You may have given thought to the lack of sleep you will experience when your baby arrives, but did you expect your sleep to be interrupted while expecting your baby? Most women don’t think of this scenario. But sleep problems during pregnancy are actually fairly common.

During the first trimester, you may find that you sleep more than usual. And while you sleep more, you may be confused as to why you are still so tired throughout the day. Fatigue is a common symptom of pregnancy during the first trimester. This is due to hormonal changes and fetus development that uses up most of your energy. Usually women get a second wind after the 14th-16th week.

You may also experience numerous waking throughout the night due to an increased need to use the restroom. Sleep may also be disrupted due to physical and emotional stress associated with the pregnancy.

The second trimester is typically associated with improved sleep, mainly due to less frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom. This is due to reduced pressure on the bladder as the fetus moves above it. Physical and emotional stresses are still factors that affect the quality of your sleep.

The third trimester is when most sleep problems arise. At this point, discomfort may keep you from sleeping. Your growing belly, the fact that you can only sleep on your side and other pregnancy pains can keep you up. Heartburn, leg cramps, and sinus congestion are a few other reasons that may also cause sleep deprivation. And on top of it all frequent nighttime urination returns, as your baby’s position changes and puts pressure on the bladder again.

For a better night sleep, use extra pillows to support both belly and back. A body pillow can provide you with proper support. They are specialty pillows designed specifically for pregnancy and support both your belly and back.

If stress is keeping you up, try yoga or deep breathing for relaxation. Regular exercise throughout the pregnancy promotes physical and mental health and can help you sleep more deeply. Talk to your healthcare provider to see what type of exercise is appropriate for you.

A cesarean section delivery may be unavoidable in certain situations, especially when there is a real threat to the wellbeing of the baby or mother or both. In such cases, it is a blessing to have the option of such a procedure. But in other cases, when it may not be necessary or can be avoided, you may want to consider the possibility to pass up this invasive surgery.

Like any other medical procedure where you are being cut open, a cesarean section is a major surgery. This means there is a recovery time, about 2 to 4 times longer than the recovery time needed after a vaginal birth. There is also the risk of infection around the incision area, as well as the possibility that future births will result in another cesarean section.

Elective cesarean section is becoming more accepted these days. Some expecting mothers get impatient and want to meet their baby rather than wait. Others want to choose their child birth date, or want to avoid the pains of labor and maybe have a tummy tuck along the way.

Nevertheless, there are many women who prefer to give birth vaginally. If you are one of them, start with speaking to your healthcare provider and write a birth plan to better your chances of having things go your way. Make sure your OBGYN is on board with your plans. Also check the cesarean section rate at the hospital you intend to deliver at. If your OBGYN or the hospital do not have the right answers for you, considering switching to another provider.

You can help avoid undergoing a cesarean by taking care of yourself and listening to your provider. Towards the end of the pregnancy, your doctor will monitor the size of the baby and may alert you to change your diet if there is a concern that your baby will be too large to be delivered vaginally. Do not take this advice lightly.

Listen to your body and take care of yourself throughout your pregnancy. Eat healthy, exercise, sleep well and stay safe. If you are at a higher risk for a cesarean or your baby’s position does not allow for a vaginal birth, talk to your OBGYN about what you can do to help change the situation.

If you are actively trying to conceive, you may want to consider avoiding some activities in advance to help increase your chances. Once you are pregnant, there are also activities to avoid for the health and safety of both you and your baby. While you have not met your baby yet and may not feel like a mother, this is the time to start acting like one and caring for your expected child.

So what are some activities you should avoid during those 40 weeks?

Some Amusement Park rides are not safe for expecting moms. These rides are usually marked clearly with warning signs for you. Water slides should also be avoided since a forceful landing or sudden start or stop could be harmful for your baby.

Soaking in hot tubs / Jacuzzis or sitting in a sauna can be dangerous to your developing baby because overheating has been linked to birth defects.

Gymnastics in a no no! because it puts you at risk of falling and there is an increased chance of trauma to your abdomen.

