One of the most striking changes during pregnancy is a gain in weight. Twenty-four pounds is the average additional weight that the mother-to-be puts on. Of this amount, only a small fraction, about two pounds, should be gained in the first three months; about eleven pounds are gained in each of the other three-month periods.

This gain in weight is accounted for not only by the child you are carrying but by other factors as well. The average weight of the infant at birth is 7 1/2 pounds; the placenta (the organ which provides oxygen and food essential for the life of the fetus and for the elimination of its waste products) weighs 1 pound; and the fluid in the sac in which the baby lives is 1 1/2 pounds. At the end of pregnancy the uterus weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and the breasts 3 pounds.

Most expectant mothers are afraid that childbearing will leave them with an ungainly figure and that they will develop a stomach that will stick out even after the birth of the baby, but there is no reason why they should have this fear. The extreme prominence of the lower abdomen is most often caused by weakness of the abdominal muscles, a weakness that happily can be substantially overcome by proper exercise. An additional benefit, in the eyes of some physicians, is that by strengthening the muscles of the abdomen and increasing their elasticity one makes the actual birth much easier.

Abdominal streaking, or stretch marks on the stomach, is a situation which occurs frequently because of the stretching of the skin over the abdomen during the last months of the pregnancy. Another readily apparent change is that your breasts will become larger, firmer, and more tender. Because there is an increased blood supply to the breasts as pregnancy advances, the nipples and the elevated pigmented area immediately around them become darker in color. These breast changes are, of course, in preparation for the nursing of the baby. The veins beneath the skin throughout your body may become more prominent because of the increased blood supply. With some women this condition is particularly noticeable in the legs and can lead to permanent varicose veins or broken capillaries. Proper exercise, especially of the legs, may reduce the likelihood of this happening.

Another change affects the coloring of your skin. Pigment, deposited on the forehead, cheeks, and nose, gives the expectant mother a rosy, healthy appearance. About two-thirds of pregnant women have still another, change in their skin texture and coloration. Sometimes, early in pregnancy, small red elevations will appear over the face, neck, and arms. These skin changes disappear following delivery and will have no lasting effect on your complexion.

The uterus undergoes a remarkable change during pregnancy. It is converted from an almost solid organ about the size of a woman’s closed fist into a large, thin-walled, muscular sac capable of containing the baby, the placenta, and a large quantity of fluid as well.



By: Perry Smith

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Maternal weight gain closely relates to infant birth weight, but how much food do you need to eat and how much extra weight is a healthy amount to gain? Low birth weight babies have a greater incidence of malnutrition, which increases the chances of birth defects and illness.

It is important for a woman to increase her calorie intake when pregnant and doctors suggest that the proper weight gain for a pregnant woman is 25-30 pounds. Typically the extra weight gain can be broken down as follows.

Infant at birth - 7½ pounds

Placenta - 1 pound

Blood increase - 4 pounds

Uterus increase - 2½ pounds

Amniotic fluid - 2 pounds

Breast increase - 3 pounds

Fat stores - 5-10 pounds

Low birth weight babies are typically born to women who gain less that 20 pounds in weight with women gaining more than 35 pounds in weight probably adding excess bodyfat. In the first three months most women gain about 2-4 pounds, although some women can lose weight due to suffering with morning sickness. After the first three months, the average weight gain is about 1 pound a week.

The recommended calorie allowance for women of childbearing age is 2000 calories a day, plus 300 extra calories a day to support pregnancy. If the mother is exercising then additional calories will need to be added depending on the type of exercise performed, its duration and how often it is performed. Increased carbohydrates and the associate fibre from good carbohydrate food choices are important for an exercising pregnant woman as she will need the additional energy for her exercise and the developing baby’s growth requirements.

The bodyfat that has been built up during the first six months of pregnancy is typically burned up during the last three months of pregnancy, with an additional 9 pounds of fat used for lactation and breast-feeding. Breast-feeding is a great way for the mother to get back in shape after childbirth as it uses 600-1100 extra calories above normal requirements to support lactation.

All vitamin requirements increase during pregnancy, however one vitamin in particular that is more important to pregnant women is folic acid, a B-complex vitamin. Folic acid requirements double during pregnancy and research has shown that folic acid taken in the early stages of pregnancy may prevent serious birth defects such as neural tube defect.

