Fact is, a woman’s sex drive during her pregnancy could swing to either extreme or not change much from what is normal in her non-pregnant state.

The hormones of a pregnant woman are typically all over the place during the time that she is pregnant, which will determine whether she finds the intimacy of sexual intercourse unwelcome or whether she has the best sex of her life.

Either way it is important for her partner to be sensitive and accommodative about this. If a woman is disinclined or even experiences discomfort or pain then it is important to clear the air; perhaps the couple can engage in other kinds of physical intimacy, such as stroking or massage and engage more in the kind of intimacy that comes from expressing feeling, emotions and thoughts.

It isn’t just the partner, the pregnant woman also needs to be sensitive about the feelings and needs of her partner, and should explain her point of view while attempting to be as accommodative as possible. Read more about sex during pregnancy here.

Although previous studies have shown the risks for school aged children, this is the first time a link has been shown between smoking during pregnancy and behavior problems for kids as young as 3.

Dr. Kate E. Pickett, of the University of York, Hull-York Medical School and colleagues looked for link between smoking during pregnancy and behavior problems in more than 13,000 3-year kids in UK Millenium Cohort Study.

The study gathered wide range of information including economic status of family, parents’ education level, ethnicity, marital status of parents, financial problems and maternal smoking, drinking or usage of drugs.

Source: Reuters

Even a woman who believes in and is committed to natural and unassisted delivery may change her mind through a long and difficult labor, so if she does change her mind at a later stage it helps to have known the options from before.

Also every woman is different and so is every birth.

Even one woman may have several different kinds of labor. While there are several kinds of pain relief available for a woman such as an epidural, narcotic assistance, IV shots, etc.

There are however other natural ways to obtain some relief from the pain such as:

• Music can be therapeutic in nature and can help relieve pain
• Bathing can be soothing for labor pains and can lessen the pain that the contractions cause. A warm bath is seen to relieve the pain for many women. Many women tend to opt for a water birth because of this and other reasons
• Breathing exercises and specific breathing patterns can bring about relaxation and help to get a handle on the pain making it more manageable
• Acupuncture is also known to relieve labor pain
• Certain massage techniques also help in relieving labor pain
• Women can remain active throughout the process of labor which helps them deal with and lessen the pain
• Many women find squatting the most comfortable position to give birth in, others find that sitting on a chair facing the chair back is the most comfortable, and yet others find that leaning against a wall is helpful.

In addition there is the TENS machine or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation which consists of electrodes attached to the birthing mother’s back, which is thought to stimulate the body’s natural painkiller mechanism and promote the production of endorphins. The woman herself controls the device and the strength of the current. There are no known side effects or effects on the baby.

Entonox is another option, which uses equal parts oxygen and nitrous oxide to take the edge of the pain. A woman can inhale this through a mouthpiece and thereby control how much she uses.

There are no effects and this does not pass to the baby however some women find that this gas and air mixture can make them lightheaded and does not let them concentrate on the task at hand.

It is also good to know that we can help them form an opinion about their lives.

The beauty of the world they live in during the 9 months of pregnancy is that part when we choose to treat them like the best thing that ever happened to us and by this integrate them in our daily routine.

I have read in so many magazines for mothers about the wonderful step a mother can make starting the education of her baby from the very moment he or she is conceived.

I used to think that this is something out of a science fiction book and even though I am a strong follower of the concept that the bond between the mother and her baby is unbreakable and goes on long years after the birth, this idea of starting an education this early seemed a bit too much.

What has convinced me was my god daughter. Her mother use to take yoga classes before she got pregnant. This and the fact that she was very much into “get in touch with nature” life style made her keep on doing yoga during pregnancy. [pregnancy yoga]

She liked environmental music a lot and I remember she was all the time with her iPhone headphones in her ears listening to it.

I used to say to her she will make the baby’s brains go mush after so much environmental noise but she made fun of me and went one with it.

Funny is that her pregnancy went smoothly without any problems, the little one kicking on schedule and behaving very nicely with her mom.

I remember that during my own pregnancy time both of my kids were pretty restless and there were nights when I couldn’t sleep because of their” football game”.

Well…my god daughter was very good. Her mom got all the rest she needed and was feeling wonderful.

She was a single mom, and she was dreading the fear of the birth moment. But the little girl surprised her. She came into the world a week earlier while her mother and I were shopping and the birth went as smooth as a birth can go.

