The “Green Babies - Getting Ready For a Baby Naturally” plus 4 more

Green Babies - Getting Ready For a Baby Naturally
OBGYN Provides Swine Flu in Pregnancy Update
Morning Sickness Relief - Easy Solutions For Less Nausea
Best Positions For Getting Pregnant
Best Sexual Intercourse Position to Conceive a Boy Or Girl

Green Babies - Getting Ready For a Baby Naturally

Posted: 03 Dec 2009 09:21 AM PST

Parents today are very concerned about the chemicals their babies are exposed to. It is little wonder that parents are now thinking about every aspect of what their babies wear, sleep in, and eat from. Dangerous chemicals are turning up everywhere from phthalates in toys to BPA in bottles. Fortunately, you have more choices than ever about what to put in your baby's world - and in many cases you can save a lot of money by going with the more natural choices. Parents often wonder, what does a baby need?

Here are some ideas for reducing exposure to chemicals and saving money at the same time:

* Baby carrier vs. Stroller. Your little one will naturally be happiest in your arms - but that keeps you tied up and unable to do what needs doing. You will be happier, and so will they, if you have a comfortable baby carrier. We did not even use a stroller for the first 6 months after my daughter was born. It was just easier to pop her in the wrap carrier and go.

No messing with getting a heavy stroller in and out of the trunk. We didn't even carry her bulky car seat. We just took her out of the car seat and nestled her in with one of us for walking the mall, hiking, or going to the grocery store. We knew just where she was (and who was touching her!) at all times.

If you go this route, look for a wrap style baby carrier for best weight distribution or a mei tai baby carrier for babies up to 35 pounds. These carriers are more ergonomic for both of you. Savings are significant and there are very few recalls on these styles. You'll pay $40-100 instead of hundreds.

* Cosleeper vs. Crib. With the recent crib recalls, I am even more glad that we chose a cosleeper over a crib. Cosleeping (having your baby in your bed) is safe if you follow proper precautions such as making sure there are no gaps for them to get stuck in or fluffy bedding to restrict ariflow. A large organic cotton in bed cosleeper will keep your little one safe from rolling out until they are ready for a twin bed. You'll spend about $180 versus hundreds for a crib and mattress.

* Cloth diapers vs. Disposables. Washing cloth diapers is as easy as running a wash load a few times a week. I calculated that it takes me about 18 minutes per week to wash three loads of diapers. In return, we have spent only about $500 on diapers that will last until our baby is ready to pottytrain. Even better, these diapers are still in great shape and will last through another child - making diapering a younger sibling essentially free. The average family will save about $1,500 by using cloth.

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OBGYN Provides Swine Flu in Pregnancy Update

Posted: 03 Dec 2009 08:40 AM PST

Is it advisable for pregnant women to get the 2009 H1N1 Flu Vaccine? Pregnant women are at a greater risk of complications due to infection with swine flu. The CDC recommends all pregnant women be vaccinated. The swine flu vaccine is a separate flu vaccine from the seasonal flu shot.

Is it OK for a pregnant woman to receive the Flu Mist nasal spray? It is not recommended for pregnant women to use the nasal spray since it is a weakened live virus. Only the vaccine, which is a killed virus should be given in pregnancy.

Is the flu vaccine dangerous for pregnant women?
The H1N1 vaccine is similar to all the other vaccines for the flu that have been given in the past to pregnant women and does not have any increased side effects.

Will I get the flu from the vaccine?
You will not get the flu from the vaccine. Generally mild side effects can include headache, muscle aches where shot was given, fever, and nausea and rarely an allergic reaction can occur (should not be given to people who are allergic to eggs).

Should I take acetaminophen prior to taking the flu vaccine?
Prophylactic acetaminophen to prevent side effects from the vaccine has reduced the immune response in infants who have received other types of vaccines such as pneumococcal disease, Haemophilus influenza, diphtheria, and tetanus. Therefore, it is not recommended to use antipyretic drugs routinely.

