Oh my! Check out these adorable photos of TY Bello's twin boys

Check out these adorable pic of celebrity photographer and singer TY Bello's twin boys, Christian and Christopher. She welcomed the boys on October 10th in the US. They are so adorable. See another photo after the cut...

TY Bello & husband welcome twin boys after 9 years of marriage

Celebrated photographer and singer, TY Bello and her husband, Kashetu have welcomed their first children together, a set of twin boys, after 9 years of marriage. TY put to birth in the US on Friday October 10th. The twin boys have been named Christian and Christopher. Big big congrats to TY. Anyone who says God does not exist...doesn't know what they are talking about. God be praised.

Hot photos: Pregnant Kelly Rowland strips for Elle magazine

First time soon to be mum Kelly Rowland stripped for Elle magazine and talks about raising a child in the spotlight. When asked what kind of celebrity mum she will be, Kelly replied;

"I just plan to play it by ear. Everybody has their normal. And sometimes, award shows are a part of that. I have girlfriends who have that experience, and they'll say 'You know, I just really didn't want to be without my child today.' And it's just that simple. It's about finding your normal, whatever that may be."

See more photos after the cut...

Guide to Pregnancy Hormones

It doesn't seem quite fair to accuse your hormones of causing every bloat, blemish, and emotional outburst during your pregnancy. But the truth is that this potent cocktail of chemicals really is guilty as charged, and everything that's happening to your body these days — both the good, and the not-so-good — can be pinned on them. Here are the important hormones you'll be witness to as you go through your own trials and tribulations.
 
Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone
 
Although these hormones are inactive during pregnancy itself, you wouldn't be in this amazing altered state called pregnancy if it weren't for the crisp conceptual choreography of luteinizing hormone (LH) and its partner, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Both hormones are produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and act early in life to mature the ovaries (and the testes in men); later on, they're the caretakers of your 28-day (give or take) menstrual cycle.
 
First to the gate is FSH: At the beginning of the cycle (just as the last of your old uterine lining is sloughed away in your period), FSH stimulates one of your ovaries' egg-bearing follicles to ripen its cargo and start making the hormone estrogen. Estrogen tells the uterine lining to begin rebuilding and eventually shuts down further secretion of FSH. At the same time, estrogen sets off a blast of luteinizing hormone, bursting the follicle and releasing the egg. The splayed-apart follicle now becomes a structure called the corpus luteum, or "yellow body"; it pumps out the hormone progesterone, which fine-tunes the ripening of the uterus and inhibits LH. Now on its own, the egg makes its way down the fallopian tubes to await the arrival of sperm. If no suitors are successful, it's down and out, leaving your body with your period.  But if a sperm cell and the egg do rendezvous, the game is on.
 
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
 
You probably didn't recognize it at the time, but you'd come face-to-stick with the hormone hCG the day that little plus sign showed up on your home pregnancy test. It's manufactured by the cells of the newly developing placenta within days after the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining and gets the hormonal ball rolling by stimulating the corpus luteum to pump out even more estrogen and progesterone. HCG is found in your urine and your blood, which explains why you can pee on a stick to see if you're pregnant — and why your practitioner may run a blood test to find out for sure. The hormone increases rapidly in the first few months (if you're carrying more than one baby, even more will be chugging through your bloodstream), and your practitioner may check its levels to monitor your baby's progress.
 
The cause of morning sickness: If morning sickness has you sidelined — morning, noon, night, or all of the above — you can also blame the hormone hCG. Surging quantities in the first trimester contribute to your queasiness. Many researchers say it is no coincidence that morning sickness usually subsides around the same time that hCG levels start to decrease, which is around the beginning of the second trimester, when the placenta takes over production of estrogen and progesterone. Talk to your doctor about the newly FDA-approved drug, Diclegis, which is used to treat the condition of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP). Peeing all the time? Blame hCG. And if you're catching every cold and flu within sniffing distance, you have hCG to thank: It suppresses your immune function to reduce the chance that your body will reject the baby.

Nausea During Pregnancy (Morning Sickness During Pregnancy)

What is morning sickness?

That nauseous, queasy feeling in your stomach, which can sometimes lead to vomiting — so innaccurately dubbed morning sickness, because it can hit at any time of the day or night, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.

