How to really help your wife through pregnancy - fatherhood tips

How to really help your wife through pregnancy - fatherhood tips

An essay for men who are soon to be dads.

It is usually at about the ten week mark, right about when the hormones start to take control of your wife, that an unusual amount of complaints are beginning regarding your lack of involvement in this pregnancy. Questions like, "Why don't you help me?" and, "Can't you do anything?" pummel the poor man who is caught on his heels. While this catches most men off guard -it does come rather suddenly- we as men and fathers must be prepared to fill deep boots while she is pregnant, and that means accomplishing our role as the male. But what is our role? I have three words for you. Cook. Clean. Concierge.

Ask any woman what they want in a man while she is pregnant. If she doesn't ask that he take a walk to the moon and breath deeply, she will undoubtedly ask for help. She is looking for someone who will make her feel like she does not have to do this by herself. Pregnant women want us to know that it is a lot of work growing a child within them, and they want to know that they can count on us to support them. So what do we do?
Here are the only three areas you have to really worry about: cooking (which is really just the art of finding food), cleaning, and becoming her extra hands. This does not mean that you should do all of the cooking and cleaning. This means that you need to be her helper by bearing a bit of the load (and the load does get bigger the more time passes). Over all you are to serve her. Trust me, the more you serve the more she will feel loved and the less you will hear about how she is second-guessing breeding with a sack of potatoes like you. I personally heard that one myself during the first pregnancy. I hope the rest of this article keeps you from ever hearing that as well.

While she was pregnant with our oldest was when my wife first honestly surprised me with a culinary request; well, two requests really. One: grapefruit... in everything. Ever had grapefruit on a salad? No, not lettuce. Egg salad. Well, neither have I, despite her insistence that it was next to ambrosia. The second: authentic Asian food. Notice I did not say anything about Mar Far. We're talking about raw fish and cooked bugs.
What do you do guys? She wants raw squid with a light grapefruit baste. What do you do? This is the first role of the man who is to be called "Dad", you cook. In more practical terms, you find food. Remember that this doesn't mean you cook every night. But offering

to make dinner three or four nights a week will certainly help her out.
Some men, like myself, enjoy cooking food. Say it with me, "BBQ." Think about it men. How many of you like the smell of a chunk of meat sizzling over fire? From medieval knights celebrating with a fat hog on a spit to Uncle Tony's famous salmon in beer, men cook on fire. The enjoyment is natural, but the skills are not. That is why I suggest the first pregnancy "tools" you should purchase for yourself are few good cooking books. Find some that are geared for the male mind and have tips on side dishes. It is the culinary rule of triangulation: one part meat, one part fruit or veggie, and one part starch. Every meal should have these three things so find a book that provides the side choice for you and save yourself the guess-work.

My wife pregnancy 9 month, our baby was born just at the same day we took these picture. How amazing!!

"Whoa, Mike," I hear from the back, "That does nothing for our squid problem." True, most BBQ's do not come with squid. This is where you hone the art of finding food. You have to be creative. For example: It is 1:08 AM and your princess wants Subway. You, in your 'I'm thinking clearly because I'm not the pregnant one' logic inform her that they've been closed for hours, and she would feel better with some rest. Unfortunately you have neglected that your partner is indwelt at the moment. She has been fighting the craving for a deli sandwich for two hours and can not fight the demon any more. Currently, due to your reply, she is in deliberation as to what to do with your eyeballs once she has plucked them from your head. Your response? Get the sandwich. Find a place that is open all night. Some grocery stores have twenty-four hour service and their deli section with have pre-made subs prepared that day and plastic wrapped for individual sale. Buy two.
For the more exotic tastes, check the yellow pages for specialty markets. You might be surprised at how many ethnic food stores are in your area. From Mexican groceries (the best place to find good tamales) to Asian markets (there's your squid), you may be minutes away from your answer.

My wife and my future baby.
My wife was in her 5th pregnancy month when I took this photo.

