There seems to be a general consensus among medical experts that too much caffeine intake during pregnancy could be harmful to a fetus.  What remains undecided is just how much caffeine is too much.  While most experts would be pleased if pregnant women cut caffeine out of their diets altogether, they would also agree that it may not be necessary to stop it completely.  So, is caffeine safe during pregnancy? Or is it best to just stop consuming it completely?

Recent studies have shown that mothers whose caffeine intake exceeds 200 mg daily nearly double their risk of miscarriage compared to those who didn’t consume any.  However, not all studies are conclusive on this matter, so the exact amount of caffeine that is safe remains up for debate.  However, most experts would agree that 200 mg or less is probably a safe amount.

The risk of miscarriage is not the only danger tied to caffeine intake during pregnancy.  Some studies have shown that women who consume large amounts of caffeine also doubled their risk of stillbirth.  Though there have been studies showing a link between lower birth weight and caffeine consumption, the research in that area is still inconclusive.  In addition, it seems that mothers who consume more than 500 mg of caffeine daily while pregnant have faster heart and breathing rates, and have more trouble sleeping after delivery.

The possible dangers to your baby aside, you may wish to consider cutting back or eliminating caffeine simply because you may feel a lot better if you do.  Caffeine is a stimulant, so it makes your heart beat faster, may raise your blood pressure, could make you jittery and cause insomnia.  Caffeine intake can also contribute to heartburn, which is a problem for many pregnant women to begin with.

While you may realize that there are many advantages to cutting your caffeine intake during your pregnancy, you will also need to become aware of all the places where caffeine can be found.  Coffee is the obvious source of caffeine, but black tea, energy drinks, soft drinks, chocolate and coffee ice cream all contains enough caffeine to be significant.  In addition, many herbal and over-the-counter remedies contain caffeine as well.  Now, more than ever, it’s important to read labels carefully.

Once you have identified the sources of your caffeine intake it’s time to figure out how to cut back.  Some pregnant women find that their morning sickness makes them averse to a lot of caffeinated beverages, making quitting very easy.  Others find it simple to switch to decaffeinated versions of their favorite drinks.  Decaffeinated drinks sometimes still contain caffeine, just much less.

To answer the question, is caffeine safe during pregnancy, there is no black and white answer.  No one will dispute that no caffeine is a good thing, but the consensus seems to be that a small amount, up to and less than 200 mg daily is quite safe.  Fortunately, quitting caffeine, while somewhat uncomfortable, is still much easier than other, more dangerous habits like smoking and drinking.

Copyright (c) 2008 Ruth Tan

Did you just search for “pregnancy and honey” in hope that there would be some easy ways to get out of pains such as heartburns, colds and morning sickness during pregnancy? You might want to read on…

Heartburn During Pregnancy:

Heartburn during pregnancy is one of the most common side effects of pregnancy. Hormones released during pregnancy allow the softening of the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach. When this happens, stomach acids back up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation. This may also occur in the latter months of pregnancy as your baby pushes all of your organs upward. You may experience heartburn as a burning sensation in your throat or chest. Other women experience heartburn as a large lump like feeling in their throat or upper chest. Fortunately there are ways to minimize your heartburn woes during pregnancy and honey with milk recipe is one of them. Mixing some honey with your milk is very good for helping neutralize the excess of stomach acid. Drink a glass of milk every night before going to bed.

Colds During Pregnancy:

Colds are quite common during pregnancy. Pregnant women tend to be more susceptible as their immune systems are lowered and their mucous membranes tend to swell during pregnancy. This can make it more difficult to overcome coughs and colds, and cause difficulty in breathing. If you do catch a cold you can increase your consumption of vitamin C rich foods including fruits and fruit juices. Many women find sipping teas including lemon and honey tea can help alleviate a sore and uncomfortable throat.

