What to do when your kids cry?

Crying is a physiological process in the life of a baby.All normal babies cry to communicate with others.Sine they can't express their feelings in words crying is the only way for communication. If any uncomfortable feeling comes they simply cry.Normally babies cry in situations like hunger,wetting,too heat or cold,tight cloaths,pain ect. Some kids need the presence of somebody otherwise will cry simply.Crying without any cause is habitual in some babies. Eventhough crying is considered as normal it may worry the family members.Since the reasons for crying ranges from simple causes to serious causes it should not be ignored and hence exact cause has to be identified and managed accordingly.

The following are some points which should be considered while dealing with a crying baby.

1, It is dangerous to shake the baby vigorously.

2,Tight cloaths can cause irritation hence it should be removed.

3,If the room is hot put the fan and open the windows.

4,If the nappy is wet remove it and after cleaning the parts make it dry with a soft towel.

5,Pat her back or stroke her head slowly and let her here your soothing sound.

6,Give breast milk and make her quiet.
7,If the climate is cold cover her in soft towel.

8,Rock her gently in your arms and walk slowly in the room.

9,Take a music making doll and let her listen.

10,Try a pacifier or help her for thumb sucking.

11,If no response change her position.

12,Walk outdors with her.

13,Put her on the cradle and rock gently.

14,If no response ask somebody to carry the baby.


Even after all these steps the baby goes on crying see for the following signs.
( Probable cause is given after every sign)

1,Press her abdomen gently,she may twist or resist you:---Colic

2,Pull her ear gently she may become worse or push your hands away:---Earache.

3,Feel her temperature with the back of your hands:--Fever due to any infection.

4,Examine the skin from head to foot:--Eruptive disease,nappy rash,measles,vesicles,allergy ect.

5,See the nose for any discharge:--Coryza.

6,Move the head gently to feel any neck stiffness:--Meningitis,head injury ect.

7,Keep your ear near her chest to hear any rattling sound:--Increased mucus in wind pipes.(pneumonia,bronchiolitis,asthamatic bronchitis ect)

8,Examine the anal orifice:--Anal erosion,rectal polyp,crawling of worms.

9,Examine the genitalia:--Any discharge or erosion.

10,In male baby see the testicles which may be swollen or tender:--Orchitis,torsion of testes.

11,also notice the body movements and see for any convulsions,rigors,vomiting,cough,laboured breathing ect.

If you see the above signs or any other abnormal signs consult your doctor for proper treatement.

Great Theme Ideas For Baby Shower

Having a new member of the family especially if it is an adorable little baby is always a tremendous joy and blessing. And there is nothing more fun and thoughtful to celebrate the arrival of the new little bundle of joy than throwing a baby shower party. Why not plan the most fun and unique baby shower? This is one way to welcome the arrival of the baby with fun and excitement, and you can be as creative as you want. You may even experiment on the different types of themes you can have, as long as that will make the celebration special and unforgettable. You can go traditional or get a bit creative and make your baby shower a lot more unique. You can jazz up the party with different themes that can be formal, less formal or humorous. So, here are some great theme ideas for your baby shower party

Color themes. These are simple themes that can be just fun as other themes. Usually, these themes would require coordinating colors: shade of pink for baby girl and blue for baby boy. The overall venue and atmosphere of the party should complement with your chosen color theme. For decorations, in putting up colored ribbons, consider to intertwine them with a white colored ribbon too. This is to make the venue look elegant. If you are unsure whether your baby would be a boy or a girl, go for neutral colors like green or yellow.

Teddy Bear Theme. This is one of the most popular theme for baby showers. Who would not adore these cuddly teddies anyway? Everyone love this idea not only because it has an adorable and cute effect, but also they can be perfect for decorations! It doesn't require you to buy new teddies, though, to fill up the venue. If you have kept old ones that are still in condition, then feel free to use them again. It would be memorable to have the guest of honor's favorite teddy as a centerpiece.

Fairytale Themes. These are fantastic themes that everyone will enjoy. There are so many choices of fairytale themes to choose from, and the most popular fairytale characters include Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty for baby girls, and Peter Pan for baby boys. Make these themes more fun, colorful and interesting by adding creative decorations that will create a fantasy-like environment.

