Category: Pregnancy

How To Sleep Better During Pregnancy

Night is the time when all we want to do is kick back and sleep like a baby. But, when you have a baby growing inside you, the process of sleeping becomes a routine full of precautions.
You can’t sleep on your stomach.
Which side should you sleep on; right or left?
If you’re an expecting mother, then these are the questions running through your head at all times.
Well, we have deconstructed the answer for you.

First Trimester

If you’re a tummy sleeper then, this is probably the only time when you can sleep on your stomach. But, as the bump starts to show you will have to move to a more comfortable position. So, take this time to get rid of your tummy sleeping habit as it will help you a lot during the course of your pregnancy. Also, unlike the common opinion, sleeping on the right side or left side is not the same. Left side is the best to sleep on as it takes the weight of the uterus off the right side to optimize blood flow.

Second Trimester

As you enter your second trimester, changes in your body pick up the pace. There will be a plethora of physical, hormonal and emotional changes which will surely keep you up at night. So, ensure that you take precautionary measures like wearing loose clothes, having a light dinner and going for a short walk before you head to bed.

Third Trimester

The final phase of pregnancy is a complete roller coaster. You are excited about the arrival of your baby but also exhausted due to all the changes your body is going through. The best you can do right now is to relax. We get it. It’s difficult to relax but your body needs it. You should also try some light exercise to relax yourself and give your body a good supply of oxygen, which will help you sleep better.

We hope this piece helps you sleep better with your bump. We wish you a safe delivery and a healthy baby!

Natural Baby Delivery Or Delivery Using Surgery?

Welcoming a baby into the world is a joy that cannot be put into words. As soon as the early signs of pregnancy start showing up, a mother starts planning for the whole course of pregnancy and the journey afterward. But, there are a lot of things that need to be considered when it comes to the method of delivering a baby.

As an expecting mother, Caesarean/C-section sounds like a convenient method, but are you aware of the side-effects that tag along with it? Or, the gamut of irreversible physical changes that your body might encounter after the surgery?
On the other hand, delivering a baby naturally is also not a piece of cake

So, Caesarean or Natural Birth, what should you opt for?

1. Conditions : Vaginal birth is the natural way of delivering a baby which is preferred by most expecting mothers. While caesareans are mostly planned for medical reasons such as diabetes or high blood pressure that may make natural delivery too risky. A C-section may also be necessary if the baby is not in the head-down position and efforts to turn the baby before the delivery have been unsuccessful.
2. Recovery time : Having a natural delivery shortens the recovery time and the mother is usually discharged from the hospital after a day or two. But, in the case of caesareans, recovery time extends up to days as it is a major surgery that involves opening up the mother’s abdomen and removing the baby from mother’s uterus.
3. Delivery time : In case of a natural birth, the delivery time is never fixed as it completely depends on the baby and the mother; sometimes the labor pain can extend up to a couple of days. While a Caesarean eliminates the element of uncertainty as the time is planned by the doctor in advance.
4. Consequences : During a vaginal delivery, muscles involved in the process squeeze out amniotic fluid out of the newborn’s lungs making it easier for them to start breathing. While Babies born by Caesarean are more likely to have breathing problems at birth and also at a greater risk for stillbirth.

In the present scenario, C-sections have become more of a trend than a necessity and also an opportunity for doctors to earn big bucks. Therefore, knowing the pro and cons of both the methods becomes of utmost importance for you to make a wise decision.

Consult your doctor from the early pregnancy symptoms itself and meet for a regular check-up to ensure that everything goes smoothly. We wish you a safe and healthy pregnancy!

Common Complications During Pregnancy

As soon as the news of early pregnancy symptoms starts popping, people start buzzing in the mother’s life with their advices and stories, most of which you should ignore. But, if the scary story of how one of your distant relative had a serious complication has stuck inside your head then, let us clear it for once and for all. Most pregnancies are UNCOMPLICATED. So, don’t let the bad things get to your head. Do not overthink about those signs of pregnancy; they are normal. But, if you want to educate yourself regarding common complications; then read on.

1. Low amniotic fluid

The amniotic sac is filled with liquid that protects and supports your baby during the course of your pregnancy. Under normal circumstances, the liquid increases till the beginning of your third semester; after which it gradually decreases till the day of your delivery. If you have low level of amniotic fluid, then the caregiver will follow your pregnancy closely to ensure that the baby is growing fine. If you are near your term, then labor will be induced or the doctor will have to opt for a C-section.

