How to Prevent Infection During Pregnancy

These 10 tips can help prevent infections that can harm your baby. Not always know if you have an infection and sometimes even feel bad. If you believe you have an infection or at risk of contracting a visit to your doctor.

1. • • Wash your hands often with soap and water after you do the following:
     • Use the bathroom
     • Play raw meats, raw eggs or dirty plant
     • Prepare and eat foods
     • Makes gardening or touches the ground or soil
     • You are in contact with pets
     • It is close to sick people
     • Play saliva (sputum) with your hands
     • Take care of children or play with them
     • Change diapers
2. If you do not have soap and water, you can clean your hands with a gel-based hand alcohol.
3. Try not share cutlery, glasses and food with young children. Wash your hands when you are in continued contact with children. Saliva and urine of them may contain a virus. This virus probably will not hurt the children, but can be dangerous for you and the baby is born.
4. Prepare the meat until just cooked. Meat juices should be clear and the meat should not be red on the inside. Do not eat hot dogs (hot dogs), cold cuts or deli meats, unless they are heated to high temperatures. These little cooked and processed meats may contain harmful bacteria.
5. Avoid consuming unpasteurized milk (raw) and food derived from it. Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta and brie, or cheese, unless the labels say they have been pasteurized. Non-pasteurized products may contain harmful bacteria.
6. Do not touch or clean the dirty litter box for cats. Ask someone to do so. If you have to change the litter box, make sure to wear gloves and wash their hands after doing so. The boxes of dirty sand may have harmful parasites.
7. Stay away from domestic or wild rodents and their droppings. Hire a professional exterminator to eliminate harmful insects and rodents in and outside the home. If you have a pet rodent, in the case of a hamster or a guinea pig of India, ask someone else to take care until the baby is born. Some rodents can carry harmful viruses.
8. Become testing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV and hepatitis B, and protect against these diseases. Some people who have HIV, hepatitis B or an STD do not feel sick. It is important to know if you have one of these diseases. Should one of these diseases, talk to your doctor about ways to reduce the possibility that the disease affects her baby.
9. Talk to your doctor about vaccinations (shots). There are vaccines that are recommended before pregnancy, during or just after the baby is born. Apply appropriate vaccines at the right time can help you stay healthy and keep your baby is sick or having health problems for life.
10. Avoid contact with people who have infections. Stay away from people with infections such as chickenpox or rubella, if you have not yet had the disease or were not vaccinated against these before pregnancy.
11. Ask your doctor about the group B streptococcus Nearly 1 in 4 women carry this type of bacteria, but do not feel bad. A simple test is to take a sample from the vagina and rectum with a swab, towards the end of the pregnancy will reveal whether you have this type of bacteria. If you have group B strep, talk to your doctor about how to protect your baby during birth.
12. This is not a complete guide to a healthy pregnancy. Ask your doctor for more information on how to prepare food properly, use insect repellent when outdoors, the best way to take your medicines and other important issues.

Source: www.wikihow.com

How to Deal With Teen Pregnancy

Pregnancy is sometimes unplanned, especially the younger we are. Our bodies are made in such a way, that you can get pregnant as a teenager. This is a time in our lives when we are emotionally and financially needing support to deal with having a child. Be brave, you have a challenge ahead of you.

If you are a pregnant teen, and made a mistake, here are some ways to help you with your pregnancy.

1. When you first discover you are pregnant, you should tell someone that you trust and who will support you.
2. Telling your parents about the pregnancy can be a difficult thing to do, especially if they didn't know you were sexually active. Figure out the best way to do this (see external link).
3. Support:If both or one of your parents support you, that is wonderful, as they have experience and can guide you through parenting. If the father of your baby supports you, that, too, could be wonderful, as he could willingly help you by taking you to appointments, paying for baby stuff, being emotionally supportive, and so much more. If you don't find support, tell people you trust until you find people who will support you. If no one knows or supports you, you could be going through this alone.
4. Apply for Medicaid and WIC to cover your medical expenses, food and living expenses if necessary. Oftentimes, there is support for young women, and it can help you to find jobs, finish high school, and go to a vocational school or college.
5. Take a parenting course (see external link).
6. Find a place to stay. If your parents don't support you, or are giving you an ultimatum to do their wishes or move, and your boyfriend is not supportive, see if you can find a relative, friend, or anyone who has your best interests. If you don't have support from friends or family, seek help from the state.
7. Get advice. If you're afraid of having a baby, consult an elder, nurse, doctor or midwife. Ask them what to expect.
8. Save money.Be thrifty in what you buy. There are oftentimes places where you can buy stuff for you and your baby very cheaply, such as yard sales and thrift stores.

