Excited for my next prenatal check up

I told hubby earlier when we were doing grocery that I am excited for tomorrow since it will be another prenatal appointment. I will be meeting my new OB-GYN and hubby assured me that I would like my new OB. I am also excited for tomorrow's prenatal check up because I will have another ultrasound and hubby and I will be able to see our baby again. My mom is coming to visit us tomorrow and she would like to be in the clinic too and wants to see her grandbaby during my ultrasound.

What are Braxton Hicks contractions?

This is what I read about Braxton Hicks which I started searching through babycenter.com which explains about it.

"Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic uterine contractions that start about 6 weeks into your pregnancy, although you won't be able to feel them that early. You probably won't start to notice them until sometime after mid-pregnancy, if you notice them at all. (Some women don't.) They get their name from John Braxton Hicks, an English doctor who first described them in 1872.

As your pregnancy progresses, Braxton Hicks contractions tend to come somewhat more often, but until you get to your last few weeks, they'll probably remain infrequent, irregular, and essentially painless."

Lower abdomen got hard as a rock

I was surprised when I felt my lower abdomen got hard as a rock yesterday morning while I was laying in bed. It was not painful though. I called hubby right away coz I got nervous and thought something might be wrong with my baby but he said it is just normal to feel that way sometimes. My fears went away after hearing what he said to me. I also called mom and told her about it and she got excited and teased me that my baby is probably doing some exercises inside my womb. She told me some of her experiences when she was pregnant of hubby and how her tummy got hard also especially when dad rubbed her tummy.

That was the first time I felt my lower abdomen got hard and I searched about it and found out that it's called "braxton hicks".

Pregnancy at 11 Weeks

How's the baby growing:

I was reading the article from babycenter.com about Pregnancy week by week and here's what I found out what's going on with my 11th week pregnancy which began yesterday.

It said that mybaby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. I won't feel my baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will I notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

How's Life changing:

According to the article it said if I am like most women, I should be feeling a bit more energetic now and my nausea may be starting to wane. Unfortunately, I may also be suffering from constipation (caused by hormonal changes, which can slow digestion) and heartburn (hormones again, relaxing the valve between your stomach and esophagus). But all of this discomfort is for a good cause.

If nausea has made it impossible for me to eat a wide variety of healthy foods or if I haven't put on much weight yet (most women gain just 2 to 5 pounds during the first trimester). My appetite will likely return soon, and I will start to gain about a pound a week.

Well, so far my appetite is doing ok. Although I'm the usual kind of person who doesn't eat a lot but somehow I have been eating a little bit more and have gained a bit also. I weighed myself yesterday and I am now 94.4 lbs the heaviest I got so far in my entire life. Ha,ha,...

Below is a photo of how the baby should look like inside my tummy.

Photo by babycenter.com

Pregnancy at 10 weeks

How baby's growing:

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

How life's changing:

At your next prenatal visit, you may be able to hear your baby's rapid heartbeat with the help of a Doppler stethoscope, a handheld ultrasound device that your practitioner places on your belly. Many women say that the beating of their baby's tiny heart sounded like the thunder of galloping horses and hearing it for the first time was very moving.

Before you got pregnant, your uterus was the size of a small pear. By this week, it's as big as a grapefruit. You may or may not be ready for maternity wear now. Even if you're not there yet, your regular clothes are probably feeling uncomfortably tight and your blossoming breasts are straining the seams of your bra. The thickening in your midsection is most likely due to slight weight gain and bloating. If you're between regular and maternity clothes, pants and skirts with forgiving elastic waistbands (or low-rise waistlines that sit below your belly) will provide some much-needed comfort.

Depending on your level of fitness, you can most likely participate in a wide range of activities during pregnancy. Swimming and walking are excellent choices for the whole nine months. Exercise promotes muscle tone, strength, and endurance — three qualities that can help you carry the weight you gain during pregnancy, prepare you for the physical stress of labor, and make it easier to get back into shape after your baby is born. (Unfortunately, there's no evidence that regular exercise shortens labor.)

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Pregnancy: 9 Weeks

How the baby is growing?

Photo by babycenter.com

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

How life's changing:

You still may not look pregnant even if your waist is thickening a bit. You probably feel pregnant, though. Not only are morning sickness and other physical symptoms out in full force for most women, but you may feel like an emotional pinball as well.

Mood swings are common now — it's perfectly normal to feel alternately elated and terrified about becoming a parent. Try to cut yourself some slack. Most women find that moodiness flares up at around six to ten weeks, eases up in the second trimester, and then reappears as pregnancy winds to a close.

This Week's Activity

Start a daily ritual to connect with your baby. Diane Sanford, a clinical psychologist who focuses on pregnancy and postpartum adjustment, encourages women to set aside two five- to ten-minute periods a day to think about their baby. Just after waking up and before going to sleep works well for many expectant moms. During these times, sit quietly and gently rest your hands on your belly. Focus on your breathing and then start thinking about your baby (your hopes and dreams, your intentions as a parent, etc.). It's a great way to initiate the bonding process and to help you plan for the kind of parent you want to be.

Source

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Sleep problem

I have not been sleeping good nowadays. my OB told me that is normal to experience this way. Hubby is getting so concerned because I only slept a couple of hours each night. I just can't get back to sleep after each time I woke up in the midde of the night to go the the bathroom. Tomorrow is my doctor's appointment and hubby's going to ask what medication the doctor can precribe for me to sleep better at night. As for me, I don't want to take any medication as much as possible because I am scared it might affect my baby's health.

The Scooter Store

If you are looking for motorized scooter for yourself or for your loved ones. Check The Scooter Store, your one stop online store that sells electric and powered scooters. One thing nice about this store is that they can work with your doctors to identify your needs and they can coordinate with your medicare or insurance benefits. Get the power mobility solution that’s right for you, visit the site now at www.thescooterstore.com

Pregnancy: 8 weeks

Photo by babycenter.com

How the baby's growing:

New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

How life's changing:

You may notice that your bra is getting more snug. Soon you'll likely need a larger size with better support. Rising levels of hormones cause breast growth and other tissue changes, all in preparation for lactation. Your breasts may continue to grow throughout pregnancy. Don't be surprised if you go up a cup size or two, especially if it's your first baby. Keep this in mind, and allow for room to grow when investing in a new bra.

