Pregnancy

Why is an RO water purifier not good enough?

January 25, 2016 Swati 8 Comments

And, why I suggest you to get PureIt Ultima RO + UV with Oxytube Water Purifier instead?

When we had shifted to a new house last year, one of the major concerns was clean drinking water. We were counting the cash because we had already spent so much on the expensive furniture and our health took a backseat!

We actually calculated if a water purifier was really worth the money. I know it sounds crazy, especially when one is comparing good health and expense. We should have probably compared the hospital bills. When we were considering out water purifier options, I had never thought ro water purifiers in India worth the money. There is almost a 10:1 ratio of water wastage and none of the houses have water recycling mechanisms.

Just for the record, we are still subsisting on the dubious mineral water bottles delivered once or twice a week by the shopkeeper next to my house. Do not make the same mistake! There are so many water-borne diseases alone like cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, Hepatitis B and E, the list goes on.

But, now we are planning to begin a family. And, guess what I found out? Drinking purified water is extremely important for a pregnant lady, not only for herself but also for the baby.

Why is Purified Water so Important for a Pregnant Lady?

#DidYouKnow top 5 reasons to get pregnant before you reach 30? {Pregnancy}

February 13, 2015 Swati Leave a Comment

why should you plan babies before you reach 30

Well, as I mentioned in the Blogging Goals for #2015 post, I shall be slowly branching out into baby planning and pregnancy posts with time.

So, the first issue which I have today is how much does age influence your ability to have a baby. In fact, I had already asked a lady who had a baby quite late into her 30’s which not quite uncommon these days and here is what she replied.

See, it is absolutely fine to have a baby even after 30. It is only people who say that age matters but actually it is just to make you feel insecure and plan a baby beforehand. And, are not there quite a lot of women who have babies late in their lives?

Well, as much as I agree with the lady, I do have my own reservations. So, let me first illustrate why would anyone want you to have babies as soon as possible.

Tradition

In the olden days in fact even up to our grand parents, they used to get married by the age of 20, if not earlier, and then bear the first kid within a year and follow up with numerous progeny till they could actually bear children resulting in family the size of the cricket teams. There was no concept of family planning back then. And, that is how it is done!

Activeness of the Grandparents

Even though our life expectancy has increased, our parents emotionally blackmail us to have kids asap stating we would love to have kids in the house and it has been so long since we heard a baby’s cry and play with them. And, if they need, the grand parents can substitute the parents in taking care of the kids while the parents are out working.

Parents should be in earning stages till kids settle down

Slowly, the age gaps between parents and kids is increasing. Because, we want to live our lives, settle down, enjoy before the responsibility which makes us pretty old by the time we have a baby. And, then, by the time the kid grows to 20, we are most likely to reach 50+. And, then, the kids would not have settled down by the time we are ready for retirement.

Taking a case study, I used to have a colleague who was probably 45 or near about and her son has enrolled into first year of engineering last year so now she is free to take on her life and the couple have at least 10-12 more years to their work service by which time the son would obviously settle down in a good job and hopefully have a family too. That is the ideal scenario when the parents are young enough to witness their kids marriage and manage the grand kids.

All of the people are talking about it!

This is probably the worse of all the above excuses used to make one bear kids. The society is talking.

Is not the society talking all the time? They talk when you are not scoring well enough, they talk when you did not get into engineering and went for commerce or arts, they talk when you are not getting married, they talk when you have a love marriage, they talk when the wedding did not go well, they talk when you have kids, they talk when you do not have kids, I mean seriously shut up!

And, finally, the Age of the Female

Yes, probably, this is one of the most medically supported reasons to have kids before you hit the 30 mark. The bones of the female body get weaker with age and even the gyneacs advice us to bear at least one child before we get 30. Also, the hormonal changes in the body wreak havoc otherwise. Though, I have yet to find out more of the medical evidence for it.

So, What do you say? What are the most common excuses heard to make a couple plan for a baby? Do you really believe in having a baby on pressure or would you like to take your time?

5 Things to consider before conceiving a Baby {Pregnancy}

December 22, 2014 Swati 2 Comments

Tags : Home >> Health >> Pregnancy

5 things to consider before conceiving a baby

So, today, I have come up with something very different to what I used to discuss with all of you. This is for all those females who are ready for conception or even in half way through their confinement. So, lets us see what all we have on the list!!

#DidYouKnow bad oral health can cause miscarriages. More #pregancyquestions: http://goo.gl/983LFD via @skyiseternal #perfectskincareforyou [Click to Tweet This!]

