Monday, February 25, 2008

Trendy Maternity Shirts To Make You Look Beautiful

When you are pregnant, you look thousand times more beautiful than you ever did before. There is that amazing glow on your skin and a blush on your face. Your partner says you have never looked as beautiful. With so many compliments in tow, you would also want to dress up nicely. But what kind of clothes do you want to buy at this time? Maybe, a trendy maternity shirt might catch your fancy and you may start thinking of borrowing your husband’s shirts and wearing them with a pair of stretch jeans. But instead of doing that, why don’t you go in for some new trendy maternity shirts? These come in all colors, shapes and sizes. There is one for every one and you will never be able to say you could not find a great and cool looking shirt for yourself.

Cool and Trendy Maternity Shirts

When you are pregnant in the first trimester, you can wear your usual clothes, the ones that you used to wear before you discovered that you were pregnant. But as your pregnancy progresses, your pre- pregnancy clothes will not fit you and your shirts will be too tight on the tummy. That’s when you need to go out and shop for some really cool trendy maternity shirts. Buy the material depending on the season, cool cottons for the summers, warm woolen shirts for the winters and also some smart denim shirts. These latest maternity shirts go well with a pair of jeans and they not only look good but they are also very comfortable to wear.

Use These Shirts as Mood Elevators

Do not think that just because you are pregnant you would have to give up on fashion. You certainly don’t have to. You don’t have to hide that tummy and walk around in sack like clothes. A trendy maternity shirt will be loose fitting and still make you look sexy and appealing. And imagine what it does for your baby? Remember that your baby will be born healthier, if you stay happy during pregnancy. So dress up to elevate your mood and look cool and attractive.

Thrush - A Painful Infection

Thrush of the mouth is known medically as oral pseudo membranous candidiacis. It is a yeast infection. The organism lives on the skin in the bowel. It causes soreness and white patches in the mouth. If your baby is breast fed, it is less likely to develop thrush as compared to a baby who is bottle-fed. A healthy baby can also develop thrush. This is caused when the baby passes through the mother’s birth canal.

You can make out if your baby has thrush, by checking out for sores and white patches in your baby’s cheeks, palette, lips, and tongue. Thrush patches are curd like and stick to the tissue beneath the tongue, unlike milk residues. If you try to use a swab to take of this patch, it will not come off easily, and even if it does, there will be a red sore area beneath it, that will bleed. These sores are painful.

Why the Baby Develops Thrush

A baby may develop thrush because of stress, antibiotics, unhealthy pacifiers, being bottle fed too long, which causes the lining of the baby’s mouth to get scraped; and if the mother’s nipples are in an unhygienic condition.

Treating Thrush

Remember; do not let your child use a pacifier for too long. Also, do not let it sleep with a pacifier in its mouth. Sterilize the pacifier and keep your nipples clean at all times.

Nystatin is a medicine used to treat thrush of the mouth. It is an anti fungal medication. It can either be applied on the white patches or given to the baby in the oral form.

It is advisable that you read all about thrush of the mouth, so that if your baby is ever infected, you will be alert to any discomfort and come to know at once about the infection. For more information visit pregnancy period.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

The Benefits Of Cord Blood Banking

What Is Cord Blood?

If you are unaware of what cord blood is and what purpose it has then this article can help you. Cord blood is the blood that is collected from the placenta at childbirth. The blood contains stem cells which have blood forming properties. This blood is able to replenish itself and create new red and white blood cells and platelets. Because of this very useful property, this blood can be used in curing many frightening diseases such as leukemia, anemia, lymphoma and thalassemia. Now that we know what cord blood is, let us know more about cord blood banking.

Cord Blood Banking

The collected cord blood is checked for genetic diseases, the red blood cells are removed, and the cord blood is frozen in liquid nitrogen. This cord blood preservation is done by cord blood bank for future usage.

Therefore cord blood is stored in a cord blood bank for use when the family members want it. More and more mothers are donating their cord blood after pregnancy at the time of childbirth.

The Two Types of Cord Blood Banks

Cord blood banks are of two types, one in which you donate the baby cord blood to be stored for future use by you or your family members. This is done in a private cord blood bank. The other is where the baby cord blood stored can be used by an unrelated person as well, and it is done at a public cord blood bank.

