Pregnancy is a stage in a woman’s life that brings about a sense of permanent change in every aspect of life. Motherhood offers an elevated sense of happiness, however, other key aspects to it may prove to be overwhelming for a few women. The thought of becoming a mother and being responsible for a child is, in fact, a daunting task that requires complete commitment throughout. Thus, the changes associated with it are exasperating, to say the least. This is precisely where one out of every ten women must seek consultancy when it comes to managing postpartum depression. The situation has become even worse due to the worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Women have to get accustomed to the changes in their physical appearance, mental well-being, and hormonal alterations. The limitations imposed due to COVID-19 has made the process of pregnancy even more enduring and difficult. The soon to be mothers not only have to keep their emotions in check but also are constantly stressed about the safety of the unborn child. Consequently, there has been a rise in postnatal depression during COVID-19. Understanding Postpartum Depression Best Lady Gynaecologist in Mumbai, managing postpartum depression, postnatal depression during Covid 19, postpartum depression during the coronavirus, Tips for Healthy Pregnancy
Termed as silent killer by medical professionals, Hypertension is one of the most common medical conditions experienced by people around the world. And being pregnant puts women at a higher risk of hypertension. According to statistics, number of pregnant women who have developed hypertension tripled in last 5 years in India. Though hypertension and pregnancy is not generally a dangerous combination, hypertension sometimes can result in fatal complications for both mother and baby when left untreated. As most of the women are unaware of the impact of hypertension, here’s a brief guide about Hypertension during pregnancy, its complications, treatment and preventive measures: What is hypertension? Heart pumps the blood into the arteries which carry blood to the other parts of the body. The pressure exerted by the pumped blood on the walls of arteries is called as blood pressure. When this pressure exceeds the normal range, it exerts an undue stress on the heart, kidneys causing health problems, this condition is called as hypertension. A reading of 120/80 is considered normal and anything above 140 in the numerator is termed as high blood pressure or hypertension. In general during the first and second trimester the blood pressure in pregnant women lowers →
Uterine fibroids are the muscular tumors that are formed near the wall of the uterus. Formed as a single tumor or a cluster of tumors, they can fibroids in uterus can develop inside the uterine (womb) or sometimes grow attached to it. Being one of the most common causes of abnormal bleeding in women, there is approximately 60% chance of formation of uterine fibroids in women. Though not all the uterine fibroids exhibit symptoms, the ones which do can have a serious impact on a women health and reproductive ability based on their size location and severity. Some of the common symptoms experienced by women due to the formation of uterine fibroids are: • Abnormal bleeding between menstruations. • Heavy menstrual period lasting more than a week. • Frequent urination or prolonged constipation problems. • Pelvic pain, backaches or leg pains. Though fibroids are benign tumors, sometimes they can cause the above problems or even interfere with the pregnancy by creating fertility problems. So when the fibroids tend to be bothersome, you surgeon may recommend treatment options which range from medications to traditional and minimally invasive surgeries based on patient’s age, size of the fibroid, location and patient’s desire to have the children in future. Traditional surgery procedures: Though both surgical and non- →
Sleep deprivation is the most common complaint reported by men as soon as the baby arrives in their lives. Ever wondered why most of the sleep deprivation complaints are from men? Well, that is because a woman is already habituated with sleep problems during their pregnancy. In fact according to a 2017 study concluded that almost 80% of the women face sleep problems during their pregnancy, especially during the final trimester. Why do sleep problems occur in women during pregnancy? Frequent urination during the first trimester can disrupt your sleep and then add the anxiety of newbie mother to the mix, a woman in first-trimester is bound to experience moderate sleep disruptions. With the baby slightly moving up, night urination becomes less frequent and things do become better in the second trimester. However, growing belly in the third trimester puts pressure on the bladder resulting in an increase in the frequency of urination and also adds to the discomfort during the sleep. With the addition of other problems like cramps, heartburn, back pain, and stress, the third trimester becomes the most difficult period for pregnant women. Almost every woman go through the sleep problems above, but here are a few simple tips that can help them minimize the sleep disturbances and have a good sleep in between: Limit napping: The first tr →
A new mom-to-be will be excited and worried at the same time. She will be excited thinking of welcoming a bundle of joy to her house while she may be anxious on the labor process and taking care of baby thereafter. Some pregnant women experience insomnia due to their inner worries during the first trimester of pregnancy. Understanding insomnia Insomnia means difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep or both. Women may experience insomnia in all stages of pregnancy but it may be more common in first and third trimesters of pregnancy. You may feel miserable if you have insomnia but the good thing is that it’s not at all harmful for the baby. Factors which cause insomnia during pregnancy There may be many reasons for you to stay awake during the wee hours of the day. It may include:
- Need to urinate frequently
- Back pain
- Vomiting or nausea
- Leg cramps
- Abdominal discomfort
- Heartburn
- Shortness of breath
- Leg cramps
Managing Insomnia
- Diet and exercise: Diet and exercise can have a great impact on your sleep. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water and avoid caffeine intake from late afternoon
