What to Eat While Pregnant

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, what your spouse eats right before and during your pregnancy can affect the health of your growing baby. Even before she starts trying to get pregnant, you should take special care of her health.

Make sure she eats healthy meals and snacks and take a multivitamin every day. If you are both unsure about eating healthy during pregnancy, talk to your doctor.

Does my spouse really need to "eat for two?"

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, your spouse will need additional nutrients to keep her and the baby healthy, while she is pregnant. But, that does not mean she needs to eat twice as much. She should only eat an extra 300 calories per day. A baked potato has 120 calories. So getting these extra 300 calories doesn't take a lot of food.

Make sure she does not to restrict her diet during pregnancy either. If she does, the unborn baby might not get the right amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Low-calorie diets can break down a pregnant woman's stored fat. This can lead to the production of substances called ketones. Ketones can be found in the mother's blood and urine and are a sign of starvation.

Why do pregnant women crave certain foods?

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the desire for "pickles and ice cream" and other cravings might be caused by changes in nutritional needs during pregnancy. The fetus needs nourishment and a woman's body absorbs and metabolizes nutrients differently while pregnant.

These changes help ensure normal development of the baby and fill the demands of breastfeeding once the baby is born.

Other Nutrients Does My Partner Need For a Healthy Pregnancy

Folic Acid: According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Pregnant women need 400 micrograms (400 mcg) of folic acid every day to help prevent birth defects. Folic acid is also important for any woman who could possibly become pregnant. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent serious birth defects of a baby's brain or spine called neural tube defects. Getting enough folic acid can also help prevent birth defects like cleft lip and congenital heart disease.

An easy way to get enough folic acid is to take a multivitamin every day. Most multivitamins sold in the U.S. contain enough folic acid for the day. But be sure to check the label! Choose a multivitamin that contains 400 mcg or 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for folic acid. Getting enough folic acid is most important very early in pregnancy, usually before a woman knows she is pregnant.

So, at least one month before your partner tries to become pregnant you should make sure she is getting enough folic acid. Women who are already pregnant need to get enough folic acid every single day. Another way to get enough folic acid is to start your spouse eating a serving of breakfast cereal that contains 100% DV for folic acid, every day. Check the nutrition label on the box of cereal to be sure. It should say "100%" next to folic acid. Orange juice, spinach and legumes are also good sources of folic acid.

Iron: Pregnant women need twice as much iron - 30 mg per day - than other women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women start taking a low-dose iron supplement (30 mg/day) or a multivitamin with iron beginning at the time of their first prenatal visit. Ask your doctor what she recommends.

Prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor or those you can buy over-the-counter usually have the amount of iron your partner needs. But be sure to check the label to make sure. Pregnant women should also eat lots of iron-rich foods. Some good sources of iron include lean red meat, fish, poultry, dried fruits, whole-grain breads, and iron-fortified cereals. Pregnant women need extra iron for the increased amount of blood in their bodies. Iron helps keep blood healthy. Plus, your baby will store iron in his body to last through the first few months of life. Too little iron can cause a condition called anemia. If your spouse has anemia, she might look pale and feel very tired. Your doctor checks for signs of anemia with the routine blood tests taken at different stages of pregnancy. If your doctor finds that she has anemia, she will give special iron supplements to take once or twice a day.

Calcium: Pregnant women aged 19 to 50 years should get 1,000 mg/day of calcium. Younger pregnant women need even more - 1300 mg/day. Most women in the U.S. don't eat enough calcium. So many pregnant women will have to change their diets to get their fill of this important mineral. Low-fat or non-fat milk, yogurt, cheese or other dairy products are great sources of calcium. Eating green leafy vegetables and calcium-fortified foods like orange juice and breakfast cereal can also provide calcium. If your partner's diet is not providing 1,000 mg/day of calcium, talk to your doctor about taking a calcium supplement.

Water: Pregnant women should drink at least six eight-ounce glasses of water per day. Plus, pregnant women should drink another glass of water for each hour of activity. Water plays a key role in your partner's diet during pregnancy. It carries the nutrients from the food she eats to your baby. It also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections. Drinking enough water, especially in the last trimester, prevents dehydration. Not getting enough water can lead to premature or early labor. Juices also contain water.

But juice also has a lot of calories that can cause one to gain extra weight. Coffee, soft drinks, and teas with caffeine actually reduce the amount of fluid in the body. So caffeinated drinks do not count towards the total amount of water your spouse needs every day.

Common Causes of Breastfeeding Refusal - How to Overcome Nursing Strike

Breastfeeding is the natural act of a woman feeding a newborn or young child with milk produced from her breasts. One of the concerns of new mothers is that their child might refuse breast feeding. There are a number of causes of breast refusal that can overcome a baby's natural reflex to breastfeed. This article will discuss a few of the major causes of breast refusal also known as nursing strike.

One possible cause of breast refusal is formula feeding. Breastfeeding is the most effective method of getting quality nutrients to your newborn baby. While the nutritional makeup of formula can be an effective alternative, the taste is considerably different. Give both breast milk and formula milk a taste test on your own and you will see the difference yourself. Your baby may be refusing the breast because it has begun to recognize the palatable difference between the two fluids.

Another common cause for nursing strike is nipple confusion. The term
"nipple confusion" describes when a baby forgets how to nurse from a mother's nipple because of the introduction of an artificial nipple into their feeding routine. This adjustment period may manifest itself as a nursing strike. For example, the child readily taking a bottle but will cry and refuse a breast. Fortunately, nipple confusion is generally not a problem after the early weeks of a child's life and there are a few easy ways to help avoid nipple confusion. One is to delay feeding from a bottle until your child is at least three or four weeks old. Once bottle feeding begins, ensure that the bottle is being thoroughly rinsed and cleaned after each use.

Poor feeding technique can also result in breast refusal. There are a number steps you can take to ensure that you are practicing the most effective methods for feeding a newborn. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that weighing, measuring, bathing and other testing should wait until after the first feeding between mother and infant is complete.

In the weeks immediately following childbirth, you should make use of a nursing station that you can repeatedly use for feeding your child. The nursing station should allow you to maintain a comfortable position for you to sit with the baby in your arms. If your baby is sleepy, it may be necessary to unwrap the child and check his or her diaper; changing if necessary. Following this sequence can help rouse your child and allow you to nurse.

Breast refusal generally lasts anywhere from two to five days. Because of your care and dedication to giving loving care to your child, getting a baby back to breast may require your utmost patience and persistence. Be aware that until you are able to get your baby to breast you must pump as often as you would normally be nursing. Both breasts should be pumped for around fifteen minutes at least eight times a day. If you avoid routine pumping in lieu of normal feeding you risk decreasing your supply of breast milk. Look for a quality electric breast pump with a double pump kit to help you during nursing strikes and beyond.

It may be helpful to spend some time reviewing the American Academy of Pediatrics policy on breastfeeding. But, be sure to sure check in with your pediatrician if you encounter any significant deviation from normal feeding patterns. With hope and patience you and your child will overcome breast refusal and enjoy the loving connection breastfeeding provides between mother and child.
(c) 2005 NaturalNursing.com

Making Decisions About Maternity Insurance Plans

Making Decisions about Maternity Insurance Plans

Personal health care insurance policies that cover maternity expenses including OB/GYN and the high expenses for new baby ward tend to be much more expensive than similar policies that do not don't consider pregnancy expenses a covered expense. Some of our policy holders pay as much as four hundred extra every month for coverage for pregnancy costs.

Maternity Insurance: When should you add or drop coverage?

In a perfect world, you should be able to add maternity coverage just before you conceive and drop it the day after your final visit with your post pardum visit. However the issue of pre existing conditions and unplanned pregnancy can make your choice of when to change to another health insurance plan more difficult.

Pre-existing Conditions and Pregnancy Coverage

Pregnancy insurance cannot necessarily be added or dropped at any time. If you want to save money by eliminating your maternity coverage and buying a health insurance coverage that does not cover the medical expenses you incur because you are pregnant, you may have a tough time if you have a medical condition. This is also the case when you want to move to an insurance plan that covers maternity. A current pregnancy is considered a preexisting health condition Therefore, if you are pregnant when you apply for your policy or on your policy's effective date, you will be turned down by most private ,medical insurance companies.

A Maternity Insurance Strategy

Many families will do better when they buy with separate policies. Often a plan that will cover maternity will have other coverage which they will find unnecessary. Often the wife should get separate health insurance plan than her husband and the rest of the family.

This works well for most families. However, larger families will usually do better when they purchase one healthcare. Other factors sometimes make a difference. A good personal health insurance broker should be able to help you decide which option is best for you and your family.

Should you buy Maternity Insurance Now?

Not knowing when or if you might have an unplanned pregnancy and when or if you will develop a medical issue which thereby makes it impossible to get an underwritten medical insurance plan makes that a difficult question to answer. I hope that the the article you are reading makes it easier to make an informed decision. Without the ability to know the future, making a perfect decision is not possible.

How To Save On The Cost Of IVF Medicines And Fertility Drugs

The Cost of IVF

The cost of IVF is almost prohibitively high for most people. A young couple that finds out they have fertility difficulties and will need fertility treatments to begin building their family generally has very little in the way of savings. As well, any savings they do have will generally already have been earmarked for something like buying a house, or other such large and pre-planned, expenses. Finding out that one must embark on the path of fertility treatments is going to turn one's life around completely. And that is even before they find out about the cost of IVF and other fertility treatments!