If You Have A History Of Genetic Illness

It is advisable, that if you have a history of any genetic illness in the family, you should store your cord blood so that your child can avail it in future if required.

Private Cord Blood Banking- A Costlier Option

A private cord blood bank can be a bit costly as they charge you to store the cord blood. On the other hand a public cord blood bank accepts your blood and stores it for free.

If you do not find the cost a deterrent then you can certainly go in for private cord blood banking and ensure that your baby’s cord blood will be available to you when you need it.

Cord Blood Bank- A Means To Preserve Cord Blood For Your Future

A cord blood bank preserves your baby’s cord blood for future use. We will get back to cord blood banking in just a moment but first let us know what is cord blood? Cord blood is the blood that is removed from the placenta of a child at birth. This blood is rich in stem cells, which have the ability to regenerate and recreate to form new cell types, such as red and white blood cells, brain cells and muscle cells. Now it would be clear to you how important this cord blood is in treating dangerous diseases related to the blood and immune system. If you give your assent, the cord blood is collected from the placenta at the time of child birth and stored for future use.

The Importance Of Cord Blood Storage

Cord blood is used to treat several diseases. These diseases could be hereditary or caused due to viral attacks or injuries during your lifetime. For these diseases, stem cell transplantation is a must. The stem cells are transplanted into the body of the patient to help renew and replenish the ill and dying stem cells of the person. If a person is undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, stem cell transplantation strengthens the weakened immune system of the person.

Remember that if you have a family history of genetic diseases, then you should make it a point to store your baby’s umbilical cord blood as a precautionary measure. If required in future, you can use this blood, without having to search for a donor.

The different Types Of Cord Blood Banks

The cord blood can be stored in a private bank or in a public cord blood bank. It will cost you some money to store it in a private cord blood bank. But you will have access to it whenever you or your immediate family member requires it. On the other hand, if you decide to store it in a public bank, then anyone can have access to it. The storage facility at a public cord blood bank is free of cost.

Armed with this importance knowledge of cord blood banking, you can take requisite measures and avoid facing a harrowing experience of searching for cord blood, when required! For more information visit pregnancy period.

Christian Baby Shower- Happy Gifting

Baby shower has been celebrated through the ages. It was even celebrated many thousands of years ago in Egypt and Rome. Now days, baby showers are an integral part of popular American Christian culture. So what gifts would you give a pregnant mother for a Christian baby shower?

A Playing Toy

Children love to play, so an ideal gift for a Christian baby shower would be to gift the pregnant mother some wonderful baby toys. These toys should not just be engaging but also help in the child’s growth and development. Baby gift such as play pens, activity gyms, musical toys or textured toys make lovely gifts for a mother in her last stages of pregnancy.

Baby slings

Another great gifting idea is a baby sling. A mother can carry around her baby in a baby sling and have her hands free to do other things. The baby feels very secure in this sort of sling and carrying the baby this way also builds the parent child bond.

Baby Travel Pack

A baby travel pack makes a very useful and thoughtful gift. It is a diaper bag filled with things such as diapers, toys, bibs, clothes, safety pins and other basic necessities for your baby. It proves very helpful when you are on the move or traveling to some place.

A baby Car Seat

You can also buy a smart baby car seat and present it to the pregnant mother. This is very useful from the point of view of safety for the baby when the mother is traveling with the baby by car. Of course this also encourages the mother to be mobile and not tied down to the household with the new born.

There are a great many gift ideas for Christian baby shower gifts. Use your imagination and think of some thing that the pregnant mother will have happy recollections of.

How To Acquire Cheap Maternity Clothes

You’re pregnant. That does not mean you cannot look beautiful and tempting to your partner. Not just that, you want to look sexy and attractive for yourself too. It is time to flaunt that belly, and show of your pregnancy to the rest of the world. And you don’t even have to spend a fortune. Get creative and think of different ways by which you can save those dollars and still have some great cheap maternity clothes for you. Here are some suggestions, but if you have ideas of your own do not hesitate to put them into practice.

Borrow them from Your Friends

Since maternity clothes are worn for only nine months of pregnancy, you may as well borrow them from a good friend or your sister.

