What Exactly Is Implantation Bleeding?

During the early stages of pregnancy the ovum, or fertilized egg, attaches itself to the uterine wall. This always occurs within the First Trimester and can sometimes cause a little amount of blood to be released. This is the cause of implantation bleeding. The egg actually attaches itself to the mother’s circulatory system via the wall of the uterus, and this is where the blood comes from.

What Does Implantation Bleeding Feel Like?

Some women might feel Cramping Along With Implantation. In some instances women have already missed a period and are aware of the pregnancy. Not every woman detects implantation bleeding. Remember that pregnancies can be considered perfectly normal whether there is any bleeding in the early stages or not.

What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like?

Many women wonder how to tell the difference between implantation bleeding and bleeding that could be a sign of something more serious. If you experience light spotting – such as only enough to wear a panty-liner – then it is most likely implantation bleeding.  Additionally, if the spotting is dark and not bright red, and the spotting ends quickly, this points to implantation bleeding as well. Keep in mind that this can be completely normal in the first trimester but you should always check with your doctor whenever bleeding occurs during a pregnancy.

What Else Could It Be?

There are other explanations if the bleeding is not due to implantation. Bleeding beyond light spotting may be a result of your menstrual cycle, and the lighter flow than normal could be caused by any number of things including stress. Changing your Birth Control can also cause a change in your bleeding flow and spotting can also be a sign of infection or abrasions from recent intercourse. When in doubt, contact your doctor.

Could I Be Pregnant?

If you are Trying To Conceive, this could be good news since Implantation Bleeding is one of the Signs of Early Pregnancy.  If you think you may be pregnant, today’s Home Pregnancy Tests can show positive results as early as a week before your period is due.  If you’re not ready to buy a pregnancy test just yet, enter your last menstrual cycle date into our Due Date Calculator to determine when you ovulated last.  That will give you a little insight too!

Did you experience implantation bleeding? Please share your story with us.

Are you pregnant? Often, our body gives us the signs that we are pregnant before that plus sign ever shows up on a pregnancy test. How

ever, many signs of pregnancy could also be symptoms of a medical problem or even just premenstrual syndrome, so it’s important to take that test as soon as a positive result is possible.  Possible signs of pregnancy are:

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding, in women who experience it, is typically the first indication of pregnancy. When the embryo implants into the uterine wall, some blood may be released. However, only about 20 to 30 percent of women experience this bleeding, which is really more like a pink or very light red discharge of blood. Any bleeding that is not your period should be discussed with your doctor.

Delay/Difference in Menstruation

When a woman misses a period, often the first thing she does is take a home pregnancy test. A late or skipped menstrual period is the most well-known symptom of pregnancy. Some women may bleed lightly during pregnancy. If this occurs in the first few weeks, it’s called implantation bleeding and should be very light. Heavy bleeding after a period is late or after a pregnancy test has shown you are pregnant could

indicate a miscarriage and you should speak with your doctor.

Other factors may also create an irregular menstrual cycle or a missed period. These include:

• Excessive changes in weight and/or diet

• Hormonal imbalances

• Stress

• Going off birth control pills

• Breastfeeding

• Travel, esp. involving changes in altitude

• Illness

• Antibiotics

Swollen / Tender Breasts

A woman’s breasts may become sore, swollen or tender as early as one or two weeks after conception. However, this is also a sign of PMS so, if you experience swollen breasts, you may want to wait until the first day of your missed period to take a home pregnancy test. You may also experience tender or sore breasts if you have a hormone imbalance or recently started birth control pills or other hormone-based birth control.

Fatigue/Tiredness

Extreme fatigue or even feeling more tired than usual could indicate pregnancy and may begin as early as the first week after conception. However, there are multiple other factors that could make a woman tired, so if this is not accompanied by other symptoms of pregnancy, consider other factors first.

• Are you getting enough sleep?

• Are you under stress?

• Could you have a cold or the flu?

Stress, exhaustion, depression, illnesses, a change in exercise habits or even a change in diet can leave you feeling fatigued.

