Pregnancy in Cold Weather: Keeping Safe and Warm While Staying Active

Pregnancy is both exciting and hectic for you. As your body transforms, finding clothes that fit can become a challenge, and the cold can heighten your discomfort. With the onset of winter, it's crucial to prioritize your health and well-being. The cold, dry air not only increases your risk of infections and illnesses but can also lead to discomfort and aches.

To embrace the winter season while keeping yourself warm and active during pregnancy, consider these essential tips:

Invest in a quality winter jacket

Warmth and comfort are non-negotiable in winter. A well-fitted jacket is vital for keeping you cozy. While it may be tempting to squeeze into your old coat, choosing a new jacket tailored to your growing bump will help you navigate the chill while ensuring your health is prioritized.

Stay hydrated

Winter can be deceptively dehydrating. It's essential to drink plenty of water to maintain your hydration levels. Try incorporating warm herbal teas for an added comforting touch.

Layer up

Layering is your best friend in winter! Start with moisture-wicking fabrics to keep your skin dry, add an insulating layer for warmth, and finish with a protective outer layer to shield against the elements.

Prioritize your feet

Good-quality insulated boots are a must for pregnancy during winter. Keeping your feet warm will enhance your overall well-being and help you stay comfortable.

Stay active

Stay moving, but listen to your body. Engage in indoor exercises like yoga or gentle stretching, or enjoy short outdoor walks when the weather permits.

Be mindful of extreme weather

On particularly frigid days, consider staying indoors. Your comfort and safety should always come first. Prenatal Yoga and Pilates are pregnancy bum-friendly while you’re inside your house. You may feel like going outside and taking a breath of fresh air. While doing so, snowshoeing and cross -country skiing are considered safe. Don’t forget to wear a pregnancy-friendly winter coat to keep your baby bump safe and warm.

Lather your skin with moisturiser

Since the cold and dry air during the winter can make your skin look dry, gently applying pregnancy-safe moisturisers is the key.

By taking these proactive steps, you can not only stay warm but also fully enjoy the joys of winter during your pregnancy. Your well-being is vital for both you and your little one, so make the most of this beautiful season!

Feeling Overwhelmed During Pregnancy? How to Find Balance

The increasing pregnancy hormones are responsible for bringing about the changes during your pregnancy – weight gain, swelling, vomiting, sleep disruption, etc. There is also a wild ride of happy highs and feeling lows. Many expecting mommies fluctuate from fury (trying to resist the urge to knock anyone out of the way) to felicity. However, the good news is that to-be-mum’s changing mood is a matter of time. The fluctuating pregnancy hormones, nausea, vomiting, feeling sleep-disrupted, and going through a nagging anxiety are some of the reasons behind pregnancy stress and depression.

With some mood-mellowing tips, you can keep your mood in balance. They are as follows:

Practice Mindfulness

Meditation is one of the great things to do. Sit quietly and take long breaths through your nose or mouth. While deep breathing you will get additional oxygen into your body. This will keep the muscles, brains as well as body relaxed.

Be Active

Being active is a mood booster. It releases endorphin hormones that encourage feelings of happiness and positivity. If the pregnancy blues hit you at an extreme level consider doing light and low–impact cardio for instance walking and swimming. Additionally, you can stretch, move or breathe. Such activities can keep the symptoms of pregnancy depression and anxiety at bay.

Eat in Balance

You are already eating in the right quantum to help in the growth of the life you’re nurturing inside you. Enjoy a healthy mix of food and drink lots of water. Including the most essential nutrients and prenatal vitamins are some of the most important factors in your pregnancy diet for improving your mental health and boosting your mood.

Share Your Worries

Sharing your feelings or worries with someone can significantly lighten the emotional load you’re carrying. It’s truly amazing how talking to a partner, or close friend, or joining a support group can create a sense of relief and connection. By expressing what you’re experiencing, you not only allow yourself to process those emotions but also realize that you aren't alone in this journey. Engaging in these conversations can lead to valuable support and insights, opening the door to new coping strategies and perspectives that can empower you during this important time.

