Je Unajaribu Kupata Mtoto?

Wengi wetu tumebarikiwa watoto labda bila hata kupanga lakini wengi pia wanapanga muda wa kupata mtoto ambayo ni nzuri zaidi kwa mtazamo wangu. Maana hawa wana nafasi nzuri ya kujiandaa kisaikolojia, kifedha , mazingira ya kumpokelea mtoto bila kua na stress za kukimbizana.

Katika mambo muhimu sana ya kuangalia wakati unapanga kupata mtoto ni lishe yako mama na baba, wengi tuna puuzia lakini ukweli ni kwamba hili ni swala muhimu kwa mzazi anaebeba mimba na kwa mtoto anaetarajiwa.

Kuna aina ya vyakula ni muhimu ule, na vingine hupaswi hata kuvisogelea. Je unajua kuna aina ya samaki ni hatari kula? Unajua kua caffeine inayopatikana kwenye kahawa na cocacola inaweza kuleta shida kwenye uzazi? 

Unajua kua uzito wako unaweza kua tatizo? Hii ni kwa wenye uzito mdogo kuliko unaostahili kua nao na wenye uzito mkubwa pia.

Haya yote yameelezewa kwenye article niliyokutana nayo kwenye pitapita zangu;

Jisomee na umfahamishe mwenzio pia. Information is POWER

Five changes to make to your diet now

Improve your diet

The sooner you start eating well, the more likely you are to get pregnant. For both men and women, food and fertility are linked. You need to stick to a balanced diet to boost your chances of conceiving and of having a healthy baby.

Eat several servings of fruit, vegetables, grains such as whole wheat bread, and calcium-rich foods such as yogurt, cheese, and milk every day. Certain vitamins and nutrients — such as vitamins C and E, zinc, and folic acid — are important for making healthy sperm. Not getting enough nutrients can affect your periods, making it difficult to predict when you ovulate. And you may not ovulate at all if you've lost a drastic amount of weight or are obese.

What to avoid

If your eating habits leave something to be desired — and many people's do — you'll have to make some adjustments. Some solid advice: Cut out or only occasionally drink alcohol. (For non-alcoholic alternatives, see our list of the best virgin drinks). Stop using recreational drugs and, if you smoke, quit. All of these substances and habits can harm a developing fetus.

You may also want to cut back on caffeine. The research on whether caffeine can affect fertility is mixed. Experts generally agree that low to moderate caffeine consumption, less than 300 mg a day or about the equivalent of two 8 ounce cups of coffee, won't affect your fertility, but your healthcare provider may recommend that you cut caffeine out entirely to play it safe. Learn more about caffeine and fertility.

Although fish is generally very healthy, certain types are high in mercury, which can be dangerous to your unborn baby. Because mercury can accumulate in your body and linger there for more than a year, it's best to avoid high-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish while you're trying to conceive. Instead, eat lower-mercury fish such as salmon and canned light tuna (not albacore, which is higher in mercury) once or twice a week. Read more on eating fish while trying to conceive.

Processed meats should be consumed in small amounts, and smoked or raw meats should be avoided entirely during pregnancy. Even hot dogs or deli meats should be heated until they are steaming before you eat them if you are pregnant.

Take a vitamin-mineral supplement.

Although you can meet almost all of your nutritional needs through a balanced diet, many experts believe that even the healthiest eaters can use extra help. You may find it particularly hard to eat well when you're at work or parenting other children, so taking a prenatal vitamin ensures that you're getting enough folic acid and other nutrients to boost your chances of conceiving.

Remember that a supplement is a safeguard, not a substitute for a sound diet. And since regular over-the-counter multivitamins may contain megadoses of vitamins and minerals that could be harmful to a developing baby, it's smart to switch to a pill formulated specifically for pregnant women. Those who consume a vegetarian diet may also need Vitamin D and B-12 supplements in addition to extra protein. Talk with your healthcare provider about the right prenatal supplement for you.

Get lots of folic acid — at least 400 micrograms a day.

This vitamin has been proven to reduce a baby's risk of neural-tube birth defects such as spina bifida, and it is linked to a lower incidence of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and diabetes.