Nausea / Morning Sickness

This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between two and eight weeks after conception, and typically subsides at the start of the second trimester. Some women do not experience morning sickness at all, while some feel a degree of nausea throughout pregnancy. Rule out other causes first, including food poisoning, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach disorders, stress and a stomach flu.

Backaches

Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy, but it may begin at any time during your pregnancy and last until delivery, or come and go based on your level of physical activity and other factors.

Like most pregnancy symptoms, backaches may be caused by a number of other factors, including impending menstruation, stress, back problems, physical injuries such as pulled muscles.

Headaches

The sudden rise of hormones in your body can cause headaches early in pregnancy but, since headaches are so prevalent in women and have so many other causes, this is not usually a good indicator of pregnancy unless accompanied by other symptoms. Headaches may be caused by:

• Dehydration

• Caffeine withdrawal

• PMS

• Eye strain

• Stress

• Cold or flu

• Seasonal allergies

• Sinus infection

Frequent Urination

Around six to eight weeks after conception, as the uterus grows and shifts, taking up more room in your abdomen and exerting force on your bladder, you may experience frequent urination. Frequent urination in the absence of other pregnancy symptoms, however, could indicate a problem such as:

• Urinary tract infection

• Bladder infection

• Diabetes

Using diuretics or increasing your liquid intake may also cause more frequent urination.

Darkening of Areolas

If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker. This may also be caused by a hormone imbalance not related to pregnancy. Areolas may not return to their original color after childbirth.

Food Cravings

As any pregnant woman – or her husband who hit the convenience store at midnight for ice cream, with or without pickles – can attest, pregnancy food cravings are not a myth. They can last throughout your entire pregnancy, but usually don’t appear until the second trimester or late in the first trimester.

Dieting, PMS, lack of a certain nutrients, stress or depression can also cause food cravings. Click here to read about some strange food cravings experienced by the BOL bloggers.

Enhanced Sense of Smell

For moms-to-be pregnant for the first time, an enhanced sense of smell is often one of the oddest symptoms of pregnancy. This evolutionary trait may have developed to help pregnant women detect – and avoid – spoiled foods before they ate them. It can be embarrassing if you have to leave a room because of someone’s intense body odor or want to gag around people with the scent of third-hand smoke clinging to their bodies.

Mood Swings

It’s not just a myth. All those hormonal changes going on in your body can wreak havoc with your mood, too. Of course, mood swings can also be caused by stress or plain old garden variety PMS. Some women actually experience improved moods – or a more stable mood if they previously suffered from PMS-related mood swings – during pregnancy. Others discover that one or two specific individuals “push their buttons” but that people, as a whole, are easier to tolerate.

Increased Hunger

Doctors recommend that women not gain much weight in the first trimester, but you may feel hungrier than usual. To keep weight in check, maintain a healthy diet and eat lots of foods high in fiber, which are filling and will also help alleviate constipation. Drink a glass of water before every meal, too. Pregnant women shouldn’t need to increase their caloric intake to accommodate the growing fetus until the start of the second trimester, when they should eat approximately 300 extra calories per day. You can also maintain a high level of physical activity in the first trimester, which will help prevent excessive weight gain.

Later Pregnancy Symptoms

Some symptoms – such as a backache or headaches – may begin in the first trimester and persist throughout pregnancy. Others appear later.

• Feeling extremely warm / hot flashes

• Varicose veins

• Quickening (fetal movement)

• Shortness of breath

• Stretch marks

• Changes in all areas of your body, including hair, skin and nails

• Blurred vision

• Insomnia

Essentially, “anything goes” when it comes to pregnancy symptoms. If you are concerned about any reactions you’re having or changes to your body, speak with your midwife or obstetrician.

Could You Be Pregnant?

If you are Trying To Conceive and are experiencing early signs of pregnancy, this could be good news! If you think you may be pregnant, today’s Home Pregnancy Tests can show positive results as early as a week before your period is due.  If you’re not ready to buy a pregnancy test just yet, enter your last menstrual cycle date into our Due Date Calculator to determine when you ovulated last.  That will give you a little insight too!