Physical Fitness

The first thing to ascertain is that you both are physically well to conceive a new life. You should consult a doctor and get genetic carrier screening to make sure you do not suffer from any of the hereditary issues which can be carried to the baby as well. This is especially important for a mother.

Also, another specialist you should consider visiting is a dentist. Yup, your undetected gum problems and bad oral health can cause miscarriage!! In fact, it is said that a good oral routine during the pregnancy alone prevents a lot of miscarriages!!

A doctor consultation also helps decode what medicines you might be taking and whether they should be taken or not!! And, a pre-check up is also informative about the proper dates of conception and what all other things should be kept in mind medically!!

Healthy Lifestyle

Howsoever you might be leading a healthy or a hectic or a stressful life, you do not ever want your kid to enter the world in those circumstances. So, it is a good time to get onto the healthy schedule which you have forever been procastinating!

Getting up early in the morning
Skipping on the junk food and actually consuming regular HEALTHY meals all through the day
Not stressing about anything in particular
Exercising everyday or at least 3 times a day
Controlling weight
Cutting back on the caffeine
Going to bed early

So, these are just few things which should be on your list. Btw, I would like to again stress on being back in shape and bringing your weight under control. For one, if you are overweight it puts extra stress on your spinal cord and you might get prone to backaches after your delivery. And, secondly, coming back into shape is easier if you are healthier before!

#DidYouKnow you should not gain more than 9kgs during child bearing!!

Financial Well-being

This is in conjunction to the earlier point. You will be obviously less stressed when you do not have to think about money. So, get over your money troubles way before thinking of a baby. You would want to provide every possible luxury to them, as much as you can afford!!

But, overspending or not being able to buy their basic needs definitely come under the not-being-financially-sound for a baby. So, do have considerable savings and be able to plan for at least next two years of budget including all the baby things which are very expensive now a days!! And, do not forget the vacations.

Some people do think of too much like getting a house and a car and a good career and so delay the baby process. But, I would like to mention here that too much of a delay is not really good for either the baby or the parents and the car and career and your house can be accommodated along with the baby.

When I am talking about finance, I just mean a well-settled life and having enough to spend on your family without feeling the pinch! Not waiting for your entire life to get into order. There is no perfect time for such things!!

Emotional Well-being

Now, that we have physical fitness and finances taken care of, the couple that is you both must be emotionally ready to take charge of a new life among you both. Get rid of all the family issues you might have with your extended family, among yourselves and other things.

And, if they are unavoidable, stop creating a negative environment and stressing yourself about them. I know it is not as easy to do as to write about it but I can just say that being positive and happy is the only solution to that problem. And, both you and your spouse must be happy and accept the situation as they are. Either of you cribbing will not help!!

Environment

So, now that you are probably entirely ready, I would say consider the environment in which you would want to bring up your kid. For example, you might not be staying in the most ideal location.

Or, you have been thinking of moving to a safer and a place where there are a lot of kids or may be closer to a school or a play school. It is better to make such decisions beforehand because last minute shifting and things might not be really possible. Similarly, have a doctor closer at hand as well. Or, a hospital.

These are just a few things which I can come up with right now which you should consider before conceiving. Now, it is your turn. What do you think are some of the things which must be considered? What have you considered, if you are already pregnant or have a baby? How did you pre-conception time come about?

Other posts which might interest you:

Exercising and Pregnancy
How to deal with insecurities during Pregnancy?
Infertility and Emotional Health

Exercising and Pregnancy {Pregnancy} [Part – III]

September 29, 2014 Swati Leave a Comment

Read the previous part of this series here. This is the last post of this series.

Guest Post by Punam

General cautions for pregnancy exercise

While most forms of exercise are safe, there are some exercises that involve positions and movements that may be uncomfortable or harmful for pregnant women. Be guided by your doctor or physiotherapist on those positions but let me share some of the generic cautions:

Avoid raising your body temperature too high – for example, don’t soak in hot spas or exercise to the point of heavy sweating. Reduce your level of exercise on hot or humid days.

Don’t exercise to the point of exhaustion.

If weight training, choose low weights and medium to high repetitions – avoid lifting heavy weights altogether.

Don’t exercise if you are ill or feverish.

If you don’t feel like exercising on a particular day – then don’t! It is important to listen to your body to avoid unnecessarily depleting your energy reserves.

Exercises to avoid while pregnant

During pregnancy, avoid sports and activities with increased risk of falling like:

Contact sports or activities that carry a risk of falling (such as trampolining, roller blading, downhill snow skiing, horse riding and basketball)

Competition sports – depending on the stage of pregnancy, the level of competition and your level of fitness

After about the fourth month of pregnancy, exercises that involve lying on your back – the weight of the baby can slow the return of blood to the heart. Try to modify these exercises by lying on the side.

