Preparing for breast feeding

Every pregnant mother must appreciate that the ideal and the most natural method of feeding the baby, at least during the first few months is breast feeding. It protects the baby from quite a few infections and diseases and assists in establishing a healthy mother child relationship. The figure conscious woman would find an additional gain from breast feeding. It helps her to shed a great deal of fat collected during pregnancy and contributes a great deal towards their attempt to slim down. Proper care of breasts in preparation for the forthcoming baby should therefore begin during pregnancy. A well fitting brassiere and a protective pad are helpful. It should also be seen that the nipples are kept clean and made soft and long by massage etc. Breast milk is pure and there is no way of it getting contaminated as it is being sucked directly by the baby from the mother’s breast. Further it also contains antibodies which protects the baby. Doctors will give you advice and directions as how to breast feed your baby. Follow the Advice of the doctors and breast feed the baby at regular intervals. It is more important how you hold the baby during breast feeding. For this you can take the advice of your doctor or elders at home. When you are having viral infections like cold etc it is advisable not to breast feed your baby as there are chances of the infection being passed on from the mother to the baby.

Tips for safe delivery

It is more important that the pregnant women should enjoy goof emotional health. She should always think about beautiful things to ensure a happy baby. A mother who learns to relax and enjoy her pregnancy will come to the labour room with a relaxed body and a calm and peaceful mind. She is most likely to have relatively easier labour. Such a labour leaves the mother happy, cheerful and relaxed. She in turn transmits her feelings to her baby, making him relaxed and contended and easy to establish on a happy feeding schedule. That is exactly what you need. The second most important thing is maintaining a good physical health. Well nourished mothers who are free from diseases are known to bear the strain of pregnancy better. They give birth to newborns with greater birth weight and higher vitality for growth and development. In addition to avoiding Alcohol and smoking pregnant women should definitely avoid taking medication without the advice of a doctor. Certain medicines may have adverse effects on the fetus. So it is better to avoid unnecessary use of medicines including the indigenous herbal medicines. Medicines should be taken only on the advice of the doctor. Even the most commonly used drugs such as paracetamol or aspirin should only be taken in consultation with the doctor.

Care to be taken by the mother-to-be

The most important thing is diet. All pregnant women need a well balanced adult diet. It is advisable to include fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, cheese, eggs, meat and fish in the daily food. The common thinking that a pregnant woman should eat for two is wrong because over eating may cause extra weight gain which wills in turn put extra pressure on the already overburdened liver and kidneys. The enlargement of the abdomen will not only cause discomfort but will also leave behind permanent marking on the skin. Well balanced diet is all that is required and this does not mean expensive food. All pregnant women should avoid alcohol and smoking. It has been proved that smoking especially in the last trimester causes retardation of the growth of the baby in the womb and also brain damage. Coffee and tea in moderation are permissible. Care should also be taken in clothing. Ordinary dress can be worn during the first four months and after fifth month it is necessary to wear loose fitting clothing. The clothing should not be tight especially in the waste region. Rest is another important thing. All pregnant women should have at least eight hours of sleep during night. Afternoon nap can be taken if desired. Regular exercise in the form of evening walk is necessary. All this contributes to safe and normal delivery.

Antenatal check-up

As soon as a woman becomes pregnant, she should have regular antenatal check-up in order to give birth to a normal healthy baby. During the first antenatal check-up the doctor will get the woman’s medical history, make a physical examination and do a few tests. Sitting over some vital information may lead to serious problems in the course of time. Your doctor is not a superman, he needs your cooperation to anticipate and help you. A through physical examination includes examination of the birth passage, checking of the blood pressure, record weight and height of the patient. The doctor may also take the measurement of the pelvis. The doctor may also like to carry pout certain lab tests like blood examination, urine examination, stool examination etc. You should attend to antenatal clinic at least once a month until the end of seventh month. After the seventh month the check up should be once in a fortnight. During the ninth month the check up should be every week until the time of delivery. During the check up the mother should discuss with the doctor about any emotional problem or doubts she may have about her pregnancy to avoid any undue tension. It is important not only to have a good physical health, but also to have a good mental health. In general all pregnancies with good antenatal care end up with a happy note. The mother should always be alert and vigil. Any abnormal changes notices should immediately be brought to the notice of her doctor.

