One of the things women fear most is developing stretch marks in pregnancy. Stretch marks or striae gravidarum, the medical term, is something that nearly all women will have to deal with at some time during their pregnancy.
Stretch marks in pregnancy are red or blue lines that can usually appear on the abdomen, breasts, arms, legs, and buttocks. As the pregnancy develops and weight is gained, the skin is stretched beyond it's usual elasticity. The production of collagen is affected, a protein that gives the skin it's elasticity, and leaves the body more prone to developing stretch marks.
After pregnancy, the skin goes back to it's original shape, stretch marks change their color and become white, smooth, shiny and flattened scars.
Although some women wear their stretch marks with pride, as a reminder of their pregnancies, most want to take what action they can to minimize the scars they leave after pregnancy and get their shape and looks back as soon as they can.
There is no hard and fast rule about which women are likely to develop stretch marks in pregnancy but research has shown that women can be more prone to stretch marks if there is a family history of them. Rapid weight gain can be another contributory factor, so can dehydration.
Women who have naturally dry skin can be more likely to develop stretch marks in pregnancy so using a good natural moisturising solution is a good idea.
How to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy.
Try and eat a healthy diet. Remember although you are pregnant you do not have to eat for two.
Keep your body hydrated. Drink plenty of water to enhance the elasticity in your skin and to stop your skin from become damaged through dehydration.
Don't put on weight quickly. Give your skin a chance to stretch gradually. You will naturally gain weight during your pregnancy but sudden weight gains or losses can contribute to stretch marks.
Skin creams and lotions are a good way of keeping your body well moisturised and enhancing skin elasticity. Natural products are the best choice. You don't want any nasty chemicals that can be absorbed into the skin that can affect your unborn baby. Natural oils can soften and condition the skin during pregnancy, improve the elasticity of skin and underlying tissue and prevent unsightly stretch marks.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Regular Exercise During Pregnancy Promotes a Healthy Baby and an Easier Birth
You can positively affect your pregnancy and birth by exercising regularly. Find out what great benefits there are for you and your baby and the best way to start and continue to exercise during pregnancy. Exercising regularly during pregnancy can improve your health and the health of your baby. There are many benefits for both the mother and the baby when women exercise during pregnancy.
Benefits for the mother-to-be include:
• Improved cardiovascular fitness
• Less weight gain during pregnancy
• Less chance of developing gestational diabetes
• Less constipation, leg cramps, swelling
• A more positive outlook
• An enhanced sense of well-being
• Less anxiety
• Faster labours
• Fewer complications in labour
• Faster recovery after labour
Benefits for the baby include:
• Smaller fat stores
• Improved stress tolerance
• Advanced development of the nervous system
Pregnancy Guidelines (From The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
If you exercised regularly before your pregnancy, you can probably continue your exercise routine, but at a lower level of intensity. If you feel uncomfortable during exercise, you might want to change to an activity that feels comfortable. For example, many women who run regularly before becoming pregnant find that they don’t like the feeling of a swinging belly and breasts. They might change their activity to power walking or swimming until after the baby is born, and their body has recovered its strength.
If you haven’t been exercising before becoming pregnant, it is always a great idea to start. Choose an activity such as walking or swimming. When pregnant, mild to moderate exercise routines are better choices. Moderate exercise for 30 minutes each day will improve your health and endurance and will be beneficial for your baby.
Before you begin, talk to your caregiver about your intended exercise routine and your current physical fitness level to see if there are any concerns about your intended exercise program.
Start off slowly with low impact exercise
Walk at a comfortable pace for 5-10 minutes or ride a stationery bicycle and then gently stretch your muscles that you will use during your exercise routine. You should feel tension in the muscle, not pain.
Avoid overheating your body.
Wear loose fitting comfortable clothes to help you remain cool and avoid exercise when it is hot or humid. Never exercise if you have a fever.
Drink plenty of water before and afterwards to replenish water loss.