Most women of child-bearing age should get 400 micrograms (mcg) daily, the equivalent of 0.4 milligrams (mg), according to the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). If you have a family history of neural-tube birth defects or take medication for seizures, your healthcare provider may suggest that you boost your daily intake to 4,000 mcg, or 4 mg, starting at least a month before you conceive and continuing throughout your first trimester. And if you're having twins or triplets, your provider will probably tell you to increase your folic acid intake to at least 400 mcg per baby.

A good over-the-counter prenatal vitamin should contain more than the minimum recommendation of folic acid, between 600 and 800 mcg — what you'll need during pregnancy. In addition, you can eat folate-rich foods, such as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach or kale, citrus fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and fortified breads and cereals. Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, so your body will flush out the excess if you consume too much. But there's a downside to being water-soluble, too. You can lose a lot of this vitamin in cooking water, so steam or cook vegetables in a small amount of water to preserve the folate.

For some women, there's an exception to this rule: Getting too much folate may hide a B-12 deficiency, which is sometimes a problem for vegetarians. Ask your doctor or midwife if you think you may be at risk.

Find your ideal body weight.

Shedding some pounds, or gaining a few if you're underweight, while you're attempting to get pregnant is a good idea, since you want to be as close as possible to your recommended weight when you conceive. Being over- or underweight can make it harder to get pregnant. Also, obese women have more pregnancy and birth complications, and underweight women are more likely to have a low-birth-weight baby.

While you're following a smart eating plan with low-fat, high-fiber foods, start or increase an exercise routine. If you're overweight, aim to lose one to two pounds a week, a safe rate of weight loss. Extreme weight loss from crash dieting can deplete your body's nutritional stores, which isn't a good way to start a pregnancy.

Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board

Why is it so dangerous to smoke during pregnancy?

I was reading our previous post and started looking into each factor that may cause infertility and i was so concerned with smoking habits. Many of us may think that we are safe probably because we are casual smokers or we do not smoke kabisa and we forget that there are people around us who smoke. This is called second hand smoking.

kina mama mnaotarajia kubeba mimba na mliona ujauzito tayari kuweni makini na mazingira hatarishi. Kama baba anavuta basi ajulishwe ili asivute ndani ili mtoto asiathirike. Athari za sigara uwe mvutaji au unaevuta moshi wa wengine (second hand smoker) mtoto unamuweka katika hatari, unaweza pata matatizo wakati wa ujauzito na kupoteza mtoto, au wakati wa kujifungua au mtoto atakapo zaliwa anakuja kuwa na maradhi mbalimbali yakimsumbua hata anapokua mtu mzima hasa matatizo ya pumu.

Nimesoma articles mbalimbali zinazoelezea madhara ya kuvuta sigara na hata kuvuta moshi wa sigara toka kwa mtu mwingine, ebu toseme tuone na kujifunza;

Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including truly nasty things like cyanide, lead, and at least 60 cancer-causing compounds. When you smoke during pregnancy, that toxic brew gets into your bloodstream, your baby's only source of oxygen and nutrients.

While none of those 4,000-plus chemicals is good for your baby (you would never add a dollop of lead and cyanide to his strained peaches), two compounds are especially harmful: nicotine and carbon monoxide. These two toxins account for almost every smoking-related complication in pregnancy, says ob-gyn James Christmas, director of Maternal Fetal Medicine for Commonwealth Perinatal Associates at Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Virginia.

The most serious complications — including stillbirth, premature delivery, and low birth weight — can be chalked up to the fact that nicotine and carbon monoxide work together to reduce your baby's supply of oxygen. Nicotine chokes off oxygen by narrowing blood vessels throughout your body, including the ones in the umbilical cord. It's a little like forcing your baby to breathe through a narrow straw. To make matters worse, the red blood cells that carry oxygen start to pick up molecules of carbon monoxide instead. Suddenly, that narrow straw doesn't even hold as much oxygen as it should.

How does smoking affect my unborn baby?

• When you smoke, the chemicals from cigarette smoke get into your unborn baby's blood so your unborn baby gets 25% less oxygen, does not grow properly and is less healthy.
• The placenta joins mom and baby - food and oxygen go from Mom's blood to baby through the placenta. Nicotine can cross the placenta thereby decreasing blood flow to the fetus and affecting the fetal cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system and central nervous system. Pregnant smokers have placentas that do not work as well as they could.
• Every time you have a cigarette, your baby gets less food and oxygen.
• Babies of smokers are more likely to be born prematurely.
• Babies of smokers do not grow as well as they could due to the carbon monoxide. This results in a baby with low birth weight.

