Aurora: How To Deal With Acne While Pregnant

Aurora,

Acne during pregnancy is almost inevitable for a lot of women, especially those who already have acne-prone skin or who break out before periods. Acne will usually occur in the first trimester.

Acne occurs in pregnant women mostly because of the increased level of androgen hormones. When these hormone levels rise, the oil production increases which leads to oily skin. (This acne can occur on other body areas as well). Once the estrogen levels increase as the pregnancy progresses, the acne will likely cease.

It is important to remember that because acne during pregnancy is caused by hormones this acne may be more difficult to treat. A pregnant woman needs to be patient in this case. The acne will most likely clear on its own. As with all types of acne picking or washing aggressively will only make the condition worse.

If the acne becomes an issue there are other methods:

Taking vitamin A is recommended for a healthy body and healthy skin however too much may cause birth defects. Retin A and Accutane (which are derivatives of vitamin A) will not be prescribed since most doctors will do a pregnancy test in all women who are candidates for Accutane.

It is very important that if you choose over the counter acne products to first consult your doctor. Benzoyl peroxide products are mostly safe for pregnant women however acne products containing salicylic acid may not be.

The best solution for acne during pregnancy is to cleanse the face twice daily with an oil-free cleanser and using an oil free moisturizer.

Drinking lots of water and eating fruits and vegetables is always beneficial to the skin and body especially so during pregnancy.

Source by Michele Buccia

How To Deal With Acne While Pregnant

Aurora: Comprehensive Drug and Alcohol Abuse Screening Test (CDAAST)

Aurora,

The Comprehensive Drug and Alcohol Abuse Screening Test (CDAAST)

Client Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Directions: The following questions concern information about your involvement with drugs and/or alcohol. Carefully read each statement. Then decide whether your answer is YES or NO and check the appropriate space. Please be sure to answer every question.

1. Alcohol or drug use caused me to use poor judgment and drive right afterwards because I felt “fine” to drive, wasn’t far to go, and I had no other way home: ___ Yes ___ No

2. I thought I was okay to drive after drinking and/or using drugs but I wasn’t: ___ Yes ___ No

3. I got a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th DUI after swearing it would never happen again: ___ Yes ___ No

4. I could kill somebody if I’m driving impaired: ___ Yes ___ No

5. I completed one or more alcohol or drug abuse treatment programs, yet I couldn’t drink just 1 or 2 drinks every time so ended up getting in trouble after drinking and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

6. I believe that since I was able to quit drinking or using for awhile (after drinking and/or using caused me problems) and I don’t crave it, miss it, or even think about it, I now don’t have a drinking or drug problem: ___ Yes ___ No

7. I think about drinking or using drugs daily: ___ Yes ___ No

8. I drink use drugs to keep the buzz (good feeling): ___ Yes ___ No

9. I like to drink or use too much: ___ Yes ___ No

10. When I pick up the first drink and/or drug I think about the next one: ___ Yes ___ No

11. When I pick up the first drink I really enjoy the taste: ___ Yes ___ No

12. I like the feeling alcohol and/or drugs gives me when I’m under its power: ___ Yes ___ No

13. I know I shouldn’t drink and use drugs but I do it anyhow: ___ Yes ___ No

14. I can’t predict what will happen after I drink and/or use the first drug: ___ Yes ___ No

15. It’s tough to do the right thing while drinking using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

16. My decision making process becomes irrational and my behavior and personality changes when I drink and/or use drugs. I argue a lot when I drink and/or use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

17. I’m not honest when I drink use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

18. Occasionally I drink or use too much and get into trouble. I have said and done things that I normally wouldn’t have done when sober: ___ Yes ___ No

