Getting Pregnant and Having a Baby - Visualization and Meditation Can Help

Have you ever heard the old saying, "You Are What You Eat?", well, I'd like to add one to that, "You Live What You Think". One of the most frustrating situations for women of any age is not being able to get pregnant. Here you have this body that you have relied on for your entire life, and it's not pulling through for you. You feel like you are doing the right things, staying in shape, eating right, paying attention to your "fertility signals" but nothing. It may surprise you that you have more control than you've been led to believe. You are not a victim, you have the ability to take charge of the situation.

Maybe you're missing a critical component. Your mind has to be on board too. If you've been trying to conceive for a while, you may be saying to yourself, "I can't get pregnant, maybe I'm infertile". That's the wrong message because even though you want to get pregnant more than anything, your mind hears: "Can't get pregnant" and "infertile". It's a small shift, but what you need to be thinking about is getting pregnant and having a baby. Although the pain, frustration and downright anger associated with long-term failure is hard to get through, you need to leave that behind and focus on a positive outcome. How do you do this? Visualization and Meditation helps to retrain your mind.

Visualization is picturing in your mind what you want: a healthy happy baby. Rather than focusing on every mindboggling detail of the fertilization and pregnancy process, what you need to do is focus on the happy ending and leave the details to work themselves out. If you have ever found yourself daydreaming, then you know how to visualize. It's really quite simple, but we forget how to let go and think about the good stuff as we get older and burdened by life in general. So how do you visualize? If you choose, you can start by picturing in your mind a baby moving through your fallopian tubes and landing softly in your uterus.

This baby will attach firmly and will feel warm and safe where it will grow for the next 9 months. If that seems to microscopic or too difficult, you can just visualize yourself playing with your baby. Imagine the love and the joy you feel as your relish every moment with this miracle of life. Imagine all of the day to day things you will do with your baby. How will you dress them? How will you feed them? See yourself bathing them, putting them to bed and taking them out for a stroll. Talk to your future child. Invite them to come and live their life with you.

Meditation, on the other hand is when you think of nothing. Visualization launches your intentions, but meditation helps you to connect with the all powerful and all knowing force in the universe where all things are possible. Visualization can be done any time or anywhere, but meditation requires a quiet space where you will not be interrupted. Not only will meditation help you to attract those intentions you launched with visualization, but it will also provide relief from the day to day stress which may be keeping your body from getting pregnant in the first place.

Most of us spend our days trying to multitask and our minds are trying to juggle three or four things at once. Honestly, when was the last time you actually tried to think of nothing? It's actually a little challenging, but with practice, it is possible. When you meditate, you become an open vessel. You are present in the moment. This allows you to unite with the greater good. You will be surprised how much easier you will move through life when you make this connection with your higher self which is connected to all creation.

The first step is to make a conscious decision to leave your negative thoughts of frustration and anger behind. Learn to dream again. Take an inventory of the positive aspects of your life. This is how you will attract what you want for your future.

Losing Weight After Childbirth - 3 Mistakes You Don't Want to Make

Although losing weight after childbirth can be foremost on a young mother's mind, there are a few mistakes that should definitely be avoided. This is not only for the sake of the mother, but for her newborn child as well.

It can become frustrating for a woman to find herself with extra pounds after childbirth, but losing weight after childbirth is a process that should not be taken lightly. Giving birth is probably the single, most demanding experience a woman can put her body through.

And although giving birth is a blessed event, there are precautions a new mother should be aware of, especially where losing weight is the goal. Losing weight after childbirth too rapidly can be hazardous. Just as the birthing process took time, so should losing weight after pregnancy be done with some patience.

1) Don't Neglect Nutrition:

The body's demand for proper nutrients, during and after pregnancy, is huge. The weight gained in pregnancy helps build stores for your recovery and for breastfeeding. After delivery, all mothers need continued nutrition so that they can be healthy and active and able to care for their baby. Restricted calories can often equal less nutrition. Most lactation experts recommend that breastfeeding mothers should eat when they are hungry. But many mothers may be so tired or busy that food gets forgotten. So, it is essential to plan simple and healthy meals.

2) Don't Begin Exercising Too Soon:

Most women can begin a formal exercise program within 6 weeks of giving birth, though this time frame might be slightly longer for some women, including those recovering from a C-section. Most women recovering from a C-section will be able to exercise after there incision has healed and their doctor has cleared them for exercise. Keep in mind, starting an exercise program too soon will delay your recovery and could potentially injure your body permanently. It may also take you longer than six weeks to heal fully if you start exercising too soon. Losing weight after childbirth should be a slow and deliberate process.

3) Don't Surrender Your Rest:

No one misses sleep like a new mother. A baby's first few months are a busy, hectic time that will put big demands on your schedule. The advice that you should get enough rest and relaxation seems impossible to follow during the postpartum period. Ongoing sleep disturbances can leave you feeling cross, irritable, and depressed. When you are this tired, even little problems become difficult to solve, and you may find it hard to make decisions about even the smallest issues. Pump and let your partner take on one or a few of your child's feedings so you can grab longer stretches of shut eye. Sleep when your baby sleeps. Do whatever you can to grab rest periods, your body will thank you for it.

When it comes to losing weight after childbirth, it can take a number of months for your body to return to normal. So, even if you are not breast-feeding, don't be in too much of a hurry to cut calories. Apart from the physical trauma of giving birth that can leave you feeling completely exhausted, looking after and being responsible for a new baby can also be very tiring and stressful. Once you begin to feel like your normalizing, seek out a little guidance for your weight loss goals. Losing weight after childbirth does not have to be a confusing or lonely process. With the combination of good nutrition, exercise and a little guidance, you can and will recapture your former shape.

Using and Feeling the Benefits of St John's Wart

In its natural format St John's Wart is a flowering plant that originally originates from Europe. The plant flowers from June to September allowing the herbalists to collect and obtain large quantities ready to prepare and sell on the herbal remedies markets to all world wide distributors.

What is St John's Wart usually taken for?

St John's Wart is popular for those persons suffering from mild- to serve depression. It is used as an anti-depressant by people who do not need or wish to start on a dose of Prozac. Prozac is known to become very addictive and hard to wean off once started on a course.

Other reasons people may take St John's Wart are problems or events such as:

• Post Natal Depression


• Anxiety


• Obesity


• Anorexia Suffers


• Deaths


• Divorces and many more.

Some people use it to calm nerves and help keep balanced day to day. It is also well known for its calming properties great for those with anxiety and public problems. It is said by scientists who test this remedies that it helps to realise chemicals from the brain causing a happier lift in a personal mental state.

Benefits of Taking St John's Wart:

• It is great for helping people feel calmer and relaxed in situations they usually feel uptight and uncomfortable with.


• Letting people re-gain their life by giving them a boost of confidence and self worth.


• Help with signs of stress and exhaustion


• Help with insomnia and people who feel restless and unable to settle on a night-time.


• It can also reduce stress and confusion for people with mental health problems.

Risks of Taking John's Wart:

• St John's Wart may reduce the effectiveness of the contraception pill.


• It may affect pregnant or breastfeeding women


• It may cause blood thinning dangerous to those people already taking medications.

What to Look For in Maternity Body Girdles For Pregnant Women

The body girdle is a very popular choice for among a majority of women looking for an instant way to shape up and get that hourglass figure that simple and easy way. But did you know that there are also girdles for pregnant women that can help them cope with body pain caused by back problems? Here are just a few things that you need to keep in mind when shopping for the perfect body girdle suited for a pregnant woman. Whether you're shopping for yourself or to give away as a gift, the experience can be a lot easier when you know what you're looking for.

For a pregnant woman who doesn't deserve to feel discomfort at the state she already is in, it's important to find a maternity body girdle that will be very comfortable for her to wear. She's not actually trying to go for the hourglass figure at her condition anyway. So this is the perfect time for comfort to trump vanity. Maternity girdles should be made of lightweight breathable cloth and material that can easily move with the wearer's body movements. It shouldn't be constraining in any way.

Next, maternity body girdles for pregnant women should be able to provide comfort by being able to alleviate the weight of the growing tummy. Check for any form of support that is built in with the girdles that will be able to lessen the stress and strain from the back. The ones with adjustable Velcro are usually good choices since they can be adjusted to accommodate growing bellies. It would also be a great idea to check if the maternity body girdle can still be used to reshape the mother's stomach after she has given birth. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone.

And lastly, price considerations. The best maternity girdles should not cost you a small fortune. You can already get a reasonably priced one for around $50. As there are so many different brands and styles of maternity body girdles available on the market today, it definitely is a buyer's market so feel free to choose which designs and features would perfectly fit an expectant mother's needs. So visit your local department store or check out the numerous online retailers that specialize in body girdles for pregnant women today.

Newborn Baby Care Fundamentals

It's considerably easier to take care of older infants and toddlers than to care for a newborn baby. This is mainly because they are very delicate and have needs that they cannot easily express - they manifest this need only by crying.

One of the possible factors that contribute to post-natal depression is the difficulty of inexperienced - or even experienced - mothers with newborn baby care. To lessen the impact of this condition, it is helpful to read books about caring for infants. When you are informed about newborn baby care, chances are you won't be caught flat-footed when something unusual happens to your child.

What are the important things to know?

Old wives' tales regarding newborn baby care abound. Sometimes listening to too many of these superstitions make mothers worry unnecessarily over their baby's health. Old people, for instance, constantly point out that it's not advisable to bring the newborn baby out of the house.

The fact is, almost all babies need morning sunshine to counteract the early stages of jaundice. Taking the baby outside even a mere few weeks after birth is perfectly acceptable, as long as the infant is dressed in comfortable, cool clothes during summer and safely wrapped in a warm blanket during the cooler months.

