The pain of cracked and bleeding nipples is truly horrendous and if you’ve experienced it then you’ll know exactly how excruciating it can be. If you plan to breast feed there are a few things you can do to try to avoid sore nipples. Prevention is better than cure!

·         Give your breasts plenty of exposure to fresh air, this will keep them healthy.

·         Ensure your breasts are fully dry after showering, gently pat dry and rub in some oil to keep them supple.

·         Don’t wash them with soap as this will dry out your skin and remove the skin’s natural oils which can help prevent cracking.

·         When you start breast feeding allow a small amount of the milk to dry on the nipple as this will keep them supple.

Technique is also important when breast feeding.

·         Make sure your baby has the entire nipple in the mouth and not just the teat. Your mid-wife can watch you give a feed if you are unsure.

·         Try different positions, your mid wife can show you the various ways in which you can try feeding. 

 ·         Try feeding frequently so your baby is not so hungry that they are grabbing and pulling at them out of hunger.

Prevention is always better than cure but if you are suffering, try vitamin E and talk to your mid-wife who can give you professional advice and guidance.

Author: Phillip Dye  It’s quite important that you drink enough water during your pregnancy and postpartum period. This will help ensure that your pregnancy is a healthy one. Water does a few things for you.

·         It helps your kidney and liver functions (and those of your baby also),

·         It flushes waste from your system cells.

·         It helps with your body’s expansion.

·         During pregnancy your blood volume will increase quite a bit. Because of this, without enough water, you could experience pre-term labor, miscarriage, constipation, or an increase in fatigue.

·         Without enough water, milk production and flow will be hindered. 

Here are some important facts every pregnant woman should know.  

1. A pregnant woman needs between eight and twelve 8-ounce glasses of water a day. She should drink even more if the weather is hot or if she’s been exercising. 2. Don’t always use thirst as an indicator to drink In fact, a lot of times, we don’t experience thirst until dehydration has already begun. It’s better to dehydrate ahead of time.

3. Do not try to substitute sodas or other caffeinated beverages for water. These will actually cause your body to dehydrate faster. Therefore, they do not and should not be counted as part of your daily fluid intake. The less you drink of these while pregnant, the better.

4. Increasing your water consumption will actually help with your feelings of tiredness. So the next time you feel a bout of fatigue coming on, try drinking more water.

Author: David Riewe 

·         If you smoke, now is a good time to quit rather than waiting until you have that positive test. Smoking can decrease your fertility and increase your risk of a miscarriage if you are still smoking when you are pregnant. ·         Start to eat foods that have plenty of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Lay off the fat and excess sugar. You want to eat foods that have a high nutrient density. Eat at least five portions a day of fruits and vegetables along with protein and iron rich foods like dried fruit, and green vegetables. Try to steer clear of raw fish like sushi, and steer clear of undercook shellfish, meat or chicken. You also want to try to avoid fish that has high mercury content like swordfish, shark, or king mackerel. Cut out any food that has unpasteurized milk in it including cheeses such as brie, camembert, and some Mexican cheese. Also cut out foods that have raw egg in it including homemade cookie dough.

·         Water should always be your first beverage choice before, after and during your pregnancy. Water helps to flush your system of toxins. Once you’ve gotten your eight glasses in, you can drink fruit and vegetable juices also.

·         Perhaps the most important thing you can do before you get pregnant is to cut out all alcohol. Women who drink might have a harder time getting pregnant than women who do not drink. Another reason why you should give up alcohol is that most birth defects that are caused by alcohol exposure usually occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy, usually before you even know you are pregnant. 

Getting your body prepared for pregnancy is one of the best decisions you could make. Your body will be more prepared for the challenge of growing a baby and the experience will be a little easier on your body.

Author: Richard Smart 

 Pregnancy is a time of preparation, wonder and eager anticipation. It is also a time of nausea, vomiting and constipation, tiredness, swollen ankles, cranky moods and sleepless nights. Add to this the worries that invade an expectant mother’s thinking. Some are rational and based on facts and some not so rational and most likely based on overactive hormone levels. Thinking about these, you will quickly understand while for many a mother-to-be pregnancy is a bit of a mixed bag. 