Feeling fatigued? Hormonal changes — in particular, a dramatic rise in progesterone — may be contributing to your sluggishness. Nausea and vomiting can certainly cost you energy, too. And you may be having trouble getting a good night's sleep at this point, especially if you're uncomfortable or find you need to get up to pee.

source

Get your floral centerpiece at 1-800flowers.com

Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching. This will be my second time to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with hubby and family. Last year we had a get together dinner with parents-in-laws, hubby, me and his children and hubby’s brother’s family at their home around 45 minutes away from where we live. Mom-in-law prepared most of the foods we had for dinner. We had a great time visiting with the family while having dinner around the table. The table looked so good with all the tasty foods that mom brought for everybody plus the beautiful flowers in the middle of the dining table made our thanksgiving dinner looks more festive.

By the way if you are looking for the best place to get your fresh and pretty flowers to add beauty and elegance on Thanksgiving Dinner 1-800flowers.com is the place to find them. They sell different kinds of flowers and other floral centerpieces. You can choose a wide variety of floral centerpieces in their catalog online. You can get your orders online or by phone. Check 1-800flowers.com and save $10 on selected flowers and gifts. I better check this site and see if I could get some flowers that I could take to mom’s place during Thanksgiving dinner. I know mom will surely love it.

Holiday Foods to Avoid during Pregnancy

I would like to share this article written by Stephanie Miles at babycenter.com on Holiday foods to avoid during pregnancy since Thanksgiving Day is coming so soon.

Even if you've always had a stomach of iron, pregnancy weakens your immune system and makes you more vulnerable to food-borne illnesses that could make you sick and harm your baby. So it's important to avoid certain foods during pregnancy — even on special occasions.

"The risks are real, and need to be taken very seriously," says David Acheson, director and chief medical officer of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Dangerous bacteria and parasites like listeria, toxoplasma, salmonella, staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli can lurk in improperly prepared, cooked, and stored foods. And listeria and toxoplasma can cross your placenta and affect your baby even if you never feel symptoms of the illness yourself.

So if you've always licked the spoon clean of cookie dough, enjoyed Caesar salads with raw egg in the dressing, and ordered your burgers medium rare, pregnancy is a time to rethink these practices and err on the side of food safety, experts say.

Here are some tips to get you through the barbecues of the summer and the holiday buffets of the winter without feeling deprived — or endangering your baby.

Thanksgiving

On Turkey day (as on every other day) it's important to be vigilant against germs and bacteria in the kitchen. Wash your hands frequently when preparing meals and be careful to clean any surface that's come in contact with raw meat or eggs before using it again. Use separate cutting boards for poultry and produce, and keep uncooked poultry and meat chilled in the refrigerator and separate from other food items.

Don't leave leftovers out for more than two hours, and store them in shallow containers so they'll cool quickly. Make sure your refrigerator is set between 35 and 40 degrees F and your freezer at or below zero to keep cold foods from going bad.

• Turkey and stuffing: Cook the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (use a meat thermometer to check it). If you're preparing stuffing (also known as dressing), cook it outside the turkey in a separate baking dish to 165 degrees F. The inside of a stuffed turkey's cavity doesn't get hot enough to kill off harmful bacteria.

• Unpasteurized cider: If hot or cold apple cider is served, make sure it's pasteurized. Unpasteurized juices — including cider — are unsafe during pregnancy because they can contain bacteria like E. coli. (Note: Almost all juice sold is pasteurized — and unpasteurized juice sold in containers is required to carry a warning label.)

• Smoked meats and meat spreads: If you're serving meat spreads like pâté, or smoked meats such as smoked salmon, make sure they're canned, not from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Refrigerated meat spreads and smoked meats can contain listeria.

Ultrasound Images

Just wanna share these photos of the ultrasound I had during my first prenatal check up.

The fetus is still very tiny, the round thing you can see on the right side that looks like a head is not the head but it's the yolk sac if I remembered correctly what my doctor said.

This is the second photo using doppler we were able to hear loud and clear the fetal heartrate at 126 bpm.

Ultrasound Result

My first prenatal check up yesterday went well. I'm glad hubby was with me during my ultrasound. My OB-Gyn told me she would try the abdomenal ultrasound and see if she could find the fetus visibly. She did but it wasn't clear because the fetus is still very tiny so she did the vaginal ultrasound on me and it was visibly clear. It felt so great to see my little baby and much more when we started hearing the fetal heartbeat that I almost cried. It is so amazing to hear the baby's heartbeat, we even saw on the screen how the baby's little tiny chest moved up and down as we heard the heartbeat. My baby's size at this time is 6 cm with a 126 bpm (beats per minute) which my doctor said is pretty normal. She also told me that the chances of having miscarriage went down to 10% and after my first trimester it will go down to 1 to 3%. Surely is a great news for me and hubby. We are really grateful to God for answering our prayers.

I will have my next prenatal check up on Nov. 25th in the morning and I will be seeing with the nurse to do some more check up and ask for informations on family's health background and maybe some blood work too. By the way, my doctor said that I will be due on the 4th of July 2009. How exciting is that!

Pregnancy at 7 weeks

Photo by babycenter.com

How the baby is growing:

The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

If you could see inside your womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.

source

Fetal Development at 7 Weeks

Week 7 Gestational Age (Fetal Age 5 weeks)

Generally from 6 ½ -7 weeks is the time when a heartbeat can be detected and viability can be assessed. A normal heartbeat at 6-7 weeks would be 90-110 beats per minute. The presence of an embryonic heartbeat is an assuring sign of the health of the pregnancy. Once a heartbeat is detected, the chance of the pregnancy continuing ranges from 70-90% dependent on what type of ultrasound is used. If the embryo is less than 5mm CRL, it is possible for it to be healthy without showing a heartbeat, though a follow up scan in 5-7 days should show cardiac activity.

If your doctor is concerned about miscarriage, blighted ovum, or ectopic pregnancy, the gestational sac and fetal pole (if visible) will be measured to determine what type of development should be seen. The guideline is that if the gestational sac measures >16-18mm with no fetal pole or the fetal pole measures 5mm with no heartbeat (by vaginal ultrasound), then a diagnosis of miscarriage or blighted ovum is made. If the fetal pole is too small to take an accurate measurement, then a repeat scan should be done in 3-5 days. If there is absence of a fetal pole, then further testing should be done to rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy.

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Doctor's Appointment Today

Hubby called my OB-GYN's clinic yesterday to check if we could change my prenatal check up sooner than Friday since it's his days off since Monday until today and he wanted to be with me when I have my ultrasound done. The nurse called back hubby and said that she could set us up today at 11:10 am. Huby and I are getting ready right now for my pre-natal check up. Hopefully, we would find good news and hear the baby's heartbeat.

Wish us luck friends!

