Common Baby Illnesses -Part 2

Facts About Fevers

Most people would worry if their temperature, or the temperature of their child or other loved one, was to rise by more than a couple of degrees and they would probably act to try to reduce the temperature to nearer the normal 37C/98.6F. Surprisingly, this is not necessarily the best course of action.

Prior to the development of antibiotics and vaccines, fever struck fear into populations and caused many deaths. Modern medicines, however, have caused these diseases to be treatable or preventable. Medical research has also shown that a fever is not the body's enemy.

Most bacteria and viruses that cause infections thrive at normal body temperatures. So raising the temperature by a few degrees is the body's way of fighting infection by making conditions less suitable for the survival and reproduction of the infectious agent. A fever will also activate the body's immune system by encouraging the production of white blood cells, antibodies and other infection-fighting agents. So if acting to bring down the temperature may prevent the body from fighting the infection, does this mean you should let the fever take its natural course? Not necessarily.

A high fever may be caused by measles, mumps or meningitis or other serious illnesses and you should seek medical help in any of the following circumstances.

• If the temperature rises to 40.5C/105F.
• Any child under six months old should be examined by a doctor.
• If a patient of any age has difficulty breathing, has a stiff neck, is irritable or confused, is unable to move an arm or leg, or has a seizure.
• If the fever is accompanied by any of the following symptoms: persistent or abnormal stomach pain; laboured or rapid breathing; headache with an aversion to bright light.

Diagnosis

Simple and straightforward: place a hand on the forehead or use a thermometer - there are three types, oral, rectal or a strip that can be placed on the forehead.

Treatment

As a fever is an important part of the body's defense mechanism, the aim should be to reduce the temperature to about 38C/101F rather than bring it down to normal. Indeed, if a child with a fever is playing happily, is able to sleep, and is taking plenty of fluids, it would be better to let the body's defenses fight the infection. Conversely, if the child is vomiting, dehydrated, or having difficulty sleeping, seek medical help.

Complications

High fever can cause complications, some of which are serious.

• A prolonged period with a temperature above 42C/107.6F can result in brain damage.
• In rare cases, high fever can cause febrile seizures. Although the symptoms are alarming, febrile seizures are over in moments and have no lasting consequences. The seizures begin with a sudden contraction of the muscles in the face, arms, legs and trunk. Usually the child will emit a haunting, involuntary moan lasting for perhaps 30 seconds. The child will often fall, vomit, pass urine, cease breathing and might turn blue. Eventually the contraction will be broken by repeated jerks after which the child will be limp, unresponsive and drowsy.

Summary

A high fever is a sign that the body is fighting an infection. You should look for other symptoms in order to decide whether to seek medical help.

Related Post: Common Baby Illnesses -Part 1

Source: BabyTalk

Common Baby Illnesses -Part 1

Your new baby is tiny and looks so vulnerable - but she is a lot tougher than she looks! Every baby will get coughs and colds and pick up some of the many childhood illnesses - it's part of acquiring an immune system, but you will probably worry when she does; that's only natural.

Below are various common baby ailments. We hope you find the information useful but we should stress that if baby is ill you must consult your doctor or nurse.

Chickenpox

Chickenpox is one of the 'classic' childhood diseases.Chickenpox is an airborne disease and is very contagious. The symptoms are:

• general mild flu like symptoms (headache, fever, tummy ache, and loss of appetite);
• followed a day or two later by hundreds of itchy, fluid filled blisters.

Once you have had chickenpox the virus is with you for life but kept in check by your immune system. However, the virus can flare up later in life in the form of shingles, especially if you undergo a period of stress.

Most cases occur in children younger than 10 and the disease is usually mild. Older children and adults often develop a more severe case of chickenpox.

Chickenpox can cause serious complications:

• a secondary infection of the blisters may occur if these are scratched and this can cause scarring.
• newborns are at risk of severe infection if the mother is not immune (i.e. she has not previously had the disease).
• other, rare, complications include encephalitis; Reye's syndrome; and cerebellar ataxia.

Treatment:

As it is a virus, chickenpox can not be treated by antibiotics. In most cases a chickenpox infection can be left to run its course, however, it is advisable to treat the blisters to reduce the likelihood of them being scratched. To this end, it is advisable to trim the nails of young children and place scratch-mitts on babies to minimise scratching and reduce the chance of scarring.

Calamine lotion will help to ease the itching as will baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). When our toddlers caught chickenpox a friend suggested adding a little water to baking powder to make a paste and applying that to the blisters. As our son passed his chickenpox on to me I can verify that the baking soda does work! It was more effective than calamine lotion at reducing the itching.