19. I got nasty or goofy when I drank and/or used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

20. I do not have the self control to know when enough is enough: ___ Yes ___ No

21. When I drink or use drugs I can’t control myself the way I do when sober: ___ Yes ___ No

22. When I start drinking using drugs I don’t want to stop: ___ Yes ___ No

23. I sometimes have trouble stopping after 1 or 2 drinks: ___ Yes ___ No

24. I can never have just one drink: ___ Yes ___ No

25. I continue to drink and use once I get started: ___ Yes ___ No

26. Sometimes I drink use drugs more than I should: ___ Yes ___ No

27. I think about drinking and/or using drugs more than I should: ___ Yes ___ No

28. I can’t stop my craving or desire to drink and/or use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

29. I drink or use drugs too often: ___ Yes ___ No

30. I drink and use drugs too much: ___ Yes ___ No

31. I passed out from drinking and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

32. I drank and used drugs a lot while alone: ___ Yes ___ No

33. I drank used drugs at a friends house and he or she got upset with me: ___ Yes ___ No

34. Drinking and drugging and the consequences of drinking drugging has taken up too much time in my life: ___ Yes ___ No

35. I have been hospitalized for drinking using drugs and could have died: ___ Yes ___ No

36. I have a hard time having a good time without drinking using: ___ Yes ___ No

37. I have drunk and/or used drugs a lot on occasions and still functioned okay: ___ Yes ___ No

38. I sometimes drink and/or use drugs to get drunk or plastered: ___ Yes ___ No

39. I have wasted a lot of time and money drinking and/or using: ___ Yes ___ No

40. I like to get wasted every time I drink use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

41. I have been on drinking drug using binges for 2 or more days in a row: ___ Yes ___ No

42. I have missed out on important events while drinking and/or using: ___ Yes ___ No

43. I have missed out on the memories of vacations when I drank and/or used: ___ Yes ___ No

44. I threw up while drinking and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

45. I have passed out while drinking and/or using drugs and didn’t come home: ___ Yes ___ No

46. I could never walk out of a bar unless it closed or I passed out: ___ Yes ___ No

47. Someone said, “I let a stranger take me home when I was drinking and/or using: ___ Yes ___ No

48. My bartender knows my name and my usual drink: ___ Yes ___ No

49. I switched from hard liquor to beer and wine but that didn’t help: ___ Yes ___ No

50. I like to party and drinking and/or drugging at parties usually gets me in trouble: ___ Yes ___ No

51. I can’t meet decent members of the opposite sex while drinking and/or drugging: ___ Yes ___ No

52. I said or did things while drinking drugging that I regretted later: ___ Yes ___ No

53. Drinking or drugging caused me to bring up the past and make matters worse: ___ Yes ___ No

54. My sex life has suffered due to my excessive drinking and drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

55. I have slept with very ugly men and/or women while drinking and or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

56. My drinking and/or drug use has resulted in unprotected sex and or a child: ___ Yes ___ No

57. I cheated on my wife or husband while drinking or doing drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

58. When I was drunk or using drugs I got pregnant or I got someone pregnant

when I didn’t want to: ___ Yes ___ No

59. I had an abortion or someone I got pregnant had an abortion due to my drinking

or drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

60. My drinking and/or drug use has kept me from having positive experiences, it lessened my school and business opportunities and I have shown up at important meetings after using drugs or with alcohol on my breathe: ___ Yes ___ No

61. My drinking drug use has caused me public embarrassment: ___ Yes ___ No

62. My drinking drug use has caused a decline in my job performance: ___ Yes ___ No

63. I have missed classes due to being too hung over to go: ___ Yes ___ No

64. I didn’t complete projects when I drank or used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

65. I have doubted my business decisions when I drank or used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

66. My boss has noticed alcohol on my breath and has been concerned: ___ Yes ___ No

67. My boss has said my career was in jeopardy due to my drinking and/or drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

68. I needed to drink and/or use drugs to reward myself at the end of my work day: ___ Yes ___ No

69. I needed to drink and/or use drugs to be able to fall asleep: ___ Yes ___ No

70. I needed to drink and/or use drugs to function: ___ Yes ___ No

71. My drinking has triggered other drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

72. I drank or used drugs in the morning: ___ Yes ___ No

73. I hid bottles of alcohol: ___ Yes ___ No

74. I have sneaked drinks: ___ Yes ___ No

75. My drinking and or drug use has caused me to worry a lot. ___ Yes ___ No

76. Drinking and/or drug use has caused me to lose my temper and I said or did things I regretted later: ___ Yes ___ No

77. I drank and/or did drugs to forget problems, needed it to relax, go to sleep, handle anger, stress, loneliness, depression, and just to cope with life: ___ Yes ___ No

