Author Archives: Tracey

Rib Pain During Pregnancy – What it Means!

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If you are a later in your pregnancy, the latter second trimester or the third trimester, then you very well may be undergoing rib pain during pregnancy. In many cases this is quite normal as women that feel such pain often express a tenderness or bruising in that area of the rib cage. Most people that experience this complain of the ribs hurting more on the right side than on the left.

One of the more common reasons for this occurrence is due to the fact that the uterus is getting larger as the baby expands his or her space in the womb. If you are undergoing rib pain during pregnancy then it is usually due to the fact that the baby is pushing up against your chest. In many cases women that experience rib pain during pregnancy also complain of shoulder pain and this is mainly due to the nerves that are being referred out from that area to the shoulders.

For those that have undergone this type of pain no one needs to tell you how annoying and downright anguishing it can be. In fact, often these are not dull but sharper in nature. Some common side effects of the rib pain during pregnancy involves indigestion, nausea, and other unpleasant things as well. If you would like to find relief from this then there are certain stretches and positions that you can lie in. One stretch that is commonly recommended in order to relieve the situation involves laying on the side of the rib which does not hurt. While you’re laying on that side you can slowly lift your upper trunk up and down in order to stretch the area and provide some relief. Also, it is recommended that you sleep on the side in which there is no pain. This will provide at least some relief in the midst of sharp pains.

For those women that suffer from rib pain during pregnancy, yoga is a very popular way to not only relieve the pain from your body but also strengthen yourself mentally as well. One last recommendation would be to talk to other women that are pregnant and going through similar circumstances and try to glean some wisdom and practical advice from what they have learned works best for them as well. Lastly, focus on the end goal. Try to find hope in the fact that this will not last forever and it is all working toward the one day in which you will see your beautiful baby face to face.

Get Relief from Rib Pain Pregnancy.

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Maternity Wedding Dresses – Getting Married Pregnant is in Fashion

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There was a time when having a baby before getting married was a little taboo! Not any more however, and the number of brides that walk up the aisle while pregnant has grown to 1 in 5. That’s 20% of brides today carrying a little one up to the altar.

Today’s views on getting married while pregnant have changed and it’s no longer as taboo as it used to be. It’s true that our more liberal society has now embraced the fact that people don’t even get married at all but there is a traditionalist in the back of everyone’s mind that says “I’m pregnant and I want to be married before baby arrives”.

This new outlook on things has led to a cottage industry of small companies offering maternity wedding dresses to expectant brides to be. The traditional style of wedding dresses do not normally cater for a growing bump and there are key problems with tying to buy a normal wedding dress when you are expecting.

You normally have to order 3-6 months in advance. You have no idea what size you will be when you want to wear the dress!
Many dresses have corsets and they just are not comfortable to wear while pregnant. They also constrict your tummy and that’s not good for baby either.
You may not even know your pregnant when shopping for your dress so where do you go from there?

This is where the maternity wedding dress shops come into their own offering a unique service for this small but needy group of brides.

Maternity wedding dresses are generally empire line dresses so they are fitted around your bust and under the bust which means you have plenty of room to grow. It doesn’t matter whether you are 12 or 40 weeks pregnant as the dress itself will just expand as your tummy requires more room.

The dresses tend to be more “off the shelf” than fitted but there are some beautiful grecian and more contemporary “A line” styles out there and with 4 or 5 specialist designers now in the market there is plenty of choice for everyones taste.

If you have a little one on the way and are heading up the aisle soon then you’re now catered for. Some of the larger stockists sell online which means you can order and try the dress you like on at home as there are not too many shops around to choose from.

Don’t hide your bump – flaunt it!

Mama Bridal – http://www.mamabridal.com are one of the largest online retailers of Maternity wedding Dresses in the U.K. and sell worldwide. If you are in the U.K. and are local you can also make an appointment to try the dresses on in their Sussex based showroom.