Diaper Theme. This is one of the most practical theme you can have. You may begin by sending cute diaper cut-out shower invitation. The guests are required to bring their own diaper gifts with a particular size. Why is it practical? This is because, you can save on diapers even up to your baby gets three-month old.

Nursery Theme. This theme will work best at your baby's new room. Nursery theme obviously need almost all baby items, therefore this is not quite specific when it comes to decorations. You may just do a little decorating using ribbons and balloons. The shower gifts can also serve as room decorations as well. Creating a baby gift registry is a great idea especially for this type of shower theme. You may include in your list the baby clothing, crib bedding set, baby furniture, baby carriers, feeding supplies, bathing supplies, baby toys and many more.

Looking Out for Pregnancy Symptoms

Some women tend to worry because their period has come late, and they are not sure if they are pregnant. Of course, the only way to make sure is to take a pregnancy test or to see a doctor. But before taking the plunge to conduct a pregnancy tests, there are some pregnancy symptoms to look out for. After all, there is a live baby growing in the womb, and the body will be undergoing some changes. Here are some symptoms to look out for.

Period coming late.

Once every month, women experience a period. Sometimes, it is common for period to be late (or early) by as much as a week. So if your period is late for a few days, there is no cause for worry. However, if you find that your period still has not arrive after a week, this is the first signal that you may be pregnant.

Feeling it in your body.

As the pregnancy takes place, the body starts to undergo some changes. For example, you may start to feel slightly unwell. It's common for pregnant ladies to feel such changes in their body. They may not know why these changes are occurring, but they do know that something is happening inside their bodies. This may be a sign for you to check out those unusual feelings you have been experiencing lately.

Change of sleeping habits.

If you are pregnant, you may start to feel uncomfortable around your abdominal area. You start to avoid lying face down as you sleep, and you also find yourself getting tired more easily. Fatigue is a common pregnancy symptom. Your breasts may also start to swell, and nipples become more sensitive. This may cause some degree of discomfort. It is another obvious pregnancy symptom.

Feeling nausea.

This is perhaps the most visible symptom of all. Feeling nausea is not a common thing to happen. It's only when someone is feeling unwell that he or she starts to feel nausea. But it is not always true that a woman is pregnant just because she starts to feel nausea. The nausea feeling may be caused by morning sickness or stress. However, it is always to a good thing to get to the root of the problem. If the feeling doesn't go away in one or two days time, perhaps it's time to consult a doctor and find out the real cause of the nausea feeling.

Feeling dizzy.

It is common for pregnant women to complain about dizzy spells. This is caused by low blood pressure and low blood sugar levels. If affected, take plenty of rest and avoid sudden movements like bending down to pick up a pencil.

Loss of appetite.

The appetite of a woman may be adversely affected due to the numerous changes going on in the body. Don't let the body go without food for long periods of time just because there is a loss of appetite. Instead, try to take smaller meals with shorter intervals in between.If you have a combination of the above symptoms, you are likely to be pregnant. It's now time to take a pregnancy test or consult a doctor.

The Very First Signs of Pregnancy

We sometimes wonder whether the lady in the house is pregnant. There are some tell tale signs, but we are not exactly sure. We are dying to know because a pregnancy in the family is an exciting thing to happen. It means there will be a new member to the family. But although the signs are there, no one can really tell for sure. Sometimes, not even the lady is aware that she is pregnant - that is, until someone with experience comes along and tell her that there is a very high chance that she is carrying a baby. So what can someone with experience tell us?

Looking out for early signs of pregnancy.

For starters, there are many different types of signs that indicate a woman may be pregnant. Those who have given birth before may be able to recognize some of these symptoms.

For example, when a pregnancy is taking place, there is no period. That "thing" that comes every month did not come as expected. This is good enough reason to raise some eyebrows. But sometimes, periods may come a few days late, and this could lead to a false alarm. And for something as serious as a pregnancy, no one wants to be responsible for raising any false hopes. So what are some other signs to look out for?

You may find the woman in the house picking up strange and unusual eating habits. For example, she may start to eat dried sour plums, and you know for a fact that she doesn't usually take that. So why the sudden urge to keep taking sour plums? This may be caused by feelings of nauseaness. To stop the nausea feelings from getting into the way of daily activities, constant eating of salted or sour tidbits is required.

