When many women decide they’re truly ready for a baby, they joke that they spent so much time trying not to get pregnant in their earlier years, isn’t it ironic now that they’re crossing their fingers for a little bundle of joy?
If you’re now ready for the baby-making business, you’re probably wondering what’s the quickest route to get there NOW—or is it even possible to get pregnant fast?
Well, slow down a minute, before you have your mind made up that getting pregnant sooner rather than later will be an impossible chore, let’s consider what will be most helpful to you in achieving the pregnant bliss you seek…
Have Fun, Have An Orgasm
You’d think sex without the worry of an unwanted pregnancy would be the best time ever in bed, but just ask any couple who’s been seriously trying to accomplish pregnancy about how un-fun it can become.
You don’t want to fall into this trap and lose your love of physical pleasure with your partner. Seek out sexual adventure in your home. Select different places, positions, times of day that break up the routine. Dress up, act out healthy sexual fantasies or read erotica to each other. Whatever works to get you turned on and increase the sexual good times will increase your chances of allowing your body to do what’s it’s naturally supposed to do. And don’t forget to orgasm!
Scientists believe that the evolutionary purpose of the female orgasm is to cause the uterus to contract, thereby causing sperm to be drawn up into the reproductive tract. Just yet another reason not to let your eagerness to conceive get in the way of your ability to enjoy yourself in bed. Did you know that a single orgasm is thought to be 22 times as relaxing as the average tranquilizer? If you’re finding the process of trying to get pregnant more than a little stressful, an orgasm could very well be just what the doctor ordered. Worst case scenario with stress and sex: If you’re continually stressed out, it can cause your reproductive system to shut down.
Take Folic Acid & Pre-Pregnancy Care Seriously
If you do have the good fortune to get pregnant fast, taking 800mcg. of folic acid daily can help prevent birth defects. Do not wait until you’re pregnant to do this. Check with your doctor about getting other pre-natal vitamins and other over-the-counter medications that you currently take. If you smoke, stop (studies have shown that smokers are 30% less fertile than nonsmokers). Limit alcohol and caffeine intake. See your dentist for a checkup or a cleaning—untreated gum disease is associated with pre-term birth.
Know Your Cycle and When You Ovulate
If you have regular periods, then you know how many days your monthly
menstrual cycle typically is. To determine the length of your cycle, count Day One on the day you start your period and count consecutive days from there until you start your period again (which is again Day One). Once you have the length of your cycle, you can pinpoint ovulation time, generally between days 10 and 14. You’ll want to have intercourse on the days before you ovulate and during, rather than after. The egg is capable of surviving 12 to 24 hours after ovulation—and if it hasn’t been seduced by sperm at that time, chances are over until the next cycle.
A recent study conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences confirmed the importance of timing intercourse prior to or at the time of ovulation: all of the 192 pregnancies that occurred in the 625 couples participating in the study resulted from intercourse the day of ovulation or within five days before it.
Decrease and Manage Stress in Your Life
According to Alice D. Domar, Ph.D, a pioneer in the mind/body medicine
arena regarding women’s health issues, eliminating stress is helpful for improving chances of getting pregnant. “Infertile women report higher levels of stress and anxiety than fertile women,” says Domar. Finding ways to reduce stress, tension and anxiety can make you feel better and increase your chances of for getting pregnant fast. Domar is the narrator of the award-winning DVD, “Stress & The Relaxation Repsonse Explained”, available at domarcenter.com.
Know The Odds of Getting Pregnant Fast (but don’t be ruled by them)
Your odds of conceiving in any given cycle are approximately one in four.
Approximately 60% of couples who are actively trying to conceive (having intercourse two to three times a week) will conceive within the first 6 months of trying, 75% within 9 months, 80% within a year, and 90% within 18 months. But what if your over age 35 and freaked out that your chances are dismal? Don’t worry, the statistics for the 35-plus woman conceiving are better than you think. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, you have a 96% chance of conceiving within one year if you’re under 25, an 86% chance if you’re between 25 and 34, and a 78% chance if you’re between the ages of 35 and 44.