If you still feel unmanageable, you need to speak to your healthcare practitioner. Lack of sleep as well as loss of appetite are the result of mood swings.

How to Choose the Best Sleep Position in Pregnancy

You’ll go through several changes – morning sickness, dizziness, tiredness, etc from the first trimester to the last if you slept on your stomach before your pregnancy. You may have to shift your sleeping position during pregnancy a little.

So you can’t sleep on your back after the fifth month of your pregnancy. Sleeping on your back exerts a lot of pressure on the aorta, and inferior vena cava. The blood vessels present behind the uterus, transfer the blood back to the heart from the legs, and feet. The pressure on blood vessels can reduce blood circulation to your body and baby.

No Sleeping on the Back or Stomach

Sleeping on the back may be difficult for you with a big baby bump. When you lie on your back, or on your tummy, you may end up having tummy troubles. Sleeping on your stomach is also not a very good idea. The uterus as well as the breasts exerts pressure.

Take the Left Side

Side sleeping is the best and the safest position for your baby-to-be. As the abdomen grows, sleeping on the left side is most comfortable for your abdomen. Having said that experts recommend it’s perfectly safe to sleep on the left side for several reasons:

• Improves the blood circulation
• Reduces the risk of swelling
• Keeps the body weight under control
• Helps in digestion
• Reduces the bladder pressure
• Reduces the kidneys' pressure
• Reduces the liver pressure
• Keeps the back relaxed
• You keep ready for natural birth

Steps to Improve the Quality of Your Sleep During Pregnancy

In addition to choosing a comfortable position for sleeping during pregnancy. There are many ways to improve your quality of peace. Here’s how:

• Prepare a daily sleep schedule. It’s essential to go to bed and wake up on time
• Remove the bright lights
• Nap as per requirement
• Do prenatal yoga and relaxation techniques to manage stress
• Reduce your food and drink-intake during the evening
• No caffeine
• Take prenatal vitamins
• Exercises that stretch and strengthen your muscles can help reduce lower back pain and leg cramps.

Furthermore, consult your healthcare practitioner to get yourself treated for pregnancy-related sleep disorders.

Pregnancy Third Trimester: What You Need To Know

By the time you enter the third trimester of your pregnancy, with the collaborated support of the pregnancy hormones, and the physical and emotional fluctuations, the baby inside is slowly sliding the cervix.

So, what else do you need to know about the third trimester of your pregnancy?

Third Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms

With the baby’s development inside the womb, you will undergo many changes outside the body. Therefore, here are the following symptoms, you need to look out for:

• You may feel the baby’s kicks inside
• You need to go to the bathroom quite often
• Heartburn or acidity is common
• Your entire body – ankles, joints, or fingers swells
• Breast sensitiveness or tenderness
• Pregnancy insomnia
• Haemorrhoids or piles
• Braxton-Hicks Contraction may be common
• Stomach cramps
• Fatigue
• Stretch marks
• Frequent bathroom trips
• Milky breasts

Baby’s Development

The baby inside you gains weight by this phase of your pregnancy, because of the intake of the nutrition from the mother.

Here’s how the little one inside you develops:

• The foetal bones slowly transform and due to the calcium-rich diet, the bones become healthy.
• The baby’s skin and hair start growing. The nails also start forming.
• In the final week of your pregnancy, the baby poops for the first time. The first poop is also known as meconium.
• The baby may develop the ability to see. He or she will be able to see the light. The baby will start developing a sense of taste, smell, and hearing. That means, by this time, your baby’s organs will develop completely.
• The baby’s head will face downwards towards the cervix and vagina.

Ways to stay fit during the third trimester

In this phase, you may have to try out activities from low to medium intensity to stay fit and healthy such as Walking and light jogging, Swimming, and Yoga. Have nutritious food and stay hydrated.

