Pregnancy, or How I Learned That I Know More About My Body Than Doctors Do

I think one of the most valuable things I learned through my first (and second) pregnancies is that I know my body well and need to trust myself. Doctors seem to see us as fragile know-littles in maternity skirts – but we are the only ones truly experiencing the pregnancy. We, especially as women, are trained to look at our doctors as authority figures and obey and believe everything they say as a fact. However, I learned from even the very beginning that I know my body best and doctors are not infallible. I had been trying to get pregnant for a year and knew for a fact the exact date when I conceived. However, having irregular cycles, my doctor didn’t trust my insight and did an ultrasound that would have put conception a week later than I knew was correct. They put my due date on Valentine’s Day and guess what? She was born on February 20th, to the day I had originally calculated! They were going to force me to induce labor and I resisted as long as I could and then the day I was scheduled to be induced, I went into labor. I labored at home for 12 hours and went to the hospital when the contractions were the doctor recommended amount of time apart. When we got there they told us I wasn’t really in labor because I wasn’t dilated enough and should go home! I KNEW I was in labor, dilated or not, and my angry husband shouted at them that I was in so much pain there was no way we were going home. A kindly nurse took pity on me and gave me a shot of morphine which didn’t take the pain away but my anxiety level went down and suddenly I dilated quite a few centimeters and they rushed me upstairs. Then the doctor “didn’t like” my contractions because they thought they weren’t regular enough or something and wanted to start Pitocin to increase the contractions. I said, NO! Even the delivery nurse tried to intervene for me but to no avail. Guess what? They gave me the medication against my wishes and I started having the most horrendous never ending contraction. That’s right. They can overstimulate your uterus and cause a non-stop contraction! I had wanted to have a natural birth but after 18 hours of labor and the ultimate contraction I asked for an epidural. Of course that wasn’t pleasant at all but at least I thought my pain would end soon. No dice. They brought the anesthesiologist back three times to “up” my epidural but I kept telling them it wasn’t doing anything and I could feel the same pain. Finally when I had to push, the Doctor yelled at the anesthesiologist to give me a full block since I still had all the pain and was exhausted. That’s when they realized I shouldn’t even feel my legs but I had full use of them and pushed for only 30 minutes before delivering my daughter. Right before she was born, a nurse checked the epidural machine to add more and guess what? A full bag of medication – the pump malfunctioned and I never received any medication! I had been telling them that for hours but no one thought to check because they just don’t listen to the patient and assume they know better and we’re irrational women. The next time around, I got a doctor who actually listened to me and it was a walk in the park!

Enter a Cute Baby Photo Contest

You may find it fun to enter your child into the cutest baby photo contest at some point in time. If so there are many online locations you can do so easily. The best thing about entering a photo contest in this day and age is the advent of the digital camera. While keeping in mind the happiness of your baby, be sure to snap a bunch of photos until you get that perfect one. One key tip to remember however when submitting a photo for an online baby photo contest, is the fact that judges tend to like close-ups. If you send in an image with a busy background your chances of winning are slim. Another good idea, is to enter a themed photo depending on what time of year your entering. Most of these photo contest run monthly contest, and therefore sending in the photo that is tailor-made to I their summer for example, or Christmas time, can be a good little boost. Click here to find out more information on cutest baby contests.

Baby Movement Monitor

Many users will think that a movement baby monitor isn’t necessary at all and the American Academy of Paediatrics said it has no records of preventing SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Lucky for you, the Angelcare Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor has great comments from many users and reviewers of this device. Thus, it makes it the best baby monitor for motion sensing system. The Angelcare Movement Sensor is not that expensive and yet not that affordable. It lets you listen to each movement your baby makes with audible alert program that the device has. The motion pad is very sensitive and sometimes gives false alarms and it also alerts parents if the baby does not move for more than 20 seconds. It has no interference on the audio system and you can purchase additional sensors just to make sure your baby is safe. The retail price for this item is $85 and you can purchase an additional motion sensor for $40.

Deciding the Sex of a Baby is Becoming More Popular

A couple of generations ago many couples would never even consider the notion that they could possibly determine the sex of their baby before it was even conceived and learn how to get pregnant with a girl. But times have changed, and so have the techniques used to accomplish this. Studies have been ongoing for a few hundred years in fact, although it has only become more widely known that it is possible to increase the chances of having one sex or the other in the last few years.

Although the procedure is not 100% certain to deliver the chosen results every single time, when done correctly they will certainly make the chances very good. This is all done through natural methods and is all about the timing of conception with the woman’s monthly cycle. You simply need to determine the exact stage of the woman’s cycle and ensure conception is done at the right time, the times obviously being different to have a baby boy or a baby girl.

Cute Baby Clothes: Babies Basic Needs

When it comes to satisfying babies’ basic needs, clothing is a big part of it. The importance of clothing is an individual is irreplaceable, because clothing is always a part of living. It is very unusual for people to walk in front of the public, without wearing any clothes. Cute baby clothes can bring warmth to bodies, because they serve as body coverings. Since babies are very vulnerable to the extremes of temperatures, thus they need plenty of clothes as much as possible. Clothes could not just bring the warmth that they need to withstand the changes of the weather.

Babies tend to get messy most of the time, as they could not handle themselves well. They have no capabilities to take care with themselves, thus it is the responsibility of their parents to give care for them. By providing cute baby clothes, parents can already satisfy the needs of their babies with regards to clothing.

Clothes can bring comfort for them, so that they can enjoy more the early days of their lives here on earth. Parents can express they unconditional love through efficient caring, and providing appropriate clothes for their babies is one of the best way to show care.

