Pregnancy, Parenting and Beyond

for calcium - u can take spinach, paneer, cheese.... Food options for CALCIUM FIBER - Fruits and Vegetables PROTEIN requirements during Pregnancy Include all food groups in meals+snacks... Dinner can be soup or Salad of baby spinach or lettuce +boiled egg or grilled chicken/turkey +black beans or kidney beans +shreadded cheese or cottage cheese +salt/pepper+drizzle of olive oil or lemon juice + carrots or broccoli or corn LENTIL DOSA 1/2 cup - Urad dal 1/2 cup - Toor dal 1/2 cup - Moong dal 1/2 cup - Chana dal 1/2 cup - whole moong dal 1/2 cup - rice and 1 table spoon Methi seeds Soak all the above and grind it and keep it overnight to ferment, You can have 4-5 dosa's for lunch. SAMPLE DIET FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETER http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Sample_Diet_for_Gestational_Diabetes OR SAMPLE MENU'S http://pregnancy.emedtv.com/gestational-diabetes/gestational-diabetes-sample-menu.html OR DIET PLAN http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/diabetes-gestatio...

Nose bleeds are common in the winters and during pregnancy. Apply coconut oil to your nostrils at night. Vicks vapour-rub makes the nose dry - avoid using it. Avoid blowing your nose too hard. READ: http://www.babycenter.com/0_nosebleeds-d uring-pregnancy_255.bc Cool mist humidifier is more useful than the warm mist one. Keep warm water in a flask at ur bedside... staying hydrated is important, especially in the winter - as we tend to drink less water in the cold season. Going to pee at night...many many times...well...dats a part of every Pregnancy...

>Eat a variety of Foods >Don't skip meals. >Eat a good breakfast. Limit Carbs...Boost Protein...Avoid Fruit and Juice. >Include High-fiber foods. Fresh fruit and vegetables...whole grain breads or cereal...beans and legumes >Limit foods containing sugars...sodas, fruit juice, flavored teas, most desserts >Limit milk intake to max. 2glasses per day - as lactose is a natural sugar >WALK after meals... 15 to 30mins... will reduce your blood sugar levels. >Snacks: Mixed Nuts...Dried Apricots, Plums, Prunes, Craisins...cheese... >lentins/dal doesn't work for everyone... check your readings after meals...limit 1/2cup >chappatis...limit 2 per meal >make curries with base sause of Spinach or Tomato. >Try tofu... it helps to bring down the numbers >Salads fill up your tummy... pick smart ingredients. >Greens are Good... Avocado, Spinach, green leafy veggies, Peas, Green beans, moong dal(easier to digest than other lentils) >Ser...

The pyramid divides food into six groups. Here's a quick look at those groups and how many servings a day from each group you should aim for: • Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta (6-11 servings a day): Choose whole grain varieties like whole-wheat bread or unprocessed brown rice over white whenever possible; they contain the most fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. • Fruit (2-4 servings a day): Vary the color of the fruit you eat and choose fresh over canned — most prepackaged varieties are preserved in sugary liquid. Bonus: The fiber in fruit will help you head off constipation and hemorrhoids — two common pregnancy symptoms. • Vegetables (3-5 servings a day): As with fruit, fresh is best for fiber, folate, and other important vitamins. Broccoli, for example, is packed with folate, calcium, and B vitamins — all essential nutrients for your growing baby. • Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts (2-3 servings a day): Choose lean meats and eat fish sparingly (some variet...

> Feeling angry or irritated at small/petty issues. > Feeling over-heated/ hot.. really hot...!! > Bursting into tears - for no particular reason > Cooking - Blah!! don't feel like entering the kitchen > Eating - taste buds feeling weird... > Missing close family members and friends > Desperate need to go back to India > Sad and lonely > Read books that you like - not Pregnancy or Baby related. > Watch your favourite movies. > Meditate and Pray. > Call home as often as possible and stay connected with your loved ones.

Baby Care Skills: If you are first time parents and short on time... Check out for weekend/crash courses offered by Hospitals or the Community Center. Learn minor tasks like - How to bathe, diaper, comfort your baby. Childbirth Class: If u are going to opt for a natural vaginal delivery, such a class will prepare you for every step of the process. Take your husband or birth partner along with you. You will learn breathing and relaxation exercises, nutrition facts, comfort techniques and postpartum care. You can opt for Bradley method or Lamaze or most classes actually offer a combination of various methods. = Check your hospital, community center or even Insurance Plan for class options (for e.g. Kaiser has classes at select centers) Breastfeeding: This class will teach you the health and psychological benefits of breastfeeding. The proper positions, latching techniques and tips for establishing a healthy milk supply. =Always ask for a lactation consultant during your hospital stay. Pr...

