Giving birth is rightly regarded as an extremely uncomfortable and painful experience for many mothers, and while for some women labor goes quickly and relatively easily, for others it can turn into a real ordeal. Where our grandmothers had to go through the pain barrier more or less unaided, there are quite a few options available for todays pregnant women that can lessen or even completely remove the pain, allowing the joyfulness of giving birth a much greater chance to be appreciated.
Birthing Pool
Being in water during the early stages of labor can greatly relieve the contraction pains in some women, as the bouyancy takes some of the pressure off the muscles of the lower back. Some women prefer to stay in the water right through to the later stages of labor, and some even choose to complete the birth in a birthing pool.
Birthing pools have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they are seen as a natural way of reducing pain, in line with today's widespread preference for keeping things simple and as close to nature as possible.
TENS
A TENS machine is a small electronic device which you attach to your lower back with electrode pads. The machine passes a very slight electric current through the pads, which is intended to interfere with the pain signals, reducing the extent of the discomfort. The level of current can usually be increased during contractions, and then lowered back down as the pain subsides again. Some women find TENS machines to be highly effective, while for others the effect is minimal. The devices can usually be hired from the hospital, but are relatively cheap to buy yourself if you want to be sure that one will be available.
Gas and Air
This is also known as entonox, and is a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen that is breathed in via a pipe whenever the mother-to-be feels the need. It is a very light method of pain relief, and is enough on it's own for some women, especially in straightforward births. The effect is more of a distraction from the pain than an actual reduction, but doesn't feature the drawbacks of the two more heavy-duty pain relief drugs below.
Epidural
An epidural is an injection of pain relief drugs direct into the lumbar region, and is extremely effective at blocking pain. The initial injection must be performed by a doctor, although the drug levels can then be subsequently topped up by the midwife for as long as it is required. Early epidurals also interfered with movement, and so the entire birth had to be carried out lying down, but more advanced versions of the drugs used now allow the mother to walk around a little to relieve discomfort.
Pethidine
This is the strongest pain relief option available in most cases, and is extremely effective in stopping pain over a 3 to 4 hour period. Unlike an epidural, it can't be used indefinitely, and only two doses are usually allowed, meaning it is less than ideal for labors lasting longer than 8 hours or so. The drug can also pass through to the infant, in some cases delaying the start of breathing. Antidotes are, however, available should this occur.
Although the choice of which method of pain relief to use is usually left up to the mother, most midwives recommend starting with the less invasive choices such as TENS and gas and air, only moving up to drug treatments if necessary later on.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Talking Causes and Cures Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is often the first sign of pregnancy, as it can start as early as 2 weeks after conception. Despite the name, the sufferer can feel ill at any time of the day, although as an empty stomach is thought to be one of the triggers then mornings are a common time for it to appear.
Another possible cause is that many women experience a heightened sense of taste and smell while pregnant, which can make nausea feel worse when unpleasant or strong odours are around.
Another possible cause is that many women experience a heightened sense of taste and smell while pregnant, which can make nausea feel worse when unpleasant or strong odours are around.
Not every pregnant woman will experience morning sickness, although most do to some degree, and it can vary from a feeling of mild nausea or queasiness ranging up to feeling truly dreadful and unable to keep any food or liquids down. The severity of the effects seems to be greatest in women with a history of migraine or travel sickness.
It's not known exactly what causes it, but most doctors agree that the changes in hormone levels that pregnancy triggers are the most major factor. One of the effects of these hormones is to change the way your digestive system works, which can lead to higher levels of acid.
Finally, tiredness and stress play a part, and most pregnant women are tired and stressed a lot of the time!
Morning sickness can occur over the full range of your pregnancy, but most women find that it more or less disappears by around 14 weeks as hormone levels in the body stabilise.
There are dozens and dozens of traditional 'cures' for the feelings of nausea, with every mother having an opinion on the subject! The fact is that every woman's body is different and so no single thing will work for everyone. However, there are some simple things to try which can help most feel better.
As previously mentioned, an empty stomach can be a cause, so snack little and often to keep hunger at bay, and keep a couple of biscuits by your bed for if you wake up during the night.
Sucking on an ice cube can help, as can fizzy drinks. Fresh ginger is reputed to calm the stomach, so making a tea from crushed root ginger or even chewing on a piece can be worth a try.
Remedies for travel sickness can also help, so it might be worth trying the magnetic wristbands you can buy, but you should never take any medication while pregnant without consulting your doctor.