Morning Sickness:

Morning sickness is a common experience with about 70 percent of all women experiencing nausea and /or vomiting during or especially their first trimester of pregnancy. In more serious cases, morning sickness can present more severe health complications such as weight loss, and malnutrition for the mother and developing baby. Traditional remedies for expectant mothers trying to treat the nausea and vomiting of early pregnancy include soda and crackers which are only marginally helpful. Ginger works against ailments of the reproductive and digestive systems because it promotes circulation and encourages a good blood supply to these organs. Modest amounts of ginger tea with honey are a great remedy for nausea and vomiting. In the early weeks of pregnancy, the further stimulation of blood flow into the abdomen is not recommended, so go easy on ginger at this time.

Caution:

While there are many natural remedies during pregnancy and honey remedies are known to be quite safe in helping to relieve some of the common side effects or complaints of pregnancy (honey is not allowed for new-born and young children under 1-yr old ,though), bear in mind that something is natural does not always mean it is safe, for instance there are many herbs that are best avoided during pregnancy. As with anything, during pregnancy always check in with your medical doctor when you are in doubt.

Pregnancy symptoms are the first indicators that the stork is on its way bringing you a bundle of joy to care for and cherish. When you are planning on getting pregnant you will be eagerly watching out for the early signs of pregnancy.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

The first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. With the hectic lifestyles that we all lead today most women may miss the other early indicators of an impending pregnancy and may become alert only after missing their monthly period.

The other fairly common pregnancy symptoms includes sore, swollen, tender breasts. The nipples may also feel sore, they may darken in color and in some cases colostrum may also get secreted. Implantation spotting is also one of the first signs of pregnancy.

Early pregnancy symptoms include excessive fatigue and sleepiness. This is said to be due to the excessive hormones produced making it hard for the expectant mother to get out of bed in the morning as well as to stay awake late at nights. Daily activities such as shopping or doing household chores may leave them feeling completely exhausted.

Morning sickness is one of the dreaded early signs of pregnancy. Some expectant women are lucky and escape this torture but some unlucky women may end up feeling nauseous all day long. If a woman vomits excessively she may need to take extra precautions to prevent complications due to malnutrition and dehydration. This symptom is closely associated with an increased awareness and aversion to odors. Pregnant women may also exhibit unusual food craving and even develop an aversion to certain foods that they normally enjoyed earlier. For some of the women the aversion to certain foods may continue even after the pregnancy!

Pregnancy symptoms such as fainting, dizziness, heartburn and constipation are also common. It is necessary that the expectant women eat frequent small meals and take supplements of vitamins, folic acid and calcium. Diet must include generous helpings of fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, sprouts etc. A well planned diet can greatly help women suffering from heartburn and constipation.

Pregnancy symptoms also include higher body temperature, lower back pain, mood swings, depression, frequent urination and weight gain. Vaginal discharge that does not itch, burn or smell is another symptom of pregnancy. When you suffer from any or all of these symptoms it may be time you took a home pregnancy test. Stop worrying about weight gain and make sure that your diet is nutritious. Adopt a healthy lifestyle, do not smoke, drink and at all costs avoid drugs. It will be better to take up over the counter medication after consulting your healthcare practitioner. Do mild recommended exercise, practice relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga and pave the way to a health and happy pregnancy. Watch out for the pregnancy symptoms and maintain a positive frame of mind.

Eating healthy throughout your pregnancy is the greatest gift you could give your unborn baby, but there are also a lot of rewards in it for you to. It’s common for many moms to be to forget that they also benefit in eating healthy through out their pregnancy. What you eat has a direct effect as to how well your body copes and recovers from all the physical changes it goes through. It also helps with the physical and emotional challenge of carrying and delivering a baby.

The truth is, most pregnant women rarely walk around all nine months with that rosy glow everyone talks about. The first three months some of us walk around a nasty shade of green and in a hazy fog thanks to the tiredness we feel those first three months. The second three months are a little better, and we are no longer green but we deal with other issues such as varicose veins and leg cramps.

The third trimester, we are back to the hazy fog again and have other issues such as swelling and heartburn just to name a few. Some of these can be avoided with a good diet. Eating foods that have some complex carbs can help reduce your tiredness and staying away from fatty foods will help with the heartburn.

Research has shown that pregnant women who eat healthy throughout their pregnancy usually have a safe and uncomplicated pregnancy. Studies have shown that some pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia or high blood pressure can be directly related to deficiencies in a pregnant woman’s diet. High amounts of sugar and polyunsaturated fats increase this risk as well as having a low intake of vitamin c, e and magnesium.