Can seasonal flu vaccine and H1N1 vaccine be given at the same time? Yes, it is possible to give both vaccines at the same time but separate sites on the body should be used.

What trimester is it safe to give the vaccine? Any trimester is safe for the H1N1 vaccine.

If I am breastfeeding can I get the H1N1 vaccine?
Breastfeeding moms can get the flu vaccine for both their own protection and the protection of their newborn who will receive the antibodies made from mom that is transported into breast milk.

How long is a person infectious after contracting swine flu?
It has been found that people infected with swine flu shed virus longer than expected. People should wait at least 3 or 4 days after symptoms resolve before resuming normal activities and exposure to other people.

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Morning Sickness Relief - Easy Solutions For Less Nausea

Posted: 03 Dec 2009 08:25 AM PST

Pregnancy is a time of great joy for most every expectant mother. Unfortunately, there are sometimes side effects that can take away from that joy and cause discomfort and unpleasantness. If you are an expectant mother with morning sickness, you need some safe solutions for morning sickness relief.

The percentage of women who experience morning sickness during pregnancy ranges from about 50 to 90 percent. There are some very fortunate women who never have any problems with nausea and vomiting throughout their entire pregnancy. All the other pregnant women who do have morning sickness would love to know why.

Pregnancy is a time when women need to take very good care of themselves. They need to eat healthy foods, avoid certain medications, take vitamins, and maintain their health. That is a very difficult thing to do when you feel nauseous and sick.

While the condition is called morning sickness, it is not restricted to the morning only and can occur at anytime throughout the day or night. Be sure during your pregnancy to keep your doctor informed of your experiences. It is helpful to keep a daily diary so you can jot down notes about: how you felt that day; what you ate; vitamins or medications you took; smells and foods that affected you negatively.

Your doctor is your best solution for morning sickness relief. There are some things you can try that may help ward off the nausea, though, in the meantime. Here are a few of them:

• If a specific food bothers you, simply avoid it. I had a friend who loved tomatoes and ate them regularly -- UNTIL she got pregnant. After that, the sight, smell, or thought of a tomato nauseated her. Her husband was very understanding about it, and they just stopped buying tomatoes at the grocery store. After she had her baby, the problem disappeared and she resumed eating tomatoes.

• Do not skip meals. You are eating for two, so be sure to think of the baby as well as yourself. If you find it difficult to eat something, try bland soda crackers, dry cereal, instant breakfast such as Carnation, a slice of bland buttered toast, or a piece of fruit.

• Get plenty of rest. There is evidence that not getting enough rest is associated with increased morning sickness.

• Listen to your cravings. Don't be embarrassed to ask for pickles and ice cream, cookies and orange juice, pizza and yogurt, or any other odd combination. Your body is speaking to you -- so listen.

• Drink fluids throughout the day. Try to avoid sugary drinks and opt for healthier alternatives such as water with lemon, unsweetened decaffeinated iced tea, or a natural juice not loaded with sugar.

• Do not take vitamins on an empty stomach. If you feel like your prenatal vitamins are part of your nausea problem, discuss it with your doctor so he can recommend alternative options.

Being pregnant is such a wonderful and happy experience. You want to enjoy every minute of it as possible while you wait for your blessed baby to arrive. Pay attention to your instincts, and don't be afraid to discuss things with your doctor, no matter how insignificant or trivial they may seem.

There is morning sickness relief. Be sure to discuss everything with your caregiver, and remember there are helpful solutions for the discomfort and unpleasantness often associated with pregnancy. It is strongly advised to check with your doctor before taking any over the counter medications for morning sickness.

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Best Positions For Getting Pregnant

Posted: 03 Dec 2009 07:51 AM PST

Experts argue back and forth about just how effective different positions are for getting pregnant. Basically they say they don't know if different positions can help you get pregnant a lot.