To maintain a balance of sodium and other essential minerals, add a small pinch of natural sea salt into the water you drink before and after exercise. You should not taste the salt in the water. It is safe for pregnant women to have a bit of natural salt in their drinking water. It helps your cells to absorb the water, instead of flushing it right out of your kidneys, and it helps to reduce the swelling that you might experience in your hands and feet.
Take your pulse regularly.
If your heart rate reaches 140 beats per minute or higher, slow down until it is between 90-120 beats per minute. You should be able to carry on a conversation while exercising.
Cool down slowly.
After finishing your exercise routine, walk slowly for at least 10 minutes to allow your heart rate and breathing rate slow to a normal level. Follow up your cool down phase with a gentle stretching session after exercise and avoid bouncing or jerky movements, deep forward or backward bending movements.
Finally, pregnancy is not the time to lose weight.
Aim for improving your fitness levels and exercise regularly to experience its full benefits. Make sure that you consume increased nutrient rich calories to provide energy for your exercise sessions.
Stop exercising (and consult with your caregiver) if you experience:
Pain, vaginal bleeding, dizziness, increased shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty walking, uterine contractions that continue after rest, chest pain, pregnancy induced high blood pressure, headache, fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina, decreased fetal movement or persistent second or third trimester bleeding.
Swimming Is The Best Exercise During Pregnancy
Swimming is one of the best exercise choices for pregnant women. The water supports your body and you feel like you’re not pregnant at all! The temperature of the water is less than body temperature, so it is unlikely for you to overheat during exercise. The facedown position of swimming provides optimal blood flow to your uterus and your baby. Flutter kick (the kick of front crawl) helps your sacrum and the pelvis remain mobile. The breast stroke helps to strengthen the inner thigh muscles.
Swimming is one great way to combat any excess swelling or edema. The pressure of the water against your skin helps to return any excess fluid in your legs, feet or hands back into your blood circulation.
In Conclusion
Exercise during pregnancy is meant to be beneficial AND enjoyable. If you find that you are more tired after exercising, you are working too hard. Choose a form of exercise that is fun and vary the types of exercise that you do. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air—your developing baby will enjoy it too!
Benefits for the mother-to-be include:
• Improved cardiovascular fitness
• Less weight gain during pregnancy
• Less chance of developing gestational diabetes
• Less constipation, leg cramps, swelling
• A more positive outlook
• An enhanced sense of well-being
• Less anxiety
• Faster labours
• Fewer complications in labour
• Faster recovery after labour
Benefits for the baby include:
• Smaller fat stores
• Improved stress tolerance
• Advanced development of the nervous system
Pregnancy Guidelines (From The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
If you exercised regularly before your pregnancy, you can probably continue your exercise routine, but at a lower level of intensity. If you feel uncomfortable during exercise, you might want to change to an activity that feels comfortable. For example, many women who run regularly before becoming pregnant find that they don’t like the feeling of a swinging belly and breasts. They might change their activity to power walking or swimming until after the baby is born, and their body has recovered its strength.
If you haven’t been exercising before becoming pregnant, it is always a great idea to start. Choose an activity such as walking or swimming. When pregnant, mild to moderate exercise routines are better choices. Moderate exercise for 30 minutes each day will improve your health and endurance and will be beneficial for your baby.
Before you begin, talk to your caregiver about your intended exercise routine and your current physical fitness level to see if there are any concerns about your intended exercise program.
Start off slowly with low impact exercise
Walk at a comfortable pace for 5-10 minutes or ride a stationery bicycle and then gently stretch your muscles that you will use during your exercise routine. You should feel tension in the muscle, not pain.
Avoid overheating your body.
Wear loose fitting comfortable clothes to help you remain cool and avoid exercise when it is hot or humid. Never exercise if you have a fever.
Drink plenty of water before and afterwards to replenish water loss.
To maintain a balance of sodium and other essential minerals, add a small pinch of natural sea salt into the water you drink before and after exercise. You should not taste the salt in the water. It is safe for pregnant women to have a bit of natural salt in their drinking water. It helps your cells to absorb the water, instead of flushing it right out of your kidneys, and it helps to reduce the swelling that you might experience in your hands and feet.
Take your pulse regularly.
