If you suspect your baby feels warmer than usual you may need to check
for fever. Always use a modern digital thermometer to take your child's
temperature. These are not only more accurate and easy to use, but also
avoid the risk involved in older designs that use mercury.
Read the rest of this entry ... (308 words left)
Constipation
Many pregnant women complain of
constipation. According to the U.S Department of Health and Human
Services, high levels of hormones in your spouse's pregnant body slow
down digestion and relax muscles in the bowels leaving many women
constipated. Plus, the pressure of the expanding uterus on the bowels
boosts the chances for constipation.
Try these tips to help her stay more regular:
• Add fiber-rich foods like fresh or dried fruit, raw vegetables, and whole-grain cereals and breads daily to her diet
• Get her to drink eight to ten glasses of water everyday
•
Tell her to avoid caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, colas, and some
other sodas), since caffeine makes her body lose fluid needed for
regular bowel movements
• Get her moving. Mild exercise like walking may also ease constipation.
Heartburn and Indigestion
Almost
every pregnant woman experiences indigestion and heartburn. Hormones
and the pressure of the growing uterus cause this discomfort. Pregnancy
hormones slow down the muscles of the digestive tract. So food tends to
move more slowly and digestion is sluggish. This causes many pregnant
women to feel bloated.
According to the U.S Department of Health
and Human Services, hormones also relax the valve that separates the
esophagus from the stomach. This allows food and acids to come back up
from the stomach to the esophagus. The food and acid causes the burning
feeling of heartburn. As the baby gets bigger, the uterus pushes on the
stomach, making heartburn more common in later pregnancy.
Try these tips to help your partner prevent and ease indigestion and heartburn:
• Avoid greasy and fried foods in her diet
• Make sure she eats six to eight small meals instead of three large meals
• Take care she doesn't gain more than the recommended amount of weight
• Allow her to only take small sips of milk or eat small pieces of chipped ice to soothe burning
• Make sure she eats slowly
• Ask your doctor if she can take an antacid medicine
Dehydration refers to a condition when the amount of fluid in a
person's body is less than the ideal requirement. Babies and infants
are commonly susceptible to dehydration. Dehydration in babies occurs
mainly when they take in less fluid than they lose, typically through
vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or perspiration. While dehydration is often
mild and easily reversible, sometimes it can also be serious and
potentially life threatening.
Read the rest of this entry ... (195 words left)
