Motherhood - Sarjapur

PMS is often treated as a joke but for many women, it is a monthly nightmare. Muscle cramps, headaches, bloating, breast tenderness, anxiety and depression are common symptoms of PMS. Though there is no set cure for PMS here are a few tips that will help you deal with it.

Set yourself an exercise routine
Exercising not only helps you maintain weight but also helps dealing with PMS. All you need are 30 minutes a day set aside to go for a brisk walk, jog, swim or even dance. Aerobic exercises like this improve blood circulation, ease stress and help the brain release more happy hormones.

Change your diet
If you are feeling bloated and depressed, cut back on simple carbohydrates like sugar and fat and increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Do not attempt a low carb diet to lose weight if you suffer from PMS. Reducing the simple carbohydrates in the body and increasing the complex carbohydrates keeps you body feeling full for longer and increases the serotonin levels in the body.

Quit alcohol and caffeine
Drinking a glass of wine of a cup of coffee may give you temporary relief from PMS symptoms but in the long run they aggravate your PMS symptoms such as headaches, breast tenderness and mood swings. Alcohol may also contribute towards lowering the magnesium levels in your body and thereby make you feel bloated.

Relax
One of the effects of PMs is to make you feel anxious and tense. The easiest way to address this is by learning to relax. Try meditation or yoga for half an hour every morning. This will improve your overall health as well as soothe muscle pains.

Take a few supplements
Research says that certain fatty acids like omega 3 and linoleic acid can lower irritability and body aches associated with PMS. Calcium is also known to help ease PMS symptoms. Getting these nutrients in the required levels may not be possible only through your daily meals. Hence, you can also consider supplements to ease your pains.

Use Birth control pills
Birth control pills with the drospirenone hormone can help ease symptoms of severe PMS. Menstruation is often accompanied by a drop in estrogen levels that can lead to migraines. Regular of birth control pills also regulates your hormones and hence avoids these fluctuations. It also keeps your ovaries from releasing eggs every month and hence reduces the intensity of the associated cramps.

Talk to people
You are not alone when it comes to PMS. Instead of keeping quiet about your discomfort, talk to people who may be experiencing something similar. Sharing your problems will introduce you to new ways of dealing with it. You could also get online support though various discussion groups. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

If you are stressed and wondering if this anxiety will affect the health of your child, you can be assured that you will have an uncomplicated childbirth and a healthy baby. It is absolutely normal to be stressed to some extent regarding the changes that are taking place in your life and to your body. But that doesn’t mean you can be stressed all the time and if this is the case with you, then you should seek professional help as high anxiety levels can adversely affect the health of your baby. This is because the cortisol or stress hormone may cross the placenta and create an impact on the emotional development of the baby.

There are various ways of staying stress free during pregnancy, and they are simple enough to be incorporated in your daily routine.

1. Take enough rest and concentrate on your baby: It is good for you and the baby if you relax. You should sing and talk to your baby and you will be happy to know that he or she can hear you from around 23rd week. This would also allow you to bond better with your child after the birth takes place.
2. Talk about your stress with people you trust: If you have any tension or worries regarding your child’s well-being, you can always communicate it to your best friend, your mother or anyone you faith in. You should never hesitate to be honest about your thoughts and feelings, and when you are true to yourself, you are likely to receive the support you require. You should talk to your partner as well and you may be surprised to know that both of you share similar worries and that your partner has some concerns that you are unaware about.
3. Eat well and stay healthy: Eating tasty as well as nutritious food is good for your mind and body. Take in as many minerals, vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids as you can, as these will help in elevating your mood. It is believed that the amino acid named tryptophan can help you get rid of all the tensions and boost your mood. It also helps in raising the levels of serotonin and melatonin that allow you to sleep better and make you feel well rested.

With little exercise and pampering, you will be able to reduce the stress and feel comfortable about your pregnancy. But in case you feel that you are stressed out without any control, you must consider consulting a doctor.
 

