As if the thought of ‘morning’ sickness and constant aches is not enough a source of tension for women during pregnancy, the idea of stretch marks appearing all over your body is another thing you may dread. Stretch marks are purple or blue venous skin marks that appear on the belly, thighs, buttocks, arms, and breasts of women during or after pregnancy. These marks are a result of torn collagen and are caused when the skin is stretched during this time.

Now you may be thinking of the countless celebrities that recently had babies, but have NO stretch marks! Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a celebrity or be rolling around in money to avoid getting these marks. (Theirs were probably digitally manipulated out of the photo anyway!) A few simple tips will help you have better skin.

Are Stretch Marks Dangerous?

No, there is nothing dangerous if you have stretch marks on your body. They won’t cause you any severe pain but they might be slightly itchy for some women. The marks, however, might not go away after your delivery. In some cases when the collagen damage is not severe, these marks fade away naturally with time after pregnancy, but not in all cases.

Does Every Woman Get Stretch Marks?

Most women get stretch marks during pregnancy. The biggest factor that can make these marks appear is your genetic make-up. If women on your maternal side of the family have a history of getting these marks during pregnancy, you are at a higher risk of getting them too.

Another common reason that causes stretch marks to appear is your weight gain during pregnancy. If you gain too much weight or you gain weight too rapidly, there are more chances of stretch marks appearing due to the high strain it puts on your skin.

How to Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

Taking preventive measures can help you prevent stretch marks from appearing, or may help you control them so you can treat them later. Let’s see how you can have beautiful and stretch-mark-free skin:

• Dry skin is more prone to getting stretched so you should keep yourself hydrated. Drink a lot of water and take fluids in order to keep your skin hydrated.
• Keep your skin moisturized using skin lotion or cocoa butter. This will not only keep your skin soft and flexible but, also prevents itching.
• Consume a healthy diet that keeps your skin healthy. Foods that are rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids are good for the skin and the replacement of damaged collagen.
• Watch your weight carefully throughout the pregnancy.

If no amount of intervention helps, be proud of your stretch marks – they are a badge of motherhood!

Written by Manal, first time mom and writer.

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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.

Whether you are newly diagnosed, or have been diagnosed for some time, you might be concerned about genital herpes in pregnancy.

What is genital herpes?
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that causes painful blisters on the genitals and surrounding areas. It is caused by the herpes simplex virus, and is a chronic condition. The virus stays in your body and can become active again at any point. Over time, the recurrences will happen less often and be less severe.

The symptoms of genital herpes include:

• itching around the genital area
• painful sores on the genitals
• feeling generally unwell
• a tingling feeling may be the first warning sign of an outbreak

Genital herpes in pregnancy
Typically, genital herpes is not a problem during pregnancy, however there are are exceptions. You must inform your healthcare provider if you or your partner have ever been diagnosed with genital herpes. The seriousness of genital herpes in pregnancy depends on when you contracted the disease:

• If you had genital herpes before you became pregnant, your body will have created antibodies to protect yourself from the virus. These antibodies will be shared with your baby via the placenta, and protect him from the condition.
• If you contract the infection during the first trimester, there is a slight risk of miscarriage of birth defects.
• If you contract genital herpes towards the end of the pregnancy, particularly during the last six weeks, there is a risk of transmission during delivery. Your immune system will not yet have built antibodies to protect against the virus, and so the baby would be unprotected. You may be offered a course of antiviral medication to prevent the herpes from flaring up for the birth.

Can I have a normal birth?
The majority of women with genital herpes are able to have a vaginal delivery. The exception to this rule is if you have genital sores at the time of the birth. Your healthcare provider will examine you as labour starts. If sores are present, you may be offered a ceasarean section. The risk of your baby contracting the disease during a vaginal birth when sores are present, is around 40%. Neonatal herpes is rare, but can be a very serious condition. Neonatal herpes causes infection of the eyes, skin and, in some cases, brain.

Speak to your healthcare provider if you are worried about genital herpes.

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.

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.

For some women, the extra hormones raging through their body leads to an increased sex drive during pregnancy. For others, the back ache, swollen ankles and fatigue are enough to put them right off the thought of sex. If you don’t feel like having sex, that’s fine. Talk to your partner about how you feel.

If you would like to have sex, you may find it gets a little trickier in the third trimester. As your bump grows and your breasts become increasingly tender, you may need to experiment with sex positions for pregnancy to find one that feels comfortable.

