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You need to take care of yourself for a new reason. Your health can affect your baby's growth.
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From conception until after the birth of your child, you and your baby will change every day.
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By the end of the first trimester, your baby has formed all of its major body organs and weighs just over an ounce.
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How to deal with nausea, fatigue, mood swings and headaches. Get up slowly. Eat a few unsalted crackers before you get out of bed.
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For nearly two-thirds of pregnant women, morning sickness is a common occurrence.
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There are plenty of myths and "old wives' tales" surrounding pregnancy. You may need help separating fact from fiction.
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Following these guidelines can help keep you and your developing child healthy in the months to come.
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few mothers- and fathers-to-be receive training for the much more challenging and long-term tasks: becoming good parents and remaining close and loving partners in the face of new stresses and strains as their family grows.
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Remember scenes from old movies where the husband paces around the waiting room while his wife is in labor? As a father-to-be today, you know that you can participate throughout your partner's pregnancy.
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There are plenty of myths and "old wives' tales" surrounding pregnancy. You may need help separating fact from fiction.
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No one can say for sure that a medication is safe to use while you're pregnant. But, avoiding medicines may not be a good idea, either. It may be wiser to treat an illness than ignore it.
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The only way to be sure your blood sugar stays within a normal range is to check it. You may be asked to check your blood sugar at home one or more times a day.
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The nutrients you need include calcium and protein, as well as carbohydrates, water, and some kinds of fats. Your growing baby needs nutrients too.
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Right now, weight gain is not just extra fat. It's also the weight of your baby and the increased blood and fluid needed to support the baby.
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Even if you eat all the right foods, there still may be times when you don't feel as well as you'd like.
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We've tried to answer some of the most common questions here. Be sure to talk to your health care provider or a registered dietitian about your concerns.
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Your health can affect your baby's growth. Here are some ways to stay healthy.It's important to develop healthy eating habits while you are pregnant, for you as well as for your baby. Here are some ways to stay healthy.
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Many of us used the old Food Pyramid for years to help make sure we were following a balanced diet. Its replacement, called My Pyramid, was introduced in 2005, along with updated dietary and exercise guidelines.
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Being pregnant can be hard work for your body. Regular exercise will help you stay fit and feel good.
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Follow these guidelines to help prevent problems. And always stay alert for signs that you may be exercising too hard.
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Your exercise program doesn't have to be complicated. Simply walking around your neighborhood is a great way to stay fit.
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Here are a series of exercises you can do throughout your pregnancy.Stretching will help you loosen tight muscles. Do these exercises slowly and smoothly. Stretching exercises will make you feel good any time during the day. It is also helpful to do them before strengthening exercises.
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A physical exam and lab tests will show if there are any special concerns. Your health care provider can then plan the care that will help prevent problems later.
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Your provider may want to do some tests during your first trimester. This is normal. Be sure to have these tests, even though your life is busy with many new concerns.
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When a mother is Rh negative and the fetus is Rh positive, there can be health risks for the fetus.
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For 48 hours before the test, do not douche, use vaginal medications or creams. For 24 hours before, do not have sexual intercourse.
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CVS is a test that helps you learn if a fetus has health problems. The test is most often done between weeks 9 and 11 of pregnancy.
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Vaginal ultrasound can be done earlier in pregnancy than abdominal ultrasound -- as early as the fourth week.
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About Gestational Diabetes
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Gestational diabetes does not cause birth defects. Most women with gestational diabetes have healthy, full-term babies.
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Eating the right foods is the main way to control your blood sugar. In fact, most women can keep their blood sugar within a normal range by diet alone.
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Exercise can help you keep your blood sugar within a normal range. That's because your body uses more blood sugar when you exercise.
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The only way to be sure your blood sugar stays within a normal range is to check it. You will most likely be asked to check your blood sugar at home one or more times a day. Your healthcare provider will teach you how.
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Taking insulin helps control your blood sugar without harming your baby. You will most likely be able to stop taking insulin after your baby is born.
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Your Smoke-Free Pregnancy
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Smoking during pregnancy reduces oxygen and blood flow to your baby. This may cause bleeding problems that can put your pregnancy at risk.
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Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your baby. Only you can decide whether you're ready to quit.
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Having a plan helps you reach any goal. Your plan to quit smoking starts with a choice. First, pick a way to quit.
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Life may seem out of control, but you're really making progress. You're going through withdrawal, which is how your body recovers from smoking.
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The first day after you quit smoking, as the nicotine leaves your body, you're likely to notice symptoms of withdrawal. These are signs of your body recovering form smoking. For some people, withdrawal is mild. Others have a harder time. In any case, withdrawal should begin to lessen after the first few days. Use the Four D's listed below to beat withdrawal.
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Stress is a common way to react to life events. Your body may become tense, your mood may shift, or you may feel worried. Stress is one of the biggest reasons people smoke. But you can let go of stress without lighting up. Do something else instead. Relax. Think about something nice. Exercise or lighten your outlook. The urge to smoke often passes in 3 to 5 minutes.
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Anemia in pregnant women is often caused by not having enough iron in the blood. It is common in pregnancy and very easy to treat.
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If you've had bleeding early in your pregnancy, you're not alone. Many other pregnant women have had early bleeding, too. And in most cases, nothing is wrong.
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Pregnant women with asthma are just as likely to have healthy, normal babies as women without asthma -- as long as their disease is kept under control.
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The fact is that most women in their 30s and 40s have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. To ensure a healthy pregnancy, you should do what any woman should do: Prepare for your baby with healthy lifestyle choices. Talk with your doctor about your risk factors and learn what you can do to prevent potential problems.
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Whether you have a turtle or a parrot or a tabby cat, the best prevention against disease is cleanliness.
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Drinking a small amount of alcohol isn't harmful unless you are pregnant. That's because any alcohol you drink also affects your baby. Sometimes, even a small amount of alcohol may cause birth defects.
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If you're pregnant, it's just as important for you to stay away from lead as it is to protect your children from it.
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