How the Body Changes During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of enormous changes to the body. Some of the physical effects of pregnancy are well known, like weight gain and nausea. Many, however, come as a surprise to women experiencing pregnancy for the first time. If your partner is pregnant, here are some changes you may want to know about, so you’ll understand what to expect.

Trying to get pregnant can be extremely thrilling, but also full of anxiety. The first sign of pregnancy may be a missed period, but you may experience other symptoms right around the same time. For many women, overwhelming fatigue may be the first clue that they’re going to have a baby. It makes sense that the body would be tired, since it’s having to adjust to a lot of physical changes. A pregnant woman should sleep whenever possible, whether that means sleeping longer at night or squeezing in naps during the day. Fortunately, she’ll have more energy in the second trimester.

Morning sickness may be the most well-known symptom of early pregnancy, and it involves nausea and vomiting caused by pregnancy hormones. It doesn’t really confine itself to morning, though, and can happen any time of day or night. A pregnant woman might find that certain foods or smells make her feel sick, and many people feel sicker on an empty stomach. There are tons of remedies for morning sickness, from taking vitamin B6 to using over the counter ginger supplements and other herbal remedies, to wearing sea-sickness bands on the wrists.

Other symptoms that women experience at the beginning of pregnancy include frequent urination, lightheadedness, heartburn, constipation, skin changes from increased circulation, visible veins because of the extra blood being pumped through the body, swollen, tender breasts, vaginal changes, emotional swings, and a metallic taste in the mouth. Some of these symptoms go away as the pregnancy progresses, but others stick around until after the baby is born. As a woman gets further into her pregnancy, her ligaments loosen, she’ll gain weight, and she’s likely to retain fluid. It’s important for pregnant women to eat a nutritious diet, stay hydrated, get enough rest, and be careful to follow the doctor’s instructions to avoid pregnancy complications.

Some of the changes women experience during pregnancy come as a surprise. For instance, many people don’t know that nearsightedness and blurred vision often occur during pregnancy. There may also be an increase of intraocular pressure. Most pregnant women tend to prefer saltier or sweeter foods than they did before pregnancy. The sense of smell may also increase, making the woman more sensitive to odor. Many women find that it’s harder to exercise when pregnant, and most find that their hair and nails grow very quickly. Once the baby is born, though, the body will shed most of that hair, with shedding happening for up to a year postpartum. Hyperpigmentation can occur during pregnancy, with skin tone darkening on various parts of the body, and sometimes on the face. It’s important to wear sunscreen during pregnancy to help keep this to a minimum, but this darkening typically goes away after the baby is born.

Pregnancy is an extremely exciting time for both parents, and full of change. The best thing to do is embrace it and support your partner as she experiences physical and emotional changes. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How to Help Relieve Morning Sickness

Some women experience it, some don’t, and it’s over-dramatized in the movies and on TV. We could be referring to a number of things, but in this case, we’re talking about morning sickness. Here are some facts you should know about this unpleasant side effect of pregnancy and how to help if your partner is experiencing it.

First, the facts. Morning sickness can happen at any and all times of day, and it doesn’t always involve vomiting, but the nausea can be extremely uncomfortable. It usually starts around the sixth week of pregnancy, and passes by week 12, though it’s different for every woman. Morning sickness happens to about half of all women who become pregnant, and only requires medical treatment if there is excessive vomiting that leads to dehydration and weight loss. Otherwise, it’s fine to treat it through measures like acupressure and home remedies. Here are some ways you can help your partner get some relief from morning sickness:

• Encourage her to rest. Whether it’s a good, long night of sleep or naps during the day, rest can help alleviate morning sickness. If you have kids already, arrange for a babysitter to give their mom a break so she can catch some z’s.
• Offer to cook. When a woman has morning sickness, her sense of smell is typically heightened. This may make her reluctant to cook, but it’s important for her to keep something in her stomach to help with the queasiness.
• Help her to eat the right foods. Women with morning sickness should steer clear of fatty and spicy foods, as well as caffeine. Carbs, protein, and fruit with potassium can help, and small portion sizes are best. For many women, a snack of salty crackers and protein before getting out of bed in the morning can be a great remedy for morning sickness. A high-protein snack before bed is good for regulating blood glucose levels during the night.
• Make her some tea. Ginger and peppermint teas are known to help settle the stomach and ease feelings of nausea. Ginger in any form can be helpful, so your partner might want to try a few different types of ginger products to see which works for her. Ginger snaps, gingerbread, and crystallized ginger are all good options.
• Help her stay physically and mentally active. Offer to take a walk with her, play cards, or do a puzzle together. Encourage her to talk to you about how she’s feeling so that you can have a better idea of how to help.
• Suggest some other remedies. Some women find that wearing sea-sickness bands alleviates morning sickness. Others find relief from sipping on a coke or brushing their teeth with children’s toothpaste, which doesn’t have such a strong, minty flavor.

