Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide various vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to aid digestion. Vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables, helps you absorb iron. It also promotes healthy gums and other tissues for both you and your baby. Dark green vegetables have vitamin A, iron and folate — other important nutrients during pregnancy.

Smoking

Stopping smoking before, during and after pregnancy is one of the best gifts any parent can give their new baby. Smoking during pregnancy has been shown to cause low birthweight, premature birth, and miscarriage and stillbirth. Your doctor will be happy to offer advice and practical help like nicotine gum for mum or dad when they decide to stop. Don’t forget that it’s never too late to stop.

Avoid Infections

It is a must to avoid infections caught from all possible sources like raw food, kitty litter, atmosphere, workplace or sick people because they can seriously harm the fetus.

Medication

Refrain from taking medication of any kind like antibiotics or steroids, without consulting the doctor, because they can be fatal for the unborn baby. Take utmost care immediatly after you feel early signs of pregnancy. Maintain a healthy pregnancy by avoiding even minor medication, habitual drugs, alcohol and nicotine.

Fibre

It’s particularly important to eat more fibre to avoid the common pregnancy niggles of constipation and piles (haemorrhoids). Increase your fibre intake by eating lots of fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and cereals, brown rice, wholemeal pasta and pulses. You should also drink more. Increasing fibre without enough fluids can exacerbate constipation.

Exercise regularly

A good exercise programme can give you the strength and endurance you’ll need to carry the weight you gain during pregnancy and to handle the physical stress of labour. It will also make it much easier to get back into shape after your baby is born. Exercise can boost your spirits and help ward off the pregnancy blues — a recent study found that staying active can boost your level of serotonin, a brain chemical linked to mood. If you are used to taking exercise in the form of a sport, you can continue with this as long as it feels comfortable for you, unless your particular sport carries a risk of falls or knocks.

Pelvic floor muscle exercises

These need special attention. Ask one of your health care team to explain how to exercise your pelvic floor muscles. It is important to perform these exercises as they are put under a lot of strain during pregnancy. Weak pelvic floor muscles result in urinary incontinence, bowel dysfunction, low back and pelvic pain.

Rest

Try to rest as much as possible. You may often feel very tired, particularly in the first and third trimesters. This is natural: your body is transforming a cell into a baby. Don’t expect to be able to get as much done and don’t expect too much of yourself. Even if you can’t sleep during the day, put your feet up whenever you can.

What should I be careful about?

Avoid activities that increase your risk of falls or injury, such as contact sports or vigorous sports. Even mild injuries to the “tummy” area can be serious when you’re pregnant. After the first 3 months of pregnancy, it’s best to avoid exercising while lying on your back, since the weight of the baby may interfere with blood circulation. Also avoid long periods of standing.

The first option for a natural childbirth is having it done in a hospital, as opposed to a birthing center or at home. You should be making this decision as early as you can in the pregnancy as it will set up your procedures to come. But how do you come to this decision? Just because your friends and family use the hospital, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to. We went the hospital route as it was better equipped to handle what we were going to go through.

Thankfully our hospital understood our natural birthing wants and needs and accommodated nicely. Do your due diligence and ask the right questions to see if the hospital staff can accommodate your needs.

I mentioned birth centers before, and they are a good choice for some couples. At those birth centers you usually have more options and choices for how you want the birthing to go. Again ask the right questions and also ask them how many birthings they’ve done over the past 6 months. Not that quantity means quality, but it may be an indication that people love to go there and they’re doing well by it.

If you want to go the home birth route, you are more than welcome. We didn’t have the space nor the tools to do that, and I think if we did, we may have done a home birth, but it wasn’t in the cards for us. If you do go this route, you must be psychologically and financially dedicated to this- you can’t do it at half speed. It’s either you buy what you need to do it, or you don’t!

If you do go the natural pregnancy home birthing route, see if you can hire the services of a midwife. They’re generally more experienced than the person giving birth and can help you with all the details.

Your best tool for a natural pregnancy is your mind. Do all the research you can and read up on all the stories and see if it is really right for you. My wife and went that route and don’t regret. You are more than welcome to visit our site to see how went that route and what we used.

In order to operate as a responsible and lawsuit-free massage therapist, it is highly recommended to get the appropriate training before attempting prenatal massage as a specialization. Although there is no official “prenatal massage therapist” title, many practitioners take specific courses or continuing education credits in order to learn all there is to know about the practice.

Pregnancy Massage Equipment

Although some types of prenatal massage can be performed by having the expectant mother lie on her side (rather than in the traditional face-down position) during the procedure, many prenatal massage practitioners turn to specialized equipment.
Pregnancy massage tables have an indented or cut-out section where the mother’s belly and breasts can rest comfortably, although some practitioners find that the lack of support causes additional muscle strain on the belly. Extra-padded massage table tops are also fairly common, and massage practitioners can also consider special pillows that allow mothers to rest on their backs (in a semi-sitting position) during the massage.

Benefits of Pregnancy Massage

Prenatal massage is known to do a number of things in easing the discomfort of pregnancy. It can relieve stress, decrease some of the swelling and water retention that accompanies pregnancy, reduce pain in muscles and joints, and increase circulation. Many women find that turning to massage is a preferable alternative to taking medication, which is carried over to the fetus and may have harmful side effects.

Some studies also indicate that regular massage during pregnancy can help reduce the onset of post-partum depression after the baby is born. Though not all medical professionals are on board with this theory, the idea is that prenatal massage reduces stress hormones, thereby increasing the likelihood of a safe pregnancy, an easy deliver, and a quick recovery. When combined, these are expected to contribute to a lower onset of depression for the new mother during the first year of the baby’s life.