There's no real harm in sleeping on your right side, lying on your left side is actually good for you and your baby: It improves the flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta and it helps your kidneys efficiently eliminate waste products and fluids from your body. That, in turn, reduces swelling in your ankles, feet, and hands. If you train yourself to sleep on your left side early on, you'll have an easier time falling asleep when your belly is bulging later. During the second half of pregnancy, avoid sleeping on your back, a position that puts the full weight of your uterus on your spine, back muscles, intestines, and the inferior vena cava (the vein that transports blood from your lower body to the heart). Back-sleeping can also put you at risk for backaches and hemorrhoids, inefficient digestion, and impaired breathing and circulation. Lying on your back in the second and third trimester can also cause changes in blood pressure. For some women, it can cause a drop in bloo...

Bloating and Gas are a part of every Pregnancy. For some it may be short-lived while for other it may linger through the entire nine months. As the system that processes your food, slow down - Gas production steps up. Gas production does not harm you or your baby physically, but to try to dimish the discomfort and beat the Bloat... you can... >> Take it Slow. A slow digestive system calls for slow eating. Sit down at every meal. Chew your food well. Try not to gulp. >> Avoid the Overload. Eat smaller meals. Eat more frequently to avoid the feeling of Hunger. >> Keep moving. Not only physically - by taking walks. But keep your insides moving - by not getting constipated. >> Fiber overload. Excessive amount of high-fiber foods also cause gas. >> Foods to Avoid. Avoid foods that are associated with flatulence: Beans, Onions, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, green peppers and fatty/oily/fried foods. Avoid Carbonated drinks/sodas. Substitut...

Most women will experience food cravings at some point or another during pregnancy. In fact many women will crave some type of cuisine or unusual food product during pregnancy. The most popular cravings include sweet and salty foods, while other women report craving spicy or fatty foods. Why all the cravings? Causes of Food Cravings During Pregnancy >>Some cravings are simply the result of your body's needs for additional calories for the growth of baby. >>Sometimes nutritional deficiencies present ethical problems as well. Many pregnant vegetarian women find they get uncontrollable cravings for meat this means you need more protein also your body needs more first-class protein. There is no easy answer to this. Some women give in to the craving over the short-term and revert to strict vegetarianism after the birth. Others find that including fish or balancing pulses and grains in their diet boosts their protein intake. Including more eggs, milk or cheese in ...

Usually called “morning sickness,” nausea and vomiting are common during early pregnancy and go away after first trimester. For many women, it isn’t limited to just morning and last throughout the day. Nausea creates loss of appetite & may result in weight loss. Nausea does not affect the baby in any way as the fetus is protected in the womb. Here are some of these tips to control your nausea:- Ø Get out of bed slowly. Sit for a few moments before standing Ø Eat crackers or toast as soon as you wake up... try Graham crackers or Wheat thins Ø Eat frequent small meals (6 to 8 meals a day, rather than 3 large meals) Ø Consume ginger products such as such as ginger tea, ginger candy, ginger soda/gingerale or lemon+ginger water Ø Take your Prenatal vitamins in the night Ø Stay hydrated with fluids and eat lots of fruits Ø Slowly sip a Soda (sprite with Lemon) Ø Do not force yourself to eat anything, eat whatever pleases your palate Ø Get plen...

Ø Have ginger tea Ø Gargle with lukewarm water by adding some salt 3 times a day Ø Take a glass of milk. Add little haldi, ½ tsp black pepper, 5-10 dry grapes (kissmiss) & required. qty of water. Boil this milk & drink it before going to bed. Don’t drink water immediately after consuming this mixture Ø Take small pieces of ginger & garlic. Grate them well. Take a tsp of honey & mix grated ginger-garlic. Swallow before going to bed & don’t drink water. Ø Take 1 cup of rice (Sona masoori is best or else Basmati but not boiled rice) & prepare it like normal white rice. Add bit salt while preparing. For tadka- use ghee or any kind of oil. Heat it & to it add 1 tsp of black pepper, cumin seeds (jeera), hing, cashew nuts(optional), curry leaves. Let this mixture stand for sometime & then add it to rice along with some salt for taste. It should be warm/hot when you eat it. You can eat this for dinner along with dal too. Ø You can ...