When I first saw this little bundle in the arms of her mom I was so glad to see them both radiant that I almost cry.

Ever since then the little girl and her mother are exactly as they were during the pregnancy, best friends, enjoying life, smiling and listening to environmental music.

There is something about the pregnancy that makes us think we are facing 9 months of burden and maybe most of us are.

What does happen to those mothers that go through this period with a smile on their face, acting like they have the time of their life?

They really enjoy being pregnant and their children are sure to enjoy life.

It adds an indefinable element to the food that elevates that taste and helps you taste the flavors better.  While it has no taste of its own, it enhances others’ tastes.

MSG is added to a lot of things, even items as common as potato chips. Chinese food is another source of MSG since it is widely used in Chinese cooking particularly in preparation of restaurant food.

MSG’s potential for causing birth defects in rats when administered in high doses is well documented, however it is found to be safe to eat for humans generally speaking. This is true even in case of pregnant women.

Unless there is some particular sensitivity of certain individuals to MSG, it is to be avoided in any case; otherwise there is no reason for pregnant women not to have MSG.

The fact is that MSG occurs naturally and is not the villain that it is painted out to be. So far there is no definite cause of link ever proved or any evidence to substantiate the claim that MSG is harmful to the unborn baby or its development.

Some experts opine that even a large dose of MSG would not harm the baby. The FDA also classifies MSG as safe, right along with sugar, salt and baking soda which are all safe in moderation.

However some people are sensitive to MSG and among those that have sensitivity to MSG this condiment can cause vomiting, dizziness, headaches, nausea, and sleep disturbances in some cases.

Also the studies that were carried out in rats have not been replicated in human beings mostly because pregnant women are not likely to subject themselves and their unborn babies to tests willingly where large doses of MSG are administered just to see if their babies are born with birth defects.

So while MSG is considered generally safe to consume and is not prohibited or advised against even during pregnancy, if there is any feeling of trepidation on part of the mother that MSG is not good for her unborn child, then the consumption thereof can be avoided.

MSG is, by no means a necessity of any sort, it can easily be done without if there are any doubts either because of its high sodium content or otherwise. Since there is a legal requirement for foods containing the condiment to list it as an ingredient, it is easily avoided, and can be if one so wishes.

There are several factors that increase a woman’s chance of her baby having Down’s syndrome:

• The risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases along with the mother’s age. At age 20 a mother’s risk is one in 1627 where as at age 30 it is one in 1089. At age 35 it climbs up to one in 509 and at age the risk is as much as one in 40.
• When a man over 40 years of age has a child with a woman who is 35 years or more, the risk of Down syndrome increases significantly. However an older father when the mother is under 35 years was found not to increase the risk.
• If a woman has had more than four previous babies, the risk of Down syndrome is seen to increase slightly.
• Smoking is seen to considerably up the chances of a woman having a baby with Down syndrome and the combination of oral contraceptives and smoking seems to increase that risk further.

This is a birthing method that uses focused concentration. This method of birthing is about the pregnant woman going into and coming out of the state of hypnosis at will.

It is not about being unconscious or out of control, but hypnobirth proponents claim that this birthing method can mean that the labor is shorter and there are chances of having fewer complications.

The principle upon which hypnobirth is based is that hypnosis bypasses the conscious and critical mind to access the subconscious to achieve deep relaxation, which in turn is able to facilitate quicker and less painful birthing. There is also, it is claimed, less bleeding and recovery is also seen to be faster.

The Mongon Method of hypnobirthing claims to be a unique method of relaxed, natural childbirth education, enhanced by self-hypnosis techniques and that through Hypnobirthing women can use their natural instincts to bring about a safer, easier, more comfortable birthing. The series of five, 2 1/2-hour classes is available at the hypnobirthing site

Hypnobirthing claims to reduce chances of having to undergo a C section: In 2007 15.5% of US Hypnobirthing mothers birthed via C-Section, compared to the national average of 32%.

Through hypnobirth techniques one is taught how to bond prenatally, by talking to your baby, and singing to it while still in the womb.

Breathing techniques are taught in order to slow down and relax the body. This can reduce stress and promotes a feeling of calm. This can be effective for parenting and breastfeeding as well.

There is particular stress placed on relaxation techniques and on helping the mother to be able to use her natural ‘expulsive reflex’. The aim is relaxation through “releasing all concern and tension and letting the natural order of life flow through one’s being”.

Through hypnobirthing techniques there is also the attempt made to help release the fear that many mothers may inevitably feel.