If your heart rate reaches 140 beats per minute or higher, slow down until it is between 90-120 beats per minute. You should be able to carry on a conversation while exercising.
Cool down slowly.
After finishing your exercise routine, walk slowly for at least 10 minutes to allow your heart rate and breathing rate slow to a normal level. Follow up your cool down phase with a gentle stretching session after exercise and avoid bouncing or jerky movements, deep forward or backward bending movements.
Finally, pregnancy is not the time to lose weight.
Aim for improving your fitness levels and exercise regularly to experience its full benefits. Make sure that you consume increased nutrient rich calories to provide energy for your exercise sessions.
Stop exercising (and consult with your caregiver) if you experience:
Pain, vaginal bleeding, dizziness, increased shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty walking, uterine contractions that continue after rest, chest pain, pregnancy induced high blood pressure, headache, fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina, decreased fetal movement or persistent second or third trimester bleeding.
Swimming Is The Best Exercise During Pregnancy
Swimming is one of the best exercise choices for pregnant women. The water supports your body and you feel like you’re not pregnant at all! The temperature of the water is less than body temperature, so it is unlikely for you to overheat during exercise. The facedown position of swimming provides optimal blood flow to your uterus and your baby. Flutter kick (the kick of front crawl) helps your sacrum and the pelvis remain mobile. The breast stroke helps to strengthen the inner thigh muscles.
Swimming is one great way to combat any excess swelling or edema. The pressure of the water against your skin helps to return any excess fluid in your legs, feet or hands back into your blood circulation.
In Conclusion
Exercise during pregnancy is meant to be beneficial AND enjoyable. If you find that you are more tired after exercising, you are working too hard. Choose a form of exercise that is fun and vary the types of exercise that you do. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air—your developing baby will enjoy it too!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
6 Reasons to Exercise during Pregnancy
Everyone knows that exercise is good for your health. Exercising during pregnancy can have additional benefits. Generally, exercise should be light, especially during the first few weeks of pregnancy while your body adjusts to the changes. Heavy exercise can divert blood flow from crucial areas and most women that exercise regularly should tone down their workouts during pregnancy.
Walking, swimming, and yoga are two popular exercise activities suitable for pregnant women. Other forms of exercise like weight lifting are okay too as long as it is not too strenuous. Most experts recommend exercising 3-4 times a week, unless a medical condition prevents it. If in doubt, always consult a physician first. Listed below are some of the top reasons for exercising during pregnancy.
Exercise can reduce the length of labor and reduce recovery times. The right exercise routines will increase stamina needed for delivery.
Improve emotional health - exercise lowers stress and improves emotional health and can make it easier for the new mother to get through the experience of pregnancy.
Exercise can help with weight management after the child is born. A common concern with most mothers is losing weight after pregnancy. Exercising during pregnancy can make postpartum weight loss easier.
Exercise is good for your unborn baby. By keeping your body healthy, you are also helping out your baby.
Reduced pregnancy side effects - Symptoms like headaches, fatigue, swelling, and constipation are common in pregnant women. Exercising has been shown to reduce the occurence of these symptoms.
Decrease risk of premature birth - exercise has been shown in studies to decrease the risk of premature birth by about 50%.
Make sure to drink plenty of fluids before exercising, have a nutritious diet, and avoid over exertion. Also, listen to your body - if you start feeling sick or nauseous, then you should stop and rest.
Walking, swimming, and yoga are two popular exercise activities suitable for pregnant women. Other forms of exercise like weight lifting are okay too as long as it is not too strenuous. Most experts recommend exercising 3-4 times a week, unless a medical condition prevents it. If in doubt, always consult a physician first. Listed below are some of the top reasons for exercising during pregnancy.
Exercise can reduce the length of labor and reduce recovery times. The right exercise routines will increase stamina needed for delivery.
Improve emotional health - exercise lowers stress and improves emotional health and can make it easier for the new mother to get through the experience of pregnancy.
Exercise can help with weight management after the child is born. A common concern with most mothers is losing weight after pregnancy. Exercising during pregnancy can make postpartum weight loss easier.
