Using Prenatal Massage for Back Pain Relief

Author: Sandra Wilson

One thing that most expecting mothers have in common is a list of aches and pains that seems to grow larger as the due date approaches. Fortunately, a branch of massage therapy known as prenatal massage is available just to help those women whose bodies are sore and tired from the experience of pregnancy. Back pain is one of the bigger problems in a pregnancy, and prenatal massage is an excellent tool to provide back pain relief during pregnancy.

Prenatal massage is meant to alleviate tension, help minimize aches and pains throughout the body, improve circulation, and make the mother feel better about the whole experience in general. Some areas where stress seems to accumulate are the back, neck and shoulders. Legs can also benefit, since massaging helps reduce blood pooling, and the head, feet, hands and face can be gently massaged to help relieve tension.

One of the big benefits of prenatal massage is that it can provide back pain relief during pregnancy by relieving muscular tension in the back and neck, alleviate stress on various joints and the lower back, and by promoting proper posture along with the reduction of stress hormones.

One of the more common ways in which prenatal massage is performed is to have the expectant mother lie on her side on the massage table. Or, they can make use of a pillow designed especially for expecting mothers. The pillow has a big center cutout, so the mother can lie on her stomach, feeling completely relaxed and comfortable. It is generally not recommended that you lie flat on your back, as this can reduce or cut off circulation to both mother and child.

If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, massage is usually not recommended, but it is safe for most other expectant mothers. If you have any questions about whether or not your should get a massage, check with your doctor first. Be sure to tell the therapist up front if you are having any complications with your pregnancy.

Depending on your comfort level, and how much time you have available, a session can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. If you can manage it, try to get a massage once a week during the second trimester, and twice a week during the third. The closer you get to your due date, the more important it is that you feel happy and relaxed.

Prenatal massage has a number of benefits aside from relieving back pain. It improves circulation and digestion, reduces fatigue and swelling in hands, feet and legs. It can ease headaches, lessen pain in the pelvic and hip area, promotes deep breathing and relaxation, and can help cure insomnia. It is also beneficial on an emotional level; as it provides a time for the mother to unwind, relax, and let some of the stress of pregnancy just melt away.

This massage is safe for most expecting mothers, so take the opportunity to find a good massage therapist in your area who can help make your pregnancy much more pleasant, relaxed and free from pain.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/using-prenatal-massage-for-back-pain-relief-1130652.html

About the Author: You can find helpful information about prenatal massage and everything you need to know about back pain relief during pregnancy at Aha! Baby.

Pregnancy Due Date Calculator - Get The Week by Week FAQ

Author: Michelle Pennington

When most women find out that they are pregnant, the first thing they want to figure out is when the baby is due. This is the most common use for a pregnancy due date calculator. However, there are also other uses for websites that provide these calendars.

While you can find out your estimated delivery date from your doctor, who will calculate 280 days from your last period to determine this, you can also use online pregnancy due date calculators. They use the same method, and also can give you week by week information on how the baby is growing and what the fetus is like at each stage of pregnancy. Some of these calculators can also tell you what symptoms you might be experiencing and what can be done to alleviate them a bit. Most of these websites aim to give you as much information as possible. You just register with the website and you can just log in to get all the information mentioned above.

Many times doctors use ultrasounds in order to confirm the accuracy of a pregnancy due date calculator. This is often done because women don't always accurately know when their last period started, or the date of conception. By using an ultrasound, the due date can be confirmed or altered depending on the state of development of the fetus. This can be a more accurate way of determining that due date than a calculator.

Just keep in mind that however your delivery date is determined, it is not likely to be the actual date when the baby arrives. Babies come on their own time, and this actually just gives you a good idea of when to expect the baby. Typically most babies arrive either in the two weeks before or the two weeks after the due date. Those arriving a couple weeks before the delivery date are still considered full term since anything after 37 weeks is considered full term. Once your due date has passed you will have to have frequent doctor visits to monitor the baby and make sure that it is doing well. Usually once a baby is more than two weeks late a doctor will induce since it starts to get riskier after this time.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/pregnancy-due-date-calculator-get-the-week-by-week-faq-1129007.html

About the Author: Use the FREE Pregnancy Due Date Calculator on your self and find out when your expected delivery due date will be Today!

