Being pregnant can be the most exciting time of your life, but it can be the most stressful also. You are at the mercy of out of control hormones and you worry about the pregnancy, the childbirth, the health of your baby and everything else that comes your way.

When you are pregnant you need to take good care of yourself and your unborn baby. This includes trying to reduce the stress in your life. But how do you reduce stress? This article will give you a few good tips on reducing stress while you are pregnant.

The first thing you should do is to take a long look at your life. How many activities are you involved in? How many hours a week do you work? What are you expected to do around the home?

If you have a full schedule that has you running every minute of the day, you need to slow down a little. Figure out which activities you can drop and try to cut back at work if possible. Learn to say no. Stop feeling like you have to say yes to every request that someone makes of you. The most important thing right now is to take care of yourself and your baby.

If you are the type of person who must feel in control at all times, get ready to give up some control. When you are pregnant you have to realize that things may happen that are not in your control. Morning sickness may be severe. You may have a high risk pregnancy that requires bed-rest. Learn to expect the unexpected while pregnant. It will be good practice for when the baby comes.

Don’t listen to the horror stories that other people feel obligated to tell you now that you are pregnant. Every woman has their own pregnancy story and she tends to embellish it with each telling. If you take every story to heart and worry about it happening to you, your stress level will go through the roof, which can be very bad for you and the baby. Only listen to the advice of your health care provider.

Now is a good time to learn relaxation techniques and meditation. A light exercise program under the supervision of your doctor can help with stress also. Make sure you give yourself permission to relax. Read a book, go to a movie, take a nap when you feel tired. You have a tiny life depending on you, so pamper yourself a little.

Give up on being a perfectionist. Do your best but don’t let feelings of guilt overcome you for not being perfect. Your house should be clean but it doesn’t have to be spotless. You don’t have to cook a gourmet meal every night. Give yourself a break.

Being pregnant will be an experience you will never forget. For some women it will happen only once. Reduce the stress in your life, slow down and enjoy being pregnant!

You’re pregnant? Congratulations! By the way, you can get a FREE Pregnancy Tracking Chart as well as much more information on all types of pregnancy issues and the answers to the Top 10 Most Common Pregnancy Questions at http://www.Surviving-Pregnancy.InfoFromA-z.com.

Having your first baby is so exciting. Once you have got over the shock that you have actually managed to get pregnant (not always as easy as it sounds) you then marvel at feeling sick for 3 months! Perhaps the books were all written so long ago that women didn’t hold down jobs that were essential to keep the bank account afloat? Certainly getting on a train feeling ‘grey’ was never my preferred choice or being sick early morning at a main line London train station where people simply moved away from you! No wonder someone came up with those t-shirts saying ‘baby bump on board’! Not to mention the end of the day when shattered and not looking remotely pregnant to the outside world, you get on a packed homeward bound train and have the joy of standing for the next 20 minutes! Never mind back home you have the gorgeous partner who is ready for his dinner, it can only get better!

Many people say that you then bloom in the 2nd trimester. I think this is those few women who don’t get up early each morning to wash their hair and then go to the job they love, feeling totally shattered. ‘Blooming’ means being nearly pregnant. People think you might be but it’s a tough call and they could be making a dreadful mistake. How many children say those dreaded words very loudly, ‘Look Mummy that lady has a baby in her tummy’ when we know she is simply slightly overweight. The only possible solution for any working mum to be is to be in bed by 8pm each night in this trimester. Forget cooking, shopping, housework etc and just think work and sleep- and lots of warm deep baths. (Sex is a whole other subject to be covered another time!)