Antiviral medicines have been developed and can help the fight against chickenpox if the medicine is started within the first 24 hours of the rash developing. For most healthy children antiviral medicine is not required, but teenagers and adults who are likely to experience a more severe dose, may benefit.

Others who could benefit from antiviral medicine are kids with eczema, lung conditions such as asthma, and those who have been prescribed steroids.

Source: BabyTalk

Starting Toilet Training: The 7 P Plan Part 2

The Seven P Potty Problem Prevention Plan

1. Parent modeling. Frequently allow your child to go with either you or your spouse to the bathroom. It’s like anything else; a smart kid can learn a lot by watching an expert. If you have some modesty about this, please park it for a while. After all, its just you and your child, and both of you have seen all there is to see, so to speak.

2. Potty chair. Give your child a chance to get used to and comfortable with the potty chair. Set it out and let your child sit on it, name it, put stickers on it, and pound his or her brother or sister for trying to sit on it.

3. Practice. Let your child practice using the potty chair. This practice should be "play" practice, with clothes on. Just remember to be prepared for what you might call “method acting.” In theatre, method acting involves actors actually experiencing the emotion they are trying to portray in the performance. In potty training, method acting involves actually eliminating during practice. True, there will be a mess, but hey, you’ve seen hundreds just like it and this one is a sign of good things to come. The next part may be difficult for some dads, but it’s only temporary, trust me. In the beginning, boys should be trained to sit on the potty chair or the toilet, for two reasons. First, sitting encourages bowel movements and so you might get a “twofer,” which is a bowel movement and urination during the same sitting. Second, sitting will help avoid what one might call the “garden hose” effect. Untrained boys have not yet had to stand, urinate, and aim all at the same time and may (will) accidentally spray the room (missing the potty or the toilet). So, if you can stand it, so to speak, boys should sit. Later, when toilet training is well established, they can stand.

4. Pampers and Pull-ups. Unfortunately for your child (but fortunately for your budget), to make the program work, your child must go “cold turkey” on Pampers and Pull-ups, except at bedtime. (Daytime and nighttime training programs should be separate, and while you are working on daytime training, it is fine to keep kids in Pampers or Pull-ups at night.) The reason for the cold-turkey approach is simple: Pampers and Pull-ups are actually wearable toilets, and your child is unlikely to see much need for using the one in your home when he or she can much more easily use the one he or she is wearing.

5. Prompting (Tell, don’t ask). As discussed in P #3, practice is important. Unfortunately, its importance will be much more apparent to you than to your child. In fact, let’s tell it like it is – he or she could probably care less. So you will need to prompt your child to go to the bathroom and sit for a few minutes multiple times a day. Tell, don’t ask. Asking very young children if they have to go to the bathroom is sort of like enrolling them in lying school. They will routinely say no, even if they are about to burst. But look at it from their point of view. When we ask, what children actually hear is something like, “Would you like to go and sit on a large, cold porcelain receptacle that is full of potty water and into which mommy and daddy are afraid you might fall?” You can see how the logical answer to this question is “no.” So instead of asking, just tell them it is time to go and then take them and have them sit. Then refer to P #6.

6. Praise. MCs at concerts often say something like, “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for (name of the star, band, or act)” when urging a crowd to show its approval and excitement. Well, in a sense, I am the MC for toilet training, and I want to urge you to give it up for your little trainee. In the early stages of a training program, toileting behaviors are like little sprouts in a spring garden: Both need something to help them grow. For little sprouts, its water and fertilizer (so to speak). For toileting behaviors, praise and approval are the water and fertilizer that help them grow and blossom. So come on and give it up for the little poopers and pee-ers. Said differently, every time your child does any toileting behavior correctly – pulls down his or her pants, sits on the potty, whatever – be sure to praise him or her. Do this even when your child is having more accidents than successes. Remember, as children enter into the training phase, the training is likely to be way more important to you than it is to them. But if they get the idea that pooping and peeing into the potty is a way for them to get their names in lights, the importance of training will quickly increase for them, along with their cooperation. You can take this a step further and use rewards. One method I often use is to wrap little items – stickers, tiny toys, beads, gum, etc. – in tin foil and put them in jar near the bathroom. When the child achieves a success at any level, he or she gets to grab one prize (not one handful) from the jar. Praise and rewards make the training experience fulfilling, and make it more likely that children will repeat the positive toilet behaviors.

