Exercise During Pregnancy:

exercise during pregnancy

Can You Continue With Your Normal Routine?

Can you continue with your normal exercise during pregnancy? Well, back in the old days, pregnant women were considered to be fragile beings that should be hidden away until delivery. Thank God we don’t live in those times now.

Just because you’re pregnant, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get out there and get some active exercise. After you get the “all clear” from your doctor, be sure to fit in daily exercises during your pregnancy. In order to clear you for exercise, your doctor may give you some guidelines to follow to ensure a healthy pregnancy, but to get you started, here are some exercise guidelines of our own.

Sports & Recreation activities and exercises to avoid include:

-Contact sports and most competitive sports

-Any activity that can result in falling, such as downhill skiing or mountain biking

-Lying on your back or stomach during exercise, after the beginning of the fourth month

-Lifting heavy objects or heavy weight lifting

-Intense cardiovascular exercise – your heartbeat should remain under 140 beats per minute during your workout.

-Scuba diving or any activity that involves pressurized air

The most appropriate exercise during pregnancy can include:

-Prenatal Yoga

-Walking

-Swimming

Exercise during pregnancy conclussion

Exercise is important during pregnancy. It can alleviate aches and pains, depression, and fatigue. Exercise also gives you the endurance and flexibility to get through your pregnancy and through labor. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, get active, and stay healthy. Exercise during your pregnancy is a great thing to do for you AND your baby.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Whether you are trying to get pregnant, or think you may already be pregnant, it can be extremely frustrating waiting to find out one way or the other! Lots of women cannot bear the wait between ovulation and menstruation and want to find out if they are pregnant sooner, rather than later.

However, if you are really impatient to get results, you may be surprised to know that your body can be an excellent indicator, if you monitor yourself carefully!

Some women experience pregnancy symptoms within just a few days of conception; others experience nothing at all until a few weeks into the pregnancy.

If you do suspect that you may be pregnant, and are suffering from some or all of the symptoms outlined below, see your GP as soon as possible.

So what are the early signs of pregnancy?

·Nausea/ Vomiting

Otherwise known as “Morning Sickness”, this can occur very early on in pregnancy, even before you realise that you are pregnant.

·Enhanced Sense of Smell and Taste

Lots of women become more sensitive to everyday smells and common foodstuffs, such as tea, coffee and toast, can trigger nausea.

·Frequent Urination

This can happen as early as 1 week into the pregnancy. You may find you are running to the toilet a lot more often than normal and maybe even during the night.

·Breast Tenderness

It is very common for women to report that their breasts and nipples enlarge and become extremely tender very early on in pregnancy.

·Tiredness

You may feel absolutely exhausted very early on in pregnancy and throughout the first trimester.

·Missed Period

For most women this can be the first indication that they are pregnant, but for the first few weeks of pregnancy you may experience cramping and have a feeling your period will arrive at any moment.

Obviously, any cramping and bleeding, even if it is light, should be reported to your doctor.

·Light Bleeding/ Spotting

About 8-10 days after ovulation some women experience some light bleeding which coincides with the time a period was due.

·Dizziness/ Fainting

Because pregnancy affects the sense of taste and smell, lots of pregnant women unintentionally avoid food and skip meals. This causes low blood sugar levels which can lead to dizzy spells and fainting.

·Constipation

In order to absorb all the nutrients that your developing baby requires, pregnancy hormones slow down your metabolism and this can lead to constipation.

·Irritability

With lots of pregnancy hormones raging through your body, as well as coping with sickness and tiredness, is it any wonder pregnant women get easily irritated during early pregnancy?

·Heartburn/ Indigestion

Although heartburn and indigestion are usually associated with the later stages of pregnancy, they can also occur early on for some women.

·Changes in Complexion

You might notice your skin breaks out in spots as a result of all the pregnancy hormones coursing through your body but this often settles down by the second trimester!

·Increased Cervical Mucous

Many pregnant women notice that they pass more cervical mucous than normal and that it is thick and white.

·Weight Loss

Perhaps surprisingly you may lose weight during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, considering that most women try to eat more healthily, cut out alcohol and eat less due to a decreased appetite, it is completely normal!