Boy or Girl? 38 Fun Ways to Guess Your Baby's Sex

Hubby and I are wondering what will be the gender of our baby to be. He wants it to be a boy but I want it to be a girl. I was checking the internet and came across this article which I find interesting. It says "38 Fun Ways to Guess Your Baby's Sex".

It's a girl if:

• You had morning sickness early in pregnancy
• Your baby's heart rate is at least 140 beats per minute
• You are carrying the weight in your hips and rear
• Your left breast is larger than your right breast
• Your hair develops red highlights
• You are carrying high
• Your belly looks like a watermelon
• You are craving sweets
• You are craving fruit
  
• You crave orange juice
• You don't look quite as good as normal during pregnancy
• You are moodier than usual during pregnancy
• Your face breaks out more than usual
• You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread
• Your breasts have really blossomed!
• Your pillow faces south when you sleep
• Your urine is a dull yellow color
• You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves from side to side
• You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an odd number

It's a boy if:

• You didn't experience morning sickness in early pregnancy
• Your baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute
• You are carrying the extra weight out front
• Your belly looks like a basketball
• Your areolas have darkened considerably
• You are carrying low
• You are craving salty or sour foods
• You are craving protein -- meats and cheese
• Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy
• The hair on your legs has grown faster during pregnancy
• Your hands are very dry
• Your pillow faces north when you sleep
• Dad-to-be is gaining weight, right along with you
• Pregnancy has you looking better than ever
• Your urine is bright yellow in color
• Your nose is spreading
• You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves in circles
• You are having headaches
• You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an even number

Source:

Again this is just for fun. I know a lot of mommies who already had their babies will not agree to what is being said about the article. Hmmm, I'm just curious so I'm encouraging mommies out there if some of the statements above were true. Mommies you are very much welcome to leave comments about the article.

Preeclampsia Part 2

I got some more informations about Signs and Symptoms of preeclampsia and thought about posting it.

1.None

High blood pressure is a silent killer. Oftentimes, women diagnosed with preeclampsia do not feel sick. Many signs and symptoms of preeclampsia mirror other "normal" effects of pregnancy on your body. Women diagnosed with preeclampsia may feel frustrated when prescribed bedrest because they feel fine. If you feel fine, it may be hard for you or your partner to appreciate that preeclampsia is a serious condition.

What you can do...

Proper prenatal care is essential. Tests taken at these check-ups: weighing in, checking your blood pressure, dipping your urine are all done to screen for preeclampsia. Particularly after 20 weeks--do not miss your prenatal appointments. As with any pregnancy, a good prenatal diet full of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and the basic food groups is important; cutting back on processed foods, refined sugars, and cutting out caffeine, alcohol and any medication not prescribed by a physician is essential. It is also advisable to speak with your health care professional before taking any supplement, herbal or otherwise.


2.Hypertension (High blood pressure)

High blood pressure is defined as blood pressure of 140/90 or greater as measured on two separate occasions within six hours. However, a woman who normally has a low baseline blood pressure, such as 90/60, could be considered hypertensive at a blood pressure of less than that - especially if she has other symptoms. A rise in the diastolic (lower number) of 15 degrees or more, or a rise in the systolic (upper number) of 30 degrees or more is cause for concern. In 1990 the National Institutes of Health, National High Blood Pressure Education Program: Working Group Report on High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy issued the following research guidelines: In the past it has been recommended that an increase of 30 mm Hg systolic or 15 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure be used as a diagnostic criterion, even when absolute values are below 140/90 mm Hg. This definition has not been included in our criteria because the only available evidence shows that women in this group are not likely to suffer increased adverse outcomes. Nonetheless, it is the collective clinical opinion of this panel that women who have a rise of 30 mm Hg systolic or 15 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure warrant close observation, especially if proteinuria and hyperuricemia (uric acid [UA] greater than or equal to 6 mg/dL) are also present. It should also be noted that 4 members of the Preeclampsia Foundation Medical Board and our Executive Director participated in this working group. There was significant debate over removing baseline BP as diagnostic which is why the final sentence was included. The Preeclampsia Foundation continues to encourage its women, particularly those with low baseline BPs, to know their baseline and to be aware of significant changes and to make any concerns about those changes known to their health care provider.

What you can do...

Know your baseline blood pressure (your blood pressure prior to pregnancy), learn what it means, and ask, "What are my numbers" at each visit. If you are told "It's fine," repeat, "What are my numbers?" If you have had preeclampsia before or if you have chronic high blood pressure, consult a specialist, a high risk OB, or a perinatologist, about your pregnancy. You can find a perinatologist near you who specializes in hypertensive diseases of pregnancy by going to the North American Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (www.nasshp.com). Women who have had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy should request a full screening by a perinatologist to rule out any underlying disease or problems, such as chronic hypertension, autoimmune disorders, thrombophilias, renal disease, etc. Women with a previous history of preeclampsia should have subsequent pregnancies supervised by an obstetrician or a perinatologist. The single large risk factor for getting preeclampsia is a history of having had it before. If you are inactive or have a higher-than-average body mass index (BMI), make sure to exercise moderately and get yourself in the best shape you can. (You can calculate your BMI). Women with a BMI of 30 or higher are at an increased risk of preeclampsia and should make efforts to reduce this risk by following the advice of their doctor. Finally, you can buy your own blood pressure monitor at most pharmacies. Some pharmacies have a monitor available for your use. Keep a log of your blood pressure, taken at the same time each day, if possible, and in the same position. Share it with your care provider. If you own your own monitor, you can take it with you to your appointment and have it calibrated to match those in the office. You might also ask your doctor when they last had their monitor calibrated.

It should be noted that home monitors are not always as accurate as those in one's clinic or hospital. Home readings should not replace prenatal visits, nor should a "normal" reading mean ignoring symptoms that may be markers of preeclampsia. Home readings should only be used to help the mother be more proactive in her care.

If you are diagnosed with preeclampsia, many physicians will recommend bedrest, and in late pregnancy, lying on your left side. While health care providers don't always agree that lying on your left side will help, there is no evidence of harm. The thinking is that lying flat on your back might cause the pregnant uterus (and the weight of the baby) to restrict the vein that supplies the heart.

3.Swelling or Edema (particularly of the hands or face)

A certain amount of swelling during pregnancy is normal. Edema is the accumulation of excess fluid. It is particularly concerning when it accumulates in the face (eyes) or hands. It is normal to have trouble wearing rings throughout pregnancy.

What you can do...

Find a picture of yourself just before pregnancy. Share it with your provider if you feel your face is getting excessively puffy. If the swelling in your extremities becomes severe, you may notice pitting edema (when you press your thumb into your skin, an indentation remains for a few seconds) or discoloration of your legs. If this happens, notify your provider, put your feet up every day (but avoid sitting for extended periods) and drink water to keep hydrated.