7. Postpone. Here in P #7 we have some really good news. You can always postpone. You can always put them back in Pampers or Pull-ups, declare a moratorium on any discussion about toileting for a few weeks or even months, and then start again. They will ultimately be motivated to be trained, possibly by something other than your prompting. For example, the rules of social life in childhood weigh heavily against toileting accidents in school-aged kids. In fact, research shows that having an accident in school is the third greatest child fear, behind the death of a parent and going blind. (And I know that high school kids frown on their peers who wear Pampers or Pull-ups.) So the point of P #7 is that if training is going badly, for whatever reason, you can use the time-honored method for winning a war that is being lost – declare victory and retreat.

Summary

• Wait until your child is at least 2 years old.
• Frequently allow your child to watch you go to the bathroom.
• Make sure both you and your child are ready.
• Let your child practice on a potty chair, with clothes on.
• Prompt your child – tell, don’t ask
• Postpone toilet training for a few weeks if it isn't going well or if you are getting tense about it.
• Expect accidents.
• If your child has a lot of accidents or if you must use intensive toilet training, ask your health care provider for the guidelines on positive practice.
• Praise your child every time he or she does any part of toileting behavior correctly.

SEE PART 1- Starting Toilet Training: The 7 P Plan
Source: By Patrick C. Friman, Ph.D. in Parenting .Org

Starting Toilet Training: The 7 P Plan Part 1

The first step in toilet training is to make sure both you and your child are ready. Okay, I realize no one is ever really totally ready for toilet training. But your child should be at least developmentally and behaviorally ready. That means your heretofore untrained child should be at least 2 years old and be able to do such things as walk from room to room, raise and lower his or her own pants, sit independently, and follow a few one-step commands without raising a big fuss.

Children also should have some awareness of the need to urinate. So if they’re acting like they have ants in their pants but don’t, that’s usually a good sign they know, on some level, that they need to go. They should show the need only about five or six times a day. Your home life also should be fairly stable at this time (e.g., no home construction going on, in-laws who stay more than three days, major marital disputes, or other distractions).

Next, get a potty chair. Or, if you choose not to use a potty chair, get a stool your child can use while on the toilet. If you want to know why this is necessary, I suggest you try having a bowel movement while your feet are dangling above the bathroom floor. Much will be made clear to you. Comfort is a commodity that is hard to overrate when the task at hand involves having a bowel movement (regardless of the age of the bowel mover), and it’s hard to be comfortable when the person engaging in that task does not have good support for his or her feet. You also might consider purchasing an adaptor for the toilet seat that makes the seat child‑sized. One new adaptor on the market even has a stepladder attached. It is a relatively easy way for children to move up in the world.

Parents often are worried that their child will be afraid of falling in the toilet. There are no factual accounts of children (or adults) falling in. No one has ever admitted falling in. No one knows of someone who has fallen in. But the fear survives, resistant to history, facts, and outright logic. Let’s deal with it this way: It’s a parent fear, not a child fear (at least until it spreads from the parent to the child; it’s a very catchy fear). So it’s good to suppress this fear and remember that children are actually naturally curious about the toilet. They also usually enjoy flushing it over and over, which can lead to a different and more realistic fear for parents.

Also, be aware that long after your child is toilet trained, daytime wetting and soiling accidents will happen from time to time – and that’s the good news. The bad news is that bedwetting accidents are common all the way up to age 7, especially in boys. These continued accidents are merely God’s way of reminding you that procreative activity (i.e., sex) was supposed to be about having children and not having fun. They also can provide just the right amount of humility for your child. It’s hard to be too full of yourself when your pants are full of poop. If accidents do become a frequent problem, you should probably ask your child’s doctor about them. In general, try and remember that a child who is learning to use the toilet has to master many different skills and success does not come all at once. So give your child time and expect some accidents. After all, wouldn’t you rather be surprised than disappointed? Finally, try to remain calm and patient.

Now let’s get down to business. The letter P will figure powerfully in our plan. In fact, let’s call it: GO TO Starting Toilet Training: The 7 P Plan Part 2

Source: By Patrick C. Friman, Ph.D. in Parenting .Org

Why wait until it's too late?

When it comes to your children’s health, Prevention and Protection are the way to go. Here’s how to tackle five of the most common – and even serious – childhood ailments today.

Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus, which is found in the stool of those infected with the disease. Hepatitis A can be fatal and often requires hospitalisation. Other symptoms include severe stomach pain, diarrhoea and jaundice.

