November 2020

Pregnancy Planning with Healthcare Tips

Posted on November 30, 2020May 15, 2024 by admin

What is Pregnancy Planning?

Like most important things in life, this phase of your life will also require you to plan a little ahead. Good news is always welcome, even when it is unexpected but when you decide to start a family or are actively trying, then it’s important to start right.

When you make a note of the essentials and take into consideration all factors of your life – that is when you’re planning a pregnancy effectively. Even the things that may seem not as important can play a part later. So it’s important to approach it from a holistic perspective.

From preconception health to finances and increasing chances of a healthy baby – pregnancy planning takes a lot into account. Different women have different experiences and it takes a different amount of time for them to get pregnant. Thus, planning ahead and using the time to ensure a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy is what pregnancy planning is all about.

Steps in Pregnancy Planning

Preconception Checkup: This involves a full body check-up of both partners to treat or eliminate any conditions – whether hereditary or not. This is important as it ensures a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Lifestyle Management: If you’re wondering how to have healthy pregnancy, lifestyle management including healthy eating, discontinuing harmful habits and exercising can help you go a long way.
Talking to your partner: The most basic but the most important part of pregnancy planning – this ensures that everybody stays on the same page and stress is effectively managed.
Planning ahead: Last but not the least, having a concrete plan in place for the baby’s arrival is also important and helps set the path for years to come.

Why is Pregnancy Planning Important?

Pregnancy planning helps in more ways than one. It is a holistic approach to a new start and ensures the overall well-being of both parents and the baby for a happy and healthy tomorrow. In the initial stages, pregnancy planning can help ensure the overall health of the mother and father for a healthier pregnancy. It also takes into account entire medical history and helps you tackle the same for a healthy offspring.

Moreover, a holistic pregnancy planning is also good for the overall mental and physical health of parents and ensures their happiness, thus creating a positive environment for the baby. Broadly speaking, pregnancy planning is beneficial for both parents and baby even before conception and is thus extremely important for every couple planning a family.

Tips on Pregnancy Planning

Preconception Checkup

If you’re planning to get pregnant, you should get an appointment with your doctor for a preconception checkup. This will help you towards a healthier pregnancy and easier conception. It is also the time to detect any problems or get medication for existing conditions.

This checkup can include a lot of things like below:

Medical history of both partners: thyroid problems, haemophilia, diabetes, hypertension etc. are just some of the many screening tests one can get done prior to getting pregnant to ensure a healthier offspring.
Genetic history of both partners: genetic diseases or conditions should be identified in the preconception stage so it can be treated or medicines can be administered so it doesn’t affect the offspring.
Fertility tests if needed: if you have been trying for a while or there have been not so successful results before, you can consult a specialist for fertility issues. This could also include ovulation cycles’ awareness etc. to help increase the chances of conception.
Multivitamins and folic acid: depending on your health, the doctor may advise a few vitamins and folic acid to prepare your body better for the pregnancy.
Inclusion of iron: depending on your health conditions, the doctor may advise additional iron intake in the form of capsules or tablets.
Mental health assessment: if you’re undergoing treatment for mental health or have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety etc. the doctor can guide you towards a healthier pregnancy by helping you cope with your triggers. After all, a happy mother is a healthy mother.

Lifestyle Management

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is of utmost importance when you’re planning a family. These include many factors like diet, routines etc.

Some ways to make your lifestyle healthier are listed below:

Stopping alcohol, smoking, other drugs and limiting the amount of caffeine can greatly contribute towards a healthier pregnancy.
Stress management is equally important when it comes to family planning – heightened stress can not only reduce chances of conception but also affect the foetus. Thus it is important to identify and tackle stress.
Maintaining the ideal weight is essential for the foetus’ healthy growth. Find out the ideal weight for your body and work towards achieving the same.
Exercising every day can help you stay fit and healthy and also refresh your mind. Unless your doctor asks you not to, you can opt for a walk or jog every day to stay fit.
If your work involves exposure to dangerous toxins, this would be a good time to take appropriate precautions or even stay away for a while.
Eating healthy is also another important part of pregnancy planning. While you can consult a specialist for dietary requirements, generally limiting sugars, eating at the right time, staying hydrated and avoiding junk food can go a long way in ensuring a healthy pregnancy.

Talking to Your Partner

While it may be the most obvious thing, sometimes we miss the important bits. From feelings to planning – one should take into account all that both partners are feeling, so everybody is on the same page.

Here are some things you can consider talking about while planning a family:

Talk feelings: talking about what both of you’re feeling about the upcoming changes or if the doctor visits etc. have taken a toll on anything: just having open communication can ensure that a lot of things go smoothly.
Talk finance: you don’t want to be caught off-guard when the baby arrives. So it’s better to plan and be open about finances and plan the journey ahead.
Help each other manage stress: while focussing on the baby and pregnancy, it’s important not to lose the partner – talk about things that are happening and take a walk together or just spend some time together to ensure stress levels stay low.
Enjoy your time: once the baby arrives, everything will revolve around the little one, so take this time to bond with your partner and make memories.