In the United States, where IVF treatments and IVF medicines are not generally covered under the average health insurance plans, the cost of IVF is astronomical. The average cost falls within a range of about $10,000 to about $15,000, with the possibility that it could cost much more. The cost of IVF is dependent on many factors; the state and city in which you live, the particular clinic and doctor involved, the type of medicines the doctor prescribes, and how much, along with how many cycles of treatment it takes for any particular couple to see a successful pregnancy.

Cutting The Cost Of IVF

There are some ways that can be employed to help a couple cut down on the costs of IVF and to help make it more affordable. There are some organizations that help out with the funding, for families that qualify under their terms. One can compare clinics and doctors, and the prices charged, and save a little money by selecting a doctor or clinic that is not the most expensive.

The one method to cut down on the cost of IVF is by finding an alternate source for purchasing the fertility drugs. Some people have tried to search the Internet for the various IVF medications at cheaper prices, and have had some success in buying them at cheaper prices. One can find people selling their unused fertility drugs, such as Follistim or Menopur, on eBay or other such sites, at discounted prices. The problem with this is that when you buy the fertility drugs from random people on the Internet, you have no idea what you are getting. You might be buying expired drugs or you might be buying the remnants of an opened package of fertility drugs. If you are already spending so much money, and even at discounted prices it is not cheap, you don't want to be buying drugs that will lessen your chances of a successful cycle of IVF treatment.

What you can do to cut down the cost of the fertility drugs to find an online pharmacy that specializes in IVF medications and fertility drugs. The online pharmacies, even if they are based out of a bricks and mortar pharmacy somewhere, all sell the IVF medicines for cheaper prices than what they are sold for in the actual drugstores.

The Online Pharmacy Selling Fertility Drugs

If you search out for a reputable online pharmacy that has a division concentrating on fertility drugs, you can rest assured that you are buying, at discounted prices, the same exact top quality drugs you would be buying at your local neighborhood pharmacy, while saving up to 30% of the cost, and sometimes even more, of the fertility drugs.

While the cost of fertility treatments is still high, even after these savings, finding a way to save a few hundred, or even thousand, dollars, depending on the IVF medications prescribed, can be a big help to such a young couple trying to start their young family, making it that much more affordable.

Getting Ready For Pregnancy

Pregnancy is that wonderful time in a woman's life that is memorable, whether it is the first one or second, or even third. Each pregnancy is a whole new experience. No matter how prepared the mother-to-be is, she needs to know whether she is ready for the amazing changes it brings mentally, emotionally and physically.

Naturally, the first thing you would look for if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant is a comprehensive guide to pregnancy that can be your best friend throughout those critical nine months. But let us first find out whether you are ready to get pregnant. We can categorize this into being ready emotionally and physically so that you are mentally prepared.

Being emotionally prepared for pregnancy:

It is no news that parenthood is a 24-hour job. Having a child brings with it changes in lifestyle that you must accept cheerfully most of the time. You might have to make sacrifices like giving up on free time, sleeping late on holidays, etc.

Your partner and you must basically agree on a variety of issues. If there are disagreements, now is the time to talk about them before you conceive. Unless you do this, you cannot prepare yourself emotionally. After all, pregnancy is a major decision and you don't want to have any concerns about it later.

Do not get pressurized into pregnancy simply because your partner is keen. It is important for both your partner and you to look forward to being parents. Suppose you are not in a relationship, you need to be emotionally ready to be a single parent. If you happen to be studying, think about where your baby will fit in.

Another issue to think about now is religious differences if any, since these affect your baby. You also want to be emotionally prepared to be loving parents to a child who has special needs. Think about childcare if both you and your partner go out to work. Discuss all this with your partner.

Being physically prepared for pregnancy:

You definitely want to be in good shape through your pregnancy. To do this, you need to understand that the health of your baby will depend on your health as well as your partner's. Did you know that your baby's organs start forming in the first four weeks of pregnancy even before you realize you are pregnant? So before you conceive, there are many things you can do from your side to ensure the best for your baby. These are:

• Take folic acid daily before your pregnancy


• Get a thorough check up both with your physician and dentist


• Make sure you eat healthy


• Give up smoking and this includes passive smoke


• Stop alcohol


• Stop non-prescription drugs


• Stay healthy, avoiding infections that can harm your baby


• Discuss your family health history with your physician


• Be relaxed and avoid stress

A large part of getting ready for pregnancy lies in your control and your guide to pregnancy can tell you how. Also remember to discuss finances with your partner and plan ahead so that you are well prepared. Start saving now - in fact make it a habit to save. Make sure your health insurance is up to date.

When you are prepared for your pregnancy, it can be the best time of your life!

Note: The information here is not intended to replace your doctor's advice. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, please contact your doctor.

Do You Need Temporary Health Insurance Between Jobs?

If you are between jobs you may be looking for temporary health insurance. You can find several companies that have temporary insurance in your area, by doing an online search. Just type in temporary insurance and you will likely get a map where you can select your state or region. You will get a list of the available carriers in your area. Not all insurance carriers have temporary health insurance. Compare the coverage options available, as well as the premiums. Many people find that the premiums are fairly affordable.

You can do a comparison of the different plans to see which one best fits your needs. A temporary policy will cover most of the things that are covered with a regular major medical plan, with some extra restrictions. No pre-existing conditions will be covered on a temporary policy. If you have a pre-exisiting condition you need to let the company know upfront. If you don't let them know about it, you may have problems if you need to make a claim. Temporary insurance will only cover accidents and conditions that develop during your coverage period.

Temporary health insurance plans will not cover maternity care even if you get pregnant after the policy is in force. Maternity coverage usually requires a special rider on individual or family plans. Temporary plans do not allow riders for pregnancy. Most temporary plans are for 6 months up to one year. Many people think that it is cheaper to get one temporary policy and then another one after that one is over. This is typically not a good idea. It is better to get a long term individual or family plan than to continue with temporary health insurance. Your benefits will be much better on the long term policy over the life of the plan. A temporary health insurance plan should only be used for a short period of time.

How to Lose Weight Naturally to Help You Get Pregnant

If you are a woman, overweight and finding it difficult to get pregnant, you must lose at least 66 pounds to aid your getting pregnant. You can achieve this quickly and naturally without taking diet pills or drugs. This article will address how to lose weight naturally to help you get pregnant.

If you weigh over 220 pounds and you are a woman, this is frightening. It will not only inhibit pregnancy, but it is also very dangerous for your health.

You must eat healthy foods to lose weight naturally. This will give your body the needed nutrients to help you get pregnant. The following foods will help you burn off the excess body fats. Almonds, grapefruit, raw banana, cold potato, navy beans, pears, oatmeal, lentils, cold pasta, dark chocolates, wholegrain bread, apples, avocados, olives, nuts and seeds.

Get a handful of almonds and eat as much as you can every day, with a healthy diet. This will help you to lose weight naturally. You should always have almonds handy and snack with it.

You should eat half a grapefruit before every meal. Grapefruit helps regulate insulin and thus will help you to lose weight and aid your getting pregnant. Grapefruit alone can help you lose over one pound a week, even if your diet remains the same. But, if you are on blood pressure medication, grapefruit may cancel the effect of your medication.

Learn to drink about 16 - 24 ounces of water before every meal. Drinking plenty of water will make your body to release the water in your muscles, and you will start experiencing weight loss.

Try to increase your physical activity. You can start an intensive exercise you enjoy doing. Exercise that makes your heart pump more blood. Make sure you devote at least 45 - 60 minutes 6 days a week in doing the exercise. This will help you to burn some calories.

You can work on your metabolism by doing a detox to flush out accumulated toxins from your body. There are foods like cayenne pepper, fish, fruits, vegetables, cinnamon, whole grains, etc all help to speed up your metabolism. Ensure you eat a healthy breakfast every day. Do not eat any heavy food before you sleep.

Ensure your body is not deficient of the right amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Eat healthily and exercise regularly. Once you can stick to these, you will lose weight naturally and get pregnant.

What You Should Know Before Becoming a Surrogate Mother

Surrogacy is perhaps one of the most selfless acts that a woman can bestow upon a couple in need of a child. Surrogacy, however, can come with both physical and physiological risks that may or may not be easy to recover from. Understanding what the psychological risks of surrogate motherhood can make the transition from carrying a child to relinquishing that child easier.

The psychological risks of surrogate motherhood may be a heavier burden to carry, but pre-screening and on-going counseling both before and after the event can help surrogate mothers adjust. There are four areas that are of particular interest in the psychological aspect of surrogacy: contact (bonds), control, closure and ethics. Surrogate mothers form relationships with the couples they surrogate for and that bond may perhaps be even stronger than the bond they may feel for the child they are carrying. They see and talk to their couples regularly and become used to the caring bestowed upon them from their couples. These bonds are strengthened by the routine prenatal visits, maternity clothes shopping, calls to see how they are feeling or if they need anything for comfort. These routine events cause them to become almost dependent on their couples and some surrogates report even becoming depressed after the birth not because of having to relinquish the child, but because they no longer have a reason for contact with their couples.

Another one of the psychological risks of surrogate motherhood is that of closure. Often, this can go hand in hand with every contact or bonding issues. The routines and relationships developed between the surrogate, couples and medical staff that often make the transition from pregnancy and surrogacy to the birth and farewell stage that makes it difficult. Not only does the surrogate have to deal with the loss of a child, per se, but also the loss of those unique and caring relationships and routines that they have grown used to over the previous nine months.