Take Your Temperature to Determine Ovulation
If your menstrual cycle is irregular and you’re not sure exactly when you ovulate, one pretty reliable and standard method is to take your temperature
upon awakening, while still in bed, each morning. Begin this Basal Body Temperature tracking on the 1st day of your period and chart it on your calendar. Keep track of the calendar and the thermometer by leaving it on the nightstand. If you are ovulating normally, your temperature may dip slightly just prior to ovulation and then shoot upward once you have ovulated. Your temperature will typically range from 97.0 to 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit prior to ovulation, and from 97.6 to 98.6 after ovulation.Many women also note when they have intercourse on the calendar. Start a new tracking chart on the calendar with each new menstrual cycle.
Keep Your Vagina Sperm-Friendly
When trying to conceive, avoid vaginal sprays and scented tampons (because they can cause a pH imbalance in your vagina). Eliminate?artificial lubricants, vegetable oils, and glycerin (because they can kill off sperm). Don’t use saliva as a lubricant (because saliva can also kill sperm). Stop douching (because it alters the normal acidity of the vagina; can cause vaginal infections and/or pelvic inflammatory disease; and may wash away the cervical mucus that is required to transport the sperm.)
Practice the Best Sexual Position for Getting Pregnant
Generally, the sexual positions that allow the sperm to be deposited high up in the vagina right next to the cervix are considered the best for baby making. Certain doctors suggest that couples who are having difficulty conceiving use the missionary position (male partner on top)
and tuck a pillow under the woman’s hips to ensure that the maximum amount of semen reaches her cervix.
Curb Your Enthusiasm for Excessive Exercise
Although it’s good to remain active throughout your childbearing years, excessive amounts of exercise can lead to such fertility problems as irregular periods, anovulatory cycles (cycles in which ovulation does not occur), and luteal phase deficiencies (a problem that occurs when the second half of your cycle isn’t sufficiently long enough to allow for the proper implantation of the fertilized egg).
Get Close to Your Ideal Weight
If your body weight is significantly above or below the ideal for someone of
your height and body structure, it can be wise to lose or gain weight in order to increase your chances of conceiving.A study at the University of South Carolina at Charleston demonstrated that weight may be an underlying cause of infertility in many more women than was previously realized. Ninety percent of underweight women who had previously been unable to conceive managed to become pregnant when they reached their ideal weight. Likewise, 76% of overweight women with fertility problems managed to conceive when they reached their ideal weight.
The sad fact is cigarette smoking is part of many of our lives, regardless of whether we smoke or not. Unfortunately, this includes unborn babies as well.
Surveys show that many mothers still smoke cigarettes during their pregnancy. Most likely these women are unaware of how harmful cigarette smoking truly is on their unborn baby and are unaware that smoking cigarettes during pregnancy is one of the major causes of infant deaths in the society today.
Basically, cigarette smoke alone is full of chemicals, some studies even state it has more than 2,500 chemicals. Some chemicals like tar, carbon monoxide, and nicotine are considered the most dangerous substance for the fetus. It has long been proven how these chemicals can greatly affect the development of the fetus inside the mother’s womb.
First of all, mothers who smoke while pregnant run a risk of ectopic pregnancy. This is especially viable when the mother is a heavy smoker during the first trimester of her pregnancy.
Ectopic pregnancy refers to the state wherein the embryo is embedded outside the uterus, which is contrary to what normal pregnancy should be. Usually, it is embedded in the fallopian tube. In this manner, the fetus has to be removed because this kind of pregnancy will never survive. This fetus will never survive outside of the uterus where a fetus gets all the nourishment and protection that it needs. Prolonging this condition will only risk the mother’s life.
Also, smoking cigarettes during pregnancy increases the probability that the mother will develop complications in the placenta. Reports show that placental problems are actually happening in about 1% of pregnancies. The most common problem is “placenta previa” where the placenta is connected very low in the uterus and is almost at the cervix.
