The baby crib is almost set up!  My sis brought over the remaing pieces to assemble it today and we will probably put the rest of it together sometime this week.  It’s a basic white crib set which my neice and nephew used when they were babies, and it looks really cute in the room.  Cos and I looked at baby strollers over the weekend and we love the Bugaboo.  It can do so many things and you can customize the colours of it as well.  We probably should buy it very soon, cause its gonna take just a month to figure out all of its options!  Busy and exciting times ahead.  Only 7 weeks left to go!!  Oh, Cos finally had a chance to “really” feel the baby kick today.  They were the strongest kicks that I have felt so far and feeling them kind of scared the both of us…lol

Posted by Nancy as Uncategorized, the next 3 months at 12:12 AM EDT

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The first time I really felt and knew that I was having a fetal movement in my tummy was about 6 months into my pregnancy.  I probably did feel the baby move earlier, but I just wasn’t sure if it was the baby kicking or just gas..lol  I would feel these early fetal movements when I was sitting or lying quietly.  When I started feeling them more regularly, I pretty much knew that it was the baby kicking in my stomach.  I will know for sure if I am having any pregnancy fetal movement earlier the next time around because I will know what to expect and because my uterine muscles will be laxer.  The first fetal movement I experienced felt like a fluttering in my abdomen, and as time progressed it felt like bumping or nudging in my stomach.  Being in my third trimester, I am noticing an increase and more consistent fetal movement which is a joy to feel.  My friend Carla has wanted to feel the baby kick for sometime now, and she finally got to last night!

Once you’re feeling your baby kicking regularly, you should pay attention to it and let your practitioner know right away if you ever notice any decreased fetal movement.  Feeling less movement in the fetus may signal a problem, and you’ll need a non-stress test or biophysical profile to check on your baby’s condition. My next prenatal appointment is tomorrow and since I am in my third trimester, I will ask him if he recommends that I spend some time each day counting my baby’s kicks.

Posted by Nancy as general info at 3:02 AM EDT

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I have heard horror stories of pregnant women who have had severe morning sickness starting from the beginning of their pregnancies.  I, thankfully, have not had to go through this.  Only one third to one half of expectant women ever experience the nausea and/or vomiting of pregnancy morning sickness.  For most women morning sickness starts well into the second trimester, and doesn’t last past the third trimester.  I have only felt really sick once during my pregnancy, it was in the evening, to the point where I had to vomit a few times to feel better.  I also felt morning sickness symptoms when I was hungry and needed to eat, and it happened at any time of the day - morning sickness during pregnancy can actually strike morning, noon or night, or even all day long.  The causes of morning sickness is related to a pregnancy hormone called human chronic gonadotropin. Your lifestyle may also have a direct effect on pregnancy morning sickness as well. Women who don’t get enough rest seem to be more prone to it. Additionally, women who are under stress also seem to experience more morning sickness symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

There is no 100% effective morning sickness cure or prevention, but there are ways to help alleviate its symptoms and minimizing its effects.  Here are some remedies you can try for morning sickness relief:

• Take plenty of fluids
• Avoid the sight, smell, and taste of foods that make you queasy
• Eat a diet high in protein and complex carbohydrates
• Take a prenatal vitamin
• Eat before nausea strikes
• Eat often
• Don’t rush out of bed
• Get extra sleep and relaxaion
• Minimize stress
• Brush your teeth with a toothpaste that doesn’t increase your queasiness

If all this fails, and you are still suffering from severe morning sickness, then ask your doctor for morning sickness medication or any home remedies that he may recommend.  There is a herbal dietary supplement called “morning sickness magic” that contains ginger and is proven to reduce nausea during pregnancy.  Morning sickness is an unfortunate thing to have to go through, but just remember it will not last forever, and you will be rewarded for it at the end

