How to Get Pregnant Fast - 3 Free Tips to Help You Get Pregnant Fast

When trying to get pregnant; a couple would usually have concerns if they remain unsuccessful after a couple of months. There is really no easy guide on how to get pregnant fast. While there are a number of different tips and practices one can follow to be able to achieve their desired results, there is really no easier argument than practice makes perfect.

Should a couple decide to begin building their very own family; one should be able to properly prepare oneself on the pros and cons of parenthood. Though these would usually come later, the greater task at hand is to be able to create the child who will need all the proper nurturing in the future. There are tips a gynecologist or a family planning councilor would be able to provide on how to get pregnant fast. These of course would include the constant sexual intercourse the couple would have. Some would suggest particular dates or perhaps specific plans for that matter on when the best time to copulate would be. There is also the matter of ovulation which is rather vital in these situations where a female needs to have a constitution ready for conception. And finally, this particular tip is mostly meant for females; this is where they must be highly conscious of their ovulation as well as their peaks for them to help determine the best time to conceive. A woman's ovulation process is rather vital; for one to be able to miss out on this opportunity would have to wait the completion of another cycle for them to be able to get their chance in conception.

Mom and Baby at 24 Weeks Pregnant

BABY DEVELOPMENT

Your baby has reached another milestone in his/her development. At 24 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is considered "viable." This means that if your little one decided to make a surprise entrance this week, he/she has a 40 percent chance of surviving with the help of neonatal intensive care. Your baby is now around 11.8 inches long, and he/she weighs over a pound (around 1.3 pounds).

• Your baby's lungs continue to mature and improve their function this week. In fact, the lungs are developing the "branches" of the "respiratory tree." In addition, cells are starting to produce a substance called "surfactant," which will help the air sacs inflate on the outside world. If your baby is born without enough surfactant, he/she will need help breathing.


• At pregnancy week 24, your little bundle of joy's skin is still thin and translucent (see-through), but this is slowly changing, due to more fat layers being laid down between the skin cells.


• The amount of amniotic fluid surround your baby starts to increase in volume after this week. The level of amniotic fluid steadily increases until around week 35 or 36, when it slowly decreases.


• As your baby grows more proportional with every day that passes, his/her digestive system, central nervous system, reproductive system, and circulatory systems continue to mature.


• Your baby's eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed at 24 weeks of pregnancy, but your little one's eyes won't open for several more weeks. (They have been fused shut since the first trimester.)


• Ossification is occurring this week. Your baby's skeleton is slowly turning from cartilage to bone. This process will continue throughout your pregnancy.


• This week, lanugo (soft, downy hairs that cover your baby's body for warmth) is trapping vernix (the white, waxy protective covering which protects his/her skin from the amniotic fluid) onto the surface of the skin.

Fun Fact:

Your baby's heartbeat has slowed down at 24 weeks, though it still beats pretty fast. If you want to listen to his/her heartbeat, you can buy a Prenatal Heart Listener from any baby store, and you can listen to your little bundle of joy's heart beat from the comfort of your home.

MOM'S CHANGES

In the last couple of weeks, the top of your uterus has continued to rise above your navel. At pregnancy week 24, your uterus may be anywhere between 1.5 and 2 inches above your belly button. You may also have gained at least 15 pounds, possibly more. (Remember to aim for 25 to 35 pounds if you are average-sized.)

As your baby is getting larger, he/she has less room to move about in the womb. So you may be feeling stronger kicks this week, but if your baby's movements are still rhythmic, that's perfectly normal too. At this point in pregnancy, you may also notice that your baby has a regular sleep-wake pattern. Take time to enjoy feeling your baby move inside you - you'll miss this sensation after your little one is born!

At pregnancy week 24, you may notice that you're experiencing more vaginal discharge than before. Don't be alarmed by this change. It's quite normal. A majority of expectant mothers have higher levels of vaginal discharge than before pregnancy, due to the increased hormones in their body and more blood flowing to the genital area.

This vaginal discharge is called "leukorrhea," and it should be clear or white in appearance, and it's often odorless. You will notice more of this discharge in your third trimester and closer to your due date. If your vaginal discharge is thick, yellow, and foul smelling, and it comes with itching, you should call your doctor. This may be a sign of a vaginal infection.

Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about this extra discharge. It's normal during pregnancy. If it bothers you that much, you may want to wear panty liners to soak it up. (Do not use tampons during pregnancy.)

Fun Fact:

Did you know that most babies instantly recognize the scent and sound of their mother's voice immediately after birth? So the more that you talk and communicate with your baby in utero, the more closer both of you will feel toward each other following delivery.

PREGNANCY 411

The Signs of Preterm Labor

Though you may think it's too early to even think about preterm labor, it's not. Over 12 percent of babies are born premature (or before 37 weeks of pregnancy). Premature babies face a host of problems, so you will want to keep your "bun" cooking in the "oven" for as long as possible.

