Childbirth is a very strenuous procedure, one has to undergo. Just like pregnancy, vaginal childbirth can take a toll on your health. But, there are certain simple tips and tricks you can have up your sleeves which can ensure you stay in optimal health post child birth. 


Listed below are a few steps one can undertake to take care of your body after childbirth:


A healthy meal: Since childbirth, both vaginal and C-section, are strenuous procedures, you should choose to eat healthy and balanced meal which provides your body with the necessary nutrients and energy. Since, you are also breast-feeding, you need the required nutrients to pass off to your child. 
Good rest is a must: You need to sleep on time and rest to relax your body. If you do not rest enough, you will be able to see the negative effects on your skin, manifesting in the form of puffy eyes and reduced energy levels. This puts extra strain on your body. Hire a nanny if you must; but, make sure you sleep on time to give your body the desired rest.
Work-out: You definitely cannot work-out in full flow after you have just had a child as your body is still healing. However, what you can do is engage in mild forms of Yoga stretches and breathing exercises to relax your body. Working out will help you relax your muscles and lose the fat, your body has gained during pregnancy. It also releases  endorphins , the  happy hormones  which make you feel better, both physically and psychologically. 
Drink a lot of fluids: It is advisable for you to consume fluids after childbirth. The fluids relieve your body from toxin build-up and help in detoxifying and relaxing your body. Opt for vitamin based drinks and smoothies which impart sufficient nutrition to your body.
Heal your perineum: The best way to take care of your perineum is by cleaning it with lukewarm water and  a few drops of aromatherapy oils or bath salts. Invest in a hazel pad if required as the gentle squirts of water help in cleaning the bacteria and blood off your perineum.

Childbirth - How Should You Take Care of Your Body After It?

'Congratulations! You're pregnant!' Almost all women long to hear these words and nothing should come in the way, even diabetes. So, if you are a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, here are a few things you should keep in mind to have a healthy baby.

1. Your blood sugar must be monitored regularly-
The most important thing you can do to have a healthy baby is to keep your blood sugar as close to normal before and during your pregnancy. Testing is recommended a minimum of four times a day. Glucose passes through the mother's blood to the fetus and hence if your blood sugar fluctuates, so will your baby's. High blood sugar levels are especially harmful during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy when the baby's brain, heart, kidneys and lungs are formed.

2. Your pregnancy is considered high risk-
High blood sugar levels can increase the risk of a miscarriage as well as the risks of your baby being born with birth defects. Diabetes can also increase the risk of developing preeclampsia during the second half of your pregnancy. This could result in a C section or premature birth. Thus, maintain regular checkups and keep your doctor in the loop of all your activities.

3. You should watch out for signs of ketosis-
When you have low blood sugar, the body produces ketones that can be passed on from you to your baby. This production of ketones is a result of the body's burning of fat instead of glucose to provide energy and can develop a condition called ketosis. Symptoms you should watch out for are stomach aches, nausea, fatigue, muscle stiffness, frequent urination and fruity breath.

4. You need Vitamins and Supplements-
Most women require vitamin and mineral supplements at the time of pregnancy. Of these, folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D are the most important. These supplements help in the healthy growth of the baby.

5. You should exercise regularly-
Maintaining a regular physical activity routine is very important for diabetics who are expecting a baby. This will help you regularize your blood sugar, relieve stress and strengthen your heart. Avoid activities that increase your risk of falling and aim for at least thirty minutes of daily exercise such as walking, swimming or yoga.

6. Check your medication-
Some medication can be detrimental during pregnancy such as cholesterol and blood pressure medication. Consult your doctor to find a suitable alternative if needed. You may also need to change the kind of insulin you take and its frequency and amount. As you get closer to the delivery date, your insulin requirement may even double or triple.

The key to preventing complications during pregnancy is controlling your diabetes. So take your insulin regularly, maintain regular checkups and eat healthy. You need to be seen by your obstetrician more frequently. Your pregnancy will be monitored closely by more frequent ultrasounds and NST. If your sugar level remains under control and pregnancy is advancing well, a natural onset of pains is aimed for and normal delivery is expected.

Diabetes - How To Handle It While Pregnancy?

Certain diseases are fatal, thus, proper measures must be taken to ensure that once the symptoms have been confirmed, treatment must start immediately. Syphilis is one of the most communicable sexually transmitted diseases. If left untreated, syphilis can be fatal.