Morning sickness is uncomfortable, but it can be a normal part of a perfectly healthy pregnancy. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How Common is it for Babies to Have Jaundice

If the doctor tells you that your baby has jaundice, that news may alarm you. However, it’s fairly common and usually harmless. Here are some facts you may need to know about newborn jaundice.

• The symptoms of jaundice include yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It can also cause dark, yellow urine, instead of colorless, or pale-colored stools, rather than yellow or orange. The characteristic yellowing can be difficult to see on darker skin tones and may be easier to see on the palms or soles of the feet.
• Your doctor will examine your baby for jaundice before you leave the hospital. As part of the newborn physical examination, the doctor will check for jaundice within 72 hours of birth. That’s because the symptoms usually develop about two days after the baby is born. If you believe your baby has jaundice after you’ve gone home, you can check by gently pressing on your baby’s forehead or nose, in good lighting. If the skin looks yellow where you’ve pressed it, it could be jaundice. In that case, speak to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
• What causes jaundice? Jaundice occurs because bilirubin, a yellow substance produced by the breakdown of red blood cells, builds up in the blood. It’s common in newborns because they have a high number of red blood cells, and those cells are broken down and replaced frequently. Further, the liver is responsible for removing bilirubin in the blood, and a baby’s liver is not fully developed so it doesn’t do it as effectively. Sometimes, jaundice is caused by infection, internal bleeding, liver or bile duct malfunction, abnormal red blood cells, or enzyme deficiency. Jaundice affects about six out of every 10 babies.
• There are risk factors that can increase your baby’s likelihood of developing jaundice. Being born before 37 weeks increases a baby’s risk of jaundice, and eight in 10 babies born prematurely will develop this condition. Breastfeeding raises the risk of jaundice, though it is believed that the substantial benefits of breastfeeding outweigh this risk. Bruising during birth can increase the risk of jaundice, as can a difference between the mother’s blood type and the baby’s. Babies of East Asian ancestry are at increased risk of jaundice.
• How is jaundice treated? Typically, jaundice resolves on its own, without treatment, by the time the baby is about two weeks old. For one in 20 babies, though, the blood bilirubin level gets high enough to warrant treatment. There are two treatments typically used to bring bilirubin levels down quickly:
  • Phototherapy uses light shining on the skin.
  • Exchange transfusion is a procedure in which the baby’s blood is removed and replaced with blood from a matching donor.
• Left untreated, jaundice can lead to serious complications. Acute bilirubin encephalopathy occurs when bilirubin, which is toxic to brain cells, passes into the brain. This can cause listlessness, difficulty waking, high-pitched crying, poor sucking or feeding, backward arching, and fever. Acute bilirubin encephalopathy can lead to a syndrome called kernicterus, which is permanent damage to the brain. Fortunately, kernicterus is rare.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Things You Should Do Before Your Partner Goes into Labor

Waiting for the arrival of a new baby is very exciting! It may seem like it’s a long way away but trust us, if your partner is pregnant, that baby is right around the corner. Are you ready? Here are some things you and your partner need to do before labor begins.

• Get the baby gear ready. You may already be preparing the nursery, but now is also the time to unbox and assemble all the things you got at the baby shower! Install your car seat, assemble your changing table, swing, bouncer, and other equipment you’ll use in the first few months. In fact, if you have room for it all, you can go ahead and put together things your baby won’t use for quite a while. Trust us, you won’t feel like assembling that exersaucer while holding a baby.
• Load up on essentials. Stockpile things like cleaning products, paper products, and toiletries, so that you don’t have to think about shopping while you’re sleep-deprived and caring for a newborn. While you’re at it, stock your medicine chest with over the counter medicines and first-aid supplies, as well as any prescriptions you might forget to refill once you’re preoccupied with a baby.
• Fill your freezer. You may have meals lined up through your friends and family members, but it never hurts to stick some casseroles in the freezer. It’s good to have healthy meals available so you won’t be tempted to order out.
• Make arrangements for your furry babies. If you’ve got pets, anticipate that they’re going to need some care when the baby comes. Arrange not only for someone to take care of them while you’re in the hospital, but also for someone to come play with them and give them attention after you’re home. Expect them to be a little jealous when you’re giving all of your attention to this new little stranger.
• Plan some nights out. Have a last hoorah with your friends or plan a babymoon for the two of you. The mom-to-be might also want to take a day all to herself to be self-indulgent and pampered. It will be a while before you get another chance to hit the town, so you might as well do it before the baby arrives.
• Schedule some preventive care. Go to the optometrist, the dentist, and any other doctor you might need to see for routine care before your calendar fills up with baby care.
• Make plans for the birth announcement. Are you planning to hire a photographer to take newborn photos? Get an appointment in the books! If you’re planning to mail out birth announcements, design them ahead of time, so that when the baby comes you can just fill in the details and get them done.
• Get ready for the hospital trip. This means taking a hospital tour, packing a bag, and driving the route you’ll take when the baby comes so that it will be familiar when it’s go time. As the due date approaches, make sure to keep your gas tank full.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.