It was not until our second pregnancy that I realized how important cleaning was. Okay, so I probably just lost half of the audience. Stick with me men! This isn't that hard. She wants a clean house, and you want a happy wife. It means you get to clean. Here are a few tips.

From my pregnancy 5 mos ago. I was 9 mos preg there.

Make a list.
Cleaning happens faster when you make a list and prioritize. Pick a room, break down the chores,

and get to it.
Ask her what she expects.
Tell her that you want to help by doing it right the first time. Chances are she will tell you exactly how she wants it done.
Don't forget the small stuff.
Guys tend to overlook the details like wiping-down the stove top after doing the dishes and dumping the trash in the bathroom. Make sure you are thorough.


Remember, you are there to be her helper, and sometimes that means donning the toilet brush.

Lastly is the role of the concierge. A concierge could also be called the Odd-Job Man. She needs it: you get it. Her socks itch: you find the soft ones. She can't reach her shoe laces: you tie them. The dog stinks: well... put him outside.
Now I know this sounds like servitude. That's because it is. She is unable to perform many of the tasks and you are. You are making your abilities her abilities. Without you she would be struggling to reach the pots in the back of the low cupboard, and wearing socks that drive her nuts. By offering your services to her you are giving her peace, and building intimacy; two things no house can have too much of.

Remember, the male's job doesn't stop at conception. And while you will undoubtedly do more than is mentioned in this short essay, hopefully you have a much smoother time after making a few easy applications to your routine.

How to really help your wife through pregnancy - fatherhood tips

Funny Pregnancy Tips Pics for Mommies on crack

Do's And Don'ts - Helpful Pregnancy Tips For Mommies on crack

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To hell with this tips!!!

watch the real pics below

Do take prenatal vitamins with folic acid. Medical studies have

demonstrated that folic acid can help to prevent birth defects. Many women may

have a deficiency of folic acid. Your doctor will recommend that you take a

prenatal vitamin with folic acid and you will want to be sure to follow that

advice. There are many brands of prenatal vitamins available at most grocery stores
or health food stores.

Don't smoke tobacco. Tobacco has been found to be harmful to

pregnant women and their babies. Do avoid second hand smoke as much

as possible.

Do learn about pregnancy information, and what to expect in your

pregnancy each week, month, and trimester. Look these topics up online, read books and talk to your doctor about any

pregnancy related questions you may have.

Don't lift heavy objects or do strenuous labor. While it is a great

idea to do mild exercise like walking, this is not a time for seeing how much

weight you can lift at the gym. Read Fit Pregnancy magazine for ideas on

maintaining your ideal pregnancy weight.

Do eat health foods. Everything you eat has a positive or negative

effect upon the growing baby in your womb. Feed your baby health foods,

fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, brown rice, whole grain breads, lean chicken, milk, yogurt, etc.

Don't drink alcohol. It is best to abstain and not have any. Although

some doctors say it is okay to have one glass of wine with dinner on the

weekend, be sure to ask your own doctor about your particular body and

individual health situation.

Do enjoy being a mom. This is a magical and special time in your

life. Rather than stress out about the outcome, be sure to enjoy the journey.

Your baby will feel happy and healthy if you are feeling happy and healthy.

Watch some funny shows on television and have a good laugh. Read some

entertaining books, and listen to some pleasant music and sing along.

Smile and rub your belly, while you talk to you baby and say "I love you."

Important things mommy's should not do

Mommy's not to do list

Some moms or moms to be just don't understand that doing bad habits or not living a healthy lifestyle right from the start when baby is just growing up or on his/her tender years can be very dangerous.

Just as there are certain foods that you should be sure to stock up on, so too are there foods that you should avoid as though they would give you the plague if you were to breathe in their general area if you were pregnant. Of course, this list changes from year to year so take most of these recommendations with a grain of salt!

If you’re unsure whether a food is safe for you to eat, or if you have heard mixed reports or have a concern based on your individual circumstances, consult your OB/GYN. Since they are regularly required to take continuing education classes and receive frequent updates from the research fields they would be the most qualified to provide you with information pertaining specifically to your pregnancy.