Rib Pain in Pregnancy: What are Expectant Moms Need to Know

Pregnancy is an experience of joy, anxiety, and pains – after all, due to the baby inside you, this is the transformation your body is going through.

But one of the most common discomforts is rib pain in pregnancy. This is a temporary problem, which is expected to disappear after the delivery of your baby.

Reasons behind pregnancy-related rib pain

As the baby grows and takes the uterine space, the baby slowly grows inside the womb, it kicks and stretches giving rise to rib pain during pregnancy. Apart from this, there are other reasons behind pregnancy rib pain:

Musculoskeletal changes

It's important to remember that during pregnancy, the changes in your body can lead to rib pain. For instance, the expansion of your body can limit your range of motion, making it more difficult to bend forward. This limitation can contribute to rib pain.

Hormonal changes

Preparing for childbirth involves hormonal changes, as relaxin and progesterone work to relax the ligaments and muscles, leading to rib pain during pregnancy.

Posture Changes

Pregnancy may alter your posture, leading to arching of the back or leaning backwards. This change in alignment can result in strain on the muscles around the ribs.

Tips to get rid of pregnancy rib pain

Pregnancy rib pain can range from mild to strong depending on every trimester. There are ways to relieve it:

Practice good posture

Sit and stand with your shoulders back and your chest forward to reduce pressure on your ribs.

Use a pregnancy pillow

A pregnancy pillow can help support your body and alleviate discomfort while sleeping.

Wear loose, comfortable clothing

Tight clothing can exacerbate rib pain, so opt for loose-fitting attire.

Apply heat or cold

Using a heating pad or cold pack on the affected area may provide relief.

Stay active

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you may have to spend at least 150 mins on aerobics, yogasanas, swimming, and brisk walking. You can alternatively use an exercise ball to roll your back and repeat.

Seek prenatal massage

Consider getting a prenatal massage from a qualified professional to ease discomfort.

Don’t sit for a long time

If you're a pregnant working mom, you must take regular breaks, stand up, and move around frequently to ensure the well-being of both you and your baby.

Remember to consult with your healthcare provider before trying any new methods to relieve rib pain during pregnancy.

IVF Pregnancy Complications: Signs and Solutions

If you’ve been trying for a baby for quite some time now, and for several lifestyle reasons, you’ve been unsuccessful, IVF treatment is the best way out. IVF is a scientifically and technologically advanced procedure to help you become a mother.

The signs why you might need an IVF treatment

Before you’ve entered the IVF treatment for infertility, you and your partner may have to understand the reasons behind it: Your biological clock is ticking: You may be over 30, 35, or 40 years of age, when the eggs are declining, and your chances of getting pregnant are reducing. In that case, an IVF treatment is necessary.

Blockage or Damage of the Fallopian Tube

The fallopian tubes are essential for the reproductive process in women. They serve as the pathway for eggs to travel from the ovaries to the uterus, where they can be fertilized by sperm. If there are any issues such as blockages or damage to the fallopian tubes, it can hinder the natural process of conception. Seeking medical attention and advice for any concerns related to the fallopian tubes is crucial for ensuring optimal fertility. Therefore, over 30% of women are unable to become pregnant naturally, due to blocked or damaged fallopian tubes undergo IVF Treatment.

Ovulation disorders

Disturbances in egg production (also known as an oocyte or ovum) during the ovulation cycle result in infertility. IVF treatment can help during this phase.

Endometriosis

In this condition, the uterine lining grows outside the uterus; and this condition impacts the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries in a way that you can’t become a mother naturally.

Sometimes, there are unexplained reasons for infertility, undergoing a test, you can find out the reasons for it – like a miscarriage, genetic disorder, or any other health conditions.

The Solutions to Produce Mature Eggs

To start an IVF cycle, there are lab-made hormones to support the ovaries producing eggs. Multiple eggs can also be produced when the eggs won’t even be fertilised. You can also take medicines during the IVF procedure.

