Written by The more active and fit you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be for you to cope comfortably with your changing shape and weight gain. You are also more likely to get back into shape after the birth. Physical activity is also an excellent way of relaxing.
Keep up your normal daily physical activity or exercise (sport, or dancing, or just walking to the shops and back) for as long as you feel comfortable. Try to keep up regular exercise at least three times a week. If you can’t manage that, any amount is better than nothing. Don’t exhaust yourself and remember that you will need to slow down as your pregnancy progresses, or if your doctor advises you to. If in doubt, consult your doctor or midwife. READ MORE »
Posts in category Pregnancy
Physical Activity and Pregnancy
Third Trimester
The third trimester (7th month- delivery) is the most important period for both mother and child. Weeks of waiting and wondering will finally culminate with in short period. You may be anticipating the birth of your baby with pleasure, excitement and anxiety, which can be described as a nameless feeling of bud, which is waiting for blossom. It might be hard for you to believe that in a few short months you will be holding a new baby in your arms. You will have physical changes as the baby develops and grows in the womb and emotional changes as the idea of a new life becomes real. But at the same time, this time feel more uncomfortable for you because of this physical and emotional changes. The fetus grows rapidly during the last three months, multiplying its weight about three to four times. Usually the third trimester is the best time for preparing for your delivery. During this time your abdomen is very large and firm. You can see the movements of your baby clearly. By the end of the ninth month the baby is probably in the head first position in preparation for the delivery.
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Second Trimester
Second Trimester (13-28 weeks) is the most enjoyable time by the pregnant women as they find this time is more easier than the first trimester. During this period, many of the early symptoms of pregnancy like morning sickness and fatigue may usually disappear. You and your baby is undergoing many changes. At this stage the fetus is fully formed and look like a human. All the organs start growing and the baby started moving inside. By the end of the fifth month of pregnancy, you will start to feel the movement of your baby known as quickening. From fifth month onwards, the brain will undergo its most important period of growth. Your abdomen will start expanding and you will look like a pregnant women. At the second half of the pregnancy there may appear stretch marks
which may be in pink, red, black in colour depending on the colour of your skin. 
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First Trimester
The development of the fetus and the changes in the expectant mother 
The first trimester of pregnancy constitutes the first 12 weeks and it is the time when your pregnancy becomes established in your body. During the first trimester, your body is undergoing many changes. During this time the fetus makes its greatest developmental strides. Most of the physical and mental growth of the baby takes place during this time. The principal organs both external and internal, including the head, brain, heart, body and limbs and the nervous system of the baby form within this period. Fingers and toes are recognizable. Sex organs begin to develop but cannot yet be observed. READ MORE »
Diet
Diet Chart
A well balanced diet is more important when you are pregnant, since what you eat has to meet your unborn baby’s needs as well as your own requirements. The first three months of pregnancy is important as most of the physical and mental growth of the baby takes place during this time. The principal organs both external and internal and the nervous system of the baby form within this period. So it is important to eat well from the beginning itself even if you have discomforts like nausea etc. Like wise babies growth is rapid during the last three months of pregnancy. A nutritious diet during this period is essential for normal birth weight of the baby.
A nutritious diet with enough proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins are essential during pregnancy. Your diet should consist of a variety of foods selected from the five basic food groups. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products like breads or cereals, meat, fish or other protein alternatives, milk and other diary products etc provide a nutritious diet. Keep off canned and processed foods, spicy foods, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sugary foods such as cakes, cookies, candies, sodas and colas and reduce your salt intake as far as possible.
Eat as wide a variety of food as possible but in moderation. Too much of any one food can even be harmful if it leads to excessive gain in weight. Try to have three meals every day, or six smaller meals if you have problems with nausea or heartburn. A total up to a total of 2,200 or 2,800 calories is essential for a healthy pregnancy. Besides the natural diet, prenatal vitamins especially iron, calcium, folic acid are often prescribed routinely through out the pregnancy by the doctor.