How to Go Into Labor Now – 5 Tips to Help You Bring on Labor Fast

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You really need some tips so you can go into labor now. You are past your due date and your body is feeling the effects. You are carrying around a full term baby inside of you and it is wearing you thin. You want to be able to give birth already and to get pregnancy over with. You need some help.

You need some help so you can induce your own labor. You don’t want to go down the route of medical induction because it scares you. You wouldn’t want anything going awry and harming your unborn child. You would much rather bring on labor naturally and without any side effects.

You are going to learn 5 tips to induce your labor today. These tips will help you to jumpstart your labor so you can finally work towards giving birth sometime in the near future.

The first tip to go into labor now is to learn to relax. Relaxing your body and distressing your body is going to help you to give birth quickly. The best way to make this happen is to distract yourself. Try watching some funny movies as it will help to get you laughing and to take your mind off of the pregnancy. The more you relax, the more open your body becomes and the faster you are able to go into labor.

The second tip to induce your labor naturally is to have sex. Although this seems like the last thing you want to do, a quickie in the bedroom can really work wonders for you. Having sex relaxes your body and pulls the tension out of it. As well, if you have an orgasm, then this dilates your cervix and you want this to happen. People also believe that sperm is a natural induction tool and it can help to force your body into labor.

The third tip is to eat something spicy. Eating spicy foods can force your body into labor because it speeds up the natural processes of your body. Stock up on some spicy salsa or eat a whole jalapeno and this will definitely work wonders for you.

The fourth tip is classified as an old wives tale but it really works. If you want to go into labor now, then take a drive in a car on a bumpy road. If there is a gravel road next to your home or out in the country then take a drive. The bumps and shocks in the road will transfer into your body, causing your water to break. This is the first step to going into labor so you need to make it happen.

The final tip for inducing your own labor is to have positive thoughts. When you think positively, then the outcome is a positive one. Surrounding yourself with negative energy is a bad idea and you need to stop it. Think positively and you will be able to induce your own labor now.

There is a safe, guaranteed way to induce your own labor naturally. You can use effective acupressure techniques to help stimulate contractions. Labor acupressure not only can help you begin labor in the next 36 hours, but it also helps to diminish the pain you’ll feel. It’s a perfect choice for both you and the baby.

What to Expect during Childbirth Labor & Delivery

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If you are pregnant then you’ll know that many people often will give you advice about how to look after yourself during your pregnancy, and of course share their stories about giving birth. While they may be well meaning, often these stories can scare you more than the actual delivery itself! So this article will go over what to expect during the stages of childbirth so you can be prepared.

But first know that you will not be going through this alone. There will be midwives, obstetricians and other support people there to help you through it. You’ll probably also have your husband or family with you as well for extra support.

Labor can start at any time in the few weeks before or after your due date (and not very often on the actual day itself).

You will feel contractions around your uterus and lower abdomen area which may feel like a tightening sensation or period like cramps. They are usually not painful to start with, but will get stronger in intensity as your labor progresses. If they are coming at regular intervals for more than an hour (and don’t go away if you lie down) then you’ll know it’s true labor and not Braxton Hicks (false labor pains).

Once they get to around 3 minutes apart you should make your way to the hospital or call your midwife. If this is your first delivery then you can expect labor to last around 13 to 14 hours. It will be quicker with second and subsequent pregnancies.

The medical staff will check to see how far along you are by measuring your cervix dilation. Once you hit 10 cm you will probably have a strong urge to start pushing.

Delivery itself (the pushing stage) will usually last anything from 20 minutes to two hours. You will push with the contractions like you are having a bowel movement. This will help move the baby through the birth canal and out into the world. Delivery is usually the most intense part of childbirth for most women and can also be the most exhausting. If you are tired, try resting between contractions or only pushing every second contraction to reserve your strength.

After the baby is out, then you will still need to deliver the placenta. Usually the contractions will do this for you and many women don’t even feel these ones. Your medical practitioner sometimes will administer some drugs to make this process faster.