Enjoy your precious nine months!

Why You Should See Your Practitioner for a Pre-Conceptional Health Visit Before Getting Pregnant?

Once you have made the decision to get pregnant, as with any big decision in your life there is planning involved.  A pre-conceptional health visit will enlighten you on the preparations necessary for a smooth pregnancy.

The doctor will tell you the best time to stop birth control. If you are on the pill or implanted contraceptives, contraception has to be stopped for several months before you can try to conceive.

Lifestyle changes are advised; adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise and giving up bad habits like smoking. Find an exercise plan that agrees with your body type. Begin early so you can continue with ease the regime through your pregnancy, keeping up the strength of your body and relieving most of the discomfort caused by pregnancy.

Your medical practitioner will examine you in addition to noting you and your husband’s medical history. From the information, you will be counseled on the various measures that will reduce possible problems with conception.

Simply, reading a book on pregnancy will not help. Only a competent doctor can supply you with in-depth information after hearing about all your details and running important tests. The doctor can underline the medicines, prenatal vitamins and herbal supplements that are conducive to pregnancy. Based on your health requirements, a doctor can help you outline a dietary plan. If you have a vitamin or element deficiency, ingest food items or supplements rich in the vitamins.

Women looking to get pregnant must increase their folic acid intake by feasting on green leafy vegetables and certain cereals. This prevents neural tube defects in the baby.

Some women have to take special precautions because of factors in their medical history. Hence, it is vital you specify if you have predisposition to heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. If you have ever had a serious illness or there have been occurrences in your family, for example cancer, epilepsy, kidney disease or arthritis, it has to be presented to your doctor as part of your medical history. Other things to include is your menstrual patterns, sexual history, pap smear tests, sexually transmitted diseases, birth control use, previous  pregnancies, miscarriage, abortions and any gynecological issues. Moreover, if you are taking any prescribed medication for a condition, ask the doctor on the possible harm these medicines can do to your body.

An examination at the doctor’s entails a check of heart-rate, breast check, blood pressure and a pap smear. A blood and urine test is also ordered to ensure everything is normal. The tests allow the doctor to confirm the presence of antibodies against German measles. Contact can result in birth defects like deafness.  Doctors usually keep a record of your blood pressure before pregnancy and then, continue to monitor your blood pressure during pregnancy. The record is crucial to detect changes that may indicate problems like pre-eclampsia.
Your doctor can assist in your pregnancy care by recommending an obstetrician, a hospital birth center, pregnancy books and answer the nagging questions you might have.

Figuring out a due date is a hit or miss affair unless you know precisely, to the day, when you conceived and even then it’s only about 70% accurate.  Most babies are late rather than early.  And if you are here, you know that only too well!

Maternal Changes:

I guess the good news is that neither you nor your baby is going to get any bigger.  Don’t think that your uterus can’t get any bigger though – it can.  It’s made from the most amazing stuff – look at the octomom – did you see the pictures of her when she was nearly at full term with 8 babies?

Your doctor will definitely not let you go past 42 weeks (did I hear a few groans?)

But with the next pains you get you can say goodbye to Mr. Braxton and Mr. Hicks, this is probably going to be for real, and we wish you all the best, it’s really been fun writing this section of the website for the past few weeks.

Nothing has changed through the ages with pregnancy, except being able to predict your baby’s sex after a few weeks, and also the technology that has enabled us to see the baby develop in utero, and of course the advanced medical techniques that can save even the most severely premature babies’ lives.

Otherwise women throughout the ages were just like you, looking forward to a new life and another generation, and at 40 weeks pregnant, dying to get it over with!

Fetal Development:

He’s at his birth weight and just biding his time.  Everything is there, his fingers, toes and unique personality.  The next few years will fly by and before you know it he’ll be asking to borrow the car, if we even have cars then!

Father/Significant Othеr:

If this is your first, you are looking forward to your son being born (or daughter of course).  Most men want a son first, despite what they say.  They are already dreaming about baseball and fishing and all the things they can do together.