And finally, there are many ethical issues that arise from surrogacy that add to the risks of surrogate motherhood. The surrogate not only has to deal with her own personal religious and sociological beliefs of giving up a child that she has carried for nine months but she also has to deal with how other people within her community view her decision to essentially give up a child and how those views can also affect her own family.

Each of these psychological issues are recognized as risks of surrogate motherhood and each should be addressed during mandatory counseling before, during and after pregnancy to ensure that the surrogate remains mentally healthy and able to relinquish the baby with a clear mind. Contact or bonds are formed almost immediately with the parent couples and caretakers and may even be stronger than those formed with the baby and that understanding this may ease any closure issues at the end. Control issues should be discussed and comprises need to be made so that the surrogate, who inevitably has the most to loose, still feels in control of her own body, yet still assuring the safety of the baby she is carrying. And last, but not least, ethical issues should be discussed to ensure that the surrogate is comfortable with questions from her community and family.

Teen Pregnancy - 3 Ways You Can Help

When a teenage girl becomes pregnant, both she and her male partner will need an exceptional amount of support from their parents and friends. However, a teen pregnancy puts so much stress on family relationships that those closest to the expecting couple could find it difficult to know how to help.

Even though the rate of teen pregnancy is dropping in the United States because of the increased availability of contraception, as many as 750,000 young women under the age of 18 could become pregnant this year. If you happen to know one of these girls or her partner, you may be in a position to offer the guidance and assistance that they need. The following suggestions may help:

- Remain Nonjudgmental.

If you are a close family member, the pregnancy may affect your life so much that it's hard to remain nonjudgmental. However, try to remember that most teenage couples do not intend to become pregnant. Teens are fully aware of the social stigmas and financial problems that the pregnancy will cause, and they know they need to make choices that could affect them for many years. Both the girl and her boyfriend will need help to sort out the possible options, so they can consider all available alternatives with an open mind.

Historically, girls married soon after puberty - in biblical times a girl would be married when she was 12 years old or soon thereafter. Marriage (and pregnancy) are now discouraged before a young woman has finished her education and begun her career. Our society's expectations have changed because of the financial costs of becoming a parent too soon.

Most teens are deeply concerned about how their families will react, whether or not they will still be accepted by their family and friends, whether or not their boyfriends will stick around, and whether or not they'll be able to afford to raise their child if their education is cut short.

Since the father will also be expected to assist in the financial support of the child, he will have natural fears about his future. If he clearly understands all his options, he will be better able to make a responsible decision. You can help by remaining objective and letting him talk about his fears and concerns without judgment.

- Get informed.

If the teenager you know is considering all the options to her pregnancy, you can help by learning more about those options.

A call to your state's Medicaid office or Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP) will let you know if your teenage friend will be eligible for financial assistance from these agencies. It will also help to find out how much financial assistance the father of the baby will be required to provide. If the pregnancy was unintentional, as most teen pregnancies are, the young woman may be reluctant to ask the baby's father for assistance. However, the state will probably have strict rules about parental support that cannot be ignored.

If your teenage friend is considering other options, such as terminating the pregnancy or giving the child up for adoption, you will be able to find information from the Planned Parenthood office near you, or from a local adoption agency. These are very emotional decisions for any couple to make, so your loving support and guidance will be truly appreciated.

- Suggest counseling.

No matter how carefully you attempt to stay non-judgmental when talking to the pregnant teen and her partner, and no matter how much research you do to stay informed about any options they may choose, it is still a good idea to suggest counseling. A good counselor will be able to hear all the young couple's concerns from a completely objective point of view, and will be well-versed in all available local resources.

The parents of both the young woman and her partner should also consider counseling, since the pregnancy could have a huge impact on their lives.

A counselor is specially trained to help teens make the best possible choices for their future. Laws protect the privacy of the client if the counselor is licensed as a social worker, counselor or psychologist, so the teen will be free to speak her mind. The counselor will be one more person who cares about the teenager at a time when she needs all the support she can get. Unless the counselor is associated with a church or association with its own specific agenda, the expectant mother will be encouraged to take an objective look at all ramifications of her situation. The counselor will help the young couple decide if they're ready to be parents, and point the couple to all available resources. Teens can find counselors through their school, or by calling their local Planned Parenthood office.

8 Tips to Help You Losing Belly Fat After Pregnancy Fast

Your baby has come and she is the cutest baby in the world but you think that now is the time to join the 'Losing Belly Fat after Pregnancy' club. The initiation, well, you just paid it and the dues are what you want to put in to it. That does not mean that it is all down hill from here, far from it, however, your body will recover. Your body can recover more quickly when you follow a few simple ideas.

1. Make sure that you breast feed, if you are able. This helps your baby and it helps you to lose weight. Did you know that? They don't really know why, it just does. Drink lots of water. Breastfeeding makes you want to eat more and that's not what you want to be doing so drinking that water when you wake up and before each meal helps you to feel full and you will not eat as much.

2. Clean up your cupboards and refrigerator. Get rid of all those food stuffs that you know are not good for you. You don't need them and you will be doing fine with the items that are listed in any good diet book. So, eat healthy!

3. While you are eating healthier eat more often. No, I don't mean to chow down at each of 4 - 5 meals a day. You need to be thinking about eating less, more often. This little bit at a time, along with the water should keep you feeling full most of the time.

4. Take a little time when you can to learn about nutrition. Find out a little bit more about the foods that are good for you and ensure that you think through your menu items, again.

5. Metabolic enhancers turn your body into a fat burner! (Chili, for example)

6. Don't dread exercising, now. You have a buddy to go with you on your walks! You probably got a stroller at one of those baby showers, get it out! You can get your heart rate up to the proper place for your body type form the needed 30 minutes and you can have that heart to heart with your youngish at the same time. Some of the modern strollers with allow you to jog a little as well.

7. There is always safety in numbers, so if you have someone else to go with by all means do so. This can be motivating factor, as well. Take your doctors advice for all of this exercise stuff.

8. While we are talking about exercises, make sure that the ones that you do early on, say, before your 12th week after... is not high impact. You should not be bouncing and jumping a lot.

Maternity Health Insurance Is Really Important

Maternity health insurance is really important. Keeping track of your pregnancy month after month is very important and can be done by a doctor or a midwife. Whether or not personally follow your pregnancy, your doctor is there to ensure you get the best possible monitoring. He will, given your personal situation and will advise you, inform you, accompany you. The midwife can ensure, independently, monitor your pregnancy if it poses no risks, you give birth, and monitor your child after birth. Under the coordination of care with the physician, the midwife informed with your agreement, changes in your health. This information will be useful to your doctor for follow-up after childbirth. Depending on your needs, for medical, psychological or social, your doctor or midwife can refer you to other professionals: medical specialist, nurse, pediatric nurse, dietitian, psychologist, social worker, technician, social intervention and family. All these charges are covered by the maternity health insurance.

Monitoring your pregnancy during the first months is important. To ensure the smooth progress of your pregnancy and prepare for better delivery, you have the support the monitoring throughout your pregnancy with seven physician visits before the birth and further systematic reviews. First to fifth month, your medical expenses are reimbursed at the usual rates using the health insurance. Only your compulsory medical examinations (follow-up consultations, preparatory meetings at birth) are supported 100% within the basic rates of health insurance. For these exams, you are exempt from the flat fee of 1 euro and the medical deductible on drugs, paramedical acts and transports.

First follow-up consultation with your doctor or midwife care is to 100% by the health insurance. This consultation must take place before the end of the third month of pregnancy. It is during this review that the health professional will give you the document "First prenatal checkup" that used to declare your pregnancy, and a brochure containing the main addresses you may need during your pregnancy (Health Insurance Fund, credit union family allowance, PMI, etc).

The health professional then prescribes a first scan support to 70%. An ultrasound is scheduled quarterly to monitor the growth and health of your child; first blood tests taken over 100% (blood group, screening for rubella, toxoplasmosis, hepatitis B, etc). It may also offer depending on your situation: Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer of the uterus. This smear is assumed at 70%; fetal karyotype and amniocentesis for the detection of some genetic diseases supported 100%, subject to the fetal karyotype, the prior approval of the medical service of your Health Insurance Fund.

Yoga For a Pregnant Woman

We cannot overemphasize the delicate condition that most women experience during pregnancy. In fact, as a pregnant woman, you are encouraged to seek prenatal and postnatal care to make this difficult stage in your life more bearable. Health care providers encourage you to perform regular exercises that are suitable to your condition. These exercises are expected to make you better fit during the entire nine- month period and lessen difficult moments during your labor and childbirth.

Have you ever thought about practicing yoga during pregnancy? Did you know that nowadays, more and more pregnant women resort to yoga to prepare them for the painful moment of childbirth, and even the challenging world of motherhood?

Being pregnant will of course not allow you just to perform the regular routines that require strenuous postures which may pose complications to your delicate condition. You shall not be allowed to do back bending; balancing poses on one leg, camel, handstands and headstands as well as upward bow, to ensure the safety of both you and your baby.

Breathing techniques used during yoga exercises provide oxygen to your whole body. This gives benefit to the fetus because of the pumping in of the charged blood. In addition, the breathing exercises result to the soothing of muscle tension and muscle cramps which are always normally experienced during pregnancy.

In terms of physical fitness, the mild yogic exercises allowed for pregnant women like you will help maintain your muscle tone. These muscle tones are particularly for the back and the pelvis, the body parts that take on the most pressure during the nine-month period of pregnancy and one year thereafter.