Planning Ahead

Once you have everything in place for the pregnancy and planning, it’s time to think ahead and ensure a smooth transition from pregnancy to parenthood.

Here are some things you can consider while planning ahead:

Deciding on the hospital for birth and having a birth plan
Ensuring insurance etc. are valid and in place for the big day
Preparing a hospital bag for the birth of your baby
Setting up baby’s room with all the essentials Planning finances for the baby’s first few years and putting away money for the same
Planning for any medical contingencies
Making plans about baby care if both of you resume work after a while

FAQ

When should you start preparing for pregnancy?
You can start planning or preparing for pregnancy, months or even years in advance. From being physically and mentally healthy to financial stability – a holistic approach can take a varying amount of time for various women.
What should I eat while planning to get pregnant?
Every doctor would recommend a healthy diet when you’re planning to get pregnant. Including vitamins, proteins and minerals etc. while cutting down on fats and junk food is the general rule of thumb.
What things to avoid when trying to get pregnant?
Among habits, doctors advise avoiding smoking, drinking and other drugs when trying to get pregnant. Stress and unhealthy food are also among the things to be avoided.
How do I prepare my body to get pregnant?
Before getting pregnant, one must ensure overall well-being of one’s own body. This includes a healthy diet, check-ups with doctors and also light exercises to stay fit.

Disclaimer:This blog solely intended for the educational/informational/awareness purposes and is not a substitute for any professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your doctor/healthcare professional before acting on the information provided on the blog. Reliance on any or all information provided in the blog, is solely at your own risk and responsibility. Mankind Pharma Limited shall not be held liable, in any circumstance whatsoever.

All You Need To Know About Normal Delivery

Posted on November 25, 2020May 15, 2024 by admin

If you’re planning to start a family, a Prega News pregnancy test kit should be kept handy. As you maneuver through the various stages of waiting and anticipation, a simple home test can give you the much awaited good news. And as soon as you see the two pink lines, you know the journey has started. After the initial celebrations and check-ups subside, the big question on most parents’ minds comes in – what about the delivery and which route are we taking?

When it comes to deliveries – you can either choose to have a C-section or a normal delivery. C-sections are often opted by doctors when there are chances of complications. If you have decided to go for the latter, here’s everything you need to know about it. In fact, according to the 2017-18 health survey by the National Statistical Office, 2 out of 3 women have normal deliveries in India.*

What is Normal Delivery?

Normal or vaginal delivery, means the birthing process which is all-natural and generally without the use of any medication or external instruments. This process involves the birth of the baby through the birth canal (vagina) with naturally induced labour. However, some vaginal births also involve painkillers or forceps for easier delivery, which is explained in details below. In this form of delivery, the primary factors are the mother’s comfortable position, the baby’s positioning and pushes by the mother.

Normal delivery or vaginal delivery is where the mother experiences labour as the cervix dilates. Uterine contractions are timed and observed and these help move the baby’s head towards the vaginal opening. These contractions can feel like severe menstrual cramps and the pain differs from woman to woman. If it’s too painful, you can also opt for an epidural which eases the pain. Generally, the vaginal deliveries can last between 12-14 hours or more. And it gets easier with subsequent births.

However, during vaginal deliveries, there are also chances of injury as the baby moves down the birth canal. This may cause stretching and tearing of the tissue around the vagina and may need stitches. A vaginal birth can also result in some pain in the perineum area – the area between the vagina and the anus. Postpartum side effects of natural birth may include vaginal bleeding, swelling, soreness, cramps etc.

Recovery after a natural birth is fairly early and the baby and mother can have skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding sessions soon after birth. In most vaginal deliveries, the mother and baby are discharged in a day or two (24-48 hours), unless otherwise mentioned by the doctor.

Stages of Normal Delivery

Broadly, labour is divided into 3 stages and they are then further elaborated and divided for better understanding.

Stage 1: Cervix dilation
Stage 2: Baby birth through birth canal
Stage 3: Expulsion of placenta and membranes (afterbirths)

Stage 1

The first stage itself can last for over 36 hours and is generally spent at home. This stage involves changes etc. that can be observed up to a week before your actual delivery. What happens during this time is that the womb/uterus’ muscles contract so the cervix is shortened and dilated to enable the birth. This stage broadly involves 3 kinds of things that you will notice:

Contractions: While some women experience mild period-like pain, for others it can be more severe. They can be irregular and short-lived but women are advised to note the kind and frequency of contractions – when they are less than 5 minutes apart and last for over a minute, it’s said that the labour has been established. In other words, during this time, you should be at the place where you wish to have the delivery.
Discharge: Mucus or stringy/brownish blood may appear up to a week before your delivery and should be informed to the doctor. However, if you notice fresh blood, you should consult your doctor immediately.
Water Broke: This is an indicator that the sac of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby has broken. At this point, you should call your doctor and ask for next steps.