Never leave his life dad, never.  He needs you.  That’s why it takes two to make a baby.

Whаt Yου Shουld Eat:

Have you taken your folic acid and pre-natal vitamins today? I won’t stop asking that until the day you deliver, so get used to it. Stay hydrated!

I can stop nagging now!

Whаt Yου Shουld Know:

Probably anything you do to try to induce labor will work at this stage, just don’t go injuring yourself.  There’s many old wives’ tales out there, just don’t go with the one that involves castor oil – you will regret it!

Having sex is supposed to help amazingly well, sounds impossible but it can still be done.  You can start contractions with an orgasm and the prostaglandins in his sperm can soften the cervix. It will be a treat for the old man anyway, even if it doesn’t work – because sex is a no-no for six weeks after birth.  Go on, try it!

Just put your feet up and enjoy some sleep and peace and quiet afterwards, it will be the last you get for a long time, unless you can afford a wet nurse and a nanny!

Recommended Exercises:

How about a few hours straining and pushing?  And sleep, it will be in short supply soon.

Recommended For Mom:

Baby Einstein Classics Collection

Take a look at the complete line of Baby Einstein toys – you and your baby will love them.  They are all designed to stimulate and educate.

Pregnancy Week by Week – Week 39

There’s not too many of you left at week 39, you have been drifting away to the labor rooms on a regular basis.  Will there be anyone left for me to talk to here at Week 40?  Many, and I bet you will glad when this is all over with and you will have your new addition in your arms. We wish you and your newborn a very happy life!  Can you imagine what life will be like for your baby when he or she is your age?

Pregnancy Week by Week – Week 39 Maternal Changes:

If you are still here, during his penultimate pregnancy week, you probably have already experienced signs of labor or Braxton Hicks contractions. If you start having contractions, time them, because at 39 weeks chances are they are the real thing.  If they are regular but don’t get stronger, they are false pains.  You can sit and curse for a few minutes after they go away. You will know when the contractions are the real deal, they will get stronger and your water may break.

Throughout labor and delivery, the baby’s heart rate may be monitored. If there’s any chance he is in stress, his heart rate will register that fact and the doctor may decide to help him along with forceps or by vacuum delivery.

Your belly hasn’t changed much at week 39 and you shouldn’t have put on much more weight, if any, over the last week or two.  Be glad of this, it is a real squeeze to get down the birth canal, his head is designed to compress so it is easier for you during delivery.  His head can look a bit misshapen after he’s born.

Fetal Development:

Your baby is as big as he is going to get.  On average he will weigh around 7lbs but it all depends on a lot of things, especially genetics.

A pointy head and hairy all over, no he’s not an alien!  I’ve seen newborns that look like baby rabbits all covered in fine dark hair.  Many babies are born with reddish hair or blond, even when both parents are dark.  It will change.

You’ll love him whatever he looks like! Some babies are born with red patches on their skin – birthmarks – and others have pimply patches called pustular melanosis, which go away quite quickly.  Other birthmarks appear after birth and then fade away. 

Father/Significant Othеr:

If this is your first baby, you are probably more nervous than she is.  You should have decided long before now if you are going into the delivery room with her.

Do you have other children?  Have you made definite arrangements for what happens to them if your partner goes into labor at 2 a.m.?

Be sure her bag is right by the front door and read to go, remove any excess jewelry, add her cell phone and charger, and her book if she is currently reading one.

Whаt Yου Shουld Eat:

Have you taken your folic acid and pre-natal vitamins today? I won’t stop asking that until the day you deliver, so get used to it.

Stay hydrated!

Pregnancy Week by Week – Week 39 Whаt Yου Shουld Know:

Next week will be the final week of this Week by Week series.

Recommended Exercises:

Forget it!

Recommended for Your Baby:

Snappi Cloth Diaper Fasteners – Pack of 3

If you want to be environmentally friendly, and save money by using cloth diapers, these are a great alternative to pins and are completely safe.

Pregnancy Week By Week – Week 38

We’ll be saying goodbye to a lot of our visitors over the next couple of weeks.  We sincerely hope you have enjoyed reading this column through your pregnancy and we do welcome your comments and any helpful advice you have for new moms-to-be.

