Early Motherhood

One in 300 pregnant women develop this itchy skin disease. The rash usually starts on the stretch marks on the abdomen which spread to affect the rest of the body. The skin disease is not harmful to the baby in the womb and always disappears 6 weeks after delivery. Rarely, it starts after delivery of the baby but would clear after 6 weeks.

Most skin diseases can be treated in the same way as in non-pregnant women. Doctors will avoid drugs that are known to be unsafe to the baby in the womb. It is important to always inform your doctor whenever you are pregnant. Always consult a doctor if you develop any skin rash during pregnancy. Do not self-medicate. Avoid traditional medication as they may affect the unborn child in the womb.

Breastfeeding has a special benefit for premature infants. Premature babies are those who are delivered before 37 weeks of gestation. The mother’s milk, under such circumstances, helps in supplying important nutrients to the premature infant. These nutrients help the premature infant to not only survive but also develop a strong immunity against possible infections. Such infants develop the immunity to protect themselves from a bowel inflammation disease (Necrotizing Enterocolitis).

The First Stage: Labor During this stage, your contractions are helping the cervix to efface (thin out) and dilate (open) to form an opening 10 centimeters in width, through which the baby can pass. At the same time that the cervix is dilating, the contractions are helping move the baby deeper into the pelvis. The first stage has three separate phases, each of which feels very different.

Labor: Early Phase What happens: Mild contractions begin at 15 to 20 minutes apart and last 60 to 90 seconds. They gradually become more frequent until they are less than five minutes apart, and your cervix has dilated to 4 centimeters. You may discharge some blood-tinged mucus (called “show”), and your water may break.

Is it safe?
A 1999 study conducted by researchers at Memorial University of Newfoundland found that more than half of mothers-to-be believe that making love during pregnancy poses some sort of threat to the developing baby — this despite the fact that many health authorities consider sex during pregnancy to be safe for most couples experiencing low-risk pregnancies.

And, of course, it’s not just mothers-to-be who worry that the unborn baby will somehow be adversely affected by what’s happening between the sheets. According to Anne Semans and Cathy Winks, co-authors of The Mother’s Guide to Sex: Enjoying Your Sexuality Through All Stages of Motherhood, many expectant fathers also share the same fear:

What is an ectopic pregnancy?
If a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, it’s called an ectopic pregnancy. One in 50 pregnancies ends this way.

Here’s how it happens: After conception, the fertilized egg travels down your fallopian tube on its way to your uterus. If the tube is damaged or blocked and fails to propel the egg toward your womb, the egg may become implanted in the tube and continue to develop there. Because almost all ectopic pregnancies occur in one of the fallopian tubes, they’re often called “tubal” pregnancies.