Also, the body of a pregnant woman undergoes some changes. For instance, hormonal levels increase, and blood pressure tend to drop. This could lead to dizzy spells (something to look out for), loss of appetite, and even mood swings. It's easy to notice dizzy spells and appetite loss, but it takes a very sensitive person to take mood swings seriously.

For example, you the woman in the house doesn't usually feel blue. But for the past few days, she has been constantly feeling down, and even go as far as losing her temper. It's very easy to be reactive and get into fights or quarrels with the lady. However, bear in mind that these mood swings may be caused by hormonal changes in the body, due to the pregnancy. It's always advisable to take a step back, and think about what is really causing those mood swings. If you eventually discover that the woman in the house is pregnant, you may be jumping for joy!

It is tough for a woman to be carrying a baby. So it helps to have supportive and understanding family members around. That will make the pregnancy easier to bear. A healthy mother will have a better chance of carrying a healthy baby. So give the woman in the house all the support you can!

Planning a Baby Shower

Planning a Baby Shower

Baby showers are a lot of fun, especially for pregnant mom-to-be. Not only is this something for the baby, but now she doesn‘t have to go out and buy. Before you throw a baby shower for someone there are a few things you should do to prepare. The first thing is figure out if this will be a surprise shower or not. There are benefits to both, the first one being if she knows she can help you with a list of people that she would like to be there. However, if it is a surprise she’ll be touched that you cared enough to throw her a baby shower, but be careful you don’t want to give her too much of surprise and put her in labor.

Making the Guest List
When it comes to making the guest list things can get a little tricky. Find out if there is anyone that would be upset if they weren't invited. Never leave out close family or friends, at least give them the option of showing up.

Games
Planning games for a shower can be a bit difficult when you have so many fun games and have a few gifts to pass out as prizes. Baby shower games are a lot of fun, here is a quick list.

Mommy’s belly- The mom-to-be stand in the center of the room and each guests get to decide how big her belly is using a string or a toilet paper sheets. Find out who guessed the closest.

Guess the nursery rhyme- Give each guest a sheet of nursery rhymes and have them guess the nursery rhyme or finish it. This will help everyone remember them and see who reads those bedtime stories.

Did you say Baby Game?- Each guest is giving small clothespins to wear around their neck on a necklace or on their shirt. Every time someone says “Baby” if someone catches them they get to take one pin. At the end of the party the guest with the most pins wins a prize.

Memory- Using a plastic tin of some sort place a bunch of baby items in it such as, bib, thermometer, baby spoon, diaper rash crème, etc. Anything you’d use on a baby. Let each guest get a chance to look in the bin for a few seconds and take it away. Once everyone is finished have them write down everything that was in the box. The person with the most correct answers wins.

Baby Food Tasting - Have a variety of baby food in jars, take off the outside wrapper and place a number at the bottom of the jar, on a separate piece of paper write the name of each jar. Each guest is dished out a spoonful of baby food to try. Have them write down what they think each one is. The one with the most correct answers wins a prize.

Have a great baby shower and don’t forget to bring a gift.

All Hands on Baby

All Hands on Baby

Everyone wants to touch the baby, especially during the pregnancy but no one every asks. If you haven't noticed yet, the minute you start to show a tummy everyone else will gladly show you. The tummy becomes this magnet for hands and everyone wants to handle it. It doesn’t matter if you are walking around in a store, sitting down in a restaurant or walking on your own street, someone is bound to start rubbing all over it.

You aren’t the only one that is being driven nuts by this either, take a look at your husband. Sure he seems like a trooper but deep inside he’s probably ready to put someone’s lights out. Talk with your husband and see how he feels. Even if you don’t mind, he might not like other men’s hands on you. He may not care if it is a female touching your body but he can mind about a man. Think about how you would feel if you saw some woman rubbing her hands all over your husband’s chest. Maybe the two of you can come to an agreement, after all do you have to let everyone touch the baby?