Ask Your Husband for His Clothes

If your husband is tall and muscular, great, now you can wear some of his baggy trousers and shirts and look sexy in his clothes.

Sales and Thrift Shops

Always be on the look out for good sales in your locality, or go to a thrift shop nearby and choose all the designs you want that are appealing, the colors that make you feel good, and the sizes and cuts that make you comfortable. Not to mention, you get all these cheap maternity clothes at bargain prices.

Go On a Stitching Spree

Stitch your own clothes. This is a wonderful way to pass time during your pregnancy and also wear clothes that are ‘tailor made’ to dress yourself up in which ever fashion that appeals to you. Besides you would feel great about creating some of your own designs.

Mix and Match Clothes

Buy a few maternity clothes at great bargains from a sale or even online. In fact, online you have some fabulous offers and so much choice. Then mix n’ match them and wear them to look cool and attractive.

Those were some suggestions on how to procure cheap maternity clothes. We want you to look good and feel good in your maternity clothing. Wish you a healthy and safe pregnancy.

Care After Pregnancy For A Healthy You And Your Baby

Whether you are a homemaker or a working mother, you must stay at home and let your body heal for at least six weeks after pregnancy. The importance of care after pregnancy cannot be underestimated.

The Benefits of Care after Pregnancy

Care after pregnancy helps to detect and treat infections that may occur in the mother.

It helps to detect and treat infections in the newborn infant.

It also helps in giving knowledge about breastfeeding and nutrition to the new mother

Finally, care after pregnancy enables the mother and father to get future family planning advice from the doctor.

Care after Pregnancy for Your Baby

As a part of post pregnancy care for your baby, it undergoes certain tests for almost thirty disorders, before it can be taken home. Among these are tests for Hypothyroidism, Galoctosemia, Sickle Cell Disease, and Cystic Fibrosis.

Caring For the Umbilical Cord

Once your baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut, leaving a stub about half an inch behind. This stub takes from two to eight weeks to dry up and fall off. Meanwhile, you have to ensure that it is not infected. Do not pull at the cord to try to remove it. Keep the area clean and dry. Until the cord falls off, give the baby sponge baths. Inform the doctor, if the cord base swells and bleeds, if it reddens, or if there is pus formation, or it is painful to the baby.

The ‘Baby Blues’ and Ways to Counter Them

Some women go into a depression after the baby is born. This is also known as having the ‘baby blues’. They say it happens because of hormonal changes in the body after pregnancy. If it continues for longer than a few weeks, you should talk to your doctor about it. To counter ‘Baby Blues,’ avoid remaining alone. Mix and talk to people. Listen to your favorite music, do things that you like to do. Do not drown yourself in negative thoughts. Think happy thoughts and memories. Taking good care after pregnancy means a healthier you and your baby.

Cards For Baby Shower- Some Thoughts

Pregnancy is a time for celebration and every one comes together to attend a pregnancy celebration and have a fun time. This is a time to spread love and affection amongst the friends and family. After all, a new life is going to arrive into the world any time soon. The pregnant mother will be tired but still ecstatic, and to share her happiness cards for baby shower are sent out. These invitation cards could be sent by email, by regular mail, or by phone. They could be handwritten or printed and they could be formal or funny in style to make the guests and family members have a good laugh.

Send Out The Cards Well In Advance

What you should remember of course is that the cards for the baby shower should be sent well in advance, at least four to six weeks ahead of the date fixed for the baby shower party; so that the guests have enough time to make their travel plans and let you know if they will be able to make it or not.

What You Should Remember While Making Baby Shower Cards

You must also let the guests know the name of the person you are organizing the baby shower for, who is going to be the host or hostess, and if it going to be a surprise event don’t forget to mention it in the baby shower invitation cards. Don’t forget to write down the date and time of the event, the theme of the party, and the favorite colors of the guests of honor. Why not write out some ideas for gifts for the baby shower? These suggestions could prove helpful to the guests in choosing their gifts. Always remember to attach a map and give directions so the guests are able to find the venue easily. You might even want to mention if meals have been planned.

Those were some tips on preparing cards for baby shower. You can be rest assured, if you follow these tips you will be delighted with the response.