Oils in aromatherapy are extremely concentrated and need to be diluted before use. For a relaxing bath, add 6-10 drops to the tub and mix well before getting in. If you need a compress, add 3-6 drops in a bowl of water and wring out using a wash cloth. Do the same in a bowl of steaming water for a relaxing steam inhalation.

Here is a list of benefits and therapeutic effects of aromatic oils that are recommended for use during pregnancy. Chamomile is an antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti spasmodic oil. It helps to relieve muscular aches, headaches, tooth ache and indigestion. Cypress is fine to be used after five months of pregnancy is anti septic, anti spasmodic, a good astringent and an effective diuretic. Use of cypress oil is helpful for varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and swollen ankles.

Eucalyptus is helpful in relieving respiratory congestion and is a natural antiseptic cum antiviral as well. The well known frankincense is sedative and warming. The indispensable Lemon is useful as an inhalant to counter nausea and morning sickness. Lavender helps to soothe aches and pains of pregnancy and also encourages cell renewal; it also aids in fluid retention. Rosewood too is an antiseptic and a good sedative. Sandal wood helps prevent cystitis during pregnancy.

One of the best ways to enjoy aromatic essential oils during pregnancy is through inhalation or room fragrance. Enjoy its multiple therapeutic benefits by diffusing a small amount throughout the room. Since you are not resorting to physically applying these aromatic oils to your body, there are very few limitations on the range of oils you can use safely during pregnancy.

But yet, there are still a few possibilities of adverse reactions to aromatic oils such as onset of headaches, allergic reactions to these oils and so on. Usual methods of diffusing aromatic oils include using aroma lamps wherein the upper portion of the lamp is filled with water and several drops of essential oils added to it. Essential oils used are dispersed by the use of a tea light lit underneath it to spread heat. Nebulizers can also be used to diffuse your favorite aroma into the room. Fan diffusers too are good, and the breeze from the fan lifts the scent throughout the room.

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But some herbal home remedies may not be suitable for a pregnant woman since she may be allergic to that particular herb or remedy. You do not want to inflict adverse complications on yourself. Hence, you need to be extra cautious about what you eat. Consult your doctor before consuming herbal remedies since whole herbs can almost always be beneficial, there are certain herbs that are not suitable to be consumed during pregnancy.

Chamomile flowers are the best to cure problems of indigestion. Tea made from chamomile flowers can give you sound sleep. Blue and black cohosh is used widely to counter gynecological problems. Consuming this herb during the last weeks of pregnancy can help stop false labour.

Ginger is considered as a king in the herbal world. It is known widely for its anti inflammatory, anti bacterial properties. Consuming ginger tea twice a day helps in alleviating symptoms of morning sickness. Echinacea is widely used for medicinal purposes. Consuming Echinacea during pregnancy helps to strengthen the immune system and protect you from contracting infections of flu and cold.

False unicorn is safely used in pregnancy. Its roots help to induce labour and also help to ease labour pain. Peppermint is loved worldwide. It is famous for its immensely cooling properties. The peppermint can be safely consumed after the first trimester of pregnancy. This helps you to get relief from stomach cramps and digestion problems. Peppermint is also known to remove toxins from the body.

Red raspberry leaf is one of the best for alleviating problems of pregnancy. It works as a safe tonic for the uterus. It also has anti abortive properties. Apart from protecting a pregnant woman from infections, it also helps to prevent muscle cramps and counters iron deficiency anemia. Red raspberry leaf also protects from excessive bleeding during delivery and even after child birth.

Wild yam is used to curb down a multitude of pregnancy related problems. It helps to alleviate stomach cramps and also aids in curing nauseating feelings and morning sickness. In several instances, it is also known to have reduced risk of miscarriage.

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You can opt for skirts, comfortable leggings and make sure you choose dresses that can match with others so that you can use them interchangeably. This will make it seem as if you have a varied wardrobe. Do not invest in too many pregnancy clothing since you won’t need them, after delivery. Buy print dresses and comfortable gowns to make you look stylish as well as comfortable.

Some clothes that you really like may not always be sold in maternity shops. You can use your discretion and comfort to choose clothing that suits you. Over sized jumpers, blouses or loose fitting dresses are all a good buy. Choose fabrics that you can war in all seasons.