Another problem with smoking cigarettes during pregnancy is the deterioration of fetal growth. The fact is cigarette smoking during pregnancy results in low infant birth weight. For many years now reports have shown that there have been significant differences between babies with mothers who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy and those who have non-cigarette smoking mothers.
Unfortunately, greater risks are imposed on babies who weigh less than the normal babies. They may acquire certain diseases like cerebral palsy, mental retardation, or worse - death.
There are also reports on how cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the probabilities of birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate.
Moreover, babies born with mothers who are cigarette smokers have higher incidences of sudden infant death syndrome. If ever these infants survive, they may still incur diseases like asthma, behavioral problems, or learning disabilities.
Then there are the post-pregnancy woes…
For babies with mothers who smoke regularly, problems still lurk within their environment. This is especially true to mothers who smoke even when they are breastfeeding their babies.
Studies have revealed that nicotine can be passed on to the baby through breastfeeding. There have been experiments that prove the presence of nicotine in the babies system through urine testing. It later showed that there is a higher percentage of nicotine found on babies who breastfeed to cigarette smoking mothers.
Most experts contend that the problem lies within the mother’s urge to get back to smoking cigarettes right after she gives birth.
Unfortunately, when the mother continues to smoke during the formative years of her child life, chances are she is already shaping a child that will most likely be a cigarette smoker themselves.
So, what’s the point here? The fact that the mother does not care for her own health is one thing. But the fact that she puts greater risk on her baby because of her vice is another thing.
Babies should be given the right to live a decent, normal, and healthy life. So, for the “moms-to-be” out there, please keep in mind that your babies should not be forced to suffer from the long range dangers associated with cigarette smoking. Let’s take care of them by not smoking cigarettes.
Article Source: Health Guidance
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The anticipation of giving birth to a child may literally cause expectant mothers sleepless nights.
Most pregnant women may feel more exhausted than usual and would eventually sleep more. During the first trimester of pregnancy, your heart pumps faster and produces more blood to nurture the baby inside you. When the fetus inside you grows, then your tummy eventually would grow bigger. It’s kind of hard to find a comfortable sleeping position and it would be difficult for you to get some good sleep.
It is advised that you try to get used to sleeping on your side during the first few days of your pregnancy. You can do this by lying on your side with your knees bent slightly upward. This position would relieve the pressure of the inferior vena cava, which is caused by the baby’s weight.
In the latter part of your pregnancy, you may find it uncomfortable to change sleeping position during your sleep. Shifting is a natural occurrence that no one can control but when your tummy is bigger than usual, your body adapts to change and shifting at night are minimized since you would eventually wake up if you do so.
If you still find it difficult to sleep, try to use your pillows and experiment with what you can do with them. You can tuck a pillow under your abdomen. If you are sleeping on your side, you can place them in between your legs. To ease away pressure from your back, you can try stuffing in thin pillows or a blanket beneath the space between the surface of the bed and the arch of lower back. There are also pregnancy pillows that can help promote a good sleep.
If you’re still having a hard time sleeping at night and lose a big amount of rest, it is recommended that you take a quick nap (of about an hour) in the morning or in the afternoon. Watch your diet and eat nutritious foods. Steer clear of caffeinated drinks and avoid eating a full meal or lots of liquids a few hours before you head to your bed. If all things fail and you’re still experiencing sleepless nights, it is best to consult your doctor right away.
Article Source: Health Guidance
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The Government is considering adding Folic Acid to all bread except wholemeal at the milling stage.
Why Add Folic Acid To Bread?
As bread is part of the staple diet of most people, adding Folic Acid, will mean everybody will be taking Folic Acid, whether they wish to or not.
The people, who it is actually aimed at, are pregnant women. So by adding Folic Acid to bread, it could reduce the number of babies being born with Spina Bifida.
What Is Spina Bifida?
Spina Bifida is a serious condition where the baby is born with part of the spine not completely developed, so leaving the nerves in the back unprotected and exposed.
This defect can happen during the first month of pregnancy.