Perhaps for some women one of the biggest benefits of eating healthy during their pregnancy is that it could help you during labor and delivery. A well balanced pregnancy diet has been said to help prevent preterm labor, which is labor before 37 weeks. A good diet can also help you cope with labor and delivery better. Any woman who has given birth knows how much energy it takes to endure hours of contractions and sometimes hours of pushing. Eating healthy will ensure that you have the energy and the stamina to get through your little one’s delivery.

Once you have delivered your little one, it is still important to continue your good habit of healthy eating especially in the postpartum period. Your body needs a lot of resources to recover from all the stretching, blood loss and not mention sleep deprivation and still take care of a newborn. It is just as important in the months following your delivery to continue to eat well. As my doctor put it, it is essential to eat as though you were pregnant for at least three months after delivery.

A final added bonus to eating healthy throughout your pregnancy is that you may never stop eating healthy. This is setting up the groundwork for a lifetime of eating healthy for not only you but for your children. If you continue to eat healthy you are setting a prime example for your children.

Heartburn is a common pregnancy problem. Many women who have not experienced it ever before tend to experience it at least when they get pregnant. When you are pregnant, if you sense a burning feeling in your throat and chest, if you sense a sour acidic taste in your mouth, blame it on the heartburn you are experiencing just now. There a number of reasons why one experiences heartburns when they are pregnant. When you are pregnant it is natural that your higher levels of hormones will soften the ligaments that usually help to keep the LES which is a sphincter inside the throat tightly shut so the acids in your stomach do not rise upwards. But when the LES is relaxing it is understandable if the acids shoot up to your esophagus and throat due to the different bodily changes and growing baby inside. Contents in your stomach can also be raised to the throat during these moments of heartburn. It is nearly impossible to eliminate the problem of heartburn completely but there are some measures you can adopt to reduce the trouble.

Try and avoid food that might trigger your heartburns. Products like citrus fruits, chocolates, tomatoes, juices, vinegar, mint, mustard, spices, and fries are strict no-nos just in case you are suffering from heartburns. Caffeine based drinks too instigate heartburn attacks. Try to stay off coffee, tea, cola because not only do they contain caffeine, they can also relax your LES muscles, causing the fluids in your stomach to rise to the esophagus. In this context, let us tell you that alcohol has similar effects on the esophagus so try keeping off alcohol as well if you want to save yourself from heartburns. Big meals also cause digestive problems so eat smaller meals instead, and have them at regular intervals. That way too you can avoid heartburns. Learn to eat slow and steady so your meals get enough time to get chewed and swallowed well. When food finds it tougher to get digested they tend to cause heartburns. There should be at least 2 hours between your dinner and your bed time to make sure that when you lie down you food does not get that urge to move upward than to stay where it is meant to stay.

Water is the solution to a lot of problems. During pregnancy you are supposed to be drinking at least 8 to 10 glasses of water everyday. However make sure you take enough fibers too so that the fluids get absorbed. Too much of fluids might put pressure against your LES! Make sure your head is on an elevated place as compared to your body while sleeping. If you are sued to sleeping without a pillow, maybe sleeping on a pillow would be slightly helpful now. Loose clothing which will allow your body to get aired easily is also helpful. When you bend to pick things up, try to bend at the knees instead of the waist so you avoid putting pressure on your stomach and provoking yet another heartburn. And finally, eve though it is quite natural to feel gluttony when you are pregnant, try to control your eating; too much food is never too good for your health!

So you think you are pregnant? Find out if you are pregnant by checking out the 18 common pregnancy symptoms below.

1. Nausea or morning sickness: Morning sickness are the nauseating feelings and vomiting you experience during pregnancy. This occurs in approximately 50% to 95% of all pregnant women as early as the first week of pregnancy. Although the name suggests that this is a condition experienced in the morning, it may strike at any time during the day whenever your blood sugar levels get too low.

2. Headaches: If you have never experienced regular headaches before pregnancy, be prepared for some throbbing pain in your head and neck during pregnancy. Changes in your body’s hormonal patterns is the primary cause of headaches during pregnancy. Other conditions like lack of sleep, poor posture, stress, dehydration and low blood sugar levels may also worsen of cause headaches.