Prevention . Children between the ages of 12 and 23 months should get vaccinated. Two doses of the vaccines, given six months apart, should be administered for lasting protection.

Hepatitis B is a serious infection of the liver. Those infected can become lifelong carriers of the virus and suffer from general symptoms such as malaise, or even develop long-term problems such as chronic liver disease and liver cancer. Hepatitis B can only be diagnosed through a blood test. While there are drugs available for treatment of adults, unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough research yet to certify these drugs safe for children.

Prevention. All pregnant women should be tested for the Hepatitis B virus early in their pregnancy. If the blood test returns positive, the baby should receive the Hepatitis B vaccine – along with the Hepatitis B Immune Globulin – within the first 12 hours of birth.

Protection. The Hepatitis B vaccine is given in a series of three injections. For babies born of mothers who are not carrying the Hepatitis B virus, the first injection is usually administered before leaving the hospital. However, it may also be taken at the four- or eight-week visit to the paediatrician. The second and third injections are often taken alongside other routine childhood immunizations.

Whooping Cough is an infection of the respiratory system, characterized by the “whoop” sound children and adults make when they try to breathe in after a severe coughing spell.
Anyone infected with whooping cough can spread it through coughing, sneezing, or even simply by talking to someone else. This is because the disease is spread via tiny droplets of saliva that contain the bordetella pertussis bacterium. Children and babies with low natural immunization are especially susceptible.

Prevention. The single most effective prevention measure is vaccination for parents and all other people that the child comes in close contact with regularly. In the past, there was no adequate vaccine for adults due to undesirable side effects of the child DTP, but there is now an adult version of the DTP which protects you from all three diseases for 10 years.

Protection. There is no permanent protection against whooping cough, but immunisation through the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine has proven to be highly effective.
Most parents diligently ensure that their child gets the required doses at the recommended ages of 18 months, three, four and five years. However, the fifth dose is often neglected although it provides maximum protection for the child. This is to be administered at the age of six.

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Until all crops of lesions have crusted over on the infected person, the disease continues to be contagious. The incubation period varies from two to three weeks and the virus can easily be transmitted from the infected person a few days before rashes appear.

Prevention. If your child is not yet vaccinated, it is best to keep him away from sufferers of chicken pox – whether at home or in school. If he contracts chicken pox, ask your doctor about the effective and fast-acting anti-viral tablets that can ease the discomfort of your child. It helps to reduce the duration and severity of the chickenpox infection, accelerate healing and potentially diminish long-term scarring.

Protection. Any one above 12 months of age and hasn’t got a history of chickenpox can go for the chickenpox vaccination. The immune system takes about two weeks to build up protection. A single vaccination is sufficient for 12-year-olds and younger. A booster vaccination may be advisable in particular cases and a two-dose schedule should be used in anyone above 12 years old.

Rotavirus infection (Gastroenteritis) is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. Also known as rotavirus infection, gastroenteritis is a viral infection of the digestive tract. Studies have shown that gastroenteritis is so prevalent that virtually all children get infected at least once within the first five years of their lives. In fact, one in every two infants hospitalised for diarrhoea is diagnosed with rotavirus infection.

Prevention. One of the best ways to protect your child from rotavirus infection is through breastfeeding. It is also ideal for you to disinfect his regular play areas and toys. It is just as important to maintain strict hygiene practices at home – such as helping your child wash his hands after using the toilet, and washing your own hands after diaper-changing, or when preparing and serving food.

Protection. World-renowned pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has recently introduced a safe and effective rotavirus vaccine that is now approved for use in Singapore. Please request your child’s paediatrician for detailed information.

6 – in - 1. In Singapore, the newest edition is DTPa-IPV-Hib- Hepatitis B (DTPa-IPV-Hib-HBV or ‘6-in-1’) vaccine. These vaccines are not experimental or research vaccines. They have been in use for several years in many developed countries. The Ministry of Health of Singapore has approved these for use in babies and children.

There are four primary considerations in favour of this combined vaccine:

• Reducing the number of injections and visits to the doctors

• Combined vaccine will reduce the number of injections and visits to the paediatricians for the babies. It is possible to complete the primary vaccination series (i.e. vaccination within the first year of life) with three injections.

Flu Jab. Influenza is usually a more severe illness than the common cold and typically has a sudden onset with headache, chills and cough followed rapidly by a fever, appetite loss, muscle aches, and tiredness. Thankfully, the influenza vaccination can offer some protection against the virus.

