Having a baby is one of the most exciting and scary experiences you will ever go through. There are going to be times when you don’t know what to do and there are going to be times when you feel as though you have been a parent forever. You will wonder while your baby is small what his or her favorite kind of food will be or what kind of music that your baby will grow up to love the best. These are the kinds of questions that run through every parent’s mind.

On your way home from the hospital with your brand new little one fastened in safely in a graco car seat is going to be a time that you will never forget. You are going to be thinking about so many things that you won’t be able to concentrate on just one for very long. What is this or what if that? Will you be able to do everything right as a parent? What if you make a mistake? These are just a few of the questions that you will be asking yourself as a new parent.

The only food that your baby is going to need for the first three or four months is milk. Choosing to breast feed your baby is making the best choice. Breast milk will give your baby the necessary nutrients needed to build up immunity to germs. The formulas that you buy in stores can’t mimic these kinds of nutrients.

Breast feeding your baby is a lot easier today than it was tears ago. If you decide to breast feed your baby now you will still be able to work and go places without worrying about your baby’s feeding times. All you will have to do is invest in a double electric breast pump. Using an electric pump that expresses milk from both breasts at the same time will save you a lot of time as opposed to using a manual pump.

Use only glass bottles for storing your breast milk for baby. Make sure the bottles that you use are freshly sterilized and have a good seal when you close them. Put warm bottles of fresh breast milk into the refrigerator right away to make sure they don’t have a chance to spoil.

The time for your baby to start eating solid food comes between three and four months of age. The first food will be baby cereal moistened with breast milk. When you introduce table food for the first time, you should only give light foods that will be easy on baby’s tummy like mashed potatoes.

Buying baby food at the supermarket can get to be expensive. The best thing to do is to use a kitchenaid food processor and make your own baby food. You will know what is going in your baby and whether it is fresh or not. You also won’t have to worry about additives and preservatives.

Pregnancy is a life-changing stage of life for any woman. Pregnancy involves a lot of changes on the part of the rearing woman. It’s so necessary to perceive every sign and symptom that happens to a pregnant ladies to effectively handle the full pregnancy period. Listed below are some signs and symptoms that are necessary for any woman.

One apparent sign of pregnancy could be a missed menstrual cycle. This is technically called amenorrhea. Some pregnant girls still expertise bleeding throughout pregnancy, however that bleeding is shorter than the conventional menstruation. Medical attention is needed for women who bleed too much during pregnancy.

Cravings for food items are a standard sign of pregnancy. Pregnant girls have that sudden yearning for sure food.

Frequent urination is additionally a symptom. This is mainly caused by the swelling of the uterus that place pressure on the bladder.

Pregnant girls might conjointly notice having swollen breasts. Their breasts become larger than their traditional size. This could be observed during the initial weeks of pregnancy. The skin around the nipples would also darken.

Mood swings will conjointly be observed that is mainly thanks to hormonal changes of pregnant women. Several individuals notice that pregnant ladies are typically exhausting to house given their changing moods. The folks around simply would like to perceive the stage that the pregnant woman is going through.

Lastly, morning sickness could be a common sign that is related to pregnancy. This will conjointly come with increased fatigue that happens up to the third month of the pregnancy period. Majority of pregnant women expertise morning illness throughout pregnancy, that is also one of the foremost uncomfortable stages that soon-to-be moms need to bear. 

These signs and symptoms are necessary since they would help in determining if somebody is already pregnant. But, it’s best of course to see a doctor to verify the pregnancy and to check the condition of the baby within the womb if there is. Pregnancy may be both tiring and rewarding. But the thrill that motherhood brings is usually thought of priceless.

It is very exciting to know that a new baby will soon be joining your family. If this is your first baby, it can also be a very scary time. Just relax and read on to learn some things to do to prepare for baby’s arrival.

The mother-to-be needs to see a doctor as soon as she believes she is pregnant so that she can begin to take prenatal vitamins. The expectant mother’s doctor can give her tips to help her take the best care of herself and her unborn baby as possible.

Shopping for maternity wear can be a lot of fun as there are many stylish clothes to choose from to help the expectant mom look her best. Many women go through a phase where they just feel fat, rather than pregnant. Buying some new maternity clothes may help that feeling pass. Judging by all the attention pregnant celebrities receive, it is very fashionable to have a baby bump!

Backaches and sore feet are just a couple of discomforts that come along with pregnancy. Giving mom a foot or back rub may help lessen the discomfort a little. Do not use a hand held massager without first checking with your doctor to be sure it is safe for baby.

The baby’s room will need to be stocked with furniture and supplies. Have diapers, blankets and sleepers on hand before you bring the baby home. You are also going to need a crib. Many parents are choosing to buy convertible baby furniture. When the baby outgrows the crib, it can be changed into a toddler bed or daybed. Some convertible cribs can even be changed again into a full size bed. Convertible cribs are very convenient and are available in a wide variety of colors and prices. One of the main drawbacks, though, is that you may have to buy another crib if a second baby comes along while the first is still using the convertible crib.

