The moment you announce you’re pregnant, people start giving you food to eat and a chair to sit in. You have an excuse to bulk up! But capping weight gain at 35 pounds (25 if you start out overweight) is best for you and your child: A baby born to a woman who gains too [...]
Looks like you’ve discovered the first big thing in pregnancy: your breasts. While bellies don’t usually do much growing until the second trimester, breasts often begin their expansion within weeks of conception, gradually working their way through the bra cup alphabet (you may ultimately end up three cups bigger than you started out). Fueling this [...]
What is it? An ectopic pregnancy (also known as a tubal pregnancy) is one that implants outside the uterus, most commonly in a fallopian tube, usually because something (such as scarring in the fallopian tube) obstructs or slows the movement of the fertilized egg into the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy can also occur in the [...]
If you’ve experienced an early pregnancy loss, the sadness you’ll feel is the same no matter the cause or the official medical name. Still, it’s helpful to know about the different types of miscarriage so you’re familiar with the terms your practitioner might be using.
Besides having your hands twice as full, your recovery from a multiple delivery will be very similar to that of a singleton delivery. You can also expect these postpartum differences: 1. It’ll likely take longer for your belly to return to normal size (it was stretched out more, after all). You’ll likely have more extra [...]
Wondering if your triplets are destined to take the abdominal route out? Cesarean delivery is most often used for triplets—not only because it’s usually safest, but because C-sections are more commonly in high-risk deliveries (a category triplets always fall into) and because they’re more common among older moms (who give birth to the majority of [...]
Between midnight bathroom runs, a racing mind, cramping legs, heartburn that’s keeping you upright, a hopped-up metabolism that’s keeping the heat on even when it’s off, and the impossibility of getting comfortable when you’re sporting a basketball in your midsection, it’s no wonder that you can’t settle in for a good night’s sleep. While this [...]
What you’re probably feeling is the pregnancy equivalent of growing pains: the stretching of muscles and ligaments supporting your enlarging uterus. Technically, it’s known as round ligament pain, and most expectant moms experience it. But there’s a wide variety of ways to experience it. The pain may be crampy, sharp and stabbing, or achy, and [...]
The aches and discomforts of pregnancy aren’t designed to make you miserable, though that’s often the upshot. They’re the side effects of the preparations your body is making for that momentous moment when your baby is born. Backache is no exception. During pregnancy, the usually stable joints of the pelvis begin to loosen up to allow easier passage [...]
Join the club, Pregnant bellies are itchy bellies, and they can become progressively itchier as the months pass. That’s because as your belly grows, the skin stretches rapidly, becoming increasingly moisture-deprived—leaving it itchy and uncomfortable. Try not to scratch, which will only make you itchier and could cause irritation. Moisturizer can temporarily curb the itching; [...]
You’ll almost certainly never need the following instructions—but just in case, keep them handy. 1. Try to remain calm. You can do this. 2. Call 911 (or your local emergency number) for the emergency medical service. Ask them to call your practitioner. 3. Find a neighbor or someone else to help, if possible. 4. Start [...]