Pregnancy Guide 2018 - Your Best Pregnancy Guide

Nothing can prepare you for those first weeks at home with a demanding newborn. If you're breastfeeding, you have the added challenge of also keeping up your own health and strength. Remember this is not the time to go on a diet. You are recovering from childbirth and need your strength. However you don't want to fill your body with empty calories which will only add more weight. It is very important that you fuel your body with good, nutritious foods. Doing this can be difficult when often it seems that junk food is easier to grab or prepare. Here are some tips that will help: Drink a lot of water throughout the day. This will prevent you from becoming dehydrated which is particularly important if you are breastfeeding. It will also help with your energy levels, and even your skin because, in those early postpartum days, many of us don't even have time for a shower, much less a facial and full makeup! Buy foods that are c...

Breastfeeding Problems Just because breastfeeding is natural doesn't mean it comes naturally to all new moms (if only!). The reality is that breastfeeding—especially in the early days—can be downright frustrating. Here are some of the challenges of breastfeeding: Fatigue and Stress. Right after giving birth, you may feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or even depressed and anxious. If your baby doesn't latch on right away, don't panic. Things will get easier—we promise! Lack of Support. Everyone says "breast is best," but you'd be surprised how many people (sometimes nurses, doctors, or well-meaning relatives—including your hubby!) pressure you to bottle feed. Be prepared for lots of conflicting (and confusing) advice! Engorgement. Don't be surprised if your boobs swell up like watermelons and become quite painful—that's called engorgement. Take warm showers, nurse your baby as much as possible and express milk. Low Milk Supply. I...

Breastfeeding: Suffering from pollen allergies  Q: I am breastfeeding my eight-month-old daughter but am suffering terribly from pollen allergies.I know that antihistamines can cause milk to decrease, but my symptoms are so bad I am considering taking them for the next two weeks (the worst time of year for me). Is this decrease permanent, or will my milk build up again when antihistamines are stopped? If I take the tablets and continue to breastfeed, will the baby be adversely affected? If I pump to keep up my milk supply for a couple of weeks, but not feed the milk to the baby, will she have weaned herself by the end of two weeks?    A:   Not to worry there are allergy medications that can be used, especially when taken only for a short period of time, while nursing your baby (speak with your doctor). Antihistamines can cause a decrease in your milk supply, though this is not something you see in every case, and it should not be permanent. Many of the...

12 Superfoods for Moms-to-Be    Superfood: Low-Fat Greek Yogurt If there was ever a time to pay attention to what you put in your mouth, it's these nine months. Here's the lowdown on the healthiest options to fuel your pregnancy. Low-fat Greek yogurt packs a huge nutrition punch. Rich in calcium and vitamin D, low-fat yogurt helps to build strong bones for your baby. You need 1000mg of calcium per day -- and if it’s not supplied by your diet, it’s taken from your bones by the baby. So spoon some up!   Alternate sources: soy yogurt, cottage cheese Superfood: Broccoli This crunchy cruciferous veggie is rich in folate, a water soluble B vitamin that helps to produce and maintain new cells. Pregnant women need about 400 micrograms of folate per day -- insufficient amounts can lead to birth defects like spina bifida. It’s important to note, though, that these foods aren't a replacement for your daily prenatal vitamin.   Alternate ...

I am nursing a 20-month-old and am five weeks pregnant. My daughter nurses often at night, especially lately. In the last few days, I have noticed that my breasts seem to have shrunk back to pre-pregnancy size. In fact they are tiny! Has my milk supply decreased already? I would like to get my daughter to nurse less, especially at night, but I do not want to wean her until she's ready. Many moms find that their breasts do go back to pre-pregnancy size. Breast size has nothing to do with the amount of milk you are making (it's actually a sign of body fat) It sounds like you are having a hard time keeping fat on your body (not a bad problem to have!), which would be the reason for the decrease in breast size. As for nursing through the pregnancy, you will have to be especially careful that everything you eat is high in nutrition (no junk food). And since you have no extra body fat from which your body can draw when nutrition is lacking, you must be sure to ea...

Pack wisely and you’ll be that much calmer on the big day. Don’t overdo it -- you can always have your partner dash to the drugstore or to the hospital’s shop in the lobby for anything you’ve forgotten. Here are the essentials you’ll need: Birth plan, hospital paperwork, your insurance card and forms. Put these papers in a folder or large manila envelope so they’ll be organized in one spot. If you plan to bank your baby’s cord blood, add in the cord-blood kit information, too. Slippers or thick socks -- a must for freezing hospital linoleum! Nightgowns or PJs and a robe (if you plan to nurse, bring button-front ones). The hospital will give you a gown (if you can call it that!) to labor in, but once the hard work is over, you’ll want to slip into your own cozy jammies. Gum, lollipops, Altoids, gummy bears -- just a little something to suck on and help keep your mouth moist. There’s not a lot of noshing during labor, of course, but pack a few snacks for before and a...