4.Proteinuria (Protein in your urine)

Proteinuria is the result of proteins, normally confined to the blood, spilling into your urine because the small blood vessels in the kidneys become damaged. A simple dipstick test of your urine at each prenatal check-up can screen for proteinuria.

What you can do...

At each prenatal visit ask for the results of the urine test. Usually the nurse dips a reagent strip into your urine sample and then waits a minute for the results. The strips have the markings for "trace", 1+, 2+, etc. A reading of trace protein is relatively common and is usually not a cause for concern. If the strip shows a reading of 1+ or greater, it may signify the onset of preeclampsia, even if your blood pressure is less than 140/90. If you have a reading of 2+, call your health care provider immediately. If you are concerned, or have had preeclampsia before, you can buy reagent strips at some pharmacies or online. They are not cheap and insurance might not cover them.

Sometimes health care providers will have the mother take a 24-hour urine collection for a formal lab assessment. This is not a particularly pleasant task, but if you have been asked to do this, follow the directions of your health care provider carefully, and make every effort to be accurate.

Dark yellow urine is usually the result of inadequate fluid intake and dehydration. However, urine that is quite dark, reddish or the color of cola may indicate a problem. If you have any of these symptoms, inform your care provider.


5.Sudden Weight Gain

A gain of more than 2 pounds in a week or 6 pounds in a month could be cause for concern.

What you can do...

In general, eat normally and make every effort to include fresh raw fruit and vegetables, your prenatal vitamin, and a folic acid supplement in your diet. Do not diet or try to lose weight. It is important that you eat a healthy, balanced diet. Avoid excessive salt. And as always, avoid alcohol, caffeine, smoking and recreational drugs. Consult with your provider regarding non-prescription drugs and any herbal medications you might take. The Preeclampsia Foundation recognizes the importance of a good diet but does not endorse any particular diet nor juice product. Given that preeclampsia is a complex disease, women will develop it for different reasons. We encourage all women to share with their doctors any diets or product they are trying. For some women--a good diet may make a significant difference, however we urge caution when trying diets, particularly those that encourage large amounts of protein. For women with underlying kidney disease--excessive protein can be unsafe. Similarly, while some women might benefit from low-dose aspirin--studies show that it has been linked with increased placental abruption and miscarriage and so should not be taken routinely by pregnant women unless they have been advised to do so by their physician.

Be sure to drink plenty of water and get regular moderate exercise. At your prenatal visits do not attempt to disguise any weight gain by skipping breakfast, using diet pills or fasting for the day. An accurate weight is vital for a proper diagnosis.


6.Headaches

Dull, throbbing headaches, often described as migraine-like that just won't go away.

What you can do...

Call your care provider. If you have tried taking over-the-counter medication without relief, or if the headache is very painful or you have light sensitivity, call immediately and ask to see the doctor that day.


7.Nausea or Vomiting

Nausea or vomiting is particularly significant when the onset is sudden and in the second or third trimesters.

What you can do...

Call your care provider. Nausea or vomiting can be confused with the flu, so be sure to get your blood pressure checked and ask to have your urine checked for proteinuria. Insist on both.


8.Changes in Vision

Vision changes include temporary loss of vision, sensations of flashing lights, auras, light sensitivity, and blurry vision or spots. For some women who are farsighted, vision may actually improve.

What you can do...

If you have any of these symptoms, you may be developing preeclampsia. Symptoms such as these may be associated with irritation of the central nervous system and should be taken seriously. They may be indicative of cerebral edema (swelling of the brain). It is very important that you consult with your provider as soon as possible. If he or she is not available, you should go directly to the hospital. We regard these symptoms as potentially very serious and they should not be left until the morning, tomorrow and particularly not until the end of the weekend. With preeclampsia, it is better to have the health professionals tell you it was nothing, than to take a chance that might risk your or the baby's life. No doctor ever died from seeing a woman too many times.


Racing pulse, mental confusion, heightened sense of anxiety, trouble catching your breath

If these symptoms are new to you, they could indicate an elevated blood pressure.

What you can do...

Contact your health care provider if these symptoms are new. If they are not, be sure to mention them at your next visit.


9.Stomach and/or Right Shoulder Pain

This type of stomach pain, called epigastric pain by the medical profession, is usually under the right-side ribs. It can be confused with heartburn, gallbladder problems, flu, indigestion or pain from the baby kicking. Shoulder pain is often called referral pain because it radiates from the liver under the right ribs. Lower back pain is different from muscle strain common to pregnancy. It is usually more acute and specific. All may be a sign of HELLP Syndrome or a related problem in the liver. Shoulder pain can feel like someone is deeply pinching you along the bra strap, or it can be painful to lie on your right side.

What you can do...

Pain in this area should be taken very seriously; do not dismiss it and go to bed. Call your health professional immediately.


10.Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is a very common complaint of pregnancy. However, sometimes it may indicate a problem with the liver, especially if it accompanies other symptoms or preeclampsia.

What you can do...

Read also Stomach and Right Shoulder Pain (above) and mention this symptom to your health care provider. If this pain accompanies one or more of the other symptoms, you should call your health care provider immediately.


11.Hyperreflexia

Hyperreflexia is when your reflexes are so strong that when they are checked, your leg bounces back hard.

What you can do...

This is not usually something you will notice yourself, but if you are bumped and you notice an abnormally strong reflexive response, it might merit a call to your health care provider.

Source:

Preeclampsia

I chatted with a Pinay friend last night who lives in New Mexico and asked how she was doing since she is now on her 9 months of pregnancy. He due date is supposed to be on Nov 26th but she said that her doctor recommended to have her deliver next week by induce labor because she is having preeclampsia and the reason was that her protein in her urine is above the normal level. I thought that preeclampsia occurs only when a pregnant woman's blood pressure goes high but when I searched about it there's more information that a pregnant woman should know.

Here's what I found according to www.preeclampsia.org:

Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.

Typically, preeclampsia occurs after 20 weeks gestation (in the late 2nd or 3rd trimesters or middle to late pregnancy), though it can occur earlier. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia. Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and toxemia are closely related conditions. HELLP Syndrome and eclampsia are other manifestations of the same syndrome. It is important to note that research shows that more women die from preeclampsia than eclampsia and one is not necessarily more serious than the other.

Globally, preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. By conservative estimates, these disorders are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year.