When the baby is several weeks old, you might notice some changes on his skin - that is, his skin may become flaky and could even "shed." It is not necessary to apply lotions or oils, as this is normal for newborns. In newborn baby care, the use of chemicals is generally avoided even as these are considered safe for adults.

Even the baby's scalp will shed its top layer a few weeks after birth. In some cases, a little assistance is needed in removing this layer of dead cells. You can gently rub it away with a sponge while bathing the baby, but there is really no need to apply oils or lotions on his calp.

Many infants will also develop mild rashes. These are normal and newborn baby care dictates that they must not be treated with creams and ointments that may be too harsh for the baby's skin. These rashes may be due to different factors. When the rashes get worse or seem too out of the normal, it's best to consult the pediatrician about it.

Another common issue in newborn baby care is whether to carry the infant or not when it is crying. Parents often agree on not giving in to a child's crying because this might spoil the child. However, at that age, it is nearly impossible to spoil a newborn.

Common newborn baby care sense will tell you that when a newborn baby cries, it's because it needs something - that something could be anything from milk or a diaper change. Being comforted is also a basic need of newborns, so denying them this in their first few weeks of life may result in a profound psychological impact on the child.

What do I do with the stump?

Many new mothers who are not too well-vesred in newborn baby care often feel queasy about having to deal with the umbilical cord. Remember that the stump is nothing else but dead protein so accidentally touching it won't cause any harm to the infant.

The important thing to know in newborn baby care [http://www.bestchildcareguide.com/category/infant-day-care-centers], as regards the umbilical cord, is to keep it dry at all times. If it inevitably gets wet during bathing, take a cotton ball soaked with alcohol and clean the cord with it.

By the end of the second week, the stump will have fallen off. After this happens, refrain from bathing the infant more frequently than every two or three days, to allow it to completely heal.

Abortion Clinic - What You Need To Ask The Physician

There are a good number of events in human life that are known to give unmatched pleasure to the people. Getting conceived is one of those joyful moments that a woman cherishes for her entire life. The decision of getting pregnant solely rests upon the loving partners and no one can enforce it on a woman. The happiness and contentment that a woman experiences after getting pregnant is unexplainable. However, the situation is completely opposite when the pregnancy is unplanned. It may be due to unprotected intercourse or some other unforeseen circumstances that a woman may get conceived. During this point of time, the lady is not prepared to take the responsibility of upbringing a child and thus, visiting an abortion clinic for terminating the pregnancy appears to be the best solution for the mental trauma.

Abortion is a medical procedure for terminating the pregnancy in a safe and secure manner. There are several kinds of abortion procedures that a surgeon can perform. The choice mainly depends upon the stage of pregnancy and the condition of the would-be mother. It is not at all easy for a lady to abort a child and can involve a great deal of mental stress and other complications. At such point of time, discussing each and everything with the surgeon can help in relieving the tension. It also clarifies a good number of doubts and helps in better understanding of the entire procedure. Here are certain points that you must surely include in your discussion process before undergoing a surgery.

1. Which Procedure Will Be Followed?

This is one of the most basic questions that need an answer before undergoing pregnancy termination. The procedures are mainly selected after judging the current state of pregnancy of a woman. The doctor will perform certain tests and check up and will let you know the suitable procedure.

2. Will There Be Any Kind Of Complications?

This is probably one of the most common questions that arise in the mind of women. They are quite apprehensive about any kind of post surgery complications. The physicians will be able to guide you in the right direction and will explain all possible situations to you. If there are chances of any kind of complications to arise in future, the surgeons will let you know after seeing the results of tests and examinations conducted.

3. Post Surgery Health Care And Medical Bills

This is yet another point that demands complete answers well before getting operated. What are the kinds of services that will be offered in the post surgery period? Will these services be free of cost or paid? Does the patient requires visiting the medical center frequently or will be done at home? How long will the patient stay in hospital after surgery? Apart from these, the medical expenses should be known before undergoing the surgery. If you have any kind of insurance cover, then you might have a word with the surgeon and insurance company regarding the benefits of same.

So, these are some main discussion points that you need to keep before the surgeon while choosing an ideal abortion clinic.

How Can I Get Pregnant Fast - 5 Great Tips to Help You Conceive Quickly and Naturally

How can I get pregnant fast? I looked around for answer to this question for a very long time. I read a lot of books. I participated in online women's forums and did some research on the internet too. Here in this article I am going to share with you the top 5 tips which I feel will be useful for women wanting to get pregnant fast.

1. Have sex three times a week.

Having regular sex is the best way to get pregnant. This way you can be sure that you do not miss the most fertile period of the month. Some women find it difficult to precisely predict when they are ovulating. By having intercourse thrice a week you can be sure that you do not miss the opportunity to conceive.

2. Make use of an ovulation prediction kit or fertility monitor.

Ovulation prediction kit and fertility monitor are both useful to identify the best time to get pregnant in any given month. These are very simple to use gadgets which anyone can make use of.

3. Have sex before ovulation (not after).

The amount of time which you have to get pregnant each month is only 24 hours on an average. The male sperm is capable of surviving for 3-4 days. On the other hand the fertilized egg usually survives for approximately 24 hours only. Hence if you have sex couple of days before ovulation, your partner's sperm would be ready and waiting to fertilize the egg when it is released.

4. Sex positions that keep sperm inside the vagina longer.

There are certain positions which help to keep the sperm inside the vagina for a longer time. The missionary position is a good position to use when trying to get pregnant. Dog style and side by side positions are also useful to help in conception. Woman on top position must be avoided. It may also be useful to place a pillow under your hips to help tilt your pelvis and keep the sperm inside longer. Relax and keep lying down for some time after sex- do not be in a hurry to get up right after sex.

5. Don't smoke, drink alcohol, or do drugs if you seriously want to get pregnant.

Smoking, drugs, and alcohol can seriously impact your fertility. It can also cause harm to your unborn child. Remember, the first thing to do while figuring out-how can I get pregnant fast is to stop smoking or using drugs and alcohol BEFORE getting pregnant. Don't wait until you find out you are pregnant!

Affordable Online Health Insurance Quote - How to Get Cheap Plans Online

While costs for medical care continue to go up, there's still a way to get affordable health insurance. Here's how to find the lowest cost health insurance quote online.

Online Health Insurance Quotes

Today, more than half of all Americans with health insurance belong to a managed health care plan. Managed health care plans provide health care through a predetermined network of doctors and hospitals. These health insurance plans include PPOs, HMOs, and POSs.

These plans work basically the same by providing medical services by specific groups of providers at reduced rates.

• HMOs give medical care for doctor visits, hospital stays, and surgeries. They usually require that you stay within the network to be covered.
  


• PPOs are also a group of doctors and hospitals that give care to members of their plan. Small copayments are usually required for doctor visits.
  


• POSs are the most expensive of the three and also provide more of the bells and whistles in an insurance policy. You also have the choice of seeing a doctor outside of the network.

Depending on your needs you may want to include coverage for items such as maternity care, prescriptions, and vision care. Managed care plans can vary quite a bit from insurance company to insurance company so look at each plan carefully before deciding on one.

Affordable Online Insurance Quotes

One of the best ways to get affordable health insurance quotes is to go to a free insurance quote website. There you can get competitive quotes from up to 5 health insurance providers so you can compare plans and prices. After you have your quotes, you need to look closely at the policies and decide which one is the best for you.

Explaining What Catastrophic Health Insurance is All About

Catastrophic health insurance is a kind of medical insurance which pays for major hospital expenses but not prescription drugs, maternity care, and visits to the doctor. Most plans under this insurance type cover expenses like surgeries, hospitalization, X-ray, intensive care, and other similar hospitalization expenses.

Cheapest Insurance

Catastrophic health insurance is the cheapest among all types of health insurance packages. The deductibles, or the amount that a person has to pay for a claim before the insurance provider pays up, can begin from $500 up to $1000 or more dollars. Most of the plans include a lifetime benefit or cap of up to $3 million. Once the cap has been reached, the policy holder will no longer be entitled to benefits and the policy is subsequently canceled.

Eligibility

Anyone is eligible for a catastrophic health care insurance. However, those who have pre-existing medical conditions like heart diseases, diabetes, emphysema and AIDS may not be qualified under this type of medical plan. A catastrophic health care insurance is considered as a good insurance coverage for those who are healthy and do not take any prescriptions drugs. Because it is cheap, it allows a person to save on insurance plan costs. This type of insurance is also best for those who have retired and are not yet eligible to get medical benefits.

Considerations in Buying

In purchasing this type of health insurance, one should consider the costs, the coverage, and the deductibles. Insurance providers vary in terms of plan packages costs, coverage, and lifetime maximum benefits. Interested individuals may also have to consider their capacity to pay for expenses not included in this type of medical insurance such as prescription drugs and doctor visits-two facets of medical care that can be very costly. Other important factors that may have to be considered include the amount and frequency of the premiums, and the medical history of the person and his or her family.

Shopping for a Cheap Package

Like in purchasing any type of medical insurance, it is important to shop around first before purchasing a catastrophic health insurance. The easiest and most convenient way of shopping is using the Internet. Browse websites offering various catastrophic health care insurance packages and gets free quotes. There are also articles and FAQ sections that can provide details on the catastrophic health insurance packages being offered. Some websites also allow users to compare quotes and plans of multiple catastrophic insurance plans.

Caring For Yourself During Pregnancy

Being pregnant has many misconceptions that often affect the women who undergo this. Pregnancy does not make a woman weak (unless the doctor says so!) and neither does it make her an invalid. The key to a successful pregnancy is to take care of yourself and be aware of what may put you or your baby at risk.