Some of the essential nutrients
Folic acid: Folic acid is the most vital nutrient pregnant women need. This is needed for the development of baby’s nervous system, especially in the first few weeks. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects (defects of the spine, brain, or their coverings) and other birth defects like cleft lip and congenital heart disease. By consuming at least 4 milligrams (mg) of folic acid every day before getting pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy, you can help reduce the risk of these defects. Folic acid is found in dark-green leafy vegetables (like spinach or kale), liver, yeast, beans and citrus fruits, and in fortified cereals and bread. Folic acid is easily lost while cooking, so steam green vegetables or eat them raw.
Iron: Iron is needed to fuel hemoglobin production for you and your baby. Iron also helps build bones and teeth. A shortage of iron can cause a condition called anemia. If you have anemia, your doctor will give you iron supplements to take once or twice a day. You can help prevent anemia by eating more iron-rich foods like potatoes, raisins, dates, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, whole-grain breads and iron-fortified cereals.
Calcium : This is vital for the healthy development of your baby’s bones and teeth, which start to form at about week eight. You will need about double the quantity of calcium than is normal. At least three servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese is essential to meet expectant mother’s calcium needs. Apart from diary products, good sources include leafy, green vegetables. Diary products are also high in fat, so if possible choose low fat varieties such as skim milk. The recommended daily amount of calcium during pregnancy and breast feeding increases significantly from 800-1200mg.
Protein : Try to eat a variety of protein rich foods, because your needs increase during pregnancy. Vitamin B6 is needed for the proper utilization of protein. Fish, meat, nuts, peas, beans and diary foods such as milk and eggs all supply protein, but animal sources can also be high in fat, so limit your intake of these and choose lean cuts of meat whenever possible.
Vitamin C : This will help to build a strong placenta, enable your body to resist infection and aid the absorption of iron. It is found in fresh fruit and vegetables and supplies of the vitamin are needed daily because it cannot be restored in the body. A lot of vitamin C is lost by prolonged storage and cooking, so eat fresh produce and steam green vegetables or eat them raw.
Fiber : This should form a large part of your daily diet, since constipation and piles are common in pregnancy and fiber will help prevent it. Besides rich sources like fruits and vegetables, brown rice, nuts, cereals including oats, beans, peas and pulses etc are good sources of fiber.
Water: Water plays a key role in your diet during pregnancy. It carries the nutrients from the foods you eat to your baby, and also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections. Most importantly, drinking enough water, especially in your last trimester, prevents you from becoming dehydrated which can then lead you to have contractions and premature, or early labor. Pregnant women should drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day. You can drink juices for fluid, but they also have a lot of calories and can cause you to gain extra weight. Coffee, soft drinks, and teas cannot count towards the total amount of fluid you need as they have caffeine which actually reduce the amount of fluid in your body.
Signs OF Pregnancy
The symptoms of pregnancy vary from woman to woman. Some experience a variety of symptoms and others experience none of the signs of pregnancy. Missing a period is the most obvious indication, but there are others which you may, or may not, experience
The early signs of pregnancy include:
- A missed period, or a rather scanty one.
A missed period is usually one of the first indicators of pregnancy for women. However, some women experience spotting or a light menstrual-like flow, when implantation occurs (about 10 days after conception). The bleeding that occurs when the developing embryo becomes implanted into the uterine wall is lighter and shorter in duration than is menstrual bleeding.
- Breast Changes (Heaviness and tenderness)
Many women feel an overall tenderness and heaviness of the breasts. The areola (nipple area) becomes more sensitive, sometimes painfully sensitive, and darkens. The breasts become more full and the veins often become more apparent. These changes begin as early as one week after conception.
- Nausea and sickness, or changing tastes
Most pregnant women become sensitive to certain smell and experience nausea, vomiting etc. Some develop an aversion to certain things liked before. The intensity with which women experience morning sickness varies tremendously. This feeling may persist through the first trimester or longer.
- Increased frequency of urination
Most women feel like emptying bladder more frequently than usual.
- Fatigue
Fatigue and shortness of breath are common early in pregnancy. You may feel exhausted at the day’s end, even when you haven’t done anything out of the ordinary.