It is apparent to babies when they are cared well by their parents, because they look happier when they are well loved. Bubbly babies are those happy babies. When they are happy, the more they will look lovely and adorable. Babies will look more attractive when their happiness is expressed on their faces.

Comfortable clothes are those that have fine fabrics. A lot of newborn baby clothes are made from the finest fabrics, most especially those clothes that are made purely from cotton.

Babies need clothes that have soft fabrics and those that could not irritate their skin. Their skin will be irritated easily when they are wearing inappropriate fabrics. Thus, it is very important that before buying baby clothes, check first the quality of their fabrics.

Their clothes should also be suitable in the current weather. Layered clothes with thick fabrics are suitable during cloth weather, while think clothes are best during summer. The more they feel comfortable when their clothes are appropriate in the weather.

A lot of baby clothes can be availed in various stores that are applicable for different weather changes. Buyers will just have to consider the style of the clothes and their fabrics in order to determine if they are right in the current temperature. In any styles of clothes for them, there is always an array of cute baby clothes that can make babies more comfortable and adorable at the same time.

Price Comparisons of Baby Video Monitors

Parents know that taking care of a toddler can be a full time job. Knowing that your baby is safe when you are not in the room with them can give a parent peace of mind that is priceless. Unfortunately not all of us can spend a vast fortune on Baby Video Monitors. Well there is good news. Here are a few tips on getting good deals on Baby Video Monitors. The first thing you need to do is be savvy. Don’t just buy the first Baby Video Monitor that you can find. You should check the news papers to see if any stores in your area are offering sales on Baby Video Monitors. Sometimes you can save a significant amount of money by just waiting for an item to go on sale. If you don’t have the time to wait for a monitor to go on sale, then you can always go online and look for discounts from vendors farther away. No matter where you end up purchasing your baby monitor, make sure that the item you are buying is from a company with a reputable name. Some inferior products might be sold for less but are cheaply manufactured and carry no warranty.

Best Friends, Giggles and Baby Shower Games

Funny how time flies. We used to be little girls, playing with our dolls or endlessly doing hopscotch every time the sun is out. Then we became young ladies; I will never forget the hushed chit chats about how cute little “Tommy” is, the sleepless sleepovers because of the room-wrecking pillow fights, and of course, the giggles that we can’t hold back every time an adult tries to guess what our little secret is. After a few winks, we went to college. We met new friends, had our share of heartbreaks and learned how to bounce out of it. We earned our degrees, earned our first paychecks and got engaged. Now, we’re all married, expecting our first babies and we’re still sharing the same muffled laughs we had ten years ago. We can’t even make up our minds on which baby shower games to put in our list! Is it even possible to add hopscotch as a baby shower game?

Vitamins and Massages Maybe All You Need to Increase Your Fertility

You are ready for a baby now, but your body seems to disagree. Do not despair because there are many ways to work with your body and increase chances of getting pregnant.

Watch your diet. Make sure that you are eating a healthy diet low in saturated fats and high in vitamins. Not only is this good for your body, it is also good for your mind, and the mind-body connection is important for reducing stress and achieving pregnancy. Certain supplements have also been noted to increase chances of getting pregnant, ask your midwife or OBGYN for recommendations.

To align yourself mentally and physically, visit a trained acupuncturist. They can address what may be causing the physical or subconscious mental blockage. You may also want to consider seeing a massage therapist and a chiropractor. If you can not afford to visit these professionals, an ancient practice that works wonders is Mayan uterine massage. It is simple, and you or your partner can do it easily at home.

Most importantly, make sure that you are tracking your cycles and that you have a heightened awareness of when you are most fertile because having sex on those days (days in the middle of your cycle when your discharge is stretchy) will greatly increase chances of getting pregnant.

Find Solution for Pcos and Infertility Problem

Ladies who have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is facing a huge problem if they are looking forward to conceive a baby. PCOS and infertility are no longer far to be solved. PCOS is a factor that can result to difficulty in bearing a child. With the increase in the insulin, it stops the egg cells to mature and the body to ovulate normally. Embryo would have difficulty to attach itself to a woman’s uterus when you are having this condition. Miscarriage will be another issue that you might face. However, never lose your hopes. There are solutions that you can try to get pregnant even if you have this problem. Issues of insulin level and infertility can be lessened or avoided if you start following a good diet. Boosting your fertility chances and having normal ovulation are two of the benefits that you may gain if you follow the right diet for women with PCOS problems. Upon solving this condition, solution with regards to infertility may follow.

Why I Love Natural Newborn Clothes

There are several things you must know about baby onesies, and how these issues can affect your newborn baby. If you go into any clothing store for babies, most of this clothing has been manufactured using harsh chemicals. This means that the dyes from these clothing can leak into your skin at any time. Of course you also must keep in mind that just because something says it is organic, does not mean it is all natural. The only way to ensure that you are buying something that is all natural, is to make sure that the label says it is certified organic. This means that it has passed the rigid guidelines set forth for it to earn this certification. Not much clothing can actually claim is certified organic, so this clothing can be a little bit more expensive than regular code. However, in the end it is more than well worth the extra price tag.

Perfect Party Ideas and Baby Shower Games

Throwing a party for your friend and her new baby needs a little planning in order to make it a great success and enjoyable for everyone. Baby shower games are usually a big part of the festivities. Thinking up fun ways to entertain your guests can be frustrating, because you don’t want to keep using the same boring games played at the recent baby showers. Having a place that offer a list of great games and print outs you can use simplifies your planning a great deal. This site with all the wonderful tips and ideas can make this an event your guests will be talking about for a long time. Not only do they help with game suggestions but they offer help with invitation ideas and also a light menu for an easy and inexpensive party extravaganza. The bonus to all the help you will receive, is the time you save in all the preparations.