Hurray it’s the third trimester. You are getting to the point when you will soon be able to leave work. People notice you are pregnant so you get seats on trains and lots of attention at work. Tea is brought to your desk by friendly colleagues and your appetite has returned in force. The only problem now is you are just huge! Those cakes you spent years avoiding have just been too tempting and everyone is commenting that you must be having a boy as it is all facing forwards- no that’s just those cakes! Sleep that has been great for the past three months is now lost again in the sheer discomfort of trying to find a position for the bump and you to sleep comfortably. At this stage, if you are expecting a summer baby, you also have the joy of being able to wear clothes that show all! ‘All’ being your arms that have suddenly got ‘bingo wings’ and ankles that seem to have doubled in size. All that advice on how fantastic having a summer baby is and no one ever mentioned how great a big woolly jumper looks with designer pregnancy jeans versus a thin summer frock! Never mind, not long now.

As always you get to the end of your pregnancy and remember that you actually have to give birth! Don’t worry it’s only usually a day or two in the whole experience and soon you will be back to your old self! But of course with a beautiful baby and again no sleep!

Don’t forget to send your announcement cards online. You can do these in the middle of the night, whilst breastfeeding your newborn and ensure all your friends and family join in the joy of your beautiful new baby.

Danny Concannon writes for Baby Says Hello a birth announcements website. They pride themselves on helping you to create high quality luxury photo birth announcement cards for discerning mothers.

Let’s face it, getting pregnant is not always as easy as it sounds. As many stories as you have heard about unplanned pregnancies, getting pregnant should be easy right? You learned sex ed around the 5th grade, but what they didn’t tell you is approximately 1 in 10 couples will experience infertility for one reason or another and that most couples do not get pregnant the first month of trying. If you are finding it more difficult than you thought to get pregnant, we have some suggestions for you.

1. Try a recipe for sex

There are quite a few of them out there. A recipe for sex is basically a list of days to have sex on to try to get pregnant. My personal favorite is having sex on days 9, 11, 12, 14, & 16 of your cycle. Of course if you don’t have a 28 day cycle this one probably won’t work for you. Another plan is having sex every other day starting about day 10 of your cycle.

2. Try fertility charting

Fertility charting involves taking your temperature at the same time every morning before getting out of bed. You also observe for signs of ovulation and chart your cervical mucous pattern. Charting can help determine if you are ovulating and help you to pinpoint when ovulation is occurring.

3. Use ovulation prediction kits (OPKs)

You can buy ovulation prediction kits at your local pharmacy or you can find them even cheaper if you purchase them online. A day or two before you ovulate, your body produces a surge of luteinizing hormone, LH. OPKs work by detecting this LH surge. Follow the directions that come with your kit to determine how to read the test strips, what time of day to test, and also what day of your cycle you should begin testing. OPKs cannot confirm ovulation, but they can help you predict ovulation before it occurs. Used in combination with fertility charting, they are very effective in determining ovulation.

4. Get to an ideal weight

Many women do not want to hear this one, but being overweight or underweight can affect your fertility. Women who are significantly underweight or exercise excessively often lose their period all together. It makes perfect sense then that if you are significantly overweight your fertility would be affected as well. Losing weight if you are overweight is one of the best things you can do to improve your fertility. Sticking to a sensible diet and increasing your weight if you are underweight will also help. Weight issues can also affect your partner’s sperm, so if your partner is over or underweight encourage him to reach his ideal weight.

5. Check out your medicine cabinet

Certain medications can affect fertility. Talk with your doctor about the medications that you and you partner take. Even over the counter medications can cause problems. For example, medications such as tetracycline, erythromycin, and cimetidine can reduce a man’s fertility.

6. Try Instead Softcups®

Although no formal research has been done on it, many women have claimed success from using them. Instead Softcups® are inserted and placed close to the cervix after intercourse to help hold semen close to the cervix.

7. Try a supplement

There are many over the counter supplements now that may aid in fertility including Vitex, FertiliAid, and FertiliTea. Vitamin B6 may also be helpful with improving your chances of getting pregnant. Men should take a daily multivitamin and women should start taking prenatal vitamins when they begin trying to conceive.

8. Check your position

The best sexual position for trying to conceive is with the woman on the bottom. It may also be helpful for her to lay on her back after intercourse with her knees to her chest for fifteen minutes.