What causes it?
Some unknown combination of hormones, increased stress, and other body changes (such as a keener sense of smell, or that metallic taste during pregnancy) can seem to conspire against a pregnant woman, especially in the early months. Nausea during pregnancy could be caused by the increased level of the pregnancy hormones hCG and estrogen circulating in your body, or the relaxation of the muscles of the digestive tract (making digestion less efficient) due to rising progesterone levels, or the rapid stretching of the uterine muscles. Skipping meals and your pregnancy food aversions also can contribute to the empty and nauseous feeling.

What do I need to know?
If you're among the majority of pregnant women who experience morning sickness, you already know the bad news: That while nausea during pregnancy often starts in the morning, it can stay with you 24/7, for weeks, or even months. The good news: For the vast majority of expectant moms, the worst of it is over by weeks 12 to 14. The better news: Nausea tends to be worse in first pregnancies. If you're planning to have a second child, odds are in your favor that you won't feel as sick. The best news of all: Morning sickness won't hurt your baby. In fact, women who do experience some nausea during pregnancy are significantly less likely to miscarry than women who don't experience any (though most women have healthy babies, whether or not they experience morning sickness).

If your nausea is continuous and severe and you vomit several times a day, make sure to see your doctor. You may have a more serious condition, hyperemesis gravidarum, which sometimes requires additional treatment to protect both you and your baby.

What can I do about morning sickness?

• You may also want to talk to your doctor about taking Diclegis, a new drug approved by the FDA to treat the medical condition of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), commonly known as morning sickness. You'll likely be prescribed to take two tablets daily at bedtime, and if your symptoms are not mitigated, your dose can be increased to a maximum of four tablets daily with the approval of your doctor.
• Follow the Pregnancy Diet. Concentrate on that dynamic duo, protein and complex carbs, which are good for keeping nausea at bay — especially when eaten in combo.
• For now, stick to foods that appeal, even if it's the same foods over and over and over again. Avoid eating (or seeing, or smelling, or even thinking about) any dishes that trigger the queasies (spicy, fatty, and acidic foods may be particularly challenging, as well as anything with a strong aroma). Chances are you'll be able to find a few healthy foods that you can keep down (or at least contemplate coming fork-to-face with) — and that will take care of most of your nutritional requirements until a more varied diet becomes palatable. Don't worry too much about getting your Daily Dozen in the short term, since your baby (and his or her needs) is pretty tiny now. And remember, that no one food has a monopoly on any one nutrient — so if you turn green at the thought of anything green, get your vitamin fix from a sweet, juicy cantaloupe instead.
• Be a grazer. Eat six to eight small meals throughout the day rather than three large squares — when your tummy's empty, the acids have nothing to nibble on but its lining, which increases nausea during pregnancy. Plus, smaller meals are easier to digest — and less likely to trigger the queasies (or to overflow via vomiting).
• Eat in bed. Stock up your nightstand with trail mix, crackers, and cold cereal — and raid it last thing at night (so that your tummy won't be completely empty when you wake) and first thing in the morning (to stop those queasies before they start). You can even have a little nocturnal nibble if (or rather, when) you wake up in the middle of the night to pee. Focus on fluids — which are always more important than solids in the short term (particularly if you've been vomiting). They may also be easier to get down (and keep down) than solids — so try drinking your nutrients in soup, shakes, and smoothies.
• Try foods with ginger (shown in more than one scientific study to reduce nausea and vomiting in pregnancy), such as ginger snaps, real ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger candies, or ginger drinks.
• Go for the old standby, saltines, if nothing else seems to satisfy the nausea in you.
• Take your prenatal vitamin in the evenings, and make sure it's iron-free, at least until the morning sickness during pregnancy passes. Take it with a meal and consider a coated or chewable one which may agree with your stomach more. Ask your practitioner about taking vitamin B6, which is linked to stress reduction and nausea relief. If you're really not feeling well, you can consult with your doctor about taking pregnancy-safe nausea medication which was approved by the FDA in 2013. However, the same drug was pulled off the market 30 years previous, and while studies have since found the main side effect is simply drowsiness, this is still something to be aware of as you talk over your options with your practitioner.
• Try acupressure (including seasickness or Relief bands), which has been shown to lessen nausea during pregnancy.
• Try any of the classic stress-reduction techniques, like meditation or prenatal yoga. Or explore acupuncture, which also has been shown to reduce nausea in some women.

The Prepregnancy Diet

Are you gearing up for baby-making? Here are five things you can do to improve your diet and safeguard your (and your baby-to-be's) health.