Growth of the baby inside the Womb.

The small bundles of cells implanted in the wall of the womb are differentiated in the first three weeks into two major groups. The first group in due course forms the arms and legs and heart and lungs. The second group forms the part of umbilical cord. During the fourth week a head, a trunk and arm and leg buds have already developed. The fetus is encased in a waterproof membrane which keeps the baby warm and protected from outside shock. In the sixth week the embryo measures about an inch in length and weighs about 1/30th of an ounce. It has taken the shape of a human face with eyes, nose, ears, tongue and buds of milk teeth buried in the minute gums. Muscles, skin and a soft skeleton and a tiny brain and heart with minute blood vessels are also formed. The stomach has started to produce digestive juices and the kidneys and the liver have started to function. At the end of the eighth week sex organs start to show up. However it will be impossible to determine the sex of the baby at this stage. Between 16 and 24 weeks the baby’s heart beat can be heard. By the end of 24th week the fetus is around 12 inches in length and weighs about 1.5 pounds. In a healthy mother it should increase up to five times in the last trimester of pregnancy. The mother can now very well feel the kicking of the baby. During the last 12 weeks the baby attempts to suck the fingers and may attempt to cry as well without producing a sound.

How long the pregnancy lasts and trimesters of pregnancy.

The most common question that comes to the mind of each and every pregnant mother particularly if it is going to be her first pregnancy is “How long will the pregnancy last”. As a convention it is held that an average pregnancy will last 280 days that is 40 weeks from the date of the last menstrual period the woman had. Since it is very difficult to be sure of the actual date of conception, this conventional method comes in handy as a convenient way to calculate the expected date of delivery. For an approximate expected date of delivery, add 7 days to the first day of the last period and go 3 months behind or nine months ahead. As regards trimester of pregnancy, the first three months are the most crucial inasmuch as that the baby’s vital organs such as heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, limbs etc are formed during this trimester of pregnancy. During this period it is very important to infections such as German measles and other viral infections as they can cause grave harm to the fetus. It is also advisable to contact your physician in case of any illness and not to take medication on your own.

Recognising Pregnancy

Even the most experienced mothers seldom find much difficulty in recognizing pregnancy. Stopping of the menstrual period is usually the earliest sign of pregnancy. It should be remembered that a highly strung woman may miss her period just because of anxiety rather than as a result of conception. In some cases menstrual period may be missed due to due to other reasons like scanty or irregular period. In any case if you doubt pregnancy, it is advisable to consult your doctor who knows how to confirm it. Morning sickness usually accompanies early stages of pregnancy. The woman wakes up with nausea and may vomit. This may subside slowly in subsequent weeks. By the end of the first month changes occur in the breast, in preparation of milk for the baby and this causes the ir fullness and tenderness. By the third month a pregnant woman becomes aware of a mass in the lower abdomen which now starts to protrude. As the stage of pregnancy increases the mother will feel the movement of the fetus. As soon as it becomes clear that pregnancy has resulted, arrangements should be made to attend Antenatal Clinic at a hospital, health care or dispensary. It is advisable to have a good medical care right from the start of pregnancy.

Facts about Pregnancy

Everyone is aware what conception is. The ripe eggs or Ova are shed from the ovary which is the female egg producing organ. This egg reaches the uterus where from among the innumerable sperms of the would-be-father one sperm normally penetrates the ova and this called fertilisation. In some cases one sperm penetrating the ova two penetrate the ova and these results in the formation of twins. After this multiplication of the cells take place. The cells have chromosomes, half from the father and half from the mother. Chromosomes carry inherited characters of the father and the mother. Some characters are dominant while the rest are recessive. The dominant characters are only exhibited. The cluster of cells resulting from the fusion of the sperm with the ovum passes from the tube to the uterus where it buries itself in the thick warm lining of the uterus for further growth. This marks the cessation of menstruation. Cell multiplication takes place and results in the formation of the fetus. If on the other hand, the thick warm lining fails to receive the fertilized ovum, it gets shed in the form of menstrual flow and this process gets repeated as menstrual period every month until she becomes pregnant or reaches menopause.