• These medicines help in
• Stimulating the ovaries
• Helping the eggs get mature
• Delaying the ovulation cycle
• Getting the uterine lining ready

So, during the IVF procedure, the healthy sperm and mature eggs come together and are kept in a controlled incubator. An embryo “hatches” after 5 to 6 days from the membrane and attaches to the uterine lining.

Ways to Prevent Low Birth Weight During Pregnancy

Low birth weight occurs when you give birth to your baby much before they have finished developing inside the womb. Across the globe, 20 million infants are born with low birth weight (LBW). There are two primary reasons for low birth weight in your baby:

Foetal Growth Restriction (Intrauterine growth restriction)

Foetal growth restriction (intrauterine growth restriction) occurs when the baby does not gain the necessary weight before birth.

Premature Baby

Due to several pre-birth complications, when you give birth on or before the 37th week of pregnancy, the newborn is prematurely born. Some premature babies are low birth weight.

Chronic Health Conditions

If you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems, chances of your giving birth to a low birth weight baby.

Certain Infections During Pregnancy

Infections like cytomegalovirus, rubella, chicken pox, and sexually transmitted infections can make you give birth to a low birth weight baby.

Besides if you are pregnant with twins, not gaining much weight in your pregnancy, and exposure to air pollution can also make your child be born with a low birth weight. Therefore, it is always better for you to take care of yourself during pregnancy and before you enter your pregnancy zone.

Find out the ways to prevent low birth weight babies during pregnancy:

Don’t Miss the Doctor’s Appointment

During your prenatal checkups, your doctor will take you through ultrasound scans, and a few genetic tests, and they will detect a heightened risk of a low-birth-weight baby. Let your health practitioner know whether you had a low birth weight baby in the past. The doctor should also be aware of your chronic medical conditions.

Intake of a Healthy and Nutritious Diet

As you embrace your journey of motherhood, intake of a healthy and nutritious diet is a must. Consuming more folic acid from fruits and veggies as well as whole grains is linked to premature and low birth weight babies.

Changing Lifestyle Significantly

To keep yourself from giving birth to a low-birth-weight baby, you must abstain from alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs as these substances can lead to poor foetal growth and other complications.

Get a Flu Shot

Along with the rising pregnancy hormones, your immunity is also on the higher side, which is associated with a low-birth-weight baby. Getting vaccinated during your prenatal phase helps.

Although giving birth to a low birth weight can be a little stressful, with natural and medical developments you will be able to give birth to a healthy baby.

Essential Tips to Treat Sore Nipples Naturally

Did you enter the “new mommy” phase of your life? Breastfeeding has an important role during this phase. After all, breast milk provides essential nutrients to the newborn. But, at the same time, you might face challenges while you’re breastfeeding. Continuous breastfeeding makes you feel uncomfortable and tired. At the same time, due to improper position while feeding the baby, and improper latch of the baby, experiencing sore or cracked nipples is also deniable.

Sore or cracked nipples may be painful to you, but here are a few ways that you can get them treated.

Apply Apple Cider Vinegar

After feeding the little one, take a cup of water, and add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to it. Give it a good mix. Take that in your hands, and dab it gently over the nipple, acerola. The bacteria will be killed, and it will keep the nipples clean.

Apply Tea Tree Oil

Take a cup of lukewarm water. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to it. Mix it properly. Soak a cotton fabric and dab it gently on the nipples.

Apply Breast Milk

Breastmilk has anti-bacterial properties, which can deal with sore, dry, or cracked nipples. Apply it 4 to 4 times a day. This is one of the best remedies to treat sore nipples.

Apply Cold Compress

Ice cubes will be readily available for you from the refrigerator. Take them out and press them gently on the nipples. Just for 10 minutes. Do this regularly to get some relief.

Apply Olive Oil

Take some lukewarm water and add a few drops of tea tree oil to it. Mix it well. Leave it to dry. Wash it off. Pat it dry.

Apply Aloe Vera gel

Cut open the Aloe Vera plant and take the gel out of it. Then directly apply it to the nipples.

