HOME AND FAMILY

Chill Out: how to keep your cool this summer

When the heat is on, life can become very hard when you are pregnant. Instead of looking forward to those long, hot August days, you may find yourself dreaming of igloos and frozen ice-caps, so try out these tricks to help you keep your cool when the temperature rises.

Clothes

o Wear loose fitting clothes that will let the air circulate - tight waistbands in particular will make you feel hot and bothered.

o Natural fabrics such as cotton are best, as they will allow your skin to breath.

o You may need to buy some larger shoes, particularly if your feet start to swell.

o Water

o Even if you are still suffering from morning sickness, it is vital that you drink 8 glasses of water a day as it is very easy for pregnant women to become dehydrated.

o Try to avoid coffee and fizzy drinks as they can act as diuretics.

Summer food

o Think carefully about your food hygiene - it is very easy to get food poisoning in the summer.

o Use commercially frozen barbecue foods as the freezing process kills the toxoplasmosis parasite and always make sure food is cooked right through.

o Check that mayonnaise is made with pasteurised eggs and always wash fruit and vegetables.

Shopping

o If you can, get your partner to take care of the big weekly shop.

o If not, why not try shopping over the internet or at a less busy time, maybe on a Friday evening?

Keep cool

o Pregnant women have up to a third extra blood in their system, which means they feel the heat more, so keep out of the sun as much as possible, especially between 11am and 3pm.

o Make sure you use a high factor sun screen - some women find their skin is extra sensitive when they are pregnant.

In the swim

o Swimming is an excellent way of exercising when you are pregnant and will help to cool you down.

o Don't forget to check with your doctor or midwife if you are worried about your fitness levels.

Take it easy

o Try not to get worked up about things - this will only make you feel hotter. If things do get on top of you, sit down and take a few deep breaths.

o If you can, put your feet up and have a rest during the hottest part of the day.

o As you near the end of your term, you may need to think about cutting down on the amount of walking and standing that you do. If in doubt, talk to your midwife or HR department.

Older children

o You may find it harder to relax if you are busy all day with older children, perhaps you could ask a friend to baby sit for a couple of hours to give you a rest.

o Invite friends round to your house, instead of going to the park. They will probably keep you supplied with cool drinks if you ask them nicely!

o Paddling pools are a great way to keep your feet cool - sit in the shade and dip your toes in, your toddler will love this!

Work

o If you are still working, make sure your office is kept cool and your working conditions are suitable to your stage of pregnancy. If in doubt, call the Maternity Alliance on 020 7490 7639.

o If you use public transport, perhaps you could change your working hours to avoid the rush hour crush.

o Ask if you could work from home one day a week - that extra hour in bed can make all the difference.

Feet treats

o When you can, sit with your feet up and try not to cross your legs as this can reduce blood flow.

o Pamper your feet at the end of a long day. Soak them in a basin of cool water before using a foot scrub and finishing with a massage of you feet and legs - absolutely divine if you can get your partner to do it for you!

EXERCISE SAFELY

The first thing to understand when you exercise during your pregnancy is to take extra care. This doesn't mean exercise less, rather be sure to know and understand your body limits. Even though exercising during your pregnancy can be beneficial, there are certain risks involved that may be detrimental. Be sure to check in with your doctor or midwife to ensure that you are able to exercise during pregnancy.

Once you have the go-ahead from your physician, keep them updated with how you are doing. Are you experiencing fatigue or pain while you are exercising during your pregnancy? Be sure to let them know if that's the case. It's important to have caution while exercising, and if you're in doubt, check in with your physician. It is also very important to remember that exercising while pregnant isn't mean to improve your physical fitness, rather maintain your physical condition.

While choosing an exercise to do during your pregnancy, be sure to consider ones that involve a partner - be it your spouse, or a friend. Pick pregnancy exercises that you enjoy, as that will help you to stay motivated to exercise during pregnancy Stay away from pregnancy exercises where you might be in danger of falling, losing your balance or getting hit in the abdomen, as these might increase the chance of something going wrong during your pregnancy.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD WORKOUT?

Finding a pregnancy exercise that you enjoy and being able to fit into your schedule is important. You'll soon notice that once you start to experience the benefits of exercising during pregnancy, you'll want to ensure that you exercise regularly. Keep in mind that the best resource for exercise while pregnant will be your healthcare provider.

Two stages of exercising that are important are warming up and cooling down. Even with an exercise such as walking, this will help you to avoid and prevent muscle soreness and stiffness. Try to include 5 to 15 minute sessions of warming up and cooling down while you exercise during your pregnancy.