Taking care of a newborn is round-the-clock job as the baby needs constant attention. There are many parents who get stressed out as taking care of a newborn as a first-time parent is challenging. There is no need to get stressed out and the best way to keep a cool mind is to make use of practical strategies.

Practical strategies to follow to stay stress-free
A newborn baby in the family definitely brings a lot of excitement, but it also brings along much stress and fatigue to the parents. It is very important that during this time, you take care of yourself by eating a healthy diet and avoid giving up on sleep.

1. It is also essential that you drink a lot of water and when the baby sleeps you should also sleep. You can work out a suitable night time schedule with your partner so that both of you can take care of the baby and rest as well.
2. This way, you will be able to take care of your baby without getting extremely tired.
3. It is important that you set up some visiting rules for your relatives and loved ones so that you get the required rest. It is equally important that you insist your friends to wash their hands with a hand sanitiser and then carry the baby.
4. As a parent, it is very important that each day you set aside plenty of time for the nursing sessions, and if you plan to go out you must give yourself added time to pack the required supplies.
5. It is essential that you spend more time with your newborn as it needs more attention and love from you.
6. It is very important that you create a proper and perfect sleeping environment for your baby, and you should make use of a good mattress so that the baby sleeps comfortably and even you get to sleep.

Share your emotions with your partner
It is important for parents of a newborn to share their emotions with each other and stay connected with each other. By sharing your thoughts and emotions, you can lighten your mood. Parenting is definitely a challenging job and to enjoy this phase of life, it is important that the stress associated with it is handled properly. In case you are finding it hard to handle your baby, it is advisable that you consult a doctor, who will help you adjust to your new life with your newborn.

Mood swings right after the birth of a baby are quite common. Though these are the least severe variants of post-partum depression, it is crucial not to ignore the changes that are taking place in your body. Most women feel perplexed about what they can do to combat the sadness that has taken over after a joyous and happy event of welcoming a new bundle of joy into the family. About 70 to 80% of new mothers go through some kind of negative feelings and sudden bouts of depression and sadness after the birth of a child.

Symptoms of baby blues
Often, the symptoms of baby blues hit forcibly within four to five days of childbirth, though in some cases they can occur even earlier, depending on how the birthing process went. Some of the most common symptoms of post-partum anxiety include impatience and irritability, sudden urge for weeping, restlessness, fatigue and stress and a lack of concentration along with mood changes and insomnia, even when the baby is fast asleep.

How to combat the symptoms
You will be able to deal with this post-partum phase by taking a good care of yourself. You can take several measure to make yourself feel at ease, particularly when you are faced with the worst bouts of baby blues. You can speak with someone you trust regarding how you feel and what you feel like doing. It is crucial to maintain a well regulated diet, and though this is always important, having a baby increases the probability of causing mood swings.

You can also maintain a journal to note down your feelings and emotions, as it helps in venting out negative thoughts. You can go outside and enjoy some fresh air and enjoy the life that exists beyond your new routine of feeding, changing diapers and caring for the newborn. Sometimes, being exposed to a different view can make a great difference. You should not pressurise yourself for achieving perfection for the first few weeks. Slowly, things would fall in place and before you know it, you will have adjusted yourself to the new routine.

It is crucial to bear in mind that you are not alone with your thoughts and feelings as these things are faced by mothers across the world. But it is vital to note here that if your indications don’t seem to subside even after a few weeks, it can be a sign of a more serious health issue and you may need to be diagnosed by an expert.
 

It is common to go nuts when your newborn begins moaning! You'd need to have the nerves of a bomb-squad professional not to give it a chance to get to you. In any case, with a little experience, that is exactly what you'll create (or near it).

Likewise, don't accept that your baby is crying since she's genuinely tragic or upset. "It's anything but difficult to feel along these lines since that is the reason we cry. Nonetheless, newborn children do it to impart a wide range of things - that they're drained, icy, wet, exhausted, hungry, or overstimulated. Instead of stressing that something is truly wrong, consider crying her method for conversing with you." As you build up a routine with your baby, you'll slowly have the capacity to make sense of what she needs just by the sound of her cries.

