Pains and aches are part and parcel of every pregnancy. Physical discomfort, muscular tensions, headaches, backaches, pains occur due to increase in weight, shifting posture and hormone levels. Pre natal massages aim to improve circulation, alleviate aches and pains, eases muscular tensions and other pregnancy related symptoms, perking up expectant mother’s mood and mental attitude.

Stress related areas which demand attention are back, neck and shoulder. Massaging the legs reduces blood pooling and full body massage to the head/scalp, feet, hands and face area provides relief from tensions and aches. All the areas should be massaged gently and pressure should be applied when needed.

Experienced masseurs pick ways that are safe and effective and provide special pampering and comfort. Prenatal massage offers encompasses a broad range of benefits such as - Increases circulation - Improves digestion - Reduces fatigue - Reduces swelling in hands and lower legs, fewer calf cramps - Eases backaches, headaches, shoulder and neck aches caused due to muscular tension and postures to accommodate the increasing weight. - Lessens pain in the pelvic/hip area - Alleviates stress on weight bearing joints such as knees, ankle and lower back - Promotes relaxation and deep breathing - Reduces stress hormones - Decreased insomnia - Helps in maintaining proper posture

Prenatal massage during pregnancy is beneficial emotionally as it allows soon to be moms to unwind, feel calm, healthy and comforted during the period of physical and emotional stress.

Prenatal massage can be done in different ways. Expectant moms mostly lie on their sides. A newly designed pillow especially for expecting mothers is available. This pillow has deep center cutout enabling the moms to lie flat on their bellies making them relaxed and comfortable. Lying flat on back reduces circulation of blood to the mother and child; pillows are used to keep the mother’s body in elevated position. Body pillows are used for side lying positions too.

After delivery, new moms are under all kind of emotional and physical stress, especially sleep deprivation. Post partum massage is therapeutic, helping the body to return to its normal state by adjusting to the physical and emotional demands of their little one.

Massage is usually safe for most mothers, though it is advisable to check with your doctor prior to getting one. If you have high BP or diabetes, prenatal massage is not recommended. It is ideal that you tell your therapist if you any problems or complications with your pregnancy. Duration of the massage can be anywhere from 10 minutes to one hour. It depends on how much discomfort you are experiencing and how much time you have on hand. Massage once a week during 2nd trimester and twice a week or more during 3rd trimester are ideal.

Article Source: Health Guidance
 

There are countless physical changes to your skin, both pleasurable and painful attributed to your pregnancy only.

The common skin change that most pregnant woman experience is the stretch marks. Stretch marks are separations of the outer layers of skin caused by the overstretching of underlying layers.

Beside pregnant women, stretch marks are found on children who are obese, adolescents who have a sudden growth spurt during puberty and athletes and body builders who do constant exercises. The most commonly affected areas by stretch marks are hips, abdomen, breasts, thighs and buttocks. Stretch marks are itchy reddish marks.

In pregnancy, heredity plays an important role in determining who will have and will not have stretch marks. If your mother has had them, chances are that you will get them too, unless you were born with stretchy skin. There is no sure shot remedy for stretch marks as mostly they fade after delivery. The only way to avoid stretch marks is to prevent them. We recommend the following -

- Massage vitamin E or olive oil on the abdomen areas from the start of your pregnancy. Massage it liberally over the marks after a shower. Incase you skip a shower, clean the area with a wet cloth and then apply the oil. - Regular exercise helps to tone your muscles and keep your skin firm. - Maintain healthy diet and drink plenty of water. Plenty of proteins and vitamin C & E foods should be included in your diet. Increase your intake of minerals such as zinc and silica to maintain healthy skin. - One ounce of sweet almond or jojoba oil with 7-8 drops of lavender and chamomile oils is a good homemade recipe. - Avoid excessive weight gain in a short time span. - Cocoa butter reduces stretch marks and helps to keep the skin supple. - Wear a glove and massage your skin to increase circulation. - While massaging your body with body oil, add coconut and almond oil. Daily massage with Olive oil, flaxseed oil, cod liver oil or vitamin E oil after shower or before sleeping is an excellent home remedy for either preventing or treating stretch marks. - To avoid stretch marks around breasts, wear a supportive maternity bra. - To make stretch mark cream, mix 1/2 cup cocoa butter, 1 tsp wheat germ oil, 1 tsp apricot kernel oil, vitamin E oil and 2 tsp grated beeswax. Heat the mixture until cocoa butter and beeswax melt, stir well and store in air tight conditioner.