Risk factors for delivering early include:

• Past history of preterm delivery


• Twin or multiples pregnancy


• Late or no prenatal care during pregnancy


• Smoking, drinking, or using illegal drugs when you're expecting


• Standing for prolonged periods of time


• Domestic violence


• Cervical and uterine abnormalities

Even if you are not at risk for going into labor early, you are only weeks away from the third trimester, so you will want to know the signs of labor just in case. These include the following:

• Low, dull backache


• Pelvic pressure, or the sensation that your baby is pushing down


• Menstrual-like cramps


• Vaginal bleeding or fluid leakage


• Contractions that come every ten minutes, or more often, and get closer together as time passes

You will want to contact your doctor or healthcare provider if you experience any of those symptoms.

At 24 weeks of pregnancy, if you're at risk for delivering early or you're experiencing symptoms of preterm labor, your care provider may recommend that you take a fetal fibronectin (fFN) test. This test looks at the "glue-like" protein that binds the amniotic sac to the uterine lining.

If the test detects this protein, this means that your body is ready to deliver. If the test is negative, this means that there is a 99 percent chance that you will not go into labor in the next two weeks.

If you receive a positive result, your healthcare team will create a plan of action to help your pregnancy last longer, if that's possible. This may include certain medications and bed rest for the rest of your pregnancy.

A Look At Why Women Experience Low Sex Drive

There are a number of reasons why many women experience low sex drive. Low sex drive can be brought on by many physical problems. The most severe medical issues related to low sex drive are disorders that affect the neural (nervous) system or cause nerve damage, such as Diabetes, Multiple Sclorosis, Parkinson's Disease, and stroke.

If you have poor circulation, blood won't flow properly to the genetalia, and will not only make arousal more difficult, but can inhibit your natural lubrication, making intercourse painful and unpleasant. This can also happen as a result of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), STD's, and liver disorders. Alcohol can aggravate these conditions, increasing with age, as can smoking.

Hormones play an important part in sexual interest, and any type of hormonal imbalance will also affect sex drive. Women who are nearing or experiencing menopause, are pregnant or postnatal, or who have had a full or partial hysterectomy, may experience low sex drive, as a result of fluctuating levels of the hormones estrogen and prolactin.

Certain medications, including birth control pills, blood-pressure pills, and anti-depressants, can cause hormonal imbalance and low libido as well. Androgens, such as testosterone, decline in women with age, but there is still much debate about whether or not low levels of testosterone have anything to do with a decrease in libido and treating a woman who is experiencing low libido with testosterone can prove effective for some.

Excess weight and inactivity are other common causes of lessened sexual desire. Being overweight contributes to many physical and mental issues, including fatigue, depression, insecurity, and more importantly, high cholesterol, breathing difficulties, and heart strain.

Any of these, alone or combined, can have a major negative impact on sex drive. Exercising often, even if it's only a 20 minute walk every other day, can greatly improve your overall sense of well-being, and libido.

For some women, low sex drive stems from a psychological or emotional issue. The most common complaint is stress. Since women are emotional creatures, stressful situations can and often do affect every aspect of our lives. Marital or relationship problems, financial struggles, life crisis, anxiety, problems at work, excess weight, religious repression, guilt - there are endless factors that can cause stress and, in turn, a decline in sexual interest.

For a much more detailed explanation which takes you step by step into the causes of low sex drive in women and an in-depth look into some of the best vitamins and herbs for low sex drive in women, please see: http://www.womans-health.net/low_sex_drive.htm.

While there are several medical options that help improve low sex drive, you may only need to look as close as your personal habits and your kitchen.

Aside from frequent exercise, there are many foods and spices that will not only make you healthier, but will make you feel better, improve your mood, and raise libido. Remember: anything that is good for your overall health is good for your sex drive as well.

A low-fat, well balanced diet, including things like cold water fish, such as salmon, a lot of vegetables, and avoiding high-sugar, starchy foods, junk foods, and sodas, is a great place to start. Spices such as cumin, cayenne, and curry warm your body, and will also act as a kind of aphrodisiac. So, try putting a new spin on the term "romantic dinner," and see what you can cook up, both in - and out - of the kitchen.

Stop Hair Loss!

Are you losing more than 20-100 strands of hairs a day? If your answer is yes; you are part of 50 percent of the population experiencing hair loss, but before you get alarmed there are some changes in your body either conscious or unconscious that maybe causing your hair to shed. Did you make a change in your diet, Are you eating enough proteins and amino acids, Is your body going trough a hormonal change (postpartum, thyroid), Anemia, stress, medications etc.? It is advisable to consult a dermatologist for anyone experiencing extreme hair loss. A professional will evaluate all the possibilities and right treatment for those with a more serious problem.

