Are you pregnant and planning on having a natural childbirth? There are several things to keep in mind when considering a natural childbirth. Natural birth involves no interventions and drugs and you need to prepare well for it. Here are some important tips you should follow, if you want to have a natural childbirth:

Choose a birth environment of your choice: You should choose a safe place for giving birth. Many women feel more secure at home and prefer it as the place for giving birth, while some choose a hospital.
Choose a care provider you trust: It is important for you to choose a trustworthy care provider, who will make you feel at ease and will pay respect to your wishes. In the case of giving birth in a hospital, you can opt for hiring a doula.
Prepare your body: It is important to prepare your body physically before natural childbirth. Pregnancy is quite exhausting and makes you want to refrain from activities, but you should walk for some time every day to keep fit. Keeping your body in good shape will help you with stamina during delivery.
Ice Game: You can play the ice game with your partner. It is a game designed to give you a glimpse of how to handle labor pain. This is more of an assessment, meant for giving you an idea about coping with pain of contractions. This method is also ideal for learning to deal with pain.
Educate yourself: It is important for you to read a lot about pregnancy. You should read from the Internet and also from books and stories related to natural childbirth.
Be positive: It is very important for you to maintain a positive state of mind, prior to your natural childbirth. You need to be determined and strong and reiterate to yourself that you are strong and will be able to cope with the process.
Coping strategies: Learn about various coping strategies. Keeping your jaw relaxed, horse lips, and low moaning are some strategies you can try.
Avoid cervical checks: Try avoiding cervical checks as much as possible, as they are not always a progressive measure. You do not have to be too much focused on dilation numbers.
Prepare your partner: Your partner also has to play an important role during your childbirth. You should make him learn all the major facts regarding natural childbirth and let him know about your expectations and hopes for labor.
Change positions during labor: You should try different positions during labor, and not think of being silly.
It is also important for you to get rid of preconceived ideas of natural childbirth from your mind. The process is different in different women, and you must embrace it.

Want Natural Delivery? 10 Things You Must Prepare for!

How to know if you're pregnant

There are two main ways of finding out if you are pregnant - getting your blood tested, and doing home pregnancy urine test. In order for these tests to give you a clear picture, you need to wait until the right time i.e. until you've missed your period. However, there are several early signs of pregnancy that can give you an indication that you might be expecting.

1. Shortness of breath - Do you find yourself losing your breath on the stairs or when you walk for a long period of time, more than you usually do? This could be a sign of pregnancy since the fetus needs oxygen, leaving you feeling a little breathless even when you mildly exert yourself.

2. Sore breasts - If your breasts suddenly start feeling a little heavy or you feel like they have grown and your areolas seem slightly darker, it could be one of the first signs that you are pregnant.

3. Fatigue - The increase in hormones in your body during a pregnancy could lead to you feeling a lot more tired. If you end up exhausted after a normal day this could be because women tend to feel extreme tiredness during their first trimester of pregnancy.

4. Nausea - Around 6 weeks into a pregnancy (sometimes earlier), women tend to feel nauseous. This usually subsides as you enter into your second trimester. Feeling nauseous could be a sign of pregnancy. You can treat it by eating things that help settle your stomach like crackers and soda.

5. Frequent Urination - If you notice yourself needing to urinate more than usual, it could be a sign of pregnancy. This happens because your body is now producing extra fluids that cause your bladder to work extra.

6. Headaches - An early sign of pregnancy is experiencing frequent headaches. This happens because your body is now suddenly dealing with a lot of excessive hormones. To deal with the headaches make sure you take a pregnancy safe painkiller instead of a normal one.

