One of the biggest concerns among mums-to-be is whether or not they are gaining the right amount of weight during pregnancy.
Throughout your stages of pregnancy you are weighed by your medical team to help you keep on track. It’s an important issue.
Gain too much weight and you’ll not only ... Views: 849
When a couple is longing for a baby, every month that passes without that magical conception taking place can be painful and upsetting. But what if you’re not in a couple and still long for a baby?
Whether you're childless because of biological reasons or it simply hasn’t happened yet ... Views: 1032
Examinations and checkups quickly become a way of life when you are pregnant. While it can sometimes feel like you are constantly being prodded and poked, these tests are an important way of monitoring your health, as well as your baby’s.
Antenatal appointments are also an ideal opportunity ... Views: 828
Don’t worry if you only have a small room to convert into a nursery, with a little imagination and planning the tiniest of box rooms can be a delightful space for your little one. Here are some nursery decorating ideas for small spaces.
Design and layout
Pale, neutral and light decor will ... Views: 1545
Feeling your baby move for the first time is a magical moment. What begins as a barely perceptible flutter quickly turns into a full-on kick as your little one starts to make her presence felt and by the end it can feel as if she is dancing a jig inside you. You will probably even see a foot or ... Views: 1492
When a lady becomes pregnant, there are many apprehensions and queries that surround her mind. All these queries must be answered to make her aware of what actually happens in the different stages of one’s pregnancy. If you are also expecting a baby soon and have become 10 weeks pregnant then it ... Views: 542
Some women find it hard to believe that other women can sail obliviously through the first few weeks (and even months) of pregnancy without noticing any obvious signs.
But while feeling nauseous, tired, or having a late period are all symptoms of pregnancy, they could be due to other ... Views: 5844
Some mums-to-be dismiss the idea of a home birth thinking that they are “more dangerous” than hospital births.
In fact, the secret to successfully giving birth at home is in the planning. Carefully prepared home births are statistically just as safe as planned hospital births in low-risk ... Views: 1918
Any working mum-to-be needs to plan or strategize her working life to ensure she gets the maternity benefits she is entitled to and is given the right amount of time off work at the right pay level.
If you are pregnant and work full or part-time in the UK, you are entitled to time off before ... Views: 813
Once you have decided you are ready to have a baby, waiting for that all-important positive pregnancy test can seem both long and torturous. The disappointment of failure every month can be upsetting, especially if you feel you are doing everything right. But making a baby is not an easy ... Views: 965
At week 15 pregnant your baby is now around 4 inches in length (10cm) and will weigh about 2.5 ounces (75g).
Although absolutely tiny, she will have working joints in her little limbs. Her legs will be longer than her arms – giving her a more finished shape.
Her flexible limbs will be ... Views: 823
Your main concern when you are pregnant is to keep both you and your baby safe and healthy, which is why it can be scary if you do fall ill.
Fortunately, common ailments such as a cold won’t harm the baby. However, there are some pregnancy infections that can be more serious and that you need ... Views: 796
Your main concern when you are pregnant is to keep both you and your baby safe and healthy, which is why it can be scary if you do fall ill.
Fortunately, common ailments such as a cold won’t harm the baby. However, there are some pregnancy infections that can be more serious and that you need ... Views: 1241
As a side effect of pregnancy, stretch marks top many women’s most hated list! Mainly because they can last so long and are so visible. Most other effects (weight gain, discharge, aches and pains, uncomfortable stitches) are not as long lasting or can at least be hidden away or disguised.
... Views: 831
Iron deficiency in the body leads to the condition anaemia. Anaemia in pregnancy is quite common but it is actually very easy to prevent.