3. Dizziness and fainting spells: Due to the lowered blood pressure in your body during pregnancy, blood flow to the brain may cause dizziness and fainting spells in serious cases.

4. Mood swings: With your hormones raging, it is common for women to feel cranky during their pregnancy. It takes some time to settle into your new life by adjusting to all the changes in your body and lifestyle.

5. Fatigue: If you feel exhausted and experience some or all of the symptoms mentioned in this article, you have a good chance of being pregnant. Hormonal changes are usually the main cause of fatigue followed by the additional weight you have to carry around.

6. Food cravings: Craving for food that you normally would not eat could be a sign that you are pregnant. Normally, women report cravings for salty and sweet food during pregnancy while others report a peculiar desire for spicy or fatty food.

7. Weight gain and bloating: The combination of your baby’s growth and your increased food intake will cause you to put on weight and your clothes to fit tighter than usual. As most women put on weight mainly on their hips and thighs, an mysterious increase in the size of your waist could indicate that you are pregnant.

8. Heartburn: Hormones created during pregnancy may relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which opens the valve to allow stomach acids to flow up into the esophagus causing a burning sensation.

9. Lower back pain: Lower back pain occurs because your growing baby causes your spine to be thrown out of alignment as the additional weight constantly pulls on your back.

10. Constipation: Hormonal changes during pregnancy slows down the movement of food through your digestive system which results in constipation. This could be a sign of pregnancy if you do not experience constipation frequently.

11. Constant urination: Your growing baby in the uterus puts a lot of pressure on your bladder and you may find yourself visiting the loo more frequently than usual.

12. High Basal Body Temperature (BBT): If your BTT stays in the high range for 18 days or more, it is very likely that you are pregnant.

13. Cramping: The growing uterus stretches to accommodate your new baby and this causes menstrual-like cramps to occur.

14. Spotting: Slight bleeding occurs when the fertilized egg begins to implant itself into the uterus any time from 3 to 6 days after fertilization. A lot of women confuse this with their period but this happens usually before the period starts and the discharge is lighter than normal.

15. Darkening of the areolas: Your areolas could darken and increase in diameter during pregnancy. This is a natural process by which your breasts are preparing themselves to produce milk for your baby.

16. Tender or swollen breasts: It is common for women to have sore, tingly, tender or swollen breasts during pregnancy. This feels like a amplified version of how your breast feels before your period.

17. Missed periods: If you have been sexually active and you missed a period, it is a good indication that are you are pregnant. A pregnancy test should be taken to confirm if the missed period is really caused by your pregnancy.

18. Positive pregnancy tests: Pregnancy tests like urine and blood tests are a good way to find out if you are pregnant. However, these tests are not 100% accurate all of the time, therefore you might want to visit a doctor to conduct further tests.

It is possible that you may have some of the symptoms above and not be pregnant. Only a positive pregnancy test and a doctor’s examination can prove without a shadow of a doubt that you are pregnant.

If this is your first pregnancy, you are probably wondering what you can expect to feel like when you are 32 weeks pregnant. The baby has been kicking quite a bit lately and your belly has become larger. If you were to see your baby on an ultrasound at this stage, you will see that it is able to suck its thumb. Your visits to the doctor office will change from this week onwards. Up until now, your doctor wished to see you once a month, but after this visit you will have a two-week schedule for your visits. If you have any questions, you should start writing them down and bring them with you when you do see the doctor so that you can get as much information as possible.

 

When you lie down, you will be able to see the imprint of a tiny foot moving across your belly and you will actually feel the baby turning over. This is an exciting time in your pregnancy because the baby starts to become a real person. When you are asleep, you may be awakened suddenly by a sharp kick or movements ?quite often just under your ribs. The baby will start to have hiccups in the 32nd week, which you will feel as short jerky movements inside you. You can alleviate the discomfort that this causes by moving around or drinking a glass of water.

