Tag: Babys Health

Achieving Healthy Pregnancy Despite Diabetes

Among diabetic pregnant women, the most common problem when it comes to their babys health is the condition called macrosomia or having a baby with large body. This is because the blood of the mother with diabetes is interchanged with that of the baby inside the womb. As a result, the baby will produce insulin to be able to glucose and this will lead to fat deposits, which causes the baby to grown larger compared to the regular ones.

What you can do

For a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, it is ideal to maintain an appropriate weight gain, average consumption of various foods from different food groups, timely and prescribed vitamin and mineral supplementation, and lots of fluid intake. Sweets and fats should also be kept to a minimum level of consumption. The following are just some of the guidelines that pregnant women with diabetes can use to achieve healthy pregnancy despite the chronic disease:

1. Follow the appropriate meal plan religiously. More than ever, pregnant women should pay attention to what they eat and their eating patterns in general. This is very important because this stagepregnancy itselfrequires strict control of blood glucose levels in order to ensure that both the mother and baby are getting the right amount of key nutrients needed. In coming up with the right diet plan, it is best to seek the help of diabetes educator or a licensed dietitian to create the necessary adjustments needed to accommodate the needs not only of the fetus inside the womb but of the mother as well. In your meal plan, take note of calorie, carbohydrates and protein requirements every day because these will help you maintain normal blood glucose levels.

2. Regular Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose or SMBG. Experts say that the only way to tell if the woman is successful in controlling her blood glucose is by monitor their levels by themselves regularly. Since being pregnant is a sensitive condition, soon to be mothers should monitor their blood glucose levels more frequently. Ideally, SMBG should be monitored four to 10 times a day.

3. Knowledge in administering insulin injections and adjusting the doses based on the results of SMBG. Sufficient supply of insulin is very crucial for pregnant women so they must know how to administer insulin injections by themselves in case no one is around when they need it. They should also ask from their physician how to adjust the doses of insulin after they are through with the SBMG. Knowing how to adjust the doses of insulin needed is very important to ensure that the bodys supply of insulin is stable.

4. Treating or controlling hypoglycemia. Pregnant women who are diabetics are more prone to hypoglycemia because of the hormonal changes in their body. Although studies show that there are no know effects of hypoglycemia in the baby, it is best to control or treat it as soon as possible so the soon to be mom wont be having troubles during the course of conception.

5. Maintaining regular set of exercise or physical activities. This is also very important for pregnant women with diabetes because through this they can reduce the risk of hypoglycemia as well as being overweight. Since it is hard for pregnant women to do strenuous workouts, it is best to maintain the hobby of having light exercises that will keep the body moving.

Dealing With Diabetes Among Pregnant Women

Carrying a life inside the womb for nine months is probably the most wonderful experience any woman could ever have. In this stage called pregnancy, it is very important for an expectant mother to pay attention to good nutrition because this is very vital for her and her babys health. Pregnancy for regular women is complicated as it is, how much more for women who are suffering from a chronic illness such as diabetes?

During the course of the pregnancy, the mother and the baby need all the energy and nutrients they can get. Pregnancy is indeed not the time to lose weight or go on a diet because having a nutritionally sound diet can increase the chances for the baby to have a normal birth weight, proper brain development, and reduce the risk of certain birth defects. All these and more should be of topmost consideration for pregnant women who have diabetes.

What you need to know

Diabetes has three types, the type 1 diabetes which is the least common type but predominantly diagnosed among kids and teens, the type diabetes which is the most common to all ages and the gestational diabetes which are common for women once they get pregnant. It can be said that among these three types of diabetes, gestational diabetes is the easiest to deal with because it usually ends once the woman gives birth. However, this is not always the case because there are also those that continue to suffer from the disease that can lead to type 2 diabetes if not monitored and given proper medical attention immediately.

Although almost pregnant women are expected to suffer from gestational diabetes at one point during their pregnancy, there are also those who suffer from it even before they conceive. In this scenario, dealing with diabetes can be harder and much more complicated. But now, with the help of modern technology and advances in the field of medical research, pregnancy for women who are diabetics is fairly easier and lesser risk when it comes to the overall health of the baby and the mother as well.