We need iron throughout our lives, as it’s used to make haemoglobin (red blood cells) which carries oxygen around the body. But in pregnancy it is vital ... Views: 1197
Many women trying to conceive will know their menstrual cycle like the back of their hand. They know all the pregnancy symptoms to look out for – the dull ache that can come with ovulation, the tiny twinge that could mean implantation is taking place, the precise moment their next bleed is due ... Views: 1635
Many women trying to conceive will know their menstrual cycle like the back of their hand. They know all the pregnancy symptoms to look out for – the dull ache that can come with ovulation, the tiny twinge that could mean implantation is taking place, the precise moment their next bleed is due ... Views: 636
Normally, after an egg is fertilised at conception, it embeds itself in the inner lining of the womb. But sometimes – in about 1 in 80 pregnancies – it finds its way elsewhere. It is usually in the fallopian tube, or occasionally in the abdomen, cervix or ovaries. This is an ectopic pregnancy - ... Views: 903
Babies drink milk. Fact. But unfortunately a few react badly to milk and it actually makes them ill and affects baby development.
Some babies are allergic to all dairy products, but more commonly a baby can be lactose intolerant. So what is the difference? And how can you tell if your baby is ... Views: 1186
Everyone loves a freebie, especially when it really is something you may have spent your hard-earned cash on anyway.
Being given free baby stuff is a definite perk of pregnancy and motherhood.
There are so many things a baby needs (who would have imaged a tiny little person would need so ... Views: 1206
Finding out you are pregnant is an exciting time. There will be a lot of changes over the next few weeks and months. Here are some top tips for the first trimester...
GP visit
You have taken a home pregnancy test and it is positive. Now is the time to visit your doctor to get official ... Views: 1159
Around 20% of the British population is affected by hay fever. Basically it is an allergy to pollen which is released from plants into the air from March until early September.
Hay fever in babies and children under five is rare, but not unheard of.
Baby health is a priority so it’s hard ... Views: 1017
Tests and scans of unborn babies can give peace of mind to the parents and, in that respect, are very important.
Ultrasound scans are a routine part of pregnancy these days, but certain other tests are usually only undertaken if there is a medical reason to do so.
Ultrasound scan
A ... Views: 742
You are a couple and together you have decided that two should become three. It’s time to try for a baby.
But while it is the female who will be carrying the child for nine months and her good health is vital, the importance of the man’s pre-pregnancy health should never be underestimated ... Views: 580
Those last few weeks and days of pregnancy can really drag. Of course you are excited about what lies ahead, but you are also probably very tired of carrying your pregnancy bump around 24/7.
Pregnancy advice and tips about labour are probably coming at you fast and furious and you may have ... Views: 3619
You think you might be pregnant. You’ve had some of the first signs of pregnancy. So what’s next?
Well first of all you need to confirm your suspicions. You can do this easily at home with a home pregnancy test kit available from the chemists.
If you are already showing some signs of ... Views: 708
Unless you have been trying for a baby, and are therefore on the look-out for the early signs of pregnancy, much of the first trimester of your pregnancy week by week can slip by un-noticed. This is especially true if you don’t have any unpleasant side-effects (nausea, tiredness, sore breasts, ... Views: 750
In order to get pregnant a male sperm must fertilise a female’s egg. The conventional way for this to happen is through sexual intercourse when the male
penis enters the woman’s vagina and ejaculation of sperm occurs.
The process of an egg being fertilised can also be carried out outside ... Views: 2581
You are unique, your baby will be unique, and your pregnancy stages will also be totally individual. So never worry if your experience varies from the lists, guidelines and pregnancy advice you will find offered to you.
That said, if this is your first pregnancy it can be very helpful to be ... Views: 687
Many women (and men) worry about having sex during pregnancy, but the good news is that it is perfectly safe – so go for it.
Is it safe?
Remember that your baby is cushioned by a sac of fluid well beyond the neck of the womb and your partner’s penis can’t penetrate beyond your vagina so, ... Views: 566
There’s an old saying that when you give birth to baby you give birth to your baby common-sense soon after…
But just in case you need some extra advice, here are some basic newborn baby care tips on keeping her clean.
In those early days you may feel there is an abundance of newborn baby ... Views: 666
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants itself outside the womb. The NHS records show that around 11,000 ectopic pregnancies occur in the UK each year, although the figure is probably much higher.
Here are the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy to look out for and when you ... Views: 949
As adults, we give the term “child’s play” to a task that we find particularly easy. But for your child, playing is of the upmost importance for their development. Baby development month by month can be significantly aided by playtime!
