Backaches and Leg Cramps

Throughout pregnancy you may experience more aches than normal. Backaches and leg cramps are high among the list of complaints and are normal.

Backaches are one of the most common complaints of pregnancy. They are caused by an increased sway in your lower back from the weight of your baby. Wear shoes with a low heel and try to be aware of your posture. To help relieev stress in your lower back, try sitting with your legs propped up so thatyou knees are higher than your hips. A warm bath and back rub may also help. Although backaches are common throughout pregnancy, a dull, low backache, especially if it "comes and goes" or develops a pattern, may be a sign of preterm labor.

When you are sleeping or resting you may be bothered by leg cramps. Leg cramps occur more frequently later in pregnancy because your enlarged uterus is slowing down the flow of blood back from your legs. The cramps can also be caused by fatigue or not enough calcium in your diet. A slow, gentle leg stretch before going to bed may help. Be sure to stretch through the heel, pointing your toes toward your nose. If you are having problems with leg cramps, tell your health care provider.

These are two common complaints with pregnancy, but be sure to tell your doctor if you're having problems with them.

Eating Healthy While Pregnant

Eating healthy is an important part of pregnancy. While it can be hard with urgers, here are 5 quick tips to help you out along the way:

1. Pick Protein- Women need 20% more protein than normal during pregnancy. They should eat food like meat, poultry, and eggs.

2. Stock up on vitamins- Mothers need iron, folic acid and vitamin B6 in their diet. They should eat iron-fortified cereals and lean meats.

3. Drink fluids- They help maintain baby's and mom's blood supplies. To prevent dehydrations, drink 8 to 10 cups of water daily.

4. Relieve heartburn- Relax and eat slowly; small meals are best. Sit up while eating, and avoid lying down for at least an hour after a meal.

5. Pay attention to hunger cues- If mothers wait until they're ravenous, they're more likely to eat large amounts of unhealthy foods.

These are just a few tips to help you out. It's important to eat healthy during your pregnancy and there are many more dietary guidelines to follow. Ask your doctor or primary care physician for more advice.

4d Ultrasound Captures Twins

With potential pictures like this, how could you miss out on getting a 3d/4d ultrasound?

A crowded womb

By NATASHA PEARLMAN

Twins appear to kiss in the womb

A silicone model of fraternal twins - who have their own placenta and amniotic sac

A twin leans over and kisses the cheek of her sister in a heart-warming picture that would not be out of place in any family home.

Yet these siblings are a not even born and the astonishing images have been captured on a new 'four-dimensional' ultrasound scan of the womb.

Gallery
• See the stunning 4D scans
• More Good Health features

The scans are a highly developed form of traditional ultrasound where very high frequency sound waves are used to produce images of what is inside the body.

As with older forms of ultra-sound, sound waves a emitted from a transducer, or probe, which is placed on the mother's abdomen and then moved to 'look at' areas in the uterus. These sound waves bounce back off the foetus, helping to create a 'picture' of the child on a screen.

The new 4D scan us ses the same frequency of sound waves w as in a normal ultrasound. But the sound waves are directed from many more angles, producing a 'real-time' video of the foetus as it moves and allowing scientists to say the images are in four dimensions.

This advanced technology has allowed scientists to capture the development of foetuses like never before, including twins and triplets jostling for space in the womb while grasping each other's hands and even faces.

The images have also allowed scientists to create life-size silicone models and astonishing computer-generated images of the multiple foetuses, some of which are seen in the pictures shown here.

For the first time, it has also been possible to see detailed pictures of 'vanishing twin syndrome' - where a foetus dies and is re-absorbed into the womb, often in the early stages of pregnancy.

Doctors estimate this occurs in 11 per cent of pregnancies. Some scientists have suggested that 'vanishing twin syndrome' occurs because of a lack of nutrients, so the mother's body naturally 'loses' one or more foetus in order to boost the survival of the others.

Scientists have also been able to examine a variety of twin called a 'mirror' twin, which occasionally occurs when embryos split. This means that while one twin is left-handed, the other is right-handed. But in extreme cases it can lead to one twin having its heart on the left, while the sibling has their heart on the right.

London-based obstetrician Professor Stuart Campbell, who is the pioneer of 4D scans in Britain, performed the scans for a National Geographic documentary.

He says: 'It was fascinating to see the babies in more detail than ever before. I was amazed at the detail in the faces - smiles, blinking - and the interaction between multiple foetuses.'

The scans were used to particular effect when charting the progress of the naturally conceived, identical quadruplets of Julie Carles, 38, whose story was revealed exclusively in the Mail last year.

The scans showed the four fetal bodies developing in minute detail - it is even possible to see their eyelids opening - as well as their developmental patterns as they jostle for space in the womb.

Doing Yoga While Pregnant Is Beneficial!

Benefits of Yoga During Pregnancy

It has been said that yoga can be very beneficial during pregnancy, but why? Not only does it help you stay fit, it helps improve your energy level and allows you to become more in tune or intimate with your body. Yoga can help with the aches and pains of pregnancy and with mental issues such as moodiness. In turn, yoga can help you have a smooth pregnancy and natural childbirth. Yoga exercises, through a series of gentle stretches, help tone the reproductive organs, pelvis and the rest of your body to ensure an easier childbirth. Yoga breathing exercises, and the act of controlling your energy (or Prana) provide your baby with vital oxygen and the energy from that oxygen. If you are a strong breather you will be more fit and ready for childbirth. Just as Lamaze teaches breathing techniques, so does yoga. Additionally, mastery of yoga breathing techniques can help ease the tension of labor and could help decrease the possibility of postpartum depression. Once you learn meditation through yoga you will have an incredible self awareness that will put you in tune with your baby. It is well known that meditation can help alleviate stress, poor health and fatigue.

http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/4.html

Here are a few classes that we found, but be sure to call and look around your area for prenatal classes and share them with us :)

Balance Yoga Lounge in Ankeny has six classes for $72
Greenhouse Yoga House in West Des Moines offers three months of prenatal yoga for only $170
Soundness with Sayde in Cedar Rapids has a deal of seven weeks for only $42

Now get out there and enjoy your yoga time!

Staying hydrated

      Everyone knows that water is one of the essentials to life, but still it can be hard to stay hydrated.  As the weather warms up and everyone gets more active it's important to keep hydrated.  One of the important functions of water is that helps to get rid of waste products in cells and helps the kidneys and liver function.  Being dehydrated can cause fatigue, constipation, preterm labor, or even a miscarriage.  The daily recommended amount of water is about 8-12 eight ounce glasses.  This may seem like a lot, but it is easier if you break it up throughout the day.  You may not feel thirsty, but your body still needs water.  About 10 cups of water are used daily by your body through normal activities such as breathing and perspiration.  If you aren't a huge fan of just drinking water, try to help your intake by eating foods that are good sources such as lettuce, grapefruit, low-fat cottage cheese, apples, and even chicken.  It might be hard at first, but once you get into the routine it will become second nature. 

Fun Facts About 3D Ultrasounds

·         In 1987 at Duke University Olaf von Ramm and Stephen Smith patented this technology.

·         Ultrasounds expose the body to high-frequency sound waves and there is no radiation involved! 

·         2D ultrasounds can only produce black and white still photos, while 3D ultrasounds allow the viewers to see details of the face and anatomy in color.

·         3D ultrasounds do not use a higher frequency or more “power”, but use a combination of different angles for the sound to travel and a more sophisticated software. 

·         Ultrasounds have been studied for over 30 years and throughout this time ultrasounds have not been shown to cause harm to the baby or mother.