1. Become a fool for folic acid (folate). Studies show that the earlier you start getting enough of this vital vitamin — ideally, during preconception — the lower the chances that your baby will develop neural tube defects (such as spina bifida). Where can you find folic? Most leafy green vegetables and whole grains are naturally full of it — plus, it's added to most refined grain products (by law). Want extra insurance? Taking a prenatal supplement is an easy way to buy it — and when it comes to folic acid, you can't be too careful (after all, a three-salad-a-day habit is a worthy goal — but one you may not always manage to reach). Since you're in this for the long haul, and even after you've overhauled your eating habits, a supplement can be the most realistic way to fit folic acid in day after day after day (especially once you find those days filled with nausea). Choose a prenatal supplement with 400 to 600 mcg (micrograms) of folic acid to be sure you're getting your fill.
2. Junk the junk food. Reduce refined sugars and white flour (in the form of your usual suspects — cookies, doughnuts, Danish, cake, candy, and almost anything else you might grab from the vending machine, the coffee cart, the convenience store racks, the pastry shop display case…you get the picture). Slash saturated fats (sub a side salad for the fries; grilled chicken for the extra crispy) — less is better for your baby, plus a high intake of such fats appears to increase the risk of severe pregnancy nausea and vomiting. (Uh, thanks but no thanks.)
3. Relish the right stuff. Increase all the good things that your body (and your baby-to-be's body) needs: green leafies (those delicious salads), yummy yellows (apricots, carrots, papaya, mango), hearty whole grains (whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal), and low-fat dairy. (Got milk? Yogurt? Cheese? You should!)
4. Stop being a meal skipper. Are you always more interested in catching the train than breaking for breakfast? Working through lunch instead of eating it? Skip a meal when you're eating for two (which you soon will be) and baby skips it too. Get into the three-squares habit now so that when baby's on board, he or she will be getting a steady supply of nutrients throughout the day.
5. Take a clear-eyed look at your dietary habits. Might any of them stand in your way of eating well? Do you think you might have an eating disorder that needs prepregnancy treatment, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia? Are you on a restricted diet (either self-imposed or due to a chronic condition) that might need to be adapted once you're eating for two, such as macrobiotic, vegan, or diabetic? Now's the time to discuss any of these factors with your practitioner — and to enlist the help of a dietitian if your eating habits need reshaping. Support groups (especially in the case of an eating disorder) can also help you get your nutritional status back where it should be.
Learn how decreasing your caffeine intake can increase your chances of conception.

If you're interested in boosting your fertility, these tips — on everything from foods you should eat to natural treatments you can try — may help speed your path to pregnancy.

Now that you’re ready to jump on board the baby bandwagon, it’s only natural that you’d like to get the show on the road and make that baby a reality as soon as possible. But getting pregnant isn’t always as easy (or as fast!) as one might hope, and you may want to give your fertility a little (or a big!) nudge. Luckily, there are ways to up your odds of getting pregnant, which means you don’t have to just sit — or lie — idly by and wait for nature to take its course. Instead, you can take some steps that may help give your fertility a boost.
Some fertility-boosting tactics just make good sense. For instance, it’s important to have a healthy lifestyle (which includes eating a nutritious prepregnancy diet ) at all times, but especially when you’re expecting to expect, since a healthy lifestyle will prime your body for conception and help prepare it for the baby-making marathon it’s about to undergo (aka pregnancy). Other fertility-boosting tactics may not seem as obvious to you (like trying natural fertility treatments such as acupuncture, hypnosis, or chiropractic), yet they may turn out to be exactly what you need to conceive. And then, there are still other baby-making strategies that may need some clarification. For instance, when it comes to getting pregnant, old wives’ tales and rumors run rampant on the Internet (e.g., do you really need to lie down with your legs up after sex in order to conceive?), and you’d be wise to read up on what’s fact and what’s fiction before you pin your hopes on any one tactic.
Of course, in looking for ways to improve your pregnancy odds, you also don’t want to forget about a very important part of the baby-making equation: Your partner. (Hey, this isn’t all on you!) What can he do to make sure his health and his little swimmers are in tip-top shape for conception? What foods should he eat and what activities should he avoid? You can find the answers to all of these questions and much more in this section. Read on to learn what you can do to increase your odds of getting pregnant.
Find out how you can boost your fertility naturally.