Make sure to shop for clothing every two months and go in for colors that elevate your mood. As you watch yourself expand, you need to adapt to it psychologically and emotionally too. Apart from these you would need maternity and nursing bras and maternity undergarments to support your swelling abdomen. Buy night gowns as opposed to pajamas since they are more comfortable.

Avoid buying itching or synthetic fabric clothes since you will feel more itchy, sticky and hot than normal during pregnancy. As far as possible, try to stick to buying natural fabric clothing during pregnancy. . Buy good chikan or linen kurtas- one short and one long. These can be effectively teamed up with different salwars, chudidhars or jeans and you get a new look each time you wear them. Wrap around skirts too are elegant and stylish to be worn during pregnancy. Pick them in plain colors, floral prints or traditional block print.

For the winter months try a plain sweater or jumper to be worn comfortably over most outfits. Sleeveless vest style tops can also look good; colorful large t shirts, kaftans and poncho tops are great for when you are lounging around at home.

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The prime goal of pregnancy planning is to create a healthy environment for the baby, seek advice and take necessary precautions to prevent birth defects and other pregnancy related problems. Careful pregnancy planning involves taking care to see to good nutrition , vitamins, body weight, exercise, avoidance of certain medication, drugs, alcohol and immunization that needs to be taken and also genetic counseling.

Even though most women have successful pregnancies without going in for any kind of planning, pregnancy planning improves greatly the chances of having a smooth pregnancy and a healthy baby. Pregnancy planning can also help to prevent exposure of the mother to potentially harmful medication and substances during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Bay’s organs start developing within 17 days of conception and the fertilized egg starts to grow even before the day of the first missed period. Some women experience light bleeding during the first few months of pregnancy and may be unaware that they are pregnant. Others, due to ignorance might not realize that they are pregnant until they gain weight or have abdominal enlargement. By then they may have subjected themselves to harmful substances and medication.

Other important health issues too are addressed during pregnancy planning. Medical conditions, like diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, thyroid disease and heart disease are controlled in order to maximize the chances of conceiving. A woman’s immunity against German measles and chicken pox are also carefully ascertained. Women found lacking in rubella antibodies are immunized before they conceive. Women who are not immune to chicken pox virus are also vaccinated but they need to wait for a month after immunization to conceive.

Sometimes, women can be carriers of hepatitis virus. This can be ascertained by a series of blood tests and the foetus can be protected from hepatitis infection by providing necessary immunization at the time of delivery. Women diagnosed with HIV infection are required to take certain medications during pregnancy to decrease possible risk to both mother and foetus.

Women who start taking folic acid at least a few weeks prior to conceiving can reduce the baby’s risk of birth defects of spinal cord and skull by seventy percent.

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The symptoms of pregnancy can confirm your suspicions. It can be a missed period, nausea, tenderness of breasts, and fatigue. A simple pregnancy test is designed to tell you if your urine or blood contains the hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin or hcg. This is produced immediately after a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus. This procedure happens six days after fertilization. If your pregnancy is confirmed, the levels of Hcg continue to increase doubling every two to three days.

There are mainly two types of pregnancy tests- urine tests and blood tests. Urine tests can be conveniently done at home or in a doctor’s office. Most women prefer to conduct a home pregnancy test within a week of a missed period. These are most convenient and afford privacy. A home pregnancy test comes with instructions. If instructions can be followed closely, you are assured of getting accurate results. After the initial testing, you can consult your doctor to get more sensitive tests done to confirm pregnancy conclusively.

The most common types of home pregnancy involve use of a test strip or drip stick that is held in the urine stream or dipped into a sample of urine. An area on the end of the test strip changes color if hCG is present, confirming pregnancy. The second type makes use of a urine collection cup with a test device. In this test, you can place several drops of urine into a well in the test device or you may place the test device into urine collected in a cup. If an area of the device changes color, that means Hcg is present and you are pregnant. The first urine in the morning that has collected in the ladder over night is the most effective to use and gives accurate results. Most home detection pregnancy kits show accurate results about a week after a missed period.

There are two types of blood pregnancy tests. A qualitative hcg test just checks to see if hcg is present. Doctors order these tests to confirm pregnancy as early as ten days after a missed period. Some blood tests can detect Hcg much earlier.

A quantitative hcg test or beta hcg means the exact amount of hcg levels in the blood. It can detect even very low levels. This test can effectively rule out a tubal or ectopic pregnancy.

