1. They’re the reason why you feel like you’re living Mean Girls, thanks to the outbreak of acne on your face.

2. You have taken to wearing a permanent eye patch in the hope of reducing the pain caused by the constant pregnancy hormone-induced headaches.

3. They made you throw up mashed potatoes. Enough said.

4. They leave you retching from the suddenly-repulsive smell of laundry detergent each time you take a fresh load out of the machine.

5. The mood swings they cause leave you feeling like a teenager again. It takes every ounce of energy you have in your body (not much, thanks for that, hormones) to stop yourself slamming the door and screaming, “I wish I’d never been born!”

6. After years spent building a reputation as an intelligent, competent and brilliant business woman, the pregnancy hormones made you fall asleep in a meeting.

7. They made you leave your keys in the door, put your glasses in the fridge, and forget the word ‘rectangle’. Stupid pregnancy brain.

8. They put you on a 10 week long diet of plain crackers and ginger ale.

9. They forced you to experience pain like no other – breast tenderness.

10. They gave you a serious case of the One Track Minds.

11. They gave you impossible-to-ignore chocolate chip ice-cream cravings, when you should really be eating healthily.

12. They gave you sideburns. Actual sideburns.

13. They’re the reason you’re out in the cold, wearing nothing but a vest top, sweating like a pig.

14. They keep giving you really, really weird dreams. That you cannot forget.

15. At a time in your life when you want to be thought of as beautiful and womanly, they make you snore. Really loudly. All night long.

16. They have ruined what should be a nine month holiday from sanitary products, by giving you a crazy amount of vaginal discharge.

17. They can be held, at least, partially responsible for the painful hemorrhoid you battle with each time you visit the toilet.

18. You know that unbearable aching in your lower abdomen? The pain that simply will not go, and feels worse whenever you stand up or move position? Yep, they are to blame for that too.

19. They made your gums bleed.

20. They hired a top-of-their-industry marketing firm to come up with the name ‘morning sickness’, but really made you sick all day. For months on end.

And, for the sake of impartiality, one reason why they’re not:

1. They’re helping you to grow a baby.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

As much as we know about the human body, the reality is that each and everyone of us is so uniquely designed that no two people are just alike.  And this is especially true with pregnancies. While your friend may have been throwing up from the moment they conceived until the day they delivered, you may feel anything (and everything) but nauseated.

The typical pregnancy symptoms of morning sickness, fatigue. cramping and aches in the lower abdomen, sore breasts and even headaches or strange cravings aren’t always the only tell tale signs of pregnancy. In fact, many women feel none of those things and describe early pregnancy as a phase where they just felt ‘off’ or ‘different,’ in some weird unexplainable way.

The following are some strange pregnancy symptoms that you may not find in the everyday pregnancy manuals. But they can mean you are pregnant just the same!

• Strange dreams. Plenty of women report having strange dreams during the days and weeks between conception and finding out that they are pregnant. These dreams could be caused by rising hormone levels, or could be a little sign from your intuition telling you that things in your life are changing. It could also mean your fatigue is causing you to reach the deeper levels of sleep where more realistic and imaginative dreams tend to evolve from.
• Food aversions. Everyone talks about craving things from pickles to ice cream. But what about food aversions? For many women the earliest pregnancy symptom is a strong aversion to certain foods. One day, your favorite food is pasta salad, and then suddenly the next day the sheer site of the pasta makes your stomach turn.
• Heightened sense of smell. Suddenly the buckets of cologne your co-worker wears, or the mold in your shower, or the smell of your significant others feet seem to be swallowing you whole. You might even have a problem with smells that you used to love, such as your own perfume or regular cleaning products. It is true that during pregnancy your sense of smell is heightened, and this can occur quickly as an initial pregnancy symptom pretty early on.
• Increased sex drive. It’s true! All those raging hormones might just make you feel more erogenous than ever before. And you might want to enjoy it before sex becomes cumbersome.
• Snoring and a Stuffy Nose. What you might think is a cold, could be swollen mucous membranes in your nose due to all the surges in hormone levels in your body and increases in blood production. In fact, some women stay stuffed up throughout pregnancy. (Which might be a good thing if you also suffer from a heightened sense of smell)
• Feeling OFF! You might not be able to explain what is ‘wrong’ with you. Yet plenty of pregnant mothers talk about just feeling different, even a few days after conception. Only to find out a few weeks later that they are in fact pregnant.

Pregnancy is a unique and amazing experience for everyone. Chances are, those subtle changes that you think are only in your head, or you confuse with ‘coming down with something,’ might just mean you are expecting!