Learn how long it typically takes to get pregnant and when it's time to seek help.

You've decided to take the plunge into the trying-to-conceive pool. Good for you! But as you come up for air, you might start feeling a little worried. What if I can't get pregnant? What if something goes wrong? How long will this take? These nagging fears are completely normal and extremely common, but the good news is that for nine out of ten women, the stork will arrive without any special medical intervention. So take a deep breath (it'll be good practice for that Lamaze breathing down the road) and consider these stats:

• You have a 25 percent chance of getting pregnant with every cycle, provided you don't have any undiagnosed fertility issues.
• Over the course of a year, your chances of conceiving are 75 to 85 percent (again assuming no underlying complications).

So what does all that mean for you (especially since you probably don't want to do the math to figure out probabilities)? It means that you'll very likely become pregnant within several months of enjoyable effort. It may happen faster if you know your cycle and learn to identify when you're ovulating. Eating well and staying healthy can also play a role, as can your age. If you're under 25, you have an 86 percent chance of getting baby on board within a year of trying. From age 25 to 29, your chance of conception drops only slightly, to 78 percent. Overall, infertility rates are a mere 5 percent during this decade. Between ages 30 and 34, your likelihood dips a bit to 63 percent — still a very healthy possibility. At 35, you still have more than a 50 percent chance of getting pregnant naturally within a year's time.
When should you seek help? If you're over 35 and haven't conceived after six months of trying, you should consider seeing a specialist. At least half of couples who are evaluated for suspected infertility will end up, after treatment, with a successful pregnancy. A reproductive endocrinologist or other specialist can help determine whether the problem lies with the prospective mom (35 percent of the time), dad (also 35 percent of cases), or both together (20 percent). The upshot? If you're just starting out on the road to conception, try to keep the pressure off for the next six months to a year and enjoy the ride. You'll sprout enough gray hairs a few years down the road when your child first learns to climb stairs and escape from the crib!

What to Wear During Pregnancy

Maternity clothes have come a long way, baby. Just a short generation ago (check your mother's photo album and you'll see), a pregnant belly was something to be hidden, not celebrated. Pitched in tent-like dresses that could sleep a family of four comfortably, swathed in stifling polyester, rubbed and pinched by uncomfortable elastic waistbands and tummy panels, covered in floral prints and ruffled styles that women under 65 generally wouldn't be caught dead in (just pregnant). Not a pretty picture (as your mother's photo album will almost certainly confirm, if she didn't already destroy the evidence).
Fast-forward to the 21st century, and the expectant-style scene could not be hotter (or cooler, since all that polyester went the way of tent dresses). No longer is pregnancy fashion an oxymoron — or even a stretch (even those stretch pants are a lot cuter, and those stretch panels a lot more comfortable). Bellies are out of the closet and they're wearing clingy tops, body skimming dresses, low-rider jeans, sexy swimsuits, even cropped T-shirts (which give a new meaning to "baby tee").
Sure, even with all of these fashion statements available, there will still be days when baggy sweats will say it best and feel most comfy. But more often than not you'll embrace the opportunity to channel your inner fashionista — even as your waist size passes your spouse's. And fortunately, you lucky girl, you can. All it takes is some carefully selected clothes and some fashion savvy. Here's some straight-up advice about what you need — and what you don't need (or shouldn't consider touching with a 10-foot-hanger) when building that wardrobe for two.

First Trimester of Pregnancy

You may not look pregnant yet, but chances are you're feeling it. That's because a flood of pregnancy hormones is prepping your body to play baby hostess for the next nine months. And that means you could be in line for a bunch of wacky pregnancy symptoms from breast changes to bloating to fatigue to flatulence. Sure, you might be less than thrilled with some of the stuff you'll be coping with (did we mention heartburn and constipation?), but remember that these temporary discomforts are part of the incredible process that's happening inside: You're growing a child!
 
During the first trimester alone your baby changes from a single fertilized cell (a zygote) to the embryo that implants itself in your uterine wall to a peach-sized bundle of growing limbs and body systems. So much happens in so little time: Organs take shape, baby starts to move (around week eight of pregnancy), and hair follicles and nail beds form. More major first-trimester milestones include the formation of muscles, the production of white blood cells to fight off germs, and the development of vocal cords (I want Mommy!).
 