Maternal Changes:

You should not be putting on any more significant amount of weight during these last few days of your (eternal) pregnancy.  You baby is about as big as he’s going to get, all chubby and cute and ready for the world.

He will be a healthy baby if he is born today, because you have taken time to care for your self and eat all the right, nourishing foods.  You will also have done yourself a favor by not putting on extra fat that is simply very difficult for some women to lose after pregnancy.  Well done!

If you have chosen to breastfeed your new baby you get extra points for caring and being sensible!  Your baby will get lots of antibodies from your breast milk and that will help his immune system enormously.

Many women produce far too much breast milk.  If in a couple of weeks you find that you are in that position, you may be able to donate your leftover breast milk to a bank.  These banks use the milk for other premature and at-risk babies.

You may also take a look at donating or even preserving the umbilical cord blood, which contains stem cells that are used for regenerative therapy and is being studied for curing cancer, brain injuries and many other disorders. 

Fetal Development:

Everything’s ready for his big day, even his first big poop – called meconium.  It’s a black/green sticky mess that I am sure they will find some use for in the future!

Father/Significant Othеr:

Nervous?  Don’t be, this happens every day.

Whаt Yου Shουld Eat:

Have you taken your folic acid and pre-natal vitamins today? I won’t stop asking that until the day you deliver, so get used to it.

Stay hydrated!

Whаt Yου Shουld Know:

Pacifiers, love them or hate them, they are a controversial subject.  They are convenient for quieting your baby, but what else are they doing?  Collecting germs for one, possibly affecting the way your child’s teeth grow, impairing speech development and if you are breastfeeding, they may interfere with that process if introduced too soon to a nursing baby.  There is so much controversy; it’s one of those subjects where you will have to decide for yourself.  I firmly believe that they can collect germs and they impair speech development, but that’s just my humble opinion.

Recommended Exercises:

Sleeping. You won’t be getting much in a few days so enjoy it while you can!

Recommended Reading:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

Treat yourself to a really good read in between naps.  Another popular Stieg Larsson novel that gets rave reviews.  It’ll take your mind of everything else!

Your baby is going to stop putting on so much weight from here on but that doesn’t mean you can stop eating healthy nutritious foods!

Maternal Changes:

He is still also working on his immune system, and you can help along with that once he is born, by breastfeeding.  Breast milk contains oodles of antibodies – breast fed babies are less likely to get sick, which is one major reason why you should do it.

Remember the scare in China recently over tainted formula?  That just can’t happen if you feed him yourself.  Why put him at such terrible risk?   Once he is sleeping well for more than a few hours and you are still breast feeding, you can get a babysitter who can give him a bottle of expressed breast milk when he wakes up.

Life can go on reasonably normally after having a baby!  Millions of women around the world do it all the time.

Fetal Development:

Your baby weighs in around 6lbs  and he has about as much cute baby fat as you can stand, so he’s not going to put on much more.  He is in there putting the final touches on his unique personality now and getting his lungs ready for that first ear-splitting shout as he enters the world.

Father/Significant Othеr:

Do you know where everything is when she goes into labor? Make sure her bag is packed and somewhere it can be grabbed easily.  Don’t forget to remove all valuables especially jewelry before she goes, and be nice and slip a small gift into the bag.  After all that sweating and heaving she will appreciate a small token from you (apart from the one in her arms).

Whаt Yου Shουld Eat:

Have you taken your folic acid and pre-natal vitamins today? I won’t stop asking that until the day you deliver, so get used to it.

Oh go on have some chocolate cake, you deserve it!

Stay hydrated!

Whаt Yου Shουld Know:

Have you chosen a name yet?  Some people wait until the baby is born to see what he or she looks like before giving a name.  I can understand that one!  When my daughter was born I took one look at her and called her Madeleine – Mad for short!  She’s stayed that way too, she is one of the craziest people I know.

The trend for giving babies crazy made up names is waning now.  Remember when there were more apostrophes in names than letters?  It causes confusion and can be a problem at school especially if a child has a variant spelling of a common name.  Remember your child will have to use the name you give them for the rest of his or her life, so make it easy on them!