Your belly, clothed or not is a personal space, sure there is someone intruding inside you but that person in welcome. But to actually touch someone else’s belly one should ask before they do it and respect your answer. If you don’t want them to touch it, tell them. While some women don’t mind all the attention, there are other women that don’t want their belly’s touched, let alone them to be showing for the whole world to see. Maybe they’ve gained 10 pounds and feel conscious enough about it, or they could be a very private person.

Children may also want to touch the belly, normally it is because they know someone that has had a baby and they were able to do it. If you don’t like it, let them know. If you don’t mind, you may want to place their hand on your belly. Children tend to get excited and actually smack the belly when they are trying to reach for it.

Forget about the rubbing the belly for a moment, be careful that you don’t get the person that likes to poke at it. That hurts more than anything and half the time they don’t get it. Try explaining to them as nicely as you can that it hurts. They may only be doing it because they want to see the baby move and when you jump they just think it is part of the pregnancy reaction. They may think twice before doing it again to you or anyone else.

If nothing else seems to work and you’ve been polite in letting people know that your belly is off limits, feel free to sick your husband on them or start swatting. You’ve already given fair warning. Don’t feel bad if you smack a person that lifts up your shirt in broad daylight either. This is a normal reaction and people should really think twice before doing it. They wouldn’t do it if you weren’t pregnant.

Pregnancy’s Beautiful Stretch Marks

Pregnancy’s Beautiful Stretch Marks

The minute you find out you are pregnant you know things are going to be changing, from your waist size to those little stretch marks that pop up. Stretch marks are exactly that, red or purple marks left in your skin because it has stretched. The most common areas for it to appear is the buttocks, thighs, stomach, breasts and even arms. 90 percent of all pregnant women will get them, whether they get a lot or a few depends on the body and how they are preventing them.

There are a ton of lotions out there that claim to help prevent stretch marks, such as scar serum, cocoa butter or Maderma. Make sure your skin is always moist, this helps in stretching the skin and not tearing it. There are new discoveries every day, ask your doctor what he/she recommends. Try them out yourself first and see if they work for you. This isn’t something you just put on one time during your pregnancy, you’ll have to make this a daily effort in order for it to work. That’s where most women fail, they just stop doing it.

During your pregnancy try to eat healthy and stay in shape. This can help to keep off any access weight. The recommended weight gain for the average, 25-35 healthy pregnancy is 25-35 pounds. Make sure you drink plenty of water, staying hydrated helps keep the skin healthy. The moment your skin dries out you can begin getting stretch marks.

If you’ve had one or more children your chances of getting more stretch marks will increase. Your skin has already been stretched out and you are about to do it again. Large babies and multiple babies can increase your chances of getting stretch marks too. Begin using preventing creams and lotions with vitamins A and E in them, as soon as you find out your are pregnant and try to lessen your chances of getting them.

After the pregnancy if you have any stretch marks you may still have a few stretch marks, even after all the care you took. These do fade over time, so don’t worry about the way you look. If they are unbearable to you and you’ve waited a while, you can choose to have a tummy tuck or laser removal. Make an appointment with a dermatologist to see what he/she has to tell you. You may discover that you can live with them after all.

Besides caring for your skin daily and eating right, there isn’t much you can do to prevent these beautiful pregnancy marks, however this doesn’t mean you don’t have to try. Take comfort in knowing that half the woman you know that have been pregnant probably have a mark or two, they may even have a little road map. Think about it as you’ve just been initiated into the gang of motherhood. No woman should ever feel ashamed of her stretch marks, they may not be the prettiest thing in the world but they do represent one thing…your child. Remember that the next time you are getting disgusted by them.

Eating Right During Your Pregnancy

Eating Right During Your Pregnancy

You already know it is important to eat a well-balanced diet, but it is even more important when you are pregnant. Keep in mind now you are eating for two. Whatever you eat, the baby eats as well. In fact the baby actually takes your nourishments so you must eat enough for both of you. The healthier you eat the better it is for the pregnancy and you.

Never miss a meal while you are pregnant, especially breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and your baby has probably been waiting since he/she woke up in the middle of the night. You may learn that if you wait so long before eating you start to feel sick, this is your body telling you to eat. Do it!