Nausea, vomiting, constipation and to a lesser extent also hormonal imbalances, can all be linked back to nutritional choices the expectant mother makes. While it is easy to assume that a pregnant woman will of course always choose the healthiest foods possible, the reality dictates that many women still have other children to take care. In addition, they might still be working full time, run their household and volunteer in the community. Thus, the somewhat idealistic notion of the expectant mother resting with feet propped up on the sofa snacking on carrots and lightly toasted almonds is rarely seen. 

Yet even the busiest mom-to-be does not need to despair! Healthy nutritional choices are easier than you think:

 ·         First and foremost, do not skip meals. Even a small meal consisting of little more than a few carrots and a handful of Cheerio’s is better than nothing. The goal is to keep your blood sugar levels even and therefore your hormones in balance.   ·         Iron supplements which are contained in your prenatal vitamins will lead to constipation. Counteract the constipating affect of the iron by snacking on high fibre crackers and prunes. At this point in time, individually wrapped prunes are commercially available and travel great in your purse or backpack.

Mums-to-be need to take good care of their skin throughout pregnancy as skin cell reproduction is accelerated making it important to keep it moisturised and nourished. 

Huge changes are brought on due to pregnancy hormones so therefore to keep a pregnant body in tip top condition some changes or adjustments may be needed. 

Some simple tips for pregnant skincare 

• It’s really important to take a look at all your normal products just to check that they are suitable for use during pregnancy. Many vitamins and creams will state that you must check with your G.P if you are pregnant or lactating before use. If you are concerned switch to products which clearly state they are suitable for use throughout pregnancy
• Try to use moisturising body creams, washes and a good moisturiser. This will keep your skin supple and will help in the areas where the skin could get stretch marks.
• Although a long soak in the bath may relieve aches and give you time to relax, avoid having the water too hot and don’t spend too long in there, as the water will dehydrate the skin.
• Always use a rich nourishing moisturiser to smother over your skin once you have had your daily shower or bath. Make it part of your daily routine and pay extra attention to your bump. There are lots of organic and homeopathic oils and creams designed especially for pregnancy which may be worth trying out. Although a simple non perfumed moisturiser massaged onto your tummy in large circular motions in a clockwise direction will not only moisturise but to help avoid or aid pregnant constipation.
• Never use soap to wash with as this will strip your body of it’s natural oils, use a moisturising body wash in it’s place. 

Skin can alter greatly throughout your pregnancy so it’s important to find a skincare routine that’s right for you. Pick up lots of testers and try them out until you find what suits you and your pregnant skin.

by: Lyta Humphris

Are you finding it difficult to become pregnant? If so you can do many simple things to improve your chances of conception, the way we live can have a big effect on the reproductive system of both men and women and most people prefer natural ways to increase fertility. You may both have to change your life-style to incorporate healthy influences, and eliminate things you enjoy that reduce your fertility.

Alcohol Reduction
Alcohol can put pregnancy at risk. According to some studies, the risk of miscarriage appears to increase with moderate drinking during the first three months of pregnancy, particularly in the first weeks.

Reducing Stress
Stress can have a big effect on fertility. In women under stress, the reproductive hormone prolactin is over-produced and this can interfere with ovulation. The hypothalamus stops secreting gonadotrophin hormone, which in turn will affect the release of both the luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. As these hormones stimulate ovulation - fertility is affected.
Self help for stress is regular exercise, deep breathing techniques, hypnotherapy and visualization - a combined approach can include the following:

Nutritional Improvement
You should not overlook nutrition in fertility treatment – it is important to have a good level of nourishment that will allow your body to function well, and it is of course a very natural way to increase fertility! Bad eating habits can lower the reserves of nutrients that are necessary for reproductive hormone systems to work properly.
Your hormonal balance and fertility are affected by what you eat, your nutrient levels and how well your digestion works. If you are short of essential fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium, and antioxidants, then your hormone production may be blocked - resulting in an imbalance that makes conception less likely.

Acupuncture

Have you ever wondered about the treatment of infertility with traditional medicine and acupuncture? Good candidates for trying medical acupuncture are people who have unexplained infertility - acupuncture is effective for balancing the body’s energies and raising the receptiveness of the body for conception. Men and women with a physical problem, such as damaged fallopian tubes, or a low sperm count, would be encouraged to try acupuncture in addition to their medical treatment.

Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is exceptionally beneficial and natural way to increase fertility. Hypnotherapists are already using Hypnotherapy to help women give birth peacefully, and teaching them that a normal birth should be a calm and natural process. Learning simple but specialised relaxation, and breathing, and other techniques, make the whole birth easier and more comfortable.
With unexplained infertility, hypnotherapists teach you to let go of the stress you have been holding on to, using specialised relaxation, and breathing techniques. It teaches you to let go of any emotional blocks or worries you may have that can create infertility issues – Hypnotherapy can help you identify and process emotional issues that might be interfering with conception.
In addition to dealing with deep-seated fears, hypnotherapy is effective in stress reduction, and this in turn allows for hormonal rebalancing. This has been seen in cases where there is too much prolactin being produced which can inhibit ovulation. In a relaxed environment at a clinic, you can work together to bring about positive attitudes and beliefs.
You can give your unconscious mind free rein here and allow yourself to be creative, free, and prepared to follow your heart’s wishes.

So there you have it - a range of natural ways to Increase infertility. Choose as many as befits your lifestyle and make things easier for yourself and your baby.

It is so important to take some time to make yourself feel pampered and give you time to relax and put your feet up. You may be finding that your skin is drier than normal, or maybe you have suddenly developed spots and your hair could be looking lank and greasy! 

There are many beauty salons now that have realised that not all pregnant women glow and many of us certainly feel in the need of a little pamper. Check out the pregnancy packages that many salons have on offer, or why not treat yourself to a different treatment each week to give you something to look forward to? 

Perhaps one of the most beneficial things you could do is to indulge in a luxury pedicure.  

As you get larger it can prove extremely difficult to get to your feet with your expanding tummy in the way. The added weight of pregnancy will be putting extra stress on your legs and feet, therefore a good leg and foot massage can aid circulation and help with water retention and swollen ankles. 

Having a foot massage will ease away aches and pains and give you a chance to take the weight off them. If it is not obvious that you are pregnant then remember to tell the therapist as there are certain oils that cannot be used during pregnancy. 

When it’s time to get your toe nails painted try a new colour, some nail art or nail jewels, your feet are doing a great job so make them look fantastic!

Studies have shown that 40% of pregnant women develop varicose veins. 

They can be caused by the increase in blood pressure in the veins of the legs, family history, weight gain and pregnancy hormones which relax the smooth muscle fibres in the wall of your blood vessels. There is a vein on the right hand side of your body called the inferior cava which can have added pressure put on it by your growing uterus and can be another cause. 

There are however, some things you can do to reduce your chances of getting them. 

• Relax and put your feet up, (now you have a great excuse for a rest, as if being pregnant wasn’t enough!) Rest them whenever you get the chance by propping them up on cushions or a chair.
• Try not to cross your legs, it may be a habit but try to stop yourself.
• Avoid standing up for long periods. If your day normally involves lots of standing try to find periods when you can sit and give your legs a rest.
• Sleep on your left hand side and put a pillow behind you to stop you turning over in the night.

The good news is that if you do develop them, they could disappear by around six months after giving birth. If however you find that they don’t and they are causing you pain your G.P will be able to advise you on how you can get them removed.

Hi there,

My name is Louise

I’m the Researcher for a show for Living TV called Extreme: Skinny Celebrity Mums 2.

We are looking for new real mums to take part and talk to us about the pressures of being a new mum.

Our main focus will be the pressure women feel from celebrities to lose their post-pregnancy weight in an unnatural time.

If this sounds like something you are interested in then please e-mail me.

louise.sammon@target-tv.com

ThanksLouise

There have been lots of stories about how pregnant women should not dye their hair as it can be harmful to their unborn child. Is it fact or fiction?

Well there hasn’t been any links found between dyeing your hair and causing any harm to your baby. The chemicals found in modern hair dye are not thought to be highly toxic, either to the mother or the baby.

However if you are still worried and want to avoid any chemicals there are some other methods to consider!

• Ask your hairdresser to give you some highlights or lowlights using foil or easy meche, this way the chemicals used to dye your hair will not actually have contact with your scalp.
• If you really want a full head colour then ask your hairdresser about any herbal or vegetable dyes they have, if they don’t have them they could always order some in for you.

Remember though that due to all the hormones you will be producing due to being pregnant and the fact the thickness of your hair will also be affected it can alter the final result. A colour that you may have used for years could turn out looking a little different!

Keep up the hair and beauty treatments as your body is doing a very special job and you deserve to feel good about yourself!

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