The best warm up activity is one that is kept at a low-intensity, rhythmic activity, such as walking, or riding a stationary bike. Follow that up with slow, controlled stretches, before proceeding with a higher level of activity. A gentle cool down is also important as you exercise during pregnancy. In order to have an effective cool down, stretch each muscle, one at a time. Gentle toning pregnancy exercises are safe if you keep them to a moderate level. You might also try to include relaxation or deep-breathing exercises as well.

Below is a short list of signs that you should stop exercising:

1) Bloody discharge or any gush of fluid from the vagina

2) Unexplained pain in the abdomen

3) Persistent headaches, changes in vision, faintness or dizziness

4) Marked fatigue, heart palpitations or chest pains

5) Sudden swelling of ankles, face or your hands

HOW MUCH EXERCISE SHOULD I DO?

The best way to decide how much and how often you should exercise during your pregnancy is to follow the FITT principle - Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type.

FREQUENCY

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, women who are pregnant should not exercise for longer than 30 minutes. Even though you may feel good, and that you can keep going, your pregnant body can only handle so much. A good workout program at the beginning of your pregnancy is one that is performed three times a week.

INTENSITY

Throughout your pregnancy, you should aim to exercise moderately. Again, the idea is not to improve your physical fitness, rather to maintain. Overtraining can be damaging to you and your body, as well as your baby's. Learn how to take your pulse, and do not exceed 15 to 20 beats per minute more than normal. If you find it difficult to talk while you are exercising, you might be exercising to heavily while you are pregnant.

TIME

Be advised that you should begin your exercising in short workouts. Pushing yourself to quickly might result in soreness of the muscles, as well as exhaustion. During the first few weeks of your pregnancy, you should exercise no more than 15 minute sessions. Once you feel comfortable with that duration, exercising for up to 30 minutes during your pregnancy should benefit you greatly. This increase in time shouldn't occur until you are into your second trimester, however. It is important that you listen to your body if you exercise while being pregnant. If you find yourself tired and sore after a workout, cut back until you can feel comfortable with the amount.

TYPE

Whether you prefer to exercise during your pregnancy alone, or with a friend or group of friends, it's important to decide which type of activity you will perform. Some activities that women who are pregnant find helpful are swimming, walking, stair-climbing, stationary cycling, and special prenatal aerobics and aquatic classes. Some of these activities such as walking and swimming, can be done in moderation even up until the day you deliver.

If you are planning to go for IVF treatment for having your biological child we will want to share few things with you. First of all the process of In vitro fertilization is a very complicated one and you being the candidate need to be very patient and calm while undergoing the treatment process. If you make you feel stressed then that will not help you get the desired outcome. Secondly, the success rate of an IVF cycle cannot be guaranteed by anyone, not even by the biggest IVF experts of the industry. Be prepared to face whatever the outcome is.

There are some clear-cut factors which you need to take care of choosing the Right IVF Doctors for Treatment:

• This process needs the effort of different types of specialists. So while selecting the IVF center you need to check the clinic is having a specialist in gynecology, embryology, endocrinology, urology, surgery and even for psychology.

• For quality IVF treatment one needs to get a certain examination done by a geneticist. Doctor will be responsible to check genetic disorders if any in the prospective patient. So the presence of this specialist is also a must in the clinic.

• There will always be the need of a reproductive surgeon as all IVF cases are not same. Some of the candidates may need some surgical modification of conditions which leads to the creation of obstruction for the fallopian tubes, endometriosis lining and some disorders of the urinary tract. It is not always the women who are having the problem of infertility as it may arise because of problems in a male partner too. An urologist can check the reason for the male urinary tract disorder and decide the treatment which can resolve the problem.

• Coming to the importance of the embryologist in IVF treatment. This specialist is responsible for matching the collected eggs and sperm of the partners under strict laboratory condition to develop a healthy embryo. If the number of the healthy embryo is more than 2 in case of a candidate then 2 will be used in the first cycle and rest will be frizzed carefully so that it can be used for the second cycle if needed.

• Each of the specialists who will be the part of the treatment needs to be MD in their field and need to have required amount of experience in the industry

• The clinic needs to have good reputation and success rate for In vitro fertilization cases. We understand that 100% cannot be successful but minimum 85% cases need to be successful to enlist the agency in the list of notable IVF centers.

