The first symptom that made me wonder if I was pregnant was morning sickness. Yesterday I again felt a bit queasy towards the evening and it made me wonder if I was pregnant again. Though there are high chances of my being pregnant again, there are equally high chances of it being a case of indigestion. As I wondering about this, I realized once again how bad my morning sickness had been - it wasn't only 'morning' - it continued throughout the day. Feeling a bit better today, I decided to research more about this phenomenon.
Causes:
a. Nobody is clear and sure about what causes morning sickness. However, a variety of reasons can be attributed to it. Firstly the chemical changes in the body along with the hormonal changes give not only an acute sense of smell but also heaps of stomach acids. This may lead to nausea.
b. Progesterone hormone is quite high during time pregnancy. This reduces the working of the uterine muscles to prevent early labours. The effect may also be carried to the stomach and the intestines, thereby slowing down the digestion process causing nausea.
c. Human Chorionic Gonadotopin (HCG) levels in the body increase during pregnancy and it is said that this may also contribute to morning sickness.
The Psychological factor:
Statistics show that women who need to work for their living and those who don't have anyone to pamper them don't seem to suffer much from morning sickness as compared to their counterparts. So, the question arises whether morning sickness is just a psychological illness. Recently, doctors have proven that this is absolutely false. Morning sickness might have a bit of psychology behind it but it is definitely not an illness from the mind.
Morning sickness Benefits:
One benefit of morning sickness seen in studies is that most women who suffer from it don't have miscarriages. So, maybe you should celebrate it! (But, I can't...!)
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Surrogacy Services are turning professional
On July 13 2009, I read an article in the Hindustan Times (Mumbai) about how the surrogacy sector has become more professional in the recent days. There are websites that display requirements and candidate profiles, agents to handle the selection, agreements drawn up, special hostels for surrogate mothers, etc.
It made me extremely happy to read about the importance given to the surrogate mothers now days. They add happiness and value to an infertile couple’s lives. No doubt that most of them do it for their financial needs but it is still noteworthy that they are coming forward to doing it.
Do any of you know surrogate mothers? Would you be interested in sharing those stories with the readers? You can mail me at archanasarat@yahoo.co.in
It made me extremely happy to read about the importance given to the surrogate mothers now days. They add happiness and value to an infertile couple’s lives. No doubt that most of them do it for their financial needs but it is still noteworthy that they are coming forward to doing it.
Do any of you know surrogate mothers? Would you be interested in sharing those stories with the readers? You can mail me at archanasarat@yahoo.co.in
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Conception and Pregnancy: What you should know before?
When you decide that you want a child, you need to do a lot of things even before you conceive. Let us see some of them here:
i) Stop smoking immediately. Whether you are the mother or the father, you need to do this. Chain smoking seriously affects sperm count and sperm quality.
ii) Drinking alcohol also impairs your chances of conception.
iii) Start a regular exercise program.
iv) Have a general health check up.
v) Eat a well balanced diet.
vi) Make sure that you are not obese and avoid medications.
vii) Don't expose yourself to harmful chemicals or heat.
The above things are only some steps you need to take before conception and pregnancy.
Do you have more to add to the list?
i) Stop smoking immediately. Whether you are the mother or the father, you need to do this. Chain smoking seriously affects sperm count and sperm quality.
ii) Drinking alcohol also impairs your chances of conception.
iii) Start a regular exercise program.
iv) Have a general health check up.
v) Eat a well balanced diet.
vi) Make sure that you are not obese and avoid medications.
vii) Don't expose yourself to harmful chemicals or heat.
The above things are only some steps you need to take before conception and pregnancy.
Do you have more to add to the list?
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Ovulation Calculator: Top Ten Conception Tips
In order to conceive, you have to be in the ovulation phase. Ovulation is the process in which a mature egg is released from your ovary and moves down the fallopian tubes. If this egg meets a sperm, conception takes place or else it is just flushed out. While an egg can live for only 12-24 hours, the sperm can live for even 72 or more hours inside the female body.
There are many dos and don’ts that will help you to conceive. I have listed below the top ten conception tips:
1) Understand your body:
When you are planning your pregnancy, you need to have a clear idea of how your body works. How many days your menstrual cycle lasts? What is the frequency? Do you have regular periods?
2) Have a count of your ovulation dates:
Know your ovulation dates through calculations or from websites like www.babycenter.com and list it at some place where you can see it everyday so that you don’t lose count of the same.
3) Check your basal body temperature:
Check your basal body temperature and know when is the right time to have sex to conceive.