Morning sickness is a natural part of pregnancy and will not harm your baby in any way, but in severe cases you may be unable to keep any food or fluids down and if this continues you could become dehydrated, which is very dangerous for your baby. If your urine starts to become very dark in colour this is a sign that your fluid levels are too low, and you should speak to your midwife or doctor.
Finally, when you're in a bout of morning sickness, don't worry too much about what you're eating - getting enough energy is more important than a balanced diet at that moment, so if chocolate makes you feel better then go for it! You can always stock up on healthier foods when the sickness has abated a little.
Choosing Best Health Care Plan
There are a lot of details to consider when you are choosing a health care plan, whether it’s one offered through your employer or one you buy on your own. No matter what age you are, your health should be a primary concern, although young people often act as if they will live forever and sometimes postpone making health care decisions.
Here is a list of common mistakes that people make all the time when choosing a health care plan. They are in no particular order, and all are important to consider, carefully and completely. If you are not conversant with all the terminology or are finding it difficult to make the decisions, you should ask for help from a neutral third-party such as family member or friend. Don’t ask a health insurance company unless you want to hear a sales pitch!
Common mistakes
You don’t check out your doctor, or any others – Although some healthcare plans require you to use a physician in their own network, other plans are more inviting. If you already have a physician, and are buying your own insurance, check with the doctor to see what plans he is a member of. If you do have to choose a new doctor, you should look into the health plan doctors’ credentials by contacting the AMA.
You don’t ask about physicals and health screenings – Again, it seems an obvious thing to ask, but if you appreciate getting regular physicals and health screenings you should ensure that they are covered. Most “managed care” plans do cover these types of procedures, usually on an annual basis, but there are some plans that do not cover them. If you have children, make sure to ask if “well baby” check-ups, physicals and immunizations are covered.
* You forget about additional services – Everything, from prescription drug coverage to mental health care, is an important consideration. You need to consider which of the various additional services that you may need are, in fact, covered when you are comparing health care plans. Other examples of these additional services that may be important to you are drug and alcohol counseling and treatment, home health care, nursing home or extended care, hospices, experimental treatments, alternative and complementary medicine, chiropractic care and physical therapy.
Here is a list of common mistakes that people make all the time when choosing a health care plan. They are in no particular order, and all are important to consider, carefully and completely. If you are not conversant with all the terminology or are finding it difficult to make the decisions, you should ask for help from a neutral third-party such as family member or friend. Don’t ask a health insurance company unless you want to hear a sales pitch!
Common mistakes
You don’t check out your doctor, or any others – Although some healthcare plans require you to use a physician in their own network, other plans are more inviting. If you already have a physician, and are buying your own insurance, check with the doctor to see what plans he is a member of. If you do have to choose a new doctor, you should look into the health plan doctors’ credentials by contacting the AMA.
- You forget “location, location, location” – The location of your doctor or clinic, and the travel time required, are other factors you should consider when considering health care plans. Find out where the doctor is located and also look into the regular and emergency hours of the facility.
- You don’t consider specialists – If you already need specialist care, or think you may need to in the future, you need to know the health care plan’s procedures on using them. Some plans require you to contact a primary care physician, while others allow you to make specialist appointments directly.
- You don’t consider your own specialist – You should definitely find out if your current specialist is in the health care plan you are considering. If not, perhaps your specialist can refer you to one who is.
- You forget to check the policy on “pre-existing conditions” – Even though this should be a “no-brainer,” people forget to ask about the policies on pre-existing conditions. Coverage for pre-existing conditions varies widely among health plans. Some exclude them entirely, and will not even consider coverage, while others cover them fully. Many health care plans fall somewhere in the middle, offering coverage after a certain amount of time, or for a certain amount of time or expense. Rules promulgated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act guarantees you coverage for your pre-existing conditions if you join a new group plan offered by your employer after being insured the previous year. Do your research to make sure you know what your policy covers.
You don’t ask about physicals and health screenings – Again, it seems an obvious thing to ask, but if you appreciate getting regular physicals and health screenings you should ensure that they are covered. Most “managed care” plans do cover these types of procedures, usually on an annual basis, but there are some plans that do not cover them. If you have children, make sure to ask if “well baby” check-ups, physicals and immunizations are covered.