2. Excessive amniotic fluid

Having excessive amniotic fluid in your belly is also a complication a lot of women suffer through their pregnancy. The scientific term for this condition is Polyhydramnios. The earlier this condition occurs in the course of pregnancy, the more severe it gets. In most moderate to severe cases, the overly enlarged uterus exerts pressure on other organs which leads to problems like difficulty in breathing, swelling in lower extremities, decreased urine production and constipation etc. But, fortunately most delivery cases of polyhydramnios can be handled through a Caesarean.

3. Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious complication that causes high blood pressure, kidney damage and other problems but, only affects about 5% of pregnant women. Women who have Preeclampsia develop mild symptoms during the end of their pregnancy and most mothers do fine with proper care. But, in some cases it progresses quickly, it can cause greater risks to the mother and the baby. In severe cases of Preeclampsia, baby is delivered earlier than the scheduled time.

4. Placenta Previa

Gestational diabetes is a condition wherein a pregnant woman develops diabetes due to the high surge of sugar level in her body. This condition can be harmful for the baby if not taken care of. In most cases, gestational diabetes can be controlled by following a strict diet plan which is rich in fibre and low in carb or you can consult a dietician to prescribe a personalised diet plan according to your results.

5. Ectopic Pregnancy

Under normal conditions, placenta lies close to the top of the uterus and supplies required nutrition to the growing embryo. But, in a woman who has Placenta Previa, the placenta lies unusually low in the uterus; almost next to the cervix or covering it. In most cases, the placenta corrects itself as the pregnancy progresses but can be harmful if it continues to lie low in the uterus. This condition affects 1 in every 200 pregnant women and smoking cigarettes and use of drugs makes a woman’s body more prone to this condition.

6. Ectopic Pregnancy

After the fertilization, the egg travels to the uterus where it gets implanted and grows into a baby. Ectopic pregnancy is a condition where the egg gets implanted outside the uterus leading to severe complications. Since, the vast majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in a fallopian tube, this condition is also called tubal pregnancy. It’s important to detect this problem in the early stages as the growing embryo can rupture the mother’s fallopian tube and lead to internal bleeding that can be fatal.

As an expecting mother, you should be concerned about the well-being of your growing baby but the complications should not become a cause of distress. So, relax and enjoy the beautiful journey to motherhood.

Most research suggests that, during pregnancy, sexual desire and frequency of sexual relations decrease. In context of this overall decrease in desire, some studies indicate a second-trimester increase, preceding a decrease. However, these decreases are not universal: a significant number of women report greater sexual satisfaction throughout their pregnancies.

According to some couples, pregnancy is a time for great sex. For others it may be a time of concern and fears. Your husband might find your pregnant body more desirable, but you may feel anxious about your baby’s wellbeing. For some women, the hormonal changes bring about an increased sex drive. Others may be completely averse to the idea of making love.

The best way to overcome your fears is to discuss your feelings with your husband. In case of any doubt or fears about sex during pregnancy, you should also consult your doctor. Every woman wants to have a safe and healthy pregnancy. In fact, many women go to great lengths to ensure their baby’s well being by tailoring their stress levels, sleeping patterns, diets and even leaving bad habits (like smoking and alcohol consumption) to accommodate the new life inside them. But there is always a cloud of uncertainty around how safe it is to have sex during pregnancy.

Although, we often think of women as being the most sensitive about the health and well- being of their baby during pregnancy, in fact many men report feeling awkward about initiating sexual activity due to fear of causing pain or problems for either their partner or their baby. On the other hand, many women actually say they experience a heightened sense of sexual desire during pregnancy, which is likely to be caused by hormonal changes that cause the vulva (the area around the opening of the vagina) to enlarge and the breasts to be extra sensitive.

However, this feeling will likely vary in intensity throughout the pregnancy. For example, women who experience morning sickness and general fatigue during their first trimester are not likely to feel particularly desirous. And once a woman reaches her third trimester she may be feeling uncomfortable due to weight gain, and therefore may feel discomfort or a lack of desire for sex during this time.

In any case, talking with your partner in an open and honest way about your feelings regularly is the best way to ensure you both feel connected and fulfilled. If you are experiencing a normal pregnancy (or one that is considered as low-risk for miscarriage or premature birth) then it is perfectly normal to have sex while pregnant.

SAFE SEX POSITIONS

Once a woman has reached the second trimester it is generally not encouraged that she lie on her back due to the added pressure her growing uterus would place on major blood vessels; thus making sex in the missionary position is increasingly risky – not to mention uncomfortable. Here are several other positions that you can try,

• Spooning (while lying down man enters woman from behind)
• Woman on top
• Woman on hands and knees, rear entry
• Side lying, woman’s knee pulled up
• Doggy style Sitting