GD, which usually occurs in the last half of pregnancy, occurs when your body can’t produce enough insulin to keep your blood sugar level within the normal range. GD is most often treated with diet alone, along with frequent blood sugar monitoring & moderate exercise. However, medication may be required in some cases. GD Test is usually done between 26-28 weeks. If this 1 hr. GD test comes positive, you will be tested for 3 hr. GD test. The 3 hr GD test is just the elaborated version of the 1-hr GD test. You'll be taken 4 blood samples. First a blood work, then a juice (said to be stronger than the one given in 1-hr test), wait for an hour each between the juice intake and the other 3 blood works. The idea is to find out your sugar levels upto 3 hrs from taking in sugary food, so it is said to be more accurate than the 1-hr one. In most cases, those tested +ve in the 1hr test, come out -ve in the 3 hr testing. It is rare that you get +ve in the 3hr test. Tips to prepare f...

Stretch Marks are caused due to expansion and contraction of our body. If you put on weight your skin also expands. Same during pregnancy- the belly part begins to expand and when it contracts, stretch marks begin to develop. Here is a list of creams that might help with Stretch Marks suggested by my Gyno.: Ø Hydroderm Ø Strivectin-SD Ø Mederma Ø Reintol Stretch Mark Ø Zemmed Ø Trilastin-SR Ø Stirpeptin Ø Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Ø Tummy Honey Ø Vita-K-Solution Most popular among our members is Palmers’s Cocoa Butter but some don’t like it’s smell & hence mix Vitamin baby oil & Vitamin E oil in it before applying. It is believed that these creams make stretch marks lighter but cannot make them totally disappear. It is helpful to keep the belly moisturized & not scratch it, drink plenty of fluids & consume Vitamin E sources like avocados, almonds etc. Avoid wearing clothes that leave marks on the skin. Itchy Tummy > Dry a...

These are some of the prenatal vitamins that our members have found to be working for them. Each vitamin works differently for each person so it is always wise to consult your doctor before experimenting. Always keep your doctor in the loop if you are having problem with your prenatal vitamins or you are wanting to switch. The vitamins are: == Gesticare DHA with Choline == Vitafol-OB +DHA == Prenate DHA == CitraNatal Assure == Expecta Lipil + DHA supplement == One-a-day Prenat + DHA supplement == Prenate Elite == Cal Nate == Folbical == Multi Natal plus If there are others that work effectively and we have failed to enlist it, we would be glad if you could mention it to us.

== Drink lots of water to flush out your system (we sound like a broken record but sometimes we tend to forget the obvious!) == Add Cucumber and Lemons to your diet. == Eat fresh veggies and fruits. (You know your mom was always right when she made you eat your veggies, so now do the same for your kiddo!) == Avoid Standing or Sitting in one place for extended periods. Try to walk around a bit and always elevate your feet when you sit. == Lie on your either side: left or right but not on your back. According to some moms of our group, left is better since it helps you digest and you can always prop yourself with a body pillow. == Avoid fast food, restaurant food,canned stuff, frozen and cold cuts. These all contain extra sodium.

Causes of Constipation: Increase in the levels of progesterone slows down the digestive system. At the same time extra iron from prenatal vitamins can harden the stool. In the third trimester, the pressure of the uterus on the intestines and the rectum can add to the problem. This all makes you feel bloated, gassy, and generally uncomfortable. Constipation can also lead to hemorrhoids , another common side effect of pregnancy. Relief Measures: Include raw fruits, vegetables and whole grain in your diet. Eat approx. 6 prunes every morning (if u like them) - good source of fiber. Drink at least 8 glasses of water during the day - take a glass of warm water in the mornings to stimulate digestion. Exercise - a short walk 20-30mins will get your bowels moving. Contributed by various members on the IHM...

Causes of Back Pain : ==Is due to your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. ==The extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why your back may feel worse at the end of the day. Your growing uterus may also cause back pain if it's pressing on a nerve. ==In addition, hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things. Steps to avoid back pain: == Stretch and strengthen muscles that support the back and legs, including your abdominal muscles. Be careful to stretch gently because stretching too quickly or too mu...

Why does your body need Folic Acid? >>Women who are pregnant or might become pregnant need folic acid (vitamin B9 or folate) for a number of compelling reasons: * It helps prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) – serious birth defects of the spinal cord (such as spina bifida) and the brain (anencephaly). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that women who take the recommended daily dose of folic acid starting at least one month before they conceive and during the first trimester of pregnancy reduce their baby's risk of neural tube defects by 50 to 70 percent. * Some research suggests that folic acid may help lower your baby's risk of other defects as well, such as cleft lip, cleft palate, and certain types of heart defects. * Your body needs folate to make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia. * Some research suggests that taking a multivitamin with folic acid may reduce your risk of preeclampsia, a complex disorder that can affect you...