Unusual Early Pregnancy Symptoms: A Checklist

Some women trying to get pregnant for the first time, find unusual early pregnancy symptoms bothering them. Despite looking for obvious symptoms of pregnancy like nausea and swollen breasts, some women find none of these symptoms appearing on them. But some unusual symptoms instead appear to warn you of your pregnancy. Some of these symptoms might signal that you are heading for a not very normal pregnancy.

Salivating Endlessly

What might be these signs of unusual early pregnancy symptoms? One symptom could be you producing more saliva than usual during pregnancy. You might find yourself salivating excessively so much so that you may need a handkerchief with you to prevent the excess drool from spilling out and embarrassing you. Don't worry, while a strange symptom of early pregnancy, it is a symptom of changing hormone levels and is not an unduly cause for concern.
Veins on your Chest

Another unusual early pregnancy symptom is a unique physical change that might show on your body, obvious veins on your chest. You might notice them after taking a bath, and these may be in the form of a series of veins under your arms and along the sides of your breasts that look like darkened railway tracks. The increased blood supply to the body have caused these veins.

Frequent Nosebleeds or Nasal Congestion

Another unusual early pregnancy symptom are frequent nosebleeds or nasal congestion, particularly at night, both the result of pregnancy. You may be surprised to find you awake in the morning with a stuffy nose, whether or not you have a cold.

Increased Vaginal Discharge

Some pregnant women are surprised to find they have more discharge, a response to changing levels of hormones in your body, than normal during pregnancy. This is usually nothing to worry about unless accompanied by other symptoms like odor, itching or burning.

Metal Mouth

Some women report tasting metal in their mouths particularly during early pregnancy. This is an uncommon but sometimes reported unusual early pregnancy symptom.

The Protein Can Tell

Another unusual early pregnancy symptom are the levels of protein in the body which you can gauge through the alphafetoprotein (AFP) test. The AFP test is a simple blood test that can give insight into the health of the unborn baby. Once blood is drawn, the protein is measured and this is then compared to a standard range for the current length of pregnancy. A low level of AFP could be an indicator that the unborn fetus has Down's syndrome, and a high level could indicate a neural tube
disorder such as spina bifida or anencephaly.

How accurate are the results of this test? Dating of the pregnancy could influence the results, as could the presence of twins. Meaning, you could be carrying twins and this test might prove that you are. The AFP test is not a completely accurate means of abnormality in pregnancy. Most women with a high level of AFP in the blood, have healthy babies. And it is also possible that a woman who shows a normal result on this screening test could still give birth to a baby with a genetic abnormality. The amount of protein in the body is an unusual early pregnancy symptom that needs to be checked to see whether there is something amiss with the pregnancy.

Alien writes for Pregnancy calendars. He also writes for women's health care and skin care products .
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Healthy Pregnancy - Healthy Baby

Pregnancy is the most natural stage of life for most women and so as the desire for a healthy pregnancy. Yet the discovery that a baby is on the way is the most exciting moment in one’s life. The surest way to have a healthy baby is to have a healthy pregnancy by following a healthy lifestyle. A healthy way of life adopted by would be parents before conception, lessens the risks to the baby during early weeks of development, when a woman might be still unaware of her pregnancy. Preparing For A Healthy Baby Both partners should be nutrition conscious before planning for a baby. This will lead to you in good health from day one and give the baby a healthier start to life. Even though most women of childbearing age are healthy and most pregnancies are considered low risk, then also a few precautions mentioned below are desirable to have a healthy pregnancy:

Get good medical care before you get pregnant
Eat well-balanced and nutritive diet• Exercise regularly under a doctor’s supervision • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, drugs and nicotine • Avoid medications, x-rays, hot tub baths and saunas • Avoid infections.

Good Medical Care
The best way to have a healthy pregnancy is to have your health in order before conceiving. A health care provider will guide you towards healthy diet, healthy habits, check your immunity to rubella or measles, mumps, control general illnesses before conceiving, and help you keep your weight within a desired range. Once you are pregnant, your doctor will schedule your regular visits to perform series of examinations to monitor mother and baby’s health constantly.

Well-Balanced Diet Plan
An average pregnant woman gains 25 to 35 pounds in nine months. A healthy and fit pregnancy requires about 300 extra calories daily to maintain the baby and mother. The balanced diet during this period should consist of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, some amount of fat and extra vitamins and minerals. Supplements of iron and folic acid reduce the risk of birth defects. Have 8-10 glasses of water, avoid caffeine, aerated and sweetened drinks to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

Avoid Infections
Many infections caught from all possible sources like raw food, kitty litter, atmosphere, workplace or sick people should be avoided as they can cause serious harm to the fetus.

Medications
Do not take medication of any kind like antibiotics or steroids, without consulting your doctor, as they can be devastating for the unborn baby. Maintain a healthy pregnancy by refraining from even the minor medication, habitual drugs, alcohol and nicotine.