If this is not your first baby, keep in mind that your older children may need some extra attention as they also prepare for the new baby’s arrival. Although they are hearing that they are going to be a big brother or a big sister, they may not really know what that means.

The due date of your baby may seem like it is a long time in the future, but you should be able to quickly pass the time preparing for the new arrival. You will be surprised how fast the time will actually pass until you are holding your new child.

Birth control helps couples prevent unplanned pregnancies, and some methods also provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Presently, there are solutions not only for women but also for men. The condom is definitely the most common form of birth control, particularly when you are not involved in a stable relationship. Before moving on to have a brief look over the main birth control possibilities, we need to emphasize the fact that they ought to be chosen considering several factors

– Have you got a stable relationship?
– How frequently do you change partners?
– When do you plan to have a baby?
– Have you you evaluated your health condition?
– How often do you have sex?
– How efficient are the various birth control methods? Are there adverse reactions?

People who have occasional sex partners should always use condoms not only for birth control but also for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Only discuss other birth control methods with your partner if you are involved in a long term relationship. The advantages and disadvantages of a birth control options should be analyzed together with the health care provider.

Some methods are totally safe and non-invasive while others pose some health hazards although minimal. People also base their choice of birth control methods on the efficiency rate. You should be aware of the fact that no birth control method other than abstinence (the choice of not having sex) has a 100% efficiency rate. Some people would even go to the length of combining several birth control methods to be certain that no unwanted pregnancy occurs.

The choice of a birth control method is very difficult for women in more special conditions. There are age problems when the female is too young or when she is too old reaching the perimenopause, health problems when some chronic disease prevents the use of regular birth control options or disabilities that make the challenges even more difficult to cope with.

Emergency contraception should also be mentioned as a form of birth control although it cannot be used on a regular basis. Two pills are administered within five days from the unprotected sexual intercourse, and they are usually taken 12 hours apart. The effect resembles that of regular hormonal birth control, even if the efficiency rate is between 75% and 85%. Emergency birth control has limitations and a higher exposure for adverse reactions.

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Fertility awareness inevitably leads to natural birth control. There are many couples out there who for one reason or another cannot use hormonal contraceptives, and prefer to combine natural family planning with some non-traditional birth control method. The ovulation method, the rhythm method, the standard days method, the sympto-thermal method are just a few of the natural birth control choices people rely on. Yet, they seem to work in a similar way.

The Standard Days Method

According to this type of natural birth control, the menstrual cycle is divided into three main periods. The menstrual bleeding occurs on day ! There are very reduced chances of getting pregnant if you have sex between day 1 and day 8. Between day 9 and day 18, ovulation takes place and you are fertile. Use another birth control method or abstain. Natural birth control is once again possible between day 20 and day 32.

The Ovulation Method

The analysis of the changes in the cervical mucus makes the basis for the ovulation method. Ovulation usually takes place between the 9th and the 18th day of the menstrual cycle, but variations are possible from woman to woman. The fertility tests available in drug stores can help you determine when you ovulate, and thus you can use some extra birth control during that period.

The Sympto-Thermal Method

The sympto-thermal method is both a natural birth control solution as well as an option for couples trying to conceive. It requires a careful monitoring of the changes in the body and it needs several months to reach a conclusion for the observation. There are no guarantees with natural birth control. There are many unknown factors in the way a woman’s body behaves during the menstrual cycle, and in many cases unplanned pregnancies have appeared like this.

If the menstrual pattern is regular, then the efficiency of natural birth control methods is very high, just like that of hormonal birth control. Talk to your physician about the options you have, and see what he/she advises for. Professional advice could simplify your choices a lot, and good information may save you from an unwanted pregnancy!

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Planned Parenthood is the American affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. It provides assistance to singles, teens, couples and children, for sexual education, and various health care problems related to reproduction. It militates for pro-choice policies, sexual education and more comprehensive health programs provided by the government. The organization is considered very controversial because they provide surgical abortion on request.

Margret Sanger founded Planned Parenthood, in New York, in 1916, as the first American birth control center. In time the number of services provided increased, and the focus rapidly switched to women’s right in terms of sexual freedom and choices. At present, Planned Parenthood has over 850 offices all over the US, providing a wide number of services and facilities such as:

– Abortion;
– Counseling on pregancy issues;
– Birth control solutions;
– Emergency contraception;
– Medical tests and screening for breast, testicular and ovary cancer;
– Pregnancy medical tests;
– Treatment for STD;
– Hormonal treatments for andropause and menopause;
– Sexual education and more.

The government allocates considerable funds to Planned Parenthood, yearly, but there are other private sponsors of the organizations such as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Nevertheless, there is also pressure on the government to stop the support for Planned Parenthood, and many for-life organization make efforts in that direction. Planned Parenthood not only supports abortion but also fights against a number of controversial laws.