Alcohol is first on the list of No-No’s for Mommies to Be, and with good reason. The amount of alcohol that is safe to consume in a day while pregnant has yet to be determined, and the incidence of known cases of birth defects due to alcohol consumption is on the rise. According to the March of Dimes “alcohol is the most common known cause of damage to developing babies in the United States and is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation.”

On a more personal note, alcohol can also aggravate many of the common side effects of pregnancy such as nausea and heartburn. It also takes up space in your stomach that could be filled with more healthy things, like water or juice. If you can forsake alcohol completely during your pregnancy, that would be the best choice for you and your baby. Does that mean that a sip of your glass when you toast your cousin’s wedding is going to leave your baby scarred for life? No, probably not. Use your good sense. While a sip or two of wine every now and then probably won’t hurt your growing angel, a shot or two of tequila might not be as forgiving. Pregnancy is only nine months long. Your baby lasts a lifetime.

The other scare when it comes to pregnancy eating has come from an unexpected source-fish. Long lauded as the best source of protein for pregnant women, it was recently discovered that fish was also high in mercury, a condition caused by the dumping of waste into the water. Mercury can cause irreparable damage to a fetus’s developing nervous system. The debate as to whether specific fish can be considered safe or not is still ongoing, but pregnant women are currently being encouraged to avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, bluefish, tuna steak, striped bass, freshwater fish and canned tuna.

While highly processed foods may not cause permanent damage to your unborn baby they usually contain enough preservatives to qualify them as highly suspicious. Remember, anything that claims to be sugar free yet tastes sweet has some form of sugar substitute in it. The question is, what are they substituting? Labels such as “fat free” and “caffeine free” should also be approached with caution. Take the high road here and attempt to buy whole, natural foods as often as possible. Look at the list of ingredients on the label. The longer it is, the less likely it is to be healthy for your baby.

If you have a hard time getting started in the morning without your cup of Joe, now’s going to be the time to learn. Caffeine impedes iron absorption, contributing to anemia in pregnant women who don’t have enough to spare, robs the body of precious calcium and aggravates heartburn all in one fell swoop. It also transfers to your baby through your breastmilk, which means that if you like to drink coffee and you’re planning on breastfeeding you can expect a lot of late nights.

Although you could switch to decaf, for the dedicated coffee drinker this is about the equivalent of taking a perfectly good cup of coffee and filling it 2/3 full of water. As a placebo it’s a poor substitute. Instead, try a cup of hot chocolate or apple cider in the morning. (Heating apple juice and adding a little cinnamon works too.) The hot beverage will hit a few of the “wake up” buttons that coffee triggers, and while you’ll probably feel the lack of caffeine for the first week or two you should find that getting through the day gets easier-and hey, pregnant women are supposed to nap regularly anyway!

Unpasteurized cheeses, soft or fresh cheeses such as Brie, deli meats, hot dogs, undercooked eggs, fish, rare to medium well meats and unpasteurized juices are also being added at various intervals to the “no-no” list that OB/GYNs are handing out to their patients in an attempt to stop the spread of pathogens such as E.coli, Salmonella and Listeria, all of which are often present in undercooked or uncooked meats.

Listeria, the leading cause of meningitis in children less than one year old, has the ability to cross the placenta and infect the baby. It can also cause miscarriage. Salmonella has been associated with stillbirth. Even if fetal death doesn’t occur, dehydration from the diarrhea and vomiting that accompany Salmonella infection is a serious risk. A severe infection with E. coli can cause dehydration as well as potentially triggering premature labor or miscarriage.

By the same token, it is vitally important that you wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly before you eat them, particularly if you grow your own. You were probably told by your physician that while you were pregnant you shouldn’t handle kitty litter due to a potential infection with Toxoplasma, a parasite that lives in cat feces. Toxoplasma is also present in the soil, particularly in areas where cats often roam and do their business outside. There is always a risk of Toxoplasma appearing in commercially processed foods, although it is less common than in home grown.