You can decide your own set of parameters for deciding the right clinic for you. But we will insist that you include the above points in your search. It is an expensive medical process and so you need to plan for the fund. There may be variation in the cost when compared to the patients of the same clinic. The reason can be some extra medications or extra service required by the patient.

Whether you wake up with nausea or cravings, a healthy breakfast is very important if you are pregnant. These easy-to-use and largely pre-cooked breakfast options are filled with essential nutrients to keep you healthy, support your baby's growth and start the day as best as possible. Pregnancy Breakfast ideas will lead you on the way of getting better nutrition.

Breakfast with salmon and cream
Smoked salmon is not a good choice for pregnant women because of the risk of listeriosis. But that's not a reason to miss omega-3 fatty acids in salmon. These healthy fats are important for the development of your brain! Choose a variety of baked fish and enjoy them with cream cheese in your favorite bagel. Look for mini-bagels that are actually much closer to the size of the good portion than the huge coffee variant. If you can find a variety of whole grains, you will receive another nutritional bonus for you and your baby.

Breakfast with apples
Are your morning's crazy? It's still not an excuse to skip breakfast, especially with this simple option. Prepare this oatmeal the day before and enjoy by preparing your meals or parking at your desk. Just mix 1/2 cup of oatmeal with 1/2 cup of milk in a mason jar, sprinkle with a tablespoon of chopped walnuts and rub in the middle of an apple. Shake and let stand overnight in the refrigerator, and ready: Breakfast is served!

Breakfast smoothie
How about a glass of super foods in the morning? This shake is full of vitamin C that comes from fruits and protein, calcium come from the yogurt. And you probably know how important it is to have enough folic acid in during the. So to properly arrange the requirement amount of folic acid you have to follow pregnancy breakfast ideas. Leafy vegetables such as spinach will serve the purpose. Chia seeds are an important plant source of omega-3s; the beneficial fatty acids that scientists believe are needed. To make this super-loaded smoothie, mix 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup yogurt, a kiwi, a handful of spinach and a tablespoon of chia seeds.

Egg, cheese breakfast
If you're having trouble getting enough vegetables during the day, try starting the day with a full serving. This burrito is also a source of protein. Eggs, beans, and cheese help you get the extra 25 grams of protein you need now. To prepare, sprinkle two scrambled eggs, two tablespoons boiled beans (canned), two tablespoons grated shredded cheese, such as cheddar cheese, and a medium-sized tomato cut into a tortilla. Season with salt and pepper and roll, fold up and down.

Breakfast with eggs and avocado
Start the day with a useful dose of chorine from eggs, a superstar nutrient for expectant moms. It helps to improve the function of your brain (so you will never forget breakfast again) and discusses the development of your baby's brain, especially during the last trimester. And your belly will thank you for the fiber of all toasts and avocados.

Boiled egg and avocado with toast
Start the day with a useful dose of choline from eggs, a superstar nutrient for expectant moms. Recent research shows: In the morning we can't get required nutrition, so get in the breakfast an egg yolk contains about a quarter of the hill you need each day. It helps to improve the function of your brain (so you will never forget breakfast again) and discusses the development of your baby's brain, especially during the last trimester. And your belly will thank you for the fiber of all toasts and avocados.

Weight Gain Breakfast for Mom
During pregnancy you and your baby's need more calories, that's mean pregnant women need gain weight following the standard roles. Most new mothers want to lose weight, but breastfeeding mothers may have difficulty keeping their weight. During breastfeeding, your energy requirement is even higher than during pregnancy due to burns and a lot of calories. If you are breastfeeding and want to gain weight or gain weight, make sure you have enough food to meet your baby's needs. The Ideal pregnancy breakfast ideas will increase your weight level rapidly.

To have a good pregnancy we not only have to look at physical health. Being healthy is fundamental in these moments, but also be mentally calm, prepared and happy. That is why we are going to give ten keys to a healthy and happy pregnancy, in which the mind and body combine in harmony to welcome a new member into our lives.

Eat and drink healthy during pregnancy

The diet has to be varied and balanced. The important thing is to take foods rich in nutrients and vitamins such as folic acid, iron, calcium, and iodine, but not in fats. The diet must be varied based on vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy products, and legumes, without forgetting the daily contribution of meat and fish proteins.

A healthy diet includes maintaining correct hydration. Drinking enough water and milk to give us calcium is essential. We can also take juices, better natural and not sugary. Of course, let's forget about alcoholic beverages and coffee.