Regardless of what the experts think (just how are they studying positions for getting pregnant, anyways...?) it doesn't hurt to read up on the theory of good positioning for conception, and it certainly doesn't hurt to try it.

The theory behind different positions for getting pregnant is that by getting the sperm closer to your cervix, you increase the chance that they'll get where they're supposed to go to get you pregnant...

So the best positions to use are those that will get the sperm closest to where they need to go. That means you want positions that allow for very deep penetration. Two common positions accomplish this goal best:

The traditional position of the man on top. This position lets the sperm start their swim very close to the cervix.

The rear-entry, or "doggie-style" position. This position also allows very deep penetration, thus putting the sperm very close to the cervix.

When the sperm are close to the cervix they're closer to stores of cervical mucus. Cervical mucus is a substance produced by the cervix to nourish sperm. If you're timing intercourse correctly you'll have lots of fertile mucus (it changes throughout the course of your cycle - some mucus is NOT good for sperm... so you need to make sure you're trying to conceive at your most fertile time).

This fertile mucus nourishes the sperm. It's also easy for them to swim through so they begin to quickly work their way up through the cervix and into the uterus.

This is not the end of the road for them, however. The sperm need to swim all the way through the uterus. This is a long journey for a small sperm cell, or even a whole pack of them (and there are a lot of them.) So getting a head start on the journey by beginning close to the cervix helps.

The sperm swim up through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes. One of those fallopian tubes has an egg floating gently along within. Or one of them will soon. Sperm can survive waiting for the egg for a couple of days, but usually no more - another reason why you need to be sure of timing.

When they reach the fallopian tube and find the egg, the sperm have even more work breaking through the egg's outer layer so one sperm can fertilize the egg. At that point the job is finally done and the newly fertilized egg begins its journey towards the uterus to implant and begin a 9-month journey to your waiting arms.

Regardless of what the researchers say is effective or not, it's pretty easy to use a position that gets sperm closer to the cervix. Putting a pillow under your hips to keep them elevated for 30 minutes after lovemaking can help sperm get a little closer to their goal, too. And make sure you're timing intercourse for when you have fertile fluid. If your fluid never gets to a good fertile consistency consider using a sperm-friendly lubricant (regular lubes can hurt sperm).

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Best Sexual Intercourse Position to Conceive a Boy Or Girl

Posted: 03 Dec 2009 07:29 AM PST

It has been talked about for years that in order to conceive a specific gender you have to have sexual intercourse one way over another. The best intercourse position to conceive a boy or a girl, are as follows, with the details as to why it is.

Sexual position to conceive a girl

To conceive a girl the man needs to have shallow penetration. That means typically having sex in the missionary position. This keeps the sperm farther from the egg then other positions, and that is key in trying to conceive a girl. The X chromosomes are hearty sperm and very resilient. They live longer then Y chromosomes but also swim slower. For that reason you want them to have an edge over the faster swimming boy sperm and making them have to swim farther ensures that they will outlive the males to get to the egg. This is also why you should have intercourse 2-3 days before you are due to ovulate so that by the time the egg is ready the males are all dead and gone.

X chromosomes like a more acidic environment. It is said that eating dairy or consuming sweets can help with this.

Sexual position to conceive a boy

The sexual position used to conceive does have a lot to do with what you end up having. To conceive a boy you want the sperm to be deposited as close to the egg as possible, because the Y chromosomes are faster then the female X chromosomes but they die quicker too. They are not resilient and require an alkaline environment. Having sex either right before or during ovulation is also key. Give the sperm as short a trip as possible to get to the egg. Avoid dairy when trying to conceive a boy because you want to have an alkaline environment. The woman should have a diet high in sodium when trying to conceive and the man should drink caffeine prior to intercourse to give his male sperm a head start.

In order to know what your pH level is, you can buy test strips at the store. If you are acidic and trying for a boy, you will want to change your diet some. If you are alkaline and trying for a girl, you too will want to alter your diet.

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