On the other hand, yogic sleep calms the mind and body and to some extent prevents the trauma during childbirth. Stretching and gentle toning exercises modified specifically for you can really work wonderfully to prepare your body not only for delivering your baby but for caring as well. Prenatal and postnatal depressions are common problems of would-be mothers like you. But practicing yoga exercises calms and relaxes the mind and allows your worries and fears to vanish. The peace within you descends to your child and this makes childbirth bearable.

Generally speaking, the great benefits you can acquire with the practice of yoga during pregnancy cannot be outweighed by the risks other people may think about. To avoid any risk and enjoy the full benefits of a peaceful and enjoyable journey to motherhood, you have the responsibility of checking it out first with your doctor if you are in the right condition to practice yoga.

Because different people have different strengths and weaknesses, what is usually good to one may not be good for you. You have to carefully check with your yoga teacher which exercises are allowed during each stage of pregnancy. You should also be able to share with him if you have certain conditions that may prevent you from doing certain positions or exercises. But most of all, you should be very conscious about the effects of each activity to you as you go along to ensure that you and your baby are protected from harm.

Five Things to Do After A Positive Pregnancy Test

There are a number of things you should do after you take a pregnancy test and it turns out to be positive. You can start stocking up on diapers and wipes, you can set up a crib and paint the nursery, etc. However, here are the top five things you should do after a positive pregnancy test:

1. Tell your spouse, friends, and family. It helps to get some people on your side. Many doctors will tell you not to let the news out of the bag until you are at least twelve to fourteen weeks along and you are past the point of the highest miscarriage rate. However, sometimes those first twelve to fourteen weeks are also the weeks where you feel the sickest and need the most support as your body transitions to pregnancy and often leaves you feeling ill and exhausted. So, get your support team in place. Make sure your husband or significant other is in place ready to pick up the slack on the days you just need to stay in bed.

2. Get anti-nausea foods, and foods to help you eat right. If you have taken a positive pregnancy test, it is time to throw out the junk foods, and stock your fridge with anti-nausea and high health foods. You will want plenty of fresh foods, lean protein, whole grain, etc. This will help your day to day health improve, and give your baby all of the vitamins, minerals, etc. that it needs to be healthy and born on time, etc. It is also going to mean you bounce back from pregnancy faster, have more energy and feel better throughout it.

3. Set an appointment to see your doctor. You will want to call your OBGYN as soon as the stick tells you that you are pregnant. You will want to make sure that you start getting treatment and care from the beginning of your pregnancy. This will help you avoid problems, will ensure better care for your baby, and of course get you all the perks like knowing for sure you are pregnant, hearing the heart beat, seeing the fetus on the ultrasound monitor, etc.

4. Rest up. The next thing you want to consider is the fact that during the later stages of pregnancy you will be uncomfortable and won't sleep well. After your baby is born, you will find that sleep is not something that comes readily, especially since you are going to be up all night with crying, feedings, and diaper changes. So, don't go into with sleep deprivation. Get your sleep bank as full as possible, it will make life a little easier for you in the long run.

5. Start taking prenatal vitamins. They may taste gross, and could make you feel sick, but they can also make sure your baby is healthy, and prevent some serious problems. So, ask for a prescription from your doctor's office, and take them daily.

Using Lavender Essential Oil During Pregnancy

Lavender essential oil (Latin name Lavendula angustifolia) is considered the safest of all the essential oils used in aromatherapy. Even so, it is not advisable to use this versatile oil in the first three months of pregnancy as there is always a possibility that it may bring on a miscarriage. The fact is that although lavender is completely natural, essential oils contain the essence of the plant they are extracted from, and are very powerful.

That being said, there are many ways in which lavender can help over the later months of pregnancy. It is particularly beneficial for stretch marks. These can appear in the later stages of pregnancy on the upper thighs and the abdomen. Massaging four drops of lavender mixed with palm full of jojoba oil into the abdomen and thighs daily will help to prevent stretch marks from forming and to help reduce their appearance if they have already started to form. Skin tends to become drier during pregnancy, and the combination of lavender and oil helps by moisturizing the skin and preserving its elasticity.

Lavender also helps to combat the daily stress of pregnancy, particularly in the later stages when the body becomes unwieldy and sleep is disturbed. Lavender soothes and calms the nerves, helping to relieve tension, stress and anxiety. It also helps ease insomnia, and a couple of drops on the pillow when retiring for the night will help to ensure a good night's sleep.

During labour lavender can be used to calm, and as a pain reliever. Rubbing four drops of lavender mixed with a palm full of jojoba oil into the back will ease backache and have a calming effect. However, it should be noted that lavender should not be used in labour at the same time as Pethidine, with an epidural, or with Oxytocin/Piticon, as it may interfere with their function. If you have any doubts about this, consult first with your health advisor before using the oil.

After the birth lavender can help a new mother to recover from the trauma of delivery. Taking a warm bath to which eight drops of lavender mixed with a palm full of jojoba oil have been added, is not only relaxing, but will relieve pain and help to prevent infection. The bath will also help to ease any other conditions, such as hemorrhoids, sore or cracked nipples or a poor breast milk supply.

In all, used with precaution, lavender can be a great aid in both pregnancy, and the immediate period afterwards.

Before Starting ICSI - Take Two Steps to Make Treatments More Affordable

Before starting with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatments, take two steps to make your treatments more affordable. Your health insurance policy may or may not cover your treatment costs, so learn the tax rules relating to un-reimbursed medical expenses. ICSI enjoys fertilization rate of 75% - 85%, which suggests your odds are good that you may become pregnant and deliver a baby. Translate those favorable odds into a positive insurance payoff. Buy supplemental insurance that covers your normal pregnancy and delivery.

ICSI Tax Considerations

If you are like many couples, your health insurance may limit coverage, or not even cover your ICSI treatments at all. Keep in mind that what you pay out of pocket is considered un-reimbursed medical expenses. These can be deducted on your tax return. Amounts above 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) may provide some tax relief. Use your employer's flexible spending account, get tax savings on your first dollar of expenses, and avoid the AGI trap all together.

ICSI Treatment Success Rates

In ICSI treatments utilize specialized needles to pick up individual sperm, and inject the sperm directly into the woman's egg. This will usually result in normal fertilization in about 75-85% of eggs injected with sperm. Pregnancy rates are slightly higher with this procedure as it tends to be used most frequently in case of male factor cases. The egg quality is often better than procedures dealing with female factor cases.

Play the ICSI Odds

If your chances of conception are high when using ICSI, consider purchasing supplemental insurance before starting your procedure. Supplemental insurance will pay cash benefits directly to you for your normal labor and delivery. Your benefit may greatly exceed the premium you pay. Use the excess to offset any left over ICSI costs, or to fund your maternity leave.

You also will gain important security in case of complications - all at no additional cost.

Elective C-Section - Would You Do It?

It's the latest thing. As fashionable as Kabbalah, without all the studying. Madonna did it. So did Elizabeth Hurley. Cesarean section by choice has become almost a fad of sorts. Do Yoga at 8 a.m. Have your baby at 10 a.m. It not only fits your schedule, but your doctors and you get the added benefit of avoiding anything remotely like a labor pain.

Sandy, 34, had an elective Cesarean section and frequently encourages other women to do the same.

"It is so exciting to finally hear other women and members of the obstetric community saying what I have said for the last six years," she said. "I had an elective Cesarean section with my first pregnancy because I had a wonderful female OB who respected my desire to avoid vaginal and pelvic floor trauma. My section was awesome - wide awake and no pain, I was up walking in less than 8 hours."

Diverse attitudes between doctors and mothers about the "right" way to deliver a baby are not only causing confusion for new mothers who are frightened about their first labor and delivery experience, but divisiveness among feminists. For many years feminists fought for the right to take control of their bodies once again and deliver babies naturally without the unnecessary medical intervention that women throughout much of the twentieth century were subjected to. Now, a new generation of feminists assert that it is also their right to choose to deliver their baby without pain. But how safe is an elective Cesarean section?

Some studies and doctors claim that elective Cesarean is just as safe if not more so than a vaginal delivery and that the possible side effects of a vaginal delivery make c-section even more attractive.

Dr. Jennifer Berman, a urologist, author and television personality, said that she elected to have a Cesarean section with her second child and wished she had done so with her first.

"I had a very difficult time with the delivery of my son, Max in December, 1999. I was in labor for 18 hours, which was made more difficult by the fact that I had an epidural too early, which in turn caused the birth process to slow down.

"Max was supposed to have been a seven-pound baby, but was actually nine pounds, eight ounces. His head and shoulders got stuck in the birth canal and he suffered fetal distress. Given my body habitus, he should have been delivered c-section, but I persevered and delivered vaginally.

"My second reason for choosing c-section stems from the work I've done as a urologist. During a reconstructive surgery fellowship last year, I saw women who suffered the effects of incontinence and prolapse. These effects are directly related to vaginal delivery.

"In cases where women are predisposed to incontinence and prolapse, doctors are willing to perform c-section. I experienced incontinence for seven months after Max's birth and it began to recur during this pregnancy.

"Had I seen patients with such problems before Max was born, I would have elected to have a c-section with him, too. I decided that I didn't want to risk more incontinence or prolapse in the future."