Food

Eating is a given for most pregnant women especially after the first trimester has passed. Pregnancy is a valid reason for gaining weight especially for women who are underweight to begin with. Gaining weight means that the baby is growing well in this pregnancy and that the mother is taking in the right foods that the baby needs to grow well and healthily. Doctors usually have weight gain allowances for most mothers and they usually warn when the mother is gaining too little or too much.

Pregnancy does not give you the warrant to eat unhealthy foods. Too much fatty, salty or sugary food can compromise the pregnancy and cause some complications. Many conditions appear in a woman when she is pregnant due partly to her food intake. One of these conditions is gestational diabetes which can be dangerous to both mother and child. There is also some danger regarding eating spoilt or disagreeable foods that may cause stomach cramps since these can prematurely set off contractions.

Exercise

Pregnancy does not mean that you can eat all you want and not do anything to keep fit. Pregnant women have less strenuous forms of exercises from which they can benefit from. Walking instead of running is often recommended by doctors. The briskness of the walk is modulated according to how far pregnant the woman is. Yoga specifically prepared for pregnancy is a popular exercise to keep fit and limber. The reason for keeping up exercising even during pregnancy is to keep the woman better able to deal with the rigors of childbirth. Even swimming can be done with the right supervision and caution of not exerting too much. Exerting too much or straining can induce contractions which can be dangerous.

Both food and exercise are crucial to a healthy pregnancy. Food gives nourishment to both mother and child while exercises help to prepare the mother and child for the birthing process. It is wise to note, though, that too much of both can also be dangerous for the pregnancy. Food and exercise in moderation with the comfort of the mother in mind are advisable.

Health Insurance

Nothing is more precious to us than having good health. Everyday people are getting more aware of the importance of having good health in order to be able to l8ive life to the fullest. But as the saying goes nothing is certain in this world, we will always have uncertainties and surprises good or bad in our life. We do get sick once in a while flu or even some major illness, or get ourselves involve in accidents. What ever the case may be these events when they happen to us could deplete our savings or even push us to bankruptcy. With the rising cost of hospital fees, laboratories and doctors' fees it is now expensive and complicated. This is where health insurance could benefit us all. Yes, health insurance may cost a lot but having no health insurance at all cost more. Medical bills incurred from an accident could burn a hole in your savings. And in cases of cancer treatments, with all the doctors' check ups, laboratory tests, and chemotherapy that one has to go through it could ruin you financially.

Health insurance could help you pay for the cost of a regular medical check ups, surgeries, contact lenses and glasses and even emergency treatments. There are two basic kinds of health insurance plan, the indemnity plan and the managed care plan. Indemnity plan is also called the fee for service plan. It has wider freedom and flexibility in the choices of the insured. He gets to pick the doctor, hospital and laboratory and other medical service provider of his choice. As long as the medical service is included in the health contract. But, the catch is the plan doesn't pay for the entire charges, instead the insured shoulders the 20 % of the payment. This kind of plan covers only illnesses and accidents but preventive care like flu shots and birth control are not included. And coverage of the cost of prescription drugs and psychotherapy will depend on the policy and the company.

Managed Care Health insurance differs from the indemnity plan in a lot of ways. First, choice of doctors, hospitals, laboratories and other medical service provider is

limited to only those who have contracts with the HMO -Health Maintenance Organization--.Medical services is received only if authorized by the plan. If you insist on engaging on non authorized medical service provider then the cost of service or care provided will not be paid by the company. Preventive care and mental health treatment are covered by the plan.

Due to the rising demands for better and wider health insurance coverage, the health insurance is offering hybrid plans. Wherein, they combine the benefits of HMOs and indemnity coverage. The method is you can use the network of medical service providers that have contracts with the HMO but you are allow to choose someone outside of the network and pay for a higher percentage in the fee.. Managed Care plan also allows open access theory, where one can see a network medical specialist without any referrals from HMO.

You need to decide carefully in choosing the right health insurance plan for you and your family needs. You need to have a careful evaluation on what your family needs and extensive research for the right health insurance company that will provide for those needs. Keep in mind that the lowest premiums don't really mean it's the cheapest plan. Remember the cheapest plan is the policy that will give you the best benefits that your family really needs in case of emergencies and illnesses.

How to Avoid Maternity Insurance Mayhem

The birth of a child should be a time of enjoyment and celebration, one that should not be interrupted with unpleasant surprises regarding the payment of medical bills. Maternity insurance with excellent benefits will go a long way towards helping with the financial aspects of preparing for baby. If at all possible, it's a wonderful idea to have maternity health insurance coverage in place before the test results come back positive.

You may say at this point that you are on a group plan at work, so there should not be any problems. That's super, but I would encourage you to dig the policy out of the filing cabinet and take a look to see to what degree pregnancy is covered under your plan just to be safe. If the phrasing and terminology contained in your policy has your mind spinning, have the insurance clerk at your place of employment go over the portion of the policy that deals with pregnancy and explain it to you in words that you can understand.

IN NETWORK or OUT of NETWORK PROVIDERS

Before choosing a provider, check the names of in network providers listed in the latest directory provided by your insurance company. There are big benefits in choosing a doctor and hospital that are in the network. If there is a network provider that you feel will work for you, the portion of the medical bills that you have to pay out of your pocket may be substantially less than if you choose an out of network provider.

Make certain that the directory of providers is up to date because doctors and hospitals are constantly being picked up by and dropped from insurance lists all the time. As a final precaution, when you decide on a hospital and provider, call each one as well as your insurance company and verify that they are in-network and that they will accept your insurance.

Another helpful bit of information that you may want to document is the date that your chosen provider's contract expires with your insurance company. The insurance clerk at the doctor's office or hospital may not have these dates in her files, but don't let this stop you from getting the facts. To get this vital information, a phone call to your insurance company may be necessary.

Compare the contract expiration dates that your insurance company provides to you with your baby's expected delivery date. If the contract date of expiration falls before your due date, this is an indication that you may need to explore other service providers in the network because there is no guarantee that this provider's contract will be renewed. It would be an unwelcome financial surprise to start out with an in-network provider only to find yourself out of network when it counts the most!

Second Pregnancy - What to Expect

Congratulations on your second pregnancy! So you are going to be a mother again! Motherhood is a wonderful feeling indeed. You must be wondering, in what ways your experience is going to differ from your first one. Also, since your body is older than the first time around, you might also be anxious about possible complications. Here are a few things to expect during your second pregnancy period, and some cautions that you need to take, to ensure that everything is smooth sailing.

Changes In Your Body Different From Your First Pregnancy:

Your morning sickness may be less severe, although this is not a rule. Varicose veins, hemorrhoids and leaky bladder are likely to occur again though.

You may get easily fatigued this time. You might not get as much rest as you did the first time, what with having to care for your first kid. Your pelvic joints may hurt more. You need to be much more careful about your posture, and lie on your side while sleeping.
-Your belly may enlarge and a bump starts to show much earlier than the first time. Your uterine wall has already undergone expansion before, so your muscles are more flexible now. Sometimes, second pregnancy becomes apparent even before the second trimester, as early as the 8th - 10th week.

The first time, labor can last as long as 12 to 14 ours, or even 20 hours in some cases. But the second time, the labor period is often much reduced. The cervical muscles dilate faster, about 1.5 cm per hour, as compared to 1.2 cm per hour in the first pregnancy. However, if the first time you had a C-section, then the second time the labor phase will not be reduced.

The uterine contractions that mothers experience for the first few days after birth may be more severe this time. These uterine contractions are actually signs that your uterus is returning to its pre-pregnancy state. But the pains associated with it may be so severe that you may feel the need of medications.

Emotional Adjustments For Yourself And Your Family:

The second time pregnant mothers often do not stay as much preoccupied with their pregnancy as they did the first time. They have to look after their first-born, who might very well be an active toddler or a pre-schooler. Also, being more experienced, they tend to be less anxious. But sometimes they may think that they are not taking as much care of the unborn baby as they should and feel guilty. Rest assured, in the second pregnancy, requisite frequency of natal checkups is less than the first one. Also, you will have ample opportunity to care for the new baby after its birth.

Guilt pangs may also arise from inability to spend as much time with your first kid and husband as you used to before the second pregnancy. You may fell that you are neglecting our older child. Relax; consider this as an opportunity for them to learn to take care of them.

You might worry about the right time to tell your first child about your second pregnancy. It is advisable to tell them as soon as possible, to give them sufficient time to adjust to the idea. Try and spend quality time with them, involve them in your planning for the newborn. Assure them that they are not becoming any less important to you because the second baby is on its way. Make them feel that you are relying upon them to take care of their baby sibling. If they are to be shifted to another room or to another bed, do not wait till your delivery time, they might feel replaced. Also, consider making them a part of the delivery by keeping them in the waiting room at childbirth.

Complications That Might Arise

Weight gain between pregnancies increases the risks of complications for both the mother and the second baby. Studies show that the gain of even 3 to 6 kilos can lead to high blood pressure and pregnancy-diabetes. The gain of 9 kilos can cause toxemia, pre-eclampsia, or even still-birth.

Pre-eclampsia is more likely if the first baby was premature or smaller than normal, or the mother has diabetes or chronic high blood pressure. The symptoms of pre-eclampsia are pregnancy induced hypertension, protein in urine and excessive fluid retention. This can restrict blood flow to placenta in severe cases. The longer the gap between pregnancies, the higher the risk of these problems.

Rh-disease erythroblastosis fetalis is also another high-risk factor during the second pregnancy. This occurs when the mother is Rh¬- while the fetus is Rh+ in the first pregnancy. Some red blood cells from the fetus may enter the mother's bloodstream at the time of delivery. These activate Rh-specific antibodies, which persist within the mother's blood. In a subsequent pregnancy, these anti Rh antibodies can cross the placenta and damage the blood cells of the fetus, with fatal consequences. This can be prevented by injection of Rhogam into the mother's body after the birth of the first child. These destroy any fetal red blood cells that enter the bloodstream of the mother, and prevent formation of anti-Rh antibodies.