9. Talk to your doctor

Although many doctors will not investigate infertility until you’ve been trying for a full year, many will and even those that are more conservative with treatment may be able to offer you valuable insight and suggestions. Your doctor can give you and your partner a full workup to check for potential causes of infertility. There are many treatments available including Clomid, IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), and more. Your doctor can also look at related health issues that may be affecting your fertility such as thyroid disorders and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Even infections and viral illnesses can cause problems getting pregnant. Your doctor can work with you to come up with a plan for you to get pregnant.

Teresa Redmond is a wife and mother to 6 children. She is the co-owner of Justmommies.com. Stop by to find great articles including signs of pregnancy, http://www.justmommies.com/articles/signs_and_symptoms.shtml

It seems to happen to anyone who becomes pregnant. Inevitably someone will give you some advice and tell you a pregnancy myth or an old pregnancy wives tale. I’m sure you have heard many of them, right? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular pregnancy myths and beliefs and see if we can sort out fact from fiction and discover the real truth.

Isn’t it amazing at how everyone seems to know everything there is to know about pregnancy? From curing morning sickness to labor and delivery, everyone and their brother has some kind of advice or cure. Morning sickness is a good place to start. One of the oldest boy or girl pregnancy myth says that if you experience a lot of morning sickness then you will have a baby girl. Of course there is no medical basis for this myth. In fact, I had very little morning sickness with my daughter and later had severe morning sickness with my son!

Heartburn is another area that seems to generate a lot of myths about pregnancy. The most common one being that if you are having a lot of heartburn then you will have a baby with a full head of thick dark hair. You just have to laugh at this. Of course that case of heartburn has nothing to do with your just eating 3 supreme tacos from Taco Bell that you had been craving all day!

Your baby’s heart rate is yet another area that produces several pregnancy myths. It is said by some that when you go in for a pregnancy well visit and your doctor listens to your baby’s heart, if the heart rate is high then you will be having a girl. If it is low, then it’s a boy. I will leave this to your own thinking as to whether this is fact or fiction.

One of my favorite pregnancy wives tales is how you are carrying your baby. You may have heard this one before. This boy or girl pregnancy myth says that if you are carrying your baby low it is a boy. If you are carrying high then it will be a girl. The scariest part of this is that there are people in the world who actually believe this.

Having to listen to these pregnancy myths can be good for a laugh or two, but just don’t go out and buy your baby’s new clothes based on them. To really get a good idea of whether you are having a baby boy or girl during your pregnancy is through an ultra sound. But even then, there are cases when it could be wrong. The one and only absolute positive way of knowing? When you deliver.

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You’re pregnant? Congratulations! You can find out more about what to expect Week By Week Of Pregnancy as well as the many different pregnancy issues that can come up by visiting: http://www.WeeklyPregnancyGuide.com

One of the most common complaints from pregnant women is lower back pain in early pregnancy. During pregnancy, your abdomen is expanding and pulling forward and hormones are relaxing joints and muscles throughout your body. This will put a strain on your back and cause pain. This article will give you some good tips for dealing with lower back pain in pregnancy.

The most important thing you can do to prevent lower back pain is maintain a good posture. Sit and stand straight, with shoulders back. Try not to let your abdomen pull your lower back forward which can cause a lot of strain. If you sit a lot, choose a chair that offers good lower back support and try to keep from crossing your legs. Sit with your feet slightly elevated and change positions often. Get up and stretch frequently and take a walk if possible.

When sleeping, don’t lie on your back. It is best to lie on your side. A body pillow is a good idea because you can place it between your knees and under your abdomen for full support. This will keep you body in good alignment and reduce pressure on your back.

Follow your doctor’s recommendation for weight gain and try not to gain an excessive amount of weight. A lot of women will think that being pregnant is an excuse to eat what they want. Excessive weight gain can be harmful to you and your baby. Eat a healthy, well balanced diet and try to keep your weight under control. You can exercise while pregnant provided that it is okay with your doctor.

