Pregnancy

If you're considering C-section, know that it is major surgery, with greater maternal mortality risk than vaginal births and the possibility of complications in future pregnancies. It even impacts your baby’s ability to breathe just after birth. If you are slated for doctor-recommended C-sections for health reasons, rest assured the choice is the right one. This is because medical condition like diabetes or complications with the placenta or the position of the baby might make a vaginal birth much riskier.

The Zika virus can be transmitted through mosquito bites and sexually. Avoid areas with the virus during pregnancy. Screens, bed nets, and mosquito repellents can protect against mosquitoes. Natural repellents like neem oil, fumigants like citronella oil, and larvicides like the essential oils of sweet flag and sweet basil may also be useful. Also, clear out stagnant water. Condoms and dental dams can help protect you from sexual transmission of the Zika virus.

Fetuses develop the auditory system by week 25 and respond to music by week 28. Newborns can remember music heard in the womb, and they seem to have better motor and cognitive skills, faster language development, longer attention spans, better sleep, and fewer instances of colic. Play music or sing to your unborn baby, but don't experiment with loud or unusual sounds or noise. It could affect the baby’s health.

Green tea is a comforting beverage with many health benefits but moms-to-be often wonder if it's safe to have it during pregnancy. The good news is you don't have to worry too much. A few cups a day are fine. But if you go overboard, it could adversely impact folate levels, up the risk of miscarriage, and affect the birth weight of the baby. Drinking too many cups can also bring on headaches, dizziness, abdominal spasms, and even insomnia – side effects you don't want to reckon with when you are pregnant!

Snack on whole grain sandwich with grated cheese, mashed tuna, sardines or salmon; salad of leafy greens with nuts, beans, and pumpkin seeds. Drink a mango, pineapple, and apricot smoothie with 1/2 glass fresh pineapple juice, and half a mango. Also boiled eggs, low fat/fat free frozen yogurt, organic cranberries, baked potatoes, pumpkin seeds are healthy options.

Preterm birth, or having a baby before the 37th week of your pregnancy, can cause many health issues in your baby. While it's not possible to entirely prevent this, you can lower the risk. Improve your general health, prevent infections, manage your weight, and reduce stress through yoga. Also avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. Most importantly, don't skip any health checkup appointments.

Life is challenging for any new mom. But for 13 to 14 percent of women, there’s an added struggle – coping with postpartum depression. Typical treatment for postpartum depression includes antidepressants or cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal therapy. But if this feels daunting, you can try natural treatments like bright light therapy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, or homeopathic remedies like sepia or ignatia. Practicing yoga and pranayama regularly and Ayurvedic therapies like svedana and shirodhara can also help.

Wondering whether a second pregnancy means different symptoms or more of the same? Some distinct things like a visible baby bump and baby movements may crop up earlier while others like morning sickness can strike or skip you like before. Second-time moms tend to experience more aches and pains earlier on. Fatigue and emotional ups and downs are going to be a part of this pregnancy too. But on the upside, most second-time moms are mentally better prepared for what is to come, so take heart!

Organic red raspberry leaf tea is a herbal remedy often recommended in the last stages of pregnancy by nurse-midwives in the United States. The nutrients in it could help improve uterine muscle tone and prepare your body for labor, easing the birth of your baby. You may also experience a reduced need for interventions like a vacuum-assisted or forceps delivery, and the artificial rupture of membranes. But you should still be cautious and consult your doctor or midwife before you start using raspberry tea leaf.

About 1 gm ginger per day is safe during pregnancy. This anti-inflammatory herb, used in Ayurvedic medicines, works well for morning sickness, aids digestion, and can reduce arthritis or bursitis pain. You can have it fresh, as dried root powder, in tea, or in cooked dishes. Don't have ginger if you're on medicines to lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood clotting.

While the exact effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy are still under the scanner, experts agree it's best to avoid it. Alcohol may impact a pregnancy depending on the quantity and type of alcohol, as well as how early in the pregnancy it is consumed. Babies who have been exposed to high amounts of alcohol in the womb can develop Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This is characterized by poor growth, delays in development, and abnormal facial features.

Loud noises during pregnancy can have a trail of negative impacts on the developing fetus. Constant exposure to noise above 120 decibels may cause hearing loss in the babies. Sudden loud noises can startle the baby leading to increased activity. Harsh noises also cause fetal abnormalities, reduced birth weight, preterm delivery, and can change the structure of the fetal brain.

Tomatoes have vitamin C and A, the two nutrients needed for a healthy immune system. They help in preventing many diseases, cancer, and the common cold. Vitamin C also improves iron absorption. Tomatoes also have lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that protects your heart. The potassium in tomatoes manages your blood pressure and keeps preeclampsia at bay. Tomatoes are acidic, so eat them in moderation if you are prone to heartburn.

As a popular beverage, orange juice is safe for pregnant women. It can prevent neural tube defects thanks to its high level of folate. If the orange juice is fortified with calcium, you’ll get extra protection against preeclampsia and bone problems. The potassium in orange juice also controls your blood pressure, while the vitamin C boosts your immunity. Even iron absorption will improve because of the vitamin C. If you have high blood sugar, avoid orange juice.

For most women, the first trimester of pregnancy is the most consuming! Everything is all so new, so exciting, and overwhelming. To satisfy the little voice inside your head that keeps asking questions, here’s a guide. Keep it handy. Week 1 Week 1: You’re actually not pregnant yet—the clock starts ticking from the[.....]