Posted by Nancy as health at 9:11 PM EDT

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I have been trying to keep active during my pregnancy which is often hard to do. Because my job is sedentary and sometimes addicting, I have to force myself to get up and go for walks with hubby or do household chores.  I do get tired a lot easier now from exercise, I am huffing and puffing just from walking up our stairs at home!  How sad is that!?! But I am trying to get moving more because exercise during pregnancy is extremely beneficial for both expecant mothers and their babies.  There are four kinds of safe exercises during pregnancy that can be useful:  aerobics, calisthenics, relaxation techniques, and Kegel exercises.  I will soon be getting a pregnancy exercise video (as soon as we get a new dvd player) and will be doing pregnancy aerobics on a daily basis.  This type of exercise in pregnancy has so many benifits including improved circulation (which decreases the risk of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and fluid retention), increased muscle tone and strength (which prevents or relieves backache and constipation), builds endurance (which makes you better able to cope with a lengthy labor), promotes a better nights sleep, burns calories, and gives you an overall sense of well being and helps you to cope with the physical and emotional challenges of childbearing.  I would like to get back into shape and into my non- pregnancy clothes as soon as possible, so my goal is to do aerobics after pregnancy on a daily basis as well.  Calisthetics are pregnancy exercises designed especially for pregnant women.  These exercises are rhythmic, light gymnastic movements that tone and develop muscles and can improve posture. This type of exercise in pregnancy also tones and develops muscle, relieves backache, prepares a woman’s body for the task of childbearing, improves posture, and improves physical and mental well-being.  Relaxion techniques such as yoga and pilates during pregnancy helps conserve energy for when it is needed, assists the mind to focus, and increases body awareness.  Kegel exercises during pregnancy consist of contracting the vaginal muscles hard, as if to stop the flow of urine. This should be done 10 to 15 times at least 3 times a day. I have been trying to do these annoying little exercises (which increases my heart rate everytime) to strengthen the muscles that surround the openings of the urethra, vagina, and anus which can become weak because of the constant pressure of pregnancy.

Whatever pregnancy exercises you do, it is important to practice safe exercise during pregnancy and follow these do and dont’s guidelines

 Do:

• Exercise regularly at least 3 times per week.
• Avoid bouncy movements that snap muscles like rubber bands.
• Take a pulse rate during peak activity. Keep target heart rate within limits set by the healthcare provider.
• Exercise on a wooden floor or heavily carpeted surface to reduce shock and provide sure footing.
• Rise gradually to avoid dizziness from floor exercises.
• Drink fluids before, during, and after exercise to prevent dehyration
• Get adequate calories to meet both the extra needs of pregnancy and the exercise performed.
• Consult your healthcare provider if any unusual symptoms occur during exercise.

Don’t:

• Don’t exercise in hot, humid weather or during any illness if a fever is present.
• Don’t exercise strenuously for longer than 15 minutes at a time.
• Don’t raise body temperature to more than 100.4 degrees F.
• Don’t use exercises that require women to hold their breath or bear down.

If you can, try to to start a pregnancy diet and exercise program starting from the first trimester and take some pregnancy exercise classes. The effects of exercise during pregnancy are so great that it shouldn’t be too difficult to form this beneficial habit.  Always remember to keep hydrated and try a variety of pregnancy exercises so you dont get bored of the same routine.  Ball exercises for pregnancy can also be a lot of fun! Exercise during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for the health of you and your baby during this special time in your life.  There are even exercises after pregnancy that you can do with your baby, now that is something to look forward to! :)  Happy exercising moms to be!

Posted by Nancy as health at 6:28 AM EDT

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Hubby and I started to try to get pregnant after our trip to Italy in August of last year. It was close to automn by the time we got back home from vacation, and we were on a mission!…lol.  We were lucky and got pregnant fairly soon and found out through a pregnancy due date calculator that our doctor gave us, that our due date was July 16, 2006.  How to calculate your due date for pregnancy at home without the use of a pregnancy due date chart is quite simple.  Just use a calendar and calculate 40 weeks from the first day of when you got your last period. You can also take the date of the first day of your last period and add 7 to it.  From that date, count back three months and you have your due date.  Of course this is only an educated estimate to determine the date, especially if your cycle is irregular.  Normally the due date is within 2 weeks before or after the date predicted.  There are also different procedures that your doctor does to figure out a more accurate date which include an internal exam to figure out the size of your uterus, determing when the first time the fetal heartbeat is heard (at about 10-12 weeks with a Doppler device), and the doctor feeling for the top of the uterus at each prenatal visit. 