Bicycling should be avoided while pregnant, unless you are an experienced rider, in which case you may be able to continue throughout your first trimester. Talk to your OBGYN for more information regarding this issue.

Horseback riding is a bad idea even if you are an experienced rider. The risk of falling is just not worth it.

Scuba diving is an absolute forbidden activity now that you are expecting. As you surface, air bubbles can form in your bloodstream, which can be very dangerous for both you and your growing baby.

If you are not a runner, now is not the time to take it up. From your second trimester on, the risk of falling increases and you should run with caution. As with all forms of exercise, avoid becoming overheated, and drink plenty of water.

These are just a few activities to avoid while pregnant. Speak to your healthcare provider for more specific information regarding activities you should avoid and the ones that put you or your baby at risk. Stay safe and avoid strenuous activities that could cause injury or involve serious risks. Remember, even if you do not “feel pregnant”, you are carrying your child and are about to become a mother.

Sometimes after you find out you are pregnant, possibility of having twins may have crossed your mind. It usually takes 8-10 weeks before you find out if your nurse hears one or more heartbeats at your first ultrasound.

In the mean time you are left to wonder. So what are your chances?  This usually depends on the biological history of twins in your family.  So if you are a twin, already have one set of multiples or have twin relatives, your chances of having twins are higher. Also if you have undergone fertility treatments, you have a 10% chance of having multiples.

Possible signs that you could be carrying more than one baby include:

Uterus measurements are large for dates.

Excess weight gain.

Amplified pregnancy symptoms including severe morning sickness, extreme fatigue or a strong metallic taste in your mouth.

An AFP blood test result that is inconsistent with a singleton pregnancy.

The above signs may or may not mean you are carrying multiples. Also, you may have no unusual symptoms at all, even if you are carrying more than one baby. Though it is not the perfect solution, waiting for your first ultrasound and hearing from you OBGYN is the best way to know for sure how many babies you are expecting. So try to be patient and whatever is in your future will be revealed soon enough.

Deciding how and when to share the news of your pregnancy is a big deal. Once you discover you are pregnant, you will find it hard to keep the news to yourself even if you decided not to announce it yet. This is an exciting time in your life as your pregnancy becomes your top priority.

“Why wait…when to tell, how to tell and who to tell first”, are all things you and your partner want to decide about together. There are different reasons to share or keep the news private in the beginning. Some people just want to take a minute and enjoy this exciting time with each other, or digest the big change ahead before announcing the news to the world (family, friends, employers, etc.). Some couples choose to keep the pregnancy private until the end of the first trimester for fear of miscarriage, and avoid the hassle of re-informing those of the sad news. Some wait for signs of pregnancy such as a growing belly.

Others may rush to tell right away to enjoy family and friends’ support dealing with this thrilling, yet overwhelming news. Sharing the news early can also lead to getting advice throughout the pregnancy right from the start, as well as help choosing between an OBGYN and a midwife, finding a good book about pregnancy and other resources such as possible methods of childbirth, and more.

Sharing with your employer is another thing to consider, depending on your job description. If you work with hazardous materials you may need to share the news with your employer right away so you can be stationed appropriately. Also if you are a flight attendant, you may need to share your news early, so you can be assigned a land post.

Regardless of when you choose to share the news, make sure you are content with your decision, and change it if need be. Remember once your news is made public, you cannot reverse it and it may spread faster than you anticipated.

When you decide to announce you are pregnant, or once you are showing, you will find that people around you may start giving you ‘advice’ as to what to do or not do while pregnant. So what should you really avoid while pregnant?

A warm bath is great for relaxation—pregnant or not. The danger is when the water temperature is too hot. In the first trimester, very hot water can cause developmental problems in the fetus and later in pregnancy it can cause preterm labor. When pregnant you should avoid anything that raises your body temperature above 102 or 103 degrees.

There is no need to quit caffeine altogether. One cup of coffee or tea a day will not do any harm to you or your baby if you are enjoying a normal pregnancy. Speak to your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.

Drinking alcohol should be avoided while pregnant, especially during the first trimester when so much of the baby’s nervous system is being formed.