Make sure you are getting enough of the food you need daily. It takes 4-6 servings of dairy a day for a healthy pregnancy, this can include some cheeses, milk, yogurt. This provides the baby with calcium which it’ll need to develop healthy growing bones. Adding extra calcium to your diet wouldn’t hurt you either, especially your teeth and bones.

Don’t forget about your fruit and vegetable servings. Lots of green is always a good choice, so are sweet potatoes. Not only will you be giving your body what it needs but you’ll start to have more energy. Try laying off the sweets for a week and replace them with healthier items and see how alive you feel.

Foods to Avoid
Not all foods are safe during your pregnancy, there are a few things you should avoid eating:

- unpasteurized products- brie

- Certain fish- exotic, shark, swordfish, anything high in mercury
- Raw eggs

- Undercooked meats- lunch meats. If you are buying a deli sandwich you can ask for them to eat the meat up a little.

- Caffeine- soda, chocolate. If you find this difficult you can wean yourself off, but the less caffeine in your system the better it is for the baby.

If you are ever unsure of the foods you can eat you can ask your doctor for a list of items to avoid during pregnancy. They’ll be more than happy to share this with you.

You may also learn that your stomach won’t handle certain foods that it would before. Some of those foods may include foods that contain grease, fast foods, meat, and certain foods that have a strong odor.

Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to cut out all the fun in your life, you can still treat yourself from time to time. Go out and get a frozen yogurt or a smoothie.

While you are making sure you get enough to eat throughout the day, that doesn’t mean neglect your fluid intake. You’ll need lots of water and juices from here on out. The baby will thank you later. Who knows, you may discover that you really enjoy eating healthier and continue it even after the pregnancy.

Morning Sickness During Pregnancy

Morning Sickness During Pregnancy

Morning sickness can be one of your first signs that you are pregnant. This doesn’t always mean that you’ll get sick only in the morning. This can happen, morning, noon or night. It will normally occur in the first trimester or your pregnancy and end by the second, this isn’t the case in all pregnancies though. Some women will continue with it until the very end of term.

Nausea can happen immediately or you may get lucky and have no morning sickness at all. No one is for certain what causes morning sickness, it is a change in the body that happens during pregnancy. Many women seem to get sick after taking the prenatal pill, try taking it later in the day. Your doctor may even advise you to take some other form of vitamin instead of the pill. Always find out first with your doctor before taking anything new or taking yourself off medication, even prenatal pills.

There are a few ways to minimize the sickness, but they don’t work for everyone. Try keeping crackers on hand, I prefer saltines for some reason. Try drinking some ginger ale, it calms the stomach down. Dry cereal is another good thing to eat, your stomach may just be a little bit hungry and trying to tell you. Remember to take small portions, this way you know if it is all going to come up or not. Sleeping is another good way to avoid it, however it will wake you up. Keep yourself hydrated, not only can this make your sickness come but you can become dehydrated and need to go to the emergency room if you aren’t careful.

Smells is another thing that seems to cause morning sickness. Imagine walking into a restaurant and the first thing you smell is grease. Yes, this can easily set it off. Bad smells and even certain tastes, get the feel for your body during the pregnancy and figure out just what sets it off. Knowing how to avoid it, can make a world of difference.

A few reasons you should go to your doctor would be if you begin losing weight because you are constantly sick. If you become dehydrated, faint, look pale, confused or throw up more than four times in a day. Your doctor may be able to prescribe something that will stop it.

Try slowing down a bit, sometimes your body is just exhausted from all the errands you are running and it tries to give you a break. Listen to your body, take a nap, relax and watch a television show…take some time off. If you are looking for remedies for your morning sickness, you may try buying some pregnancy pops. Or if you’d prefer to stay away from the sweets you can wear a bracelet designed to stop morning sickness, they are just like the motion sickness bracelets. They don’t work for everyone but they could work for you.

Stress Free Holidays During Your Pregnancy

Stress Free Holidays During Your Pregnancy

Holidays can already be a stressful time, and mix that with pregnancy and hormones and you can be asking for trouble. I’m not meaning for just the pregnant woman either, anyone and everyone in her path. Women already feel the pressure of having that perfect holiday for her family, which is probably why she decides to do 100 things at a time...stressing herself out in the end. However, she doesn’t have to have a stressful holiday. There are five ways to make your holidays something to remember.