Here are some tried and tested sex positions for late pregnancy:

1. Spoons in a drawer – lie on your side with your knees pulled up near your bump. Your partner should spoon you and enter you from behind. This position will prevent your partner from going in too deep so may be more comfortable for you. With your bump resting on the bed, you will be under less strain, too.
2. From behind – get down on your hands and knees (this position is sometimes referred to as ‘doggy style’). Your partner should enter you from behind.
3. On top – your partner should lie down, and you should lower yourself onto him. The good thing about this position is that you are able to control the depth of penetration. Simply rock gently in this position.
4. Reverse cowgirl – like the above, but you should sit facing your partner’s feet instead of his face.
5. Take a seat – your partner should sit on a sturdy chair. You should then lower yourself onto him. This position allows you to control the depth of penetration, and also allows for plenty of kissing.
6. Face to face – lie facing your partner, and lean your top leg over your partner’s side. This position will restrict deep penetration, and the weight of your bump will be supported on the bed.
7. The edge – sit at the edge of the bed, and pull your feet up onto the edge of the mattress. Lie yourself back, ideally on a pillow to keep you tilted upright (and avoid lying flat on your back). Your partner should stand or kneel in front of you.

It may take a few attempts to find the position that works best for you. As your body changes, and your centre of balance moves, you may need to keep adjusting the sexual positions in favour.

Later in the pregnancy, it is normal for orgasms to trigger Braxton Hicks contractions. It’s nothing to worry about if you experience these irregular contractions.

If you experience cramping that doesn’t disappear after a few minutes, or if you experience pain or bleeding during or after sex, 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.

Pregnancy is one of the most important phases of a woman’s life, with many emotional and physical changes. If you maintain a safe and regular exercise regimen throughout your pregnancy, you can stay healthier. Exercising safely during pregnancy can help you avoid many discomforts and might help you cope better with your pregnancy and delivery. In addition, staying active can help you better manage the emotional ups and downs of pregnancy.

Benefits of Exercising

Exercising during pregnancy can be very helpful for you in several aspects. Even if you were not physically active earlier, you can start off with an exercise regimen when you learn about your pregnancy in order to stay fit. Ideally, 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day is highly recommended for pregnant women. For women who suffer from backaches or anxiety, exercising safely during pregnancy can act as a form of relief, helping them sleep better.

It also helps in cases of those suffering from gestational diabetes and constipation during pregnancy. Most importantly, at a time when you might be feeling like you are stuck in the body of an alien, exercising gives you back the sense of control over your body and boosts your energy levels. Appropriate exercises can tone your muscles to give you better posture, and strengthen your joints which will loosen due to pregnancy. It may even help you have an easier labor.

Is Exercise Recommended for Everyone?

Exercise is good for pregnant women, but it is not right for everyone. There are several conditions that require you to take it easy during pregnancy and exercising when you have any such condition may be harmful for you. For personalized advice on whether or not you should exercise, you first need to consult your healthcare provider who will review your medical history to help you come up with the best fitness plan for you.

Generally, women who have medical conditions such as severe asthma, diabetes or heart disease should stay away from exercising during pregnancy. Women who suffer from some pregnancy-related conditions should also avoid exercise – these might include a weak cervix, bleeding or spotting, a low lying placenta, a previous history of early births or miscarriages, or a threat of miscarriage. Whether or not to avoid exercise is usually very individual, and you should talk to your doctor or midwife if you have any of these conditions to see what exercises would be best for you.

Guidelines for Exercising Safely

If you want to make sure that you are exercising safely, here are some guidelines you should follow before you get started:

• Wear comfortable loose clothes and proper shoes while you are exercising. Shoes are one of the best ways to protect yourself from injuries.
• Choose an even, flat and clear surface for exercise that allows you ample room to move around without hitting anything.
• If you are exercising, you need to increase your calorie intake in order to meet the calorie requirements of your pregnancy as well as your exercise.
• Start your exercise at least one hour after you have eaten a meal.
• Start with warm up exercises and end with some cooling down. When getting up after a session of floor exercises, be slow in order to avoid dizziness.
• Keep the exercises moderate and don’t over-exert yourself. If you are unable to talk properly while exercising, you are overdoing it.

If you want to have a healthy yet safe pregnancy, add safe exercises to your daily routine. If you haven’t exercised much before pregnancy, start slowly. The moment you feel discomfort due to exercising, you should discontinue and consult your doctor. Nothing is worth putting your pregnancy at risk. But, more than likely, regular exercise will help you feel better throughout your pregnancy.

Have a safe and fit pregnancy!

Written by Manal, first time mom, rearing an infant.