Everybody has a way of expressing itself if only we take the time out to listen. If we really pay attention to these tiny reactions, detecting a pregnancy early, that is even before you skip that period is possible



How to know if you're pregnant

12 Changes in your body you can expect during the second trimester of pregnancy

The second trimester (starting from the 4th and lasting through the 6th month) of pregnancy is considered to be the easiest for a woman. During the second trimester of pregnancy, you can expect several changes in your body and baby. Here are the changes to expect:

Increased energy: Many women find that they have more energy during the second trimester, after the fatigue of the first trimester.
Quickening: Around the middle of the second trimester, you may feel your baby moving for the first time. These movements, called quickening, are often described as fluttering sensations.
Growing belly: As your baby grows, your uterus will expand and your belly will start to become more noticeable.
Changing breasts: Your breasts will continue to grow and may become more sensitive. You may also start to produce colostrum, a pre-milk substance that will nourish your baby in the first few days after birth.
Changing skin: As your skin stretches to accommodate your growing belly, you may develop stretch marks. You may also experience changes in skin pigmentation, such as darkening of the areolas or the appearance of a line down the center of your abdomen.
Increased risk of miscarriage: While the risk of miscarriage decreases significantly after the first trimester, it is still possible during the second trimester. Most miscarriages occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Backaches: The additional weight that you gain during these past few months begins to bear down on your back, making it achy and tired. For relief from pressure, there are certain things that you can do such as using a chair that offers strong support to your back; sleeping on the side with a pillow placed in between your legs, and wearing shoes that come with solid arch support. 
Bleeding gums: Hormonal changes occurring during this period bring about a greater flow of blood to the gums, making them extremely sensitive and prone to bleeding. The gums don t remain tender for long and return to their normal form after delivery. But during these three months, make sure to use toothbrushes with softer bristles and be gentle when flossing.
Congestion and bleeding of the nose: In addition to making your gums tenderer, hormonal changes also bring about the swelling of mucous membranes that line your nose. These changes can lead you to have a stuffy nose as well as may even cause your nose to bleed very easily. To clear any nasal congestion that may occur during this period, you should use natural methods or saline drops obtained from a chemist. 
Hair growth: Pregnancy also sees your hair growing rapidly due to the action of the hormones on the hair follicles. Additionally, you also experience hair growth in places where hair is sparse. To remove unwanted hair, you should stick to tweezing or shaving, waxing and the use of depilatories aren t recommended by medical experts as they aren t considered safe for the baby.
White vaginal discharge: White vaginal discharge during this time is very common. The discharge ensures that harmful yeast or bacteria don t breed in your private areas. But if the discharge takes on a foul smell and a green or yellow color, you should immediately consult a gynaecologist as you may be down with a vaginal infection.
Leg cramps: A very common occurrence during the second trimester, leg cramps usually last through the last leg of pregnancy, which is the third trimester as well. The reasons behind their occurrence may be hormonal, weight-related, or deficiency of magnesium and calcium.
It's important to remember that every pregnancy is different, and you may experience different changes or none of these changes at all. It's always a good idea to discuss any concerns you have with your healthcare provider.

'Consult'.

12 Changes You Can Expect During the 2nd Trimester of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most important period in a woman s life. This is a time when she should indulge in the best of everything when it comes to diet, rest and exercise, depending on the recommendations of the doctor. As the pregnancy progresses, there are many myths and facts that take over. These usually reach a crescendo by the time the pregnancy reaches the third trimester. Let us find out ways and tips, which you can use to care for your baby and yourself during the third trimester of your pregnancy.