Due Date Calendar

Due Date Calendar - Do You Know For Sure, Will Your Baby Arrive On Time?

Author: Michelle Pennington

A pregnancy due date calendar is created based on the fact that an average pregnancy is usually considered to be forty weeks from the start of your last period. Therefore, women usually don't even realize that they are pregnant until they are classified as being four or more weeks pregnant according to this system. Doctors and other medical professionals, as well as online calculators, use the date of the start of your last period and add 280 days in order to come up with an estimated delivery date so they (and you) have an idea of around when the baby will arrive.

These estimated delivery dates that you get from using a pregnancy due date calendar really aren't all that accurate. Most women do not know the exact day of conception (which is why they use the start of your last period, women usually have a better idea of when this was) and different people have cycles of different lengths. Doctors usually expect babies to arrive any time from two weeks before the due date to two weeks after the due date.

Only a very small percentage of babies are actually born on the actual due date that the mothers were given. About five to ten percent of babies show up on this date. It is more common for babies to be early or late.

About 30 to 40 percent of babies come before their delivery date, which can be worrying to some women. However, 37 weeks is considered full term, so it is not a big deal to have a baby arrive a couple weeks early, and premature babies are only a very small percentage of those that arrive early.

Babies born after their due date are the most common, with about 50 percent of babies taking their own sweet time to arrive. If your baby doesn't show up around your delivery date, the doctor will monitor you closely to make sure the baby is doing well, and if it gets too late or the baby starts to be distressed they will induce you.

Since more babies are born on other days than on the actual date given by a due date calendar, you should keep in mind that these are just estimates and be prepared for an arrival either before or after that date.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/due-date-calendar-do-you-know-for-sure-will-your-baby-arrive-on-time-1128924.html

About the Author: Use the FREE Due Date Calendar on your self and find out when your expected delivery due date will be today. Doesn't hurt to try it and find out!

The Female Orgasm Could Be The Infertility Cure You're Looking For

Author: Cory Jean

I read an article recently that claimed that a woman is more likely to become pregnant if she were to have an orgasm during or after a "baby making" session with her partner. I found this an interesting subject and thought of how this might be either proven or disproved and all the different reasons why or why not.

One thought that came to mind is that typically when a couple is struggling with infertility much of the romance and passion is removed from the bedroom. I remember discussing this once with my brother who was going through the trials and tribulations of infertility with his wife. He told me that he never thought that he would ever turn down a romp with his wife but that the "schedule" that they had to abide by left little room for spontaneity. There were times when he was half asleep on the couch and he would almost cringe when his wife would say that she was fertile and that it was time for them to "try."

This made me wonder what it was like for a woman. Could it be that this lack of spontaneity also affected many women and kept them from achieving orgasm due to the almost clinical nature of the rendezvous? I mean, for some women "faking an orgasm" is almost a joke. Women can pull it off but a guy can't...especially in these circumstances where it is a vital part of the "baby making equation"! So, could it be that the lack of a female orgasm is the missing link to why many couples have infertility issues when they are trying so hard and why many couples wind up conceiving once they stop trying?

Further investigation found that during the early 1900's the female orgasm was actually prescribed by many doctors to help cure infertility. That's right! Doctors would actually tell a woman that if she was having issues getting pregnant that she should make sure that she had an orgasm after her partner. It was thought that this caused the cervix to "dip down" into the vagina and help the semen to make it's way up into the uterus and then the fallopian tubes.

Later this theory was supposedly disproved by Masters and Johnson when they did an experiment in a lab. A radioactive dye was placed in a patient and then after the female had experienced an orgasm they took an x-ray to see if the dye had been sucked up into the uterus. It was found that this theory was incorrect.