Planned Parenthood is for total sexual freedom and the possibility to make choices, and therefore opposes all forms of restrictions. Whether it be right or wrong, that is for everyone to tell for his/her part. Yet, it seems that the open discussion of abstinence and birth control methods is far more efficient for teens’ sexual education, and so far, this policy has given good results. If Planned Parenthood manages to reduce the number of abortions and inherent emotional traumas that accompany such interventions, it means that their efforts in favor of efficient birth control are worthy of appreciation.

Moreover, Planned Parenthood presently provides support for the testing of new contraceptives, but lots of reasons still make the organization controversial. Some matters have been the subject of public debates while other have never reached the eyes or ears of the media. The White House’s policy towards abortion may influence future policies and funds allocation to one side or another. We’ll see to which…

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Wives Tales and Pregnancy

It’s all great to hear advice during your pregnancy, especially unwelcome advice. I’m sure you’ve been told by one person or another how to live. Am I right? It only gets worse the further along in your pregnancy you are. Someone will want to tell you that you shouldn’t bend, or walk a certain way, not to pick up a baby in case you hurt the one in your stomach or put yourself in labor. As the pregnancy gets closer to the due date you’ll be told many different home remedies of how to put yourself in labor. Got a headache?  Someone can tell you exactly what to drink to get rid of it without any medication, remember it is important to ask a doctor before trying to take something you’ve never tried before doing it.  But the most fun I have during the course of the 9-10 months stretch is hearing all the wives tales, also known as myths.

I’m pretty sure you aren’t going to even care at this point what sex the baby is, all you want is for the morning sickness to stop. You may even be counting down the days until the first trimester is over.  Chances are if you morning sickness someone is bound to tell you what sex of the baby is.  One wives tale is if you are having severe morning sickness is a sign you are having a girl.

Here’s a wives tale that is a lot of fun and you can test it on everyone in your household. Take a thin piece of string or your hair, slide your ring down it, hold it above your belly and let the ring dangle above it. If the rings spins in a circle it is a boy, but if it goes from one side to the other, it is a girl.  Once you’ve tried it out on your tummy, get someone in your house and do it above their hand. Does the ring spin in a circle above your husband’s hand? Hmm, is it really and old wives tale or is there really something to it?

Many women claim to suffer from bouts of heartburn during the pregnancy, according to the old wives tell this would mean your baby will be born with a head full of hair.

Right before the end of your first trimester your doctor will listen to your baby’s heart rate, this is to make sure the baby is doing alright.  The wives tale goes, if the heart rate is high it is a girl and a low one is a boy. 

Ever have someone tell you that you are carrying high or low and wonder what that really means? Basically if you are carrying your baby low it is closer to your abdomen, a high baby is closer to your chest.  Look at yourself in the mirror. How is your baby sitting?  The old tale says that if you are carrying high it is a girl, carrying low is a boy.

Wives tales can be a lot of fun but keep in mind these aren’t fact. Don’t go preparing your child’s room just because one of these told you, you were going to have a girl.

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.

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.

Picking a Name Before Your Pregnancy Ends

Choosing a name is one of the most important things you’ll have to decide on during your pregnancy.  Pick a name that your child is going to love, not something he/she will hate or be made fun of. There are a lot of things to consider when naming your child.

Origin
The origin of a name can help you pick out what name you like best, this also adds a piece of history to your child. Giving your son/daughter an Italian name because their great grandfather originally came over from Sicily will mean a lot to the family. Not to mention your child will always know they’re Italian. This doesn’t mean you can only choose names that go with your heritage, there may be a name out there that belongs to your child that isn’t.

The Sound of the Name:
Names can be hard to pronounce sometimes, not just for other people but for your child as well. Don’t choose a name you have a hard enough time saying, imagine how hard it’ll be for your own child to learn. The spelling can also be a cause for concern. Your child must learn how to spell his/her name, you don’t want a name that has over 20 letters long. Do you think you’d be able to learn to spell that in kindergarten? Think about your child first, sure the name might sound great but make sure it isn’t something that is going to be really hard. This doesn’t mean don’t choose a name that is unique, that is what makes your child stand out. But make sure that is what you really want.

Meaning
Meaning can be another factor when choosing a name, learn what that name means before you pick it. You might want something that means something dear to you. My daughter’s name means pure hope, I thought it was a lovely gesture and it sounded beautiful. Think about choosing a positive meaning for your child, this is the first thing that will be associated with him/her the moment he/she is born.

Gender names
Gender naming is another important issue. Think about if the name sounds like a boy’s name or a girl’s name. There are names that can go either way such as Sam, Erin or Angel.

Nicknames
When picking out a name, don’t forget that your child may end up being called by a nickname because of the name you have chosen. If this is something you don’t want, try picking a name that can’t be shortened. But don’t be surprised if it happens anyways. If you don’t mind, try picking out a name that’ll have a nickname you enjoy.

Last but certainly not least, remember children can be cruel think about the initials your child will have. You don’t want something that it’s initials mean something else. You want your child to be proud of his/her name. Not everyone is going to like the name you have chosen for your child, but as long as it is something you like, your child will like it too.