So all you second-time moms, hope your first experience makes you less anxious than before. You are now better aware of the diets you need to follow, the exercises you need to do in order to ensure that you experience a risk-free second pregnancy. Consult your OB, try and stay updated about any new tests or medications that may have been introduced. Consider joining a Lamaze class again, now that you may have forgotten much of the exercise routine. Discussing your experiences with other second-time mothers in your friend circle will further ease your tensions. So sit back, relax, enjoy your motherhood, and welcome the new baby in this earth cheerfully.

Where to Find Health Insurance, Maternity Coverage

If you or your spouse just lost a job and therefore your medical insurance coverage, you need to look into a family health insurance plan. If you are currently pregnant, a new health insurance plan will not cover you or your pregnancy because this was a pre-existing condition.

You should check into continuing your current medical insurance coverage under COBRA if you are pregnant. You will have to pay a monthly premium that will likely be quite a bit higher than your group insurance coverage was with your job, but at least you will still have coverage. If you or your spouse is leaving one job to go to another that does have group health insurance maternity coverage, you may have a waiting period before the new plan will cover the existing pregnancy. If you are pregnant currently it is best not to change jobs if at all possible until after your baby is born.

Hopefully, you are not yet pregnant and can plan to have other health insurance maternity coverage when you do get pregnant. If this is the case, you can do an online search for medical insurance providers for your location. Be sure to add on maternity as special coverage. This will raise the premium, but if you plan to get pregnant it will be worth it. If you forget to add maternity coverage on your family plan and you become pregnant, you will not be able to add it on at that time. Remember, pregnancy is a pre-existing condition on a medical insurance plan. You will need to plan ahead for health insurance maternity coverage. Most plans will have a waiting period of 6 months to one year before maternity benefits will pay. Make sure you understand every detail of your policy so that you don't end up disappointed later on. The cost of a pregnancy is high even with no problems, but if you encounter problems during your pregnancy, the costs will sky rocket.

Tooth Changes While Pregnant

With all of the other changes pregnant women experience, tooth problems can often get overlooked. The dental care pregnant women receive is very important. Tooth problems can affect a woman's overall pregnancy experience, if not handled properly. Not all pregnant women experience tooth problems, but many do. Some common tooth problems, range from the area of sensitivity, to gum bleeding. Just as it is important to note any serious changes during pregnancy, you should pay attention to your dental care.

Many people face tooth problems daily. In fact, tooth sensitivity, is one of the most common tooth problems. This can be especially uncomfortable when you're pregnant. Many conditions pregnant women suffered before conceiving become even more difficult once they are pregnant. Dealing with sensitive teeth can be one of these conditions.

There are a few easy tips to dealing with sensitive teeth. Fortunately the various tooth care products on the market today make the process much simpler. One of the first things you may need to do is replace your tooth brush. Having a tooth brush that is too hard or abrasive, on sensitive teeth, can make matters worse.

Some pregnant women will only be able to use soft bristle tooth brushes throughout their pregnancy. There are also tooth pastes that are specially formulated for sensitive teeth. Using these two products can instantly provide relief for this problem. This and other teeth issues should be addressed with your dentist.

The condition of having sensitive teeth should not be ignored. It is usually difficult to eat when sensitivity issues are extreme. This can pose a problem to both the mother's and child's health. Another serious tooth issue, is when you're experiencing gum bleeding. Bleeding gums, is caused by excessive hormones.

If the hormone, progesterone exists in high levels, in a pregnant woman's body, bleeding gums can result. If this does occur, it is important that you consult your doctor. Talking to both your doctor and dentist, can help you find the right remedy for your specific condition. In most cases, antibiotics can be taken to relieve symptoms.

There are also ways to prevent problems with your teeth during pregnancy. One way is by brushing at least twice daily. Remember to use the right type of tooth brush. Brushing rids your teeth of harmful bacteria that can make matters worse, if not cleaned from the teeth. Flossing is also important.

For pregnant women who are experiencing bleeding gums, they should floss, carefully, so as not to further damage their gums. It is also important to receive regular dental care during pregnancy. Having your teeth professionally cleaned is a way of preventing future problems with your teeth, especially while you are pregnant. Your diet is also a very important component to proper dental health. Eating foods that strengthen your teeth, like those high in calcium, are a good way to make your teeth healthier for the long term.

Pregnant women can experience a number of problems where their teeth are concerned. However, each can be handled effectively, if symptoms are addressed as they arise.

Increase Chances of Getting Pregnant - Tips and Tricks to Help You Conceive

Unlike the common notion that pregnancy is a breeze as proven by the high number of teenage pregnancies every year, many couples do not actually succeed after the first attempt at conception. Furthermore, the number of couples who are faced with conception problems is numerable with stories abounding the Internet.

If you have been trying for many months to have a baby to no avail, you can try these tips and tricks to increase chances of getting pregnant:

1) Mark your date of ovulation by using an ovulation prediction kit and calendar method.

2) Do not practice douching. Aside from decreasing your chances of getting pregnant, it can cause health problems such as overgrowth of harmful bacteria and fungi.

3) Take vitamins and minerals. Add herbal supplements to the mix such as ginseng and royal jelly. There are many supplements that can increase chances of getting pregnant.

4) Be physically active to keep your hormones at bay and to stay stress-free. However, do not overdo this as it will bring about negative effects instead.

5) Have sexual intercourse every other day; better if you time this to be at least one to two days before ovulation. Have fun when having sex and use positions which will facilitate the deposition of sperm as close to your cervix as possible, such as the missionary and doggie-style positions.

6) After having sex, you can also raise your hips and lie down for a bit to aid the sperm's travel toward the fallopian tube. It is quite normal to have the semen spill from your vagina, and this does not affect the outcome in any way.

Definition of Acute Depression

Depression is the word that nobody would want to hear. Millions across the world get affected by various forms every year. One of the types is known as acute depression. It is also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression. It is one of the most severe forms and less common as compared to the all other forms. The exact cause has still not been discovered. Psychological changes, biological changes, stress, loss of loved ones, physical disability, divorce and environmental changes are the common causes.

Following are the most commonly observed symptoms that will help you to distinguish between acute and other types of depression: The common symptoms are:

1. Considerable loss of interest enjoyable activities.

2. Constant sadness, anxiety or blues all the time.

3. Sleeping problems, sufferer usually exhibits Insomnia disorder. Insomnia causes difficulty to get off to sleep, early morning wake ups, less sleep than normal, disrupted sleep. In some cases symptoms of hypomania are also exhibited by the patients. Hypomania causes too much sleep than the normal sleep; sufferer finds it difficult to get out of the bed.

4. Sufferer might exhibit considerable amount of weight gain or weight loss due to poor appetite.

5. Loss of energy or fatigue is quite a common symptom.

6. Persistent feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and guilt disturb the sufferer all the time.

7. Restlessness or tiredness without any reason.

8. Sufferers find it difficult to concentrate in all sorts of things associated with them, as a result of which they find it extremely difficult to make decisions.

9. Socially inactive behavior.

10. Suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts are quite common.

11. Physical symptoms such as headache and ache in the stomach areas are also quite common.

12. Interest in the sexual intercourse decreases to quite a large extent.

You may not notice all the symptoms in sufferers as the symptoms vary person to person. If you notice majority of these symptoms in an individual, do ask him or her to seek medical attention. Do not ignore this state; if left untreated you might be victimized with the adverse affects. It is a treatable mental disorder and various treatment methods are available. Kids may find it difficult to cope up with treatment methods. The most effective treatment methods are:

1. Antidepressants as per the prescription of specialists.

2. Psychotherapy methods, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, talk therapy and interpersonal therapies are the best therapies.

3. Electroconvulsive therapy.

4. Combination of psychotherapy and antidepressants can also work in tandem to relieve you.

What Is a Reputable Umbrella Company?

An Umbrella Company is simply a company that is structured to employ temporary agency workers permanently to work at a variety of temporary workplaces, stating in the workers contract that their permanent place of work is their home where they carry out the duties of finding work and keeping records of expenses incurred and contract assignments. The Umbrella employee should be able to claim a tax free amount each week of 瞿3 for the use of their home for an office. The benefit of this employment structure is that (mostly) travel related expenses from home to temporary workplace can be claimed as well as temporary accommodation and incidentals like replacement tools and a certain amount of subsistence. The expenses are taken from the gross receipt (the amount you would have been paid as gross salary if employed directly by an employment agency) and after being subtracted whatever is left is taxed as gross salary. It should be stated in the "overarching" employment contract that the workers salary is variable for this reason, but will never be less than the national minimum wage (NMW). Once the salary is taxed the net pay is then added to the tax free expense amount and paid to you. There is usually a fee or "margin" that is taken from the gross receipt as the Umbrella Company is in business to make money. Different Umbrella Companies have different "margin" rates; you would need to enquire with them at the time you sign up. Some companies quote gross fees and some quote net fees.

At the end of each working week you let the Umbrella Company know where you have been working, the name of the client (agency or contractor) and the hours and rates at which you agreed to carry out the work. The Umbrella Company will invoice your client (agency), collect the money, and when you have submitted your work related expenses they will calculate your pay and transfer it to you.

A well structured Umbrella Company will cover you under their employers and public liability insurance, give you access to a pension and cover all of your statutory rights like Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), Maternity and Paternity Pay and paid holidays. The most compliant Umbrella Company's will take their responsibility so seriously that they will provide you with an employee handbook which should outline their Diversity and Equal Opportunities policy as well as give you guidance on their disciplinary and grievance procedure.