A study performed by H. P. Dietz, MD (Heidelberg) and M. J. Bennett, MD (UCT) and published in the August 2003 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, concluded that: Vaginal birth, in particular operative delivery, negatively affects pelvic organ support. This appears to be true for all three vaginal compartments. All forms of cesarean delivery were associated with relatively less pelvic organ descent. These findings may partly explain the protective effect of elective cesarean delivery for future symptoms of pelvic floor disorders."

Dietz and Bennett studied a total of 200 women, recruited early in their first pregnancy, and examined them during the first and early second trimester, the late third trimester and between two and five months postpartum. A total of 169 women or 84.5 percent showed highly significant increases in organ mobility. In addition, the length of the second stage of labor correlated with an increase in pelvic organ descent, suggesting that vaginal delivery is a major contributor to pelvic organ prolapse.

However, what many advocates of elective Cesarean section do not mention is the fact that the same study also states that the most significant pelvic floor damage occurred in women who experienced an operative vaginal delivery.In particular, women whose babies were delivered with the help of forceps or vacuum extraction experienced the highest degree of damage. In addition, Dr. W. Benson Harer, Jr., president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, while maintaining that every woman should have the right to choose between a Cesarean section and a vaginal delivery, also concedes that many pelvic floor issues (urinary incontinence, uterine and bladder prolapse) can be prevented by improved labor and birth techniques.

Episiotomies are also associated with pelvic floor damage and long-term complications. They have been proven to be unnecessary and harmful in most births, yet the majority of American women are still subjected to this surgical procedure during a vaginal birth.

The belief that Cesarean section is much safer for the baby is also contentious. In fact, the risks to the baby can be substantial. Cesarean section is major surgery and brings with it many risks to both mother and child. Babies born by Cesarean section do not receive the natural stimulation that comes from moving down the birth canal, and therefore must often be given oxygen or a rub down to help them breathe. They also miss out on the natural hormones that are released during vaginal birth to help the baby during his first moments of life.

According to the Mayo Clinic's Complete Book of Pregnancy & Baby's First Year the risks of Cesarean section are substantial for mother and child:

1. Premature birth. If the due date was not accurately calculated, the baby could be delivered too early.

2. Breathing problems. Babies born by Cesarean are more likely to develop breathing problems such as transient tachypnea [abnormally fast breathing during the first few days after birth].

3. Low Apgar scores. Babies born by Cesarean sometimes have low Apgar scores. The low score can be an effect of the anesthesia and Cesarean birth, or the baby may have been in distress to begin with. Or perhaps the baby was not stimulated as he or she would have been by vaginal birth.

4. Fetal injury. Although rare, the surgeon can accidentally nick the baby while making the uterine incision.

Risks to the mother are more common and include:

* 1. Infection. The uterus or nearby pelvic organs such as the bladder or kidneys can become infected.

* 2. Increased blood loss. Blood loss on the average is about twice as much with Cesarean birth as with vaginal birth. However, blood transfusions are rarely needed during a Cesarean.

* 3. Decreased bowel function. The bowel sometimes slows down for several days after surgery, resulting in distention, bloating and discomfort.

* 4.Respiratory complications. General anesthesia can sometimes lead to pneumonia.

* 5. Longer hospital stay and recovery time. Three to five days in the hospital is the common length of stay, whereas it is less than one to three days for a vaginal birth.

* 6. Reactions to anesthesia. The mother's health could be endangered by unexpected responses (such as blood pressure that drops quickly) to anesthesia or other medications during the surgery.

* 7. Risk of additional surgeries. For example, hysterectomy and bladder repair.Researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine also studied the effects of Cesarean section and the results were alarming. After a seven year, population-based, case-control study in North Carolina, the researchers concluded that Cesarean sections cause two to four times more women to die as a result of childbirth than in vaginal deliveries.The authors looked at many factors: demographics, medical risk factor, pre-term delivery, use of prenatal care and health care services, including mode of delivery, to determine what factors were associated with maternal mortality. Style of birth (Cesarean or vaginal) was the most significant factor related to maternal mortality, although whether or not the mother sought prenatal care also had an effect. The study found that the pregnancy-related mortality rate among women with Cesarean deliveries was 35.9 deaths per 100,000 Cesarean deliveries with a live-birth outcome compared to 9.8 deaths per 100,000 vaginal deliveries without complications. The mortality rate for the population presumed to have had elective Cesareans was 18.4 per 100,000 Cesarean deliveries.They concluded, "Removing barriers to and actively promoting use of prenatal care services and decreasing the rate of Cesarean deliveries could decrease the number of pregnancy-related deaths."

The increase in Cesarean section births, whether electively or by doctor's order, in the United States is staggering. The World Health Organization (WHO) states, No region in the world is justified in having a Cesarean rate greater than 10 to 15 percent. However, more than one fourth of all children born in the United States in 2002 were delivered by Cesarean; the total Cesarean delivery rate of 26.1 percent was the highest level ever reported in the United States. While the Cesarean delivery rate declined during the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, it has been on the rise since 1996. In addition, the number of Cesarean births to women with no previous Cesarean birth jumped 7 percent and the rate of vaginal births after previous Cesarean delivery (VBACs) dropped 23 percent.

Despite all of the efforts to convince mothers that Cesarean section is just as safe if not more safe for mother and child than vaginal delivery, the United States still ranks 8 in infant mortality among industrialized nations (behind the Czech Republic and Cuba) as of 1998.in the world for maternal death. However the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that maternal deaths are underreported by one half to two thirds, and that half of US maternal deaths are preventable. The rate of death due to childbirth has not decreased since 1982, and increased in 1999.

In an editorial for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Ingrid Nygaard and Dr. Dwight Cruickshank argue that while they believe offering healthy women who plan small families an elective Cesarean section is justifiable, they do not condone such a recommendation on a routine basis.

"There are many unanswered questions regarding elective Cesarean delivery at term, and it is important that we try to answer them before making this part of the informed consent process. How should we manage the woman who goes into labor before 39 weeks? Is there a point in labor (dilatation and descent) at which time it is too late for Cesarean delivery to benefit the pelvic floor? At least in terms of anorectal physiology, the protective effect of Cesarean delivery is pronounced only if delivery is affected before a cervical dilatation of 8 cm. Is there a fetal size or gestational age below which vaginal delivery is not deleterious to the pelvic floor? As more US women become obese, will the risks of elective Cesarean delivery be greater than anticipated? Obesity itself is a risk factor for urinary incontinence, which may further decrease the value of preventive Cesarean delivery in this population. Given that some racial and ethnic groups are more predisposed to prolapse and incontinence than others, do we manage all patients similarly, or do we take such considerations into account? How should we analyze the economics of Cesarean delivery on demand? Projecting future cost should not rely on the arbitrary charge structure in place today. How do we balance the cost of elective Cesarean delivery with that of treatments for pelvic floor disorders?

"Given the absence of rigorous scientific evidence, we believe that it is currently ill advised to routinely give all prenatal patients the choice of their desired mode of delivery. What appears to be a fairly low-risk proposition in non-obese healthy women having only one or two children is likely not inconsequential in obese women, women with poor nutritional states or medical illnesses, or women who will have several Cesarean deliveries."

What most obstetricians and midwives do agree on, whether for or against elective Cesarean section, is that mothers need to be informed about all of their options and the benefits and risks of both. Childbirth, even in the 21st century, is still risky business and having all of the information available is the only way mothers can be certain they are receiving the best care.

Postpartum Perineal Pain Management Tips

A woman goes through great physical and emotional stress during the birthing process. Much attention is given to the pain during labor, that some females don't expect postpartum pain to cause too much discomfort. Females usually complain of the discomfort due to vaginal tearing or an episiotomy. An episiotomy is an incision that is performed by the doctor to facilitate passage of the baby. Though the incision may be small in size, it may result in too much discomfort since the perineum is an extremely tender region. The pain may intervene with a new mother's normal activities, and even maternal and child bonding. In order to promote comfort and therapy through this time, right here are some suggestions:

1. Apply cold therapy after delivery. Ice packs are necessary during the first 24 hours after giving birth simply because it could reduce perineal edema. It also lessens pain and encourages healing. Be certain that you wrap the ice pack with a towel before applying, in order to avoid thermal injury.

2. Administer hot therapy 24 hours after delivery. Cold therapy throughout this time is no longer therapeutic. In order to promote healing, circulation to the area must be increased. Hot pack applications promote increased flow therefore promoting comfort and healing. Again, make sure it is lined with a thin towel to stop occurrence of burns.

3. Do Kegel's exercises. Most women find that if they perform perineal exercises three to four times a day greatly relieves their discomfort. The exercise requires that you contract and relax the muscle groups of the perineum as if interrupting the flow of urine. When you contract the muscle groups surrounding the vagina, you need to hold it for roughly 3 seconds before you relax. This ought to be repeated ten times every interval.

4. Sit down correctly to stop further stretching. Squeeze your buttocks together as you sit down. If you feel that uncomfortable, you can use a doughnut-shaped cushion to relieve the pressure.

5. Use witch hazel preparations. Though it is normally utilized to provide comfort for hemorrhoids, it additionally relieves perineal pain due to its soothing effects. The pads can be tucked between the perineum and sanitary pads to promote comfort.

6. Squirt warm water over the perineum during urination. Females may find urinating after giving birth to be really painful. By squirting warm water over the perineum, it greatly lessens the burning sensation thus promoting relief.

7. Stay well hydrated. That can promote proper bowel function in order to avoid straining during a bowel movement. Straining will only aggravate the problem simply because it can stretch the episiotomy scar. Adding fiber rich foods to your diet regime may additionally be helpful.