It can lead to heart disease, brain damage and blindness. A woman infected with syphilis can also pass it on unknowingly to her baby, if she suffers from the disease during her pregnancy. Syphilis can be easily treated, but if left too late, the antibiotics that treat it cannot reverse the damage caused by syphilis.

Syphilis can be tested by
* a blood test: in most cases, a simple blood test can confirm the presence of syphilis by showing signs of the antibodies used to fight it.

* testing the fluid from the sores: this is usually done in the case of primary or secondary syphilis when sores are present on the patient's skin. Looking at a scraping of the sore under a microscope can be used to diagnose syphilis if it shows the presence of the syphilis bacteria.

* testing cerebrospinal fluid: this is performed only in extreme cases of syphilis where the disease may have caused complications with your nervous system. The earlier syphilis is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat.

Syphilis is usually treated with antibiotics amongst which penicillin is the most preferred. If you've had syphilis for less than a year, a single injected dose of penicillin can stop the disease from progressing. You may need additional doses if you have been suffering from syphilis for more than a year. Penicillin is also the only antibiotic that can cure syphilis and suits pregnant women as well. If you have been diagnosed with syphilis during pregnancy, your baby should also be treated for it.

When undergoing treatment for syphilis, here are a few other points to keep in mind:
* abstain from oral, vaginal and anal sex until the sores have healed
* get blood tests at regular intervals for at least a year after treatment
* get tested for an hiv infection
* fevers, nausea, headaches and chills are normal side effects associated with syphilis treatment
* if you are allergic to penicillin, let your doctor know so that you can be given an alternative antibiotic
* if you have a lesion around your mouth, syphilis can even spread through kissing another person

The good news is that once you've been cured of syphilis, it does not recur. However, it is recommended to always use protection while having intercourse and abstain from sexual activities if your partner suffers from syphilis.

Best Treatment For Syphilis Problem | Precaution & Tests

In an incredibly fast paced and unhealthy lifestyle of the modern world, irregular menses aren t exactly an unusual situation. The length of a monthly cycle may either last longer than usual or end earlier than usual, only to begin in a short while again, accompanied by greater abdominal pain and blood loss. Irregular cycles may vary from 8 to 21 days or more. The variation of 21 days or more is considered highly irregular and abnormal. A woman may face some menstrual irregularities at both ends of menstrual life, (onset- menarche and end of cycle- menopause) which is normal and in most of the cases, it is self-establishing. 

Causes of Irregular Menstrual Cycle: 

The cause of irregularities in menstrual cycle is basically hormone imbalance. The altered levels in the body lead to irregular cycles. There are many factors in routine life which affect hormonal balance. Some of them are: 

Poor diet or wrong dietary habits 
Stress and anxiety, thoughts and emotions
Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity and exercise, too much physical exertion, stress and strain during menses. 
Illness: Long-term illness like fever, tuberculosis, thyroid problem etc. 
Medication: Certain medicine if taken for a long time, like oral contraceptive pills, hormonal therapy etc., alters hormonal balance. 
Imbalance of Tridosha (vatta, pitta and kapha) in body, leads to irregularities of reproductive system. 
As per Ayurveda, Vatta is the main culprit in menstrual irregularities. 

How To Deal With Menstrual Irregularities:

With the sudden acceptance of eastern concepts of yoga and organic and indigenous medicines around the world, Ayurveda has gained importance in treating irregular menses, gynecological and obstetric problems. 

Lifestyle and Food- There is no alternative for lifestyle and food habits correction. Eating healthy and nutritious food, regular exercise, yoga, physical activity, outdoor games lead to good physical health. 
Meditation and Breathing: Exercise is good for taming hormones. It keeps a person physical and mentally healthy. 
Avoid heavy physical work during menses. 
A good oil massage over body keeps Vatta in balance (one of the important tridoshas of body: vatta, pitta and kapha). 
Ayurveda has proven to be much helpful in regulating the menstrual cycles. According to certain studies, Ayurveda came in rather handy while tackling PCOS, a disease distressing 1 in 3 women today. It is certain that Ayurveda medicines work better in certain scenarios and definitely have fewer risks in comparison to allopathic medicines and surgeries. Over a period of time, they have proven much more beneficial in overcoming the irregular menses and the irritation along with the accompanying pain and PMS symptoms. Ayurvedic medicines use herbs and roots and almost everything found in nature to discover a rather organic cure for diseases. Certain plants like Shatavari are used to reduce the much spoken about mood swings or PMS symptoms during periods which can only worsen in case of an irregularity. The bark of the Ashoka tree has proven to be quite helpful in relieving menstrual pain and excessive bleeding. Other plants and their parts like the Lodhra, Guggul, Guduchi and Amlaki, Jatamansi etc. are useful in regulating periods and reducing the stress and irritation accompanied by it. 