It is better to be safe than sorry when dealing with Toxoplasma. The parasite can cross the placenta, infecting the baby and causing stillbirth or long term damage. There is a 15% chance of the parasite infecting the baby if exposure occurs in the first trimester, 30% in the second and 60% in the third.

Pathogenic infection of the developing fetus can be potentially devastating, particularly when it is caused by an invader that an adult immune system would be able to battle off with ease. It is far better to take the time to carefully ensure that your food is pathogen free during pregnancy than to have to live with the consequences.

Smoking while pregnant -what to do and what not to do

Tobacco poisons affect baby

When you smoke, the poisons in the tobacco are going into you and your baby. Nicotine affects your baby’s blood supply, as well as affecting you. Every puff you take increases the carbon monoxide poison in your blood stream, so when you smoke:

Sexy Pregnant mothers

• less oxygen and nourishment get to your baby

• your baby’s heart beats too fast (so does yours)

• your baby’s chest muscles don’t have enough oxygen to

exercise properly, to get ready for breathing after birth.

You are more likely to lose your unborn baby (miscarry) if you

smoke during pregnancy.

A smoker’s baby is more likely to:

• be stressed during labour, leading to a complicated birth

• have a low birth weight, making health problems more

likely

• die at, or shortly after, birth

• die of cot death, or SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)

• have cough, colds and other breathing problems

• get ear infections

• develop asthma

Once you have quit for your baby …

You have many reasons to stay smoke-free. If you smoke, your child is more likely to:

• be hospitalised

• get middle ear damage

• get chest illnesses or asthma

• have poor breathing and lung development

• grow up to be a smoker (copying you)

If you start smoking again, you are more likely to get serious diseases, such as cancers, stroke, heart disease, breathing diseases like emphysema and bronchitis, and circulation damage causing pains in the legs and trouble with walking.

Staying smokefree after pregnancy – some tips for tough times

So you quit smoking for your pregnancy – great! Now you want to stay a non-smoker, for yourself and for your child. Some times are harder than others, and it’s good to learn new ways of dealing with the ‘tough times’.

Seeing other people smoke Move away from smokers when you can. Ask your family and friends not to smoke inside your home. Get rid of all the ashtrays. Maybe you know someone who wants to quit, and you can support each other.

Out socializing

Try to socialise with people who don’t smoke! Tell people straight away that you don’t smoke, and that don’t want to.

Drinking alcohol

Try avoiding alcohol. Try a different, non-alcoholic drink. Hold something else in your free hand.

Driving a car

Take the ashtray and lighter out of the car, and keep your car smoke-free.

Watching television

Sit in a different chair. Have something to keep your hands busy.

Nibble on healthy snacks. Keep busy in the ad breaks.

Drink water – keep a water bottle beside you.

On the telephone

Make a list of the reasons you want to stay quit, and keep it by

the phone to look at while you talk. When the phone rings or

you go to use the phone, remind yourself “I don’t smoke”. Put

paper and pen by the phone – doodle.

More Info can be read at these Pregnancy Sites: Pregnancy.org, Pregnancy Guides and Simple Pregnancy Information for moms to be.

Pregnant Mothers Needs these vitamins From A to Zinc

From A to Zinc

 

      If you have ever attempted to go on any kind of diet that involved reading the information on the nutritional labels of your food you are all too familiar with the fact that those little words and symbols can start to look like Greek after a while. If you’re not a doctor or a nutritionist you probably have no idea of what Vitamin B or Folic Acid are, much less why they’re important. The first step to conquering pregnancy nutrition is understanding what you’re eating, how much you should eat, why you’re eating it and how it’s going to help your baby.