I wondered further though if the secretions that are present during or after a female has an orgasm helps the male's semen any by providing either a chemical or physical environment that is more conducive to either the sperm's heath or vitality....whether that be in the vagina or uterus or the actual fallopian tubes. I do think that this would require further research but I do believe that there is something to this theory that the female orgasm can help cure some cases of infertility. If nothing else, much like chicken soup, it can't hurt!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/the-female-orgasm-could-be-the-infertility-cure-youre-looking-for-1125633.html

About the Author: For more information on holistic and natural infertility cures that work we recommend Lisa Olson's "Pregnancy Miracle" You can read the story of Lisa's 14 year struggle with infertility at the "Pregnancy Miracle Homepage"

Self Induce Labor Naturally

Author: Joshua Mintz

Its called "Maternity Acupressure" - and it is being used by Pregnant Women EVERYWHERE. You would think that it was some new method, that some Hollywood Guru came up with.

That is, unless you have already heard of this completely natural and safe method to self induce labor.

I think that 1 of the main reasons that the Acupressure Method has found such popularity is definitely because of societys new found interest in avoiding all the chemicals and by-products that have flooded are daily lives. I mean - it seems like everything has been spiked with some funny sounding additive or drug.

Think about it - we even have to BUY water.

The Acupressure Method isnt just popular because there are no drugs or needles involved. First of all, it actually works. As a matter of fact, Acupressure works faster all most all of the time. At least it does when compared to the average time that it normally takes for a pregnant women to be induced. And the reason why we know this, is because there have been plenty of tests done.

Well known Health agencies have dome there research and they are agencvies that you may have heard of:

• WHO - World Health Organization
• NIH - National Institute of Health
• And many others as well.

And what they have found is great news for women everywhere. Being pregnant in ofitself can be pretty tough on a woman. There are so many things that can weigh on our minds, like lack of sleep, continuous discomfort and what about your Maternity Leave? Many times - when pregnancy takes longer than expected - we lose precious days of the maternity leave.

And if there is one thing a woman needs after having a baby -its Maternity Leave.

So when things like our maternity leave is threatened or when we begin to feel like the pregnancy will NEVER end - we can tend to feel a little edgy - how about a lot edgy.

Just knowing that you have a safe and natural method to self induce labor when the time comes -(or when you decide its time) can really take a huge load off of your mind.

You know, most times its enough that the Acupressure Inducing method will ensure the safety of your child AND you by avoiding all the drugs and the creams that are used to prepare our cervix -not to mention this method to induce labor can be done at home. But there are some excellent benefits of using this method that will make you glad you read this article.

Benefits for you when using the Acupressure Self Induce Labor Method:

• Completely safe for You and the baby
• Avoid major stimulation in the mother
• Keeps the baby from feeling ANY distress
• Shortens delivery time -( REALLY AWESOME!)
• Some women have been induced in under 30 minutes

These are really, some of the best benefits you could ever imagine when inducing your labor. We all put the health of our baby at the VERY TOP of the list when pregnant. Evene before we see our child, there is a bond so strong that just the thought of anything abnormal happening can hurt our soul - and its definitely enough to take all precautions when giving birth.

BUT- There is something else that makes the Acupressure Method so special. After all the fantastic and natural benefits of using it, it will even HELP TO PREVENT LABOR PAINS!

By using the acupressure method to Self Induce Labor, you will save yourself from feeling the normal effects of Labor Pains. The actual action of performing Acupressure labor inducement,you will eliminate many of the causes of pain during labor. I promise and many of us know -from experience.

But in the end -no matter what anyone else says or how many health agencies have tested this method for inducing labor, it all boils down to science. The female body has the ability to receive the effects of the Acupressure method from beginning to end.

You can begin to learn this Method RIGHT NOW -and I hope you do. There is no reason to go through the agony and the headache associated with an overdue pregnancy or any other reason's that have brought you to the conclusion that you need a better method to self induce labor.