 

The baby will start to turn in the uterus so that its head is down towards the birth canal. It won start moving downwards just yet, but it will start getting in the right position for delivery. Since the baby is starting to put on a lot of weight, you will notice weight gain as well ?often as much as a pound or two per week. Within the next two months, the baby will double its current weight.

 

In the 32nd week, the baby is able to blink its eyes, look around, pee and use its hands to making grabbing motions. There may or may not be hair. According to old wives?tales, if you have experienced a lot of heartburn during your pregnancy, the baby will have lots of hair when it is born. The baby usually weighs about four pounds by this week and measures about 17 or 18 inches in length.

 

As the baby grows, you will have increased aches and pains in your stomach and lower back. This is due to the pressure the baby places on your kidneys and your muscles. The ligaments in your stomach, hips and buttocks are still stretching, which accounts for the pulling and stretching pains you feel in these areas. You may also experience slight contractions as the baby starts to move downward, but they are mild and do not last very long.

 

This is the time when you should start finalizing your plans for the baby arrival ?completing the nursery and starting to stock up on diapers, blankets, undershirts and sleepers.

Any woman trying to get pregnant just cannot bear to wait patiently to find out if she has achieved her objective. She wants to find out sooner than later if she is pregnant. Your body is an excellent indicator of early pregnancy symptoms. It is very important to monitor your body very carefully and be alert to even the minutest of the changes within. Though no two pregnancies are the same, some women may experience early pregnancy symptoms within just a few days of conception, while others may have no body changes till about a few weeks of conception.

Early sign of pregnancy

Monitor your body carefully to recognize early pregnancy symptoms. Advancing pregnancy week by week, gives rise to many changes in the body, both internally as well as externally. Some changes are:

Nausea: Morning sickness or frequent vomiting occurs very early in the pregnancy. Many women mistake it for food poisoning or stomach disorder.

Heartburn: Indigestion, acidity and heartburn are also early pregnancy symptoms and stay till late stages of pregnancy.

Enhanced sense of smell and taste: Lots of women become very sensitive to the taste and smell of common food items. Those items trigger nausea.

Dizziness and fainting: Enhanced smells, taste and nausea make many women avoid food and skip meals. This results in low blood sugar level and dizzy spells or fainting.

Constipation: Lack of proper diet and slow metabolism during pregnancy results in frequent constipation.

Frequent urination: This happens as early as first week of pregnancy due to the pressure of growing uterus on the urinary bladder.

Tiredness: Exhaustion and tiredness are the common symptoms of pregnancy in first trimester.

Enlarged nipples and tender breasts: As the body prepares itself for breastfeeding, the nipples enlarge and breasts become swollen, tender and sore to touch during early pregnancy.

Spotting: Some women may experience some light bleeding or spotting 8-10 days after ovulation, coinciding with the date of next due period.

Missed period: This is the clinical, classic early pregnancy symptom. Some women may experience cramping and low back pain as just before the arrival of periods feeling without any signs of bleeding.

Irritability: Nausea, tiredness, cramps, backache, enhanced smells and fluctuating hormones make many pregnant women extremely irritable.

Change in complexion: The raging hormones cause skin spotting, acne or other complexion changes in the first trimester of the pregnancy.

Weight loss: Many women lose weight during early pregnancy due to food fetishes. One must eat healthy foods at frequent intervals to maintain the nutrient level of the body.

Watch out for these early pregnancy symptoms and try to remain active and healthy for these nine months.

Pregnancy is an entirely differing experience for every woman and so they are signs and symptoms. The Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms vary from woman to woman. But, the most common symptom in all is delayed or missed period. Some may experience the Pregnancy symptoms as early as within a week of conception, some may experience it later and few may not experience any, at all. Even before you missed period or you do home pregnancy test you may suspect the pregnancy by considering these early symptoms which might appearing soon after conception.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness can begin as early as 2 to 4 weeks after conception. The term morning sickness is something of a misnomer, as you can experience the nausea and vomiting throughout the day. Morning sickness typically is worst during the first trimester, and most pregnant women will have their morning sickness symptoms lessen or subside completely during the second or third trimester.

Breast Changes

Breast tenderness usually begins around 3 to 4 weeks after conception. This can also be a sign of your impending period. Usually the degree of breast tenderness is much stronger with pregnancy than with your period. You may also notice a slight tingling sensation.