 

      A quick note. In the following section you are going to see several mentions made about the negative consequences of overdosing on specific vitamins. You must understand that this overdose very rarely occurs because of the foods you eat. More often it is because mothers have chosen to consume extra supplements in an attempt to “help” their baby or they have forgotten to tell their physician about other vitamins and supplements they take on a regular basis. Be sure when you go in for your prenatal appointments that your physician knows exactly what vitamins, medications and supplements (including herbal) you take, regardless of how insignificant you may believe them to be.

 

1.      Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps the development of baby’s bones and teeth, as well as their heart, ears, eyes and immune system (the body system that fights infection). Vitamin A deficiency has been associated with vision problems, which is why your mom always told you to eat your carrots when you were a kid! Getting enough Vitamin A during pregnancy will also help your body repair the damage caused by childbirth.

 

Pregnant women should consume at least 770 micrograms (or 2565 IU, as it is labeled on nutritional labels) of Vitamin A per day, and that number almost doubles when nursing to 1300 micrograms (4,330 IU). Be aware, however, that overdosing on Vitamin A can cause birth defects and liver toxicity. Your maximum intake should be 3000 mcg (10,000 IU) per day.

 

Vitamin A can be found in liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale spinach collard greens, cantaloupe, eggs, mangos and peas.

 

2.      Vitamin B6: Also known as Pyridoxine, Vitamin B6 helps your baby’s brain and nervous system develop. It also helps Mom and baby develop new red blood cells. Oddly enough, B6 has been known to help alleviate morning sickness in some pregnant women.

 

Pregnant women should consume at least 1.9 mg per day of Vitamin B6. That amount rises slightly when nursing to 2.0 mg per day.

 

Vitamin B6 can be found in fortified cereals, as well as bananas, baked potatoes, watermelon, chick peas and chicken breast.

 

3.      Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 works hand in hand with folic acid to help both Mom and baby produce healthy red blood cells, and it helps develop the fetal brain and nervous system. The body stores years’ worth of B12 away, so unless you are a vegan or suffer from pernicious anemia the likelihood of a B12 deficiency is very slim.

 

Pregnant women should consume at least 2.6 mcg (104 IU) of B12per day, nursing mothers 2.8 mcg (112 IU).

 

Vitamin B12 can be found in red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy foods. If you are a vegan you will be able to find B12 fortified tofu and soymilk. Other foods are fortified at the manufacturer’s discretion.

 

4.      Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron and build a healthy immune system in both mother and baby. It also holds the cells together, helping the body to build tissue. Since the Daily Recommended Allowance of Vitamin C is so easy to consume by eating the right foods supplementation is rarely needed.

 

Pregnant women should consume at least 80-85 mg of Vitamin C per day, nursing mothers no less than 120 mg per day.

 

Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, raspberries, bell peppers, green beans, strawberries, papaya, potatoes, broccoli and tomatoes, as well as in many cough drops and other supplements.

 

5.      Calcium: Calcium builds your baby’s bones and helps its brain and heart to function. Calcium intake increases dramatically during pregnancy. Women with calcium deficiency at any point in their lives are more likely to suffer from conditions such as osteoporosis which directly affect the bones.

 

Pregnant women should consume at least 1200 mg of calcium a day, nursing mothers 1000 mg per day.

 

Calcium can be found in dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and, to a lesser extent, ice cream, as well as fortified juices, butters and cereals, spinach, broccoli, okra, sweet potatoes, lentils, tofu, Chinese cabbage, kale and broccoli. It is also widely available in supplement form.

 

6.      Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, leading to healthy bones for both mother and baby.

 

Women who are pregnant or nursing should consume at least 2000 IU of Vitamin D per day. Since babies need more Vitamin D than adults babies that are only breastfeeding may need a Vitamin D supplement, so if your doctor recommends this don’t worry. You haven’t done anything wrong! Formula is fortified with Vitamin D, so if you are bottle feeding or supplementing with formula your baby is probably getting sufficient amounts of this vital nutrient.

 

Vitamin D is rarely found in sufficient amounts in ordinary foods. It can, however, be found in milk (most milk is fortified) as well as fortified cereals, eggs and fatty fish like salmon, catfish and mackerel. Vitamin D is also found in sunshine, so women and children found to have a mild Vitamin D deficiency may be told to spend more time in the sun.