Panchkarma- Basti therapy (Enema- administration of medicines through rectal route). In this treatment, decoction of different herbs and medicated oils are used for giving enema. Basti has proven its efficacy since centuries, for treating Vatta. A course of 5, 8, 15, 30 or 60 basti, as per person s requirement can be given for menstrual problems. Irregular periods, although are faced by a large chunk of women, pose different symptoms for different people and hence individualized treatment is advised.

Irregular Periods - Ayurvedic Home Remedies to Treat It

From a medical standpoint, sex during menstruation is completely fine. Most men have claimed that period sex seems messier when compared to intercourse on normal days, but, other than that, there aren t any risk regarding period sex. In fact, it is advisable to engage in vaginal intercourse during periods for a variety of reasons.

Here are a few things you should know about period sex:

Intercourse during periods isn t harmful: Contrary to the popular myth, period blood doesn t contain impurities which might affect the penis in any way. Instead, menstrual blood is normal blood mixed with disposed off tissues from the lining of the uterus and the penis isn t affected by menstrual blood in any way. The menstrual blood serves as excellent lubricant to make the process of intercourse smoother.
Chances of pregnancy still persist: It is not okay to completely ward off protective measures during periods because even though it is safer than other days, there might be a small chance that the sperm of a man lives on in the female body till early ovulation. Besides, the chance of getting a sexually transmitted disease is the same during period sex.
Can relieve cramps: Some women claim that having sex during their period helps ease their cramps as having an orgasm releases  pain- reducing endorphins  into the bloodstream. Also, some medical practitioners believe that sex provides relief by using up chemicals which are responsible for cramps. Thus, having period sex can prove to be relaxing and less painful than normal days.
Sexual arousal ups during menstruation: Most women feel hornier and more aroused during periods because of the increase in the hormonal levels. Some women feel heavier in the pelvic area which increases the sex drive; precisely the reason why having sex during this time is a good idea. So, for all you know, you might actually have a brilliant intercourse session when she s on her period.

Sex During Periods - What Should You Know About It!

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are two commonly used methods of fertility treatment, which increase a couple s chance of becoming pregnant.

The Procedure

IUI- IUI is a procedure during which processed and concentrated motile sperm are inserted directly into a woman s uterus. This procedure is timed according to a woman s ovulation, and may be performed one to two times in the days immediately following the detection of ovulation. After ovulation a woman s egg is picked up by the fallopian tube and waits there for the sperm. Since the IUI procedure deposits higher concentrations of good quality sperm close to where the egg is waiting, the chances that the egg and sperm will find one another are increased.

IVF- IVF is the most successful method of fertility treatment utilized today to help couples to conceive. The basic components of the IVF process include stimulation of the ovaries to produce multiple eggs at a time, removal of the eggs from the ovary (egg retrieval), fertilization of the eggs in the laboratory, and subsequent placement of the resulting embryos into the uterus (embryo transfer). The chance of pregnancy from IVF depends primarily on the age of the woman, the cause of infertility, and factors related to the quality of the IVF laboratory.

Success Rates

IUI Treatment: There is a marked difference between IVF and IUI pregnancy rates. IUI has a success rate between 5% and 20%, but it can even be as low as 1-2 %, depending on the woman s age and fertility levels. The chances of conceiving through IUI is higher if fertility drugs are administered along with the treatment.

IVF Treatment: IVF has a high success rate   between 20% and 35% and it can even go as high as 40%. This may not seem like a lot, but it is very high, considering that an average young and fertile couple has only a 15-20% chance to conceive in a month. It is important to understand what IVF and IUI success rates mean and the factors that affect it before deciding on a fertility treatment. You can also use any reliable online IUI vs IVF comparison tool to determine your approximate success rates with each of these treatments, depending on your age, lifestyle, and medical history.

You should use online sources of information to understand more about fertility problems, how age affects fertility levels, and whether freezing your eggs is a good option for you. However, discuss all these issues with your doctor to ensure that you have the right information and that you have understood it correctly. Fertility specialists provide you with personalized fertility plans based on your health which is why you should always talk to them before you make any decision.

IVF or IUI - Which One Should You Opt for?

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