There are no two pregnancies that are alike so, while it is difficult to say exactly how each will progress, there are certain factors that are common among all women going through pregnancy. Quite often, early symptoms of pregnancy will appear and prompt the soon-to-be mom to purchase a home pregnancy test. These can be found at virtually every retail and/or grocery store. It is important to remember that pregnancy tests, while designed to be accurate, are sometimes wrong. Regardless of the result, it is recommended that women experiencing pregnancy symptoms should schedule an appointment with a health care professional who will accurately test for pregnancy.

Among the pregnancy symptoms that most women experience are heightened sensitivity to certain smells and/or food, exhaustion, recurring morning sickness and mood swings. During the entire pregnancy, it is very important that the woman participate in a healthy lifestyle. Among other things, this would include not smoking or being near secondhand smoke, avoid drinking alcohol, etc. In addition, the mom-to-be should drink plenty of milk and eat healthy foods. This will help to promote good development for the child and will be a healthy start for him/her.

Once a woman is confirmed with pregnancy, the next step is shopping for maternity clothes. There is generally a maternity section of every store, but many women simply wear oversized shirts and comfortable elastic waist pants. Preparing for a new baby will include shopping for nursery items, including a rocking chair, bassinet, baby blankets, clothes and toys. If there are plans to convert any room in the house into a nursery, it’s best to start early. It’s also very important that the mom-to-be not be near any paint or harmful products that may cause her, or her unborn child, any problems.

During the nine months of pregnancy, women will go through a lot of changes – both physically and mentally. Mood swings will become more intense and there may be frequent trips to the bathroom as the pregnancy progresses and the growing child begins to press more heavily on the bladder. After the baby is born, the woman will likely have a desire to lose her pregnancy weight. Immediately following birth, it may be a good idea to rest before starting on any exercise program. A licensed medical doctor will be able to prescribe a timeline for such things as physical activity, which will greatly be determined by the mom’s overall health.

This article is to be used for informational purposes only. It is not designed to be used in conjunction with, or in place of, professional medical advice. Any woman who believes she may be experiencing pregnancy symptoms, or has reason to believe that she may be pregnant, should consult a licensed medical physician for proper testing and determination.

About The Author
Find more about Chinese pregnancy calendar, Chinese gender chart and EPT pregnancy test and many other pregnancy resources on CareJournal.org.

The toughest bit of the 1st trimester of pregnancy is morning sickness and any woman who has gone through or is going through it, knows the first signs usually develop during the month following the first missed menstrual period, when hormone levels increase. It may range from mild, occasional nausea to severe, continuous, debilitating nausea with bouts of vomiting. In most cases, symptoms may be worse in morning, albeit they can strike day or night.

Despite all advances in medicine, there is no way of predicting how long your morning sickness will last even if you have suffered it before. Generally, nausea and vomiting last till about 12 – 13 weeks of pregnancy. However, some women continue to feel ill beyond their 22nd week as well.

However, some studies show that mild to moderate sickness is a sign of a good pregnancy, and less risk of miscarriage.

There is no simple treatment. The best course of action is home treatment. The following tips work wonders not only when you wake up feeling nauseous but also work when you get that queasy feeling during the day.

Changing what, when and how much you eat coupled with certain changes to the way foods cooked helps.

During morning or for that matter all day sickness, you may find that eating five or six small meals, rather than the usual three large ones, is easier on the body. Make sure each meal contains some protein and carbohydrate, like whole wheat bread with grated cheese and a slice of tomato, rice or wheat preparation with some easily digestible / light cereals, orange juice and a whole wheat biscuit. Be creative; choose low fat health foods you know will tempt your appetite. Aversions to food because of nausea are perfectly normal and understandable.

Try not to miss meals

Eat small, dry snacks.

Don’t jump up out of bed immediately. Lie quietly for a while and ask you husband to bring you a slice of fresh lemon or orange or a dry, bland biscuit.

Avoid large drinks, have frequent small one between meals.

Spicy, fried foods, and fatty foods like very rich sweets, are best avoided.

Avoid excessive consumption of pickles or chutney, which is rich in salt.

Don’t spend much time in the kitchen and avoid the strong smell of certain foods when shopping.