Exercise is good for your unborn baby. By keeping your body healthy, you are also helping out your baby.
Reduced pregnancy side effects - Symptoms like headaches, fatigue, swelling, and constipation are common in pregnant women. Exercising has been shown to reduce the occurence of these symptoms.
Decrease risk of premature birth - exercise has been shown in studies to decrease the risk of premature birth by about 50%.
Make sure to drink plenty of fluids before exercising, have a nutritious diet, and avoid over exertion. Also, listen to your body - if you start feeling sick or nauseous, then you should stop and rest.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Enhancing Your Chances of Getting Pregnant Quickly
Like many people who have made the decision to have a baby, you really do not want to spend a great deal of time trying to get pregnant. The fact is that you want to get pregnant as quickly as possible. With that in mind, this article is presented to provide to you some basic information about getting pregnant sooner rather than later.
Perhaps the most basic thing that you can do in order to enhance your chances of getting pregnant quickly is to have sex frequently during that part of your cycle when you likely are most fertile. Your fertile period is the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation. Your best course of action is to have sex at least every 24-48 hours during this period. This will help to ensure that there is fresh sperm in your fallopian tubes at any given moment during the period of time you will be most fertile and ready to ovulate.
If you want to enhance your chances of getting pregnant quickly, you will want to make sure that you consult with your doctor in regard to any medications that you might be taking. You need to make sure that you are not taking any medications that might impair your ability to get pregnant sooner rather than later. You will also want to make certain that you are neither taking prescriptions nor using over the counter medications that can impact your ability to get pregnant in a quick manner.
In working to make certain that you are most likely to get pregnant sooner rather than later, you will also want to make sure that your vagina is what might best be considered a sperm friendly environment. In this regard, you should avoid vaginal sprays, scented tampons and so forth. You need to avoid any products that can render your vagina hostile to sperm.
Finally, when it comes to preparing yourself to get pregnant sooner rather than later, you need to make certain that you keep yourself in the best possible health. You need to pay attention to your diet in this regard. By being as healthy as possible you really will be in the best possible position to conceive sooner rather than later.
While there are no magical answers associated with getting pregnant quickly, the suggestions in this article have been proven helpful for many people who are interested in conceiving sooner rather than later. Therefore, you will want to make sure that you closely consider these suggestions if you do desire to get pregnant quickly. Moreover, your doctor can give to you some helpful advice when it comes to any questions that you might have in regard to conceiving quickly.
Perhaps the most basic thing that you can do in order to enhance your chances of getting pregnant quickly is to have sex frequently during that part of your cycle when you likely are most fertile. Your fertile period is the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation. Your best course of action is to have sex at least every 24-48 hours during this period. This will help to ensure that there is fresh sperm in your fallopian tubes at any given moment during the period of time you will be most fertile and ready to ovulate.
If you want to enhance your chances of getting pregnant quickly, you will want to make sure that you consult with your doctor in regard to any medications that you might be taking. You need to make sure that you are not taking any medications that might impair your ability to get pregnant sooner rather than later. You will also want to make certain that you are neither taking prescriptions nor using over the counter medications that can impact your ability to get pregnant in a quick manner.
In working to make certain that you are most likely to get pregnant sooner rather than later, you will also want to make sure that your vagina is what might best be considered a sperm friendly environment. In this regard, you should avoid vaginal sprays, scented tampons and so forth. You need to avoid any products that can render your vagina hostile to sperm.
Finally, when it comes to preparing yourself to get pregnant sooner rather than later, you need to make certain that you keep yourself in the best possible health. You need to pay attention to your diet in this regard. By being as healthy as possible you really will be in the best possible position to conceive sooner rather than later.
While there are no magical answers associated with getting pregnant quickly, the suggestions in this article have been proven helpful for many people who are interested in conceiving sooner rather than later. Therefore, you will want to make sure that you closely consider these suggestions if you do desire to get pregnant quickly. Moreover, your doctor can give to you some helpful advice when it comes to any questions that you might have in regard to conceiving quickly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