As the spinal cord is part of the brain … ie the nerves connected to the spinal cord are unable to send messages to the brain. This means that the baby may not be able to walk; and even the ability to learn may be affected.
It is possible to operate on the newborn baby to close the gap, but as the nerve damage has already happened, the damage is permanent and unfortunately an operation on the nerves is of no use.
Other complications due to the baby having Spina Bifida are that the baby may have problems with their bowels and bladder.
A close relation to Spina Bifida is Hydrocephalus (an accumulation of spinal fluid on the brain).
Is There Any Treatment For The Baby With Spina Bifida?
Apart from the operation soon after birth to close the gap, the best that can be done to help the baby to live as normal a life as possible is treating each problem with medication and physiotherapy.
Many individuals with Spina Bifida will need help of some kind for the rest of their lives. This may involve the use of devices, such as braces and wheelchairs.
What Is The Prognosis For People With Spina Bifida?
The prognosis for each individual is dependent on what defects there are:
Prognosis is at its worst for the baby born with complete paralysis. But with proper care most children with Spina Bifida can live for many years into adulthood.
How Many Babies Are Born With Spina Bifida? The number of babies born with Spina Bifida in the UK is between 700 - 900 per year; while in the US one in every 2000 births are affected.
Some countries have already started adding Folic Acid to their flour and this is showing as a drop of between 30 - 50% in babies born with Spina Bifida.
Who’s Idea Is This?
The Government’s food watchdog - The Food Standard’s Agency are putting forward the idea of adding Folic Acid to flour at its milling stage.
Although in 2002 the Food Standard Agency rejected a report put forward in 2000. So why have they changed their minds yet again? Maybe due to other countries that have been adding Folic Acid to their bread are showing a drop in babies being born with Spina Bifida.
How Much Is It Likely To Cost?
It has been estimated that the cost to industry will be around £700 000 a year.
Is There A Downside To Giving Everyone Folic Acid?
As people are being mass medicated this can cause concern for many. Also medically, taking Folic Acid can mean that older people with a Vitamin B12 deficiency resulting in Pernicious Anaemia may not be noticed immediately and so their treatment will be delayed.
What Can A Woman Of Child Bearing Years Do?
As many pregnancies are unplanned and it is being proved that a deficiency of Folic Acid may result in a baby being born with Spina Bifida; including Folic Acid in the food they eat should be a must have. It is highly recommended that all women of childbearing years should take Folic Acid in a Nutritional Supplement and eat plenty of green vegetables, as they are rich in Folic Acid.
By adding Folic Acid to bread it will hopefully result in less babies being born with Spina Bifida. And this can only be a good thing can’t it?
Article Source: Health Guidance
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I still haven’t figured out why they call it morning sickness. If you ask me, it’s all day every day sickness. For many of us, dealing with the queasiness and nausea of morning sickness is the hardest part about being pregnant. Thankfully there are quite a few easy and natural ways to improve the way you feel without harming your baby. Here are a few of my favorite remedies to give you morning sickness relief.
Eat small meals spread out through the day. This way your stomach is never quite empty which helps prevent excessive stomach acid. Eating small meals will also keep you from eating too much at once, which can also make you feel sick.
Drink plenty of water. Carry a cup or a water bottle with you at all times and sip throughout the day. The water is important for the overall health and wellbeing of both you and your baby. It will also dilute any stomach acid, keeping you from getting quite as sick.
Take your prenatal vitamins right before you go to sleep at night. Mine used to make me really sick, even if I took them with a full meal. Taking them at night, right before I went to bed, allowed me to fall asleep before I started getting sick. Take them with a snack, like a bowl of cereal, or some crackers and cheese.
Ginger and peppermint will both help with nausea. Carry some ginger snaps, or some candied ginger with you. Nibble on it when you feel the first signs of morning sickness. Carry some peppermint candy or gum with. For bad cases of morning sickness, a cup of peppermint tea always helped me. It may be worth a try.
Please check with your OBGYN about these tips on morning sickness relief before implementing them.
Article Source: Health Guidance