Stage 2

This is the stage where your cervix is fully dilated and the baby is slowly making its way to the birth canal (vagina) from the uterus. Since your body is trying to release something, it’s best to assist it in the process by pushing and staying calm. Avoid tensing up as this can further delay the process. This part of the labour can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours.

At this point, many women opt for an epidural to help alleviate the pain. Your doctor can guide you through the same in case the pain becomes unbearable for you. However, it has been observed that epidural can sometimes elongate the process.

The more you push, the easier it gets at this point. However, some women require further assistance and the doctor may choose to use forceps or vacuum extraction to make the process easier.

Stage 3

This final stage involves the delivery of the placenta. This can be done in two ways and which way to choose depends solely on your birth progress and experience. Sometimes, the placenta can be delivered by your efforts in 15 to 20 minutes after the baby’s birth. At other times, the process has to be induced and helped either with physical help from the doctor or with the use of medications.

Benefits of Normal Delivery

The recovery period after a natural birth is generally much shorter than that of C-sections. Usually, women can go home in a day or two after a vaginal birth, unless there are other complications.
In case of natural birth, the mother and baby initiate skin-to-skin contact almost immediately after birth and feeding is suggested within the first hour. This enables quicker bonding between the mother and the baby.
When it comes to your baby, vaginal birth leads to the release of fluids from the baby’s lungs, thus minimizing the risks of respiratory problems and diseases.
Babies are also exposed to bacteria in the birth canal, which improves their immunity.

FAQ

How is a normal delivery done?
It is also done in hospitals and birthing centres with the help of doctors and experts. It involves the dilation of the cervix and the pushes from the mother, to bring the baby into the birth canal, who is then born through the vagina.
Is normal delivery painful?
The pain in normal delivery differs from woman to woman and it gets easier after the first birth. Which week is best for delivery? Doctors generally advise 39 weeks for the full growth of the baby but if labour is induced earlier or if complications arise, the baby may arrive sooner.
Which type of delivery is best?
The type of delivery is decided by the doctors depending on your and the baby’s health, previous medical records etc.
What should I eat for normal delivery?
As long as you maintain a healthy diet and weight, normal delivery should be okay. Healthy diet includes green vegetables and fruits and lean protein. You must also ensure proper hydration throughout with water and other fluids.

Why Celebrating #SundayIsMomDay Is The Best Way Forward

Posted on November 20, 2020May 15, 2024 by admin

Moms do so much and more for us, don’t they? Whether it’s eating right in pregnancy to feeding us the right things as we grow up – moms make sure we always get the best in every aspect of our lives. Simply thinking about all that they did to ensure that we safely arrived in the world – is so overwhelming! And of course, it was never easy, putting up with the lot of us, was it?

Being picky about tiffin boxes, getting the craftwork done, banking on her for ensuring outdoor safety when stepping out, running to her for the band-aid, turning to her for the homework, being particular about her puja during our exams, filling out forms and even ranting about heartbreak – not a moment goes by when we don’t need her call out to her for something or the other.

But what about her moments? Apart from ours, there are other voices calling out to her as well. Whether they have work commitments or not, one can easily see how home chores and duties by themselves can get overwhelming. She is a mother, a sister, a wife, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, along with probably being other things like an employee, a mentor, a teacher and the list could go on. And no matter how many hats she dons, she does it all with the biggest smile on her face. Isn’t that a remarkable feat? After all, it’s a mom’s life and it’s never easy.

And if that was anything less praiseworthy, the pandemic came on cue and changed our lives as we knew it. But it also brought out the superhero in our mothers – one that we knew about but rarely acknowledged to this degree. In the unprecedented times, our mothers took on the responsibility of the household – from shopping to wrapping up, never letting her work slip – headphone meetings and homework and also went the extra mile to ensure everyone’s safety and good health.

In such times, one can only look back and be amazed at all that she does. And while she makes things so much easier for us, would it be so difficult for us to manage things on our own every once in a while? Wondering how to do that?

Prega News urges you and your family to celebrate #SundayIsMomDay and let the moms have a weekly day to themselves just for themselves as we put on her hat for a day. Motherhood is a wonderful journey and for all that moms do for us, we just need to say #ThankYouMom with a simple gesture. Watch our video below, to find out more.

Are you also planning to celebrate #SundayIsMomDay? Then share your story and ideas on your social media channels and tag Prega News. You can also share your ideas in the comments below.

Month: November 2020