Playing can improve social skills, speech development and ... Views: 697
When you are watching a movie and a female character gets out of bed in the morning and runs to the toilet to be sick, then you can pretty much jump to the conclusion that this is a sign of pregnancy.
Nausea certainly can be one of the early pregnancy symptom . But the term “morning sickness” ... Views: 711
They didn’t exist when our mums were having us, but pregnancy forums are now so popular many women are making life-long pals through them, and getting answers to their week by week pregnancy questions.
For mums-to-be chatting on an online pregnancy forum via a pregnancy or baby club website ... Views: 862
We’re all told that exercise is vital in our everyday lives. But, exercise during pregnancy is just as vital. Regular exercise can lead to a healthier pregnancy week by week. Some of the benefits of exercise during pregnancy include:
• Regaining your figure more quickly after ... Views: 640
The best time to start trying for a baby is when you are ovulating, but how do you know when that is? Using an ovulation calendar can help you pinpoint exactly when your body is at its most fertile.
Working out your dates:
Ovulation takes place around 14 days before a woman gets her ... Views: 710
Your body can change a great deal when you’re pregnant so it is a good idea to know what to expect and be prepared for what’s coming. Besides your growing bump, here are some pregnancy symptoms you might experience...
Changes in your breasts:
For some women, having tender breasts is one of ... Views: 872
Congratulations, you have reached the halfway stage!
If you’ve been following your baby development week by week you’ll know that at week 19 she is around 6.5 inches in length (17cm) and 9 ounces in weight (250gm).
Her whole body will be covered in the greasy white substance known as ... Views: 971
The simple answer is yes, there is a possibility of getting pregnant when you are having your period. However, the chances are pretty slim and it all depends on the regularity of your periods and when you ovulate...
Ovulating:
Your menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period and ... Views: 966
No matter how many people tell you not to worry, or how many articles and books you read on the subject, you are bound to feel concerned if you find you are bleeding during pregnancy.
But bleeding, or spotting (as small amounts of blood are called) can be due to many reasons and does not ... Views: 888
To work out the answer that question you first have to know how home pregnancy tests work.
Basically they detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone hCG (Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), in your urine.
This pregnancy hormone is produced in your body when a fertilised egg implants in ... Views: 1063
Making a baby isn’t always easy. Even if neither of you have fertility problems, you have only a 25% chance of falling pregnant each cycle.
Many doctors will not consider a couple has a fertility problem until they have been trying for a baby for at least one year. But one in every seven ... Views: 999
That was it. That was the moment you became pregnant, although you probably weren’t even aware of the monumental process going on in your body.
But as roughly 1.5 – 3.5 million sperm headed for your fallopian tubes one amazing little seed hit its target and your egg was fertilised.
This ... Views: 1524
GPs usually agree to reasonable travel plans for their pregnant patients unless they are already considered at risk from hypertension, diabetes, bleeding, or have a history of miscarriage.
If you are not considered “high risk” it’s still a good idea to discuss your travel plans with your ... Views: 979
In the first trimester your body will be getting used to the influx of pregnancy hormones and you may feel exhausted much of the day, but are unable to sleep well at night. There are several possible causes for this:
Hormones and anxiety
As well as the effect of the hormones you could be ... Views: 986
You’re expecting twins? Triplets? How exciting, and probably a little daunting too.
But although it may be more challenging than carrying just one baby, mothers of twins find that as long as they look after themselves and get some support from their partner and family members, a multiple ... Views: 608
It is very important to watch what you eat and drink when you are pregnant, particularly in those critical first three months. Here are some top pregnancy tips on what food and drink to avoid and the extra measures you should take when it comes to hygiene...
Food in pregnancy:
If you know ... Views: 835
There is some evidence that if a woman is anxious or depressed during pregnancy this can negatively affect a baby’s birth weight and fetal brain development. So there’s one more thing to be anxious about!
Nobody wants to feel stressed or anxious at what should be one of the happiest times of ... Views: 866
Pram, car seat, changing table, baby grows, toys, sterilising equipment, thousands of muslin squares - it is amazing how many things one small child needs, so when a baby comes along, it can be an expensive business.
That’s why getting hold of free baby stuff can really help out and there ... Views: 850