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You should continue to do your daily work out in moderation. Do not exercise at the levels which you were performing before pregnancy. Low impact aerobics and walking are very good forms of exercise. In case you have never adhered to an exercise regimen, you can commence with the safest form of exercise- walking.

The watch word is never to overdo any form of exercise. The safest and most productive exercise forms that can be adhered to during pregnancy are brisk walking, minor household chores, indoor stationary cycling and low impact aerobics. These carry very little risk of injury and benefit your entire body; these can be continued until delivery.

Choose any form of exercise that does not call for great balance or coordination. Certain exercises are harmful if performed during pregnancy. Do not do any activity or exercise that requires you to hold your breath. Even exercises that cause mild abdominal trauma, jarring motions, rapid changes in direction need to be avoided. Take care not to exercise in hot humid weather. You should never resort to heavy exercise spurts followed by long periods of no activity.

Consult your doctor before you commence on any exercise regimen. Simple stretches help your muscles to warm up. You can practice neck rotation, shoulder rotation, simple leg shakes and ankle rotation. You can try kegel exercises which help to strengthen the muscles supporting the bladder, uterus and bowels. This helps you to develop the ability to relax and control the muscles in preparation for labor and delivery. Here is how you can do kegel exercise. Imagine that you are trying to stop flow of urine or trying not to pass gas. While doing so, you are contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor.

Try not to move your leg, buttocks or abdominal muscles. These can be done anywhere at any time and no one ever need know that you are exercising. Try to do five sets of kegel exercises a day. Each time you contract the muscles of the pelvic floor, hold your breath to a count of five, relax and repeat. Repeat ten times for one set of kegel.

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During the first stage of labour, your cervix gradually opens, dilating up to four inches width. It becomes thinner as well. This process is called effacement. You should start bearing and pushing down only when the uterus is fully effaced and dilated. Only then does the delivery stage start.

Crowning is when the baby’s head becomes visible. A few minutes later, the baby is born. The placenta that helped to nourish your baby while in the womb also comes out. Doctors monitor the baby and mother very closely during childbirth. Most women are healthy and have a baby through normal delivery without any surgical procedure. In case complications arise, the baby needs to be delivered by a caesarean section. This is a brief summary of the birthing process.

Every mother’s birth experience is different but the day a woman had her baby will remain deeply etched in memory throughout her life. Let’s look at a step by step procedure of approaching child birth and labour. A few days before the onset of labour, you might feel extremely energetic. This is nature’s nesting instinct at play. When the baby is ready to be born, hormonal changes in the foetus can cause the placenta to release a substance called corticotrophin. Once it is released the cervix becomes softer, thinner and the onset of contractions is triggered off.

The baby now descends down or drops lower into the pelvis, thereby reducing pressure in the upper abdomen and relaxes your lungs. Small capillaries in the thinning cervix rupture discharging a brown vaginal fluid. Once contractions commence, uterine muscle spasms occur becoming repeatedly severe and painful as labour progresses. Now the amniotic sac ruptures and flows out through the vagina.

In the second stage of labour, the baby is pushed out through the birth canal. This is the natural way of child birth. There may be instances when vaginal births are not possible or can be a threat to the safety and life of the mother and child. In such cases, caesarean section or c-section is performed on the mother’s abdomen and the child delivered.

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Your blood pressure needs to be constantly checked since high blood pressure can be a sign of preeclampsia. If not treated in time, it can develop into eclampsia which can be life threatening for both mother and child. Hence, be wary of symptoms like headaches, swollen ankles and wrists, visual disturbances and abdominal pain.

Bleeding at any point of time during pregnancy can be a danger signal. In early pregnancy, it can be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, although many women go on to have normal pregnancies. Vaginal infection can also cause a small amount of bleeding. Rarely, bleeding in later pregnancy can be a sign of complications with the placenta.

Itching is common in pregnancy; but if you develop severe itching, accompanied by a rash specifically in the last trimester, get it checked by your doctor. It can be a sign of obstetric cholestasis that affects the liver and can have serious repercussions on the mother and baby.

If you have had a small baby earlier, or if you do smoke heavily, constant monitoring is required to keep tabs on the health of your baby. If it is detected that the baby is not growing well, you may be induced to have labour or advised to go in for a caesarean section. Keep a tab on your child’s movements inside the womb. If you feel it has become less frequent, slowed down or stopped, contact the doctor immediately. Nothing may be seriously wrong, but you need to trust your own judgment and get in touch with the doctor as soon as possible.