For Mom, a lot happens quickly in the first trimester as well. At some point, you'll likely have a routine ultrasound to make sure things are progressing as they should, and a screening (done through a blood test between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy) to look for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome and congenital heart defects.

5 Common Pregnancy Concerns During the First Trimester

After posting on Internet pregnancy message boards for two pregnancies, I have noticed that there are quite a few questions that seem to come up on an almost daily basis. It is understandable that pregnant women have many of the same concerns. Here are the most commonly asked questions during the first trimester of pregnancy and the answers to those questions. "Could I be pregnant?" - It is common to over analyze every possible symptom once you suspect that you could possibly be pregnant. The only way to answer this question is to simply take a test. Home pregnancy tests are readily available and priced reasonably. Many tests can even detect a pregnancy before a missed period. Be sure to check the instructions on your test and follow them carefully in order to get the most accurate result.

"Could I have gotten a false positive/negative test result?" - Most pregnancy tests are extremely reliable if taken correctly. There is a chance of a false negative due to low levels of hCG, the hormone used to detect pregnancy. If you get a negative test result but still suspect that you may be pregnant, it is a good idea to wait a few days and then retest. The chance of a false positive is very small because the hCG hormone detected by the test only shows up during pregnancy. Some tests use more dye than others and so the results may be faint, but any positive result can usually be considered conclusive.
"I am bleeding. Could I be miscarrying?" - Miscarriage is a very real concern during pregnancy, however bleeding is not necessarily a sign of a miscarriage. According to WebMD, "Up to 25% of pregnant women experience spotting to heavier vaginal bleeding. Of these women, about 50% do not miscarry" Bleeding in the first few weeks of pregnancy can be due to implantation bleeding, which is a natural byproduct for some women of the fertilization process. Some bleeding is also common after engaging in sexual intercourse during pregnancy. Any bleeding should be immediately reported to your doctor or midwife, but unless the bleeding is severe and accompanied by pain, there is usually not cause for immediate concern.
"I don't have morning sickness. Does that mean that there is something wrong?" - Every woman experiences pregnancy symptoms differently and there is no such thing as a "normal" degree of morning sickness. Many women report feeling some degree of nausea during the first trimester of pregnancy due to the increased hormone levels and some have more severe symptoms including vomiting. There is no indication that a lack of morning sickness is a sign that the pregnancy is not progressing normally. If you do not suffer from this particular symptom you should simply consider yourself lucky.
"My doctor says that they do not need to see me until after the first trimester. Is this normal?" - Many doctors feel that there is not much to be done during the first trimester and make the first appointment for the beginning of the second trimester and simply tell the pregnant woman to call if they have concerns. Many of the traditional aspects of prenatal exams, such as measuring the uterus and tracking weight gain and fetal movement are simply not an issue during the first trimester. There are some doctors however, who feel that it is important to do early ultrasounds to check the accuracy of due dates and follow the growth of the baby from the very beginning. After doing an informal poll on several pregnancy message boards, I believe that it is equally common to have your first appointment scheduled around 6-8 weeks of pregnancy as it is to have the first appointment scheduled around 12-14 weeks of pregnancy. Both approaches are considered perfectly acceptable for prenatal care and there is no reason to believe that seeing your doctor sooner will be better for your pregnancy. If you want to see a doctor sooner you can always call your doctor's office and tell them of your concerns and see if they can fit you in. If you do not feel that your doctor or midwife is giving you the best possible care, remember that you have the right to change providers at any point during your pregnancy. It is very important that you trust your doctor or midwife absolutely during such an important time.
I hope that these questions and answers help to alleviate common concerns during your first trimester of pregnancy. This is a very exciting time in a woman's life, but it can be a very nerve wracking time as well. You want everything to be perfect, but with a first pregnancy it is hard to know what to expect. The important thing to remember is that these concerns are perfectly normal and justified. Talking with other women going through pregnancy or recently having given birth may help you to feel more comfortable with the changes in your body at this time. If you ever have a question that you need answered immediately, remember that most doctor's offices have nurses available to answer questions at all times. Do not feel shy about calling them. That is what the doctor's office is there for!
Source: http://www.webmd.com/baby/tc/miscarriage-symptoms

Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP): What You Need to Know

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a rare condition in which too much fat accumulates in the liver. If detected early enough, the damage is minimal. However, left untreated or poorly treated the condition can cause liver failure and even death. Although AFLP is rare, it cannot be predicted or prevented. In the past, the condition was almost always fatal. However, thanks to medical advances, mortality from AFLP has been greatly reduced. Who gets AFLP?
AFLP is a rare condition affecting one in every 7,000 to 11,000 pregnancies. It normally occurs during the last trimester of pregnancy but can occur any time during the second half of pregnancy (after twenty weeks gestation.) However, it can also occur during the period immediately following delivery. AFLP most often affects first-time pregnancies. Although the condition does not usually affect subsequent pregnancies, in some cases AFLP can recur.
What causes AFLP?
The exact cause of the condition is not known. In many cases, however, AFLP has been found to be associated with an abnormality of fatty-acid metabolism as a result of a deficiency in LCHAD. The deficiency of LCHAD results in the accumulation of fatty acid in the liver. When this occurs in the fetus, it brings on the disease in the mother. In such cases, the disease is known to be genetic, following autosomal recessive pattern. Because its cause is known, genetic testing can take place to possibly prevent the disease. However, this form of the condition only occurs in a fraction of AFLP cases. In the remainder of AFLP cases, the cause is unknown.
What are the symptoms of AFLP?
Symptoms of AFLP can vary greatly. Sometimes they can even go unnoticed until delivery. Symptoms can include but are not limited to: vomiting, jaundice, abdominal pain, malaise, headache, tiredness, confusion, nausea, and pruritis. Although they are not true "symptoms," AFLP has also been found to be associated with other conditions including preeclampsia and diabetes insipidus. Patients with these conditions should be aware of the symptoms of AFLP and contact their doctor immediately if they think they are experiencing any.
How is AFLP diagnosed?
In order to diagnose the condition, a doctor will first listen to the symptoms the patient is describing, if any. He/she will also look for certain signs of AFLP such as encephalopathy, polydipsia, and ascites. If he/she suspects AFLP, then certain tests may be performed to confirm diagnosis and rule out other conditions. One test that may be performed is a liver biopsy. Another is an ultrasound which is used to look for fat build up in the liver. Blood tests are also used to check for elevated liver enzymes and low blood sugar, both signs of AFLP.
How is AFLP treated?
In most cases, once AFLP has been diagnosed, hospitalization and prompt delivery immediately follow. If the mother is unstable, she is usually stabilized before the baby is born. Although the baby can be born vaginally, it is usually done via cesarean section because AFLP poses an increased risk of bleeding to the mother. Depending on the severity of the condition, the mother may need to be in intensive care anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. In general, treatment is aimed at combating and preventing the many complications of AFLP following delivery. These include cerebral edema, renal failure, hypoglycemia, infections, and hemorrhage. Although the condition usually improves after delivery, there have been some cases where marked deterioration follows delivery. Subsequent treatment depends on the severity of the condition. In rare cases, a liver transplant is necessary.
What is the prognosis of those with AFLP?
The prognosis for mother and infant depends on the severity of the disease. The mortality rate for mothers with the condition has been dramatically reduced in the last decade. It now stands at eighteen percent. Most of the cases of mortality are the result of complications of AFLP such as hemorrhage but not AFLP itself. Likewise, the mortality rate for infants born to mothers with AFLP has been reduced and now stands at twenty-three percent. Most cases of infant mortality are believed to be the result of premature delivery. In the past, AFLP was almost always fatal. Now, thanks to medical advances, mortality from the condition has been greatly reduced.
Sources
MedicineNet
Wikipedia