4) Check your cervical mucus:
When you notice a white vaginal discharge, it indicates ovulation and it is the best time for sex and conception.
5) Follow the right sexual position:
The normal missionary position, i.e. man-on-top works with gravity and helps semen flow as deep as possible.
6) Have a healthy and balanced diet:
A healthy and balanced diet with adequate intake of iron, folic acid and calcium can help you get pregnant.
7) Do regular exercise:
Regular exercise makes sure you are not obese and obesity makes it difficult to get pregnant.
8) Avoid smoking:
Smoking should be avoided by both the father and the mother. Smoking reduces sperm count and sperm quality and reduces the chances of pregnancy.
9) Avoid lubricants:
Lubricants like KY Jelly and others have certain spermicides and should be avoided when you have sex to conceive.
10) Don’t make sex a chore:
Do not make sex a chore just because you want to get pregnant. Have fun, enjoy yourself, introduce variety, get sizzling lingerie, play toys and what not to make sure each sex session is loads of fun. This has much more potential in getting you pregnant than anything else.
To know more about conceiving even when your doctor brands you ‘infertile’, click here.
There are many dos and don’ts that will help you to conceive. I have listed below the top ten conception tips:
1) Understand your body:
When you are planning your pregnancy, you need to have a clear idea of how your body works. How many days your menstrual cycle lasts? What is the frequency? Do you have regular periods?
2) Have a count of your ovulation dates:
Know your ovulation dates through calculations or from websites like www.babycenter.com and list it at some place where you can see it everyday so that you don’t lose count of the same.
3) Check your basal body temperature:
Check your basal body temperature and know when is the right time to have sex to conceive.
4) Check your cervical mucus:
When you notice a white vaginal discharge, it indicates ovulation and it is the best time for sex and conception.
5) Follow the right sexual position:
The normal missionary position, i.e. man-on-top works with gravity and helps semen flow as deep as possible.
6) Have a healthy and balanced diet:
A healthy and balanced diet with adequate intake of iron, folic acid and calcium can help you get pregnant.
7) Do regular exercise:
Regular exercise makes sure you are not obese and obesity makes it difficult to get pregnant.
8) Avoid smoking:
Smoking should be avoided by both the father and the mother. Smoking reduces sperm count and sperm quality and reduces the chances of pregnancy.
9) Avoid lubricants:
Lubricants like KY Jelly and others have certain spermicides and should be avoided when you have sex to conceive.
10) Don’t make sex a chore:
Do not make sex a chore just because you want to get pregnant. Have fun, enjoy yourself, introduce variety, get sizzling lingerie, play toys and what not to make sure each sex session is loads of fun. This has much more potential in getting you pregnant than anything else.
To know more about conceiving even when your doctor brands you ‘infertile’, click here.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Pregnancy Symptoms: Home Pregnancy Test Kits
Home Pregnancy Test Kits Measurement Tactics
When you are pregnant, the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) hormone is produced by your body and the levels of HCG keep on increasing in the blood and urine. This is a sure pregnancy symptom and home pregnancy test kits use this to detect pregnancy accurately.
HCG levels should never drop during pregnancy as this indicates that you are heading towards miscarriage and are going to lose your baby.
HCG Levels Range
The HCG levels keep on increasing throughout pregnancy. Initially after some 10 days after ovulation, it is only around 10 -50 mlU/mlHCG. Around 20 -22 days after ovulation, it ranges from 80-800 mlU/ mlHCG. Around 10-12 weeks of pregnancy, HCG level might reach almost 300,000 mlU/ mlHCG.
Home Pregnancy Test Kits
Follow these procedures while checking out your pregnancy using home pregnancy test kits:
i) Preferably use your first early morning urine for your testing process.
ii) Wait for 1 to 3 minutes to detect the answer.
iii) Don’t read the results after 5 minutes.
iv) Follow instructions mentioned on the packet. Read them carefully before attempting the test.
v) Attempt the test after you have missed a period as most tests detect HCG levels only after they reach at least 100mlU/ mlHCG.
When you are pregnant, the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) hormone is produced by your body and the levels of HCG keep on increasing in the blood and urine. This is a sure pregnancy symptom and home pregnancy test kits use this to detect pregnancy accurately.
HCG levels should never drop during pregnancy as this indicates that you are heading towards miscarriage and are going to lose your baby.
HCG Levels Range
The HCG levels keep on increasing throughout pregnancy. Initially after some 10 days after ovulation, it is only around 10 -50 mlU/mlHCG. Around 20 -22 days after ovulation, it ranges from 80-800 mlU/ mlHCG. Around 10-12 weeks of pregnancy, HCG level might reach almost 300,000 mlU/ mlHCG.