Mark the Dates
Go out and buy yourself a calendar for the holidays. Post it up on the wall and start marking dates. You won’t need to stress out because you won’t be double booking yourself. This can also help you in preplanning, mark the day you should send out the holiday cards or buy certain items.

Choosing Your Activities
During the holiday season you are sure to be invited to a couple of parties. It isn’t necessary to attend every one of them. Decide which ones you’ll enjoy the most, maybe two or three and explain to the rest you’ll miss going but need some rest.

Choose Where You’ll Go
Whether you want to stay home for the holidays with your own family or go across country to be with the entire family the decision should be yours. Don’t feel guilty telling them you won’t be making it this year, explain you need rest and traveling isn’t very helpful. You may even want to extend an invitation for the family to come to your house instead.

Designating Jobs
If you’ve decided to have the holidays at your house you can still have a good time. Don’t forget that asking for help is okay. No one expects you to do it all on your own. Do you really have to cook the ham, bake the potatoes, make a cake, clean the house and set up the tree all by yourself? Designate others to help, they'll feel happy you’ve given them something to do instead of sit around waiting while they watch you do it all.

Shopping Time
Shopping during the holiday season can be a nightmare that you don’t need to attempt while pregnant. It’s safer to just stay home during some of those sales. Instead you may want to try shopping online, not only will you be home but you can relax. The only thing you’ll need is a credit card and let your fingers do the work. You can even do all your holiday shopping early and have it delivered right to your front door. All you need to do is wrap it up and hide it in the closet.

Remember the holiday season is all about making memories that’ll last. You may be pregnant but you don’t have to sit at home the whole time stressed out, instead you can actually enjoy yourself with these helpful tips. Don’t forget to take a little time off to do something just for you, after all you deserve it.

Preparing the kids for Pregnancy

Preparing the kids for Pregnancy

The moment you find out your pregnant you want to tell everyone, including your kids. The way you tell your child depends on their age, an older child will understand what it means when you tell them you are pregnant or that they are going to be a brother or sister soon. However, a toddler is a little bit harder to explain this too.

Think about your child’s personality when it comes time to tell them. You know your child best. They may enjoy being sent little clues like you did with daddy, or they may just want you to tell them straight out. You could get lucky and have them walk in the room while you are announcing it. This happened to me when I was expecting child number four. I had just walked out of the bathroom waving the wand in the air to show my husband. I had no clue that my kids had walked into the room until I heard them screeching I was pregnant. Oops.

Their Reactions
Don’t be shocked if at first your child acts distant, many children will respond to the news in their own way. One of your children may even start to pretend to be pregnant right along with you, mimicking everything you do. While another child may tell you they don’t want you to bring home a new baby. These are all common reactions to the news, the way you handle it will determine the outcome.

If your child seems reluctant to want another child in the home you may want to find out why. The only way to find out what’s bugging him/her is to ask. Maybe they are just scared that you are going to stop loving them, or that everyone will forget about him/her when the baby is born.

Showing them They are Important too
A good way to do this is to make sure they get something the moment the baby is born, some have had the doctors give the sibling their own baby doll when their sibling was born. Try reading children’s books with them to show them that it’ll be a good thing. Dad can always spend some one on one time with them.

Involving Your Child in the Pregnancy
This is their baby too, have your children accompany you to a few of the doctor visits. Let them hear the heartbeat of their little sister or brother. Watch their faces light up when they see the baby for the first time on the screen. There are many ways you can involve them, you can encourage them to help you decide on a name. Try letting them feel the baby kick for the first time by placing their hand on your swollen belly.

It’s easy to prepare the siblings for your new arrival as long as you involve them in the pregnancy along the way. They’ll be happy to be part of it and feel more of a connection to the baby when he/she is born.

Concerns During Pregnancy

Concerns During Pregnancy

There is nothing more stressful than to have something go wrong during pregnancy. It doesn’t matter if it is your first time being pregnant or your fourth. There are many things to be concerned about during your pregnancy and it is easier when you know what they are.