Prepare food when feeling least nauseous.

Taking lemon or orange juice in the morning and before meals relieves nausea of early pregnancy.

Suck an ice cube till the nausea passes off.

Sip on cool water.

However, if you have severe, persistent nausea and vomiting, see your doctor. This not so common complication of pregnancy can lead to dehydration and malnutrition, sometimes calling for prescribed medication and in some cases even hospitalization. Although drugs are best avoided in pregnancy, especially in the early months, there are some that have been in use for many years with no apparent danger to the developing baby.

About the Author
Ashely Farrar also writes on Home Remedy for Kidney Stone. More info: http://www.symptoms-kidney-stones-treatments.com.

It’s a very natural thing to blame yourself when you suffer a miscarriage. I did. I wracked my brain in a futile attempt to come up with some answers. Anything. Nothing the doctor said could convince me that there wasn’t something I did to make this happen.

So, I prolonged my suffering. By blaming myself I only made things worse. It was not my fault- just as it’s not your fault that you’ve miscarried. No, that glass of wine or beer you had did not cause your miscarriage. No, the argument you had with your husband did not cause you so much stress that you miscarried. No, the unhealthy food you ate from a fast food restaurant didn’t do it either. Please, stop knocking yourself and blaming yourself for this. I know you need answers. You want some sort of justification for your pain and loss. But, when you continually find, or try to find blame within yourself, you are hurting yourself over and over again…

About the Author
Ellen M. DuBois is a multi-published author in the fiction, nonfiction, inspirational and poetry genres. She resides in Massachusetts, and is also a singer/songwriter. To learn more about Ellen’s books and projects, please visit her website at ellendubois.com

The woman who has miscarried is just like me. I miscarried in 1991 and my days were spent weeping over my empty womb and arms for months on end. There were no Internet support groups; no books that spoke to my pain; and although people were concerned, their focus was more on me than on the baby lost.

“The fetus is no longer viable”. Those were the words I heard one terrible day in May. I was four-and-a-half months pregnant and noticed some spotting. My sister accompanied me to the hospital, and in a very tiny room, lit only by the image of my dead baby on the ultrasound screen, the doctor told me my baby had ‘expired’.

When my baby died, all the hopes, wishes and dreams I had for my child died, too. It felt like the rug was ripped from under my feet and I had no solid ground to stand upon. No matter where I looked for support, I found none- other than from well meaning family and friends. Still, I felt alone. Where was the person, book or group that could tell me I wasn’t nuts for grieving over a baby nobody ever knew? Why couldn’t somebody tell me I had every right to mourn the loss of the baby I never held?

That’s what prompted me, ten years after my miscarriage, to write a small e-book called I Never Held You. Women from around the world downloaded the booklet which described the stages I went through after my miscarriage- from grief and self-blame to letting go and moving on. Five years later, I teamed up with a Psychologist and Grief Counselor, expanded my book into paperback and included sound advice on grief and more from Dr. Linda Backman, who lived the experience some thirty-years ago.

My mission has become one of reaching women who’ve suffered a miscarriage and feel like I once did: alone, isolated, and full of tears.

Validating a woman’s grief after miscarriage won’t take away her pain, but it will make her feel less crazy and far more understood. Through connection comes awareness. Through awareness comes a stronger voice. Through a stronger voice come the masses saying: Miscarriage is a very real loss and needs to be treated as such. We, the women who have miscarried need your help, support, understanding and validation of our pain.

It’s happening. Books are available and the Internet has opened countless doors to support once invisible. The over one million women in the US alone who suffer a miscarriage are finally being heard, as are those worldwide. I am honored to be a part of bringing about the realization that miscarriage is a monumental loss, but there is help, hope and most importantly, healing after miscarriage. You are not alone, I promise.

About the Author
Ellen M DuBois is the author of Jackie’s Heart, and I Never Held You, a book about miscarriage, healing and recovery gently guides a women who has miscarried through the processes of grief and the emotional roller coaster ride following with the help of Psychologist and Grief Counselor Dr. Linda Backman, who also wrote the foreword. Ellen DuBois is also a contributing author in: More God Allows U-Turns, Conquering Panic and Anxiety Disorders, Sisters by Blue Mountain Arts, Soul Matters for Teens, and Romancing the Soul.