78. I drank and or used drugs to get rid of a hangover or self medicate: ___ Yes ___ No

79. When I drank and/or used drugs I didn’t think about the consequences: ___ Yes ___ No

80. When I drank and/or did drugs I stole someone’s prescription medications: ___ Yes ___ No

81. I continue to drink and or use drugs because I like it although it gets me in trouble: ___ Yes ___ No

82. I’m not always responsible when I drink or use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

83. My drinking and or drug use has always caused negative consequences: ___ Yes ___ No

84. I have stolen from others while drinking and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

85. I have a loss of respect from others due to my drinking and/or drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

86. I have lowered my standards due to my drinking: ___ Yes ___ No

87. My drinking and/or drug use has cost me a lot of money: ___ Yes ___ No

88. I have threatened death by doing crazy dangerous things while drinking

and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

89. Due to money I have spent on drinking and/or drugs, and associated problems caused by my drinking or drug use, I didn’t have enough money to pay the bills: ___ Yes ___ No

90. I got into physical fights easier when I was drinking and or using drugs,

I wouldn’t walk away: ___ Yes ___ No

91. I got beat up while drinking and or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

92. I hurt others emotionally and or physically when I drank and/or used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

93. I got stabbed/shot and almost lost my life when I was drinking and or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

94. My drinking and or drug use has caused me to break the law other than a

possession charge: ___ Yes ___ No

95. My drinking and/or drug use has put me in jail or prison other than a sales or

possession charge: ___ Yes ___ No

96. I went to jail in pajamas, drunk: ___ Yes ___ No

97. I prefer to hang out with heavy drinkers and/or drug users: ___ Yes ___ No

98. I trusted the wrong friends when I drank and used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

99. I have said the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time while

drinking and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

100. My drinking or drug use made me act like a jerk: ___ Yes ___ No

101. My drinking or drug use has affected my self respect, health, job,

and reputation: ___ Yes ___ No

102. I look at people differently when I drink or use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

103. I lied to my friends when I drank and/or used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

104. My personality changes when I drink and/or use drugs. I get moody

or argumentative: ___ Yes ___ No

105. I missed the social drinker that I use to be: ___ Yes ___ No

106. I didn’t like me when I drank and/or used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

107. My drinking and/or drug use has disappointed a lot of people in my life: ___ Yes ___ No

108. My drinking or drug use has caused family scorn – I’m the family outcast: ___ Yes ___ No

109. My drinking and drug use has caused family embarrassment and a loss of respect from others: ___ Yes ___ No

110. I don’t pay attention to important things when I drink and use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

111. I repeatedly did not come home to my family until Sunday after blowing

the Friday paycheck: ___ Yes ___ No

112. I fell into the water while drinking and/or using drugs and could have easily

drowned: ___ Yes ___ No

113. I have not come home after drinking or drugging a lot: ___ Yes ___ No

114. I hid my drinking or drug use from others: ___ Yes ___ No

115. Several family members, even my kids, have seen me drunk or passed out

after drinking and drugging: ___ Yes ___ No

116. My children have told me they are worried about my drinking and drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

117. I have become a negative role model for my children due to drinking

or drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

118. I repeatedly disappoint my children and family when I drink or use drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

119. I passed out when I went to see my kids: ___ Yes ___ No

120. I have lost relationships with my kids due to my drinking and drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

121. My family tree is full of people with drinking or drug problems: ___ Yes ___ No

122. I worry about passing on my drinking and/or drug problem to my kids: ___ Yes ___ No

123. I often became rude or loud when I drank and/or used drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

124. I woke up in a place that I shouldn’t have been: ___ Yes ___ No

125. My friends started avoiding me when I started drinking or drugging a lot: ___ Yes ___ No

126. My drinking and/or drug use has caused verbal and or physical fights: ___ Yes ___ No

127. I made passes with other men and or women in front of my significant other while I was drinking and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

