Thursday 28 January 2016

Folic Acid for parents to be

Hey, Welcome Back

PC - www.specificare.com
You must have read it in my last post that consuming optimal amount of Folic acid is must for a mother-to-be. In my this post, I am going to highlight the key reasons concerning why.

Below are some key reasons why an expecting mother or planning to conceive woman should take the right amount of Folic acid.

  • Folic acid before pregnancy -
    • Folic acid promotes fertility - some of my friends believed it to be a myth but it isn't. The super properties of folic acid i.e the one where is protects the embryos in the women's body helps boost fertility in women
    • It just not helps women, it also helps men by improving sperm motility and count which is must have if a woman wants to conceive

  • Folic acid during pregnancy - there are couple of reasons due to which folic acid is considered a key vitamin in pre-natal supplements. To list down major ones:
    • Promotes cell growth - with a little baby inside you, you need all help you can get to have an excellent cell growth phenomena. And given folic acid has a vital property of making and repairing cells, it provides this much required support
    • Develops neural tubes - Neural tubes development is the key stage for your baby. It happens in the very beginning of the pregnancy, when you might even know that you are expecting. Neural tubes form into brain and spinal cord of the baby and Folic acid is one of the key vitamin which promotes healthy neural development

There are various foods which have good amount of folic acid present but being pregnant calls for additional supplements. The ideal intake of Folic acid is 400 micrograms per day but you must consult your doctor as every person is different. Depending on your health and condition, your doctor will prescribe you right dosage.

For more details on Folic acid regarding natural sources, dosage, over dosage and other benefits, please read my detailed post here.


I hope my article helps.

Love and Cheers



Tuesday 26 January 2016

Missing your 'Auto Flow' this month?


If you are planning to conceive than a missed period is the most ominous sign. But it necessarily does not mean you are pregnant.

Periods aka AF* are the monthly routine and unless we are pregnant we want them to visit us right on time, however many times it does not happen and there can be multiple re
asons to them... To start with (and to re-iterate) it maybe your lucky cycle and you might soon be looking at a BFP

Other not so happy reasons can be: 


  • Stress: Stress is the one of the most  common reasons for skipped periods. Any tragic or unpleasant event can trigger stress and given that stress is linked to hormones it results in missed periods. I have known many women who stress about getting pregnant and miss their period, hence  the simple words of the wise are - "come what may, do not stress out yourself"
  • Hormones: It is an important thing to keep your hormones in check. If you are suffering from missed period for months, you should look into a getting a hormones test. You might wish to delay the inevitable but it is better to face it soon, and God forbid if you have the demon called PCOS, I would recommend treating it like now!
  • Falling sick: At times it happens, you fall sick around the time you were suppose to ovulate and falling sick results in delayed or no ovulation. If you are not tracking your cycle at grave lengths then you will never know if you have ovulated on time. Well assuming you are missing AF due to some illness last month you do not stress over this, it will be fine in next cycle
  • Weight or change of schedule: If you have suddenly gained/lost weight or changed your schedule then it might be one of the causes of your missed period. In case of extreme changes it is recommended to let your weight/routine get stable and then see what is happening to your  monthly cycle
  • Heavy medication: If you have started on some heavy medications like for thyroid, BP etc. then it might have negative impact on your hormones which in turn lead to missed periods. In such cases it is recommended to talk to your doctor and discuss the effects on your periods, you don't want your monthly cycle to stay abrupt for long term
  • Excessive Exercise: If you have suddenly started exercising heavily or have indulged in serious diet then it might mess up with your hormones. In such cases it is recommended to give your body some time to get adjusted to the routine so that your hormones are back on track
  • Birth Control: Getting out of birth control pills after a long period of time can mess up your hormones as well. We all know what these pills do and when your body is on them for a little too long it stops ovulating naturally. However after few months your body adapts to your natural cycle and  you can get back to your happy routine
Above are the few reasons that can cause missed periods... However, if you have any physical issues or if they have been skipping or irregular for a long time it is advisable to seek a professional help.

I hope my article helps.

Cheers and Love










Click here to get the list of abbreviations used.