8. Perineal hygiene is really important. In order for your incision or wound to heal faster,it is best to stay clean to steer clear of postpartum infections. If you notice that your pain has intensified, or if it has become swollen with pus-like discharges, notify your medical doctor right away. These are signs of infection and your doctor may prescribe treatments necessary to fight off infection.

9. Ask your medical doctor as to what medicines it is possible to take to relieve pain. Most health professionals may prescribe topical medications in the form of gels or sprays. Be certain that you know how to correctly apply it in order to obtain pain relief.

A woman may go through various discomforts even after giving birth of her baby, but with good care, the road to recovery will not be long. If you were able to surpass the challenges of labor and delivery, then surely you will be able to manage this stage as well.

Types of Available Financial Help For Pregnant Women

In today's world, many women fear getting pregnant because of the 'cost' involved. This is one time when expenses sky-rockets with monies to be spent on medical checkups, supplement needs as well as the kind of diets that one should be adhering to. Apart from the expenses during pregnancy period, there is also the concern of expenses that comes with child-birth comes. In addition there are other items to think about such as the possibility of cesarean sessions, baby products to be bought, renovations and baby furniture that should be put in place. The truth is, childbirth is pretty expensive these days.

As a pregnant woman, one of the things that come to mind amidst all these is the thought of whether there is any kind of financial help for pregnant women. Well the good news is that there is financial help for pregnant women. The best place to start when seeking for financial help as a pregnant woman is the local health department in your county.

One of the many available is MedicAid. MedicAid assists with the expense that is incurred after childbirth. Expenses such as consultations with the doctor, inoculations and other kinds of treatment that the newborn may need are taken care of by MedicAid. Most of these financial help for pregnant women programs do not directly give money but in terms of reimbursement and subsidies. Another one of them is WIC (Women Infants and Children) which gives basic food necessities such bread, peanuts and milk to mothers, infants and children.

There are other grants given by the government or special bodies to pregnant women and single mothers. These monies are given to help support with the needs before and after childbirth. Some are specifically tailor made for certain people for example if you are a single mother or if you are pregnant. Whichever way, you can find relevant form of financial help for yourself as a pregnant woman and even after you have given birth to your baby. Other kinds of grants available are in the form of food supplies and other basic needs of a pregnant woman.

These financial aids can be applied on the internet or in the local health department of your county. You do not have to fear though, because if you are qualified the support you need before and after childbirth will most likely be granted. Therefore, do ensure you provide sufficient and correct information when applying in order to stand a good chance of getting the financial aid. Good luck.

40 And Counting - Forward To Pregnancy

Are you one of those desperate women who are hopeful 40's, looking forward to donning a maternity dress, eager to flaunt a baby bump and thrilled to see a healthy, kicking, bundle-of joy at the end of nine months pregnancy? Well, if you are, do not be disappointed to find out that pregnancy at an advance age is not as easy as finding a nice, comfy maternity dress. You need to consider first how to get pregnant at 40 and decide if you can take the first challenge towards motherhood. Will you be willing to undergo routines, procedures and braved the knife, needles and blades, to finally get hold of that desperately hoped-for baby? So, why this late years of pregnancy?

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine enumerates the reasons why most women get pregnant late in their 30's or 40's:

1. The availability and accessibility of contraceptive in the market encourages couple to delay pregnancy


2. More women are engaged and preoccupied with their career; work comes first before child-bearing.


3. Women were more cautious in preparing for a life in marriage and child-bearing, postponing pregnancy or get married at an older age.


4. Couples opt to be financially secure delaying marriage or pregnancy at a later age.


5. Many women are unaware that their fertility declines in their late 20's and early 30's.

Unlike men who continue to produce sperm their entire life, women are born with specific number of eggs in their ovaries--say, millions at birth-- but only 300,000-400,000 ova or eggs remain in the ovary after reaching puberty. Of the hundred thousand eggs left during puberty, only 300 eggs will be counted for ovulation in woman's entire reproductive years.

So, where do the rest of the eggs go? Forget the eggs-the eggs are bound to undergo Atresia (sounds like Amnesia, so you really have to forget them), a degenerative process by which the ova or eggs age and are naturally loss regardless of whether the woman got pregnant, has normal menstrual cycle, undergoing infertility treatment or use birth control. As a woman advances in age, fertility declines due to normal, age-related changes in the ovaries. Although age is not the only factor affecting fertility, it should be one of the major considerations if a woman aspires to get pregnant. Women in this era and time are more aware in taking care of their health, but an improved health and lifestyle does not offset the natural, age-related decline in fertility.

Conscious of the egg count, advancing age and the threat non conceiving at all, a woman might ask, how to get pregnant at 40?

First requirement: a man who can provide and guarantee a healthy, viable sperm (he can be a husband, a partner, a lover, an opposite sex for that matter). Sperm health and viability can be determined through infertility evaluation which the woman and her conception partner should undergo. For the woman, this would help in ruling out possible infertility issues including medical condition affecting her ability to conceive, while the man should undergo semen analysis to determine number of sperm, its volume, shape and mobility. The testing process should take no longer than three (3) months, and if treatment is necessary, it can be done immediately. Ensuring fertility of both woman and man is a must before trying any other methods and procedures.

Maintaining an ideal weight could also help in ensuring fertility. Overweight women have higher estrogen level which may suppress ovulation. Cigarette and alcohol consumption should be minimized or avoided since both increase the possibility of infertility.

When fertility is ensured, yet good, old-fashioned sexual intercourse does not result to conception and pregnancy, doctor- prescribed fertility method should be sought. Doctor may advise an Ovarian Hyper-stimulation, a first line treatment which includes medication or a combination of tablet administration and injection. This will stimulate ovum production.

Micro-surgery may also be recommended by the physician for women who have problem with their fallopian tube; this will help transport the ovum from ovary to the uterus.

In Vitro Fertilization is another alternative if medication, injection and surgery failed to deliver the desired result. It stimulates mature ova with medication and using fine needle guided by an ultrasound, egg are to be fertilized with the sperm outside the woman's body, after which, the resulting embryo will be injected back to the woman's body via cervix and released to the uterus where it can attach and grow.

Finally, if all the above methods fail, the doctor may recommend Egg donation which involves a female egg donor, preferably from a much younger woman. The donated egg is to be fertilized in the laboratory with the sperm, and transferred to a woman's uterus in a form of an embryo. This method proved to have a higher success rate in providing women over forty years old an opportunity to conceive, get pregnant and bear a child.

Forty- something- aspiring mothers can still look forward to the day when shopping for maternity dress and baby cribs are no longer a wish for the desperate, hopeless- pregnant- romantics, but an option medically available anywhere.

How To Choose The Right Girdle

If you look in the mirror and the image you see does not completely satisfy you, and after further and carefully analyzing your body you feel that in general terms you're pretty nice, there is always some details in your figure that does not "fit"; then it is time to solve it by using a girdle.

The market offers a variety of girdles and body control clothing designed with different materials, colors and innovative functionalities. This variety comes at a price, but responds to the shaping and styling needs that have been analyzed and classified in women and men.

The Colombian brand Co'Coon, leader in the world and well-known by its research and development of girdles, model and control clothing, using the latest technology, gives you some recommendations to buy correctly and to get your girdle with surprising results.

There are two basic variables to consider when buying a girdle:
1. The material
2. The area of the body to be corrected

1. The Material: Check the label to see the material with which they are made, because each shaper has different characteristics of elongation and compression.

- Comfort above all: If this is the first time you are using a girdle, it is recommended to start with one of the medium compression Seamless line, elaborated with a unique blend of Lycra and nylon microfiber, for maximum softness and comfort.

- Define the abdomen: If you need to remove localized fat in the abdomen we recommend you to use a shaper with thermal benefits, one that has latex band in the abdominal area, and internally lined with cotton to absorb excess sweating. This benefit can be obtained in four different lines: Light, Thermoslim Seamless, Powertech and the Extreme.

- Strong control with maximum comfort: If you want a high compression garment but you want it soft to the touch and easy to use, then you really need to wear a girdle from the Powertech line. This line provides an exclusive mesh fabric in addition to the Rubberflex's latex action that provides high shaping with reasonable compression.

- Maximum Control: If you like to feel the pressure of a strong control that outlines and reduces 1 to 3 sizes instantly, usually, then your best alternative are the shapers made with powernet. This strong short elongation mesh fabric allows the skin to breathe, making it ideal for post surgical occasions. These shapers also have long lasting qualities with posture correction functionalities. You can find them in the Powernet, Power-Med and Extreme lines.

- Comfortable with skin benefits: If you are always looking for products with extra benefits, then the Skin Care Line is the best option. These girdles outline and refine your figure with comfort and softness, plus the fabric is impregnated with nano-capsules like Seaweed, Vitamin E, Oatmeal and Milk and Caffeine to provide skin benefits such as hydration, toning, nutrition, elasticity and localized fat reduction. Co'Coon also has the capsules in spray form in order to recharge the shapers, and continue these benefits for as long as you own and wear the shaper.

- No More Cellulite: Cellulite reduction without strenuous exercises and traditional diet is now possible using girdles and control clothes with the bio-crystal technology. A great advantage is that bio-crystals, or crystallized minerals, are attached to the garment, and are ever present, providing benefits for the entire life of the girdle. And the best is that they work!