Home Pregnancy Test Kits
Follow these procedures while checking out your pregnancy using home pregnancy test kits:
i) Preferably use your first early morning urine for your testing process.
ii) Wait for 1 to 3 minutes to detect the answer.
iii) Don’t read the results after 5 minutes.
iv) Follow instructions mentioned on the packet. Read them carefully before attempting the test.
v) Attempt the test after you have missed a period as most tests detect HCG levels only after they reach at least 100mlU/ mlHCG.
Pregnancy Symptoms: Earliest Signs
The other day I had forgotten to take my afternoon meal as I had continued working on my computer for quite a long lime. Naturally, I was feeling tired and breathless towards the evening. But my radars were up. ‘Is this a pregnancy symptom?’ I wondered.
Rather than getting my hopes up and down, I decided to read up a bit more about the earliest signs of pregnancy. This is what I found out:
i) Implantation bleeding: Many women notice a slightly pinkish blood spotting around 8-16 days after their ovulation. This may be the time the embryo attaches itself to the walls of the uterine.
ii) Increase in basal body temperature: An increase in basal body temperature after missing a period is another indicator.
iii) Missed periods: The biggest and best sign of pregnancy is a missed menstrual period. Then, you can buy a home pregnancy test kit and check out. The Human chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) levels in urine increases when you are pregnant. Do your test with the early morning first urine if you are testing during the early days of pregnancy as this will show even the smallest concentrations of HCG.
iv) Nausea and Vomiting:Even before I missed my period, I started feeling nauseaous during my first pregnancy. Many women start experiencing nausea and vomiting when they are just a week into pregnancy.
A little bit of knowledge does help as I feel much more confident now in spotting my earliest pregnancy symptoms as soon as they arrive.
Rather than getting my hopes up and down, I decided to read up a bit more about the earliest signs of pregnancy. This is what I found out:
i) Implantation bleeding: Many women notice a slightly pinkish blood spotting around 8-16 days after their ovulation. This may be the time the embryo attaches itself to the walls of the uterine.
ii) Increase in basal body temperature: An increase in basal body temperature after missing a period is another indicator.
iii) Missed periods: The biggest and best sign of pregnancy is a missed menstrual period. Then, you can buy a home pregnancy test kit and check out. The Human chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) levels in urine increases when you are pregnant. Do your test with the early morning first urine if you are testing during the early days of pregnancy as this will show even the smallest concentrations of HCG.
iv) Nausea and Vomiting:Even before I missed my period, I started feeling nauseaous during my first pregnancy. Many women start experiencing nausea and vomiting when they are just a week into pregnancy.
A little bit of knowledge does help as I feel much more confident now in spotting my earliest pregnancy symptoms as soon as they arrive.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Second Pregnancies
Second pregnancies are always quite hard to figure out, it seems. After reading too many blogs on this topic I, have now understood that nearly all women seem to be just as confused and indecisive as me. This is normal and just a part of being a mother.
So, now let me announce it loud and out.
I WANT TO BE A MOTHER AGAIN!
God willing I want to feel that bump again and clutch it every night as I go to sleep.
In spite of morning sickness, sleeplessness, cramps, bigness and everything else, I want to get pregnant again and give birth to beautiful little girl who will wear pink frocks and satin ribbons.
As I was checking out ovulation dates and due dates on www.babycenter.com I realized that if I do get pregnant in August, it would just be too perfect. The due date would coincide with my son’s summer holidays and I can comfortably give birth in my mother’s house.
But, as far as babies are concerned, it is best not to plan so much. They do make even the best laid plans go astray. So, this is just my dream-my wish- and dear darling baby looking at me from the skies, will you come to mamma at this perfect time, please?
So, now let me announce it loud and out.
I WANT TO BE A MOTHER AGAIN!
God willing I want to feel that bump again and clutch it every night as I go to sleep.
In spite of morning sickness, sleeplessness, cramps, bigness and everything else, I want to get pregnant again and give birth to beautiful little girl who will wear pink frocks and satin ribbons.
As I was checking out ovulation dates and due dates on www.babycenter.com I realized that if I do get pregnant in August, it would just be too perfect. The due date would coincide with my son’s summer holidays and I can comfortably give birth in my mother’s house.
But, as far as babies are concerned, it is best not to plan so much. They do make even the best laid plans go astray. So, this is just my dream-my wish- and dear darling baby looking at me from the skies, will you come to mamma at this perfect time, please?
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