You don’t have to sleep on your left side, the right side is just as good, but you will most likely find that sleeping on your side, left or right, is the only comfortable position after around the 20^th week of your pregnancy. Sleeping on your belly will be technically impossible, and sleeping on your back can cause dizziness or make you sweaty from too much pressure put on the vena cava.

Most research does show that it is safe to dye your hair while pregnant, as the chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic. If you are concerned, dye your hair only after the 12th week of pregnancy, when the risk of chemical substances – hair dye or otherwise – harming the baby is much lower. If you color your hair yourself make sure to wear gloves and leave the dye on for the minimum time. Also work in a well-ventilated room.

In general, if you are concern that something may be harmful for you or your baby during your pregnancy, speak to your OBGYN to get answers. Don’t let people scare you out of your personal lifestyle and activities.

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So you and your partner-in-crime decided it is time to expand the family. Congratulations! While you think and act on that notion, there are a few things you want to take care of simultaneously to prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy.

• Control your weight. Get as close to your ideal weight as possible. Obesity and/or underweight can affect your baby’s health as well as your chances to conceive.
• This is the time to quit smoking. Avoiding secondhand smoke is important as well, and this is not the time to take chances. Smoking can cause birth defects, premature birth and low birth weight. It also increases risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and asthma.
• Stop drinking alcohol. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause serious birth defects and learning disabilities.
• Quit recreational drugs. They all have an adverse effect on your baby – some can cause permanent brain damage and/or severe birth defects.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about prescription medications you are taking. Some drugs for heart disorders, blood thinners and some medications for depression, anxiety and other emotional disorders are not to be taken while pregnant.
• Start taking prenatal vitamins, including folic acid, calcium and other nutrients. They are important to a healthy pregnancy and baby, and are recommended three months before conception.
• Talk to your OBGYN about genetic testing you may need to consider depending on ethnicity and family health history.
• Find out your HIV status. HIV-positive women can spare their babies from contracting the disease if they are aware of their HIV status before delivery.

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“I have a child, therefore I know I am fertile and should have no problems getting pregnant again.” Isn’t that right?

Well, it isn’t. Secondary infertility is found in about 20% of women and is most common among women who have waited with pregnancy till their 30’s or 40’s, when fertility declines. Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children. Causes for secondary infertility may be similar to those of primary infertility (childless couple who are unable to conceive).

There are a variety of reasons why secondary infertility may occur.  Since your last pregnancy, you or your partner may have had an infection, gained some weight, or started eating fewer healthy foods. These minor changes in your lifestyle can have grave repercussions on your reproductive health. Also your egg quality may have begun to decrease (natural process as you get older) or your partner’s sperm may not be what it once was during his youthful years. Abnormalities with sperm and ejaculation are frequently cited as causes of secondary infertility.

Luckily, there is a lot you can do to increase your chances to conceive for the second, third (or more) time. First, you should start taking prenatal vitamins. Folic acid and iron have been proven to improve fertility. Knowing when you are ovulating is crucial. If your cycle is regular, (28-30 days) have sex on days 10-14 (start the count on the first day of your period). Using an ovulation kit can be beneficial to zero in on the exact days you are ovulating.

Age is a factor when getting pregnant. If you’re 35 or older and have been trying to conceive for more than six months, speak to your OBGYN, who will most likely run some tests to see what the root of the problem is. Avoid Antihistamines and vitamin C supplements. They dry out the cervical fluid that helps sperm find its way to your egg.  Lubricants can block sperm’s path and should also be avoided. Stress, though hard to control, should be minimized and some ways to overcome stress is to do something fun, laugh, take a relaxing hot bath, pamper yourself to a massage or go on a getaway weekend with your partner. Whatever calms you down, do it!