Recommended Exercises:

At 37 weeks pregnant you feel like an elephant.  If you can exercise – great!  If you can’t, don’t feel guilty, you’ve done quite enough lately.

Recommended Listening for Your Baby:

10″ HD Digital Photo Frame

Here’s a great way to display all your photos, all the time in one place.

Although you are anxious to get this all over with – your baby may not be born for another 4 weeks.

Maternal Changes:

For first-time Caucasian moms, an average pregnancy lasts 274 days from conception, which is approximately 288 days from the last menstrual period.  In non-Caucasian mothers, for example, African-American women, the average is 266 days. There are lot of factors to take into account with this though, including the health of the mother, pre-natal care and how many children the mother has had before.

If you are hoping your baby will come early, most babies actually come a little late.   Only 5% of women ever deliver on their due date.

Your uterus has risen to more than six inches above your navel by week 36. You may feel like you are going to burst but baby has different ideas. In a normal pregnancy you will continue until week 39 or 40 and if you have Japanese heritage – 41 weeks!

Your skin is stretched to the limit so don’t forget to keep putting on the stretch mark cream. You will be surprised at where the stretch marks appear after delivery – hips, thighs, and belly and around the nipple are most common.

Fetal Development:

He is already nearly 6lbs pounds and may measure more than 18 inches long. At 36 weeks he is still gaining weight and will continue to do so up until the point of delivery. His body is working hard to mature and develop organs and reproductive systems and all the other things that will make him a unique individual. Weight gain is still vital to your baby’s health and well being after delivery. If you take a look at photographs of “premies” you will see what a huge difference that weight gain makes.
Father/Significant Othеr:

You are probably just as anxious to get this over with too, you’re nearly there.  Just keep helping her out as much as you can.  Gravity is a devil around this time – anything that falls on the floor stays on the floor – she can hardly walk never mind bend over!  So pick your socks up!

Whаt Yου Shουld Eat:

Have you taken your folic acid and pre-natal vitamins today? I won’t stop asking that until the day you deliver, so get used to it.

Stay hydrated!

Whаt Yου Shουld Know:

You should be as relaxed as possible and willing to accept the pain as part of the birthing process. If you have taken yoga classes during your pregnancy, the breathing techniques should help.

Every woman experiences the birthing process differently – women with low pain thresholds are the most likely to suffer, so you should have discussed the pain with your doctor, especially epidural painkillers.

Recommended Exercises:

Keep up the yoga classes if you are comfortable but I doubt if you feel like doing anything carrying that enormous belly around! Take some time to relax every day.

Recommended Reading for Your Other Child/Children:

My New Baby And Me: A First Year Record Book For Big Brothers And Big Sisters

This is a sweet book printed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and it gets full marks by all reviewers.

What walks like a duck? A woman in her last weeks of pregnancy!

Maternal Changes:

Although you may feel like you are carrying around a sack of cement there is actually 5 lbs of baby in there now, plus the weight of the amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord, and the placenta.  That’s why you feel like you can hardly move, and when you do it’s very uncomfortable.

Don’t shout that you are going into labor even if the contractions are coming more often. You are possibly desperate to get this pregnancy over with, but if you are having regular contractions continuously, you really do need to make a couple of calls.

Pain experienced during childbirth varies from one woman to the next, and it all depends on your own pain threshold, any medications, the birthing position, the position of the baby, how many other babies you have had and your general health. The birthing environment is also important too, especially for a first baby – it should be calm, with low lighting. Some women pop babies out like it’s nothing, and others go through hell.

Until the day that the ‘bus comes for you, or you take that ride to the hospital, keep your feet up and keep sipping something.  It will not be long now.

Fetal Development:

Your baby is still churning around in there giving you the odd elbow in the side or kick in the stomach, just to make sure you’re not ignoring him for a moment.  He’s all warm and cozy in there and putting on a chubby layer just for your pleasure, so you can go all gooey over his hamster cheeks and pudgy wrist fat!