A woman’s period is caused by her uterus shedding the lining it builds every month in which a fertilized egg can attach itself and a pregnancy can develop. When a woman does not get pregnant, the lining is not needed and the uterine wall is shed, causing the bleeding and clots that a woman experiences approximately once a month. When a woman gets pregnant, and the fertilized egg is implanted into the uterine wall, the uterus does not shed, and there is no monthly period.

When a woman gets pregnant she should immediately start missing her periods, although this isn’t always the case. Sometimes women will have a period that is much lighter than normal, or rarely have a normal period for the first month. There are even a few recorded situations where a woman has continued to have a period throughout her pregnancy. Sometimes there might be a little spotting when the period should have come, making a woman believe that she had her period when she is in fact pregnant. This spotting is called implantation bleeding.

Just because a woman misses her period doesn’t automatically mean that she is pregnant. There are other reasons why her period might not have come that month. Stress and life changes can have a big effect on the regularity of a woman’s period on track. Also, if a woman has recently lost or gained a lot of weight, her menstrual cycle could be affected. Starting, stopping or changing her birth control during a cycle could also cause a missed period. Breastfeeding can also delay the return of a normal period cycle by up to a few months.

There are many ways to discover if your missed period means that you are pregnant, but the most common and easiest is to purchase a home pregnancy test. Most of these are close to 99% accurate and can tell a woman if she is expecting a baby, or if she is just “late”. When in doubt, be sure to call your doctor immediately.

One of the biggest signals of being pregnant is that awful feeling of morning sickness. How can you describe it? Unless you have been pregnant, it’s impossible for anyone else to really know how if feels. Doctors describe morning sickness as that nauseated feeling a pregnant woman gets during her first trimester of pregnancy. While that is kind of a vague definition, it’s true that many women experience morning sickness for their entire pregnancy, while others rarely have it at all. Some women will actually experience morning sickness in the morning, but the term “morning sickness” is a misnomer, as some women experience it during the afternoon as well as in the evening hours.

There is really no single cause for it, but physicians have concluded that there are a number of things that can contribute to morning sickness which include increasing hormone levels, sensitivity to odors and the enhanced sense of smell and a sensitized gastrointestinal tract. There are also other reasons why a woman may have morning sickness. Some of these include a pregnancy that involves twins or triplets, if the woman has had morning sickness with a previous pregnancy, and if the woman is susceptible to motion sickness or suffers from migraine headaches prior to becoming pregnant.

Since it is a widespread, common problem in pregnancy, there has been much research and study conducted related on how to best alleviate it. While there certainly isn’t a cure for morning sickness, there are ways in which it can be managed. Some of these are avoiding foods whose scents cause nausea, avoiding fatty foods, eating many small meals instead of three regular sized ones throughout the day, taking prenatal vitamins with food, drinking plenty of fluids between meals, and taking regular naps, which will allow the body to rest.

Although there is no medical backing for such things, ginger and peppermint seem to alleviate nausea and morning sickness for some women. Other alternative remedies that have been handed down from generation to generation as ways to quell morning sickness include bananas, vitamin B, cloves, cola syrup, honey, ice, lemons and red raspberry leaf tea. Before using any of these remedies, it is wise to first check with ones physician. There are also acupressure bands available that are worn on the wrist over a pressure point that sometimes alleviate morning sickness. If one has tried all of the aforementioned and there appears to be no relief in site, a physician may be able to prescribe an anti-nausea medication that will help. There are many types of these prescription medications available that are safe to use during pregnancy that will offer relief from morning sickness.

It may or may not occur with pregnancy, but if it does, there are numerous ways to manage it. The physician will be able to offer advice concerning this symptom that is a nuisance for so many pregnant women, and who knows, maybe in the near future the medical community will come up with a cure for it. But for now, try not to let morning sickness keep you down.

About the Author
You can find out more about Morning Sickness as well as much more information on women’s issues at http://www.surviving-pregnancy.infofroma-z.com.