Exercise Stay in shape by resorting to simple exercise plan under the doctor’s supervision to maintain proper pregnancy health, stamina, labor and quicker regaining of pre-pregnancy shape. Wear comfortable bra and clothes, avoid strenuous exercises, pain or discomfort, modify exercise plan to suit your growing size and general health.

Adopting routines of relaxation, breathing, diet will result in healthy pregnancy, and easy labor and birth of a healthy baby.





Apurva Shree is the online editor of free pregnancy information resource http://www.pregnancy-period.com/ She has developed this site to provide valuable information on pregnancy and useful methods to enjoy your pregnancy period and the ways in which you welcome your new world of motherhood. http://www.pregnancy-period.com/ is your free resource that not only provides information on pregnancy period but the other aspects of pregnancy as well.E-mail- pregnancyperiod@yahoo.com


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Six Questions All Women Ask About Pregnancy

Here are a set of six questions about pregnancy that almost all women have in their mind while pregnant. We give you the answers to save you from unnecessary worry and confusion.


1. Is it too painful to give birth? Well, giving birth IS painful. However, it is more painful for some while for others, it may just be a smooth ride. Moreover, it depends on how you deliver the baby. An epidural birth makes you able to tolerate the pain better while in natural birth, it depends on how you breathe through pain to make it bearable. Other factors are your health and your capacity to withstand pain.


2. Is my baby Healthy Inside? A lot of mothers are anxious about pregnancy in terms of their baby’s health in their womb. Don’t worry. Medical science has reached great heights of advancement and can detect and treat problems effectively. For example, morning sickness, tiredness, and mood oscillations are good signs. It shows that your hormones are doing their work dutifully in helping your baby to develop. Besides this, if you are alert about any spotting or pain and report to your doctor immediately, then rest assured, your baby is going to be perfectly fine and cozy inside you.


3. Will I Gain Too Much Weight? Depending on your weight before pregnancy, you need to add about 25-35 pounds to your body weight during pregnancy to nourish your baby. A great way to avoid gaining too much extra flab is to increase your calorie intake by 300 calories daily. However, do not forget to exercise regularly to prevent anxious moments about pregnancy weight.


4. Is Coffee Harmful During Pregnancy? This is a debatable question. Some doctors are of the view that a cup or two won’t do any harm to your baby while others don’t to recommend it. The best thing you can do is consult your doctor. If your blood pressure is high, then your doctor may ask you to avoid it totally.


5. Will A Seat Belt Hurt My Baby? Before using a seat belt, consult your doctor about how you should place it on your abdomen. A seat belt is harmless, if worn properly, and protects you and your baby. This is one of the major issues about pregnancy safety.


6. What Should Be My Sleeping Posture? As your pregnancy advances, you will find that sleeping on your sides or back feels most comfortable. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as it puts pressure on your baby. Moreover, you won’t feel like sleeping on your stomach as your belly grows larger.


So, now that your doubts have vanished, get ready to bring a new life into the world!





Apurva Shree is the online editor of free pregnancy information resource http://www.pregnancy-period.com/ She has developed this site to provide valuable information on pregnancy and useful methods to enjoy your pregnancy period and the ways in which you welcome your new world of motherhood. http://www.pregnancy-period.com/ is your free resource that not only provides information on pregnancy period but the other aspects of pregnancy as well.E-mail- pregnancyperiod@yahoo.com


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Pregnancy - Problems And Solutions

Most of the people believe that the only change in body which pregnancy brings with it is expanding waistline. If you also feel so then to your surprise there is many other changes take place in the bodies of the women. Due to these changes one can feel problems in the digestive system, stretch marks along with other changes in the skin, increased weight and sleeping problems. With the expansion of the uterus women start feeling pain in the area of the groin, abdomen, thigh and back. When the pressure of the head of the baby increases pain in the pelvic area also starts.

Lying Down And Resting Can Help In Pregnancy

If these early pregnancy symptom or any other pregnancy symptom is creating much trouble for you during the pregnancy week by week then you can try following remedies for it. Keep your body in lying down position because resting eases some of the pain caused by the pregnancy. Alternatively you can apply heat also to get some relief.

Changes That May Take Place in The Breasts

There are some changes take places in the breasts of the women during the pregnancy. The size of the breast of the pregnant women increases. As the due date comes nearer the size of the breasts gets even bigger due to the hormonal changes. This is the method of the nature for preparing your body for the breastfeeding. You may feel a little bit uncomfortable because the fullness and heaviness of the breast may lead to the tenderness.