Supplemental Infertility Insurance - When Your Employer's Plan Does Not Cover IVF

Infertility treatments are very expensive, and there are no guarantees that you will conceive. Health insurance plans that cover IVF and other infertility treatments are hard to find. Fourteen states have laws mandating some level of coverage, but each state mandate is full of holes; most couples have little or no coverage.

If you employer does not offer a group plan with infertility coverage, your chances of finding individual coverage is slim. And if you do find coverage, it comes in the form of a rebate. You get a partial refund if you don't conceive. But this approach covers your smaller exposure: the cost of infertility treatment that fail. Your costs are just beginning when you conceive.

Wouldn't it make sense to purchase insurance coverage that pays benefits for you bigger exposure: you conceive and have a baby? Supplemental insurance pays a benefit for your normal delivery. Your benefit may greatly exceed the premium you pay. Use this excess to cover some of your infertility treatment costs.

State Mandates for Group Coverage

Fourteen states have health insurance laws that mandate some form of coverage for infertility treatments, and sometimes for IVF explicitly. If you are fortunate to live in one of these states, or work for an employer headquartered in these state, count yourself very lucky. You have at least some level of coverage.

Couples living in one of these states are not guaranteed infertility coverage. Some states have a mandate to offer coverage. Insurers are required to offer these plans, but employers are not compelled to buy them. Other states limit the mandate to employer groups of a certain size based upon the number of employees. States can only regulate insurers. If your employer self ensures, they are exempt from the regulations. Also if your employer is headquartered in one of the thirty six states with no state mandate, they are exempt as well.

If you live in one of the thirty six states with no mandate, you are on your own.

Individual Health Coverage for Infertility

Most infertility health insurance options sold to individuals are rebate plans. You are refunded a portion of your infertility or IVF treatment cost if you do not conceive and/or delivery a baby. The insurer will provide this option only if you qualify medically.

Many couples find this option appealing - after all who wants to pay lots of money only to get nothing in return? Upon closer inspection, these plans don't make sense for everybody for three reasons. First, insurer offers the refund program only to couples likely to conceive based upon their extensive knowledge of fertility rates and medical conditions. Second, couples are asked to bet against the insurer who is better informed, and has deeper pockets. Third, this insurance fails to address couples biggest exposure: when happens when they get pregnant?

When infertility treatments fail, you get a portion of your money back. When they work, you pay for the insurance, plus the infertility treatment, and then have to deal with the possibility of a high risk pregnancy, followed by a loss of maternity leave income, followed by the cost of raising a child.

Individual Coverage for Your Bigger Exposure

Supplemental insurance, when purchased preconception provides a means to cover some of your infertility treatment costs, and protect you in case of complications. Your benefit for normal delivery may greatly exceed the premium you pay. Use this excess to fund some of your infertility treatment costs. Plus, you have extra security in case of complications, premature birth, accidents and illnesses - all at no additional cost.

Natural Ways to Help Get Pregnant

For several individuals trying to have a baby, natural ways to help get pregnant is becoming a far more favored choice over scientific infertility therapy.. There are several factors that impact your ability to conceive in the first place. Unfortunately, a few people have birth defects which stop them from conceiving in adulthood. Other people fail to get pregnant f because of their undesirable lifestyle and unhealthy habits, and some just don't have luck. An assortment of factors impact your ability to conceive starting from anxiety, as the primary factor up to smoking and poor timing when it comes to love-making. Whenever architectural infertility such as tubal blockages and odd shaped womb are not the primary reason of infertility, it is possible to apply very beneficial natural ways to help get pregnant and listed here are a few of the approaches.

Cervix mucus has an imperative role in facilitating conception. Both level of quality and amount are crucial.. Sperms need to go into the lady's body before conception can happen and cervical mucous play the significant role of helping the semen to flow into the woman's body. Sperms can be damaged by the chemicals present in the vaginal area. We have discussed the reason why the amount of vaginal mucous is crucial, but its level of quality is just as essential because cervical mucus is required to neutralise the acidity in the woman's vaginal area and so preserve the sperms right up until it fertilizes the ovum.Evidently, enhancing the female's quantity as well as quality of cervical discharge is one of the most beneficial natural ways to help get pregnant. In order to produce this, the lady ought to be mindful of her eating habits and consume plenty of normal water everyday and eat certain foods that are great in vitamin A such carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.

Other natural ways to help get pregnant include realizing when you are most fertile. Women are completely different from males in that there are certain days in a calendar month when they have a chance of conceiving. When this fertile window is over, the lady will have to hold out another month before there is any point in trying to conceive. Monitoring changes to the cervical mucus is the most precise way to determine when a lady is most fertile to conceive, but there are also tools in the marketplace such as ovulation kit and body basal thermometer that can do the task. If you are trying to fall pregnant, then having clear and elastic cervical discharge is a positive sign that you should try to conceive then. The lady's body is most fertile to conceive then.

The finishing touch just after that and of course the single most natural way to help get pregnant is then to get involved in love making. Once you have increased the level of quality and amount of your cervical discharge and you know which days are your fertile days, you have to utilize them and employ them speedily. It is recommended that you have sex a few days before and until your fertile days. So as soon as you begin ovulating it is necessary to have sexual intercourse, and a couple more following that can also enable you to conceive a baby. Preferably, you want to have intercourse 1-2 days prior to your most fertile day.

Listed above are the most natural ways to help get pregnant. There is absolutely no professional medical input but just Mother Nature at work. Undoubtedly, correct preconception care will certainly strengthen your likelihood of a fast and even effortless conception. It is necessary to get appropriate and thorough pre natal care because fertility is determined by a myriad of factors and all these components must come collectively before conception is possible. Not everyone get pregnant without batting an eyelid. For a sticky and successful pregnancy, it is hugely encouraged that you apply the most natural ways to help get pregnant.

Help to Become Pregnant - New Help For Women Over 35

Looking for the help to become pregnant? Take into account that women over 35 may take longer to be able to conceive. There are so many positive things about having children when we are older. On the other hand there are some risks you have to take into account. I know exactly how you feel, because that's just how it was for me. When I tried to get pregnant I was nearly 33 years old. I married my second husband and we both yearned to have a baby...

1. Women over 35 may take longer to be able to conceive.

This is related to those eggs we have had since birth. We don't make new eggs as men make new sperm. Our eggs are with us almost from conception. They don't always age well. They can lose quality and there can be fewer of them. This is one reason to seek help to become pregnant from your health care provider if you have been unable to achieve pregnancy after trying for 6 months.

2. There is an increase in spontaneous miscarriage.

There is an increase in spontaneous miscarriage with an approximate risk of 25 percent in women age 35-39 and 51 percent in women 40-44. If you look at this another way, women 35-39 have a 75 percent chance of not having a miscarriage.

3. Down Syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities

The concern many women over 35 hear about most often is Down Syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities. At 35 a woman's risk of any clinically significant chromosome abnormalities is about 1 in 200. Her risk of a baby with Down Syndrome is about 1 in 365. In other words, the odds of having an absolutely normal baby would be about 99.34 percent.

Have you tried so many things to help get pregnant? Are you frustrated... disappointed... or truth be told, even a bit angry that you're not pregnant yet?

Homecare Agencies - Ensuring the Highest Level of Care in the Home Environment

Homecare relates to expert supportive, social and medical care which is provided in the comfort of the patient's home environment. Being available for long and short term contracts, homecare agencies are able to provide the level of care required to ensure that your loved ones receive the highest level of medical care. Whether there is a requirement for short term medical care and assistance with the recovery process after elective surgery, or longer term expert care is required to aid in rehabilitation from a disabling accident or illness, homecare agencies have professional healthcare staff to ensure that this becomes a reality. Furthermore, for those individuals and couples who require assistance in their daily routines as a result of aging, homecare agencies provide a range of medical, grooming and supportive services that enable senior citizens to remain in the community that they live in, which provides valuable social and support networks.

Homecare agencies offer a diverse range of services, including outpatient and post surgery care, prenatal and postnatal care, companionship, personal grooming, housekeeping, shopping, meal preparation, mobility assistance and the delivery of medication. The diverse range of medical staff that homecare agencies provide, including assistants, helpers and qualified nurses ensures that the needs of the patient is matched with the level of care required.

Healthcare policies worldwide are being aimed at reducing the pressure on public hospitals and medical facilities by implementing a process of reducing the timeline for hospital visits, admissions and surgical procedures, while placing greater responsibility for mobile medical services to provide the care that patients require in their home environments.

Furthermore, those senior citizens whose only option in the past was to attend a specialist aged care retirement home now have the option to stay in the family home and receive the care and support they require, whether this is on a temporary or full time basis. The results of this is an increased demand across the medical spectrum for qualified, trusted and experienced healthcare staff to work for homecare agencies in support of the delivery of the highest quality of medical care in a patients home.

Homecare agencies are providing those who have previously retired from the workforce or who are planning on re-entering after time away for family or personal reasons, an opportunity to secure a position, either full time or part time, that enables them to earn a reliable income from a rewarding career. Speak to a specialist recruitment agency today to see what options are available to you.

Best Foods to Eat While You Are Pregnant

No matter how healthy your diet may be, you might have to change it a little while you are pregnant. Some foods you may want to eliminate altogether, while others, you will want to increase in your daily menu. In our modern research, we try to figure out more about health, food, and nutrition during pregnancy. In order to do this, we need to learn more about the very foods that we eat and how they affect our bodies.

For example, you might ask what impact vegetarian diets, red meats, strong cheeses, organic foods or others may have on how your baby grows during the nine months of pregnancy.