Methods to Self Induce Labor

So I wish you the best and Good Luck and God Bless

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/methods-to-induce-labor-1125596.html

About the Author: For any questions pertaining to "Methods to Self Induce Labor", just email me at admin@methodstoselfinducelabor.com -Again, Thanks for visiting and I wish you the absolute safest and most blessed Pregnancy.

Abdominal Exercises During Pregnancy - Learn The Facts

Author: Leah James

Since you are With Child, or planning on getting pregnant you have probably already decided the inevitable waistline growth. While an fitness workout over the next nine or ten months is not going to be aimed at attaining a 6-pack, those main also abdominal muscles will still need some focus. We usually think of our core muscles as the ones we use while doing abdominal exercises during pregnancy but the truth is, there are many more muscles than this in your mid-section, and crunching is probably the least important exercise in the bunch.

You see, growing these main muscles will not only show you how to back to that pre-pregnant shape (or better) faster, but since these are the muscles you "push" with, growing them will help make labor and delivery much easier. The novice, and most important abdominal exercises during pregnancy is the kegel. A lot of you already have heard of this before, It is strengthening the muscles of your pelvic bottom. Kegels utilize the exact same muscles used in stopping the flow of urine when you go to the bathroom.

Procedures:

- lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Contract these muscles and hold them tight for 5-10 seconds.
- Repeat this 5-10 times.

When you become more Familiar performing this little movement, you can try it while you are sitting or standing. These positions are good because its beneficial to perform kegels several times during the day.

Once you master this, you'll be ready for more abdominal exercises that can be done during pregnancy. In The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide main workouts specific to each term can be found. You'll find easy to follow fitness routines that you can do in the comfort of your own home with little equipment.

Ready to Read more about various Post Pregnancy Workout? Check out the Fit And Healthy Pregnancy Guide for some of the best Pregnancy Exercises available: http://post-pregnancyworkout.com/postpregnancyworkout/Recommendations/AbdominalExercisesDuringPregnancy.php

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/abdominal-exercises-during-pregnancy-learn-the-facts-1123019.html

About the Author: I am a Mother of 3 and i used to suffer from those annoying after birth pounds. I finally Found a successful method that got me back in shape and now i love my body more then ever, i write about helpful hints and programs for women who wish to better themselves spiritually, physically, and mentally.

How To Avoid Gaining Excess Weight During Pregnancy

Author: Michelle Pennington

One thing that women don't usually look forward to when they find out that they are pregnant is the fact that they are going to have to gain weight. Most women like to keep their figures and avoid gaining weight, but weight gain in pregnancy is unavoidable. In fact, it isn't good for either you or the baby if you don't gain weight.

The required weight gain in pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy. If you are overweight, you should gain 15 to 20 pounds. Women at a healthy weight should gain between 25 and 35 pounds, and those that are underweight should gain up to 40 pounds. This weight gain is required in order to make sure that both you and your baby get the nutrients that you need. Most women don't have a problem gaining this weight; in fact, gaining too much weight is a more common problem than not gaining enough.

During your first trimester you really don't need to gain any extra weight, or even eat any extra calories. You just need to make sure that you are eating a healthy diet though and taking your prenatal vitamins so that you get the right vitamins and minerals in the right amounts.

Most weight gain in pregnancy happens during the last two trimesters. During this time you only need to eat an extra 100 to 300 calories for the recommended weight gain. You should eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and a small amount of healthy fats and try to avoid junk food, which tends to have a lot of calories without providing many of the vitamins and minerals that you need.
Besides your diet, you should also take part in some form of exercise, such as walking, swimming, or low impact aerobics in order to keep yourself in shape and avoid gaining too much weight. Exercise has been found to be very helpful in keeping both you and your baby healthy during pregnancy. Just be sure to check with your doctor first to make sure that you don't have any condition that would preclude you exercising during the pregnancy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/weight-gain-in-pregnancy-how-to-avoid-gaining-excess-weight-during-pregnancy-1125322.html

About the Author:Most weight gain in happens during the last two trimesters. Learn how to control your weight gain in pregnancy Today!