Maximizing the chances of Conception
Each woman should have an idea about the menstrual cycle and the ovulation time (most fertile period) to maximize the chances of conception. There are some natural methods available to find out your ovulation time. The fertile and infertile phases can be identified by the common Calendar (rhythm) method – by taking note of the length of your menstrual cycle, Temperature method – by observing basal (resting) body temperature and Cervical Mucus method (Billing’s method)-noting the changes in woman’s cervical fluid. This awareness can greatly optimize the chances for conceiving a child. But the reliability of all these methods depends on a woman having regular, predictable menstrual cycles with clear cut temperature and cervical mucous discharge patterns every month.
Once you know your most fertile period, it is better to avoid love-making for a couple of days before your anticipated fertile time. This increases the number of sperms in the semen, enhancing your chances of conception. After orgasm the sperm takes about 30 minutes to reach the fallopian tubes from the vagina. So the chances of conception are increased still further, if you remain lying down for at least thirty minutes after making love
. The common man on top position during intercourse and keeping a pillow under your bottom, tilting your pelvis to allow full penetration gives a sperm a head start to the vagina and thus enhances conception.
Cervical Fluid (Billings or Ovulation Method)
In this method ovulation is predicted by observing and recording daily changes in the amount , consistency and colour of the cervical mucus. The mucus sample is obtained from inside the vagina using either your fingers or a tissue. The mucus changes from day to day can be recorded in a chart.
A woman’s cervical fluid varies greatly throughout her cycle. Immediately following menstruation, in the pre-fertile stage, there may not be any mucus present (early dry days) or the vaginal mucus is cloudy, sticky, dryish and the amount is relatively little. If you pull it between your fingers it will break and not stretch at all. As ovulation and fertility approaches the mucus changes from cloudy and thick to thin, clear and slippery resembling egg white and suddenly increases in amount for one or two days. If you pull this mucus between your fingers, it will be clear and stretchy. Ovulation occurs 24 hours after this mucus peak and this is the mucus which will enable the sperm to swim rapidly through the cervix. This period is considered as the most fertile. After ovulation, mucus decreases in quantity and becomes cloudier and stickier again and may be absent altogether for a few late dry days, until your next period starts.
Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
Basal Body Temperature chart is a way commonly used to determine the time of ovulation. The basal body temperature refers to the temperature of your body at rest. You will need a special thermometer or ovulation thermometer and graph papers or a special chart. To determine your BBT, record your temperature everyday upon awakening before you get out of bed. Immediately after ovulation there will be a slight (no more than 0.4 to 1.0 degree Fahrenheit) but definite rise in your body temperature. Temperatures remain elevated until the next menstrual period.
chart
Prior to ovulation, a woman’s basal body temperatures generally range from 97.0 to 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures are suppressed at this time due to the presence of the hormone estrogen. After ovulation, due to the production of the heat-inducing hormone progesterone, temperatures rise to about 97.6 to 98.6 F. This rise in temperature indicates that ovulation has occurred. Your most fertile day is the one immediately before the rise in temperature. This method can be best utilized along with other fertility signs such as a pain or ache felt on one side of the lower abdomen, to be accurate. When a woman is pregnant, her temperature remains elevated throughout pregnancy. This test can also be used to know whether a woman is ovulating or not. If ovulation does not occur the normal temperature remains static always.
Menstruation cycle and Ovulation
The menstrual (monthly) cycle – the periodic uterine bleeding is one of the key physiological functions of the female body. Ovulation is release of a matured egg from the ovary. During ovulation if the egg does not get fertilized (does not meet the sperm), it disintegrates and is released along with the inner lining of the uterus, (endometrium) causing bleeding. This process is known as menses or menstrual period.
Menstrual cycle (Time between two periods) usually averages 28 days in length with normal variation ranging from 21 to 35 days. The day a period starts is counted as day 1 of the menstrual cycle. When the two -seven days of your period are over, the ovary begins ripening another egg ready for release during the next ovulation. Meanwhile the uterus begins to build up another inner lining ready to receive the fertilized egg. 
Ovulation normally occurs fourteen days before beginning the next period, regardless of the length of the cycle. So a woman with a 28 day cycle would tend to ovulate on day 14. The woman with a 32 day cycle would tend to ovulate on day 18 (32-14). The life time of the egg is brief -only 24 hours. So to get pregnant the sperm should reach the egg during this fertility period.