Wear low heeled comfortable shoes while pregnant. Your center of gravity is way off while pregnant and wearing high heels not only puts an added strain on your back, but it also increases your risk of falling.

If the back pain is unbearable you might try massage or chiropractic care. Massaging the painful area with heated oils can help. Some chiropractic methods may relieve the pain also. Just make sure that you let your doctor know that you are considering these treatments. You may take acetaminophen for pain while pregnant; however NSAIDS such as Motrin, Advil and other forms of ibuprofen are not safe to take during pregnancy.

When lifting anything, make sure to lift the proper way. Bend at the knees, keep your back straight and lift with your legs. Do not bend over at the waist to lift something. Be careful when lifting things above your head. Never lift very heavy objects while pregnant. Your doctor can give you information on what is safe to lift while pregnant.

Always make your doctor aware of any back pain you may be having. Sometimes back pain is a sign of premature labor and needs to be addressed quickly. Pregnancy is not without its aches and pains; however it will be worth it in the end. Just remember to take care of your back and know how to relieve lower back pain in pregnancy.

You’re pregnant? Congratulations! By the way, you can get a FREE Pregnancy Tracking Chart as well as much more information on all types of pregnancy issues and the answers to the Top 10 Most Common Pregnancy Questions at http://www.Surviving-Pregnancy.InfoFromA-z.com.

A gender DNA test can reveal the gender of the fetus as well as showing paternity and genetic makeup. The procedure has been used because many feel it is a safer method than an amniocentesis as well as a CVS. This procedure is noninvasive where as an amniocentesis is invasive and can have risks, including inducing labor, fetal injury and in some cases termination of the pregnancy.

The gender DNA test requires taking blood from the mother who has fetal cells in her bloodstream. They isolate the Fetal DNA and will then determine the gender of the fetus. This is possible because the mother’s bloodstream carries fetal DNA from the placenta throughout the body. In most cases, a laboratory technician and not a doctor do the taking of the blood and testing. Performing the test as early as ten weeks after conception tells the gender of the fetus, although some tests may show accurate results as early as six weeks.

There are many companies around today that offer kits by way of mail, for a do it yourself home test, which you then send the sample to their lab and have the blood sample tested. Are these companies legitimate? In most cases they are, although they all charge different prices for the test kits and the testing procedure.

The question, should you have a gender DNA test is so controversial because, it takes the thrill and joy away from the birth, which most women know through experience is the beautiful part of birth, the rest can be painful. Some people may decide to end a pregnancy if the gender turns out to be wrong for what they are hoping for at the time. This type of gender DNA testing is wrong. Terminating a healthy pregnancy because the gender is not what you want leaves many religious groups and abortion groups positively outraged.

The right to select the gender of your baby may at some point unbalance the creation of life because some cultures and some people prefer boys rather than girls. This will cause less female populations and could result in the distinction of an entire heritage. Asian cultures are top on this list as they do end the life of baby girls. This way of life will eventually delete the Asian population.

With all the information about the gender DNA test and what could result if people use it for gender selection, this topic will remain a hot issue in the future. Religious groups believe that the sex of your baby is God’s will and will never change the way they believe. Abortion groups will continue to oppose this testing procedure if it is used for gender selection. I personally was happy to wait until my baby was born to find out the sex, and today I have a boy and a girl who have grown up and live wonderful lives.

You can also find more information at prenatal postnatal genetic testing and Genetic dna test. GeneticDNATestingHelp.org is a comprehensive resource for people who are interested in gentic DNA testing for paternity, genealogy, or medical reasons.

Creating a birthing necklace is a beautiful way to honor yourself and Baby during pregnancy. There are so many ways and of course no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way of designing a piece of art to symbolize what is most important to you. I like to encourage mothers to create their own piece or to take part if they choose to have an artisan make the jewelry for them. Maybe there is a particular color you have been drawn to during your pregnancy or a color that represents this child to you which could be the color focus of the necklace. Maybe you have a pendant you would like to have as your focus. One of my birthing necklaces was created during our blessingway. Each friend was asked to bring two beads. One was to represent Baby and the other myself. As we gathered in a circle each friend took their beads and presented them to me as they were placed on the string. The night I birthed, the beads were hanging above me on the wall as a visual focus for the birth.