Take the recommended vitamin supplements

To complement a healthy diet the doctor will recommend certain vitamin supplements that include folic acid, along with other vitamin and mineral supplements also beneficial for pregnancy care, such as iron, iodine, calcium... In this way we help the fetus to develop properly, avoiding deficiencies that they could cause complications for both the baby and the mother.

Perform exercise during pregnancy

For our well-being and an ideal weight gain, it is fundamental to perform physical exercise appropriate to our state. Whether swimming, yoga, walking, the Pilates method...

By performing a moderate and constant exercise we will improve our cardiovascular and muscular condition and favor postural correction. All this will provide the pregnant woman with a better general physical condition and will allow her to face the work of pregnancy and childbirth with fewer risks.

Go to medical visits

Regularly visit the gynecologist to do the corresponding tests and obtain adequate prenatal care. This way we will monitor both the health of the baby and ours, having the possibility of consulting the specialist all our doubts and fears, as well as talking about our delivery plan. The prenatal tests will give us peace of mind, they will help us to "get closer" to the baby and with the ultrasound, we will have their first images for the memory.

Wear appropriate clothes

We must wear comfortable clothing (including shoes), appropriate to the increase in weight and volume we experience. This will help the blood circulate better, our movements are correct and not forced and the skin stays healthy. It's not about being dressed like bags of potatoes, since fortunately being pregnant is no longer at odds with going fashion, and many stores sell beautiful pre-mama clothes. The heels can wait but feel comfortable and beautiful with a nice "wrap" favors a psychic well-being important at this time.

Pampering our mind during pregnancy

If we dedicate time to take care of our body, we must also save time for our relaxation and the care of our mind. Not only is the body more vulnerable during pregnancy. Finding our tranquility and doing relaxation exercises at home will help us feel better. We do not have to park the activities that we like going to the movies, reading, going out to the country, crafts...

Take care of our skin

During pregnancy, it is essential to apply sunscreen creams to prevent skin spots and burns. Due to the action of hormones, the skin of the pregnant woman suffers alterations such as hyperpigmentation. Also, antistrictive creams are important, which prevent the appearance of these scars with the stretching of our skin, with special attention during the final months, when the skin stretches at a very fast rate.

Hydrating the whole body after a bath or shower gives us a moment of relaxation. Gentle massage after exercise helps us feel better. Of course, external hydration must be complemented with internal hydration, drinking plenty of fluids, as we have already mentioned in the section on nutrition. Everything combined will increase our well-being by feeling more careful and beautiful.

A good rest during pregnancy

Sleeping and resting what the body asks of us is very important. Fatigue and sleep can accompany us from the first moment as one of the first symptoms of pregnancy and hopefully will disappear. But it is more than likely that we will feel very tired and sleepy again in the final phase of pregnancy. It is what the body needs, and we must listen to it, resting as much as possible, without forgetting that moderate exercise will make us rest and sleep better.

Childbirth classes

Attending childbirth classes can be very beneficial for both our physical and mental health. Relating to other pregnant women and sharing experiences opens our mind to discover that we are not the only ones who have doubts or fears.

They also help us to acquire knowledge and awareness about the changes in our body, knowing concepts about the phases of childbirth, baby hygiene or breastfeeding will help us feel more prepared for the changes that lie ahead. Through knowledge, an important self-confidence is generated thanks to security, and being a father begins to live already. As much as possible, it is good to share these classes accompanied by the couple.

Communicate with the baby

Talking to the baby, communicating with him, playing music, will make him feel closer, preparing us for the moment in which he really reaches our arms. Know how your evolution is going on month by month, how it is growing in our womb, write a letter, keep a diary of our pregnancy, respond to your kicks...

All these simple activities will achieve that the life that is gestated in our womb will fill more life to us. The possible discomforts of our pregnancy are forgotten in these moments of communication.

Do not forget, to have a healthy pregnancy requires a happy pregnancy. We have to take care of mind and body in this delicate stage of our life, full of emotions and sometimes contradictory sensations. I hope that these tips to achieve a healthy and happy pregnancy encourage you to face this stage of your lives with an optimistic and full of vitality.

To have a good pregnancy we not only have to look at physical health. Being healthy is fundamental in these moments, but also be mentally calm, prepared and happy. That is why we are going to give ten keys to a healthy and happy pregnancy, in which the mind and body combine in harmony to welcome a new member into our lives.