Foods You Want to Eat

During your first trimester, foods that have a lot of protein, are the best foods that you can choose to eat. By consuming more protein you will be giving your baby the main building block of all cells. Protein is especially critical, since your tiny unborn child develops their major organs in these 3 months.

Vegetarians

Any vegetarian diet should be filled with foods that contain protein for cellular growth and development. You may be surprised at the variety of vegetarian protein that is really available. Beans with rice very high in protein and come a colorful variety.

Meat Eaters

For non-vegetarians, turkey, beef, tuna, and finally chicken have a high level of protein per ounce ranked from most to least. If you are on a vegetarian diet, beans and rice are excellent protein sources when combined. If money is tight, two eggs or peanut butter are other options.

For a fast, handy snack, vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, can have protein by grabbing a small handful of natural almonds with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Almonds are packed with vitamins and minerals that help you ensure that your baby gets exactly what nutrition it needs the most.

Organic Foods

Organic foods also need to be carefully selected, since they may be prone to have more natural residues. However, if they are grown locally, these foods may be better for your body since it is more used to the immediate environment. Be sure to check where and how they are grown, such as being a hybrid of two or more strains of foods.

Foods You Want to Avoid

There are certain types of fish and cheese, that may actually be bad to eat while pregnant. These are foods that you may want to check out, before heading to your favorite seafood restaurant or fixing yourself a sandwich. Check with your medical provider before munching on raw sushi, oyster, muscles, octopus, and similar raw fish.

Cheese

In addition, some strong cheeses may carry bacteria that could hurt your baby. Blue cheese, feta, wine cheese, Manchego sheep milk cheese, and others that have a potent aroma often require getting used to for adults, let alone a tiny fetus. You will most likely want to take these foods off your menu, at least while you are pregnant.

Sugar

Foods high in sugar take your body on an energy roller coaster, stressing both you and your unborn child. Pregnancy takes an enormous amount of energy already and may suffer by extreme energy swings. If you must have something sweet, try foods such as applesauce, grapes, or other raw fruit. Use spices to add flavor to fruit to make it have more taste. Do avoid honey as it has a bacteria that can hurt small children.

Healthy Food Makes A Long Term Difference

Through all stages of your life, eating the proper foods makes a difference to your overall health. But, during pregnancy it is absolutely critical to the normal growth of your baby. Making a list of the right and wrong foods to eat can help you and your baby stay on a nutritious track.

By making a careful selection for your menu, you help to ensure not just a safe nine months of pregnancy, but a safe start so your baby can grow those first teeth and strong legs to walk on.

Have You Considered Spices For Help With Weight Loss?

There are countless methods to help with weight loss. Many are dull and ineffective. Too often, low-salt dishes lack flavor. However, a number of natural herbs and spices can actually help you lose belly fat, while making your low-calorie dish taste absolutely delicious.

Perhaps the most well-known spice is cinnamon. All your body needs is 1 tablespoon of cinnamon a day to reduce blood sugar, and help prevent diabetes. It can also promote healthy circulation of your blood for increased energy levels. Meanwhile, the spice causes carbs to be digested more efficiently for quicker weight loss. At the same time, cinnamon can significantly lower your bad LDL cholesterol. However, don't go crazy throwing the spice over everything that you eat. Cinnamon contains coumarin, a chemical that can cause your lips and mouth to itch. On a much more severe level, cinnamon can lead to damage to your liver if too much is consumed. Regardless, it is most commonly used on pancakes, French toast and a wide variety of desserts.

Spicy cayenne peppers stimulate your metabolism, as well as your nervous system to make heat. This heat burns up calories for help with weight loss. The spice also increases energy levels and works as an appetite suppressant, causing you to eat less sugar and unhealthy carbs. At one fell swoop, it helps your digestive system, causing gas and bloating to be eliminated. Even your blood pressure can be lowered from cayenne peppers. The spice is used to add a little flavor to bland pieces of chicken and fish, such as salmon, along with bitter vegetables, like eggplant and asparagus. If you simply do not care for spicy foods, you can get a hold of cayenne peppers in pill form.

Commonly used with Asian dishes, ginger can be used as an effective diuretic. Your metabolism will be sped up, quickly burning calories from your frame. The spice also speeds up your digestive system, along with fighting off bad LDL cholesterol in your body. Both dieters and weight lifters rely on the seasoning to help their muscles make use of oxygen. It is even used to reduce vertigo and upset stomachs. In fact, many doctors recommend the spice for pregnant women to decrease morning sickness. Ginger is commonly used on chicken and tofu, as well as added to tea. Not unlike cayenne peppers, ginger can be consumed in the form of capsules to help with weight loss.

Found in just about any kitchen cabinet, black pepper is wonderful for your overall digestion. It actually assists different nutrients in getting absorbed all over your body. Meanwhile, your metabolism is sped up from the pungent tasting spice. Mustard seed has the same positive effect on your metabolism. In fact, medical studies have found that mustard seed can boost your metabolism by a whopping 25% after eating, burning off many more calories from an overweight body. Along with the other beneficial spices, mustard seed is ideal for flavor, as well as help with weight loss.

Pregnant Cramps - 5 Causes of Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy

What are the possible causes of abdominal pain during pregnancy? Should you be alarmed? Why do they occur? All these are questions that both the newly pregnant and those women who are more experienced ask. You should endeavor to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of normal and excessive abdominal pain. This is because knowing the difference between both types of cramps can potentially save your life. The aim of this article is to empower you with that ability by revealing 5 causes of pregnancy cramps.

1. When the embryo implants itself into the walls of the uterus, it may cause abdominal pain. This happens during the first trimester and is not usually something to worry about because it is normal.

2. During your second trimester, your uterus begins to expand. This expansion of the ligaments and muscles that support the uterus is due to the fact that your baby is growing bigger. As a result of this expansion, a dull ache across your abdomen may occur. You may also experience a sharp pain on one side of your abdomen, which usually occurs when you are rising up from a sitting position.

3. If you experience pregnant cramp during your third trimester, then it is most likely due to a condition which is referred to as Braxton-Hicks contractions. This condition usually accompanies false labor which is the irregular and often painless tightening of your uterus. Ensure that you go to the hospital if this degenerates into regular cramping which is accompanied by vaginal discharges or if your water breaks because you may actually be experiencing real labor at this point.

4. Once you begin to notice that your pregnancy cramps are very strong and that they linger for awhile without abating, you should contact your health care giver because this could be a sign that there is a more serious problem tied to your abdominal pain. Sometimes you may also notice that you are bleeding through your vagina or experiencing fainting spells. Conditions that may be responsible for this include, but are not limited to, the following; ectopic pregnancy, preeclampsia, and so on.

5. Pre-term labor is another common cause of pregnant cramps. It is characterized by the presence of pelvic pressure, regular contractions, vaginal discharge and period-like clamps prior to your 37th week of pregnancy. It is advised that you contact your health care provider if you notice these signs.

While you are pregnant, you should try to get as much rest as you can. You must realize that you are now responsible for someone else besides just yourself. Moreover, lying down and relaxing is one of the best ways to relieve pregnancy cramps.

Taking Care Of Your Physical and Mental Health During Pregnancy

With over 4 million births in the United States and between 128 and 138 million births in the world every year, the need arises for proper care during pregnancy. Here are some tips for taking care of yourself during your pregnancy.

Get Prenatal Care

The number one most important thing you can do to insure you have a healthy baby is to get prenatal care from a reputable doctor. Regular prenatal checkups can detect potential problems early, determine whether a c-section may be needed, determine the sex and just insure things are going smoothly. A prenatal checkup will generally include blood and urine tests to check for bacteria, blood sugar problems, high blood protein levels, iron levels and other typical complications of pregnancy. Your blood pressure and weight will also be checked. Ultrasounds may also be done to check the growth of the baby and its position in the womb.

Eating Right

In addition to prenatal care, it's essential that you eat right. Balanced meals are crucial, as you are now feeding your baby, as well as yourself. A diet with plenty of whole grains, high quality proteins, fruits and vegetables and dairy is usually recommended for most expectant mothers. It is also recommended that you avoid some items like too much caffeine, artificial sweeteners and any raw or not fully cooked foods like eggs, fish or meat. Also not recommended are soft cheeses and unpasteurized dairy products as these can contain bacteria that could cause an infection. Some types of fish contain higher levels of mercury, which should be avoided, these fish include tuna, shark, swordfish and mackerel. Only two or three servings of fish are recommended for most pregnant women. Above all, drink plenty of fluids, especially water, during your pregnancy.

Vitamins & Supplements

In recent years, studies have found that the B vitamin, folic acid, helps to prevent birth defects when taken during pregnancy. Doctors recommend you take 400 mcg every day. Your doctor may also recommend a multivitamin formulated for pregnant women as well. Many women also take other vitamins and supplements during pregnancy, but be sure to let your doctor know what other supplements you're taking. Consulting a nutritionist or naturopath can be beneficial and they can customize a supplement plan for your specific health needs.

Exercise

In general, most pregnant women can do the same types of exercises that they did while they weren't pregnant. Though some types of weight lifting, very strenuous exercise, as well as certain yoga poses and pilates movements aren't recommended for pregnant women. You should do your research to make sure you are doing safe exercises for your baby. Generally, swimming and walking are excellent, lower impact exercises for pregnant women and are therefore most recommended.

Dealing With Morning Sickness

Vomiting and nausea are the two most prevalent symptoms of morning sickness in pregnant women. Some ways to alleviate morning sickness include eating more small meals throughout the day instead of 3 larger ones and also eating less greasy or fatty foods.