Getting closer to my first prenatal check up

It's getting closer to my first prenatal check up which will be this Friday at 11:10 in the morning. I'm getting excited as well as getting nervous to see how it goes. My OB-GYN will do ultrasound to check for fetal heartbeat and I'm hoping that we will hear heartbeat this time. So far I'm feeling fine and I don't feel morning sickness yet except for feeling nauseous every now and then. I surely feel that my abdomen and boobs are getting bigger and I'm gaining weight a little bit.

Infrared Sauna

Have you been dealing with rheumatoid or arthritis, skin disorders, high blood pressures and other health problems? Have you been on medications on any of those health problems but still suffering from it? Why not ease or even totally relieve the pains by using Infrared Sauna? You think, this idea might be too expensive. Nope not at all for the price of less than $2,000 you can have your own far infrared sauna installed right in the comforts of your own home. Why spend more on different medications or doctor visits when you can spend less and get the health benefits of infrared sauna. If you want to find out more on the benefits of far infrared saunas visit Midwestsaunas.com.

Another template change

I kind of like the template that I just used earlier but the design won't show up the whole thing specially the header and I was wondering what was wrong with it. So, I decided to choose another one and change template again. There's another template that I like from BTemplate it's called Pooh Flower I started downloading the template and still showing the problem on the header which won't show the header design the way it should be. The same thing what happend to the first template I used prior to this one. Now, I'm getting tired. Some widgets were gone which I tried to put it back since I copy pasted my original HTML but still it won't show on my page. It's annoying! I think I'm done for tonight, will fix my page tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience guys.

New Look of my page

I got tired of looking at the old template I had so I decided to browse for free blogger templates online and I found one that I really like from BTemplates I chose the style called Blue Love and so far I'm liking the design of this new template I'm using now. Btemplates have a lot of pretty and cool templates for free. If you are looking for free blogger templates check it out!

OB GYN Appointment

I called the doctor's clinic yesterday to make appointment for my prenatal check up. I was hoping to be able to see my OB-GYN as soon as possible because I'm a little bit paranoid when I found out I'm pregnant because of the previous miscarriage I had but the nurse said that I have to wait until I get 7 weeks of my pregnancy before I could see my OB-GYN to have an ultrasound to check if there's a heartbeat. So my first check up will be on Nov. 14th. For now I just have to wait and hope that the fetus will normally develop and will find heartbeat once I get my ultrasound.

Pregnancy Calculator for Conception, Gestation & Due Date

I checked this site on how to find out when will be my approximate due date and here's the results of what I found:

First day of my last menstruation: Sep 27, 2008
Average Length of Cycle: 22 days
Estimated Gestational Age: 4 weeks and 4 days
estimated Due Date: June 29, 2009

I'm pretty excited but a little bit nervous. I hope everything goes well.

It's Positive!

I have been 3 days late in my monthly period and this morning I told hubby about it and he said to start the pregnancy test. So, I did the pregnancy test and was so happy to see the horizontal and vertical lines in the result window. Yes, finally got a positive result on my pregnancy test today after almost a year of trying to conceive since my last pregnancy lost almost a year ago.

I hope everything will turn out good and I will have a healthy pregnancy this time.

Anticipation...

I'm kind of at a lost with my menstrual cycle this month. Although I have recorded the previous dates when I have my period but this month I'm a little bit confused if my period will come or if I have been late or if it's time to check and start doing pregnancy test. I had my period on Sep 5th and the 27th which showed that I had 22 or 23 days cycle. I should be expecting my period for this month 2 days ago the 20th if my cycles are still the same but sometimes it changes from 22, 23, 24 and 26 days before my next period day comes. So, today is supposed to be the 25th day since the first day of my last menstruation. I felt some minor cramps 2 days ago but still I'm not menstruating. Am I pregnant or not? Hmmm, I am tempted to start doing the pregnancy test but I think it's too early to do it and besides I'm scared what might be the result. I don't want to get disappointed again. I guess I need to wait couple of more days. Waiting feels like forever. Wish me luck friends!

Update on my friend's pregnancy

I chatted with one of my best friends from the Philippines last night and was glad to hear some good updates on her pregnancy. She is at her 22 weeks of pregnancy right now and so far it's doing well except for the daily shot of injection on her tummy to keep her TSH and FT4 well balance. She has a problem with her TSH coz her OB found out that it is active. She had underwent a lot of blood tests prior to her pregnancy because she have had multiple miscarriages before and finally her OB and her immunologist found what her problem was. They found out that she has an autoimmune disorder that caused her miscarriages before. I asked her what was the blood work being done to her to find out her immune problem and she mentioned about APAS- Antiphospholipids Panet Test APAS stands for Antiphopholipid Syndrome which I check on in the internet on what it means and here's what I found out from MedicineNet.

"The antiphospholipid syndrome is a disorder of the immune system that is characterized by excessive clotting of blood and/or certain complications of pregnancy (premature miscarriages, unexplained fetal death, or premature birth) and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (cardiolipin or lupus anticoagulant antibodies) in the blood. Patients with antiphospholipid syndrome have developed abnormal symptoms while having antiphospholipid antibodies that are detectable with blood testing."

Thanks for the visit!

I'm happy to see that the number of visits today on this blog have increased a lot. I think having an entrecard widget and visiting other sites from my blogroll helped a lot. I would like to thank everyone who visited and dropped ec on my blog today. Please keep coming back and I will pay you a visit in return.

Entrecard Widget

I just displayed my Entrecard widget on this blog hoping that this will help increase my alexa and real rank on this blog. I must admit that I have been so lax on maintaining this blog but from now on I will change that attitude. I need to do more on drawing more visitors on my blog to increase traffic.
So friends keep visiting and I will visit you in return and don't forget to dropped ec on me.

Bee Sting Treatment

Since Jacob had been stung by a bee I thought of searching the internet for info on how to treat someone when stung by a bee and here's what I found at about.com.

"Bee stings are either annoyingly painful or deadly, depending on if the victim is allergic to the venom. The best way to reduce any reaction to bee venom is to remove the bee stinger as quickly as possible. If a bee sting victim has had any allergic reactions to bee stings in the past, consider the possibility of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction".

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: React quickly!

Here's How:

1. Safety first! Get away from the bee. Bees release a scent when in danger to attract other bees. If you're still around when reinforcements get there, they'll sting you.
2. Follow universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment if you have it.
3. Remove any stingers immediately! No need to scrape off bee stingers, just remove them. It's OK to pull stingers out with your fingers. The longer bee stingers are allowed to remain in the body, the more severe the reaction will be.
4. If the victim is allergic to bees, check to see if the victim is carrying an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen®). If so, help the victim use the device as directed. If the victim is supposed to carry one of these devices and does not have it, call 911 immediately! Do not wait for symptoms to appear.