Many women get concerned by cramping that they experience in early pregnancy. Some might worry that this is a sign that their pregnancy is not viable and that a miscarriage is on its way. Fortunately, more times than not, that isn’t the case.

Cramping in Early Pregnancy is Common.  And usually normal.

Implantation Cramping

In the first few weeks of pregnancy, implantation cramping, oftentimes accompanied by implantation bleeding, occurs when the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus.  Some women might feel implantation cramping as soon as seven days after they ovulate, while others might not feel cramping at all.

Cramping may continue throughout pregnancy as the uterus prepares to carry a baby for nine months.  Your uterus is a big organ and as it grows in early pregnancy cramping is not uncommon. If the cramping is constant or too intense for you to handle however it may not be “normal” and you should call your doctor for reassurance.

Round Ligament Pain

Cramping after the initial stages of pregnancy is called round ligament pain.  These cramps may be dull and achy, or a sharp pain that you notice when changing position. This cramping occurs because the muscles under your uterus expand and grow in order to support the weight of your uterus and baby as it grows. This is probably the most complained about cramping in pregnancy, and one most pregnant women will experience.

Should I Be Worried?

Cramping in early pregnancy is usually nothing for a woman to get worried about. Actually you may be comforted by knowing that if minor pregnancy cramping does occur, then your body is probably preparing as it should to sustain the pregnancy.  But as always, if you are concerned or ever feel that the cramping is not normal, be sure to call your doctor for advice.

Could I Be Pregnant?

If you are Trying To Conceive, this could be good news!  Compare your symptoms to other Early Signs of Pregnancy. If you think you may be pregnant, today’s Home Pregnancy Tests can show positive results as early as a week before your period is due.  If you’re not ready to buy a pregnancy test just yet, enter your last menstrual cycle date into our Due Date Calculator to determine when you ovulated last.  That will give you a little insight too!

Did you experience pregnancy cramping? Please share your story with us.

Babies Online wants to make it easier for every woman to find out her baby’s due date prior to that first appointment, by offering both helpful information and our fantastic due date calculator which is free for you to use.

The first thing you need to know in order to use our due date calculator is the first day of your last menstrual cycle. It is very difficult to get an estimated due date, without an early ultrasound, even from your doctor, unless you know this date. Calculators take into account your last period and assume conception took place a week after that date. They then add nine months to that date to give you the estimated due date.

It is important to remember that these calculations are just estimates – you should not count on your baby coming on that day. Only about 20% of babies come on the actual due date that was calculated. The other 80% are split between coming before the estimated due date, and after. Since a pregnancy is considered full term at 37 weeks (3 weeks before the calculated due date) and is generally not considered to be dangerously overdue till after 42 weeks (2 weeks after the calculated due date), this early date gives you an estimated time span of when your baby will come.

As your pregnancy progresses and you have ultrasounds done to check your baby, it is possible that your doctor will update and change your due date at which to reflect the rate at which your babyhas grown, using measurements taken in the ultrasound. In most cases, this will only change a few days or a week in either direction.

After you get that positive result from your pregnancy test, knowing the date your baby should be born gives you something to focus on, and to look forward to for the months to come. It is likely that for many women, the next nine months will seem the longest nine months of her life. Have no fear though. Your baby will arrive, whether he makes an appearance on your calculated due date or surprises you on another date.

So you’re pregnant. Congratulations! Your life is about to change in ways you might find unthinkable (and we’re not even talking about the surrender of your once slim waistline to proportions most comparable to that of a Dr. Suess character). Pregnancy is the beginning of a new life for a baby, but also a new life for you as a parent. If this is your first baby, you may be filled with an endless list of questions and concerns. If you’re a veteran of the labor and delivery room, you’ve got a better idea what to expect, yet every pregnancy, like every mother and child, is different.

Making Choices
While pregnancy and birth have physiologically been the same since the beginning of time, your options as a pregnant woman today are greater than at any previous time in history. After confirming your pregnancy, your first (and arguably most important) decision to make is choice of caregiver. While traditionally in the U.S., maternal care has been provided through obstetrical physicians and hospital births, there is a growing movement towards the return of low intervention, midwife-assisted births.