If you smoke while you are pregnant you are more likely to:

• Have problems during your pregnancy.
• Have a miscarriage.
• Deliver the baby too soon.
• Have a baby of low birth weight.
• Have problems in labour or delivery.
• Lose your baby during childbirth.
• Have a baby born with lungs that are not developed properly.
• Have a baby who suffers from bronchitis, pneumonia, and/or asthma.
• Have a baby who is weak, unhealthy, or cries more often.
• Have your baby die suddenly while sleeping (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
• Have a child with learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
• Have a child that may show symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Matatizo yanayoweza tokea mbeleni kwa mtoto aliathirika na sigara:

Pengine si watoto wote wanaopata matatizo haya wameyapata toka kwa athari za sigara ila uvutaji wa sigara umeonekana kuwa na athari hizi kwa mtoto.. kupata watotot njiti, watoto wenye shida ya mapafu  na moyo , pumu , vifo vya ghafla yani mtoto analala na haamki tena na zaidi uelewa wa mtoto badae unakua mdogo sana, anakua mtukutu analilia lilia sana, akili yake inakua nzito hata atakapo anza shule. Tukijua haya yote sidhani kama kuna mzazi anapenda mtoto asie na akili msumbufu au mgonjwa mgonjwa.

Weight and size
On average, a pack-a-day habit during pregnancy will shave about a half-pound from a baby's birth weight. Smoking two packs a day throughout your pregnancy could make your baby a full pound or more lighter. While some women may welcome the prospect of delivering a smaller baby, stunting a baby's growth in the womb can have negative consequences that last a lifetime.

Body and lungs
Undersize babies tend to have underdeveloped bodies. Their lungs may not be ready to work on their own, which means they may spend their first days or weeks attached to a respirator. After they're breathing on their own (or even if they did from the start), these babies may have continuing breathing problems — because of delayed lung development or other adverse effects of nicotine. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are especially vulnerable to asthma, and have double or even triple the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 

Heart

Babies whose mother smoked in the first trimester of pregnancy are more likely to have a heart defect at birth.

In a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study published in February 2011, these babies' risk of having certain types of congenital heart defects was 20 to 70 percent higher than it was for babies whose moms didn't smoke.

Brain function
Smoking during pregnancy can have lifelong effects on your baby's brain. Children of pregnant smokers are especially likely to have learning disorders, behavioral problems, and relatively low IQs.

Watch this for more details;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxYKXPlf_gw

Does my partner’s smoking habits have an affect on the health of the unborn baby?

• Yes –even if you are not smoking, when you are exposed to second-hand smoke, you have a greater chance of having a baby that weighs too little and may have health problems when born.
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)  is also linked to the father’s tobacco use.
• Second-hand smoke exposure during pregnancy can have an impact on a child’s attention, behaviour, and ability to reason and understand.
• Your baby practices breathing before birth. Second-hand smoke stops these breathing-like movements, which can affect lung development.
• It is easier for a pregnant woman who smokes to quit if her partner quits.

What happens to babies who are exposed to second-hand smoke?

• When your baby breathes second-hand tobacco smoke all day, the effect is the same as smoking two to three cigarettes per day.
• Second-hand smoke can cause infants to cough and wheeze more, to have more colds, ear and lung infections.
• They may be hospitalized due to illness in their first year of life.
• Babies whose mother did not smoke during pregnancy, but smoked after birth are twice as likely to die of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). If both parents smoke, the risk is almost four times higher.

If you, your partner or your caregivers smoke in the home, your child will be more likely to:

• Develop more colds, coughs, bronchitis and pneumonia than other children.
• Have lungs that don't work as well.
• Develop asthma.
• Develop middle ear infections.
• Have more allergies.
• Have certain behaviour problems including hyperactivity and shorter attention spans.
• Have a decreased ability to reason and understand (cognition) and poorer performance at school.
• Be the victim of a house fire.
• Get sick or die from eating cigarette butts (4 butts can kill a baby).
• Be at risk for the development of cancer and heart disease in adult life.

Source; https://www.halton.ca/cms/one.aspx?objectId=10547

What to Avoid When Trying to Conceive

 Hi wonderful people,

We have been celebrating having kids and being pregnant and all that and somehow we have left out those who are trying to conceive. It is our prayer that we all have that joy that comes with a newborn and if it is not now then soon,  GOD 's willing.