After vaccination, the body’s immune system produces antibodies against the inactivated virus in the vaccine. If you are exposed to the real virus, the antibodies prevent the infection or reduce the likelihood of severe illness should infection occur. The Ministry Of Health recommends that travellers, both adults and children above six months, going to temperate countries in the Northern Hemisphere protect themselves against the disease with influenza vaccination. Children who have chronic disorders of the lungs or heart or who require regular medical follow-up or hospitalisation because of chronic metabolic diseases, kidney or blood disorders are advised to be vaccinated against influenza as well.

Source: Motherhood

Pregnancy: Taking Care of You and Your Baby -Part 2

Is it okay to have sex?

Yes, unless your doctor believes you're at risk for problems. Don't be surprised if you're less--or more--interested in sex. As you get larger, you may find you need to try different positions, such as lying on your side or being on top. If you have oral sex, tell your partner not to blow air into your vagina. This could force air inside you, which could cause an air embolism. Air embolisms can cause permanent brain damage and even death to a pregnant woman and her baby.

What can I do to feel better?

Here are the most common discomforts of pregnancy and some tips for handling them:

Morning sickness. Nausea or vomiting may strike anytime during the day (or night). Try eating frequent, small meals, and avoid greasy foods. Keep crackers by your bed to eat before getting up.

Talk to your doctor if morning sickness lasts past the first 3 months of pregnancy or causes you to lose weight.

Tiredness. Sometimes tiredness in pregnancy is caused by anemia, so tell your doctor. Get enough rest. Take a daytime nap if possible.

Leg cramps. Gently stretch the calf of your leg by curling your toes upward, toward your knee.

Constipation. Drink plenty of fluids. Eat foods with lots of fiber, such as raisins and bran cereal. Don't take laxatives without talking to your doctor first. Stool softeners may be safer than laxatives.

Hemorrhoids. Don't strain during bowel movements. Try to avoid becoming constipated. Clean yourself well after a bowel movement (wet wipes may be less irritating than toilet paper). Take several warm soaks (sitz baths) a day.

Urinating more often. You may need to urinate more often as your baby grows because he or she will put pressure on your bladder. This can't be helped.

Varicose veins. Avoid clothing that fits tightly around your legs or waist. Rest and put your feet up as much as you can. Move around if you must stand for long periods. Ask your doctor about support hose.

Moodiness. Your hormones are on a roller coaster ride during pregnancy. Plus, your life is undergoing a big change. Don't be too hard on yourself. If you feel very sad or think about suicide, talk to your doctor.

Heartburn. Eat frequent, small meals often. Avoid spicy or greasy foods. Don't lie down right after eating. Ask your doctor about taking antacids.

Yeast infections. The amount of discharge from the vagina increases during pregnancy. Yeast infections, which can also cause discharge, are more common during pregnancy. It's a good idea to talk with your doctor about any unusual discharge.

Bleeding gums. Brush and floss regularly, and see your dentist for cleanings. Don't put off dental visits because you're pregnant, but be sure to tell your dentist you're pregnant.

Stuffy nose. This is related to changes in the levels of the female hormone estrogen. You may also have nosebleeds.

Edema (retaining fluid). Rest with your legs up. Lie on your left side while sleeping so blood flows from your legs back to your heart better. Don't use diuretics (water pills). If you're thinking about cutting down on salt to reduce swelling, talk with your doctor first. Your body needs enough salt to maintain the balance of fluid and cutting back on salt may not be the best way to manage your swelling.

Skin changes

Stretch marks appear as red marks on your skin. Lotion can help keep your skin moist and may help reduce the itchiness of dry skin. Stretch marks really can't be prevented but they often fade after pregnancy.

Other skin changes may include darkening of the skin on your face and around your nipples, and a dark line below your belly button. Staying out of the sun or using a sunscreen may help lessen these marks. They'll probably fade after pregnancy.

Call your doctor if you have:

• Blood or fluid coming from your vagina
• Sudden or extreme swelling of your face or fingers
• Headaches that are severe or won't go away
• Nausea and vomiting that won't go away
• Dizziness
• Dim or blurry vision
• Pain or cramps in your lower abdomen
• Chills or fever
• A change in your baby's movements
• Less urine or burning when you urinate
• Any illness or infection
• Anything that bothers you

Warnings

"Don't do this, don't do that." You've probably heard every old wives' tale. Here are some warnings worth heeding:

• Don't smoke. Smoking raises your risk for miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight and many other problems.
• Don't use drugs. Cocaine, heroin and marijuana increase your risk of miscarriage, premature birth and birth defects. And your baby could be born addicted to the drug you've been taking.
• Don't drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is the major cause of preventible birth defects, including mental slowness.
• Don't clean your cat's litter box, or eat raw or undercooked red meat. You could get toxoplasmosis, a disease that can cause birth defects.
• Don't sit in the sauna or hot tub. This raises your risk of miscarriage and birth defects.
• Don't douche without talking to your doctor about it first. Douching could force air into the vagina, which can cause an air embolism.