Nausea

Another classic early pregnancy symptom is the nausea and in some cases, vomiting associated with morning sickness. A woman suffering with morning sickness may suddenly experience severe nausea and aversion to foods and smells that previously had no effect on her. Morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the night or day, typically affects women approximately 2-8 weeks after conception. A bout of severe nausea or vomiting can also be attributed to food poisoning as well, so if there is a sudden onset of nausea which resolves within a couple of days, it was likely a simple stomach bug rather than an early pregnancy symptom.

Frequent Urination

Can begin six weeks after conception. During pregnancy, the amount of blood and other fluids in your body will increase. Once the extra fluid is processed, it ends up in your bladder and the next thing you know, you’re running for the bathroom every 10 minutes. The bad news is, as the baby continues to grow, it will start to push on your bladder and that will mean more frequent trips to the washroom for the rest of your pregnancy.

Later Signs of Teen Pregnancy

As a pregnancy progresses, the signs and symptoms become more pronounced and harder for teens to miss. Some of these pregnancy signs include:

an enlargement of the abdomen

weight gain or loss

aches such as backaches or headaches

During the second trimester, most of these early symptoms of pregnancy will disappear or at least lessen. Many women enjoy this second pregnancy stage immensely, as energy levels return and that early nausea usually disappears. There are a few new symptoms that can pop up at this point that are very common. Emotionally, you may experience many ups and downs, and go from happy and excited to overwhelmed and in tears in a matter of seconds. You may begin having Braxton-Hicks contractions, preparing your body for labor. Dizziness, leg cramps, and heartburn are also common occurrences in the middle of pregnancy. While these symptoms are not generally cause for concern, always keep your doctor informed as to what has been happening with you to prevent major issues.

Pregnancy is considered to be a time of joy for new mothers. This is the time when they are pampered and their every wish is fulfilled (well almost every wish). There are however a few things that can cause discomfort and pain for an expectant mother. One of these is pregnancy heartburn.

The question that arises is why do some women experience heartburn while they are pregnant and other women do not?

Heartburn occurs when the digested food juices reflux back into your esophagus and throat. There is a valve that usually keeps the stomach acids in the stomach where the intestinal lining protects your body from the effects of the acid. This valve is called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES. When the LES relaxes, the stomach acids reflux into the esophagus. This causes the lining of the esophagus, which is thin and unable to deal with the acid, to get irritated and inflamed.

With a pregnant mother heartburn does not occur only because of the digested food juices refluxing back into the esophagus and throat. The increased amounts of hormones in the body can soften the muscles that normally keep the LES closed. Thus if the LES relaxes at an inappropriate moment, then food and gastric acid reflux back into the esophagus.

There is also another reason that might contribute to pregnancy heartburn. During pregnancy a woman’s body goes through many changes to accommodate the growing baby. As the baby continues to grow within the womb, there is pressure put upon the stomach. This pressure in turn may force the stomach acid to reflux through the LES into the esophagus. Thus causing pregnancy heartburn.

As there is no clear way to completely eliminate heartburn even during pregnancy, the most sensible approach to take is to minimize the discomfort that you may experience because of pregnancy heartburn. With a few simple precautions you can hold the heartburn at bay. Avoiding certain foods that are known to trigger heartburn can greatly reduce the chances of heartburn.

Avoid drinks containing coffee, tea, colas and alcohol as these can relax the LES and allow acid to reflux back into the esophagus. Also don’t eat large meals. Instead eat several small meals throughout the day. Take your time eating, rushing through meals helps put unwanted pressure upon the LES. You also need to drink plenty of water in small amounts throughout the day.

When you go to sleep at night, keep your head elevated higher than your body. This position will keep your stomach contents in your stomach where they belong and not in the esophagus where they will cause pregnancy heartburn. During the day you should sit upright in a comfortable chair rather than slouching.

Gain a sensible amount of weight and stay within the weight guidelines your doctor suggests. Being pregnant does not mean suffering unduly because of heartburn, rather you can think of it as a change in your lifestyle. A change for a miracle of life, not for pregnancy heartburn.