What Nobody Tells You About Miscarriage

Most pregnancy books will devote a portion of a chapter to it, there are articles on the Internet that discuss the medical particulars of it, and there are the physicians who assure a broken hearted woman that she did nothing to cause it. It, of course, is miscarriage. And although countless women across our country lose a pregnancy every day, it is still very difficult, if not impossible, to find any literature anywhere that touches on the real emotional impact on a woman when she loses a life that was growing within her. These are the things nobody tells you about miscarriage. GRIEF IS NOT ALWAYS IMMEDIATE
Most women are definitely struck with a sense of loss when they learn the baby they were carrying has died. But particularly for women who lost their baby early on in the pregnancy, it is not uncommon for this sense of loss to be less than clearly defined, or not nearly as intense as the woman herself imagines it should be. Some of this delay in reaction can be attributed to the shock of the news, and some can be simply because the woman is not sure how to approach the loss of child she never held or even got the chance to see. Another contributing factor could be the common reaction of family and friends to regard the lost pregnancy solely as a medical condition. Sometimes well-meaning individuals will make comments such as, "There must have been something wrong, this was a blessing in disguise", or, "You can try again". These kinds of statements, even if they are well intended, often serve to hinder the grief process more. It is not uncommon for a woman who has suffered a pregnancy loss to get the impression from those around her that she is expected to leave the memory of the lost baby in the past. Because of this, many women do not feel entitled to grieve the child they have lost. They may attempt to move forward, put the event out of their mind, and in doing so, bypass the grief process all together. However, commonly, the grief will catch up with them later.
IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS MISS THE CHILD YOU LOST
Although everyone else around her moves on from the miscarriage, sometimes almost as though it never even happened, a woman who has endured this kind of loss will likely keep this child's memory with her forever. Even a decade or more later, a woman may miss the child she lost intensely. Even if she has gone on to have more children, she does not forget the one she lost. She may cry for them late at night on holidays and special occasions after everyone else has gone to sleep, unable to share her grief with others who have all but forgotten that she ever miscarried at all. Unlike when an older child or adult dies, and the family and friends of those left behind continue to acknowledge the life of the one who is gone, the mother of a miscarried child may feel that she is the only one who remembers that her lost child ever even existed.
THERE ARE WAYS TO COPE WITH THE GRIEF
No matter how long you grieve your miscarried child, there are some really effective ways for dealing with that grief, whether you feel it is shared by those around you or not. You may feel that you can share these events with those around you, or you may feel that you need to do them in private and keep them to yourself. Either way, consider these suggestions for helping you to move forward in your grief.
One of the most healing things you can do after losing a child, may seem simple. However, depending on how far along her pregnancy was when she lost her baby, the mother may not have felt she was entitled to complete this very significant act. That is, the act of naming her child. By naming your lost child, you give them an identity. You make them more real to you, particularly if the pregnancy was lost so early that you were never actually able to really see your child. Naming your lost baby is a powerful way to make them a permanent part of your life, even when it seems others around you move on from the loss and forget.
There are other ways to keep the child's memory alive, even if only to yourself. Planting a small flower garden in their memory gives you the opportunity to feel as though you are still able to take care of something in relation to the child. Painting the name and birth date of the the baby on a stone to place in the garden is comforting, as well.
Many shops carry small ceramic decorative pieces, depicting small children. If when you see some of these, you find one or two that make you think of your own child and what you had expected they may have looked like, buy it. Make a special shelf in your home just for these pieces, and even if you never feel comfortable telling anyone else why you are collecting them, you will know. Since mothers who have miscarried do not get the opportunity to take care of the child in practical ways, or share gifts with them at holidays, it's tremendously comforting to be able to do still pick out items in their memory. Perhaps you would rather buy stuffed animals than ceramic pieces. Mothers of lost babies don't get to prepare or maintain a bedroom for the child throughout the years, so it is really nice to have one special spot in the house that you feel you have created just for them.
There are even some websites that sell remembrance items for babies lost to miscarriage, such as baby bracelets bearing the child's name, or beautifully decorated certificates printed with the child's name and a memory poem.
YOU CAN FIND HELP ONLINE
There are many message boards, forums, and even entire websites in existence that serve the purpose of sharing, remembering, and honoring babies lost to miscarriage. Some women have photos of their babies that they post on these sites along with their personal stories of loss, so be aware that these can be tremendously painful sites to visit. However, and this is particularly true for women who don't feel they can share with those close to them the deep level of their grief, these sites offer much support from women who have been through a very similar loss. It is enormously helpful to communicate with others who understand exactly what you are feeling, and why you feel it. Even when nobody else in your life seems to. The best things about these sites, is that you can go to them whenever you need to, and stay for as long as you like. Eventually, you will find that you are the one offering comfort and wisdom to someone searching for help in dealing with the pain of her own loss.