Numerous new moms may feel overpowered and ponder:

Take comfort; numerous new moms feel a similar way. These worries are basic and superbly ordinary. You can find a way to deal with the stretch of being another mother.

1. Rest: Get as much rest as you can, wherever and at whatever point you can. Rest when the baby dozes. Get a brisk rest in the traveler's seat amid an auto ride.

2. Eat Healthy Foods: The right foods can give you more vitality. Do whatever it takes not to overburden on caffeine. Rather, eat healthy foods and drink lots of water.

3. Work out: You might not have sufficient energy to do long workouts. In any case, even a couple of minutes here and there spread for the duration of the day can help you have more vitality! Take baby for a walk.

4. Expect an influx of emotions: Absence of rest, included stretch and stress can abandon you having an inclination that you're on an exciting ride of emotions all around the same time. Relax because of realizing that you're not the only one! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

At times, being pregnant may make you feel as if it is a full-time job. This causes even more problems when you actually have a full-time job, especially jobs that require you to be seated at a desk or to be pleasant with your clients even when you don’t feel like. But thankfully, there are tips on how you can handle the major issues that you may face at your workplace during your pregnancy.

When to make the announcement?
Though it is quite natural to feel tempted to spill the good news right away, advises that it is good to keep the news to yourself until you have crossed the first trimester. This is because the chance of miscarriage drop dramatically and when you finally decide to announce the news, make sure that your boss gets to know it right from you rather than any of your colleagues.

How to manage the common symptoms while on the job?
Though pregnancy causes a variety of discomforts, it doesn’t give you a ticket for slacking off at work. There are various ways of dealing with the symptoms in order to prevent them from interfering with your work. If you suffer from morning sickness (85% of women suffer from nausea during pregnancy), you can get over it by eating your favourite food. You can take in small doses of healthy snacks for keeping your blood-sugar levels within the required limit and reduce the nausea. When your symptoms are severe, you will have to consult an expert about proper medications.

When to get ready for maternity leave?
Before you decide to bid a temporary farewell to your workplace, you will have to specify the details of your leave. You should let your boss know about an approximate date from when you will be taking leave and when you will be able to rejoin. By giving them a tentative date of your return, you are allowing them to see the light at the end of that tunnel. You can help by making a small list of tasks that you were responsible for and also offer suggestions on how they can be divided and handled by your coworkers.

Though most women are into professions which will not affect the delivery of the child, there are certain kinds of jobs that may put you as well as your baby’s health at risk. It is important to consult your doctor and ask for a detailed advice on this matter.

Having a baby is a beautiful experience and it is important for first time parents to learn the ropes of taking care of a newborn. A mother should consider getting help after the birth of the child as that particular time period can be overwhelming and hectic to take care of the baby all alone. You can get started by nursing your child by taking assistance from specialists and nurses who tell you how to change the clothes of the baby, hold the baby and how to take care of your baby.

How to take care of a newborn
You can hire a maid who can help you look after your baby. If you have relatives, you can request them to help you out. It is important to keep the following things in mind while taking care of a baby.

1. Babies are susceptible to infection quickly and hence it is necessary that we wash our hands properly with a hand sanitiser before carrying the baby.
2. Make sure you carry the baby properly by providing the infant with proper support below the neck and head. The same rules apply while laying the baby down in the cradle.
3. Do not shake the baby vigorously, even by mistake, as it can cause bleeding in the brain of the baby, which can cause death.
4. Any member of the household should not throw the baby in the air or try any rough play as a newborn baby is not ready for it.
5. Sponge bath should be given to the baby until the umbilical cord falls off and only after the navel heals totally. It can take about 1–4 weeks for this to happen.
6. It is very vital that you use clean diapers for your baby, and if the diaper is wet, it must be removed immediately to avoid any rash in and around the genital area. It is important that the genital area is cleaned well by the use of cotton balls and water.
7. In case you are using cloth diapers, then it is advisable that you clean it with detergents that are fragrance free.