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 the first trimester of pregnancy, and sometimes later, experiencing extraordinary fatigue is very common. For some women, this fatigue can prevail throughout their pregnancy (very debilitating, I know!). However, it is not a worrisome condition. Sustaining another life inside can naturally take a toll on your body and drain it of energy. However, the fatigue often comes with some aches and pains and makes it difficult for you to carry on with your daily routine. Let’s first take a look at what causes fatigue, before you set off to deal with fatigue during pregnancy.

Causes of Fatigue

Pregnancy-related conditions that can be the underlying cause of fatigue include:

• Anemia or lack of iron to carry oxygen to the baby sufficiently.
• Lack of exercise (even if you hate it) since it slows down the flow of blood and affects your stamina.
• Over-exertion, especially lifting heavy things.
• Too much heat or dehydration.
• Vitamin deficiency and lack of B-complex vitamins.
• Improper diet that doesn’t fulfill the necessary nutritional requirements for pregnancy.
• Depression, which can occur during pregnancy.

By knowing the underlying cause of fatigue, you can be in a much better position to cope with it. So, if you are feeling unusually fatigued, ask your doctor about these possible causes.

How to Cope With Fatigue

If you are finding the fatigue too much to cope with, there are several ways you can deal with it and try to keep it to a minimum.

• Try to Take Short Naps: This may be an easy one for many of you out there, because who doesn’t like to nap! When you feel too tired, take a short nap. The good thing is that while you are pregnant, even a short nap of a few minutes can work wonders for you, making you feel refreshed and energized.

• Cut Back on Your Activities: Cut back on your usual activities. Socialize less, let the housework go once in a while, take an occasional off day from work in the middle of the week, and send the kids to a friend or relative for the afternoon. Give yourself a break and put your feet up, you’re pregnant so you deserve it!

• Eat a Healthy Diet: You need to get at least 200 extra calories every day during your pregnancy; and, as much as you want, you definitely can’t get them from junk food and snacks. You need to follow a proper and balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, lean meat, diary, and whole grains that can give you energy.

• Drink Water: Your body needs plenty of fluids during pregnancy to stay hydrated. However, you should cut back on drinks that have caffeine and instead drink plenty of water. While this may make you go to the toilet more than you like, it is important to have fluids in your body at this time.

• Exercise Regularly: While there is no need to overexert yourself, believe it or not, too much rest can also be bad for you. Make sure you have a regular exercise regimen to follow, even if it means taking a short walk every day. However, for some women, exercising is not recommended so get a go-ahead from your obstetrician or midwife first so you can properly deal with fatigue during pregnancy.

In what ways are you fighting your pregnancy fatigue?

Written by Manal, first time mom, rearing an infant.

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.

If you are like many people – having a baby changes your living arrangements quite a bit. So many people find out that their family will be growing and immediately jump the gun and start looking for a bigger home or a bigger car in order to accommodate having a baby. Is this really necessary?  If you live in a one room apartment does your baby need a nursery? Is your two-door car suddenly too small for a baby?

Long gone are the days when young parents would make do with what they had and work towards the bigger and better things in life as their children grew older. Today, it is typical for expectant couples to get a new car or buy a new house because they think that they will NEED these things when the baby arrives. The reality is that your baby needs very little in the first year with the exception of TLC.

Your baby will not notice that they don’t have a room, and they certainly won’t recognize the new car smell or be mobile enough to enjoy a playroom all of their own. Heck, most babies don’t even need a closet and can get by with a dresser during the first few months of life. Plus, there’s a good chance that even if your baby had a room of his or her own – they might be sleeping in the corner of yours anyways.

Jumping the gun and adding expenditures and bills to your life will only make things more stressful in the long run. It is completely possible to renovate a one bedroom apartment to give your baby ample space for a crib or place of their own. Plus, you may decide once you have a baby that you don’t want to rush back to work – yet if you have a big new house and new car, you will not have a choice but to do so. Having a baby changes many things.  And certainly the mark of a good parent is not the size of the house that you live in nor the kind of car that you drive. If you are worried about school districts – remember that you have several years to ponder that question as well.

My advice to you is to make things as simple as possible. The first year will go so fast! If you can ensure that you enjoy getting to know your baby and realize that things are not important to a newborn, you will certainly make better memories for yourself.

There may come a day when you outgrow your home, or your car. When that time comes, deal with it. But until then keep your life as simple as possible and cherish the moments you have together.

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.

So, you were feeling nauseous, you missed a period and you decided it’s time to take a pregnancy test. Now, with the two pink stripes clearly visible on the test, congratulations are in order. You are pregnant, and you are going to go through one of the most significant experiences of your life. While you are on this roller coaster ride, not only is your life about to change, but so is your body.