128. A significant person in my life has threatened to leave me or has left me due to my drinking and/or drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

129. I drank and/or used drugs a lot to handle the breakup of a significant relationship: ___ Yes ___ No

130. My drinking and/or drug use has caused or has made my health problems worse: ___ Yes ___ No

131. I picked up diseases when drinking and/or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

132. My drinking and/or drug use has caused malnutrition due to skipping meals: ___ Yes ___ No

133. My drinking or drug use has caused me to be lonely: ___ Yes ___ No

134. My drinking and/or drug use has caused me shame, loss of dignity, and guilt: ___ Yes ___ No

135. Drinking or drug use can increase symptoms of my mental problems: ___ Yes ___ No

136. My drinking and/or drug use has caused me to be forgetful: ___ Yes ___ No

137. My drinking or drug use caused others to get my car keys so I wouldn’t drive: ___ Yes ___ No

138. I have had blackouts, shakes, or DT’s due to drinking: ___ Yes ___ No

139. I have urinated in my pants while drinking or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

140. I threw up blood after drinking: ___ Yes ___ No

141. Drinking or drug use has changed my appearance for the worse: ___ Yes ___ No

142. I drank on medication that says, “avoid alcohol”: ___ Yes ___ No

143. My drinking and drug use has hurt, injured, or killed others: ___ Yes ___ No

144. I committed battery on a police officer after drinking and drugging: ___ Yes ___ No

145. My drinking and/or drug use has injured me: ___ Yes ___ No

146. Drinking or drug use has ruined a lot of years of my life: ___ Yes ___ No

147. Alcohol and/or drugs have made a mess out of my life: ___ Yes ___ No

148. I have become homeless due to my drinking or drug use: ___ Yes ___ No

149. I have had thoughts of suicide while drinking or using drugs: ___ Yes ___ No

150. I will fall back to drinking or drug use if I don’t have a good recovery plan: ___ Yes ___ No

The Comprehensive Drug and Alcohol Abuse Screening Test (CDAAST) was developed in 2012. The CDAAST is one of the most comprehensive screening tools for drug and/or alcohol abuse. This is a 150-item self-report scale that consists of items that parallel instruments such as the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST). The (CDAAST) has “exhibited valid psychometric properties” and has been found to be “a sensitive screening instrument for the abuse of drugs and/or alcohol. Scoring and interpretation: A score of “1” is given for each YES response, except for items 4, 6, 11, 12, 17, 19, 33, 44, 52, 100, 110, ” Cutoff scores of 6 are optimal for screening for substance use disorders. Using a cutoff score of 6 provides excellent sensitivity for identifying patients with substance use disorders as well as satisfactory specificity (i.e.,

identification of patients who do not have substance use disorders). A score over 12 is definitely a substance abuse problem. Publisher: Charles V. Smith LMHC, LMFT, CAP, NCC Copyright January, 2012

Source by Charles Vaughan Smith

Comprehensive Drug and Alcohol Abuse Screening Test (CDAAST)

Aurora: Choose the Gender of Your Baby - Medical Methods

Aurora,

The Choice between the medical and the natural approach for Choosing your baby’s gender is probably easy for most. Going the medical methods is guaranteed for conceiving the gender of your choice but not guaranteed that you will actually conceive, as there are very high miscarriage rates. It is also very costly, in the realm of $20,000 per attempt. There are also the issues of having to take various fertility drugs to reduce the chance of miscarriage. So unless you have other reasons for needing IVF or if you have plenty of money and are OK with a series of medical treatments, the natural approaches may be the best approach for you. But for some after having several children of one gender they may need to balance the family and the medical methods offer higher success rates. For others there may be medical issues that prevent natural conception and IVF adds the bonus of being able to choose your baby’s gender.

Choose the Gender of your Baby – The Medical Approach The two main medical methods of choosing your baby’s gender are MicroSort and IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) with PGD, (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis).