How To Deal With The Leaking Liquid
During pregnancy after a definite period of time a liquid starts leaking from the breasts of the pregnant women. This liquid is known as colostrum. This is yellowish and thick fluid contains the antibodies so that the newborn baby could be prevented from any kind of infection. In some cases the quantity of this colostrum or the first milk is too much and the women start feeling embarrassing. To avoid such kind of situation one can take the help of nursing pads inside the bra.

Soap Dries The Nipples And Irritates Them

If you are also facing similar kind of troubles during the pregnancy then here are some tips for you. First of all you should choose the right kind of bra. According to the experts a nursing or maternity bra is the most suitable option because it is soft and can provide the extra support. In addition, do not use any kind of soap while washing your nipples. This is because soap can produce a drying and irritating effect on the nipples. Any moisturizing cream that contains the lanolin is the right cure for the cracked nipples.




Apurva Shree is the online editor of free pregnancy information resource http://www.earlypregnancy-symptom.info She has developed this site to provide valuable information on early pregnancy symptoms and useful methods to enjoy your pregnancy period and the ways in which you welcome your new world of motherhood. http://www.earlypregnancy-symptom.info is your free resource that not only provides information on early pregnancy symptoms but the other aspects of pregnancy too.



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Does childbirth hurt? Can a duck swim????

Pregnancy and childbirth! One word….OUCH! If you are pregnant and expecting your first child don’t believe anyone that says it won’t hurt it will. But there is an upside. There is a point in labour when the pain is actually enjoyable. Hard to believe maybe but I do speak from experience:

I have gone through labour twice now. The first one was very scary as I was 19 embarking on a life of being a single parent and the birth was an emergency caesarean. The c-section section was carried out because the baby was in the breach position and during labour the babies’ heart beat stopped, so I was told I had to have a c-section. It seemed like madness as doctors and nurses were rushing around frantically. I was told that there was a bit of a waiting list and that I was 4th in line and that they take 15 minutes each. But because of the waiting list he should be able to work faster to do one in 12 minutes. Please can I sign here! After signing the paper I was then told to sit up so they could administrate an epidural but I couldn’t stay still for long enough and as I had been in labour all night I was exhausted so I asked them to put me to sleep. That was fine but they couldn’t put me to sleep until I was in the operating theatre! Another 45 minutes later my son was born although I did not really see him for another 6 hours as I slept.

I remember waking up in some pain and thinking oh know not again, thinking the pain was a contraction. It was only when I realised there was a baby in an incubator next to me that I realised it was not a contraction at all. The pain was just the after pain and when I realised it was not getting any worse I felt a lot better. I laid there looking at the cot wondering if the baby was a boy or a girl. After 10 minutes of day dreaming a nurse came in and asked if I was breast feeding the baby, I said I wanted to try so she got the baby out and put him straight on my breast. I asked the nurse what sex the baby was and I was told it was a boy. As I was looking down at him while the nurse was busy trying to get the baby to get a suck on my nipple I wondered why the baby was dark skinned. I was in a bit of a panic as I new there was no chance my son could be born black. It really scarred me for a while and the nurse didn’t reassure me, in fact she just carried on trying to get the baby to latch on to my breast. I got the impression that to her I was just another stupid teenager embarking on motherhood. Well I was a very scared teenager embarking on motherhood with very little support.

Other nurses were kinder and more of a help but at the end of the day I was the babies mother and he was my responsibility. After a week I took him home and spent the next 15 years devoted to him. He is nearly 16 now and is a wonderful, special, polite, well mannered, kind, giving, helpful boy and a credit to society. If only more young lads were like him the world would be a better place.

My second labour was a lot less painful and it was almost enjoyable. I was 26 and had a partner who was with me during labour. There was just a midwife on standby doing a crossword. It was a very relaxed environment and very strange to me as I thought having lots of doctors in and out was the norm. A few hours later I managed to push out son number two, the last push was enjoyable, almost like an itch being scratched. I was again a little shocked at how he looked as my first son didn’t have to go through the trauma of a natural birth so he looked perfect. Son number two came out screaming and I thought he looked like a little ugly monkey. As soon as the baby was born the father left me too it, a sign of things to come I now know, and I struggled to walk to the shower room and shower myself. Just under 2 years later1 week before my youngest sons second birthday I was on my own again. It was very devastating at the time and I struggled for a while. But I can honestly say apart from the birth of my children, my ex leaving was the best thing that ever happened to me. It is so much easier bringing up children on your own. Obviously ideally a child should have a mother a father but in today’s society that is not always possible. With my experience you can do a better job on your own and your children turn out a lot better than some children brought up in a mum dad environment.

But does it hurt, well yes. But it is well worth it, yes. Should you go ahead and have a child? I believe everyone should experience having a child, there is nothing like the unconditional love from a child. If you’re on you own, don’t let that put you off, it is all the more rewarding and if you bring your children up right they will stay your best friend for ever.