- Eat to sleep: Eat healthy food for dinner. Eat slowly
Going to be a mother? Congratulations! You may be excited in finding out that you are going to be a mother and embrace the process of pregnancy followed by motherhood as you welcome a newest addition to your family! It’s even exciting to share the news with your partner but even more exciting would be announcing it to the world. Let’s take a look at few cool ideas to announce to the world that you are expecting. #1 New Pair of “Genes” Let the world know that you are getting a new pair of “genes”. For fun, you can also add in which season, your new pair of “Genes” will arrive. For eg: Baby Clara: Spring/summer collection 2019 #2 Announce the next generation Let the world know that you are ready to welcome the next generation with a bang! Just like new generation smart phones are launched, convey this idea using actual smart phones and a toy phone #3 Guard Dog Duty If you have a pet, you can convey it through him. Announce that he will be doing a guard dog duty starting the baby due month. You can write it somewhere near to your pet and place it next to him #4 Movie poster This is one of the coolest ideas to announce it to your family. Create a movie poster by adding your and spouse’s name on it along with the “release date”. This is a cute and creative idea at the same time #5 Mug s →
Motherhood is a beautiful and fulfilling phase where the new mothers are anxious and excited in welcoming their new born and taking care of them. Some mothers will be also busy in thinking of shedding their weight after pregnancy. Having a baby can be a strainful experience to your body, especially if you are opting for a c- section delivery. Vaginal delivery is asier to recover when compared to C-section. The practice of tying a belt post pregnancy is believed to help in tightening the muscles, reduces the swelling and also helps in supporting the back. This belt can Support your abdomen as it won’t contract immediately after delivery naturally. There are different types of binds available to use such as wraps which are made out of cloth which can be used immediately after delivery, belts or splints which can be adjustable so as to increase or loosen the tightness in the abdomen. If it is a normal delivery, the mother can use binds within few hours post delivery. If it is a c-section, the doctor may recommend you to use binds only after the wound is healed which may take around six to eight weeks. It is advisable to use binds only after speaking your gynecologist regarding the same. Such belts can help in reducing tummy fat, to enhance your posture, toning tummy muscles and in back support and back pain reduction. Let’s find out certain tips to r →
Pregnancy is undoubtedly one of the best phases in a woman’s life. Along with the bad stuff like morning sickness, weight gain etc, there are certain good things which a mother-to-be enjoys during her phase of pregnancy. Let’s find out what they are.
- Feeling baby move: The whole idea of life growing inside you itself makes you feel good. When the baby starts moving inside, it signifies the connection between the mother and the baby. So when you feel your baby moving, that can make you feel happy
- People are nicer: People are nicer to you nice they see that you are pregnant. They help you out in lifting heavy stuff, hold doors for you and even smiles at you which can make your day better
- Baby hiccups: A pregnant woman can understand when the baby gets hiccups. Here will be movement in every ten seconds or so. Some may enjoy this feeling as the baby movement reminds you of your motherhood and the unborn child whom you love a lot
- Whole second trimester : This can be one of the best phases in your entire pregnancy as you don’t feel like throwing up or sick, your belly is not that big, you can sleep well and even eat t
Pregnancy makes women jitter even about regular food, understandably so. Now that you are sharing your food with the baby, you will have to be extra careful about your food habits as it directly affects the baby’s health. Even some of the healthiest foods which are consumed without any hesitation normally, have to be double checked. And Seafood falls under this category. So, is consuming fish safe for pregnant women? Yes but only if you take necessary precautions. Fish being a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, it is one of the critical components for the optimal development of your child. But not all types of fish are safe for you too. So, the key here is choosing the right fish for consumption. But the problem with fish as a food is it harbors Mercury, a heavy metal that is dangerous for the development of the baby’s brain, sensory and motor skills development. A lot of industries drain their toxic mercury wastage into the seas and oceans. The mercury is converted into methyl-mercury by the bacteria in the water. And when the fish consume these bacteria, the mercury enters the fish and stay in their body binding at the cellular level. These Mercury contents are generally found in the cells of predators at the top of the food chain. The bad thing about the mercury content is that it cannot be eliminated through cooki →
What are Symptoms and Treatment of Premature Contractions in Pregnancy? A normal pregnancy last about 40 weeks, but sometimes labor may begin earlier, before 37th week of pregnancy. This happens because uterine contractions cause the cervix to open up earlier than normal. In such the case the baby is born premature and may be at health risks. However, by knowing the symptoms of and by avoiding some of the risk factors, such a condition may be avoided. A contraction is when the muscles of your uterus contract and as a result your abdomen hardens, as the contraction goes away your uterus becomes soft. Warning signs and symptoms of premature contractions:
- More than 5 uterine contractions in an hour.
- Watery fluid leaking from your vagina.
- Menstrual-like cramps in the lower abdomen.
- Backache felt below the waistline that may come and go or be constant.
- Pelvic pressure that feels like your baby is pushing down.
- Abdominal cramps may occur with or without diarrhea.
- Increase or change in vaginal discharge
If you suffer from 1 or more of these symptoms, Contact Your Doctor. While you wait for the hel →