Vaginal bleeding- This may also known as spotting, but make sure that is what is going on. There is a difference between actively bleeding and spotting. Spotting is lightly bleeding kind of like your period, the blood can be red, pink or even brown. If you are bleeding actively with any pain call your doctor, if you can’t get a hold of him go immediately to the emergency room. Bleeding can be a number of things from implantation, ectopic pregnancy, labor, infection or even miscarriage. Always let your doctor know, so everything can be ruled out, you’ll feel better too.

Stomach pain or cramping- During the pregnancy it may be hard to decipher the difference between a growing pain and an actual stomach pain/cramping. However, if you do get a pain of any sort rest. After a few minutes if it doesn’t subside, call your doctor and describe the pain to him. Don’t worry about it if you find out you only had gas or were having Braxton hicks contractions, at least you know everything is okay with pregnancy.

Gush of liquid- This could mean you are in labor and that your water broke, however if it isn’t close to the time of birth it can be something else. Call your doctor immediately and head for the emergency room.

Dehydration- While you are pregnant it is easy to become dehydrated, especially if you have morning sickness or just don’t drink those 8 glasses of water. If you find yourself pale, dry mouth or dizzy, you could be dehydrated and should be seen by a doctor. Dehydration can cause premature labor and/or distress on the pregnancy.

Painful urination - Could be a urinary tract infection, also known as UTI. This can be easily treated with medication or by drinking lots of fluids and cranberry juice. A urinary tract infection isn’t something to be embarrassed about, it is very common amongst pregnant women. The growing belly pushes against your ureters and makes it harder for it to flow through. Which of course can cause infection. Another way to find out if you have it is if you have a foul odor when you pee.

Pregnancies can be scary enough, there’s no reason to add to it. If you are ever in doubt or have a concern talk with your doctor. It is common that first time moms are worried about many pains that they feel. Never fear calling because you are afraid of waking the doctor up or because you feel silly. Being silly might just save the baby. While you are worrying, you are only causing stress on you and the baby, find out what’s wrong and relieve your anxiety.

Staying Fit During Your Pregnancy

Staying Fit During Your Pregnancy

Keeping fit during your pregnancy is great for you, not only will it help you keep your body toned but it also can help when it comes time to push that baby out. Every pregnant woman wants to be able to go back to her pre-pregnancy weight after the baby is born, but the only way to do that is to make sure you can. By excising or working out every day you are making sure you don’t add fat to your body. During labor it’ll be much easier to push the baby if you’ve been strengthening your leg and stomach muscles. Who knows, it may even make labor a little bit shorter. Isn’t that what we all want?

Plus when you are tired and just feeling a little blue, just by exercising you actually increase your energy.

Here are a few quick things you can do to stay fit during pregnancy, without really having to break out a sweat. I’m sure by now you’ve heard of yoga, this is a very good thing for you to practice, especially if you haven’t always been in the best of shape. Not to worry, there are beginning levels here, you don’t have to jump into the human pretzel right away. Try purchasing a set of small weights that you can use throughout the house, like hand weights or wrist weights that can use while walking. Instead of just laying on the couch while you rest you can be lifting small weights.

Get a chair and try doing a couple crunches, 5 to 10 in the beginning to make sure you don’t pull anything. Don’t worry you can always add to it as the weeks go on.

Try running, walking or jogging outside. Not only will this boost up your energy but it’ll also help get your spirits up, especially if you’ve been inside all day. Remember, if you are going for a walk to always bring a drink with you. You don’t want to dehydrate out there. Always make sure that you are wearing comfortable shoes, before you leave the house. If you didn’t always run, ask your doctor if you can. Sometimes a doctor may suggest you walk around the block at first and increase it from there, if you didn’t always do it before you were pregnant.

If you can you may want to try going for a swim or try bicycling. However, if you find that you are accident prone you may want to stay away from the bike. A bike accident is something that can easily happen, even when you’ve always road a bike. Swimming can help you relax and stay cool. Take a dip in the pool near you, they may even have a swim class for pregnant women in your area. This would be a great way to meet other moms.

Whenever you are doing exercises, make sure you aren’t overdoing it. If you believe you could be stop immediately and take a break. You never want to do anything that’ll harm the pregnancy.

