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Rina Cruz published in Breastfeeding, Parenting

What is Breast Engorgement?

Breast engorgement is a condition that is characterized by an increase in blood flow and milk supply in your breasts a few days after you deliver your baby. The increased blood flow could stimulate your breasts to start producing milk, but on the other hand, could result in pain and discomfort. Although breast engorgement typically happens a few days after birth, it can sometimes recur in the course of breastfeeding.

Breast engorgement causes symptoms that may vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms include heavy or full breasts, swollen breasts, lumpy breasts, hard or tight breasts as well as breasts that are tender or warm to touch.  Other symptoms of breast engorgement include noticeable veins under the skin of the breast, as well as low-grade fever and fatigue on the first day few days of milk production.

The symptoms of breast engorgement must not necessarily be felt on both breasts. Sometimes, they can only be felt on one breast. Certain conditions or events may make some women more prone to breast engorgement than others. The risk factors of breast engorgement include not feeding your baby in time, skipping your pumping sessions, weaning your baby too quickly, nursing your baby when he is sick, not nursing your baby because you decided to use formula, difficulties in latching or sucking by your baby, as well as supplementing your baby’s feeding with formula milk.

If you have breast engorgement that comes alongside high fever, you need to consult your doctor to rule out the possibility of a breast infection.

There are many home remedies for breast engorgement but the ideal remedy depends on whether or not you are breastfeeding. For breastfeeding mothers, the treatment options for breast engorgement include feeding your baby more frequently and regularly, massaging your breasts whenever you are nursing your baby, applying a cold compress or packs of ice on your breast to help relieve pain, nursing your baby for as long as it is interested in sucking, adjusting nursing positions, using a pump to extract breast milk when you can’t nurse, and using prescribed medications to relieve pain.

For mothers who are not nursing, breast engorgement usually lasts for only one day. But if you can’t wait for it to subside on its own, you can go for remedies such as taking prescribed pain medications, applying a cold compress or ice pack on your breast, and above all, putting on firm bras that prevent your breasts from shaking significantly.

Note that you can’t prevent breast engorgement but you can discipline yourself to indulge in safe practices that can help relieve you from the symptoms.

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Rina Cruz published in Expecting, General Expecting

Feeling Hot While Pregnant: What It Means

It is normal to feel hot during pregnancy. Remember that pregnancy comes with many body changes caused by increased hormone levels. These changes could sometimes cause your hormone levels to rise but this is completely normal. However, overheating during pregnancy can be dangerous to your unborn child. Feeling too hot that you start feeling unwell could actually affect the development of your body.

According to research, heat stress can result in neural tube defects, a condition that affects how the baby’s backbones and spinal cord develop. A core body temperature of or over 102°F or 39°C is considered too hot for pregnant women.

Aside from hormonal changes, several other changes are also responsible for the hot feelings pregnant women get. During pregnancy, your body needs more blood to carry food and oxygen to your unborn baby. This only causes your blood volume to increase by an estimated 50 percent by the time you are in the third trimester of your pregnancy and this could make you feel warmer.

Another thing that also causes pregnant women to feel hot is their heart function. The truth is that during pregnancy, the heart works harder than it normally does and pumps blood about 20 percent faster. This faster heart rate also raises the body’s metabolism and the result could be a slight spike in body temperatures.

In addition, during pregnancy, the blood vessels throughout your body including those near your skin often widen to deliver all the blood. The more blood flows throughout your skin, the more you will glow and also feel warmer.

Above all, the third trimester of pregnancy is characterized by hot flashes for most women. The reason is that at this phase, your growing baby emits body heat which you, in turn, absorb and start feeling hotter from the inside out. If you are expecting multiple babies, you will even feel hotter.

Although hot flashes during pregnancy are mostly caused by hormonal and bodily changes, certain things such as caffeine, spicy foods, hot drinks, anxiety, stress, a warm room, and even tight clothing may also trigger heat during pregnancy. Avoiding these things can therefore prevent the feeling of hotness during pregnancy.

Other ways of keeping cool during pregnancy include staying hydrated, avoiding exercising or working out in closed hot rooms, ventilating your bedroom while sleeping, and avoiding the kitchen on warm days.

While feeling warm can be normal during pregnancy, it can also be a sign of a health complication especially if it’s accompanied by night sweats and symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, and diarrhea. Consult your doctor if you experience any of these conditions alongside overheating during pregnancy.

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admin published in Expecting, Health

Breast Pain During Pregnancy

Breast pain can be normal during pregnancy. It’s one of those numerous changes a woman’s body goes through when she is pregnant. Hormonal changes are the leading causes of breast pain in pregnant women. The intensity of breast pain during pregnancy varies from one woman to another. You may feel it in one or both breasts, at a specific spot or all over, or moving towards your underarm. Breast pain may also be permanent or intermittent – coming and going away at intervals.

Breast pain can happen at any time during pregnancy but it’s most common during the first trimester as a result of sudden hormonal changes. This assertion can be backed by the fact that immediately after conception, your body starts preparing for breastfeeding by releasing large quantities of pregnancy hormones, including progesterone, estrogen and prolactin. These hormones cause additional blood flow to the chest, thereby resulting in bigger milk ducts, as well as extra fluids, tissue, and fat which could all cause breast pain.

During the first week of pregnancy, most women experience sensitive breasts which makes sex play and exercising difficult for them. The nipples are particularly very sensitive and tender in the early weeks of pregnancy. It is also not uncommon to experience a tingling sensation in the nipples and areolas during the first trimester. However, as the pregnancy advances, most women start experiencing heaviness and fullness in their breasts.