A pregnant woman performing exercise must also pay attention to fluid intake to replace body losses due to sweating and perspiration. Plenty of fluids also helps to keep the body cool and prevent a rise in body temperature which could harm the developing baby.

A balanced diet, with extra protein, carbohydrates, iron and calcium together with proper fluid intake will ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy for all active mothers-to-be.



By: Jack Prime

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The pregnancy health is vital and the mother should do everything she can in order to provide herself with the detailed information about each of the three trimesters of the pregnancy. Each trimester will have its own requirements and the pregnant woman should know how to meet them in order to protect the health of her baby. Information can be critical because every woman should learn how to deal with the most exciting period of her life without being too stressed about it. The woman should be provided with updated information in order to find everything about her possible risks and choices. There is a wide range of issues and worries that can overwhelm the woman while she is pregnant. Therefore, she must provide herself with a pregnancy guide in order to learn how to handle all the physical and emotional changes that can challenge her while she is pregnant.

The reliable pregnancy guide can provide the woman with the necessary pregnancy calculator that will monitor her pregnancy on a constant basis. The pregnancy weeks and months will be countered and the woman will find out more about her due date. She will learn how to take proper care of her and hr baby during each of the three trimesters. The pregnancy health can be maintained by paying attention to the guide. For instance, the first trimester is likely to cover the first 3 moths of the entire pregnancy period. This is when the baby’s organs start to develop and the fetus will become more susceptible to various drugs and infections.

The hormone changes are quite evident during this period and the woman will experience the well known morning sickness. This sickness can also be triggered by several factors such as perfumes, food odors and cigarette smoke. By the guide can teach the woman that this morning sickness is likely to end as soon as the first trimester is over. The second trimester will come along with its specific pregnancy health and care and the woman will experience slight contractions. The fetus has developed its organs and its heartbeats can be heard. The baby will acquire the necessary fat deposits in order to regulate the body temperature soon after its birth. The baby can also hear the sounds coming from the outside world and the mother should learn how to communicate with her baby in order to cherish their special relationship.

The pregnancy guide also shows the changes that take place during the last trimester. For instance, it will highlight all the changes that are likely to take place in the third trimester in order for the mother to know what she has to deal with. The head, the brain and the eyes of the baby are fully formed and the mother should get prepared for his arrival. The guide is extremely helpful because it can present the changes and development of the fetus. The mother will know everything that happens inside her womb and she will be more prepared for the delivery.

Such guides were especially designed in order to address all the possible concerns and doubts of the woman who expects a baby. Still, every mother to be should be perfectly aware that the best guide is to be found in her own medical care provider. He is the only one who can teach her everything and show her the necessary steps of the pregnancy health. He is the one who has the necessary training and knowledge in order to provide you with specific and detailed information regarding any of the pregnancy facts and status. Therefore, you should trust him and start looking for information online in order to provide yourself with the ideal mixture of knowledge. You need to provide yourself with a reliable guide in order to learn how to get sound sleep and how to provide yourself with a balanced and nutritious diet. The guide can also show you how to stay physically fit and how to seek the right and necessary answers in the right place and by asking the right person.

You can also try to write a pregnancy journal in order to feel more connected with your baby. Such a journal can transform everything and you will be provided with an amazing experience knowing that you are creating one of your most beautiful memories ever. The crucial moments can be written down in order for you to remember them later and share them with your loved ones.



By: Clint Jhonson

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When you smoke the Health Risks of Smoking are many. For those of us who understand the health risks and never begin or stop smoking if we have begun, we avoid the serious consequences of a habit that has caused the deaths of many people World-wide.

We place ourselves at risk when we cross the street and even while doing something as simple as walking up-or-down a flight of stairs, so why smoke and add the additional health risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung diseases, digestive complications, etc. to our lives when we do not have to? Smoking is not necessary and adds serious complications to every smoker’s life. It has also been proven to affect non-smoker lives.