Due each woman's contour and shapes variations of their bodies, not to forget the specific effect desired, Co'Coon designs various alternatives of shapers as described herein. In all, girdles can be classified by three types of intensities: low control to those who only need to enhance their figure, half control to reduce flaccidity and high control to slim down inches off their bodies considerably.

2. The area of the body to be corrected: By knowing the desired level of compression, the next step is deciding on the right shaper design. Generally, women should target the body area(s) they do not like and want to conceal, contour or reduce as they look themselves in a mirror. With this in mind Co'Coon recommends:

- To give a better shape to the torso, one should use girdles with mid/high coverage in the back, they may or may not cover the chest but they must compress the waist and abdomen. The body girdles or the traditional ones are the best to use. They are usually designed as an under bust girdle shirt and come with or without any straps (strapless). Some are designed as high panties and corset type belts. The biggest advantage is the bodies. They are for external use and depending on the design they work either as blouse or top. Bodies are easy to combine with your current wardrobe to portray a complete fashionable outfit.

- For the lower part of the body the shapers are designed as panties, shorts, capris and pants to trim the waist, compress the stomach, reduce the size of the hips, shape the thighs and refine the general shape of the legs.

- If you need to reshape the contours of your body you can use a full body girdle (long or short), which reduce the size of the waist, while slimming down the abdomen, lower and middle back, hips and legs. Such girdles usually have a high level of compression, and their use is recommended after a surgery or postpartum. They include butt lift benefits and just by wearing them one can reduce one to three sizes.

- To refine the silhouette comfortably girdle dresses are a great option, they are available in both presentations: strapless and with strips, they raise the chest, shape the thigh, medium and low abdomen, reduces the size of the waist, back and side, while naturally enhancing the hips.

Besides the benefits already mentioned, today's' body shapers have also the quality to correct the posture, providing an elegant optical appearance, while portraying an attractive and captive youthful glance. With the proper dress and shoes you can even look higher. For permanent benefits we recommended the daily use of these garments.

How Can Chiropractic Help With Pregnancy?

Any pregnant woman can confirm the fact that pregnancy brings in a lot of changes in the body. As the baby increases in size and grows, the body of the pregnant woman changes. The belly becomes bigger and the back gets into a curve so as to strike a balance in the change in the weight. The pelvis gets widened to prepare and be ready for the birth procedure. At times, it so happens that the body does not handle so much of physical stress very well. The nervous system of the pregnant woman can get injured from all the stress. This might result in many problems. Chiropractic care can help in pregnancy.

Back pain and misalignment are the common problems that happen due to pregnancy. This is the reason why many pregnant women are turning to chiropractic care for relief. There are many different methods by which chiropractors help to correct these problems. Chiropractors are trained to handle these type of problem and hence can realign the spine and take the pressure and stress off the spine and at the same time cause no harm to the body. It is a very safe method. There are chiropractors who specifically handle peri-natal and pre-natal care. This type of care helps women during pregnancy as well as after it. There are many ways and techniques that are used at different stages of pregnancy. In order to ensure healthy pregnancy and prevent back pain, chiropractors teach postural and stretching exercises.

There are many advantages of getting this type of treatment and care and hence once a woman learns that she is pregnant, she should go for it. This will make sure that the pregnancy and the delivery both are healthy. Neck pain and back pain can be avoided with this. This type of treatment can help in reducing the changes of undergoing c-section. At times, the body of the woman might not be able to cope up with the stress that labor puts on them. This interferes with the child birth as the bodies tend to tense up and block the passage of the baby through the birth canal. Chiropractic treatment can help by providing proper alignment. There are many other advantages that chiropractic treatment provides for a woman who is pregnant or in labor. It is completely a safe option as it is natural and does not have any type of side effects.

Several Stages to Get a Degree in Nursing

There are several ways to obtain degree in nursing. It can be done through online, full-time, part-time or by distance. Here, the full time nursing degree will then be discussed. Full-time program simply means the particular student will be occupied by the nursing studies and the duration is shorter compared to the others. Nursing degree courses comprise four branches of nursing. They are adult, child, mental and also learning disabilities. In all the higher level institutions in England, a nursing student has to undergo a three years degree program for full time degree course.

Pre registration nursing degree programs provide theoretical studies and supervised practical training which enable nurses to acquire both academic and professional qualification. The pre registration nurse education programs are now available in higher education institutions. For the degree program, it is started with a general introduction of nursing called common foundation program (CFP). The introduction is very vital to develop your communication, caring and also observation skills. In addition to that, the CFP do also provide introduction for those four branches in nursing and in maternity care.

For the practical training, it covers 50% of the overall grade of the program. This training is carried out in both hospital and community locations, with the aim of preparing nurse to face different challenges in different circumstances. The program, as mentioned earlier, is a three years program with the first year or one and a half year allocated for CFP. The rest of the duration is allocated for the four branches of nursing. Students can choose to only specialize in one of the branches, or even to study the combinations of these branches. Upon completion of the three years program, the student can now receive the degree in nursing and start serving the community, in both public places and hospitals

Payroll Solutions - A Contractors Guide

Sometimes there is more to a Payment solution than meets the eye!
IR35 has added to the complexity of taxation legislation and forced many more contractors to seek specialist tax advice. Unfortunately, a lot of this advice can be misleading, offering short-term gains with high risks.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are actively investigating some of the practices used by contractors to minimise their tax payments (tax avoidance) and may well examine each of your contracts individually rather than take your earnings as a whole. Therefore, as a contractor you need to be very careful when you choose your payment solution.

Pay as You Earn (PAYE)

Avoids the entire IR35 headache and is the HMRC compliant standard. The PAYE system is a method of paying income tax. Your employer deducts tax from your wages or occupational pension before paying you your wages. Wages includes sick pay and maternity pay.

This means that you pay tax over the whole year, each time you are paid. Your employer is responsible for sending the tax on to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Contractors that work through an employment agency and receive all income via PAYE
Agencies, only pay a reduced rate as they still have to pay out National Insurance, holiday and sick pay costs, together with the additional administrative burden of running a payroll and complying with current employment legislation.

Personal Service Companies (PSC) / Limited Companies

PSC's are commonly one man bands, processing income as part salary and dividend payments. In the past, contractors used this method to exploit tax loopholes and improve tax efficiency. Contractors set up a limited company and pay themselves via a minimum wage and dividends.

However, this method is now classed as risky because:

Contracts inside IR35 dividend payments are simply NOT viable anymore.
HMRC view minimum wage/dividend options as tax avoidance and may impose PAYE.
If there is no "goodwill" in the company, a contractor may be seen as receiving "disproportionate return on initial investment" and dividend will be taxable as PAYE.
(according to section 447 of the ITEPA, 2003)

Outside IR35: if a dividend payment takes a contractor over the 40% tax threshold they will face an end of year tax liability.

You will find many agencies and clients will not allow you to use this method until you've had your employment contract reviewed by a IR35 specialist, which can cost upwards of £150 per contract assessed.

Umbrella Company

An umbrella company acts as employer to independent contractors who work under a temporary contract, usually through an employment agency.

Since the introduction of the Managed Service Company (MSC) legislation in the budget 2007, the only way an independent contractor can comply with this requirement is to set up his or her own personal limited company or use an umbrella company.

An umbrella company issues invoices to the recruitment agency (or client) and, when payment of the invoice is made, will typically pay the contractor through PAYE (although historically the term has also been used for salary and dividend type payment structures).

Umbrella Companies are fast becoming both the choice for both contractors and agencies alike:

-Company pays the contractor via PAYE on the total contract sum and uses a HMRC approved dispensation to offset business expenses.

-IR35 is irrelevant as all income is paid as PAYE.

Composite Companies

There is no legal or tax law definition of the word "composite company". However, this term is commonly used in the context of service providing companies to the contracting industry.

The word "composite" means "made up of various parts" and in the context of contractors, is represented as a service providing company, through which many contractors place their contracts.

A mixture of salary & dividend payments now, could be viewed as blatant "tax evasion" by the HMRC, according to section 447 ITEPA, 2003:

-Company provides administrative services, invoicing and receiving payment for work carried out - eases burden for contractor.

-Contractor paid a small salary plus expenses, remaining income paid via dividends.

Popular in the past, this option was viewed by the government as 'tax avoidance'. New legislation introduced in the budget 2007 means that it's now looked upon as blatant 'tax evasion' for workers Inside IR35.

If you are deemed employed, this option should no longer be pursued.

Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs)

Once an attractive option, the 2002 Pre-Budget Report announced immediate legislation to counter the avoidance of Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) through the abuse of EBTs.

Contractor works under company receiving basic salary, usually 20-30% of contract value, with balance paid into an offshore trust from where it is loaned back to the contractor.

Loan is in foreign currency so avoids IR35, taxation and NI.

HMRC has now closed the loophole on this scheme and EBTs can no longer operate.

Tax relief is now only allowed on PAYE payments made by the trusts, i.e. the lower salary figure, and not on loan.

The HMRC Anti-Avoidance Group has set up a team to project manage these cases to ensure that the tax outstanding is collected systematically and consistently.

Foreign Loans

Foreign loans are a legal means of "avoiding" Tax and National Insurance, however Gordon Brown announced in his budget on 17th March 2004 the intention to introduce a scheme which will force any Company setting up and marketing "tax avoidance schemes", to register with the HMRC.

As with most tax law, the measures are not at all clear. For example who defines "the obtaining of a tax advantage"? Presumably anything we do which does not involve us paying the highest amount of tax possible could be covered by this? The penalties for not registering or notifying will be up to £600 per DAY.