My last birthing necklace I created during our blessingway day. I chose a goddess pendant which was to represent myself and the divine feminine. To the sides of the pendant were two beads for the Baby and for each of my other five (yes 5:) children. Each had their own unique color and style. In between each were seven small rainbow beads which in numerology is Spirit. Each bead was deliberately placed and blessed as I strung them. I wore the necklace the last several weeks of pregnancy and it was placed above me the night I gave birth.

However you choose to design your birthing necklace or jewelry may it be an expression of the beauty of this journey into Motherhood.

Lisa R. Marshall is the facilitator of Path to Nature…honoring life through whole health, natural living, herbal healing, sacred celebrations & journeys. She is also a mother & doula. Lisa is a facilitator to those who want to make changes in their lives.

Please visit http://www.Pathtonature.org for further information or to contact the author.

Telling the world you are pregnant can be a very exciting time for you to say the least. It’s only natural to want to let those you love know the great news. Well, part of that excitement will also be sharing your pregnancy with your children. While older children will immediately know what being pregnant means, small children may not, leaving you with some work in explaining everything.

You’ll need to take the time in helping your children understand they will be having a new baby brother or sister in the not too distant future. After you let them know you will need to keep tuned in to their reaction because this will be important.

Of course, all children will react differently. You may find that your child is upset with the news that you’re pregnant, while others may be very anxious and excited. With my second pregnancy our 3 year old daughter was excited the entire pregnancy. She would pretend she was pregnant like mommy at times by putting a pillow under her shirt. It was definitely cute.

How do you handle some of the different reactions your children may have? Well, if they are happy and excited that you’re having a baby then there is nothing more to do. But, if your child is distant or tells you they don’t want a new baby, then you need to talk with them and sort through their feelings.

Ask them why they feel the way they do. You have to get to the bottom of their feelings. Do not just ignore them. They may be scared that you’re not going to be there for them any more, or that you’ll love the baby more.

This is the time to bring the family together and make sure everyone knows they are loved. After the baby is born, dad should have more involvement with the kids since mom will be busy much of the time with the baby.

You can also involve the children during your pregnancy by letting them help in picking out some clothes, bedding, or other room decorations and toys. Our daughter helped in picking out new toys and even some outfits for the new baby. Let them feel the baby moving around in your belly or hear the heartbeat if possible. You might even ask for their ideas and suggestions in picking out a name if you haven’t decided on one yet.

The biggest key is to keep your children involved throughout your pregnancy. By doing so you will be making things so much easier for them when that special day arrives they have a new brother or sister.

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You’re pregnant? Congratulations! You can find out more about Pregnancy And Your Children as well as discover how to have a healthy, enjoyable pregnancy by visiting: http://www.WeeklyPregnancyGuide.com

Every woman who is pregnant should be aware of some of the common complications that may happen during their pregnancy. One complication is high blood pressure while pregnant.
Higher than normal blood pressure while pregnant, rarely causes life-threatening complications, yet there are times when it can become dangerous.

Some problems associated with pregnancy high blood pressure include decreased blood flow to the placenta. This affects the baby’s supply of nutrients and oxygen. The decreased supply could slow the baby’s growth. It can also increase the chance of early delivery.

There are three types of high blood pressure problems associated with pregnancy: essential hypertension, gestational hypertension and preclampsia.

Women who have high blood pressure before they become pregnant, have Essential Hypertension. Many women are not aware they have high blood pressure until their prenatal visits begin.

Gestational Hypertension is high blood pressure that develops while a woman is pregnant. This occurs in about 5 to 8 percent of women who become pregnant and usually disappears after the baby is born.