Many women also turn to massage during their actual labor. Sometimes known as massage doulas, these practitioners use massage to shorten labor, reduce pain, improve the odds of a natural birth, and simply make women more comfortable.

The emotional side effects of massage are also part of the reason why it is such a popular trend. Whether women opt for the relaxation offered by massage in the second trimester, the pain relief of massage during the last few months, or post-partum massage to get all their muscles back in shape after giving birth, there is no discounting the moral benefits of massage. Quiet music, a serene atmosphere, and the connection of physical touch have been known to do wonders to ease what is quite possibly the most stressful time of a woman’s life.

Specialty Pregnancy Massage Requirements

Because a pregnant woman’s body is different from a typical body (due to the hormones, loosened joints, stretched ligaments, and sensitive points), massage therapists should be trained specifically in prenatal massage before they attempt it. This is especially true when working on women near the end of their pregnancies, since the manipulation of certain points can stimulate pelvic muscles and bring on uterine contractions. Practitioners should also avoid the use of scented candles, oils, and lotions, since many pregnant women can react negatively to strong smells.

There are no license requirements for practicing prenatal massage; however, many schools offer pregnancy massage as part of their curriculum or as a continuing education option. Certification in prenatal massage is available through many of these educational facilities, but it is not a nationally-recognized title.

Prenatal Massage Restrictions

Women with certain conditions should not use massage for any reason during their pregnancy. These reasons include: a high-risk pregnancy or pregnancy with multiples, hypertension, preeclampsia, or a history of pre-term labor. Because there are additional risks associated with pregnancy, massage therapists interested in working with pregnant patients should require written consent from a woman’s doctor before they start any massage regimen.

Although prenatal massage is typically considered safe at any point during a pregnancy, many massage therapists will not offer their services during the first trimester. Most of this precaution comes from the higher risk of miscarriage during the first three months of pregnancy; in order to avoid a potential lawsuit in the event of a miscarriage, most massage therapists find it safer to simply refuse their services for women in this state.

While a pregnancy massage can be very beneficial there is no absolute necessity to go through with a massage if you feel uncomfortable with the idea. You may want to talk with your doctor if you are unsure about the benefits of having a pregnancy massage.

The best time for the expectant mother to have this massage treatment is after the first trimester has finished. At this point you can visit a trained therapist have enjoy being pampered. For the pregnancy massage the mother to be can lie down on her side. This position is considered to be the most comfortable position during pregnancy.

How is pregnancy massage different from regular massage?

The mother’s body must be properly positioned and supported during the massage, using pillows and padding. Proper positioning ensures comfort and safety for the mother and baby.

When And How To Massage:

Although some schools recommend avoiding massage during the first three months of pregnancy, many women find gentle massage throughout their pregnancy to be very beneficial.When massaging a pregnant woman you must be very gentle, particularly on the abdomen and lower back.Avoid using deep pressure and percussive strokes.

Benefits of Pregnancy Massage include:

#Tranquil relaxation and reduce stress.
# Relief from muscle cramps, spasms, and myofascial pain, especially in the lower back, neck, hips, and legs.
# Increase in blood and lymph circulation, which can reduce swelling.
# Reduces stress on weight-bearing joints.
# Massage increases local and general blood circulation, which brings more oxygen and nutrients to the cells of both the mother and fetus. This means greater vitality and less fatigue for mom and better nourishment for her baby.
# Massage stimulates glandular secretions, which helps stabilize hormone levels.
# Massage can help relieve depression or anxiety caused by hormonal changes mom is experiencing.

Is massage for you?

Massage cannot completely relieve the discomforts of pregnancy. After your massage, the extra weight is still there, the hormonal changes are still happening, and the stresses of your life are right where you left them.

However, regular massage during your pregnancy and postpartum weeks can relieve your physical symptoms and help you cope with stress.

How Do I Know For Sure?

If you suspect you might be pregnant, there are a few clues you can look for. You may be spending a lot more time than usual in the restroom–frequent urination is an early sign of the changes the body undergoes during a pregnancy. Another telltale sign is the dreaded morning sickness. In the first trimester, many women feel nauseous after awakening and have trouble keeping food down. If you do suffer from morning sickness, relax–it usually diminishes by the 12th week.

When Do I Go to the Doctor?

If you take a drugstore pregnancy test and it turns out positive, you should make a doctor’s appointment ASAP. Your doctor will probably prescribe prenatal vitamins to make sure you and your baby get everything you need to be healthy, and will check the baby to make sure everything is going the way it should. Typically you’ll go in for a routine check every three to four weeks so the doctor can monitor your child’s growth and development.

What Medications Do I Need to Avoid

The list of medicines off-limits to expectant mothers is rather extensive. Make sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist before you take anything, even if its over-the-counter. Even if the medicine doesn’t come with a warning against use by pregnant women, every pregnancy is different and there may be a reason that you shouldn’t use it.

What Should I Do if There’s A Change in My Baby’s Movement?

One of the most frightening things for a first-time mother is to realize that she hasn’t felt her baby move in a while. It’s normal for the baby to take a rest once a while–they won’t kick and roll around continuously. But you’ll become familiar with your unborn child’s movement patterns, and if something seems off, it’s better to be on the safe side and call your doctor. Don’t brush off concerns as first pregnancy nerves–often when you have a feeling that something isn’t right there’s a good reason.

You surely have countless further questions beyond these–and by all means, ask your doctor. That’s what he or she is therefore. The above are some commonly asked questions to help you better understand the changes taking place inside your body over the next nine months.

http://www.pregnancywebsite.net/