Tips

• If your boyfriend is abusive you should ask him to get counseling. If he is not willing to do so, you may need to remove yourself and your baby away from him.
• Consider and keep your options open, such as adoption. Look at the pros and cons of each choice and choose the one that's right for you, such as your finacial situation and support circle. If you choose not to get an abortion, then keep adoption open. You may realize throughout the pregnancy that you can't support a child or your parents don't support your decision. Life can throw unexpected things at you. Just have a back-up plan.
• Check MySpace, yahoo and other groups, there are young mother support groups online.
• If the father doesn't want to be involved, you can still collect child support.
• If your parents are forcing you to choose an option you aren't comfortable with, consider becoming emancipated.

Warnings

• When a baby is left alone or is left without his mother for a long time, a baby will go through three stages: protest, despair, and detachment. (See online parenting class, Chapter 3: Separation)
• This is just a theory put forward by the developmental psychologist John Bowlby. Theory is an important word here as it means that it has not been definitively proven to be the case. Although the theory had a lot of support in the 1950s, Bowlby's research had many flaws in that it relied on retrospective evidence, did not consider the degree of separation, and did not consider the differences between privation and deprivation. Therefore there is good reason to hae a certain ammount of doubt about this theory.

Source: www.wikihow.com

How to Go Through a Pregnancy Smoothly

Congratulations! You've now stepped from preconception to pregnancy. The next 38 to 40 weeks may be a challenge, but producing a healthy baby at the end is well worth it. Having a significant other, family, or friends by your side will motivate and keep you in a positive world through the worst days.

1. Get prenatal care as soon as possible. Early prenatal care is essential for good health during your pregnancy. It can help prevent fetal compromise from undetected problems such as diabetes and RH immunizations. Late prenatal care is resulted in blood tests, such as Hepatitis B and different immune tests. It is advisable to get prenatal vitamins as soon as you know that you're pregnant and keep all of your appointments with your doctor. Take your significant other or someone close with you to ultrasounds.
2. Alert your boss when you feel comfortable announcing the pregnancy. Letting them know that you are pregnant, not only deters you from lifting things, but also advises them to allow time for labor and maternity leave. It is illegal for them to ask if you are pregnant, and also illegal for them to fire you or lay you off due to your pregnancy.
3. 
   
   Eat healthy for the two of you. Pregnant women need a lot more nutrients than non-pregnant women, which means a bigger proportion of fruits and vegetables. The caffeine intake should not be more than 300 mg (milligrams) a day; some professionals say that you should avoid caffeine as much as you can. Trade your cravings for healthier items. Instead of potato chips, eat carrot sticks. Try chocolate cereal with skim milk instead of chocolate candy. Drink non caffeine drinks, such as Fanta, 7up, or juice. Remember to get your 7 to 8 glasses of water.
4. Keep crackers or gum near you. Believe it or not, chewing gum helps stomach acid and lowers the amount of morning sickness. If you do start to feel nausea waves, eat a few soda or animal crackers.
5. Keep active, but know your limits. For this part in your life, you're not Super-Woman. Don't lift more than your doctor or OBGYN advises. Wear fitted clothes, as you will gain throughout the months. Avoid saunas and hot spas during your pregnancy. Don't be on your feet for prolonged periods of time -- relax and take deep breaths.
6. 
   
   Don't be ashamed of preparing early! Window shopping and tossing out ideas are great ice breakers to get you in the spirit when the time comes for purchasing. If you wish to go cheap, search Craigslist.com, Walmart, or local garage sales. You can purchase many items used, however, it is best to purchase a new crib and car seat. If you do purchase a used crib make sure all of the hardware is present and in good condition, you should also verify that the crib meets the current national safety standards, check with the National Safety Council. If you decide to purchase a used car seat, you should also inspect its quality carefully, look for signs of wear on the straps or stress cracks then make sure to check with the National Highway Traffic & Safety Association (NHTSA). Write down the car seat manufacturer, model number and serial number and call the NHTSA Hotline to confirm that this particular model and serial number has not been recalled. Many local organizations will provide car seats to you at a reduced rate if you can't afford a new one, check with your doctor or local community center.
7. Be more confident with information. Go to libraries, thrift book stores, or ask for pamphlets on pregnancy, labor, and caring of infants. Sign up for classes within a local hospital, which may be free or have a small fee (depending how long the sessions go for, etc).
8. Get ready for the unexpected. Your may go into labor any time between 38 to 42 weeks and it may happen at the most unexpected times and places. Prepare a plan for how to get to the hospital. Pack a bag for you and your baby ahead of time too, make sure to include any items you and the baby will need. Don't forget the camera! You should also install your car seat ahead of time, hospitals will not release you unless you have a properly installed car seat.

Tips

• Getting close to your significant other can be defined as granted massages -- feet and back massages are heaven during your pregnancy!
• Go all the way and start a pregnancy scrapbook. Include all ultrasound pictures that you receive, log down how you felt through the months, what you craved, pictures of your stomach (against a wall or a mirror image), and people's sayings or reactions about the pregnancy.

Warnings

• Watch out for Toxoplasmosis from cats' feces. You don't need to avoid or get rid of cats, but just be extra alert while either cleaning a litter box or being around it.
• Also watch for different chemicals as the months go by, for example Chlorine and bleach products.

Source: www.wikihow.com