First things first

For women who are diagnosed with diabetes, getting pregnant should be an utmost decision to make. This is because it will greatly determine not just the babys health but the womans overall health condition as well. For women who are planning to get pregnant despite suffering from diabetes, the major consideration to ponder on is the readiness of the womans body. This is very important to ensure that the woman can meet all the challenges and difficulties that goes with pregnancy.

To know if the womans body is ready for pregnancy despite diabetes, she should undergo a thorough physical examination administered by a licensed physician. This is very important because the physician can tell if the body is ready for the demands of pregnancy and labor and the possible complications that might occur along the way.

Experts say that pregnant women who have diabetes will most likely develop related complications such as diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, kidney disease, autonomic neuropathy or nerve damage to the internal organs, and cardiovascular diseases.

What you can do

With proper daily management, many women were able to have successful deliveries. The following are just some of the things that helped them along the way:

– frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG);

– administering insulin injections and identifying how to adjust the doses depending on results of their SMBG;

– controlling and treatment of hypoglycemia;

– maintaining an appropriate level of regular exercise or physical activities; and an

– appropriate meal plan specially designed for women who have diabetes.

Eczema Treatment Whats a Pregnant Woman with Eczema to

Eczema Treatment Whats a Pregnant Woman with Eczema to Do?

A woman with eczema during pregnancy is swamped with a lot of concerns. Should she continue her typical eczema treatment? Will it not have some nasty effects on the baby shes carrying in her womb? Its normal for her to be concerned about both her and her babys health when it comes to taking medications, since side effects obviously expose the two of them to certain risks.

1. It is best to talk with your doctor before continuing to take any eczema medications. Some medications are safe for use during pregnancy, while others may cause birth defects. That is why medications are categorized based on their potential effects to a pregnant woman and the baby inside her. Her doctor can help weigh the benefits and risks of continuing with her eczema medications, and advise her accordingly should there be a need for alternative treatments instead.

2. One of the symptoms of eczema flare ups is itchiness. A pregnant woman should be able to rest and sleep a lot to ensure her healthy pregnancy. However, at night, a restful sleep may become extremely difficult to achieve because of severe itching. Because of this, she should ask her doctor for a medication that will relieve this dilemma a medication without any bad effects to her and her babys health.

3. There are many eczema remedies out there that claim to be herbal or all natural. A pregnant woman should not just take them right away without consulting her doctor first. Even though these kinds of medications sound like theyre safe for use, they do not come without side effects. She should never believe right away their claims that they do not endanger the health of a person in any way. The truth is some of these products have been linked to cases of miscarriages, premature births and birth defects.

4. The best thing a pregnant woman with eczema to do is prevent the occurrence of flare ups. She can achieve this by carefully sticking to good skin practices designed especially for eczematous skin. When taking a bath, she should use lukewarm water instead of hot water. A gentle soap should be used, the kind free of fragrances, colorants and other chemicals that may irritate her skin condition. She should remember to apply moisturizers onto the affected skin areas within 2-3 minutes after taking a bath. Moisturizing is a pregnant womans first line of defense against flare ups.

5. Stress reduction is advised for every pregnant woman not just for those with eczema. Of course pregnancy is a stressful phase in a womans life. However, she should find ways on how to effectively relax and get rid of thoughts that cause her stress. Stress will only aggravate her eczema. It also has some bad effects such as premature labor and birth, low birth weight and many others.

6. A pregnant woman should be able to point out the triggering factors for her flare ups, and try her best to stay away from them. Some of the most common triggering factors include perfumes, detergents, fabrics like polyester and wool, and others. Excessive heat and cold also causes flare ups. During summer, she should avoid sweating too much by staying in air-conditioned rooms with humidifiers installed. During winter, she should always apply moisturizers to prevent the skin from excessive drying.

Eczema treatment for a pregnant woman is really not at all that tricky, as long as she sticks to the pointers mentioned above, and with regular communication and checkup with her doctor.