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Mom-Spirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Since the start of pregnancy, you feel like not only did your pregnancy shrink your brain, but it has also made you a tad clumsy. You are suddenly dropping things, tripping, knocking things over, misplacing items, and having trouble remembering what you are supposed to be doing. And, of course, you wonder if this is normal? You wonder if pregnancy has caused you to lose your mind and your cat-like grace.

The truth is, that this state of confusion and clumsiness during pregnancy is completely normal. Your body is undergoing rapid changes in a short time that seemingly affect every system of the body from your brain to your joints. Plus, as you retain more water and become larger, your center of balance becomes off. As a result, the tendency to drop things, fall, trip or become clumsy increase. In addition to that, hormonal changes that loosen the ligaments in the joints (and seem to give you a case of pregnancy brain) are to blame for this newfound clumsiness.

Unfortunately, there is not much that you can do about it. The larger you get, the clumsier you may feel. Your best bet is to slow down and take your time, especially considering the risk of falls in late pregnancy can be dangerous.

While you are dealing with this coordination dilemma, you should also worry less about the looks of your footwear and more about the functionality they provide you. Look for comfortable and supportive footwear with rubber soles and supports for the arches of your feet. Avoid high heels, and any shoes that offer little support. Wearing good shoes during pregnancy is important and can help you avoid excess back pain and reduce the swelling in your feet.

If water retention is a problem for you, be sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Keep water on hand at all times so that you can be sure you aren’t dehydrating yourself. And if your feet or legs begin to swell, take time to sit down and put your feet up!

The good news is that the new cumbersome you is not permanent, and it comes for a good reason. Soon, you will have a clumsy little baby to look after, and you will return back to your normal, graceful self!

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

You’re pregnant. Naturally this means you are going to feel all sorts of new aches and pains. In fact, you might wake up with a new pregnancy symptom every day of the week. Most of these are normal. Still, there are some pregnancy symptoms NOT to ignore. Remember, it is always better to err on the side of caution rather than wait something out when you are pregnant.

The following are pregnancy symptoms that require you to get in touch with your help practitioner. (Please note: some of these can be a normal and natural part of your pregnancy, so don’t be immediately alarmed if you have any of these.)

1. Less fetal movement. If you notice a significant decrease in fetal movement, or no movement at all for an extended period of time, you should call your doctor. Try laying down on your left side after drinking something sweet, like orange juice, to see if you conjure up movements. In late pregnancy, a change in the types of movements is natural as space is limited. But your baby should still move regularly. If you cannot get your baby to move – then call your doctor immediately.

2. Extreme abdominal pain. Pulled or strained muscles are par for the course of pregnancy. Cramps are fairly common too, and can be Braxton-Hicks contractions. If, however, you are experiencing deep and strong or sharp pains, you should call your doctor. The best rule of thumb is know your body, and know whether this is a normal, routine pain – or something more. If you think it’s something more, then a check-up won’t hurt.

3. Vaginal Bleeding or Spotting. Some women spot and bleed their whole pregnancy without a problem. However, if you notice sudden spotting or heavy bleeding (accompanied by discharge) that starts out of nowhere and is accompanied with cramping – check yourself into an emergency department, or call your healthcare provider for an appointment that day. Remember, better safe than sorry.

4. Extreme swelling of the face or extremities. Obviously, some swelling is normal. If you notice a sudden increase in weight gain and swelling, you may have preeclampsia, which can be life threatening to you. Call your doctor.

5. High fevers, chills, and severe headaches accompanied by blurred vision. This could be something as normal as the common cold or flu, or something more. Its always best to have your provider treat you for illness during pregnancy.

6. A swollen leg, or pain in one leg that doesn’t go away. Blood clots during pregnancy are often caused by hormones, and one of the first signs is leg swelling or severe pain in the legs.

7. Exposure to influenza. H1N1 flu exposure has been proven to be risky to pregnant woman. If you have been exposed, it is important to let your doctor know. Also exposure to chicken pox, rubella, and Fifths disease should be reported to your doctor.

8. Itchiness all over your body. Occasional itchiness as skin stretches is normal, but sudden unexplained itchiness may signal a problem.

9. Shortness of breath or difficult breathing, whether in pregnancy or not – should prompt a trip to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. If this is combined with chest pains, fainting spells, or high fever, you need to be seen ASAP.

