Are you an expectant mother ? Is weight gain bothering you? Worried about the weight of the baby? Has the barrage of contradictory material online left you completely confused about what is normal and what is not? Then you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about weight gain during pregnancy, how to calculate it, what is considered normal and what is below or above normal, what to do in case of abnormal weight gain, etc. What is the reason for weight gain during pregnancy? Common sense dictates that your weight increases during pregnancy because of the presence of a growing child in your womb. That’s true enough, but it doesn’t explain cases of disproportionate weight gain. How can you have a baby that barely weighs 6 pounds, and yet add 25 pounds to your own weight? Here is the answer – the baby is not alone inside the womb. There is a placenta that connects the mother and fetus. Also, the baby floats in a fluid called amniotic fluid, that adds to the pounds. Moreover, the lowered level of physical activity, coupled with increased food intake, adds to the extra pounds that you gain during pregnancy.

Childbirth is a major turning point in the life of a woman. It is a great test of physical and mental strength. Owing to changes in lifestyle, eating habits, exercise and sleep patterns, the number of natural childbirths has come down drastically in recent times. If you are someone looking forward to a natural childbirth but are unsure of how to proceed, then you are at the right place. Before you learn the ways of having a natural childbirth, you must understand why natural childbirth is increasingly becoming less common: Increased consumption of junk food by Americans, leading to empty calories piling up as bellies, tummies and unwanted fat. Significant reduction in exercise levels Alterations in sleep-wake cycles. Excessive alcoholism. Increased in the occurrence of comorbid conditions like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Rising BMI . Childhood obesity. Teenage pregnancies. Recommended Read:  Common Mistakes Made By Pregnant Women The following are cases where natural childbirth is not possible and C-section is preferred: Low birth weight babies. Preterm and premature babies. Abnormal placental positioning. Prolonged labor. Post-dated pregnancy. Abnormal positioning of the baby What is natural childbirth? Natural childbirth is the normal vaginal delivery of the fetus. Natural childbirth has a number of advantages.

As an expectant mother, you are no doubt eagerly awaiting the arrival of your baby. While there is no doubt that this is something to look forward to, there are crucial decisions that you need to make before the day of delivery. These decisions aren’t extremely difficult to make, but they are unavoidable. So while you are busy guessing the gender of your child, and planning names or vacations, do also spare some time to think about what you want to with regards to the following: Breastfeeding A baby gets the most optimized and essential nutrition from your breast milk. It contains unique antibodies that cannot be replicated, and that are essential for boosting the child’s immunity. These antibodies benefit not only the baby but also the mother – helping ward off risks of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Nursing might be tough in the beginning, but the discomfort eventually fades away. To prepare for breastfeeding , you to take various prenatal vitamins and calcium doses. Recommended Read:  Combining Breastfeeding with Formula Feeding: What You Need to Know Hepatitis B vaccine A dose of Hepatitis B vaccination, along with a Vitamin K shot, is one of the first vaccinations it is recommended for you to take.

Discharge during pregnancy is absolutely normal, as there are hormonal changes that occur in the uterus, cervix, and vagina. There is usually no cause for concern. However, abnormal discharge symptoms may occur, including itching, burning, discoloration and odor. In that case, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to check for a range of infections, as listed below. Yeast Infection Yeast infection is common in the second trimester of pregnancy. There is a thin, white, and strange odor from this discharge. It is not dangerous but might cause unnecessary discomfort. Yeast infection is essentially the disbalancing of normal levels of yeast and acid in the vagina. It is caused by hormonal changes; the consumption of birth control pills, antibiotics or steroids; high blood sugar levels ; vaginal intercourse; douching; blood or semen. Yeast feeds mainly on the vaginal secretions, as the sugar content is higher in them. Other symptoms can be burning, itching, redness, and increase in discharge. Doctors generally recommend oral medicines or vaginal creams for treatment. Personal care measures that you can take include wearing loose clothes, regularly washing the genital area, wiping after using the restroom, immediately showering after swimming, consuming more yoghurt, limiting sugar intake , and taking an adequate amount of rest.

According to the National Institute of Health, women with PCOS have a harder time getting pregnant and are at a higher risk for certain complications during pregnancy. Complications of pregnancy associated with PCOS include preeclampsia, an increase in blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. Experts agree that the exact cause of preeclampsia remains unknown. Numerous proposed theories have led to various attempts at prevention and intervention strategies. Persons with certain metabolic diseases like diabetes are more susceptible, and obesity is another major risk factor. Recommended Read:  Pregnancy Complications of Obese Women Sometimes these complications cause babies to be born early. A baby is considered “preterm” if he or she is delivered before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Babies that arrive early must be watched carefully in the hospital until it is determined that they are strong enough to go home. Work with your healthcare provider to promote a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Reduce Risk for Preeclampsia Having blood pressure in a normal range is important whether you are pregnant with PCOS or not. Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the walls of your arteries, which are the blood vessels. There needs to be enough pressure to move your blood through these vessels and this pressure can fluctuate with certain foods and increases during vigorous exercise.