Article Source: Health Guidance
 

Very early signs of pregnancy - are there 10 pregnancy signs? Yes, there are signs that indicate very early that you are pregnant. Some women will experience one or two of them, others will have several of the very early signs of pregnancy.

Once you have conceived, it will take about a week for the fertilized egg to implant in the uterus. As implantation happens, it is now possible to experience one or more of the 10 pregnancy signs and begin to know you are pregnant. Around this time, hormone levels begin to change, and the body reacts to these new hormone levels.

Here are 10 pregnancy signs:

1. Light Spotting - if you have conceived, spotting can happen when implantation occurs before your menstrual period should begin. Pregnancy bleeding from implantation is pinkish or brownish and not heavy. A normal menstrual flow should begin light, become heavy, then taper off again before ending.

2. More Frequent Urination - urinating more often is one of the very early signs of pregnancy. Many women experience more frequent urination even before a missed period, usually from about 7-12 days after the temperature rise at ovulation. The changes in hormone levels produced by implantation of the embryo, especially the hormone “human chorionic gonadotropin” (hCG), cause more frequent urination.

3. Elevated Body Temperature - it is normal to have an increase in body temperature at ovulation. Your basal body temperature staying elevated after ovulation is completed and remaining elevated through when your period should begin can be one of the very early signs of pregnancy.

4. Missing a Menstrual Period - a missed period is one of the obvious 10 pregnancy signs. However, you can miss a period for other reasons including illness, stress, hormone imbalance and reactions to foods or medications. If your menstrual cycle normally occurs very regularly, missing a period can be a sign.

5. Fatigue - lack of energy as one of the very early signs of pregnancy may be hard to distinguish from other kinds of exhaustion. Feeling tired is related to the change in hormones in the body, which usually disappears as the body adjusts to the new hormone levels.

6. Cramping - the uterus can contract often and regularly. Moving around, exercise and orgasm all can trigger uterine cramping in early pregnancy.

7. Nausea - morning sickness is the name given to feeling nauseated when pregnant. Of the 10 pregnancy signs, only about half of pregnant women experience nasea, and feeling nauseated can happen any time of the day or night.

8. Tender Nipples and Breasts - one of the very early signs of pregnancy is a feeling of tenderness in the breasts and nipples. The good news is that these feelings of tenderness go away as the body becomes accustomed to the new hormone levels.

9. Darker Areolas - the area around the nipples becomes darker as early as one week after conception. The bumps on the areolas may look more prominent.

10. Constipation - you may notice a change in your bowels in early pregnancy. The intestines may relax and function less due to changing hormones and be one of the 10 pregnancy signs.

Once the very early signs of pregnancy are experienced, confirm pregnancy by using one of the better home pregnancy tests. There are major differences in the reliability of the home tests for pregnancy. A blood pregnancy test can be accurate as early as 8 to 10 days after conception, and a urine pregnancy test can be accurate as early as 10 to 14 days following conception. Pregnancy tests are not 100% accurate. If you feel you are pregnant but your pregnancy test result is negative, do the test again in a week or so and see your physician.

Remember to take good care of yourself and your body even before you become pregnant. Give up smoking and alcohol, eat healthy and begin exercising. Those first few weeks and your health are vitally important to help support healthy development of your new baby. Becoming pregnant and enjoying a successful pregnancy is a complex but wonderful experience. Besides knowing the 10 pregnancy signs, learn as much as you can about fertility, pregnancy and your health so your new baby will have the very best beginning to life that is possible.

Article Source: Health Guidance
 

Knowing when to take a pregnancy test will help you know whether or not you’re pregnant. If you’re wanting to know when to take a pregnancy test, the timing depends on the type of test.

There are two basic types of pregnancy tests - the urine test and the blood test. Both tests look for the hormone that is only present if a woman is pregnant. This hormone is called ‘human chorionic gonadotropin’, also referred to as ‘hCG’. Blood tests can detect hCG about 6 to 8 days after you have ovulated. In general, urine tests can detect hCG about 14 days after ovulation.

When to take a pregnancy test at home is done by many women using a pregnancy test that will test the urine to determine if they are pregnant. Home pregnancy tests are convenient, inexpensive and are private. The urine test should be done using your first urine when you awake in the morning. When you have a positive home pregnancy test result, you should then see your health care provider soon. Your health care provider will confirm your home test result with a blood test plus a pelvic exam.