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A women’s intuition is a powerful thing, but we don’t all KNOW when we are pregnant right away. Some of us may consider the possibility when we start to see a few of the “I’m pregnant” signs while others may overlook them all completely. Here are the top ten signs you may be pregnant and how you should interpret each one:

1. A positive home pregnancy test usually detects a pregnancy only a week after your missed period (regardless of what is advertised on the box). After getting a positive result, contact your OBGYN to schedule a blood test.
2. Continuously high basal temperature past the time when your period is due is another possible indicator of pregnancy.
3. A missed period can be considered a sign of pregnancy if your cycle is regular (usually 28-30 days). This is typically the first indication you should take a pregnancy test. At the same time, you should know that there are other reasons for a late period. Stress is a big factor, and if you are trying to conceive or under a lot of stress for other reasons, you may experience a late period. It may also be: Excessive weight gain/loss, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, tension, stopping birth control, or breast-feeding.
4. Frequent urination may start six weeks into your first trimester, and is caused by increased amount of blood and fluids during pregnancy. This extra fluid being processed by your kidneys and ending up in your bladder will send you running to the bathroom repeatedly. It may also be: Urinary tract infection, diabetes, increasing liquid intake, or a result of taking excessive diuretics.
5. Abdominal bloating is caused by hormonal changes, similar to the feeling some women have just before their period arrives.
6. Increased sensitivity to odors is common during the first trimester.
7. Nausea or vomiting is a very common symptom of pregnancy. It may start as early as a few days after conception, but is most common between 2-8 weeks. It may also be: Food poisoning, stress, or other stomach disorders that causes you to feel queasy.
8. Implantation bleeding can occur around 11-12 days after conception. This small amount of vaginal bleeding may be caused by the fertilized egg burrowing into the blood-rich lining of your uterus, and lasts only a day or two.
9. Fatigue can be experienced as early as a week after conception. This feeling of extreme exhaustion is cause by high levels of progesterone, a hormone that is present during pregnancy. It may also be: Stress, exhaustion, depression, common cold or flu, or other illnesses can also leave you feeling drained.
10. Tender, swollen breasts, is yet another sign of early pregnancy. This symptom usually disappears by the end of the first trimester. It may also be: Hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, impending menstruation (PMS) can also cause your breasts to swell and become more sensitive.

While these “signs” have helped many women over the years recognize pregnancy, you should always check with your OBGYN, whether you intend on being pregnant or not.  Each woman experiences different symptoms upon conception and the best way to be prepared for pregnancy is to read about it and talk with your doctor.

Through advanced care and research, there are a variety of options on the location and method to giving birth. The most common child birthing experience today involves the hospital, but it is not your only option. If you want to have more freedom and control over the process and procedures during your delivery, take the time to learn about other options available to you. But before you start your research, know that you must be a healthy woman with a healthy, low or no risk pregnancy to consider child birth outside of the hospital.

Birthing Centers offer a home-like environment with the freedom to experience labor in your own way. Birthing centers are run by nurse-midwives, and are fully equipped with a variety of medications, IVs, oxygen, and resuscitation equipment should your baby need it. There are no electronic fetal monitoring equipment, epidurals, labor induction devices, drugs, or cesarean deliveries.

A birthing center offers a natural birthing experience, as close to a home birth as you can find. Something you should know and consider is the fact the women are discharged right after the birth, or no longer than 12 hours thereafter.

Hospital Birthing Centers combine the “homey” ambiance with the security of high-tech birthing options. They are also run by nurse-midwives and are very similar in décor to other birthing centers, but have the advantage of accessing high-tech medical care when needed.

These types of centers are most appropriate for pregnant women who are not sure they can make it through labor without pain medication and those who may need to spend up to 48 hours in the hospital post-birth.

Home Birth allows the mother-to be to experience birthing on her own terms within the comfort and familiarity of her own home. It is suggested that a midwife follow the pregnancy and assist with the birthing process. If you are interested in this experience, take the time to research and interview midwives to find the one who is right for you.

If a certified midwife tells you that a home birth is not in your best interest, listen to her. She has the experience and credibility to provide these suggestions. Best candidates for home births are healthy women with a normal pregnancy and a good after-care support system.

Most importantly, listen to yourself. Whatever decision you make, be sure you feel comfortable about it.