Preclampsia (formerly known as toxemia – it was believed a toxin was the cause of the problem) is the most dangerous type of high blood pressure in pregnant women. Sometimes gestational hypertension turns into preclampsia. It is recognized by even higher blood pressure and protein in the urine, which is also a sign of a kidney problem.

Women diagnosed with preclampsia will need vigilant monitoring by their doctor. Sometimes complete bed rest or even hospitalization may be required.

Some women are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure complications while pregnant. These include:

• History of hypertension or high blood pressure. You or a family member previously developed high blood pressure while pregnant.
• Your first pregnancy. If this is your first pregnancy or a pregnancy outside of 10 years, you have a higher chance of developing hypertension while pregnant.
• Your age plays a factor. If you are 35 or older or younger than 20, you have a higher risk.
• Your weight. If you are extremely overweight, you have a higher risk.
• Multiple babies. If you are carrying twins or triplets (or more, oh my!), you have a higher risk.
• Pre-existing disease. Some pre-existing diseases can lead to high blood pressure. These may include chronic hypertension, kidney disease, diabetes, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.

All women should monitor their blood pressure closely while pregnant, no matter what their risks may be. Even though this complication is usually not life threatening, it can quickly become a dangerous problem.

By Michelle Dixon, Copyright 2007. Michelle Dixon writes about many different types of health and fitness subjects. For more information regarding A Healthy Pregnancy - Information, Articles & Resources please see http://www.e-pregnancyguide.com

Cramps during early pregnancy are something that happens to many women. Your body is changing and getting ready for your baby to grow.

Many women will experience mild cramps during the first few weeks of pregnancy. In fact, a lot of women think that they are getting ready to start their periods because they feel cramping. This article will teach how why you cramp in early pregnancy and when to call your doctor.

Your uterus consists mainly of muscle and other surrounding tissues that enable it to expand during pregnancy and to contract when it’s time for childbirth. These actions are triggered by hormones.

• Some women may feel light cramping when the fertilized egg implants itself into the uterine wall. This can take place as early as six to eight days after fertilization. You may experience some light bleeding or “spotting” when the egg implants itself.

• Another reason for cramping in early pregnancy is that hormones have triggered your uterus to expand to get ready for the growing baby. These cramps may be uncomfortable and feel a lot like period cramps. This is perfectly normal as long as they don’t become severe and are accompanied by heavy bleeding. Cramps are most likely to occur after sexual activity or when your bladder is full.

• The round ligaments support your uterus. As your uterus grows the round ligaments must expand to support it. This may cause a feeling of cramping or a dull ache in your lower abdomen. It should go away with rest. However, if the cramping becomes severe and is accompanied by heavy bleeding, fever, or any other unusual symptoms, contacts your doctor right away.

There are ways to treat cramps during early pregnancy. A good way to relieve cramping is by applying heat. A heating pad to the lower abdomen works wonder for cramps but be careful to not get it too hot. You may take acetaminophen for pain relief if needed. Sometimes this will help take the edge off of the cramps. But ibuprofen or other NSAIDS should not be taken during pregnancy. Never take any drugs unless it is allowed by your doctor.

Take care of yourself by getting plenty of rest and eating right. The changing hormones in your body can slow down digestion and make you constipated, which can cause abdominal pain. If you feel that you may be constipated, increase your fiber and water intake.

Finally, another way to help relieve cramps in pregnancy is to abstain from sex. Sex does not hurt you or the baby but may increase the cramping and cause some spotting. The combination of cramping and spotting can make you think that you are having a miscarriage.

Cramps during early pregnancy are quite common. Cramps should be mild and never unbearable. However, if they become severe or are more prevalent on one side and are accompanied by any other unusual symptoms, let your doctor know right away.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

You’re pregnant? Congratulations! You can find out more about Cramps During Early Pregnancy as well as what to expect each week of your pregnancy by visiting: http://www.WeeklyPregnancyGuide.com