Category: Pregnancy

As a pregnancy draws to an end every woman wants to know how much longer the pregnancy will last. While everyone likes to think that the due date is a reliable indicator, the truth is that the average human gestation period is anywhere from 38 to 42 weeks. Knowing the signs a baby is coming may save you and your family a lot of frustration by establishing realistic estimations and expectations.

The birth of a child is an exciting and highly anticipated time for new parents. Before the big day arrives, several important tasks should be considered. By handling these tasks before the birth of your baby, you can enjoy the birth and the time with your newborn. The hormones of pregnancy combined with the excitement of the impending birth may cause you to overlook these important tasks.

Pregnant women need healthy carbs, and plenty of them—nine servings daily, according to “Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide” by Simkin, Whalley and Keppler. Healthy carbs are complex carbohydrates such as bread and pasta made from unrefined grains, beans, legumes, potatoes with their skins, fruits and vegetables. Healthy carbohydrates retain the nutritious, high-fiber content that the refining process eliminates. Healthy carbs fill you up and are highly nutritious to boot, with plenty of vitamins and protein, furnishing many of the extra calories you need to provide nutrition for your unborn baby. There’s one catch: If you have gestational diabetes, it’s especially important to check with your doctor about your carbohydrate intake, since you may need to moderate your starchy foods to control your blood sugar.

The increased hormones of early pregnancy produce many distinct signs in women. Some of these symptoms begin shortly after conception, while others don’t start until several weeks later. Some pregnant women experience all of the pregnancy signs while others don’t experience any of the symptoms. Many of the signs of pregnancy may originate from other causes, so a positive pregnancy test is the only certain method to confirm pregnancy.

A positive pregnancy test creates a wide range of emotions and concerns. After the initial excitement wears off, many pregnant women start wondering what is safe during pregnancy. A healthy diet during pregnancy is important to the developing baby. Just as important is learning the foods to avoid during pregnancy. Many foods on the list to avoid during pregnancy can potentially cause serious risks to an unborn baby.