   Watch any victim closely for signs of anaphylaxis.

   • itching
   • redness
   • hives (raised welts)
   • shortness of breath

   If there is any concern that the victim may be developing anaphylaxis, call 911diphenhydramine (Benedryl®), can slow an anaphylactic reaction, but will not stop it. immediately. Antihistamines, such as
5. Non-allergic victims will almost always develop local reactions to bee stings. Redness, swelling, and pain are all common at the site of the bee sting. The pain will usually go away pretty quickly, but swelling may last for more than a day. Use an ice pack to reduce swelling at the site.It's common to develop some itching at the bee sting site. Antihistamines or calamine lotion should help.
6. Take the victim to the emergency department if the victim was stung more than 10 times, or if there are bee stings inside the nose, mouth, or throat. Swelling from these stings can cause shortness of breath, even in non-allergic victims.
7. Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen for minor pain relief. For tenderness at the site, try a bee-sting swab (compare prices) to dull the pain.

Tips:

1. Conventional wisdom says to scrape bee stingers away from the skin because pinching the venom sack could push extra venom into the victim. In fact, how fast you get the stinger out is much more important than how.
2. Honey bees leave a stinger behind when they sting a victim. Wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets do not leave a stinger. These relatives of the honey bee can also cause an anaphylactic reaction.

Source: about.com

Step-son got stung by a bee

I heard a scream outside I thought the boys Jacob and his friend were just playing but then one of the boys came running in the house and told hubby that Jacob was stung by a bee. Hubby hurriedly went to the backyard where my step son was and there he was crying in pain. He got stung twice at his butt good thing hubby got the bee sting from his butt. Hubby check online what first aid he could give to ease the pain. We're glad that Jacob is not allergic to bee sting. So hubby just found a quick first aid for Jacob by putting ice pack to reduce swelling at the site.

Ovulation Detector Kit

I have been using Ovulation Detector Kit for two months now just trying to monitor when my ovulation period comes. We bought the brand called "Answer" which can be bought at Wal-Mart it's the cheapest brand. We bought the 7 piece kit but I already consumed them and so hubby and I decided to get some more and this time we got the 20 piece kit in strips. I started last month but we missed it and for some reason it didn't show the dark line on the test window. Me and hubby didn't understand why but maybe we started the test later than it was supposed to be. This month I tried again and so far we are seeing the dark lines on the test window, hopefully things will work out good and we would succeed in conceiving this time. Wish me luck friends!

Update

I haven't been good at updating this blog. I just got stuck with my 2 other blogs that have the higher PR but today one of them had dropped to the very bottom as "No Page Rank Information Available". I don't know what happend and why google took away the PR3 on one of my blogs. It didn't even stay for a month. Oh well, there's nothing I can do about it. In the first place I was also wondering how they give PR3 on my blogs. Anyways, update on trying to conceive. Still trying until this time. Hopefully next month will have some good news.

Pap Smear Result

Yesterday I got my pap smear result from the mail which stated that my pap test was all normal. I already knew that the result was normal when I got a phone call from the doctor's office telling me that the result was ok. I'm glad to get a copy of my pap test result which gave me assurance that everything is doing well and ok with my cervix and my over all reproductive organ.

To me it's such a blessing from God that the result was normal and my reproductive organ is healthy.

Fertility Awareness

The Menstrual Cycle

Being aware of your menstrual cycle and the changes in your body that happen during this time can be key to helping you plan a pregnancy, or avoid pregnancy. During the menstrual cycle (a total average of 28 days), there are two parts: before ovulation and after ovulation.

• Day 1 starts with the first day of your period.
• Usually by Day 7, a woman's eggs start to prepare to be fertilized by sperm.
• Between Day 7 and 11, the lining of the uterus (womb) starts to thicken, waiting for a fertilized egg to implant there.
• Around Day 14 (in a 28-day cycle), hormones cause the egg that is most ripe to be released, a process called ovulation. The egg travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. If a sperm unites with the egg here, the egg will attach to the lining of the uterus, and pregnancy occurs.
• If the egg is not fertilized, it will break apart.
• Around Day 25 when hormone levels drop, it will be shed from the body with the lining of the uterus as a menstrual period.
  

The first part of the menstrual cycle is different in every woman, and even can be different from month-to-month in the same woman, varying from 13 to 20 days long. This is the most important part of the cycle to learn about, since this is when ovulation and pregnancy can occur. After ovulation, every woman (unless she has a health problem that affects her periods) will have a period within 14 to 16 days.

On Weight Gain

During my OB-GYN visit she suggested that I need to gain weight at least 10 lbs because I am underweight right now because this might be one of the reasons why I'm not getting pregnant after I had my miscarriage last year. My weight has been like this ever since and I thought that once I get here in the US I would gain weight right away but I was wrong. Instead I became more picky when it comes to food. So hubby and I went to grocery store to buy foods that will help me gain and we went to the dairy products. Hubby and I couldn't believe that we were reading each label of food products and getting for the high calorie foods. We even went to Vitamin Cottage and ask for the nutritionists on what vitamins are best for me or what foods should I eat so I could gain more. She said that I am the 3rd person in her 6 mos working there who asked about gaining weight. Ha,ha, I know it's unusual because most people would want to lose weight and here I am wanting so badly to gain weight.

OB-GYN Visit

This might be a late post about what took place during my OB-GYN visit last Sep. 2nd. Hubby and I came to my OB-GYN's clinic and it was good to talk to her. It's a follow up visit after 6 mos had passed since we had the pre-conception counselling. She checked my abdomen and said that my uterus and ovary were in good position. I told her I want to have pap smear done as well because I never had one yet since got married. I know that pap smear is very important to have it done especially for married women. My OB said that the pap smear result will be mailed and I will also get a call from her clinic about it's result. Hopefully, the results will come out good and nothing to worry about and that my uterus or ovary will be healthy and cancer free. My OB also recommemded me to do blood test to make sure that everything is ok and I did also blood test the following day and will just wait for the results to be mailed to me. I'm glad hubby was and is always supportive whne it comes to my well being. I was also advised to gain weight at least 10 pounds because it might be one of the reasons that keep me from getting pregnant. Oh, boy! me trying hard to gain weight and hubby trying hard to lose weight. Indeed, we are the perfect odd couple.

Three Months Preggy...

