Do you know that the future health of your baby is decided  before you even conceive? Your preconception health is very important. Planning a baby is a demanding task, but if you plan it well you will have a healthier and easier pregnancy. 

These are a few tips which can do wonders

1. Relaxation at Work and Household Backup - Plan out your work schedule. You might need to change your work hours or may be change the job profile. You will also need someone to help you out with the household chores around this time.

2. Finances - Get your finances settled and insurance plan changed accordingly.

3. Lifestyle Modification - Eat healthy. Stop the intake of alcohol and stop smoking. Set aside a time for regular exercise if possible. Try to lose that extra flab and stay very active.

4. Reduce Stress - Create a support system for yourself. Engage in activities that uplift your mood.

5. Take Folic Acid -Take 400 mcg of folic acid tablet daily. It helps prevent birth defects of brain and spine in the baby.

6. Avoid Exposure to - Harmful chemicals, metals and toxic substances at workplace and home. Protect yourself from infections. Stay away from cats.

7. Up-to-Date Vaccination - Make sure your vaccination is complete. Vaccination against rubella and flu are very important. It is also important to maintain a gap of at least one month between your rubella shot and pregnancy planning.

8. Optimize your Medical Condition - If you have Hypertension, Diabetes, Asthma, Epilepsy or any other medical condition you must take complete advice from the physician. Blood pressure and sugar levels have to be under full control. The type and dose of the drug may need modifications.

9. Check Family History - Ask your parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts and cousins about any health problems in the family like genetic problems, mental retardation or malformations in babies. This can help your Gynaecologist to determine which problems to look for and how to prevent it. 

10. Visit your Doctor - Carry a record of your medical conditions, family history and a checklist of your queries. Get tested for Li Blood Group, Thalassemia, HIV, Thyroid Levels, and Blood Sugars.



Why Your Baby's Health is Decided Much Before You Even Conceive

When the delivery of a baby has to happen through a surgical process rather than normal child birth, the procedure is known as a Caesarean Section or a C-section. There are many reasons why one many need to go through this surgical procedure including complications during pregnancy and childbirth. One can also plan for a C-section beforehand by talking it through with a doctor who will recommend the same in case there are any complications and risks at play during the pregnancy. Read on to know more about the procedure.

Reasons: There are many reasons why a doctor may want to go in for a C-section. If the labour is not progressing properly, then a C-section may be required in order to extract the baby. This procedure may also be used in case the baby is not getting proper amount of oxygen which can put it in distress and lead to changes in the heartbeat. Also, if the baby is in an abnormal position like a breech position, then a C-section may be required. This procedure is also used when a woman is carrying twins or triplets. Other health concerns like high blood pressure and genital herpes or even HIV can lead to this procedure. Any mechanical obstruction like fibroids in the birth canal can also cause the doctor to resort to a C-section, while a patient who has delivered via C-section earlier may also be asked to do the same again.

Risks and complications: One has to remember that a C-section takes longer to recover from than normal childbirth and delivery would. Also, it does pose a few risks and complications that may arise during and after the procedure.

Breathing issues: The babies who are born via C-section are more susceptible to a condition known transient tachypnea which is a breathing problem characterised by an abnormally fast rate of breathing in and out. Also, other respiratory distress syndromes may take over subsequently.
Surgical injuries: The doctor may accidentally nick the baby s skin during the surgical process which involves the use of sharp instruments for making the incision.
Inflammation risk: The uterus may undergo inflammation which may also lead to endometriosis as well as infections of the membrane which can cause fever and foul smelling vaginal discharge. The wound may also get infected.
Bleeding: While some amount of bleeding is normal, this procedure can also lead to excessive bleeding in which case immediate medical intervention may be required. Also, the patient may suffer from blood clots inside the veins of the pelvic organs. These clots may also travel to the lungs and cause further complications.

C-Section - Are There Risks Associated With it?

During pregnancy, your body is subjected to several physiological changes including increased hair fall, continuous indigestion, headaches, development of varicose veins, skin pigmentations and so on. The growing baby bump hinders free movement as well. Quality time with your husband or partner is helpful, but is not the best way to relax you. During pregnancy many partners stop having sex due to body issues. Intercourse is extremely important to comfort an expecting mother. Going by a few sex positions cited below, partners can enjoy pregnancy without a speck of stress.

1. Spooning- In spooning a woman lies on one of her sides while the male partner lies behind her on his left or right side. Both partners should lie on the same side or if not they will end up turning their backs at each other. Penetration happens from behind. This position enables shallow penetration, which is good for the baby.

2. Do it like a clip- In this case two bodies should align like a clip. The man lies on his back while the woman is on the top facing him. Her knees are folded next to him and she is in the shape of an arch. Her hands serve as support as they are firmly placed on the bed behind her arching back. There is ample space for the bump.

3. Perch on him- It is healthier to avoid pressure on the abdominal region when pregnant. Make your man sit on a stable surface; say a stool or a chair. Sit on his lap with your back against his chest. This way the woman can regulate the depth of penetration by moving backward and forward. She is on her toes and her abdomen faces no weight.

4. Do it the Amazon way- The Amazon style of intercourse needs to be carried out on a chair or a stool. The male partner remains seated while the woman sits on his lap facing him with her legs across his sides. The baby bump is comfortably positioned between the partners and the lady takes charge by moving up and down.

5. Doggy style- The doggy style keeps the expecting mother away from exertion. She crouches on her hands and legs while the male partner enters her body from behind.

6. Living Room style- Let your rounded belly rest against the softness of the living room couch. Kneel on the couch to suit your feasibility, while your partner penetrates you from behind. The pregnant woman balances her body by holding on to the couch with her hands.


6 Sex Positions During Pregnancy

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

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

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting and anxious phase in a woman s life. There is definitely an information overload from all sources i.e. family, friends, medical team, books, Internet, etc., that is dumped on the mother-to-be. The idea is to prepare her for the delivery. What needs to be borne in mind though is that each delivery is unique and there are no two women who have had the exact same experience.

However, it is good for the mother to know what to expect so that she is mentally prepared and not totally caught unawares when the actual scenes unfold. The following are the sequence of events that she should be aware of and watch out for:

With the due date nearing, she should keep a watch for the water breaking. This is passing of fluid surrounding the baby and is usually colorless and odorless. However, if it is green or brown, it is an indication that something might be wrong. Immediate medical help should be sought in that case.
Along with water breaking, contractions is the next thing to watch out for. This is due to the tightening and releasing of the uterus, indicating that the baby has begun to descend down towards the cervix. If these last for up to a minute, occur every five minutes, and persist for up to an hour, it is a clear indication that it is delivery time and you must head to the hospital.
Two sensations very prominent during delivery are pain and pressure. The pressure is from the baby passing down the birth canal. As the cervix and the vaginal canal expand to allow passage of the baby, there would be a great deal of pain and pressure. It is not just the mother, even the baby exerts significant pressure to come out of the womb during labor.
The process of the baby getting out of the womb is what is medically termed as labor and has three distinct stages to it:
The first stage has two parts to it i.e. an initial, gradual phase that may last for a few hours and a later, quicker phase. The rate of progress of delivery is steady.
The second stage usually lasts for about two hours, during which the cervix is minimally dilated and pushing begins. This stage lasts until the baby is out of the womb.
The third and the last stage is where the placenta is extracted and the umbilical cord is cut.
Some common problems you may expect include injury or tearing of the vagina or cervix, need for episiotomy, vomiting, passing of motion, anesthetic complications, etc. However, what would remain etched in the mother s memory would be the first sight of the baby.

The Top Things To Know About Delivering A Child!

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