It is my desire to dig deep into the issues of infertility for women and men, since this problem isn't just to women but men too are facing problems and i'm happy that our men now agree to take a test and see if the problem is theirs so that they can get treatment. But before going deep into the science there are other factors which can easily hinder us from falling pregnant.

If you know you are ready to be a parent and you are trying, it is advised that you start living a healthy lifestyle and here are some things that one should avoid when trying to have a baby according fertile.com

Use recreational drugs
Marijuana has detrimental effects similar to those of tobacco smoking. Be sure to limit alcohol consumption also. These substances can make it more difficult to become pregnant and may harm an early fetus.

Ingest excessive caffeine
More than moderate amounts of caffeine, the equivalent of three cups of coffee a day, or about 300 milligrams (mg), lowers the likelihood of conceiving by as much as 27%. In addition to beverages like coffee, tea and soda, caffeine is a common ingredient in food (e.g., chocolate), so 300 mg adds up more quickly than you might think.

Eat foods rich in mercury
Some fish, such as swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel and shark, contain high levels of methylmercury, which can harm an unborn child’s developing nervous system. Methylmercury can stay in your body for months affecting a fetus long after ingestion

Smoke
Cigarette smoking can lower a baby’s birth weight and is associated with infertility, miscarriages, tubal pregnancies, stillbirths, infant mortality and may cause long-term learning disabilities. Be careful of second-hand smoke too.

Expose yourself to toxic substances
Toxic substances like insecticides, paint fumes and animal feces, especially from cats, guinea pigs and hamsters, can make it harder for you to become pregnant and can harm your unborn child.

Expose yourself to toxoplasma
This food-borne illness is caused by the parasite, T. gondii, and is found in raw and undercooked meat, unwashed fruits, dirty cat-litter boxes and outdoor places where cat feces can be found. The parasite can pass through the placenta to your unborn child causing developmental problems.

Eat unhealthy types of fatty foods
Avoid foods with saturated fats and trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids are commercially altered fats and oils, commonly found in “junk foods”. Avoid “partially or fully hydrogenated” soybean, safflower, sunflower or corn oil. These types of fats can markedly reduce your chance of becoming pregnant.

Share the knowledge with someone who doesn't know, it helps.

On our next post we will look at risk factors for both male and female infertility.

 

Managing Labor Pain

How to gain control over your contractions

Giving birth has been known as the most painful thing the woman has to do. It is actually in the bible that the woman was given a Curse of pain during childbirth by GOD himself. Genesis 3:16 says: To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children………... So this verse is used as proof that pain is inevitable, ordained by the Creator as punishment for Eve’s sin. Well let’s not dwell into religion get back to business.

So YES pain is inevitable but how much pain should one go through while giving birth? How much can be controlled or avoided? This is what we are looking into here. So many stories about labour pain are out there so you can imagine if you have not giving birth yet the worries and pictures that go through your mind. In real sense this is what adds pain during delivering. You become so scared and tense that you cannot focus on what is happening to your body.

Speaking from my personal experience, psychological preparations help a big time to reduce unnecessary pain. When you are prepared and stay positive you will know how to control the changes that happen to your body during the process, you will also follow the instructions given by nurses who will be helping you receiving your baby into the world. Of course there are rare cases where there is complications during the process but otherwise you can remain as calm as possible and control the pain.

Ceridwen Morris wrote an article of on steps to reduce pain, and she discussed about the fear of the unknown which we said it can increase the perception of pain. It's important to remember that we were built to give birth. Sometimes problems come up, but we have all kinds of ways to resolve them. Sometimes a desire for a lovely, "natural" birth can push women to repress their fears and try to stay tough. But talking openly about what scares you can be a huge relief. Sometimes a good cry is in order. Birth is at once the most extraordinary and completely normal thing.

Let’s look at some of the steps

1.         Find a Caregiver You Trust

A doctor or midwife cannot talk for hours at each appointment about everything, but they should make you feel comfortable about asking questions and getting information. You want someone who really listens and with whom you can share your concerns. Women tend to have more efficient labors when they feel safe and secure. The caregiver and the location of the birth have a role in that sense of security.