The reality is that pregnancy can make you feel all sorts of things. If you listen to your intuition and let it guide you to knowing that something may be wrong, you will be better off in the long run. You should never feel like you worry too much, or that a doctor or ER is going to think you are crazy simply because you are concerned about something going on with your body. Even though the chances are high that you will find out everything is fine, it is always better to know for sure so you can relax. You owe yourself peace of mind.

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

I was having coffee with a pregnant friend who had just been running errands. She said the teller at the bank told her, “You’re having a boy. You always lose your looks with a boy.” Rude, you say? And insulting, I might add. But such stories are part of the advice people feel free to give pregnant women – solicited or not. We’ve all heard stories like these, but we scoff and carry on. Still, a part of our mind wonders if there’s any truth to these old wives’ tales. Here a look at some of the most popular:

• If you’re carrying your baby low, it’s a boy. Gender prediction is the most prolific area of pregnancy advice. Carrying high or low, craving certain foods, a high fetal heart rate, and more – all of these tales can be a fun way to guess at whether the baby will be a boy or a girl, but none have a basis in fact. Gender is determined at conception; and, whether male or female, there are no tell-tale signs to clue you in apart from an ultrasound or genetic testing. By the way, carrying low may just mean your abdominal muscles aren’t as strong or toned as other women. Or it could just mean that you are genetically prone to a certain body shape.

• Don’t hang the wash or reach to a high shelf, or your baby will be entangled in the umbilical cord. In Jamaica, women are told not to step over a donkey’s tether or the baby will end up with the cord tightly around his neck. In Sicily, wearing a scarf can cause the same mishap. Or, if you’re Navajo, it could be the sitting with your legs crossed that does it. Take a deep breath, and stop worrying about this one. At birth, the umbilical cord is about twenty inches (50cm) long, and this gives plenty of length for baby to move, twist and turn throughout pregnancy and birth without becoming knotted or entangled. In fact, true knots occur in very few pregnancies.

• If you have heartburn, your baby will be born with lots of hair. Strangely, this one may have some fact to it. One study showed over 80% of babies born to moms who had moderate to severe heartburn had lots of hair! This is probably related to hormones that not only control growth, but that initiate changes in a mom’s body to keep pregnancy healthy.

• Never take a bath when you’re pregnant. The tale goes that if you submerge your belly in water, your baby will drown. While you don’t want to sit in water that’s too hot (and raise your body temperature too much), a warm bath can safely soothe the aches and pains of pregnancy. Also, you may be told not to take a bath in labor after your water breaks because it increases your risk of infection. Studies have shown this is not true, and that even a water birth is safe.

• If you crave a certain food, you’re baby must want it. Hungry for salsa? Your little one must be ordering it up. Well, not really. But there is a chance he might like spicy foods if you eat them often. Amniotic fluid takes on the flavors from mom’s diet, especially strong ones, like garlic or hot pepper. Another thought about cravings is that your body must need certain nutrients when you crave particular foods, though it hasn’t been proven.

• Sex will start labor. Sex is typically safe throughout pregnancy, and, even though it may cause some mild uterine contractions, it won’t start labor necessarily. If your body is ready for birth, however, sex may get things moving. The oxytocin release with orgasm, along with the prostaglandins in semen, may help to soften the cervix and induce regular contractions.

Before the advent of modern medicine, old wives’ tales served as a way of understanding and explaining the unknown. Today, we have ultrasound to track fetal development and all sorts of medical tests to help us understand the intricacies of pregnancy and birth. But these tales persist. Perhaps we still seek to rationalize and exert some control over bodily processes. Or perhaps the tales just serve as a way to connect with the past and with each other.

What are some of the more outrageous old wives’ tales you have heard?

Written by Michelle, writer, editor, Lamaze instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

In early pregnancy, rapidly increasing hormones cause a whole host of changes in your body as it prepares to carry a pregnancy. You may not notice some of the changes taking place, but others will be more noticeable. For many women, a missed period is the first sign of pregnancy, but for others that may not be a reliable indicator. Below is a list of the common early pregnancy signs, you may experience some, all or none of these symptoms. All women, and all pregnancies for that matter, are different.

Missed period
If you usually menstruate like clockwork, a missed period may be your first symptom of pregnancy. Absent periods can also be caused by illness, severe weight loss, stress and anxiety, so an absent period isn’t a definite indicator of pregnancy.

Sore breasts
Your breasts may feel tender and swollen early in the pregnancy. This symptom is very similar to the tender breasts experienced pre menstruation. This can be one of the first symptoms of pregnancy.

Nausea
Morning sickness and nausea tend to kick in around week six, however it can start as early as week four. Morning sickness can occur at any time of day. You may vomit or feel nauseous. Not all women will experience morning sickness. For those who do, the nausea usually subsides around the end of the first trimester.

