Pregnancy and Childbirth
Pregnancy is a wonderful time in a woman’s life and she experiences many changes as her body adapts to the needs of the growing fetus. One of the most uncomfortable problems associated with pregnancy is itching due to dry, stretching skin. Pregnancy is usually expected to be a safe and healthy process. Being relaxed and meditate during pregnancy have very beneficial effects on the mother and her baby. Seeing a doctor regularly throughout the pregnancy helps to ensure potential problems can be dealt with promptly before they become issue for the mother or the baby.
Pregnancy is also one of the few occasions when it’s OK (actually, vital) to gain weight — a unfamiliar concept for many women! While it’s not a free pass to wolf down a whole bag of doughnuts, it is a time when you can get away with some minor indulgences. Pregnancy is an immunological balancing act in which the mother’s immune system has to remain tolerant to the fetus and yet maintain immune competence for defense against microorganisms. Pregnancy is not for the frail, which is why women do it. But the reward, a baby is worth it. It is God’s blessing.
Childbirth is usually hard work, it is always, at some point, painful, and it is always extraordinary – regardless of whether or not one has chosen to go without pain medication. Doing it the natural way is much recommended. Your mind and your body are totally connected, and if you are worried and anxious when it is time to give birth, you will make your body tense and your contractions will be that much more painful. Childbirth is, after all, a dramatic event and a very finely-tuned involuntary process. It is regulated by a series of signals exchanged between the mother’s brain and the rest of her body. Meditation is strongly recommended during pregnancy (actually anytime). Childbirth is a blessed time and you’ll want to know you are in good hands. Find a midwife or doctor you respect, trust and can openly communicate with. Childbirth is formally divided by the medical field into three stages. The first stage is labor, which has three phases: early, active, and transitional.
Do your infant a favor and breast feed your baby. Breastfeeding is warmth, nutrition, and mother’s love all rolled into one. Understanding and appreciating the signs of knowing when your baby is getting enough to eat is the one of the most important things a new mother can learn. Breastfeeding should be the first choice if your child can take anything by mouth. Because of the ease and rapidity with which breast milk is digested, even if your child vomits or stools shortly after nursing, he will still have retained some of the nutrients.
Mother and father would be wise to learn from their babies instead of assuming that babies are always learning from them.