How do you know which is right for you? Consider what is most important to your birth experience (always remembering that birth is anything but predictable and flexibility is vital). Are you interested in birthing naturally, without the aid of drugs or invasive procedures? Would you rather give birth at home or in a birthing center as opposed to a hospital? A midwife may be the right choice for you. Conversely, if you know upfront you’ll want an epidural at the first sign of labor pain you’ll probably find the anesthesiologist at your local hospital to be your best friend.

Keep in mind, each choice has its pros and cons and it’s up to you to weigh which option is the best for your needs. If you give birth at home and have complications, you’ll need to be transported to the hospital. Epidurals may provide excellent pain relief (or not), but have potentially serious, although rare, side effects. Some birthing centers will not accept a mother attempting vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC). Being an educated consumer in your pregnancy will allow the best possible birth experience and beginning for your new baby.

Planning for Baby
Somewhere around middle to late pregnancy (usually about the time you can no longer see your toes because of your protruding middle), you’ll want to start making accommodations at home for your baby’s expected arrival. If this is your first, trust yourself to the care of an experienced mommy friend who can prevent “New Mother Shopping Syndrome,” i.e., going to Babies ‘R Us and spending an exorbitant amount of money on baby paraphernalia that, not only do you not need, but you will never use. Yes, the mommy bear that emits sounds of the womb is cute. No, your baby will not be fooled. This is the time to cultivate self control, which will particularly come in handy when your precious baby has become a 16-year old who has just wrecked the family car.

Babies actually need very little in the way of gear for the first few months of life. If you’re planning to family bed, you can skip the nursery furniture altogether. Some good choices of useful items include a five-point harness convertible car seat, a quality hospital grade breast pump if you’re planning to breastfeed (Medela is the gold star standard), and plenty of onesies for sleep and play. A baby sling is also useful for helping mom get things done around the house while still meeting the baby’s need to be held, and also for discreet public breastfeeding. Skip the infant carrier, which can only be used for about six months, at which point you’ll have to purchase a convertible seat anyway. Also unnecessary (at least for now) are baby toys, gyms, etc., which will not be of interest to the baby until at least six months of age.

Delivering the Goods
Prepare for labor and delivery by compiling a plan for your caregiver sharing your wishes for birth. Discuss your feelings on all types of medical intervention including the use of epidural, IV’s, amniotomy, fetal monitors, episiotomy, etc. Remember that a birth plan is simply that, a plan. Since no one knows exactly how any given birth will proceed, it is not a guarantee of any kind. While the mother’s experience with birth is important, the ultimate goal is a healthy baby, whatever it takes to achieve it. A birth plan is simply helpful in communicating the type of birth experience you would like to have, and if you have made a wise selection in caregiver, you will have someone who will work with you to honor these wishes to the extent they are possible. You may want to hire a doula to assist during labor. A doula’s purpose is to support and be an advocate for the mother, and can be helpful in achieving the mother’s goals towards birth.

Surviving the First Weeks
After nine months of waiting and planning, your baby is finally in arms. What next? Despite that you might feel you’ve gotten away with something when the hospital staff actually allows you to leave with your baby (whom you think you have no idea how to care for), remembering a few simple tips can help things go more smoothly.

Feed your baby on demand. Don’t try to schedule feeding sessions, which can be detrimental to establishing proper milk supply if breastfeeding, and simply isn’t good for baby.

Keep a record of wet and soiled diapers for the first few weeks to assure baby is taking in enough breast milk or formula.

Hold baby as often as possible. Contrary to what grandma might tell you, he can’t be spoiled.

Always remember to place your baby on his back to sleep and tummy to play, to lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Call your pediatrician if your baby develops a fever, or if you have any questions or concerns.

Most importantly, remember motherhood is a work in progress and cut yourself some slack. You will make mistakes, learn, grow and change. Both babies and parents are born, and neither reaches their full potential overnight.

About The Author
Barbara Eastom Bates is the author of the upcoming release, “Basic Training for Brides-to-Be,” and editor-in-chief of Operation Military Spouse, opmilspouse@yahoo.com