As you get closer to your delivery date, there will be other clues to the date of the big event.  Painless contractions may become more frequent (and possibly uncomfortable), the fetus will drop into the pelvis (engagement), and your cervix will begin to dilate.  There is no 100% guarantee that any or all of these calculations will give you your exact pregnancy due date, they are only helpful clues - only your baby knows for sure what his or her birthday will be.

Click here for an easy to use pregnancy due date calculator

Posted by Nancy as general info at 6:01 PM EDT

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I remember back in November when I had a strong feeling that I was pregnant.  My period was a few days late, I was emotional (even commercials would and sometimes still make me cry), certain smells would get to me, I was feeling more tired, and my breasts were getting tender.  I knew that these were some of the early pregnancy symptoms so I anticipated a positive pregnancy test result, until a few days later I noticed some light spotting that made me mad.  My period had never been this late before!  I quickly did my research and learned that the light bleeding (spotting) may occur approximately 8 - 10 days from ovulation and it usually happens around the same time you would have gotten your menstrual period.  I thought I was starting my menstrual period, when in fact it was just an early first pregnancy sign! YAY!!! The reason for the spotting was because implantation was taking place which is when the fertilized egg burrows into the endometrial lining.

The next step for me was to take the home pregnancy test.  This test involves the same procedures as the ones done in a doctor’s office that tests for the presence of the hormone hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin) in the urine.  After a prior trial by error the day before, it came out positive, and I quickly told Cos.  I am glad I took the test because it gave me the opportunity to start taking the best care of myself within days of conception.  My Doctor confirmed the postive test result a few days later and followed it up with a complete physical examination.

Top ten symptoms of pregnancy include:

• missed menstrual period
• nausea
• extreme fatigue
• frequent urination
• tender breasts
• headache
• heartburn
• constipation
• spotting
• feeling faint

While some pregnant women experience many of these, others experience only a few

Posted by Nancy as first 6 months at 8:35 PM EDT

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I have had some lower back pain discomfort starting from early on in my pregnancy.  Because my back pain during pregnancy was a lot worse in the beginning, my hubby would give me back massages every night :)  Hmmmmmm maybe its time for more!!  I use to have shooting pains in my lower back more so in the evening, but now it is just a mild back pain near my tailbone every now and then. Heat works great for this - I microwave my beanbag and get it really hot and put it on my tailbone and it almost instantly relieves the pain.  Back pain in pregnancy is a side effect of the preparations that your body is making for the moment when your baby is born.  Because my pelvic joints are loosening up and my belly is expanding, I am noticing that I tend to bring my shoulders back and arch my neck to keep me in balance which results in strained back muscles and pain, so I am trying to practice good posture during my pregnancy.

Night time can be quite a sleeping challenge during pregnancy.  My favourite sleeping position is on my tummy, but of course I cannot do that anymore.  I started sleeping on my side during early pregnancy so I would get use to it before my stomach expanded, and have been sleeping this way ever since. I do wake up sometimes on my back, but quickly turn over to my side when I realize this.  You shouldn’t sleep on your back during pregnancy because it rests the entire weight of your pregnant uterus on your back, intestines, and the inferior vena cava (the vein responsible for retuning blood from the lower body to the heart).  This can aggravate backaches and hemorrhoids, inhibit digestive function, interfere with breathing and circulation, and possibly cause low blood pressure.  The best pregnancy sleeping position is on the left side, with one leg crossed over the other and with a pillow between them.  Sleeping this way during pregnancy allows maximum flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta and also enhances efficient kidney function, which means better elimination of waste products and fluids and less swelling of ankles, feet, and hands.  If you start training yourself during early pregnancy, it will be pretty easy to adjust to your new pregnancy sleeping position.