Source: FamilyDoctor.Org

Pregnancy: Taking Care of You and Your Baby -Part 1

Is prenatal care important?

Yes! You can help make sure that you and your baby will be as healthy as possible by following some simple guidelines and checking in regularly with your doctor.

What will happen during prenatal visits?

Your doctor will probably start by talking to you about your medical history and how you've been feeling. You'll probably be weighed and have your blood pressure taken on every visit.

On your first visit, you'll also probably have a pelvic exam to check the size and shape of your uterus (womb) and a Pap smear to check for signs of cancer of the cervix (the opening of the uterus).

Urine and blood tests may be done on the first visit and again later. Urine tests are done to check for bacteria in your urine, high sugar levels (which can be a sign of diabetes) and high protein levels (which can put you at risk for preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure in pregnancy). Blood tests are done to check for low iron levels (anemia).

Sometimes, an ultrasound may be done to help figure out when your baby is due or to check on your baby's growth and position in your uterus. An ultrasound uses sound waves to create an image of your baby on a video screen.

Other tests may be needed if you or your baby are at risk for any problems.

How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

About 25 to 30 pounds. If you don't weigh enough when you get pregnant, you may need to gain more. If you're very heavy when you get pregnant, you may need to gain only 15 to 18 pounds.

Pregnancy isn't the time to diet! It's best to gain about 2 to 3 pounds during the first 12 weeks and about 1 pound a week after that. Talk to your doctor about how much weight you should gain.

What should I eat?

One of the most important things you can do for yourself and your baby is eat a balanced diet. There are a few foods that you should be more careful about eating while you are pregnant. Meat, eggs and fish that are not fully cooked could put you at risk for an infection. Do not eat more than 2 or 3 servings of fish per week (including canned fish). Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish or tuna. These fish sometimes have high levels of mercury, which could hurt your baby.

Wash all fruit and vegetables. Keep cutting boards and dishes clean. Eat 3 to 4 servings of dairy foods each day. This will give you enough calcium for you and your baby. Do not drink unpasteurized milk or eat unpasteurized milk products. Soft cheeses such as Brie, feta, Camembert and Mexican queso fresco may have bacteria that can cause infections.

If you drink coffee or other drinks with caffeine, do not have more than 1 or 2 cups each day.

It is okay to use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (some brand names: Equal, NutraSweet) and sucralose (brand name: Splenda) while you are pregnant, but you should try to them in moderation. If you have a genetic disease called phenylketonuria, or PKU, you shouldn't use aspartame at all.

Should I take vitamins?

You should take 400 mcg (0.4 mg) of folic acid every day for the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy. Folic acid can help prevent problems with your baby's brain and spinal cord. It is best to start taking folic acid before you get pregnant.

Your doctor might want you to take a prenatal vitamin. If you do take a prenatal supplement, make sure you're not taking any other vitamin or mineral supplement along with it unless your doctor recommends it.

Is it okay to take medicine?

Check with your doctor before taking any medicine, including aspirin. Even medicine you can buy without a prescription can cause birth defects, especially if it's taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

How long can I keep working?

This depends on if you have any problems with your pregnancy, what kind of work you do and if you're exposed to anything at work that could harm your baby. For instance, lifting heavy objects or standing for long periods can be hard on you. Radiation, lead and other heavy metals, such as copper and mercury, could be damaging to the baby. Working in front of a computer screen is not thought to cause harm to an unborn baby.

What about exercise?

Unless you have problems in your pregnancy, you can probably do whatever exercise you did before you got pregnant. You may feel better if you're active. Try to get at least 30 minutes for exercise each day. Talk to your doctor about any special conditions that you may have.

Some women say exercising during pregnancy makes labor and delivery easier. Walking and swimming are great choices. If you didn't exercise before pregnancy, start slowly. Don't overdo exercise. If you can't talk easily while exercising, you are working too hard. Don't get overheated. Be sure to drink plenty of water so that you don't get dehydrated. It's best to avoid anything that could cause you to fall, such as water skiing or rock climbing.



Source: FamilyDoctor.Org