After you get pregnant, your body goes through a number of changes, not just externally but internally as well. There is much more to these changes than a bloated body and swollen feet, and before you decide how to deal with a changing body during pregnancy, you first need to understand what they actually are and why they happen in the first place.

Common Body Changes During Pregnancy

Here are some common changes that take place inside your body during pregnancy:

• You start growing a completely new organ inside – the placenta. This organ starts developing roughly a week after conception to form a protective barrier around your baby that stops your blood from mixing with the baby’s blood, while allowing the oxygen and nutrients to get through. The placenta also excretes hormones that support pregnancy and prepare your body for nursing.
• During pregnancy, your body starts releasing a hormone called relaxin, that is known to soften and loosen bones and ligaments. While this makes it easier for you to go through labor, it also affect other parts of your body, resulting in back aches and swollen feet.
• During pregnancy, the hormones in your body also affect spatial memory, making you forget what you were doing just minutes before.
• By the time you reach the 20th week of your pregnancy, you are carrying around 50% more blood than before, which is required by the body to nourish the pregnancy. This excessive blood is the reason behind varicose veins, nosebleeds and hemorrhoids experienced by some women at this time. The extra circulation also gives you the famous pregnancy “glow.” So don’t hate it, embrace it!

Ways to deal with a changing body during pregnancy

The best way to deal with your changing pregnant body is to keep a positive attitude towards it, no matter what others say. Remember that this is one of the best experiences of your life, a miracle is about to happen and all the changes that your body is experiencing are for the good.

Staying active is another way to maintain control over your body. Try to make a regular exercise regimen, go for a short walk or take a swim. In the advanced stages of pregnancy, swimming is one of the best ways to stay active. Yoga is another way you can cope with your changing body.

Don’t feel helpless, because you are not (contrary to the popular belief). While it is true that you cannot completely control the changes in your body during pregnancy, letting go completely can make things worse for you. Consume a healthy, controlled diet, and exercise regularly so that you don’t become overweight.

Lastly, talk to people about your changing body and your concerns, especially your partner and other women who have gone through pregnancy. They can help you maintain a positive attitude about your body during pregnancy.

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.

The loss of a child is an experience you may never truly recover from. It is likely that you will carry with you part of that grief for the rest of your life, although your emotions will become more manageable over time. Though you may be excited when you discover you are pregnant again, you may feel more worried than excited, at least for a little while.

It is important to remember that experiencing a miscarriage in the past, does not increase your chances of suffering another miscarriage. Many women who experience miscarriages go on to have problem-free healthy pregnancies.

You may find yourself feeling worried and anxious about the pregnancy, and may lose sleep over concern for your pregnancy. Anxiety is common during pregnancies after loss, and you may find that time seems to pass very slowly throughout this pregnancy. You may find that you feel less anxious once your pregnancy has progressed past the timing of your previous miscarriage. Some women find that hearing their baby’s heartbeat for the first time, or seeing their baby on an ultrasound scan, reduces the feelings of anxiety.

How to cope with the worry

Your experience is unique to you, and you will need to find your own path to ease your worry. You may find the following tips useful, however, as ways of reducing or coping with your anxieties over the pregnancy:

• take care of yourself – do all that you can to ensure you are having a healthy pregnancy. Eat a healthy, balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and take regular exercise. Rest when you feel tired, and make sure you are trusting your instincts and listening to what your body tells you.
• relax – take some time out at the end of each day to clear your mind. Meditation, yoga, or even just a long soak in the bath, could be all you need to help yourself relax at the end of the day. Clear your mind of negative thoughts and worries, and instead spend some time thinking positively, focusing on the fact that you are pregnant right now, and making sure you feel calm.
• be honest – a problem shared is a problem halved. Talk to your partner about how you feel, he may be able to reassure or comfort you during times of worry. Speak to your mum, best friend, or an online support group of strangers – whoever you feel comfortable opening up to.
• talk to your healthcare provider – your healthcare provider is there to support you during pregnancy, as well as during the birth. Be honest about how you are feeling, and any worries you may have. Your healthcare provider may be able to offer advice to calm your nerves, practical help in the form of extra check ups, or support simply by listening to you.

Announcing the news

Some couples choose to wait before announcing the pregnancy for fear of another loss. For others, however, the support of friends and family is a must, and so the news is shared earlier. Whether you wait until after the scan, or tell people straight away, is a personal decision that only you and your partner can make.

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.