-Loans made to contractors in foreign currencies and repaid (often at very low rate).
-Must be operated in conjunction with an offshore company, not taxed on profits.
-Offshore companies are scrutinized by HMRC and all dealings would be challenged and taxed as income if received by a UK resident.

In short, this tax avoidance scheme is under so much scrutiny that for the average contractor the hassle and risks involved are just not viable.

Offshore Schemes

Offshore schemes are classified as any financial setup where income is moved outside the UK to avoid paying the host countries rate of Tax and National Insurance contributions. Payments are usually made as distributions, loans and dividends.

The Inland Revenue's Special Compliance Office is gearing up for a crackdown on offshore umbrella companies and other tax avoidance schemes designed for solo contractors caught by the unpopular IR35 legislation.

The HMRC have warned contractors not to rely on schemes they have developed to get around IR35, as they could crumble when examined.

All income generated in the UK by a UK resident must be declared - whether received or not - and is subject to IR35 criteria and taxation.

HM Revenue & Customs now have power to view details of around 100,000 UK-domiciled clients of Offshore Schemes.

Investors with undeclared offshore accounts are being urged to come forward and HMRC is proposing to offer reduced penalties for a limited period, although investors will still have to pay their tax bill plus interest for up to 20 years.

An offshore account is a high risk option.

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Pheromones and Hormones - Are They the Same?

Pheromones are often confused with hormones, although they are not the same thing. They are secretions of scent that mammals give off when they are excited, afraid or attracted to something. There are many different pheromones that human beings give off, depending on the situation. You have probably heard that dogs and other animals can smell fear on a human. Humans give off when they are afraid of something that other animals with a keen sense of smell can detect.

One emotion that causes pheromones to raise in levels is sexual attraction. This is true for both men and women. Other people can pick up on this scent, although they may not be sure why. It is a natural body reaction that humans have when they are attracted to someone else and want intimacy. It is not obvious, but those around will notice this scent and react. Pheromones for attraction often cause a strong reaction from others.

A way to use it so that you can attract someone is to use it in colognes or perfumes. There are many perfumes and colognes that use it as part of the scent. By design, perfumes and colognes use pheromones as a way to attract others by scent. Scents are often incorporated with human pheromones to create a sensation. Most are used in perfumes and colognes are synthetic. There are some perfumes and colognes, however, that use actual human pheromones to create a sensation. They have proven to work very well when it comes to attracting others.

Perfumes and colognes are made to attract others as it is. We spray them on to hope that someone will be attracted to our scent. The perfume scent mixes with our own body chemistry and gives off a special scent. This is why no perfume or cologne smells the same on any two men or women. But when you use pheromones in perfume or cologne, you are getting an extra advantage. You are saying that you are available and sending out a signal to others who are also available and who may then be attracted to you.

No one knows why some people are attracted to others. Looks are not the number one thing that attracts people to one another, although it does break the ice. Many people, at a loss for what it is that they like about someone else will cite personality, although this is not true, either.

Ladies, Top 3 Signs That Your Hormones Are Out of Whack!

As women, it is important for us to be in touch with our own bodies. The way we feel and the way our body reacts to things and situations actually reveal something about the state of our hormones. Hormonal imbalance is the cause of many women's health problems. Being able to spot the changes in our body, therefore, is of the utmost importance so that we can seek the necessary treatment or medical help.

Hence, these are the top 3 signs that indicate something is wrong with your hormone system:

You're Always Under the Weather

Depression is one of the most common symptoms of a woman's hormone imbalance. If you are always feeling tired and lethargic even after getting the required hours of sleep, or feeling particularly anxious or down for no particular reason, you may be suffering from depression.

Sleep Does Not Come Easy

A sudden onslaught of insomnia is a sure sign that something is wrong with your hormone system. If you have never had problems with sleeping and then all of sudden you are staying awake till the wee hours of the morning, it's time to seek your doctor's advice.

You're Losing Hair

Combing your hair and noticing strands and strands stuck between the teeth of the comb, or clumps that have fallen onto the floor is not a good sign. The two female hormones, i.e. estrogen and progesterone may be out of sync with each other, thereby causing this hair loss condition.

Ignorance is bliss, but it's going to cause you a lot of unnecessary discomfort and anxiety if you do not recognize these top three symptoms of hormone imbalance and find the appropriate help and treatment for the problem.

There are actually many more signs and symptoms that indicate this pervasive health problem in women. And thanks to the efforts of women's health care professionals, these type of information have been compiled and made easily accessible to every discerning woman.

So, in conclusion, these three signs indicating a possible hormone imbalance should be what all women ought to be on the lookout for: depression; sleeping difficulty; and hair loss.

Late Term Abortion Clinic - Things To Consider

Pregnancy is a nine months process and requires care and precautions. It is the dream of all the women to become pregnant and enjoy the pleasure of motherhood. Though the pregnant women are always under the consultation and guidance of professional gynecologists, they might face various complications in the process. Abortions are considered as a crime and the government has strictly banned the process but in case of severe complications that might cause a threat to the life of a woman, the doctors suggest to go for this process. When the complications come up late in pregnancy, you must consider an abortion clinic that offers outstanding services and carries out the surgical process in an effective manner. In order to ensure your safety it is necessary that you select a reputed Abortion clinic and get over the late pregnancy complications under the consultation of an expert doctor.

This article deals with some important things that should be considered in order to find a reputed late-term abortion clinic.

Extensive Experience

Late-term abortion is risky and can be fatal and hence it is necessary to get it done under the guidance of an experienced surgeon. The untrained and inexperienced doctors can enhance the risk. Therefore, it is essential that you get in touch with a clinic that offers outstanding medical care services. The doctors of the clinic should be experienced in performing the operation and have an access to modern surgical and medical equipments. In addition to this the staff of the health center should be friendly and compassionate with the patient and provide proper medical care.

Counseling and consultation

The professional doctors of the health center should be able to provide proper consultation and information about the risks and benefits associated with the late-term pregnancy. Providing clear information and understanding of the process is the best way to allow the patient to make a decision.

Emotional and medical support after the process

An abortion clinic should not only provide proper consultation and surgery to the patient but also take proper care of the patient before and after the surgical treatment. Proper post abortion care involves medication administration, emotional support and providing a friendly environment for the patient. Regular inspection of the patient is also necessary in order to make sure that there are no complications after the procedure is over. A good health center takes care of all the facilities and makes sure that the patient feels comfortable.

There are few Late Term Abortion clinics and hence it is necessary that you consider all the above discussed things before making your selection. It is you who have to undergo the treatment and considering a clinic that offers all the facilities according to your needs is the best. Take your time to inquire and research about the clinics located in your locality or nearby areas. Collect all the relevant information regarding the quality of the services offered by the center is the best way to get in contact with a reputed late-term abortion clinic and undergo abortion.

We're Pregnant! It's a Tree!

An expectant mother burst to laughter and tears as her hyper-excited husband broke the news to his friends--after finally getting the ultrasound result of his wife--confirming the existence of a six- month old baby boy in her womb. The couple considered the pregnancy nature's miracle: She is forty-three, he is forty five. In their six years of marriage, the couple sought natural alternatives to get pregnant. She refused Assisted Reproductive Technologies, which her doctor prescribed. She is needle-phobic and easily nauseated inhaling or taking medicine. He is a considerate husband who fully supports his wife's request to follow the natural ways to get pregnant. The couple called the entire process, a tree-planting pregnancy, much like taking care of a plant requiring diligence and determination. The couple's efforts were both rewarded when nature responded positively... they now have... a tree... err, a baby.

In the advent of available, medically sound technology to assist reproduction and pregnancy, women who have problem with infertility and the inability to conceive can now undergo treatment/therapy to ensure pregnancy. The Inability to conceive proved to be the outcome of advance female age according to various studies and medical research. Female ovarian reserve, which is responsible for a woman's fertility potential, diminishes as women approaches the age of 30 and above.

The chances of getting pregnant is slim among female with advance age; statistic shows that among healthy 30 years old women, there is a 20% chance of getting pregnant per month; the probability is lower among women 40 years old and above which is estimated at 5% chance of pregnancy per month.

Still, forty something women tried their chances by engaging to a clinically and doctor prescribed procedures and fertility methods. Many aspiring mothers are successful in this endeavor although medical research found increasing maternal risk when female got pregnant at an advance age even with the assurance and availability of medical technology. Some, like my friend mentioned above, could hardly follow the strenuous process of an Assisted Reproductive Technology; hence, the natural ways to get pregnant is the best option.

Natural remedies such as herbal and homoeopathic treatment that enhance fertility in women have positive effect for hormonal system, improve sex drive and protect reproductive organs. Herbs that help balance hormone are now available in capsule, beverages and food to stimulate glands to produce sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.)

Traditional Chinese herb called Cimcifuga racemosa are now valued due to its potency to help improve hormone functioning and its unique property to prevent miscarriage and can also be used as therapy for menopause-related conditions.

Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosis) is also another herbal remedy that helps in correcting hormonal imbalance; improve libido, as well as enhance sexual pleasure and the overall improvement of systemic reproductive health.

My couple-friend opted to grow these medicinal herbs in their garden to symbolically support their cause for a naturally- induced pregnancy.

Planting trees maybe a more successful endeavor than conceiving a baby through natural remedies, but it is worth a try for those "mommy wannabes" who are not amenable to undergo procedures of artificial, medically approved technologies in the market today.