Sunday 24 January 2016

Who knew that health and fertility were just a sleep away :)

We have been hearing all our lives that sleeping on time and for right amount of time is very crucial
as it enables us to wake up fresh and on-time the next morning. However, today you will find out how having right sleep will not just keep you fresh and happy but will also increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Below are some key points that a mother-to-be should pay attention to:
  • Lack of sleep results in upset hormones. It is not just the case in women but also in men. When we are sleep deprived or sleep and wake up at different times, we force our body to adapt to ruptured schedule. The inconsistent schedule confuses our body and it does not produce right hormones at the right time
  •  No sleep or irregular sleep makes you tired and even bitchy. Which severely affects the BD* and we will know how important BD is if you wish to conceive
  •  Less sleep affects overall health which weakens the immune system of our body. With weak immune system one is more prone to fall sick which may result in no baby bump
  • Lack of sleep does affect males as well. If the sleep cycle is too abrupt, it can affect sperm count and motility
  • Sleep produces melatonin which helps body heal during the sleep process. One thing that is not so commonly known is that melatonin protects eggs during the time of ovulation. If you are sleep deprived then your body will not produce enough melatonin to protect your eggs - which in turn will result in fail cycle. Taking melatonin supplement without consulting your doctor is not advised.
  • Also if you have conceived, lack of sleep or abrupt schedule can also lead to an unfortunate miscarriage

Hence, it is very important to maintain a good sleep schedule which provides you 7-8 hours of deep and sound sleep.

In order to have good night's sleep, one should try to follow below:
  1. Keep bedroom sleep friendly i.e. avoid bright lights that provide hindrance to sleep
  2. Keep cell phones, tablets out of reach and avoid using electronic devices just  before sleeping
  3. Keep room cool as per desired temperature
  4. Try to keep all tensions, worries aside and sleep in peace
  5. Lie down at same time everyday to get into the routine
Following above should help and if you still have problem sleeping, it is strongly suggested to visit a health care professional.

I hope my article helps. You can read more regarding this topic on this link .

Love and Cheers.











* Click here to get the list of abbreviations used.

Saturday 23 January 2016

When you decide you want 'the baby bump'

Hey,
Congratulations! You have decided to have a baby. People say 'a baby is the best thing that can  ever happen to you' and you are taking your first step in the direction.

I know you must be all excited and geared up to step into the baby making process and I am sure you have already counted your cycle to know when would be the optimal day but before you do that I would like you to slow down for a second and think. Are you fully prepared to get into the cycle of pregnancy? Is your body ready to give home to your baby? Are you doing all right things which will help you have a good, healthy and successful nine months?

You must be wondering what all things am I talking about? Well, they are not too many but just a few as listed below.



I am sure you are following most of these yourself, but in case you are like me you might need to check a few things before you indulge in any baby dance. Of course no one is asking you to put your process on hold for all this, but it might be a good time to start following these as they will only promote your chances of getting a BFP* :)

All the best and I hope this helps.

Love and Cheers



Click here to get the list of abbreviations used.

Friday 22 January 2016

The Very First Post

Hey, Thank you for stopping by!

Now you must be wondering that given there are so many blogs and websites already available on babies and pregnancies, what is it that I can offer. It was the same question that my husband asked. Well, I decided to write about this topic on the day when I decided to have a baby and searched online. Yes, hundreds of links came up and not a single one answered all my questions. I have spent days and nights researching on various topics and given I am so curious I have searched on almost all topics. 

With my blog I want to create a space which has all questions answered. Of course it will take forever to write about everything but at least I want to try. 

The topics I want to cover are like planing for pregnancy, missed periods, precautions and measures, early symptoms, ovulation, miscarriage, low sperm count, IUI, IVF and so many more. I also want to write about experiences - my and of other women (with due consent). My husband if not intrigued with the thought of me writing all this for the world but I really want to. I know so much and I encounter so many women who lack all this info. 

So, I hope my blog, in coming months, will be helpful to everyone who reads it.

If you have any suggestions or topics to discuss, you can leave me a message and I will take it up.

Love and Cheers.