Yes, three months preggy but not me it's my close friend who lives in Davao City, Philippines. I was so happy to read her email couple of days ago telling me that she is now three months pregnant. It's been so hard on her part because she had I think 3 consecutive miscarriages prior to her pregnancy now. She had undergone a lot of laboratory tests and she was told by her immunologist that she has a problem with her immune system that's why everytime she gets pregnant it won't develop because she has an anti body that destroys her hubby's sperm. She is closely monitored by her OB-GYN and her Immunologist and she receives a monthly injection to protect her fetus. I hope that her pregnancy will succeed this time and she will have a healthy and normal baby.

Doctor's Appointment

Finally able to set doctor's appointment, it's a follow up visit to my OB-GYN. It's been six months since me and hubby had our pre-conception counselling. She told us to come back to her clinic after six months if I don't get pregnant again and see if I need to do some more lab test done for me. My OB-GYN appointment will be on the 2nd of September which is a good timing because hubby will have his day off from work and so he could be with me during the doctor's visit.
Looking forward to this date and how it goes.

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Hubbies, watch out your soy-based foods intake!

Photo source

I was reading this news article that soy-based foods may lower sperm count. Hmmm..., when I came across this news article I thought of hubby and trying to evaluate what foods he usually eats just incase he had been eating soy-based foods. According to Reuters based on the US research that "Eating a half serving a day of soy-based foods could be enough to significantly lower a man’s sperm count".

They found out that men who consume the highest amounts of soy foods in this study had a lower sperm concentration compared to those who did not consume soy foods. Read here for more.

Hmmm, I'm gonna tell hubby about this information so he would be aware. So hubbies out there better slow down on your soy-based foods intake.

False Alarm

Yes, it was false alarm. I was two days late in my period I was supposed to have it in the 16th of July. I thought we made it this time, took a pregnancy test after I was one day late but it showed negative. I was disappointed as usual but still was hopeful that it was just too early to do the pregnancy test at home then on 18th of July I saw some spotting, still hoping my period won't come. Then I felt a slight abdominal cramps, that was it late in the afternoon and the following 2 days I had my menstruation. Hmmm..... keep on trying....

I'm a day delayed

Okey, I am excited but a little bit confuse. I'm supposed to have my period yesterday but it didn't come. I'm delayed one day now, to my excitement I took out my pregnancy test kit from the drawer this morning and tried to see if some goods news will tell but it showed "negative". Hmmm, maybe it's too early to tell if I'm pregnant or maybe I am not. During my first pregnancy I didn't do the pregnancy test until I was a week delayed. So maybe I should wait one week before I do my pregnancy test again. Counting the days, hope my period won't come so I could do another test next week. I'm more excited now, oh my..... Wish me luck friends!

Asthma risk from too many nuts in pregnancy

Just wanna share this news article that I have just read today that eating too many nuts during pregnancy is not good for the baby. According to Reuters....

"Pregnant women who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter daily raise the risk their children will develop asthma by 50 percent, Dutch researchers said on Tuesday.

The study also showed that moderate amounts did not seem to have an effect, meaning it is too soon to say whether pregnant women should give up nuts because they contain many important nutrients and healthy fats a developing fetus needs, they said." Read here for more...

So mommies just take it easy. Nuts are nutritious but when taken too much is not good either.

How's everything going?

How's everything going today? Hmmm, not much exciting things happening the past days. Well, I really don't know.. I told hubby today that I have been feeling some slight cramps in my abdomen which I was wondering because I don't have my period yet and still too early to be having some minor cramps. When I told hubby that I have some minor cramps he said "Why do you have cramps, baby?" Are you pregnant? maybe you are". Toink! I told him don't say that honey. I know you are just teasing me and besides "don't jinx". Ha,ha hubby always teased when I feel some weird things because he knows that I wanted to get preggy. I know I have been feeling some weird things after my ovulation period. I felt some slight cramps every now and then and sometimes I felt like I wanna puke. I don't why? maybe it's just psychological.

Still hoping for the great news this month. Will find out next week. Wish me luck on my journey!

Something to look forward to....

My ovulation period has ended if the Ovulation Calendar Calculator I'm using was accurate. Will wait and see if hubby and I made it this time for me to conceive. That's something to look forward to at the end of this month. I should be having my next monthly period on the 16th of July if it won't come that would be great news if not....hmmmm, I don't know. One thing for sure, I will be seeing my OB-GYN next month if I still don't get preggy next month. That's what my OB told me and hubby to go back to her clinic after the pre-conception counselling we had last February. It's gonna be 6 months then and if I don't get preggy within these period of time, she will do another test to find out if there is something wrong. Hopefully, things will work out good.

Some Changes to this Blog

I would like to inform everyone that I made some changes to this blog. First, this blog has now it's own domain name which I just bought couple of days ago. The new url address is now www.wanna-be-fil-am-mom.com So, to my friends who are in my blogroll kindly update the new url add of this blog if you have not done so. Second, I edited the title and change it to "My Journey to Momhood" which I think sounds better. These were the two changes that I just made so far for this blog. Sorry for the inconvenience, will see you around.

Happy blogging!

My fertile Days

Yesterday was the first day of my fertile days if the calculation of the ovulation calendar is accurate. According to the Ovulation calendar I should be fertile starting yesterday June 28-30th and July 1st will be my ovulation day. By the way, I am using two sources to calculate my ovulation period. One is from Fertilityfriend.com and the other one is from the google widget that I put in my page which is located at the lower right column of this site. I just figured out that these two sources have different results in their ovulation calendar. I decided to use the ovulation calendar calculator from Fertilityfriend.com. Will find out if their calculations are correct.

Hopefully things will work out best as we try again in our baby making. Well, will wait and see if hubby and I make it. Wish us Luck!

Diet, lifestyle changes cut infertility risk...

Women who followed at least five certain lifestyle and diet behaviors were about 80 percent less likely to have infertility from ovulatory disorders than women who followed none of the behaviors, a Harvard study concludes.

The analysis of 17,544 married women participating in the ongoing Nurses' Health Study II found those with the highest fertility scores: ate less trans fat and sugar from carbohydrates; consumed more protein from vegetables than from animals; ate more fiber and iron; took more multivitamins; had a lower body mass index (BMI); exercised for longer periods of time each day; and consumed more high-fat diary products and less low-fat diary products.


Source:

Ovulation Calendar

I placed a new widget on this page called Ovulation Calendar which will be an easy reference to track my ovulation. I have been tracking my ovulation period for almost a year now. Though I was using a different Ovulation Calendar from another website and when I first try it that was the time that I got pregnant in September of last year. Although it didn't succeed bcoz I got miscarriage the following months (November). I have referred this ovulation calendar calculator to two of my friends and now they are both pregnant. One will be due next month and the other friend is on her 5th month of pregnancy.