In the later stages of pregnancy, activities that involve jumping, frequent changes of direction and excessive stretching (such as gymnastics).

If you’re not sure whether a particular activity is safe during pregnancy, check with your doctor.

Pelvic floor exercises and pregnancy

The pelvic floor muscles are weakened during pregnancy and during normal birth (vaginal delivery), so it is extremely important to begin conditioning the pelvic floor muscles from the start of the pregnancy. Appropriate exercises can be prescribed by a physiotherapist. It is important to continue with these throughout the pregnancy and resume as soon as is comfortable after the birth.

Abdominal exercises and pregnancy

Strong abdominal muscles support your spine. The internal core and pelvic floor abdominal muscles act as a natural ‘corset’ to protect the pelvis and lumbar spine. Traditional sit-ups or crunches can be ineffective during pregnancy and may make worse the condition known as diastasis recti abdominis (a painless splitting of the abdominal muscle at the midline).

Appropriate core stability exercises are recommended during pregnancy to strengthen the muscles of the abdomen:

Concentrate on drawing your belly button towards your spine.
Breathe out while pulling in your belly.
Hold the position and count to 10. Relax and breathe in.
Repeat 10 times, as many times a day as you are able.
You can perform this exercise sitting, standing or on your hands and knees.

Warning signs for exercising during pregnancy

If you experience any of the following during or after physical activity, stop exercising immediately and see your doctor or physiotherapist:

Headache
Dizziness or feeling faint
Heart palpitations
Chest pain
Swelling of the face, hands or feet
Calf pain or swelling
Vaginal bleeding
Contractions
Deep back or pubic pain
Cramping in the lower abdomen
Walking difficulties
An unusual change in your baby’s movements
Amniotic fluid leakage

And, finally, Things to remember

Exercise during pregnancy offers many physical and emotional benefits. While exercise during pregnancy is usually encouraged, you may feel it’s not right for you.

Talk to your doctor, physiotherapist or healthcare professional to make sure your exercise routine won’t cause harm to you or your unborn baby.

Any illness or complication of the pregnancy should be fully assessed and discussed with your doctor before commencing or continuing an exercise program.

What do you say? Do you think it is good to exercise during pregnancy? Did you doctor recommend it to you? Or, did they cite reasons for it being unsafe for you?

Punam is currently busy with her second baby and I wish she will soon come on board with more articles like these. She blogs at be beautiful with Punam.

Exercising and Pregnancy {Pregnancy} [Part – II]

September 23, 2014 Swati Leave a Comment

Read the previous part of this series here.

Guest Post by Punam

Changes associated with pregnancy

There are many changes that take place during pregnancy. Some will affect your ability to exercise.

Hormones such as relaxin loosen ligaments which could increase your risk of joint injuries (for example, sprains).

As pregnancy progresses, weight increase combines with changes in weight distribution and body shape. This results in the body’s centre of gravity moving forward, which can alter balance and coordination.

Pregnancy increases your resting heart rate, so it is not recommended to use target heart rate to work out the intensity of your exercise. In healthy pregnant women, exercise intensity can be monitored using a method known as Borg’s Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE). This measures how hard you feel (perceive) your body is working.

Your blood pressure drops in the second trimester, so it is important to avoid rapid changes of position – from lying to standing, and vice versa – so as not to experience dizzy spells.

General exercise suggestions during pregnancy

It is important to discuss your exercise plan with your doctor, as each pregnancy is different. In general, healthy women who have uncomplicated pregnancies can continue their previous exercise program after consultation with a doctor. It is also now considered safe to start a new exercise program during pregnancy if given the all-clear by your doctor.

If you have been cleared to exercise, it is recommended that you:

Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (according to the Perceived Exertion Scale) on most, if not all, days of the week.

Do no more than three sessions per week of vigorous exercise by the third trimester.

Let your body be your guide. You know you’re at a good intensity when you can talk normally and not become exhausted too quickly.

Be guided by your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional.

Suggested exercise activities during pregnancy

Activities that are generally safe during pregnancy, even for beginners, include:

Walking
Swimming
Cycling – outdoors or on a stationary bicycle
Exercise in water (aquarobics)
Yoga
Stretching
Dancing (this was my favorite activity)
Pilates
Pregnancy exercise classes (they help the most because you get expert advise and exchange experience with other pregnant women)

Some activities like running and strength training are safe when done in moderation by pregnant women, especially if they had been actively participating in these activities prior to pregnancy.

What do you say about pregnancy and exercising?

Punam is currently busy with her second baby and I wish she will soon come on board with more articles like these. She blogs at be beautiful with Punam.