Frequent urination
Needing to wee excessively is probably one of the most famous pregnancy side effects, but people often mistakenly assume it doesn’t start until later in the pregnancy. While the third trimester can be filled with toilet breaks, this is usually because with an expanding uterus and baby, there isn’t much room left for your bladder. Frequent urination can start as early as six weeks into the pregnancy, as your pregnancy hormones combine with your growing uterus, causing you to wee more.

Tiredness
Fatigue is a common early pregnancy symptom. As your body uses lots of energy for the pregnancy, and your deluge of hormones leave you feeling sleepy, it’s no wonder you’re crashing out on the sofa at 7pm. If you are experiencing fatigue, try to get as much rest as you can.

Food cravings/aversions
It’s not uncommon for women to experience strong aversions to certain foods or smells early in the pregnancy. Aversions and cravings can even occur before a missed period. Some women find that they go off tea or coffee, and become hypersensitive to cooking aromas.

Shortness of breath
If you suddenly find yourself out of puff after climbing a flight of steps, you may be experiencing the early pregnancy symptom shortness of breath. As your hormones surge during the early weeks of pregnancy, progesterone increases the amount of air taken in with each breath.

If you think you may be pregnant, the best way to find out for sure is to take a home pregnancy test. Pregnancy tests are most reliable after a missed period, so ideally you should wait until then to take one. If the home pregnancy test confirms you are pregnant, you should contact your healthcare provider.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

No two pregnancies are the same, so your delivery experience is totally unique to you and your baby. However, there are certain things all women will go through during pregnancy and delivery. That’s what makes prenatal classes an important addition to your pregnancy – to familiarize yourself with what to expect. If you ask around, you may get mixed reviews. It’s important, therefore, to do your research before you decide which prenatal classes are best for you during pregnancy.

With so much pregnancy-related information available through books, magazines and the Internet, a lot of people tend to think prenatal classes are merely a waste of time. However, there are still several reasons why you should consider taking these classes.

What Are Prenatal Classes About?

Prenatal classes are designed to prepare you for the birth of your son or daughter by covering aspects of pregnancy, labor, birth, and early parenting. In your third trimester, your healthcare provider may suggest you take prenatal classes. Two popular methods are Lamaze and The Bradley Method. The Bradley method focuses on natural childbirth and nutrition, while the Lamaze class teaches you about labor pain relieving strategies and breathing techniques, among other topics.

For all women, and first time moms especially, pregnancy can be difficult at times and can cause anxiety. Most of this anxiety roots from the lack of knowledge. With the help of prenatal classes, you can learn more about your pregnancy and recognize what is normal and what might require more attention. You can even figure out what are symptoms or signs that you may have to go get checked out by your healthcare provider. Knowing what to expect always makes things a bit easier!

What Will You Learn From These Classes?

Prenatal classes are usually based on lectures, discussions and exercises that are all designed to help you prepare for labor and early parenthood. If you have gone through these classes, you will be in a better position to make informed decisions when the need arises. Here are some things are usually discussed in these classes:

• How to recognize labor pains
• How the typical labor progresses
• What type of medical interventions you can expect during childbirth
• How you can prepare your body for childbirth
• Different relaxation techniques
• Different types of birthing positions
• The possible pain relief choices available and a guide to their usage and implications
• A guide to possible complications that might occur during pregnancy and the decisions you can make
• Learning about a cesarean birth
• Breastfeeding information
• The basics of childcare for a newborn

Why Do You Need These Classes?

The most valid argument that people have against prenatal classes is that birthing is second nature to women. While birthing may be natural, and pregnancy will progress similarly, these classes will prepare you for the road ahead. Understanding what will be happening to your body can actually help you cope with it in a much better way!

Why Should You Take Your Partner With You?

Prenatal classes encourage your partner to get more involved in the birth of your child.  Your partner has the opportunity to learn what you will be going through, and will learn how to be supportive and appreciative of the wonderful process of pregnancy and birth. Partners can sometimes be as anxious as those who are pregnant when it comes to the birth of their child, so prenatal classes can help ease the anxiety and prepare both people for the future. Making decisions during pregnancy is always tough, so make sure you plan ahead and discuss all options with your partner. It’s always easier to make decisions when you have loved ones to help and guide you.

If you have any experiences with taking prenatal classes, let us know! Or if you prefer the Bradley method or the Lamaze method – tell us what you liked about them.

Written by Team Health & Parenting

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.