MicroSort for Choosing Baby’s Gender – MicroSort is where sperm are collected and then sorted in to male and female, the sperm are then deposited using AI (Arificial Insemination). The sorting process is not 100% accurate but it is claimed that the success rates are around 90% for selecting a girl, and 80% for a boy. This method is probably less invasive than IVF as it basically only involves sorting the sperm then inserting them, and usually people take fertility drugs to increase the chances of conception. MicroSort will probably cost in the realm of $5000. Cheaper than the IVF options.

Pros:

• Cheaper than PGD $5,000


• Relatively simple procedure


• Some fertility drugs can be used but they are optional


• Less likelihood of medical complications

Cons:

• Still costs $5,000 per attempt


• Don’t get to conceive in the comfort of your own home


• Not guaranteed of getting the gender of your choice

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis for Choosing your baby’s Gender – Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis is where several eggs are taken from the ovaries and fertilized outside the body. The embryos are then analyzed for gender and genetic disorders then placed in the uterus. This procedure involves several trips to the doctor, tests for likelihood of success, various fertility drugs and costs around $20,000 per attempt. IVF results in a successful pregnancy only about 10-35% of the time (dependent on the age and health of the woman). So this method may be too expensive for most couples.

Pros:

• 100% success Rate


• Can test for genetic disorders during the procedure

Cons:

• Expensive $20,000 +


• Involves many trips to the doctors


• Requires fertility drugs which can have negative side effects


• May have to try several times before having a successful pregnancy


• Some of the tests and procedures may have harmful effects on the embryo

I hope that helps people clarify the two main medical approaches to choosing their baby’s gender.

Source by Sally Goodman

Choose the Gender of Your Baby - Medical Methods

Aurora: Trying to Conceive - Tips For Getting Pregnant

Aurora,

Sometimes trying to get pregnant and the problems of infertility can be upsetting and disheartening. When trying to conceive tips for getting pregnant can be of real help to a couple. In this article we are going to look at some of the best ways of trying for a baby and include some information that could increase the chances of this happening.

The first and probably most important part of conception is for the woman to know how her menstrual cycle works. As the body goes through many changes during the month and this can be crucial to the chances of becoming pregnant. This way you can work with your body’s natural rhythm and greater increase your chance of becoming pregnant. Your menstrual flow is a good way of knowing how good your health and fertility is. And though this is not talked about often, it is important when trying for a baby. Everything about it should be taken into account as every woman is different.

The most effective way to do this is to keep a diary or chart. This needs to have the following information; temperature readings, a record of cervical secretions, intercourse notes and spaces for any other useful information. The cycle begins when your period does and usually lasts between 5 to 7 days. There are 14 days to ovulation as this is known as the follicular phase. Estrogen levels rise and towards ovulation your sex drive may rise. You are then likely to notice some cervical mucus and this will be the time you are at your most fertile and conception could be attempted. In the luteal phase this is where you ovulate and if you are not pregnant will have your period.

Information on each phase is always helpful, so these are signs to help you recognize those stages. Cervical mucus: This is a reliable way to know when you are fertile, as your vaginal secretions will become slippery, elastic and have a raw egg white appearance to them. Cervix: By feeling the cervix at a set time each day this will enable you to recognize when you are fertile. If it feels soft, high and opens this is your fertile time. Basal body temperature: Don’t become too particular about this. Progesterone causes the temperature to rise by about 0.2 degrees after ovulation. But there are other problems that cause temperature rise too. These are: infections, stress, medications, alcohol and lack of sleep. Sex drive; a great indicator of fertility; if you feel like you want it, that’s the time to get it!

There are also important factors to your sex life that help in conception. Firstly, don’t make sex an arranged activity. Make it natural, pleasing and enjoyable. Remember, foreplay is an important part of sex. It’s not all about “making a baby”, the way you make each other feel is also very important. Take time to show that. Don’t use any artificial lubricants; these will hinder the process of conceiving. Do try and obtain orgasm together, this can help with becoming pregnant. Try not to move too much after sex. It is easy for semen to leak out of the body afterwards if you do. Try to stay lying down in bed for 30 minutes after intercourse. Also, along with this, don’t go to toilet until 30 minutes after sex. You want your partner’s semen to bathe your cervix and hopefully fertilize that all important egg. You can also pop a pillow under your under your pelvis to tilt it up so allowing the sperm a route to where it needs to get to.