Apply Tea Bags

Take some hot water, and soak some chamomile tea bags in it. Put them on the nipples for a soothing effect.

Wash your inners properly with detergent, and ensure that your baby latches properly.

Types of Pelvis: What Do They Mean?

While you’re bearing your baby inside your womb, the pelvic joints and ligaments support the developing baby inside you and make childbirth easy. (The pelvis is between the lower abdomen (tummy) and above the thighs).

The maternal pelvis plays a major role in giving birth to the baby. At around 36 weeks, the baby drops into the pelvis region, with signs of lightening as the body is slowly preparing for labour, and childbirth.

While the pelvis changes in shape during pregnancy and childbirth, it may also give rise to discomfort.

The Pelvis Shapes During Pregnancy

The pelvis shape depends upon genetic and environmental factors. In the 1930s experts found four different shapes of the pelvis. Quite interestingly, a few new research have revealed that there are more variations of the pelvis than they were earlier thought.

Overall the shapes of the pelvis during pregnancy, labour, and childbirth.

Gynecoid pelvis

The gynecoid shape is a common pelvis shape. In the gynecoid pelvis, the pelvis becomes shallow and wide. In this type of pelvis, the life you’re nurturing inside you has more space to go down the pelvis at the time of childbirth.

Anthropoid pelvis

The anthropoid pelvis is another common pelvis shape and it is wider from the right to the left. In this type of pelvis, the hips become wider from the front to the back. You carry most of your weight in your buttocks and abdomen. If you’re in labour with this kind of pelvis, expect your labour to be long.

Platypelloid pelvis

The Platypelloid pelvis is also known as a flat pelvis. It also resembles an egg or oval shape. As a result of this shape, the baby will have a difficult time passing through the birth canal. The birthing process may take a long time and a C-section may be necessitated.

To know and understand the shape of the pelvis, you need to visit the doctor. The healthcare practitioner takes you through X-rays to check the shape of the pelvis and make an informed decision regarding the regular activities during labour, and childbirth.

Mother’s Health During Pregnancy: Take good care

You’ll undergo several changes while you’re carrying your baby inside your womb. For instance, you’ll feel swollen, tired, nauseous, etc. To deal with this situation during pregnancy, you might have to include many things in your pregnancy routine to take care of your pregnancy health and the health of the baby inside you. So, starting from eating right to sleeping well, there is a lot in your pregnancy healthcare routine that you need to be aware of.

Eating in good balance

Since you’re going through so much during your pregnancy, having food in the right quantum is a must. A well-balanced diet tends to reduce the risk of pregnancy anaemia as well as morning sickness and nausea.

The pregnancy diet would include everything from adequate fat, calcium, protein, iron-rich foods, etc. In all this, you might have to include 300 extra calories.

In addition to this, as per the experts from the U.S. Public Health Service, you might have to include 400 mg of folic acid. Folic acid can help in reducing the risk of neural tube defects.

However, if you’re having fish, take care that the level of mercury is on the lower side.

The weight should be in control

With your baby growing inside you with every trimester and with the food that you’ve had, gaining weight is quite natural. From the time of conceiving to the last stage of your pregnancy, your weight may vary trimester-wise.

However, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends pregnancy weight gain between 25 to 35 pounds. So, including Moderate exercise like brisk walking, swimming, etc. during your pregnancy can help in increasing energy levels, and blood circulation, as well as lowering back pain, relieving constipation, and reducing stress, thus keeping your weight in control.

Involving a lot of changes in your daily life

The moment you embrace the journey of motherhood, you might have to change your daily lifestyle chores – lifting heavy weights, climbing the ladder, standing by the gas oven for a long time, and using toxic chemicals.

Fluid intake during pregnancy

You need to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, during pregnancy. So, you can drink plenty of plain water, or add juices and soups besides drinking water.

Visiting the healthcare provider

From the time of conception to the last stage of your pregnancy, you need to be aware of your health and the health of the baby inside you. So, you will undergo a lot of monitoring.