* You forget about additional services – Everything, from prescription drug coverage to mental health care, is an important consideration. You need to consider which of the various additional services that you may need are, in fact, covered when you are comparing health care plans. Other examples of these additional services that may be important to you are drug and alcohol counseling and treatment, home health care, nursing home or extended care, hospices, experimental treatments, alternative and complementary medicine, chiropractic care and physical therapy.
Secrets to Weight Loss
Most people that you ask about losing weight would say you need to eat less and exercise more. This is a very simple explanation of how to be victorious with your weight loss. As anyone that has ever attempted to lose weight knows there are is an abundance of weight loss tips to help you in your endeavor. Here are some popular weight loss tips recommend to be successful in losing weight. 3.An additional set of favored weight loss advice orbit around snacking. Commit particular attention to your empty snacking. Some people ingest way too many calories in the evening while they are mindless watching television and snacking. Experts recommend establishing a cut off time for eating approximately two hours before you are going to go to bed for the night. By doing so you will have time to work off any calories consumed. Another weight loss tips would be to have predetermined evening snacks such as a low calorie snack pack or low-fat ice cream. 6.Favorable weight loss tips include stocking your pantry with nutritious foods. Fundamental weight loss tips for those attempting to lose some extra weight would be to have nutritious foods readily accessible. You will be less likely to order out or hit the fast food restaurant if you have the ability to prepare a healthy meal in minutes. Try stocking up on frozen vegetables, canned tomatoes, whole-grain wraps and pre-cooked chicken breast.
Author Resource:-> Joseph Carter writes on the topics of health and fitness. He is associated with the website of Houston Personal Fitness Trainer Anu Morgan. If you live in the Houston area and want to get in the best shape of your life you need Houston Personal Training.
1.Many weight loss tips propose drinking plenty of water. Often people confuse being thirsty with being hungry. Try to drink a glass of cold water when you think you are hungry as it may be just what you require. Some individuals have a hard time drinking the amount of water that is needed for your body to work properly. Try adding some lemon or infuse with a flavored tea to add some flavor without supplying the calories.
- Focus on contributing to your diet. Many times when people are looking for weight loss advice you only find what to eliminate from your diet. Even So, you should attempt to concentrate on supplying the necessary amounts of fruits and vegetables. It is advocated to have five to nine portions of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. This may seem like a lot of food but it will help you achieve your fiber requirements while maintaining you feeling fulfilled.
Eat several small meals throughout the day. Many experts believe that having several small meals and snacks throughout the day helps to control appetite and assists in weight loss attempts. When opting to eat several smaller meals throughout the day you should strive to have your last meal be at supper.
Make sure you eat protein at every meal. Protein is now thought to be more fulfilling than carbohydrates and fat. Eating sufficient protein will help aid in conservation of muscle mass while it promotes fat burning. Try adding items like yogurt, beans, cheese and nuts into your meals to boost your protein ingestion.
Author Resource:-> Joseph Carter writes on the topics of health and fitness. He is associated with the website of Houston Personal Fitness Trainer Anu Morgan. If you live in the Houston area and want to get in the best shape of your life you need Houston Personal Training.
Prepare for Pregnancy( according to the experts)
For the new young couple married, the pregnancy is the grace of God the infinite value. We trust given by God to bear and keep being a creation of God that is the most perfect human being. Of course we should not be careless in carrying out this noble task. We must prepare for the birth of the human imut with the good, so what is God to trust us we do not use any aliases treated carelessly.
One of the preparations made during pregnancy is to maintain Feed good nutrition for mothers and infants in the womb, because during pregnancy, the fetus in the mother's body to develop rapidly. This development was influenced by the adequacy of vitamin mother. vitamine less time, growth can also be disrupted.
Nutrition the right balance is very good for a healthy pregnancy.
Nutrition food is good in preparing the pregnancy:
# Folat or Folic acid is a vitamin that can be found on the green leaved vegetables and cereals, fruits such as citrus fruits, wine, fruit and other sitrus. Or you can consume extra vitamins from your daily day. The recommended dose is 400 per mikrogram.
# Protein, very big role in producing blood cells.
# Carbohydrate, the energy required for the body daily.
# Calcium, during pregnancy, calcium important to help the growth of the newborn baby.
# Iron substance, very important in helping the production process of cell-red blood cells, primarily to prevent the occurrence of anemia.
# Fat, for pregnant women, fat huge benefits for the body's energy reserves, so that the moment-not a body feels tired
Things that must be prepared for pregnancy.