What you do and how you eat are important too. Prenatal vitamins such as folic acid should be taken if a pregnancy is planned. Also, don’t drink alcohol when trying to get pregnant as it has been proven that this greatly reduces the chances. Zinc and Vitamin A assist in the production of progesterone and Vitamin C helps with its release. Acupuncture is also good to help you relax and also help in the egg’s implantation.

The next and probably most important stage for couples is waiting to see if pregnancy has happened. So stay calm and think positive as this could be the moment you’ve both been waiting for. There are obvious signs of pregnancy. These are; a missed period, tiredness, breast tenderness, nausea and sickness. If any or all of these signs are present then you probably need to do a test to see if you are pregnant. If you are pregnant your feelings and emotions will come to the fore. You will probably feel happy and elated as you have been trying for a baby. Now is the time to really look after yourself, eat well, take vitamins and look after your body because you are now carrying a very precious gift inside in, and in a very short 9 months you’ll be holding that special and beautiful gift in your hands.

Source by Javier Hendrie

Trying to Conceive - Tips For Getting Pregnant

Aurora: 1st Signs of Pregnancy: Implantation Bleeding, What Is It?

Aurora,

The 1st signs of pregnancy can be confusing especially if a woman’s menstrual cycle is irregular. Although the very first sign of pregnancy is a missed period, a woman who is pregnant may still bleed when the menstrual cycle is expected. This is called “implantation bleeding” which happens between the 7th and 12th days after the ovulation period and the egg is fertilized and is not harmful as long as it is not associated with any pains or cramping and excessive bleeding. This is when the implantation takes place in the uterus. Implantation bleeding is light pink or brownish in color. Another early sign of pregnancy is the lightening of menstrual flow or the absence of your monthly period.

1st signs of pregnancy during the first week may include;

* nausea

* Tiredness

* Irritability

* tenderness of breasts

* food cravings or disliking food

* sensitivity to smell

* light-headedness or dizziness

These signs and symptoms are the results of chemical and hormonal changes in a woman’s body. Not all will experience the same, it varies as each woman reacts differently to pregnancy symptoms and it also depends on the severity and levels of symptoms. During this time, progesterone and estrogen levels escalate. This is necessary to aid protection and growth of the developing fetus. It also prevents contraction of the uterus and strengthening of the pelvic walls as well.

There are other 1st signs of pregnancy that a woman will experience and are noticeable during the first week of pregnancy. Frequent urination may be experienced particularly during the night due to the increase in dispensation of fluids through the kidneys. This is also due to the high blood flow during pregnancy. These changes can disrupt your body systems and sometimes mistaken as a sign of an illness. It is important to see a doctor or if a woman suspects that she is pregnant there are home tests kits available on the market. The test can be done at home to confirm if the symptoms are due to being pregnant or due to health problems. Other symptoms may or may not include constipation, mood swings, heartburn and headaches. There are times that pregnant women may dislike food which is also one of the most evident 1st signs of pregnancy and this is because of their sensitivity to smell. It is important that a pregnant woman should be properly nourished that is why, taking small meals at regular intervals will be helpful.

Pregnancy is the time that a woman should get serious about her lifestyle and behavior. Abstinence from smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages and other addictive substances should be practiced. A pregnant woman should take care not to take any medication not prescribed by a medical doctor as this is harmful to the fetus and the mother’s health as well.

Source by Megan L Prince

1st Signs of Pregnancy: Implantation Bleeding, What Is It?

Aurora: Coping With Ups And Downs During Pregnancy

Aurora,

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues on coping with ups and down during pregnancy. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in your pregnancy.

Unexpected Happiness

My pregnancy symptoms increased in week 5 of my third child. I felt hungry and tired easily, loss of concentration and a lot gas in my tummy. I asked God to show me and let me know whether I was pregnant. My elder son, aged 5, said, “Mummy, you have a baby inside because your tummy is big.” Then, he prayed to God to give us a baby because he loved to take care of baby. The next day (one day after due day of last period), I used the home pregnancy kit to test. I was so happy to know the result was positive and I was pregnant. We were full of joy and excitement to expect for a baby.