While breast pain can be normal during pregnancy, it could also be as a result of other conditions such as fibrocystic breast changes, the effects of certain medications and in extremely rare cases, breast cancer. You should therefore consult with your doctor if you start experiencing symptoms such as life-disrupting breast pain, nipple discharge, as well as redness, pus or fever.

Breast pain during pregnancy hardly requires treatment as it often goes away at some point in the pregnancy, a few weeks after childbirth or after lactating. However, it is with utmost importance for you to make lifestyle changes that will ease your breast pain during pregnancy. For example, you should consider ditching lacy underwire bras for full coverage cotton bras with wider shoulder straps. You should also consider wearing sports bras to bed if bed movements are irritating to your tender breasts and nipples.  Adding breast pads to protect your breasts, applying frozen gel or ice packs and taking warm soothing showers can also go a long way to relieve breast pain, swelling and tenderness during pregnancy.

If all these interventions fail, you could discuss with your doctor for medical interventions to ease the pain.

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admin published in Expecting, Lifestyle

7 Best Push Gifts For Your Wife

A push gift is a present that a husband gifts his wife for giving birth to their child. The literal meaning is carrying the baby for thirty-eight weeks and then “pushing” the baby out. While the baby itself is a blessing from God, a little pampering gift to your wife is much needed.

A traditional push gift would be jewelry. However, one does not need to limit their push gift to jewelry. Here are some great ideas to consider:

1. Baby Book
This book is the only one a new mom would ever need. Although a baby book sounds like the cheesiest of all presents, your wife is going to love it! It is an amazing feeling when a mom get to document about every milestone in their baby’s life. Get her a beautiful and interactive journal that she can jot down memories in.

2. Chocolate Truffles
Cater to your wife’s sweet tooth and gift her a pack of milk truffles. Truffles taste like cake balls and are full of fun flavors.

3. Essential Oil Diffuser
Essential oils are very calming and soothing. They help you in calming down when you are tired. Essential oil diffusers will allow your wife to choose the scents she prefers and add softness to the ambiance.

4. Diaper bag
Get your wife a stylish mummy bag that don’t look like a diaper bag. Because this is going to be the only bag she can carry around after delivery. Moreover, get one stylish diaper bag that has several zipped pockets, bottle holders, built-in diaper changing mat as well as it comes with adjustable straps that allowing to be hooked on the stroller. Do make sure it is machine washable if it gets dirty too.

5. Accessories
You should get her something that screams ‘proud mom,’ which can either be in the form of studs in her newborn’s birthstone or a locket that says, mom. Accessories are a very popular and elegant push present that she can wear later when her child is grown up.

6. Smart watch
A smart watch is a perfect present that every new mom needs to keep track of time and updates from the mobile. Make sure it is waterproof, though because You don’t want baby pee accidents ruining it.

7. Luxury Tote
All new moms need a carry all bag because they must carry baby stuff around daily. So why not just buy your wife a luxury tote that would be gorgeous and practical? She can keep her own and her baby’s belongings in it without any trouble.

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admin published in Lifestyle, Parenting

6 Things to Know About Your Leo Baby

Do you want to know more about your upcoming Leo baby? Here are the 6 common personality traits of babies under this zodiac sign.

1. They love to smile
Leo babies have the kind of smile that can brighten up your day and make your nights even better. Simply watching your Leo baby’s beautiful smile can vanish your stress.

2. They are born leaders
They would learn responsibility with no difficulty. Activities that could hone this personality would fit him or her well.

3. They are energetic
Another major personality trait about Leo babies is that they are energetic and easily become the center of attention. The more attention you give them, the happier they are.

4. They are affectionate
Your Leo baby would be showering you with all the love and affection. He or she would enjoy giving you lots of hugs and kisses.

5. They are creative
They would love to engage in activities that would unleash their artistic side. They could start with playing toys that could stimulate their imagination. Eventually, you could do simple DIY (do-it-yourself) projects with him or her.

6. They are competitive
They are fond of winning so it is hard for them to admit their defeat. You must be ready with all the pep talks to make them understand that it is all right to make mistakes because it is when we learn and improve for the better.

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Momsup Editor published in Cord Blood Banking, Expecting

Mommy Saab’s Word on Cord Blood Banking

More and more mommies are learning better about the benefits of cord blood and cord blood banking! Now let’s also find out why Cordlife continues to earn the trust of a growing number of Filipino families!

Join Mommy Saab Magalona-Bacarro once again in an informative True or False game with Cordlife Mom Anna Tantuico-Herrera and first-time mom-to-be, Mommy Danielle Brimo-Stern!

 

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Momsup Editor published in Cord Blood Banking, Expecting

BUSTED: 7 Common Myths of Cord Blood Banking

The umbilical cord is the lifeline between you and your baby – it connects your developing baby to your placenta, which helps to provide nutrients and remove waste. Cord blood, also called “placental blood”, is blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following the birth of a baby and after the umbilical cord is cut after delivery.

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admin published in Expecting, Lifestyle

Is Exercise Safe During Pregnancy?

Whether you are a fitness enthusiast or not before pregnancy, as soon as you saw the two lines on the pregnancy test stick, you immediately became cautious in every move, fearing any wrong movement would harm the precious little cargo in your womb. Indeed, healthcare providers discourage exercises for the first trimester.

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admin published in Expecting, Third Trimester

10 Things About 3rd Trimester

Because your bump increases in size, your organs receive more pressure. That is why, many women experience difficulty in breathing. Also, you will still need to deal with the same discomforts you had during the second trimester.

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