Five Weird Pregnancy Symptoms

There are a number of weird, though perfectly normal, side effects to pregnancy that no one tells you about.  You might get all or none of these, and it could vary from one of your pregnancies to another. 1. Bloody Gums.  Early in the second trimester I began noticing a bit more blood than normal when I flossed.  I went to my routine dentist appointment, and the hygienist confirmed that yup, that’s just something that can happen when you’re pregnant.  Chalk this one down to hormones; they’re making your gums (and other parts) more inflamed than usual.  Pregnant women are … Continue reading

Baby Your Feet During Pregnancy

Pregnancy affects your whole body, but it affects some parts more noticeably than others. One area in which you might see and feel some major changes is your feet. If you think about it, this makes perfect sense. Your feet are used to carrying you around, but over the past few months you have been getting bigger and bigger. It is not uncommon for your feet to hurt and swell, but here are some tips to help you out. If you can, find some time each day to put your feet up. Elevating feet can help to reduce the amount … Continue reading

Pregnancy During December

Now that I am well into my thirty seventh week, I am truly enjoying and appreciating the cold weather! With my first pregnancy, it was the height of summer in West Texas when I was thirty seven weeks. It was just plain uncomfortable! There was only so much clothing one can remove to deal with the heat. With this pregnancy the colder temperatures facilitate much better sleep and much less swelling. Feeling cold is a welcomed experience! It is really nice to be able to layer my clothing especially with my very large pregnant belly (most of my tops are … Continue reading

I Hate Pregnancy

I have to be honest. I don’t like being pregnant that much. I don’t have it that bad though. Some women suffer from serious morning sickness. I didn’t. Some women get put on bed rest. Not me. But, I still don’t care for being pregnant. I’m a whiner. I have been my whole life, so being pregnant just gives me entirely too many reasons to complain. I do get sick during the first trimester. I never threw up, but did get very nauseous during the early evening hours. Other than that, the first trimester just brought with it extreme fatigue. … Continue reading

Reasons to Fire Your Doctor During Pregnancy

With my first pregnancy, I hated my doctor. With my second, I loved my doctor. I had female OBGYNs both times. First, let me tell you what I loved about my doctor during my second pregnancy. She was calming. She did not overreact about things. This was exactly what I needed. I am a worrier, so having a doctor that was not was very helpful. It was easy to schedule appointments and I never waited more than 10 minutes. She listened to me ramble. Never once did I feel like she was going to rush out of the room, or … Continue reading

Navel Rings and Pregnancy

About a third of women have their navel pierced at some point, so it stands to reason that having a pierced belly button and being pregnant at the same time can’t be all that uncommon. As you can imagine, trying to keep the jewelry in during pregnancy presents a few problems. Most navel jewelry is not long enough to withstand the amount of stretching that the belly button goes through in late pregnancy, and leaving it in can cause ripping or infection. For those women who wish to keep their piercing during pregnancy, there are special navel rings available that … Continue reading

When Should You Have Your Pregnancy Pictures Done?

Have you scheduled your maternity portrait session yet? There are a few things to consider when deciding when to have your pictures taken. If you have them taken earlier in your pregnancy, you won’t have a very big baby bump. That may or may not matter much to you. If you have them taken later, you might have filled out in the areas you’re not so fond of, like your face and arms. Obviously, not every woman gains everywhere. Some women only look pregnant in their torso area. It’s anyone’s guess whether you will experience swelling and weight gain in … Continue reading

Pregnancy Stages: The Third Trimester

Once you’ve reached the third trimester, you’re in the home stretch. The third trimester of pregnancy begins in the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy and ends when the baby is born. Although your doctor or midwife has given you a due date, this is really just an estimate. The baby can come any time from thirty-eight to forty-two weeks. This is a busy time for most expectant parents, as you are preparing for baby’s arrival. Some women have a baby shower, especially if it’s the first baby. Childbirth classes, breastfeeding classes, decorating the baby’s room and shopping take up more time … Continue reading

The Pregnancy Blog Review for July 21-27

Summer is passing quickly and many families are heading to the beach while there is still time. If mom is pregnant, there may be concerns about spending time out in the heat and sun. The good news is you can still enjoy time on the beach. Read more in Enjoying the Beach, Safely. What is a Short Cervix? Basically, it means your cervix is shorter that what is considered normal, or less than an inch thick. In some cases, it indicates a higher risk of preterm labor. During pregnancy, we are more concerned with what we eat than ever before. … Continue reading

The Pregnancy Blog Review for Jan 29 – Feb 9

The pregnancy blog has recently covered topics related to infertility, birth, VBAC and other health related topics. If you haven’t been reading or missed something, the pregnancy blog review is a good place to catch up on the recent topics. Fatigue is one of the side effects of pregnancy that women complain about most. A condition such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome compounds the problem. Read more in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Pregnancy. By now, most women have heard that caffeine is not good during pregnancy. There is mounting evidence to support eliminating caffeine from your diet. A recent study confirms … Continue reading