If you would like to hear women talk about their childbirth experiences and watch our having a baby video’s .

Pregnant and Depressed – What to Do?

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When you first find out you are pregnant it can be a rush of emotions, from excitement to nervousness to fear.  All are very normal emotions that you can experience when you first find out, but there is one emotion that many women feel that isn’t talked about much – so what happens when you are pregnant and depressed?

First the pregnancy blues is actually quite common.  With the rush of hormones and the changes that are taking place in your body and your life it’s very normal to get a bit down.  It’s only when things get worse such as sleep problems, crying all the time, lack of interest in actives and feelings of hopelessness where the issue becomes more serious.

So many women have heard of postnatal depression but not of prenatal depression and are often too embarrassed to ask for help.  Especially when all of those around you keep congratulating you and expect this to be a joyous time for you.

So if you are feeling depressed first try and determine the level of sadness that you feel.  Some degree of the pregnancy blues is perfectly normal due to the rush of hormones around your body, but if you are crying constantly and it is interfering in your normal life it might be time to visit a doctor or your ob-gyn.

Mild to moderate symptoms can be treated quite easily, but if your symptoms are severe then y ou might be referred to a mental health professional.

There are some things that you can do at home to help improve your mood if things are not too bad.  They include:

  • Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest. 
  • Exercising – while this may be the last thing you feel like doing, exercise actually reduces the hormone cortisol which is linked to depression.
  • Keep your expectations realistic – during the nine months that you are pregnant your body will be changing and you won’t be able to do many of the things that you used to.
  • Keep in contact with friends and family.  It’s proven that being around others will help lift your mood.

Having a Baby Video – What to Expect

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If you are like most expectant mothers, the thought of labour and delivery can be frightening. And while watching someone have a baby on video isn’t quite the same as experiencing it for yourself it can give you some ideas on what to expect.

Here are some videos on childbirth that you can watch to get some understanding of what to expect:

In this first video you can see what happens during childbirth for a number of women. You can learn about each of the stages of labor and delivery.

In this computer generated animation you can see how the baby will move through the vaginal canal and out via a normal vaginal delivery.

And here is another computer animation video this time of a cesarean birth (c-section).

Viewing video’s like these can give you a better understanding of what to expect when the big day arrives.

Having a Baby at 45 – What are the Risks?

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Whether your pregnancy was planned or a surprise – or you are still thinking about having one, getting pregnant later in life does come with some increased risks.  But it’s not all bad!  This article will look at some of the risks and also the pleasures of having a baby at 45.

First let me assure you that 45 is NOT too old to have a baby.  If your body is still ovulating and fertile then it’s possible to carry a healthy and happy child full term.

Fertility is the major concern for older mom’s since the bodies chances of conceiving fall dramatically each year after the age of 35.  There are also increased risks of miscarriage, premature births and the baby having birth defects such as Down Syndrome.

If you choose to get genetic testing done, you also need to consider how you will feel about the results if they are positive for various defects and what you plan to do in that situation.

The mother’s health is also at a higher risk with gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia being more common in older mothers.

But that doesn’t mean those things will happen, just that you are at a higher risk for them.  By keeping in close contact with your health providers throughout the pregnancy you can minimize or manage some of these risks.

Usually older parents are more able to cope both financially and emotionally with having children later in life and know what to expect, especially if they have done it before and already have a family. 

Of course bringing a new baby into the mix if your other children are already grown up can be challenging, but hey, new siblings are always a challenge anyway.

You will need to be aware that you’ll be much older at most of your child’s big life moments such as their 21st, wedding and perhaps even the birth of their own children. 

Today more and more women are having babies later in life so it’s more socially acceptable now that it used to be.  It’s not uncommon to hear of women in the mid and late 40′s becoming parents today and many times you might even hear of women in their 50′s giving birth as they have not reached menopause yet.