2.         Think Comforting Thoughts

Oxytocin — the hormone that causes contractions — is also released when it's dark, during massage, when you orgasm and fall in love, and when you feel safe. In other words, it’s an intimate hormone, and intense fear can slow it down. This doesn't mean every woman has to be a perfectly chillaxed prenatal yoga goddess, but try to create a less stressful environment in ways that work for you. Forget about the bad stories you hear from people, kwanza kumbuka we are different in a way we respond to situations so be smart and think positive.

3.         Get in the Water

Immersing yourself in warm water during labor can be as effective for pain relief as a shot of narcotics. The weightlessness of sitting in a tub reduces pressure and pain, and the warmth softens and soothes the muscles. Though a tub may not be available, most hospitals and birthing centers have showers available to laboring women. Women with lower back pain often find that pressure from a portable shower nozzle is incredibly helpful.

In our environment this can be very difficult to most of us, what I personally did is to just take shower with warm water before heading to the hospital. (I know what you are thinking), but uchungu jamani it’s like a bomb, we all know that the pain comes and go and when it goes you are as ok as any other person except you are worried already and probably scared. But you can take your time and clean up. Make sure you know the signs of labour (normal and alerting ones which may indicate there is a problem), well I will find them for you and post them soon.

4.         Make Noise (Majanga!!!!!!!!!)

Hapa ndio wengi tunachemsha sasa, na yote yanatokana na uoga, so my dear, if you find yourself making high-pitched or screeching sounds, drop your shoulders and try to make low, deep noises to help you breathe deeply and relax your pelvic muscles. Some women even sing songs, repeat words, or count. These are all forms of distracting the mind and pushing the pain away. I remember with my first baby I put a worship CD on and started singing (crazy yeah? You can do that)

5.         Change Positions

Go with the urge to get into gravity-friendly, pelvis-opening positions. Most are pretty simple: You can lean forward against the wall, the back of a chair or your labor support person. You can rock from side to side, walk or go up and down stairs. Changing position in labor is one of the top ways to reduce the chances of other interventions, but note that once medications are given, moving becomes restricted due to the necessity for continuous monitoring. By the way did you know that it is much easier to make the baby come out when you sleep ki ubavu ubavu? Tatizo hospital zetu manures wengi hawajui na ukimpata mzuri una bahati unaweza ongea nae kwa ushauri. Try your best to be cooperative na anaekusaidia and friendly leave your pregnancy attitude home please please please.(I said it three times)

6.         Bring Support

Midwives tend to be there for most of the labor, but in general, most women labor without the continuous support of a medical professional until it's time to push.I’m personally very thankful to mmy best friend Anna kannonyele she stood by my side all the way during my first baby and thank to GOD that she is a nurse too, she almost helped to receive a baby but they asked her to leave when I started pushing. Her holding my hand or talking to me helped to distruct me from thinking of the pain, she also gave me a little massage. Partners who have done some preparation for labor can be incredible resources, too. I would say avoid going in with emotional mama, sister or partner. You need someone who will be very strong for you to give you courage not to be even more scared than you are. This happened to me with my second baby. I was with my cousin sister and my mama, they looked terrible I felt sorry for them, I remember leaving them in a tax and I walked ahead to go get my baby. Mama ran after me and poor thing she was trembling and dropped her thermos where she put some tea for me ha ah aha that was really funny (I don’t know why I didn’t laugh at that moment)…I know why, I was 30 minutes away from having my baby. I did not make it to the labor room I gave birth in a ward, the cousin sister I was with ran away ha ha aha she was terrible. So the support you bring with you must be people who are strong and won’t show you that they are scared.

7.         Try Massage

The key to a good labor massage is firm, consistent pressure in downward strokes. You can sit backward on a chair and lean forward on pillows while your partner keeps one hand on you at all times. This will help you keep focused. Your partner can also use tennis balls along your spine and lower back, rolling them in firm rotations. For women with extreme pressure in the lower back, counter-pressure can make a huge difference. Massage takes some instruction and practice. 

8.         Use Meditation and Visualization

Imagine being in a place that makes you feel very relaxed and safe. It could be a quiet beach, your childhood bedroom, or a yoga classroom — anything that works. Another option is to imagine how each contraction is not just painful, but productive — they’re opening you up for birth. This focus on the body doesn't work for everyone, but some women find it to be very positive. If at any point you feel overwhelmed, try taking several relaxation breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth to blow out stress.