A pregnancy journal is a place to collect your thoughts, feelings and experiences during pregnancy. It could be a home made scrapbook, a store-bought journal, or an online blog. It’s somewhere for you to capture your pregnancy journey, and a place to record your bump and scan photos. You may not be a Booker Prize winner just yet, but here’s a few reasons to consider keeping a pregnancy journal:

1. Time to think – setting aside 20 minutes each day to write about the pregnancy will help you relax and focus on your baby. It will give you chance to reflect on how you are feeling emotionally as well as physically, and give you chance to note down your hopes for the future.

2. Looking back – you may think you’ll never forget how awful it is to throw up mashed potato, or just how exhausting it can be to lug around a 40 week bump, but you will. As you are sucked into the consuming whirlwind that is motherhood, you will find the finer details of your pregnancy fade to the back of your mind. By writing it all down in a journal, you will be able to look back and read about exactly how you felt during pregnancy.

3. Questions to ask – writing notes about your pregnancy is likely to leave you with questions about the pregnancy and birth. As you write, you may stumble across worries and concerns you didn’t even know you had. With your pen and paper in your hands, you are in the ideal situation to jot down some questions to ask your midwife at your next appointment.

4. Stress relief – everyone knows that talking through your problems can leave you feeling like a weight has lifted, and writing can have the same effect. Writing down your worries and concerns will help you to better identify what is bothering you and why. Spending time each day writing down the exciting moments – the kicks, the scans, the daydreams – will allow you to focus more on these exciting aspects too.

5. The journey – it’s not all about the destination, the journey is worth celebrating too. Pregnancy is an amazing time – it can be overwhelming and terrifying one day, and magical the next. Some days you may lack the energy to get out of bed, and others you may be cleaning the house from top to bottom. Keeping a record of the pregnancy will help you to look back at this once in a lifetime experience.

6. Revision notes – if you have another pregnancy in the future, you’ll be able to go back and compare notes. It will give you a chance to see how your pregnancies differ.

7. Bump watch – including photographs in the journal will help you to see how much your body has changed. Taking a photograph of yourself each month, week or day, will allow you to marvel at the size of your bump by the end of those nine long months.

8. Pass it on – one of the most special things about a pregnancy journal is that you can pass it on to the next generation. If your children are expecting children, you can give them your pregnancy notes to read. If you have daughters, they may be particularly interested to see any similarities between your symptoms and emotions during pregnancy.

Are you keeping a pregnancy journal?

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.

During pregnancy, you may feel a whole host of emotions including excitement, happiness, fear, sadness, anger and panic. Don’t worry, it’s totally normal to feel all of these things. Pregnancy can be daunting, you know your life is about to change forever, but you can’t quite imagine how. You may find that your mood changes without warning. From feeling ecstatically happy one minute, to uncontrollable sobbing the next. These mood swings are a common feature of pregnancy, and most women experience them at some point.

What causes mood swings during pregnancy?

Simply put, hormones. Yes, those blasted things that are also making you nauseous, are now turning you into the stereotyped irrational pregnant woman often seen in US sitcoms. It’s not just the hormones though, lack of sleep can play a part too. If you’ve been struggling to sleep, you may find yourself more irritable than usual. Even if the pregnancy was long-anticipated, you may still feel scared and unsure as you embark on this life changing journey.

How to manage mood swings during pregnancy

• talk it out – open up to your partner about how you are feeling. Chances are, he’s feeling every bit a nervous about parenthood as you are, and you’ll both feel a lot better after talking through your concerns.
• be honest – if you’ve just screamed in your mum’s face because she said you were blooming, apologise and explain you’re feeling hormonal. One of the great things about pregnancy is that people are more lenient with you. People expect you to feel tired, emotional and hormonal, so they tend to be more understanding of grumpiness.
• take it slow – if you’re trying to keep up your fast paced lifestyle, you may find the exhaustion is adding to your bad mood. Try taking it slow, spend time relaxing it each and do things at your own pace. This should help you to feel more in control.
• rest – try to get as much sleep as you can, you may find napping during the day or straight after work helps you to make up the hours lost at night. If you’re struggling to sleep at night, try to rest instead. Relaxing can help you to feel rested, even if you haven’t been sleeping. Working on your laptop at 3am won’t help you feel relaxed, and it is in fact likely to make you feel more stressed.

When it’s not just mood swings

If you are feeling down, and you can’t seem to shake it, speak to your healthcare provider. You may be suffering from antenatal depression, and they will be able to advise you of where to get help. It is important to remember you are not alone, and there is help available to you.

If your mood swings are extreme or are interfering with your everyday activities, you should speak to 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.