Prevention Of Complications

Taking care of yourself from the moment you are pregnant can not only protect the health of yourself and your unborn baby, but it can also prevent post birth health complications, including postpartum depression. Postpartum can be prevented by getting proper physical and mental health care during pregnancy, but if after birth, you still come down with a level of postpartum depression, it can be dealt with by using medication or counseling, including an innovative online counseling method, called eCounseling. eCounseling provides effective counseling services by certified counselors, for treating postpartum depression right in your own home.

Remember to take care of yourself during pregnancy, since you're not just taking care of yourself anymore, but also another living being.

Beating Stress and Depression Through Music

Stress and depression can make a woman, especially a woman suffering from substance abuse, feel overwhelmed and anxious. Many women find it difficult to cope with the stress and depression that can be brought on by daily life. Between juggling the needs of others and their own needs, it can be hard for a woman to take time out of her busy life to deal with her own emotions.

While some women find that activities like yoga, reading, painting or exercise help them cope with stress and depression, other women don't feel like they even have the time to carve out for those activities. Music can be an incredibly powerful tool for women who find it difficult to find 15, 30 minutes or an hour for themselves each day. Although we're still learning about how music impacts the body, we know that music therapy can be effective for treating stress and depression as well as anxiety or feelings of being overwhelmed.

Combating Daily Stress and Depression With Music
We've all listened to a song on the radio that has brightened our mood, made us feel more at peace or brought a smile to an otherwise terrible day. Some songs bring to mind memories of happier times, like our school days or a particular family vacation, while others put us in a more thoughtful mood. When you listen to music to relax, here are some things to keep in mind:

Don't use headphones! Play the music through speakers, even if you aren't in the car and let your whole body feel the rhythm. Dance if you want to dance, sing if you want to sing. Let your body tell you how the music can ease your anxiety, stress and depression.

Close your eyes. If you can, listen to the music at home or in a place where it is safe to close your eyes. This helps calm our brains and get our bodies to focus on the beat or the lyrics. If you are listening to soft music or jazz, take deep breaths while you are listening and focus your mind on the notes. If you are listening to something upbeat, have a 30 second dance marathon and get physically active.

Make a mix tape. Ok, so we don't make cassette tapes anymore, but take that concept and put together a playlist of songs that will help you cope with your feelings of anxiety, stress and depression. If a certain song reminds you of a past relationship that is the root of your depression, avoid adding it to your play list, or if you must add it to the beginning of your play list and make the subsequent tracks more relaxing and uplifting. If you need to cry, cry it out and let the next song heal your heart.

Can IVF Help Me Get Pregnant?

No matter what sort of fertility problems you've been diagnosed with, like many couples, you may be considering IVF. Help from this highly technical procedure has been shown to increase the odds of pregnancy for a variety of fertility problems. Here are just a few ideas of how it can help you become pregnant sooner than you thought possible.

Female Factor Problems
Some of the most common female infertility problems include tubal blockage or removal, lack of quality eggs to fertilize, PCOS, and endometriosis. All of these problems severely limit your odds of getting pregnant naturally, and some may even totally preclude a natural pregnancy. Another problem that is becoming more common is simply maternal age, but if you're trying to conceive over the age of thirty-five, IVF can more than likely help out.

There are a couple of reasons that IVF can help bypass some of these issues. Many of them, such as PCOS and low quality eggs are actually solved in part by the medications that go along with IVF. You see, when you start a round of IVF, you'll be given several types of medications and some hormones that will increase the number of eggs that you produce as well as their quality, more often than not. This simply means that there are more eggs to become fertilized than you would naturally have.

IVF can also bypass tubal problems because it totally skips the tubes. Normally, an egg is fertilized in the fallopian tubes on its way to the uterus. So, if the fallopian tubes are blocked, the egg simply dissolves, unfertilized, or maybe ends up in a dangerous ectopic pregnancy. With IVF, though, the eggs are taken directly from the ovaries and inserted into the uterus as fertilized embryos, making the problem of tubal blockage practically disappear.

Male Factor Infertility
Infertility that is a problem with the male is common, to, especially issues with things like low sperm count and low motility. Sometimes this creates an issue of the sperm simply being unable to get to the egg, so IVF can definitely help with that. Basically, the eggs will be harvested, and then the male will donate sperm, either through the natural process of ejaculation or, if problems are more severe, through extraction. The sperm are washed to weed out the weaker ones, and then they are combined with the eggs to fertilize them. By the time the eggs are inserted into the womb, they are already embryos ready to grow into healthy babies.

If male factor infertility problems are very bad, there is an added procedure called ICSI that can help overcome these problems. During this delicate procedure, sperm are individually inserted into eggs, so there is no chance of eggs going unfertilized, even if sperm count is particularly low.

Unexplained Infertility
This is probably one of the most heartbreaking of infertility problems because no one knows just how to fix what can't be explained in the first place. However, IVF has very good success rates for couples who have infertility that just can't be pinned down. Sometimes in the process of IVF, you'll find out what the problem actually is. Other times, you'll simply overcome the problem without ever figuring out what its cause was!

Pregnancy Side Effects: The Desire to Nest

As you get further along in your pregnancy, chances are you will experience what is commonly referred to as the "nesting instinct." You may have watched a television show or two where a pregnant woman went into a household cleaning frenzy right before going into labor and that scenario isn't too far from the truth (for once Hollywood didn't over exaggerate!). There is a real, biological basis behind the urge to "nest".

What It Is

The nesting instinct simply refers to a mom-to-be's intense desire to put her home in order before the baby arrives. This could be anything from organizing the pantry to laundering all the curtains and rugs to putting a fresh coat of paint on the house. And even though you may have been exhausted in the weeks leading up to this last-minute cleaning urge, which usually occurs in the third trimester, you will find yourself enjoying a sudden burst of energy that fuels your psychological need to ensure that all is ready for baby's imminent arrival.

Why It Is

It just makes sense that the mom-to-be desires home projects get done before her new infant takes all her time and attention. But the nesting instinct is more than just psychological, it's actually the product of hormones at work in the pregnant woman's body.

The hormone prolactin is the chemical responsible for a variety of physical and mental changes. It's prolactin that also helps expectant mothers develop nurturing instincts along with widening hips and softening joints. It could also be the culprit when it comes to the additional neurons in a pregnant woman's brain, which create numerous connections in the hippocampus and boost spatial memory helpful when looking after her newborn. Those same neurons fire together to produce energy before birth so that moms-to-be can perform all those essential last-minute tasks around the house.

Nesting Instinct Tips

For some women, the desire to nest is more than just a passing fancy; they actually experience panic and stress over little things like whether or not the nursery furniture is assembled NOW or the walls in baby's room are painted the same day. They often find it difficult to relax at all in the days before baby is due to arrive. If you are feeling more manic than calm, it's important to take care of yourself.

Get enough rest. While you may find it difficult to turn off your brain at night, you need to sleep and replenish your stores of energy. Try indulging in a bedtime ritual that includes herbal tea, a hot bath, and a lavender neck rest to help you fall asleep naturally.

Use the energy created by prolactin to get all those things accomplished you feel are absolutely necessary for your baby's health and wellbeing - but take frequent breaks. Minimize the risk of feeling imbalanced and possibly falling by wearing a maternity bodysuit that supports your enlarged abdomen and relieves stress on your back and shoulders. This will not only improve the efficiency of your respiration and thus increase your energy, your body will benefit from proper posture in a number of other ways, both mentally and physically.

Don't forget to ask for help, either. Sure, your partner might not feel as anxious as you do about hanging the drapes in the nursery, but chances are he'll climb the stepstool and install the curtain rod if you ask. Maybe not immediately, but...

We are perfectly made in regards to the way humans are naturally prepared for having children. Use your natural instincts to feather your nest and use the proper maternity support garments to help you stay balanced, energized and feeling good.

Health Insurance Subrogation - What Is It?

To subrogate means to "put into the place of others." In terms of civil law, subrogation means to substitute one person (or entity) in exchange for another in terms of legal claims. Medical insurance subrogation means that if your insurance company pays a claim on your behalf, they then have the right to act on your behalf and sue the party responsible for the claim. For example, if you are hurt on the job and your standard health insurance policy pays for the Emergency Room visit required, the insurance company can then file suit against any worker's compensation insurance your employer maintains, with or without your permission.

Likewise, health insurance subrogation is often used in instances of automotive accidents and their resulting medical claims. To better illustrate, consider this scenario: you are in an accident that totals your car and sends you to the hospital with a broken collar bone. You may have initially given your standard medical insurance information when you received medical care. Your automotive policy covers the repairs to your car. Later, police officials determine the other driver was at fault for the accident. That would make their insurance provider liable for damages and medical costs. However, since these were already paid by your health plan and automotive insurance providers, there are no outstanding bills.
In such cases, subrogation is used to allow your insurance providers to file suit against the at-fault driver to re-coop their expenses. In some cases, your insurance company may file suit against the other driver, his insurance company, or even against other insurance policy providers you have, depending on the situation and laws of your state. Health insurance subrogation works similarly to automotive insurance subrogation. The primary difference being that claims are entirely medical, rather than covering damages or loss of property. Not all companies actively seek subrogation for all claims.

In similar scenarios where your medical insurance and automotive insurance companies pay claims that are deemed the responsibility of a third party or their insurance, subrogation can become a confusing mess. Your health plan provider may initially pursue health insurance subrogation against your automotive insurance provider. Your automotive insurance provider may argue that the at-fault driver's insurance should pay, as well as reimbursing their expenses for vehicle damages. This can create a tangled mess of civil suits and bickering insurance providers. Such cases often require the intervention of the legal community in order to resolve who should be reimbursing whom. If you need assistance in locating particular coverages at a pre-determined price, we can help save 50% on health insurance.

What Should You Ask Your Outsourced Provider?