Here are some recipes that will act on the scalp by tightening it and helping to avoid hair loss and promote hair growth.

Caution: Make sure recipes are not to hot before applying to hair or scalp.

1.Apply 2 tablespoons of warm olive oil to scalp, leave on for 10-30 minutes before washing hair.

2.Boil 2 cinnamon sticks in one cup of water apply to hair and live on for at least 5 minutes then rinse off.( it will sting a little).

3.Apply & massage vitamin E oil to scalp at least once a week. It's also helpful for dull hair lacking shine.

4.Increase your protein intake by taking multivitamins. Eat high protein foods like meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dried beans, grains etc.

5.Massage your hair with warm Castor and Almond oil once a week.

How to Be Taken Seriously in Your Doula Business - 5 Tips

So you want to be a doula. A Savvy one at that. I'd like to offer you 5 tips to help you be taken seriously as a business owner:

1. Make the decision and say to yourself "I own a doula business". Does it feel different to say that as opposed to "I am a doula". As doulas, we are nurturing, caring, creative and passionate about birth. We hold energetic space for a woman. We use our intuition often. It's a boldly feminine role. On the other hand, running a business is more masculine in nature. It must have its own structure and operate within bigger structures (as in state and federal government structures). We operate the business according to systems we put in place for ourselves, we put ourselves in the public eye through marketing and advertising efforts, and we hold our clients within a framework of expectations. Being a business owner takes recognizing not only who you are as a doula, but acknowledging the fact that you own and must manage the day-to-day tasks of a small business. Both sides of the coin must be balanced.

2. Create a plan for your practice. Business planning helps you to set goals, find out about your competition, determine what your clients want and see what money-making potential your business has in store for you. If you are the sole owner of your business and you are not planning to go into business with others or need outside funding, you don't necessarily need to create a full-fledged formal business plan. Karyn Greenstreet, one of the business coaches I like, wrote an article highlighting the points you should explore when creating a plan. Visit the articles section on passionforbusiness.com

3. Maintain a professional presence. You don't need to wear a suit when meeting with other professionals and clients, but you should dress professionally. Communicate via email without shouting (typing in all caps), the use of slang, emoticons or acronyms (ie: LOL, IMHO, etc) and by all means, use your spell check. Be on time for your appointments and have an agenda to follow for your interviews, prenatals and postpartum visits.

4. Get some business cards. Business cards help to communicate who you are, what you do, and how to reach you. It's much more professional than giving someone the same information scrawled onto a napkin. Business cards can range from free to fancy. I'd discourage the use of cards printed on perforated business card stock because the perforations are visible and don't look very good. A variety of cards can be created inexpensively on VistaPrint using their free templates, or you can upload or create your own card using your logo and branding.

5. Create and have your clients sign a contract. Whether you charge for your services or not, you need to have a contract. Contracts help you define your policies and the boundaries you choose to work within and helps you to communicate those with your clients. It is also advisable to have an attorney look over your contract. If cost is an issue for you, see if there is an attorney referral hotline and ask if there are any attorneys who offer pro bono services. Some SBA offices may also be able to refer you to resources for reasonable or free legal services.

Be proud of yourself. You are a doula. You own a doula business. There are many other factors that make a business owner and a business, but the five tips I've given you will help you be perceived as a professional and will help you to increase your confidence.

How Can I Get Pregnant Fast? Best Natural Remedies to Help You Conceive

I looked for answers to this question on the internet when I was not able to conceive after trying for 6 months. Looking back I honestly feel that fighting with infertility is a stressful and frustrating experience. The frustration only adds up when things do not work out month after month.

Here in this article I am going to share with you some of the things I did which help me in conceiving naturally. These played a crucial role in my getting pregnant. Although I am not sure, I sincerely hope these work for you too!

a)Color Therapy

This is a form of holistic healing. This therapy heals the body and stabilizes the energy through light and color. It is used by alternate medicine practitioners to help cure infertility, encourage ovulation and conception.

b)Herbs

Two herbs red clover and Dong quai are used by herbal medicine practitioners to treat a whole lot of women's issues. Red Clover is especially useful for women over age of 40. Dong quai helps in regulating the monthly cycle and ovulation. It is best to take these herbs under the guidance and supervision of a qualified alternate herbal medicine practitioner.

c)Body weight

Overweight women often find it difficult to conceive. Hence it is essential that you maintain your ideal body weight and engage in some form of moderate exercise at least for half an hour each day to keep yourself fit and healthy to bear a child.

d)De-stress

Inability to conceive causes frustration and stress. Stress complicates the issue further and hampers fertility. It is therefore very important for you to stay happy and stress free while trying to conceive. Yoga and meditation can help you achieve inner calm and stay stress free to a very large extent.

e)What to Avoid?

