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There are a lot of old wives’ tales and misconceptions about pregnancy. While these aren’t backed by science, they still cause confusion, worry, and anxiety especially among first-time moms. That’s why it’s best to consult with experts before believing them.
Being pregnant means your body will go through a lot of changes. With these changes come some never before felt aches and pains, cramping being one of them. While many pregnancy cramps are very normal it is important to be aware of what is normal and what is unusual in every trimester. This will help give you peace of mind as well as know what to do when you feel cramping.
When pregnant, a woman doesn’t really eat for two. Yes, women do need some extra calories to support a growing baby, but it’s really not much more than most women’s average daily intakes. Meaning, if you eat three square meals a day, you really only need a light snack to keep your baby happy and your body healthy.
So what’s a craving momma to do? Eat smart, of course!
Angela Ines Malvar was not expecting. With multiple pregnancy tests coming back negative, she and her husband were unsure what to think. Expecting the worst, her ultrasound revealed a shocking surprise!
Research has shown that around 16 to 18 weeks of pregnancy, babies can begin to hear, and at 26 weeks they can react to the sounds they hear. Also at around 18 weeks, babies can begin to feel when their mother moves around, and at 26 weeks they react when the belly is rubbed. Both of these senses can be used by parents to their advantage as ways to begin bonding with their babies while in the womb.
In a 2003 study that explored “ambiguous loss”, American researchers Tamara Golish and Kimberly Powell affirmed how “parents of premature babies underwent various grief emotions as they mourned the loss of a full-term pregnancy and feared for their child’s life and health. However, they were often unable to allow themselves to feel their grief and were unsure how to communicate it because their baby was still alive.” In an environment where more devastating loss easily happens to other families, it seemed almost disrespectful to even acknowledge pain points here and there, and yet they were real, looming menacingly.
Water births have been around for centuries, with the first recorded waterbirth in Europe documented in 1805. Mostly developed in France, water births are now more popular, and many hospitals around the world have installed birthing tubs to give women the option.
Pammela Senora-Eijansantos lives the beach life in La Union. The former nurse is quietly and happily living with her husband and her two children. Six years ago it was a life she could only dream of having, pregnancy and childbearing being complicated by her having Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (also known Hughes Syndrome) commonly referred to as APAS.
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