Fun Ways to Announce Your Pregnancy

Fun Ways to Announce Your Pregnancy

Whether you just found out you’re pregnant or you’ve known for a few months, announcing your pregnancy to family and friends can be a lot of fun. Some may want to wait until a certain time during their pregnancy, while others want to call everyone immediately after finding out themselves.

Telling The Father
Have a romantic dinner for two with candle lights, it may be your last time for a while, between morning sickness and raising your little one. Serve up baby carrots, baby back ribs and anything else you can think as baby. At the end, pour apple juice instead of wine and hand him a present. Inside you can have a tiny baby bib that says, “I heart My Daddy”
or a pair of baby booties.

If you can’t tell the father right away because he’s away on business, or deployed try sending him a care package. Inside the box place a few baby items, everything in blue and pink and a baby naming book in the center. Place a note on top of the book with, “I need a name soon, I’ll be here by June.” Or whenever the baby is due.

You can also see how long it takes him to figure it out. Go to the dollar store and pick up a bunch of small baby items, a bib, rattle, bottle, booties, etc. For a week, leave an item laying around the house where he is bound to find them. At the end of the week if he hasn’t figured it out yet, prepare the big gift. Have a large teddy bear sitting at the dinner table in the seat beside him, make sure there is a bib wrapped around him and maybe a sign that says Hi Daddy.

Telling Family and Friends
Show up to a family gathering wearing a shirt that announces your state. These days there are a ton of shirts out there with clever sayings, “Baby on Board,” “A Bun in the Oven,” or something related to the pregnancy. The moment you walk in or take off your jacket everyone will figure it out without you ever having to say a word. Now, get ready for the tears and excitement. You’ll be answering a ton of questions.

If you already have children you may want to call the grandparents up and tell them that the next Christmas they may want to add one more to the list.

If this is the first grandchild, you may want to get a bracelet link for your mom that reads, “#1 Grandma” or grandparent t-shirts. This will not only be a great present for them but something they will cherish and love forever.

No matter when you spread the news it can be a lot of fun, just think creative and let the pieces fall. You may even want to try catching all of it on video, so think ahead and prepare for the BIG moment, and I’m not meaning the birth.

A Guide To Your Pregnancy

A Guide To Your Pregnancy

The first step of your pregnancy,after seeing the little positive stick should to have it confirmed. Call immediately to have a pregnancy test done with your local doctor, you may be in luck and get in that same day or have to wait about a week or two. Patience will become your best friend during this time or your worst enemy, waiting can become a very hard thing when you want to know for sure whether you are or aren't pregnant. More than likely you'll get a phone call a few days later to confirm it.

Set up an appointment to see your OB/GYN or midwife as soon as possible, chances are you'll be meeting his/her staff before you ever meet them. This is the first appointment where your doctor/midwife will want to know all your medical history. If you’ve been pregnant, what types of sicknesses run in your family, etc. If you can, try making sure you know all of this ahead of time, maybe even have it all down on paper so when he/she asks you are prepared. During the days or weeks leading up to this meeting you may have concerns, write them down and ask them. Believe it or not doctors are there to help you, and they’ve been asked every question you can possibly think of. Before leaving your doctor may even give you a bag full of goodies all about being pregnant. Read these, they may prove beneficial and not to mention they’ve got coupons. Your doctor will either give you another appointment or have you set one up before leaving. There are some great books out there if you are really worried about what will happen next or how birth is going to be, check them out at your local library.

Make sure that you get your prenatal vitamins, they are very important during pregnancy. If for some reason you can’t take them, talk with your doctor he/she may be able to prescribe a lower dosage or something else. You’ll get your first ultrasound, also known as US around week 20, this is normally when you find out what sex the baby is. However some doctors like to call it safe and give you an ultrasound around 10-12 weeks just to make sure the baby is in the proper location and all is going well. You will also be asked to take an orange drink that you must drink in five minutes. You’ll wait around for an hour to three hours, at which point your blood gets drawn and you can go home. The test determines if you have or have a chance of getting gestational diabetes.

At first your appointments will be about 4 weeks apart until you hit the 36 week and at that point it’ll be two weeks later and a week later after that until the baby is born. By now you should be preparing to have the baby. Yes, I’m sure you’ll have some anxiety towards the end of your pregnancy. You’ve went this far, it’s time you see your reward.