1. How to eat healthy.
Once you prepare for pregnancy, so wherever possible, to start eating a more healthy and balanced diet food. Preparation for pregnancy, 3-4 months before conception (fertilization occurs) is a good time to start eating with a healthy way.
2. Food is low fat, rich in fiber and vitamins folat should now be on the menu list of healthy foods you.
3. Stop food or beverages that contain caffeine. Research states that consuming caffeine would reduce the likelihood of a woman to be pregnant. And caffeine also increases the likelihood of a miscarriage although more research is not yet ascertained, but it is grounded to your stop or minimize it ..
4. Caffeine can be found on coffee, tea, cocoa, and also some drugs flu or headache, so you should read the label before using.
5. Stop alcohol, smoking and drugs that affect the poor baby.
Alcohol, smoking and drugs such as cocaine / morphine effect on the pregnancy and the baby so when you prepare for pregnancy.
Special food for pregnant?
In science there is no special food that can improve the pregnancy except for one that is: Kerang. Some scientists suggest to eat oysters because oysters contain zinc and zinc deficiency can affect fertility either women or men.
But still eat healthy diet that is balanced is the best for your overall health and fertility than you only eat two kinds of obscene or food that is considered specific to pregnancy.
Try to eat a balanced variety of foods with varying healthy balance in your diet.
And sports will also help a healthy pregnancy, and usually women who do sport regularly before pregnancy, will continue in the program during pregnancy. Consult with your doctor is the best exercise for you.
Remember also that age also affect the fertility of women, women's fertility will usually begin to decline after age 35 years and will decrease after 40 years and after 45 years will be difficult to get pregnant, even with the regular mensturasi.
One of the preparations made during pregnancy is to maintain Feed good nutrition for mothers and infants in the womb, because during pregnancy, the fetus in the mother's body to develop rapidly. This development was influenced by the adequacy of vitamin mother. vitamine less time, growth can also be disrupted.
Nutrition the right balance is very good for a healthy pregnancy.
Nutrition food is good in preparing the pregnancy:
# Folat or Folic acid is a vitamin that can be found on the green leaved vegetables and cereals, fruits such as citrus fruits, wine, fruit and other sitrus. Or you can consume extra vitamins from your daily day. The recommended dose is 400 per mikrogram.
# Protein, very big role in producing blood cells.
# Carbohydrate, the energy required for the body daily.
# Calcium, during pregnancy, calcium important to help the growth of the newborn baby.
# Iron substance, very important in helping the production process of cell-red blood cells, primarily to prevent the occurrence of anemia.
# Fat, for pregnant women, fat huge benefits for the body's energy reserves, so that the moment-not a body feels tired
Things that must be prepared for pregnancy.
1. How to eat healthy.
Once you prepare for pregnancy, so wherever possible, to start eating a more healthy and balanced diet food. Preparation for pregnancy, 3-4 months before conception (fertilization occurs) is a good time to start eating with a healthy way.
2. Food is low fat, rich in fiber and vitamins folat should now be on the menu list of healthy foods you.
3. Stop food or beverages that contain caffeine. Research states that consuming caffeine would reduce the likelihood of a woman to be pregnant. And caffeine also increases the likelihood of a miscarriage although more research is not yet ascertained, but it is grounded to your stop or minimize it ..
4. Caffeine can be found on coffee, tea, cocoa, and also some drugs flu or headache, so you should read the label before using.
5. Stop alcohol, smoking and drugs that affect the poor baby.
Alcohol, smoking and drugs such as cocaine / morphine effect on the pregnancy and the baby so when you prepare for pregnancy.
Special food for pregnant?
In science there is no special food that can improve the pregnancy except for one that is: Kerang. Some scientists suggest to eat oysters because oysters contain zinc and zinc deficiency can affect fertility either women or men.
But still eat healthy diet that is balanced is the best for your overall health and fertility than you only eat two kinds of obscene or food that is considered specific to pregnancy.
Try to eat a balanced variety of foods with varying healthy balance in your diet.
And sports will also help a healthy pregnancy, and usually women who do sport regularly before pregnancy, will continue in the program during pregnancy. Consult with your doctor is the best exercise for you.
Remember also that age also affect the fertility of women, women's fertility will usually begin to decline after age 35 years and will decrease after 40 years and after 45 years will be difficult to get pregnant, even with the regular mensturasi.
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