How to use it?

Just type in your first day of your last menstruation. Example; if your last period was June 20th just click the arrow and find 20 and click it, then click the second arrow to find the month as number 6 for June and click it.

Next is find the number that represents your menstrual cycle which means how many days from your first day of menstruation to the next first day of menstruation. In my case, it takes 26 days cycle before my next menstruation comes. Then click " Prediction" it will show you the possible dates when you are most fertile. This is only an estimation, to some this may work but to others may take longer.

So, if you are planning to get pregnant just try using this ovulation calendar calculator and good luck to you and your hubby!

Baby due in June

If I had not lost my baby during my 6 weeks of pregnancy it should have been due this June. I wonder what it should have been if it's a girl or a boy? I often tell hubby that I want to have a baby girl who has a red hair and a bluish green eyes like his. Everytime I tell this, he would say he wants the baby to look a lot like me who has brown eyes, black hair and "dark meat" which he usually jokes referring to my skin color in that way we would not worry about the baby get sun burned andget frickles because sun doesn't bother much to darked skin people like mine.

Prozac Moment

"Honey, I need Prozac." This is what I always say to hubby everytime my monthly period comes. Who would want to have their monthly period anyways when you are hoping and expecting to get pregnant? By the way, if you don't know what Prozac is, it's a medicine indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Though it's just a joke if I said "I need Prozac" everytime my period comes and hubby is the originator of the phrase "Prozac moment" when I get upset or sad. Yes, it's depressing sometimes when I found out that hubby and I failed in our baby making process again. Right now, I am having cramps coz of my period and feels sad again but I am trying to overcome this feeling. Well, better luck next time again.

Hubby and I will try again this month and hope we will succeed next month.

What is a miscarriage?
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks, with most miscarriages actually occurring during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Unfortunately, miscarriage is very common, affecting one in eight pregnancies.

What causes a miscarriage?
There is seldom an adequate explanation for why a woman experiences a miscarriage. Studies inform us that approximately 50 per cent of lost pregnancies have failed to develop normally, either due to chromosome or genetic problems or because of structural (bodily) problems. There is no apparent explanation for the remaining 50 per cent of cases.

• Certain maternal illnesses are associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, although these are very uncommon.
• Smoking increases the risk of miscarriage.
• There is a gradual increase in the risk of miscarriage as the woman gets older.

It is important to remember that an ordinary lifestyle that includes exercise, going to work, minor falls or taking the Pill before pregnancy does not increase the risk of miscarriage.

What are the symptoms of a miscarriage?

The most common symptom is bleeding from the vagina. Lower abdominal pain is also very common. Some women have no symptoms at all and the miscarriage is only diagnosed when they are given an ultrasound scan at their antenatal clinic. This is referred to as a 'silent miscarriage', and can be very distressing for the woman and her partner.

What to do if a miscarriage is suspected?If a woman is bleeding from the vagina and feels pain then she must consult her doctor.

When is it necessary to consult a doctor immediately?

• If the woman is bleeding at such a rate that she needs more than one sanitary towel per hour. In this case, too much blood is being lost and the flow must be stopped.
• If the woman feels weak or faint. These are both signs that she is losing too much blood.
• If the woman experiences severe stomach pain, this may be a symptom of an ectopic pregnancy.
• If the woman experiences fever, shivering or a smelly vaginal discharge, this can be a sign of an infection or inflammation.

Source

What went wrong....?

This was the first question I asked when I had a miscarriage in November of last year. I thought my first pregnancy was perfectly fine because I didn't feel things like vomiting, nausea, or even morning sickness. All I noticed was my boobs and my tummy are getting bigger until the 6th week of my pregnancy that I started having spots. When I noticed some spottings I called my OB GYN for an appoinment to have me check. Luckily, I went to see another OB GYN and that time he was a male OB because my female OB GYN wasn't available and I needed to be checked right away. So, when the OB checked on me, told me that I might get miscarriage if the spottings won't stop and there's nothing to do about it but wait. The ultrasound showed the fetus inside my tummy but there was no heartbeat. So we went home and just waited what will happen next. The spottings still continued. At first it was just dark brown spottings but everyday it got lighter and lighter in color. It became light brown, then light pink until on the 6th day I felt a very sharp pain like cramps in my abdomen. I went to the bathroom and sat on the toilet bowl since I felt that something needed to come out because the cramps seemed to be like a dysmenorrhia which I usually feel when I am having my period. So when I sat down into the toilet bowl I started bleeding, blood clots came out after I urinated. I called hubby since he was at work that time. I told him I had cramps and went potty but then blood came out. So he hurriedly came home to check on me. The scramps was on and off, everytime it hurt I went to the toilet then more blood came out. I was bleeding so hard, hubby called my OB GYN to see if I needed to go to the hospital but the doctor on call told him just to wait and see if I bleed more and more then I have to undergo D & C (Dilation and Curettage). The doctor asked how many weeks pregnant I was and found out that I was only 6th weeks pregnant she said I should be fine and I might not need to have D & C. Hubby and I went to the OB again the following day for my follow up check up when I had the ultrasound the fetus was no longer there. Yup, I had a total miscarriage in a normal way. My OB said there's no need to do D & C since everything was discharged during the bleeding I had. He said that 10-25 % of women experience miscarriage during their during thier first trimester. He added that sometime miscarriage just happen. He told us that hubby and I could try again after a month of my next menstrual period.

It was sad but hubby and I just accepted it with open heart and with a positive mind. Hubby keep telling me that my time to get pregnant will come I should just not get myself too stressed out about itand it will just come. I hope so....

A year and a half....

It's been a year and a half since hubby and I got married. Wow! time flies so fast, we could not believed ourselves that a year and a half have passed away. Still trying to get pregnant though, hubby and I are hoping to have at least one baby since he already have five children in his first marriage. Every month I hope that my period won't come and that I get pregnant but still up to this point of time I still am not. Well, I got pregnant once last year but had a miscarriage during my 6 weeks of pregnancy. It was sad that my pregnancy didn't succeed but I guess it was not the right time yet. Hubby and i are still hoping for the best that I will get pregnant this year.

My Journey to Momhood

Welcome everyone to "My Journey to Momhood" a blog about motherhood, parenting, tips, health and fitness for wanna be moms and even moms already. This will talk about my life, events and journey on my quest to become a mom in the future which is really a dream that I wish God will grant me in the future. Though I am already a stepmom to my husband's children but hope to have my own child who would call me "mommy" or "mom". My hubby and I are on the process of conceiving and hoping that things will work out best this year and we would succeed this time. Join with me in my day to day journey to momhood.