Starting your own business can be a very exciting and stressful time in any ones life. If you have been in employment you know that you have a skill that is of value to you. After all, that skill has provided you with an income for many years. Whether you are a Plumber, Web Designer or a Financial Advisor you have an hourly rate that is worth something to your current employer.

If you decide to start your own business, you will be forced to learn a number of new skills. Running a business is not about installing a boiler, designing a website or advising someone about a pension; this is your trade. Running your own business is so much more.

One of the first outsourcing companies you may need to employ will be that of an Accountant. You are going to need to ensure that your 'books' have been completed correctly. That you are claiming the right allowances and that you comply with the rules and regulations set down by government.

When designing contracts with your prospective clients, you may well employ a solicitor to ensure that you are covered should anything untoward happen to you, your employees or possible any subcontractors. You may need to rely on your terms and conditions should you find that a client has become unreasonable towards you.

You may use an insurance broker to make sure all of your insurances are correct and you and your family are protected from any eventuality. You may use a Bookkeeper, an IT Professional or a PR & Marketing company to ensure your business message is being heard and understood. All of these functions are a form outsourcing.

I would therefore like to suggest another form of outsourcing that you may not have heard of, that of a Virtual Assistant or Virtual PA. A Virtual Assistant or Virtual PA will help you and your business get organised, ensure that you are following the best practice in your daily administration and help you create that important work life balance we all need in our lives.

When you choose to outsource any of your business functions ensure that you ask the following questions:

1. How long have you been a Virtual Assistant/Bookkeeper/Accountant?


2. How many clients do you currently have?


3. How much do you charge?


4. What are your current working hours?


5. What is not covered in your fees?


6. What is your background?


7. What skills do you have?


8. What sort of work do you do for your current clients?


9. Where do you work from?


10. Will you sign a Non Disclosure Agreement?

It is important that you trust your virtual employee; after all they represent you and your business when you are not available.

Definitive Guide to Health Insurance With Maternity Coverage

Life is full of surprises. Some are good. Some are bad. Generally speaking, though, when a woman discovers she's pregnant, it's a good surprise whether she's been trying or not. Most pregnant women develop a very strong protective instinct toward the child she's carrying and she wants to make sure that both before and after birth, the child is taken care of. Medical expenses are going to be a crucial part of this with prenatal care for the mother and unborn child and post-birth pediatric care for the baby. In order to do this right, a mother will need health insurance with maternity coverage over and above her regular medical insurance.

While your existing insurance policy might include maternity insurance by default, most don't. Generally, maternity coverage is available as an added option or a supplemental plan and you will usually have to pay an additional premium to obtain it. However, when compared to the high costs of all associated pregnancy costs these additional premiums are well worth the cost. Each health insurance with maternity coverage will come with conditions and terms that are specific and you need to make sure what these are prior to agreeing to it. It may be that you want to look at a different provider for something better.

Most health insurance with maternity coverage will cover most unexpected hospital charges, doctor visits, and medications. However, even though they are supposed to cover maternity costs, a lot of them don't cover prenatal vitamins, regular and additional check-ups, and other costs that most mothers will have to incur. Keep in mind that the more things a maternity plan covers the higher the premium will be. A lower cost plan will have a more broad, but more limited coverage.

Despite the fact you can add maternity coverage onto an existing plan or buy a new one, most policies will not cover you if you seek out coverage after you become pregnant. It's a standard practice to have a waiting period for health insurance with maternity coverage that won't become active for one to two years. If you can't get maternity insurance for this, consider adding coverage for the infant that will be available the second the child is born.

Your current policy will determine if you can extend benefits to the child or get extra coverage. You may need to get a new plan. If you're already pregnant and you can't get insurance, consider a maternity medical coverage discount program which will give you discounts on the medical costs, but typically won't cover you as well as the insurance would. In addition to this, apply for different maternity programs that are available from the state, the federal government, child and family services, private interest groups, and advocacy groups.

What You Need to Know About Postpartum Nutrition

Everyone knows the importance of good nutrition while pregnant, but what happens after the baby comes. Typically, new moms are exhausted, trying to figure out the baby's schedule and many times either forget to eat, or eat something quick that provides little or no nutrition. This is not the best strategy if you want to recover quickly from your delivery and help your newborn to grow and develop.

Maintaining a healthy postpartum diet is also necessary for the healing and recovery process. A good diet supplies you with the energy needed to care for your newborn. If you don't eat and drink enough, you may not produce enough milk for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding moms need to add around 300-500 additional calories to their daily intake. If you are feeding twins, double that! If you're not breastfeeding, your caloric intake should be the same as it was before you became pregnant.

Eating properly will also help with deal with fatigue. The best way to fight postpartum fatigue (in addition to getting lots of sleep!) is to eat 5-6 small meals every day. In addition to breakfast, lunch and dinner, eat a mid-afternoon snack and a late night snack. When you're tired, eat foods that require little or no preparation, like raw vegetables, fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, trail mix, broiled meats and fish.

Hydration will also keep your body nourished. Keep a pitcher of water beside your breastfeeding chair and keep drinking throughout the day. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will dehydrate you and negatively affect the baby if you are breastfeeding.

Ensuring your calcium intake is insufficient is vital for both your needs and those of your nursing baby. If it is not sufficient, your body will withdraw the calcium stored in your bones in order to produce the nutrient rich milk it needs. That means the future health of your bones suffers. Take the steps now to ensure your continued health.

Calcium can be found in milk products, yogurt, cheese, sardines and salmon with bones, and sesame seeds.

Iron is also an important part of postpartum nutrition. Unfortunately many women become anemic after the birth of their baby. Increasing your iron intake will combat anemia. Foods high in iron include lean red meats, egg yolks, tofu, lentils, figs, spinach and artichokes. Iron is important, but it is also important to help your body absorb the iron. Foods rich in Vitamin C help this happen. We know orange juice contains vitamin C, but you can also find it in other citrus fruits, tomatoes, baked potatoes, dark leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.

If you are recovering from a Cesarean section, Vitamin C will help with wound healing. Proteins are also important to help your body repair itself, so make sure your diet includes high protein elements such as cheese, lean meats, seeds, tuna, salmon, lentils and peanuts.

You should not be concerned with weight loss in the initial postpartum period. It can take several months to lose the weight that you gained during your pregnancy. The best way to do this is not by dieting, but rather cutting out high-fat snacks and eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. You can safely lose 3-4 pounds a month as long as you continue to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Walking is a great form of postpartum exercise and initially helps increase bowel activity and prevent constipation. Drinking water is also very important throughout the postpartum period.

Postpartum can be a difficult time for new moms. Let friends and family help. If they offer to bring over a meal -- let them. You'll appreciate it when you're too tired to cook, and you will need the nutrition that a home-cooked meal provides. Get rest. Eat well. Love your baby. It's just the beginning.

Deal With Postpartum Depression (PPD) Smartly

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression (PPD) also called postnatal depression is a form of clinical depression that affects some women after they have delivered a child. The exact cause of this condition is not known however some research says that since the hormone levels change during and after pregnancy this imbalance of hormonal level in woman's body causes chemical changes in the brain that play a part in developing depression.

Post partum depression can be treated by talk therapy and medicine (antidepressant).

Why do women get affected by it?

Giving birth to baby is a tough job. The rapid gush of hormones in that period creates a state of imbalance in the body for a while. And this imbalance can last from a few days to months, which maybe a cause for postpartum depression.

However giving birth is also one of the most beautiful feeling a woman can ever experience. From the moment a woman has given birth she feels sheer joy and happiness, fulfillment, achievement, thankfulness. But with all these positive qualities come along anxiety, fear, uncertainty, responsibility and sometimes depression.

Simple steps to treat your depression yourself:-

• Be pro active not reactive

Once you get pregnant you want to gather all the information regarding your baby's development, what to eat what not to, what's good for the baby's health, what's the sex of the baby etc. Side by side do make it a point to study the topic of postpartum depression.

• Do not live in denial

Even if you are having a very smooth pregnancy and everything's fine, do not guarantee yourself that you cannot get depression.

Even the happiest of pregnant women do get some form of depression either they get mood swings also called Baby Blues or PPD or in very rare cases Postpartum psychosis.

• We fear the unknown

You delivered a baby a week ago. You are exhausted. You are not getting enough sleep you don't even know who this new person is? You hate your body. You hate the people around you. You don't have much interest in this baby. You just want to run away some place. In short there is nothing you feel good about. You have PPD!

You try to pretend that you don't know what's wrong however your subconscious tells you that there is something wrong with you and this is not normal. Once you know it that you have PPD, you have treated this illness 50%.

• Remember all your baby needs is you

You want to sleep for a stretch of 6 hours; you want to watch a movie alone or with your partner. Maybe all you want is some peace and quiet. Yes you can do all this but stock it up for some time later because rite now the most important thing in your life is your baby.

Remember this is tiny person you anxiously waited for 9 months. You worked so hard to make everything perfect for your baby.

Finally your baby is here. Your baby wants to be close to you, she wants your touch. She wants your body warmth; she wants your breast she simply wants to be near you. You are your baby's main life support.

You have to tell all this to yourself. Forget the world. Right now it's just you and the baby.

• Have faith in yourself

Do not jeopardize yourself in the process of child care. Go easy. Sleep when the baby sleeps even if it's for 15 minutes. Talk to your partner or any friend. Make plans for your baby.

Try to indulge yourself totally in motherhood. Yes this absolutely works.

Keep reassuring yourself that everything will be fine. Think positive. Do not let those irrational feelings take over you.

Taking antidepressant drugs is not a very good idea especially for a breastfeeding mother because the drug can get into in the milk.

Remember Postpartum depression is not a disease or illness it's just some bad vibes that hover over you when you have been blessed with the most beautiful gift. A baby!