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Carolyn Clayton is a webmaster who writes about a number of topics including Pregnancy and Childbirth.Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site.
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4 Natural Ways to Induce Labor

4 Natural Ways to Induce Labor

So you want to get that wiggly bowling ball of a baby out already!! Its been 9 months of puking, peeing, bloating and not sleeping and it is time to put an end to the madness. The bassinet is ready, your bags are packed and the nursary has a fresh coat of paint. Well aside from booking a planned c-section there are no guarantees as too when your little munchkin will make an appearance, however there are a few things you could try to give nature a nudge. These are the 4 methods I explored with my last two pregnancies to get the ball rolling.

1) Essential Oil-Clary Sage-This was a personal favorite of mine that I used to go into labor with both of my little monkeys. I am convinced without the assistance of Clary Sage that I would have gone overdue with both pregnancies, however both occurred right at my due date! I simply rubbed the oil on my wrists and ankles and added a few drops to my bath water. It also comes in handy during labor where the scent helped to provide calm and comfort, and actually assist in the effective dialation of the uterus. They do warn however, not to use until you are far enough along in your pregnancy to go into labor.

2) Stripping or Sweeping Membranes- This was not a favorite of mine which I did do twice in the doctors office with my last pregnancy (at 38 & 39 weeks). Basically the doctor inserts his finger into the vagina and attempts to separate your bag of water from the lower part of the uterus. This is suppose to cause a release of hormones called prostaglandins which should help to get contractions going and may help to further ripen the cervix. I have one word for this procedure...OUCH!! It hurt so very bad, but more so the first time. I did experience some spotting and cramping after having this procedure done, which I was told by my doctor is completely normal. Although it was a painful procedure and it didn't work to put me right into labour as I was hoping, if given the choice, I would do it again.

3) Sex-I know what your thinking. Isn't this what got me in this mess to begin with? Well sometimes how it starts is how it ends. So although you may feel as big as a house and it feels that you got kicked hard in the crotch it may be worth it to hop on board so to speak. Apparently semen contains prostaglandins that can stimulate contractions.

4)Nipple Stimulation-Well I must say that this one is much easier than the sex option and with enough massaging I remember even feeling light contractions of the uterus. The science behind nipple stimulation is that it helps your body release oxytocin (natural form of pitocin), which causes contractions and can even help to bring on labor. Some doctors do advise against this method because it can lead to long, hard contractions which can stress the baby and the fetal heart rate.

Ultimately, it is that little tike that will decide when he or she is ready to come out, however it never hurts to try to give nature a nudge. It is however, incredibly important that you speak with your doctor or health care provider before attempting any approach to induce labour (natural or otherwise).

Nicole Burgess
www.littlesthealthshop.com
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Is It Safe To Exercise During Pregnancy?

Many women are nervous about doing anything that may harm their baby, but exercise is recommended for uncomplicated pregnancy women and it is a good idea to get some exercises everyday.

Moderate exercise is helpful because it improves the mother’s mental status and provide health benefits for the baby that include increasing oxygen flow to the fetus and decreasing risk of trauma for both baby and mother during birth. Some studies have shown that exercise can reduce the length of labour, shorten the recovery time, and even help with postpartum weight management.

The types of exercise that pregnant women should do are
• Aerobic exercises such as swimming and walking. These exercises will increase the heart rate and pump oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
• Kegels exercises (Pelvic floor exercises). These exercises are very important because they decrease risk of tearing of the perineum during birth and help to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which tend to loosen after labour. All the pregnant women need to do is squeeze their pelvic muscles for a few minutes everyday.
• Flexibility exercise such as yoga that is the good way to improve the flexibility and this type of exercise is very popular in pregnant women. However, not all Yoga exercises are safe for pregnant women. Look for a prenatal Yoga class that is tailored to pregnant moms.

There are recognized contraindications for exercising during pregnant such as incompetence cervix, intrauterine growth retardation, pregnancy induced hypertension, preterm labour (during previous pregnancy), early contractions, vaginal bleeding and premature rupture of the membranes.

What should the pregnant women be careful about?
• Avoid exercising at extreme altitude or in hot, humid environments because it is critical that the pregnant women become overheated.
• Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
• Avoid activities that increase the risk of falls or injury, such as contact sports or vigorous sports.
• Avoid long periods of standing.
• Avoid contact sports and activities that quickly change the center of gravity.
• Wear good exercise shoes to help support the back and ankles.

Before starting any exercise program, the pregnant women should first discuss their plans with their doctor and have regular appointments with their health care provider.

What problems should the pregnant women tell their doctor about?
• Shortness of breath
• Severe headache
• Dizziness
• Dim or blurry vision
• Sudden or severe abdominal or vaginal pain
• Contractions that go on for 30 minutes.
• Chest pain and palpitation.
• Blood or fluid coming from the vagina
• Muscle weakness
• Calf pain or swelling
• Decreased movement of the baby