Here are some tips on how to minimize pregnancy backache:

• Don’t wear very high heels
• Try to keep weight gain within the recommended parameters
• Lift heavy loads by bending at the knees, not at the waist
• Sleep on a firm mattress
• Try not to stand for long periods
• Don’t cross your legs while sitting and sit with your legs slightly ellevated
• Use a heating pad to relieve sore muscles
• Learn relaxion techniques
• Don’t stretch so much, use a foot stool instead
• Wear a girldle or a crisscross support sling for your belly
• Do abdominal strenthing exercises click here for stretches you can do for lower back pain during pregnancy

Good luck in your struggle with pregnancy back pain and try to get as much help with chores and as many massages as you can from your significant other

Posted by Nancy as health at 7:10 PM EDT

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My skin has been looking great these days.  Probably the best it has been for awhile - must be those pregnancy hormones at work!  Could also be that I have been trying to eat very well, drink a lot of water, wear minimal makeup, and use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer every morning and night.  I have also been using sunscreen on sunny days to prevent any brown patches of skin discoloration (which pregnant women are susceptible to). This condition is also called hyperpigmentation,  melasma or “mask of pregnancy” and is mostly on the forehead, nose and the upper lip. The skin on these areas becomes darker in colour (looking like a tan) and may be wrinkly and may fall off easily. This condition may affect as many as 70 percent of all pregnant women, especially those with darker complexions.  So far any discoloration that I have noticed is the faint line running down the center of my abdomen to the top of my pubic bone, (also called linea alba) must be those pregnancy hormones at work again!  Oh well at least it’s on my tummy and not on my face, and I do have a fair complexion, so I most likely won’t get any hyperpigmentation during my pregnancy.

Skin tags have been popping up in different areas of my body, but at least they are small and don’t bother me much.  Other common concerns regarding skin care during pregnancy that women have include dark circles under the eyes, varicose veins, acne and psoriasis, hives, dryness, and loss of collagen, elastin or resileincy. I am experiencing minor pregnancy heat rash on my chest due to an increase in eccrine perspiration.  I try to keep cool during hot days and apply cornstarch to the area. 

My Doctor usually checks for any varicose veins on my legs during my exams since it often occurs for the first time during pregnancy.  So far I don’t have any and I am hoping it stays that way because treatment for them is very costly and painful. Why pregnant women get varicose veins could be due to the increased pressue form the uterus on the pelvic veins, increasing pressure on leg veins, expanded blood volume, and pregnancy-hormone-induced relaxation of the muscle tissue in the veins. Here are some things you can do during pregnancy to prevent or minimize the symptoms:

Avoid excess weight gain
Avoid heavy lifting
Avoid straining during bowel movements
Don’t wear restictive clothing
Don’t smoke
wear support pantyhose
Exercise
Get enoughy vitamin C

If you do get varicose veins during pregnancy, do not get any surgical removal at this time. Removal of the veins can be considered a few months after delivery, and the good news is that in most cases the problem will clear up or improve spontaneously after delivery - usually by the time pre-pregnancy weight is reached.

Posted by Nancy as Beauty at 11:24 PM EDT

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I have just finished massaging my stomach with Palmer’s cocoa butter formula - massage cream for stretch marks.  I have been lucky so far (knock on wood) with not getting any stretch marks on my tummy. I am on my seventh month, and of course I may still develop them considering 90% of all women will get them on there breasts, hips and/or abdomen sometime during pregnancy.  I have been religiously using my cocoa butter cream twice a day everyday eventhough I have heard that no pregnancy stretch mark cream, lotion, or oil, no matter how expensive, will prevent or alleviate stretch marks.  My stomach used to be pretty flat before pregnancy, so it has stretched out a lot. Maybe (lets pray to god) I will not get them because I have a combination of inheriting good, elastin skin tone and have had good nutrition and exercise throughout my pre-pregnancy years.  If I do notice any of these ugly pink and reddish indented streaks anywhere, then I will try to prevent more from coming by keeping my weight gain steady, gradual and moderate.  I will not stress out about it too much, because they eventually will gradually fade to a silvery sheen some months after delivery, and then I will just hopefully consider them a medal of motherhood. Click here for tips on how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy

Posted by Nancy as Beauty at 9:32 PM EDT

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My wife and me are expecting and seeing the Dateline show on Myspace.com and online predators overall got me angry, scared and disgusted. Reporter Rob Stafford from NBC Dateline reported on the issue, I was shocked just liked millions of other people I’m sure.  If you haven’t heard of MySpace.com your not alone, most parents don’t know about this popular teen site. Teen boys and girls flock to this blog type social site to interact with other teens, the problem is that predators are also visiting the site to try to lure unknown teens into meeting them.

Read Rob Stafford’s report on Myspace.com 

 

Posted by cos as Uncategorized at 4:41 PM EDT

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