There is the attempt made to make women feel more empowered and in control. The idea is to have not just the mother but both parents feel calm and confident going into the birthing.

More women who opt for hypnobirth choose to birth at home or in freestanding birth centers. This method of birthing reduces duration of labor and consequently it is claimed that 70% of women undergoing hypnobirth have unmedicated births.

Additionally it may be that a new food allergy may be detected during pregnancy, either because symptoms may be intensified or noticeable at this time or because of some other reason.

Food allergies are common and up to 4% of Americans have them. These may be intensified during pregnancy because of pregnancy hormones. What happens is that the body views innocuous or harmless items, in this case food, to be somehow harmful to the body.

So the otherwise innocuous peanut may be viewed as an invader by the body which proceeds to fight it as it would an invader. Antibodies are produced to defend the body against the perceived attack from the ‘invader’.

It could be that a woman who never had an adverse reaction to tuna may find when she is pregnant that the tuna sandwich that she is eating is causing her throat to close up, requiring medical attention.

Here is, could be that she has not had tuna too often before and the few times that the woman ate tuna before, the body did not have time to produce antibodies, now this time the reaction to the tuna was strong.

Or it could be that an already present allergy gets worse with pregnancy. One woman also found that tomatoes, which she had been allergic to since her teens, she was no longer allergic to during her pregnancy.

If you do suspect a food allergy, pregnancy is not the time to have it tested. Such testing could be anaphylactic shock or a reduction of the oxygen that reaches a mother and her unborn child.

If a particular food is what you suspect is causing or likely to cause an allergy, then it is best avoided for the duration of the pregnancy, after which it can be tested at a later date.

As for anti allergy medications, there is one view as the FDA has opined, that no medication is completely safe during pregnancy, simply because there are no tests carried out on pregnant women to negate or validate such a claim.

While all medications should be avoided during pregnancy as far as possible, there are a few medications that have been prescribed to a pregnant woman safely be taken, particularly after the first trimester. Any allergy medication should be crosschecked with the doctor before being taken when pregnant.

Many women want to keep medication down to a minimum during pregnancy and are also made uncomfortable by drowsiness that anti nausea drugs can induce.

For this reason a wrist band designed by relying on the principles of acupressure may do the job of easing morning sickness.

An Acupressure wrist band like this one, available at Amazon or this Sea Band, claim to put gentle massaging pressure on the Nei-Kuan acupressure point of the wrist. The wrist band is adjustable and comfortable, and is said to ease nausea and even motion sickness.

The band uses a plastic stud to put pressure on the appropriate point on the wrist and the product comes with appropriate instructions to locate the particular point on the wrist. The great thing is that this may come in handy even after the pregnancy, for those who get motion sick!

The term pseudopregnancy is usually used in reference to mammals other than humans. One of the most famous cases in documented history of false pregnancy was Queen of England, Mary I, who underwent several episodes of believing that she was pregnant when she actually was not.

It is believed by some that it is this disappointment of hers when she learnt that she was in fact not pregnant, that led her to violence and consequently the name of Bloody Mary.

The symptoms of false pregnancy are much the same as a real pregnancy, nausea, morning sickness, weight gain, tenderness of the breasts, stoppage of the menstrual cycle, etc, which is why it is difficult to detect and health professionals even may often not be able to distinguish a false pregnancy from a real one.

Sometimes Pseudocyesis can be entirely psychological and the woman undergoing can have any or all of the following symptoms:

• A woman is usually convinced that she is pregnant when she is in fact not
• Abdominal distension is another symptom of false pregnancy, when a woman’s belly increases in size in much the same way as it would during a regular pregnancy. So not only does the woman believe she is pregnant, she actually looks it as well because uterine enlargement is actually a symptom of false pregnancy.
• Not getting her monthly period or getting it irregularly is another symptom of false pregnancy.
• Many women experience quickening or fetal movement even though there is no fetus to produce such sensations.
• Labor pains are not uncommon and a very tiny percentage of women actually go into labor as well in a false pregnancy.
• The cervix may also soften in a false pregnancy.

False pregnancy has to be distinguished from stimulated pregnancy, wherein there is intention pretence at being pregnant, knowing this to be untrue.

False pregnancies are very rare and may happen due to a strong desire to be pregnant and a sort of wish fulfillment that results in this condition. If a woman wants to fall pregnant, she may interpret certain changes taking place inside her body as being pregnancy related.