your layette, or advise friends and relatives what you need as baby gifts, be sure to keep practicality in mind. Think about it from your own point of view, but also ask friends who have recently had babies, they may have a few tips for you. To help you, though, here are a few things to bear in mind when buying baby clothes.


    Than AppearancFor Baby Clothes, Comfort Is More Important than appearance

    Often parents set aside practicality and other things when when shopping for baby clothes. Some baby clothes look so cute and attractive, and so adult like, that they want to adorn their newborn baby with designer wear that will head the baby fashion parades. When the baby is tiny, there are far more important things to consider when buying clothes.

    First of all, bear in mind that the skin of your new born is very tender, and quite sensitive. While the outfit you admire may be the ultimate in cuteness, it could cause discomfort if it is made of the wrong materials, does not breathe easily, or is too restrictive. Clothes for a newborn baby should be soft, absorbent, and made of natural fibres. Pure cotton is your best bet when it comes to baby clothes. You and your offspring will no doubt have lots of disagreements later over dress, so for the time being, choose clothes that put the comfort of your baby first.


    Baby Clothes' Accessibility

    baby clothes After all, the baby will need to be changed frequently. If you choose baby clothes with too many buttons, straps, Parents, especially first time parents, have a tendency to forget how important accessibility is going to be with and fasteners, you will soon find them troublesome. There will be times when you are in a hurry, or in an inconvenient place, and having to spend minutes trying to get through the layers of baby clothes to the diaper for changing will soon force you to discard those cute and expensive designer wear.

    Always remember that babies are messy, and that you and your partner are the ones who will be cleaning up after them. Why not make it easy on yourselves by choosing baby clothes with quick and easy access, and easy to put on and take off.


    Easy Care Baby Clothes
    A very important consideration in choosing baby clothes is their ease of care. Always look at the care labels while you are still in the store, and ensure that the item is machine washable, without any special restrictions regarding detergents, bleaches, or fabric softeners. It is unlikely you will come across any baby clothes which require dry cleaning, but you always want to be sure.

    Cotton is, without doubt, the fabric of choice for baby clothing for the reasons mentioned above. However, cotton does have a bad tendency to shrink when washed in hot water. Your baby will outgrow her clothes quickly enough, so items that contain a blend of cotton and other, non-shrinking, fibres may be acceptable. It is best to keep the cotton as the predominant fabric though.
    Not every heart is capable of finding the secret of God's love.

    There are not pearls in every sea; there is not gold in every mine.


                                       ------Baba Farid

     


    Facebook Comments