Travel: This an often debated aspect that one has to consider, especially during the third trimester of one s pregnancy. While many people say that it is not appropriate to travel during the third trimester, this really depends on the state of your health during this time. If you are suffering from problems like blood clot formation, then you may want to avoid travel as this can lead to blood clots due to long hours spent sitting in a flight or a train. Travel during the third trimester must also be avoided so as to avoid undue exposure to infections when you use public restrooms. This should be avoided, especially if you have fallen prey to infections in the beginning of the pregnancy. Also, long travel by cars should be avoided. If you have to travel, then you must stop often to stretch your legs on a regular basis.
Movement of the Baby: One of the most important signs that shows you that your baby is thriving and is doing well is the movement of the fetus. This must be monitored and not ignored at all. It is important to keep in touch with your doctor regarding the number of movements that you should ideally feel during 24 hours. If you are not feeling anything close to that number, then you must have the same checked up by the doctor so that any complications may be unraveled on a timely basis.
Sleeping: How you sleep also affects the health of the baby. You need to avoid sleeping on your back during the third trimester, as this can lead to oxygen supply problems. The uterus tends to become heavy during this part of the pregnancy and it can come to rest on the feotus in case you sleep on your back. This lead to a reduction or lack of the blood and oxygen supply to the baby. You should ideally sleep on your side, with a pillow to keep your legs at a proper level and support your aching back as well. You should also try and sleep on your left side as this promotes better blood flow to the baby inside.

In Your Third Trimester? How Should You Take Care of Your Baby?

A woman's body needs a lot of nourishment. There are many vitamins and minerals that ensure a healthy body. However, as you reach puberty and age more, a few nutrients become vital for healthy functionality, reproduction as well as vitality. On this International Day Of Action For Women's Health, 28th May, learn more about the women's health so that you or women around you stay healthy.

Here are top 6 nutrients that are a must for women of all ages.

1) Vitamin B12 - Women suffer from extreme fatigue as soon as they reach late 20s or mid-30s and vitamin B12 has proven to be extremely efficient in not only curbing the feeling of fatigue, but also in promoting swiftness and alertness in the body.

2) Vitamin D3 - Lack of vitamin D3 is detrimental for breast and ovarian cancers which plague a large number of women. This vitamin  also builds immunity against certain autoimmune diseases and provides adequate strength to muscles, bones and teeth.

3) Iron - Adequate levels of iron in the body ensures that you never run out of energy and are always active. In addition, iron plays an important role in maintaining efficient functioning of the brain.

4) Vitamin B6 - Vitamin B6 mainly promotes the maintenance of a healthy and regular sleep pattern and protects against sleep-related disorders such as insomnia. It also helps in the correct regulation of your appetite while maintaining hormonal balance, thus protecting you from mood disorders.

5) Folate - Women who are expecting or have recently given birth certainly benefit a great deal from adequate consumption of folate. These women are highly vulnerable to a number of spinal and brain defects which are effectively prevented by the nutrient. It also helps to make the body highly resistant to colon and breast cancers.

6) Calcium - Calcium is like a wonder drug for all women as it solves a majority of problems which hinder their daily life. It plays an important role in maintaining a stable blood pressure and is extremely efficient in controlling certain noxious symptoms of PMS. It is important also to maintain their bone density as they age.

If you have any questions on women health, please click on 'Consult.

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6 Nutrients Women Need The Most

Natural child birth is a process of giving birth to a child with no or little medical interference. In spite of the severe labor pain, many women decide to go for natural child birth because they find the experience beneficial. One of the best advantages that you can expect from a natural child birth is being in full control of your body.

Utmost care: From the time you conceive until your delivery, hospitals are expected to take the best care of both the mother and the child. At the best child care hospitals, paediatrics should be able to put themselves in your place and aspire to take care of your child. Reliable child care hospitals should have the ability to ensure smooth and safe delivery of the child.
Expertise: Child care hospitals must provide best paediatric services. Paediatrics deal with child care and that requires a high level of expertise. A child's health and well-being should be of paramount importance for any best child care hospital. The team of doctors should possess wide - ranging knowledge because they have been entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of your child's health. Besides these the hospital's team should include trained nurses; highly qualified and experienced medical workers.
Work Dedicatedly: Doctors from the best child care hospitals should be able to listen to you carefully and should attend to your child. They must be able to assist you with the queries related to your child's development. The child care services should be able to take care of the child from birth and assist them throughout their developing years.
Best child care hospitals should also provide reasonable treatment offers with the use of the latest, state-of-the-art technology.

Natural Childbirth - What to Expect From Best Child Care Hospitals?

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