Surviving Miscarriage: When Pregnancy Devastates

Women every day will experience the pain of a miscarriage. It is thought that almost every woman will experience a miscarriage in her lifetime however most will occur early enough that they will never know it was a miscarriage. There are several reasons why a miscarriage can occur. Today, in the Internet age, we have more information than ever at our disposal. When a woman discovers she is having a miscarriage or can expect to have a miscarriage, she can find loads of information on the Internet. If the miscarriage has yet to occur, some women will cling to hope that the miscarriage was misdiagnosed. At this point, they must choose one of three options; have a D & C, use inducing medication, or wait for the miscarriage to happen naturally. I am going through this right now. It was discovered a little over a week ago, when I was thought to be ten weeks pregnant, that I will miscarry due to a blighted ovum. I did what any woman would do and came home to look online. It was on this beautiful invention called the Internet that I found www.misdiagnosedmiscarriage.com.
Misdiagnosed Miscarriage is a website for women who have been diagnosed as going to miscarry. This could be due to spotting/bleeding, hcg levels, or ultrasound revealing a blighted ovum. The site has a lot of information including FAQ's, articles and research, and a message board for women who have either had a misdiagnosed miscarriage or who have been told they will experience a miscarriage and are looking for some hope.
The majority of the women who visit Misdiagnosed Miscarriage are looking for hope that will never come. The question then becomes whether Misdiagnosed Miscarriage is helping or hurting these women who are already in a vulnerable position. As someone who has felt hopeless in this position, Misdiagnosed Miscarriage gave me hope. Are they offering up false hope? Well, yes in some cases. In most cases, the women will go on to experience the miscarriage.
When a woman is diagnosed with an impending miscarriage, she has a choice to make. She can undergo a D & C, use an inducing medication, or wait for nature to take its course. Misdiagnosed Miscarriage gives women the hope that their baby is indeed alive and well inside them and so most will opt for the wait and see approach. This can save the lives of the babies whose mothers were misdiagnosed.
My personal feelings are that Misdiagnosed Miscarriage is providing women with the hope they need at this time. This site is also saving the lives of unborn babies. While the false hope is devastating once the miscarriage actually takes place, having even a small amount of hope is better than feeling hopeless.

When Should I Experience Morning Sickness?

Did you just discover you are pregnant? Are you wondering when you should start feeling morning sickness? Are you wondering when the vomiting, nausea, headaches and more will begin? If so, read further.
The term "morning sickness" refers to the nausea and occasional vomiting that women experience during pregnancy. Contrary to popular belief, morning sickness doesn't occur only in the morning. In fact, many pregnant women experience morning sickness throughout the day. Morning sickness is thought to be caused by an increase in hormones during pregnancy. The surge of estrogen, progesterone and HcG may contribute to the vomiting and nausea that many pregnant women experience.
If you are wondering when you will experience morning sickness in pregnancy, remember there is a chance you might never have any symptoms of morning sickness at all throughout your pregnancy. If you do, most women experience it approximately at 6 weeks of pregnancy. Some women have said they experience morning sickness as early as 3 1/2 weeks of pregnancy - just a few days after conception, and right around implantation. Some women won't feel any morning sickness until 8 weeks of pregnancy. And, as mentioned earlier, some women don't ever feel nauseous at all. In fact, 40 percent (or more) of pregnant moms don't experience morning sickness at all.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms: Can You Spot Them?

  Not all pregnant women experience the same early pregnancy symptoms. Some women do not experience any symptoms and yet are pregnant. Other women experience symptoms and yet are not pregnant. Having symptoms does not guarantee that you will get a positive pregnancy test. The same symptoms that are attributed to an early pregnancy can also be symptoms for other conditions.

Can you spot early pregnancy symptoms?

If someone were to tell you a list of the symptoms they are experiencing can you tell if they are early pregnancy symptoms? What makes a symptom an early pregnancy symptom? Some symptoms are classified as early pregnancy symptoms because medical professionals specializing in pregnancy have seen women who have experienced these symptoms and have turned out to be pregnant. Pregnant women have noticed, recorded or talked about what symptoms made them first guess that they were pregnant and shared this information with other women. Over time there emerged common early pregnancy symptoms that were more likely then other symptoms to signal a pregnancy.

The Common and Uncommon Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Many women would love to know that there exists a sure sign of early pregnancy like bright green neon flashing PREGNANT word on their belly button the moment conception occurs or a belly button that pops out like a pop-up button on the Thanksgiving turkey. The truth is early pregnancy symptoms can vary from woman to woman and even from pregnancy to pregnancy for the same woman. There are common early pregnancy symptoms that do occur often enough that women throughout the ages have trusted to signal a possible pregnancy.

Common early pregnancy symptoms often happen before the woman realizes that she has not had her period. Unfortunately many of these early pregnancy symptoms can also be attributed to other conditions within the body. Another truth is that some women just do not experience any early pregnancy symptoms at all.