When to take a pregnancy test is important, because if you test too early in your pregnancy, there may not yet be enough of the pregnancy hormone in the urine to provide a positive test result. Most of the home pregnancy tests will be 90% accurate if you wait and test yourself one day after your missed period is due. If you feel you are pregnant but the home pregnancy test is negative, repeat the test again in a week if you still have not had your period. And if you are still getting negative test results and think you are pregnant, be sure and see your health care provider right away.

Pregnancy is a wonderful event that is complex, frustrating, satisfying and exciting. Your desire to become pregnant and having a child will have even more significance to you if it means you’ll be taking better care of yourself and your partner. Besides knowing when to take a pregnancy test, learn as much as you can about improving your own health so you’ll be providing that special little one the very best start to life that is possible.

Article Source: Health Guidance
 

If you truly want to ensure a great pregnancy, you should work on keeping a healthy and positive physical, mental and spiritual state. There is substantial evidence which suggests that a mother?s physical and mental wellness during pregnancy can affect not only the outcome of their pregnancy but the well being of their child later in life. You relationship with your baby begins at the moment of conception.

There are many things aside from physical factors that can impact your pregnancy. Stress is one of the more common problems many pregnant mothers face at some point during their pregnancy. While stress in and of itself isn?t always bad, prolonged stress can be damaging to a pregnancy. Most people associate stress that is harmful during pregnancy with physical labor. However, emotional stress may be just as damaging. Stress actually causes certain hormones in the body to be produced, and some scientists have suggested that these hormones can promote miscarriage or even bring on pre-term labor.

The best thin you can to do to ensure the well being of your baby is to minimize both physical and emotional stress as much as possible. Here are some stress reducing tips you can engage in during your pregnancy to promote a happy and healthy outcome:

Accept the fact that you are pregnant. Some women stress because they thrive on working a very demanding schedule, and attempt to continue to do so throughout their pregnancy. At some point or another however your pregnancy will catch up with you, and you will need to slow down a little bit. Rather than see this is as a burden, consider this a great time to prepare yourself for the life you are about to bring into the world. Take some time to pamper yourself a bit and give yourself more time for rest and relaxation during the week. This can be time that you spend just with yourself and your baby, without having to share with the world around you.

Give up some control. Having a baby changes everything. If you are the type of person that likes to be in control, keep in mind that there are many things related to pregnancy and child raising that will be out of your control. You won?t for example be able to sail through pregnancy without any aches and pains (unless you are extraordinarily lucky) but you can work to minimize them. You may have other symptoms such as fatigue and nausea that don?t go away. Some women have to go on bed rest during pregnancy. Simply recognizing however that some things are not under your control will help you get a better grip on your pregnancy and arm you to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Expect the unexpected. You just never know what will happen when you are pregnant. Your baby for example, might decide to come a few weeks early. You may find that midway through your pregnancy your physician recommends bed rest. If you prepare for the unexpected ahead of time however, when it happens it won?t seem like such a challenge and you will be better prepared to handle it.

Maintain close ties with friends, family and loved ones. Pregnancy is an emotional time. The more people you have around you to lean on, the less likely you will be to feel stressed.

Accept help. Let people know when you can use a hand. You don?t have to manage everything alone during pregnancy. If people offer to help you out and relieve some of the burden you are facing, be glad that there are people around you that love you enough to help out.

Another important thing to consider during pregnancy is communication. It is particularly important that you keep the lines of communication open with your partner during pregnancy. Remember that pregnancy is a very emotional time, and many women act in ways they would not ordinarily during their pregnancy. Don?t assume that your partner is a mind reader. This assumption has negatively impacted many relationships. If you have concerns, anxiety, feel sad or are even angry, be sure you share your feelings with your loved ones. Let people know what you are experiencing physically and emotionally and how it is affecting you. This will help them understand where you are coming from, and will help them learn the best way to help you during your pregnancy.

If you haven?t considered a prenatal massage already, you should during your pregnancy. Prenatal massage can be particularly helpful during the third trimester when your body is feeling burdened by the heavy load it is carrying. There are many qualified practitioners that offer prenatal massage in medical offices, chiropractic offices and even in traditional spa settings.

Article Source: Health Guidance