During pregnancy, the veins in the leg are most commonly affected. Avoid standing for long periods of time and try not to sit with your legs crossed. Keep close watch on your weight and sit with legs up to ease discomfort. Hormonal changes in the body can cause plaque to make your gums inflamed, swollen and bleed easily. To counter this, clean your teeth and gums carefully. Avoid sugary and fizzy drinks. Go to the dentist for a dental check up.

Stretch marks are pink or purplish lines that appear on the stomach, upper thighs or breasts. After delivery, these gradually fade and become less noticeable. You are more likely to get stretch marks if your weight gain is more than average. Headaches are common in pregnancy. Try to get more rest; paracetamol in recommended small doses is safe but it is better to avoid pain killers of any sort during pregnancy.

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Implantation bleeding can be one of the earliest symptoms. This happens when the embryo implants itself on the uterine wall and symptoms of cramping as well as spotting are noticed. Breasts become swollen or tender to the touch, or feel sore on touching. You can end up feeling fatigued or more tired during pregnancy. Nausea or morning sickness can commence. Some women are fortunate to not have to deal with morning sickness at all. Some women continue to feel nauseous throughout their pregnancy.

Lower backaches may develop and may remain as a dull ache through the entire tenure of pregnancy. Sudden rise in hormones can cause mild to splitting headaches. Frequent urination with extra trips to the bathroom at night can be highly frustrating. You will also notice that the skin on your nipples turn darker.

Some women may have food cravings or food aversions. Most women will experience cravings for certain foods when they are pregnant. It need not necessarily be only for ice creams or pickles. This craving can persist through out pregnancy. Some women may develop an aversion for their favorite food!

Sometimes there might be a white milky discharge from the vagina. This is due to the increased growth cell lining the vagina causing the vaginal walls to thicken. If itching is experienced then it is mandatory to consult the doctor. It may be a symptom of bacterial infection too.

Increased levels of progesterone can cause constipation. To counter this drink plenty of water, exercise and consume plenty of high fiber foods.

Dizziness and fainting may be due to dilated blood vessels, low blood pressure and low blood sugar. There can be a phase of mood swings as well, especially during the first trimester. These are related to hormonal changes in the body.

Excess passing of gas is also a symptom of pregnancy. Pay close attention to your diet and cut out beans and broccoli as well as carbonated beverages. Pregnancy and incontinence do go hand in hand. It is due to your growing uterus pressing down on the bladder. Drink less fluids when you g out, do some muscle toning movements to help increase bladder control.

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Most pregnancies last for about nine months and if it extends for more than that, doctors do induce labour. But it is possible to remain pregnant for a whole year. The world’s longest pregnancy lasted for about 375 days with the baby weighing just a little less than 7 pounds.

Most moms refuse to think of their bay boys getting erections even when they grow up to be teenagers. But the fact remains that many boys have erections while still in the womb.

Nine out of ten women have some type of vaginal tearing during child birth. Some require only a few stitches or a little care, but the really bad cases tear up from the vagina all the way to the anus! Some do even affect the muscles beyond the anus. Massaging the area prior to delivery can reduce tearing.

At the time of delivery it is common for women to accidentally expel the contents of the bowel. This is because the muscles used to push the baby out are the same ones ordinarily used during a bowel movement. Even though enema is often administere3d prior to labor, it doesn’t stop the mess from happening.

Glowing skin is a very real thing when it comes to a pregnant woman. This is because when you are pregnant, the amount of blood in your body increases by 50 percent. The extra blood shows up through the skin, particularly the cheeks and you end up glowing beautifully.

While pregnant, your sense of smell increases manifold, and so does your sense of taste. Scientists opine that this is to help pregnant ladies avoid eating even small levels of toxins that can be dangerous to the foetus.

Most moms will still experience contractions for the first few days after childbirth. These muscle cramps are the body’s mechanism of stopping excess blood loss.

Do not listen to anyone tell you to eat for two. Most pregnant women need only an extra 300 calories a day. If you are tempted by an occasional dessert, do sneak up to have an extra!

The excess pressure on your feet paired with relaxed ligament on the body makes your feet to start losing their arch and stretch out on the sides. Your feet would grow up to one full shoe size.

In some cases, the father starts experiencing cramps in his lower abdomen. This is known as sympathetic pregnancy.

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