Eat and drink healthy during pregnancy

The diet has to be varied and balanced. The important thing is to take foods rich in nutrients and vitamins such as folic acid, iron, calcium, and iodine, but not in fats. The diet must be varied based on vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy products, and legumes, without forgetting the daily contribution of meat and fish proteins.

A healthy diet includes maintaining correct hydration. Drinking enough water and milk to give us calcium is essential. We can also take juices, better natural and not sugary. Of course, let's forget about alcoholic beverages and coffee.

Take the recommended vitamin supplements

To complement a healthy diet the doctor will recommend certain vitamin supplements that include folic acid, along with other vitamin and mineral supplements also beneficial for pregnancy care, such as iron, iodine, calcium... In this way we help the fetus to develop properly, avoiding deficiencies that they could cause complications for both the baby and the mother.

Perform exercise during pregnancy

For our well-being and an ideal weight gain, it is fundamental to perform physical exercise appropriate to our state. Whether swimming, yoga, walking, the Pilates method...

By performing a moderate and constant exercise we will improve our cardiovascular and muscular condition and favor postural correction. All this will provide the pregnant woman with a better general physical condition and will allow her to face the work of pregnancy and childbirth with fewer risks.

Go to medical visits

Regularly visit the gynecologist to do the corresponding tests and obtain adequate prenatal care. This way we will monitor both the health of the baby and ours, having the possibility of consulting the specialist all our doubts and fears, as well as talking about our delivery plan. The prenatal tests will give us peace of mind, they will help us to "get closer" to the baby and with the ultrasound, we will have their first images for the memory.

Wear appropriate clothes

We must wear comfortable clothing (including shoes), appropriate to the increase in weight and volume we experience. This will help the blood circulate better, our movements are correct and not forced and the skin stays healthy. It's not about being dressed like bags of potatoes, since fortunately being pregnant is no longer at odds with going fashion, and many stores sell beautiful pre-mama clothes. The heels can wait but feel comfortable and beautiful with a nice "wrap" favors a psychic well-being important at this time.

Pampering our mind during pregnancy

If we dedicate time to take care of our body, we must also save time for our relaxation and the care of our mind. Not only is the body more vulnerable during pregnancy. Finding our tranquility and doing relaxation exercises at home will help us feel better. We do not have to park the activities that we like going to the movies, reading, going out to the country, crafts...

Take care of our skin

During pregnancy, it is essential to apply sunscreen creams to prevent skin spots and burns. Due to the action of hormones, the skin of the pregnant woman suffers alterations such as hyperpigmentation. Also, antistrictive creams are important, which prevent the appearance of these scars with the stretching of our skin, with special attention during the final months, when the skin stretches at a very fast rate.

Hydrating the whole body after a bath or shower gives us a moment of relaxation. Gentle massage after exercise helps us feel better. Of course, external hydration must be complemented with internal hydration, drinking plenty of fluids, as we have already mentioned in the section on nutrition. Everything combined will increase our well-being by feeling more careful and beautiful.

A good rest during pregnancy

Sleeping and resting what the body asks of us is very important. Fatigue and sleep can accompany us from the first moment as one of the first symptoms of pregnancy and hopefully will disappear. But it is more than likely that we will feel very tired and sleepy again in the final phase of pregnancy. It is what the body needs, and we must listen to it, resting as much as possible, without forgetting that moderate exercise will make us rest and sleep better.

Childbirth classes

Attending childbirth classes can be very beneficial for both our physical and mental health. Relating to other pregnant women and sharing experiences opens our mind to discover that we are not the only ones who have doubts or fears.

They also help us to acquire knowledge and awareness about the changes in our body, knowing concepts about the phases of childbirth, baby hygiene or breastfeeding will help us feel more prepared for the changes that lie ahead. Through knowledge, an important self-confidence is generated thanks to security, and being a father begins to live already. As much as possible, it is good to share these classes accompanied by the couple.

Communicate with the baby

Talking to the baby, communicating with him, playing music, will make him feel closer, preparing us for the moment in which he really reaches our arms. Know how your evolution is going on month by month, how it is growing in our womb, write a letter, keep a diary of our pregnancy, respond to your kicks...

All these simple activities will achieve that the life that is gestated in our womb will fill more life to us. The possible discomforts of our pregnancy are forgotten in these moments of communication.

Do not forget, to have a healthy pregnancy requires a happy pregnancy. We have to take care of mind and body in this delicate stage of our life, full of emotions and sometimes contradictory sensations. I hope that these tips to achieve a healthy and happy pregnancy encourage you to face this stage of your lives with an optimistic and full of vitality.