Besides the obvious, some of the more esoteric health risks of smoking include specific risks for pregnant women: miscarriages, ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy with the fertilized ovum’s development outside of the uterus, as within a Fallopian tube), placenta abruption (when the placenta separates from the uterus before the delivery of the fetus), placenta previa (when the placenta develops in the wrong part of the womb), an early rupturing of membranes, premature birth, smaller babies, stillborns and birth defects.

The serious health risks from smoking are vast and altogether avoidable for pregnant women, if they would only quit smoking. If they were to stop smoking before or during their pregnancy, the health risks of smoking could be minimized and the complications could be diverted. The same can be said for any smoker.

More health risks of smoking are strokes, an altering of brain chemistry, stress caused from worrying about the possible harm smoking does, eye problems (macular degeneration, cataracts, and irritation) and graves and thyroid disease. There are more health risks and they all could be erased if only smokers would stop smoking.

The health risks caused by smoking are also present in the innocent lives of children and pets. When a parent smokes around his or her children the child also faces health risks from the second hand smoke, as does the pet when a pet owner smokes in its presence. The exhaled smoke and the smoke created by a smoldering cigarette are loaded with toxins and affect the innocent non-smoker as well as the smoker.

Besides the health risks of smoking there are other consequences to consider, such as the offensive odor left on a smoker’s hair, clothes and breath, as-well-as the ugly yellow stains that smoke can leave on fingers and hands.

How about insurance rates and the impact on our checking accounts, does smoking affect them? The health risks of smoking, related problems and expenses are certainly preventable, if only smokers would quit smoking.



By: Jonathan Drake

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After nine months of putting on weight, many mothers are more than ready to loose pregnancy weight as soon as they’ve begun to make a recovery from the physical trauma of childbirth. These are some helpful tips to get you started to loose pregnancy weight.

Loose Pregnancy Weight Tip #1: Relax!

Don’t be in such a big hurry to get started trying to loose pregnancy weight! Remember that it took you nine months to put on that much weight, and while your actual childbirth has certainly reduced it by a significant amount, you should expect to spend 8-12 months getting your pre-pregnancy figure back. Make sure you don’t overdo it, especially in the first few post natal weeks. Remember your health and the baby’s health has to come first!

Loose Pregnancy Weight Tip #2: Eat Well!

Despite the fact that you want to loose pregnancy weight as soon as you can, you have to make sure to nourish yourself with healthy foods so that you will have the energy to care for yourself and your baby. Eat a healthy diet, but don’t cut back on your caloric intake for the sake of dieting!

Loose Pregnancy Weight Tip #3: Water!

After giving birth, and especially if you are nursing your body, you are going to find yourself very thirsty. This is good, drink lots of water because being a mom in itself is a workout, and everyone knows that you have to drink lots of water when you work out! Water has no calories so it’s the best weight loss drink you can find, and it also helps burning stored body fat. Drinking lots of water will help your metabolic process and help you cut the pounds faster in your quest to loose pregnancy weight.

Loose Pregnancy Weight Tip #4: Breastfeeding!

If you are able to, you should breast feed your baby. Producing breastmilk for your baby actually can help you burn close to 1000 calories a day. This is part of the reason why you also need to make sure you are eating a healthy diet and drinking lots of water, so that you can produce healthy amounts of breastmilk. Also, breastfeeding actually reduces hormones that will help you to relax, stress can hinder weight loss!

Loose Pregnancy Weight Tip #5: Gentle Exercise!

You don’t want to overdo it. Remember when you were pregnant and you took extra care to take care of yourself and treat yourself as fragile goods? Keep doing that, because it still holds true! You don’t want to be subjecting your body to vigorous training as it might actually be harmful to your body. Taking strolls are a great way to not only get a good workout, but also get you and your baby out in to the healthy, fresh air! And that brings us to our final tip:

Loose Pregnancy Weight Tip #6: Bring Baby Everywhere!

Hopefully you’re already doing this as much as possible already, and if not, you should definitely start! It will make your baby happier to be with you so often and it will help you to loose pregnancy weight. Remember that carrying around a little extra weight means a little bit extra calories that you’re burning!

And there you go! Those tips should be a sufficiently good steps to getting started to loose pregnancy weight! Remember that it’s most important not to overdo it though, even in the face of those extra pregnancy pounds your health and your baby’s health comes first and foremost!



By: Clara Fields

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