You will be surprised to know that when I scouted the internet trying to find an answer to the question- how can I get pregnant fast, there was a whole lot of information on what one must avoid while trying to get pregnant. In many women irregular ovulation is caused by intake of refined carbohydrates which influence the insulin production directly. Caffeine present in coffee and chocolate etc can also impact fertility. Alcohol destroys essential nutrients in the body. Similarly smoking both passive as well as active is harmful. Hence it is best to stay away from drinking and smoking while trying to conceive.

Drinking Alcohol While Breastfeeding

Introduction

If you make the decision to breastfeed your baby, what steps should you take to ensure your baby receives the best nourishment? While many mothers are aware that avoiding alcohol whilst pregnant is advisable, it seems that the guidelines for post pregnancy are somewhat unclear.

After consulting with the experts we have complied some essential facts about drinking alcohol whilst breastfeeding.

The effect of alcohol

o    The level of alcohol in a mother's bloodstream is very similar to the levels in the breast milk.

o    Levels peak between 30 and 60 minutes of drinking alcohol, or 90 minutes if you drank with a meal.

o    It takes between two and three hours for a unit of alcohol (a small glass of wine, or half a pint of ordinary-strength beer) to leave a nursing mum's breast milk.

The effect on your baby

o    Breast milk containing alcohol is likely to disrupt your babies sleep patterns and cause the baby to become agitated.

o    Larger amounts of alcohol may cause a sedative effect.

o    Research shows that babies may take around 20% less milk if alcohol is present in breast milk. This is because alcohol inhibits the mother's 'let-down' which releases milk to the nipple.

o    Consequently, babies are likely to need feeding more often and may even go on 'nursing-strike' due to the altered taste of the milk.

In moderation

Dr Wendy Jones, a pharmacist who is a Registered Breastfeeding Supporter with the UK based Breastfeeding Network says it's safe for breastfeeding mothers to drink alcohol "within reason" - a position supported by La Leche League and the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs.

"An occasional glass of wine is fine but binge or regular drinking above the recommended daily levels of two to three alcohol units is harmful to mum and baby," says Wendy. "It is better not to drink every day but to keep alcohol for social occasions."

However if you do drink over the recommendations at a social occasion, you may want to avoid breastfeeding. Wendy advises, "If you feel drunk and particularly if you have drunk enough to vomit, it is better not to breastfeed for 12 hours".

Alcohol contained in breast milk will not remain there once the alcohol has passed from the mothers system. Therefore 'pumping and dumping' to expel the milk containing alcohol is not necessary.

Know your limits

According to breastfeeding consultant and former maternity nurse, Geraldine Miskin, first-time mums often choose to avoid alcohol altogether, however those with children tend to be more comfortable including alcohol in their diet.

"They have experience looking after small babies and children and know their boundaries," she says. "Managing family needs with a sore head will definitely not be part of their plan. However, if you have more than one child and a crazy day with no help - a glass of wine at the end of the day keeps you sane!"

Geraldine suggests that mothers who do want a drink should follow these guidelines;

o    Have alcohol with a meal and shortly after a feed, so there is time to process the alcohol before baby needs to feed again. 

o    However, she advises having at least two alcohol-free days each week: "This way you won't become dependent on 'that one glass of wine' at the end of a long day, which can quickly become two or three".

Is abstinence best?

Many take a very different view on alcohol and breastfeeding. Janet Fyle, professional policy advisor at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), argues that drinking in moderation sends out the wrong signal to mothers.
 
"The RCM advises abstinence in pregnancy and during breastfeeding," says Janet. "In the light of all the evidence, we believe cumulative alcohol consumption can be harmful to mother and baby."

Janet argues that advising women it is OK to drink in moderation is very dangerous, as many ask the question, "What is moderation? If someone is consuming alcohol regularly, it's very easy for them to cross the line." Mothers raising children alone without support and those with post-natal depression could be particularly at risk.

Mothers nursing their babies in bed should be particularly careful. "If you are co-sleeping, you must never consume alcohol because of the danger of suffocation," says Janet. "The same applies to your partner."

While abstinence is the College's official recommendation, midwives are encouraged to consider the individuals circumstances when advising on drinking alcohol. Janet stresses, "We're not trying to tell people how to live their lives. If someone says 'I'm going off to a wedding, can I have a glass of champagne?', that's different."

Conclusion - What is best for baby?

The evidence suggests that for mothers who want to enjoy the odd drink, switching to bottle-feeding is not necessary and may deny your baby the benefits of breast milk.

"Breast milk from a mother, who has the occasional small glass of wine or half a pint of beer (the equivalent of one to two alcohol units) is still superior to formula milk, which does not contain all the immunological and other special properties we know breast milk has," says Wendy.

"If you know your boundaries with alcohol, there is no need to switch to formula," agrees Geraldine. "Just think of all the benefits your baby will be missing out on if you give up breastfeeding during the day - just so that you can have a glass of wine at night."