Unexpected Challenge

I made earlier appointment to O & G doctor because of staining on 18 Aug 2005. I was so delighted to get the confirmation from the doctor of my pregnancy. I had injection and have to take medication to stabilize the condition. The injection was painful.

However, I had more staining at night and was advised by the doctor to take bed rest at home. I was a bit worried. I listened to Alpha music to calm down myself. I lied down on the bed and started to communicate with my unborn. I told my baby, “Baby, you are safe and healthy. Mummy will give the best environment to nourish you for your optimal growth.” I asked my two children to talk to unborn baby, “We love you. We are looking forward to see you in the due date.” I went to sleep and staining stopped. The unborn baby responded to the love message from his brothers.

There are a lot of ups and downs during pregnancy. When we take one step at a time, we are able to enjoy our pregnancy and cope better.

Those who only know one or two facts about coping with ups and down during pregnancy can share what you have learned with others.

Disclaimers: The author shares this article based on her personal and work experience and disclaims any responsibility for any liability, losses or damages and /or application of any of contents of this article.

Source by Wai Chong Mak

Coping With Ups And Downs During Pregnancy

Aurora: How Do pH Levels Determine the Sex Or Gender of a Child?

Aurora,

If you read any of my articles, you know that I very often harp on changing your pH and acidity as one of the most important steps in influencing or determining the gender of your child. Some readers want a more in depth explanation of why and how this works and how to achieve this. I’ll do this in the following article.

Why pH Is Such An Important Part Of The Process: Probably the easiest way to explain this is to compare your vaginal pH as sort of a gate keeper for your egg or a deterrent to the sperm. A high pH or an acidic vagina will have an easier time keeping the weakest sperm out. And which sperm is the weakest? The Y or the boy producing sperm is actually the most vulnerable of the two. So if your goal is a son, you want to be highly acidic because this is the pH that are going to help keep the Y sperm from the egg.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, X or girl sperm aren’t really bothered by a high pH. You can test with pH testing strips to see if you’re already acidic or alkaline and by how much. If you want a boy and your pH is high, you’ll need to make yourself alkaline (by a lot to be confident.) If you want a girl and you trend toward the alkaline, you’ll want to become much more acidic.

How To Go About Changing Your pH: Hopefully, by now you see that pH is a very important part of this equation. But you’re probably wondering how exactly you go about doing this. There are basically a few ways. First you can monitor the pH of the foods and products that you are consuming. If you eat acidic foods, your body (and therefore your vagina) will become more acidic. The opposite is true if you consume alkaline foods. There are generalities for these diets, but there are always exceptions to this rule. In general dairy and meat trend toward a higher pH, while fruits and vegetables are more alkaline. But, this is too general for most people’s purposes. For example, blueberries are a fruit, but they are actually very acidic rather than alkaline. There are food lists that will tell you the exact reading for just about every food and product on the planet so that you don’t have to guess.

Another route that you can take is douching. I know that this can seem old fashioned and undesirable, but if you can stomach it, it does very often yield very quick results, although you’ll often need more than baking soda and / or vinegar and water. You can actually test which method your body is best responding to by continuing to use the test strips. Some people will opt to just combine both methods because they want to get this over with as quickly as possible.

Is This Going To Be Enough?: The short answer is in my opinion, no. It’s a very good start. But you can do better by making sure that the numbers of the sperm that would produce the gender that you don’t want are already less before they hit the gate keeper ( the vaginal tract.) You can do this through timing. If you want a daughter, you want to conceive very early in your fertility opportunities. Optimally, you’ll want to hit the target at three days before ovulation. This will make sure there aren’t many Y’s by the time they reach your reproductive tract. For a boy, you want to wait until the actual day that your egg drops.

To have the best results, you should get a reliable ovulation predictor. Guessing will often leave you wide open to misread cues that could really mean something else. When it comes right down to it, this is an elimination game. You’re wanting to lessen the numbers of the X or Ys that you don’t want and give the best chance to those that you do.

Source by Sandy Dean

How Do pH Levels Determine the Sex Or Gender of a Child?