Father/Significant Othеr:

Please don’t panic if she thinks she’s going into labor.  She doesn’t need to be worrying about whether you are going to crash the car getting to the hospital.  Chill out!

And if you still haven’t decided if you are going to be there at the birth, it’s about time you did!  There are so many opinions on this, you must decide between you.  Some men (and even some women) find the whole birthing experience horrible, while others think it’s the most beautiful thing in the world.  She’s definitely going to be there, so make your mind up.

Whаt Yου Shουld Eat:

Have you taken your folic acid and pre-natal vitamins today? I won’t stop asking that until the day you deliver, so get used to it.

It’s now down to whatever you can squeeze in, so make it good.  He may be in there for another 5 weeks so he still needs folic acid, calcium by way of milk and dairy products and you will need some good old green stuff to keep you regular.

Stay hydrated!

Whаt Yου Shουld Know:

Your doctor will start monitoring “cervical effacement” He will look at the cervix wall and predict labor, a bit like looking into a crystal ball!

If your cervix is already dilated, labor is imminent—although some women have a dilated cervix for up to two or three days before labor.

Has anyone told you about the yummy mucus plug that protects the uterus from infection? Well, when that pops out and you see spots of blood, you’d better get your bags packed quickly!  It’s called a “bloody show”.  (If you are British and can’t wait to get your pregnancy over, it’s called a “bloody good show”!)

Recommended Exercises:

Putting your feet up, lifting the TV remote, walking to the bathroom and back frequently.

Recommended  for Your Baby:

Sweet Baby Care Package with Teddy Bear – New Baby Gift Basket

This is a nice gift for the new mother and baby and comes in pink or blue.

Now is the time to purchase and install a car seat for your baby’s ride home.

Maternal Changes:

Your baby has moved even further down into your pelvis at week 34.  That will take the pressure off your upper organs – lungs, stomach etc., but will exert more pressure on your bladder.  You may feel like you have to go to pee more than ever now.

Fetal Development:

Just about everything in his body is now fully developed, but his liver continues to grow.

Father/Significant Othеr:

Make sure she can find you!  For the next 6 weeks there is a chance she could go into labor so be prepared for a middle of the night wake up from now on.  It will get you used to the regular middle of the night wakeups when he’s born.

You will need a car seat.  Now is a good time to purchase it and have it fitted professionally.  Thousands of car seats are installed wrong, thereby endangering childrens lives.  If you are confident you can do it yourself then go ahead, but if in any doubt have a professional do it.  In some states you can put it in yourself and have the police check it to see if it is installed properly.

Whаt Yου Shουld Eat:

Have you taken your folic acid and pre-natal vitamins today? I won’t stop asking that until the day you deliver, so get used to it.

You should still be eating healthy foods, dairy products including drinking milk and yogurt.  You probably can’t squeeze much in so little and often is still the order of the day.  You may actually find you can eat a little more comfortably around this time, as the pressure has gone off your stomach as he has moved down lower in your pelvic area.

Stay hydrated!

Whаt Yου Shουld Know:

It’s probably about time you start to get together a bag to take to the hospital with you which should include the following:

• Two nursing bras or one regular bra
• One or two nightgowns (button down fronts are nice if breastfeeding)
• Robe & Slippers
• Toiletries including your stretch mark cream
• Address book with phone numbers (probably all in your cell phone)
• Something to read and/or your MP3 player if you don’t have a smart phone
• Loose fitting outfit for going home
• A sweatband or clips for your hair
• Maxi pads

For Baby:

• · 2 cloth diapers, for taking him home (hospitals only use disposables) if that’s what you are going to use with pins and diaper covers
• · 1 undershirt
• · 1 receiving blanket
• · Outer blanket or snuggles with legs
• · A hat and a pair of booties

Remember to leave all your valuables at home, including jewelry and cash.

Recommended Exercises:

Swimming and yoga if you have the energy – or a large enough swimsuit

Recommended for Your Baby:

Real Nappies Cloth Diapers Intro Pack

Disposable diapers are expensive, they are convenient yes, but they are not good for the environment.  Using cloth diapers will save you a lot of money and you will never run out.