 

7.      Vitamin E: Vitamin E helps baby’s body to form and use its muscles and red blood cells. Lack of Vitamin E during pregnancy has been associated with pre-eclampsia (a condition causing excessively high blood pressure and fluid retention) and low birth weight. On the other hand, Vitamin E overdose has been tentatively associated with stillbirth in mothers who “self medicated” with supplements.

 

Pregnant women should consume at least 20 mg of Vitamin E per day but not more than 540 mg.

 

Vitamin E can be found in naturally in vegetable oil, wheat germ, nuts, spinach and fortified cereals as well as in supplemental form. Natural Vitamin E is better for your baby than synthetic, so be sure to eat lots of Vitamin E rich foods before you reach for your bottle of supplements.

 

8.      Folic Acid: Also known as Folate or Vitamin B9, Folic Acid is a vital part of your baby’s development. The body uses Folic Acid for the replication of DNA, cell growth and tissue formation. A Folic Acid deficiency during pregnancy can lead to neural tube defects such as spina bifida (a condition in which the spinal cord does not form completely), anencephaly (underdevelopment of the brain) and encephalocele (a condition in which brain tissue protrudes out to the skin from an abnormal opening in the skull). All of these conditions occur during the first 28 days of fetal development, usually before Mom even knows she’s pregnant, which is why it’s important for women who may become or are trying to become pregnant to consistently get enough Folic Acid in their diet.

 

Pregnant woman should consume at least 0.6-0.8 mg of Folic Acid per day.

 

Folic Acid can be found in oranges, orange juice, strawberries, leafy vegetables, spinach, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, pasta, beans, nuts and sunflower seeds, as well as in supplements and fortified cereals.

 

9.      Iron: Iron helps your body to form the extra blood that it’s going to need to keep you and baby healthy, as well as helping to form the placenta and develop the baby’s cells. Women are rarely able to consume enough iron during their pregnancy through eating alone, so iron supplements along with prenatal vitamins are often prescribed.

 

Women who are pregnant should have at least 27 mg of iron per day, although the Center for Disease Control suggests that all women take a supplement containing at least 30 mg. The extra iron rarely causes side effects; however, overdosing on iron supplements can be very harmful for both you and your baby by causing iron build-up in the cells.

 

Iron can be found in red meat and poultry, which are your best choice, as well as legumes, vegetables, some grains and fortified cereals.

 

10.  Niacin: Also known as Vitamin B3, Niacin is responsible for providing energy for your baby to develop as well as building the placenta. It also helps keep Mom’s digestive system operating normally.

 

Pregnant women should have an intake of at least 18 mg of Niacin per day.

 

Niacin can be found in foods that are high in protein, such as eggs, meats, fish and peanuts, as well as whole grains, bread products, fortified cereals and milk.

 

11.   Protein: Protein is the building block of the body’s cells, and as such it is very important to the growth and development of every part of your baby’s body during pregnancy. This is especially important in the second and third trimester, when both Mom and baby are growing the fastest.

 

Pregnant and nursing women should consume at least 70g of protein per day, which is about 25g more than the average women needs before pregnancy.

 

Protein can be found naturally in beans, poultry, red meats, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, cheese, tofu and yogurt. It is also available in supplements, fortified cereals and protein bars.

 

12.  Riboflavin: Also known as Vitamin B2, Riboflavin helps the body produce the energy it needs to develop your baby’s bones, muscles and nervous system. Women with Riboflavin deficiency may be at risk for preeclamsia, and when baby is delivered it will be prone to anemia, digestive problems, poor growth and a suppressed immune system, making it more vulnerable to infection.

 

Pregnant women should consume at least 1.4 mg of Riboflavin per day, nursing mothers 1.6 mg.

 

Riboflavin can be found in whole grains, dairy products, red meat, pork and poultry, fish, fortified cereals and eggs.  

 

13.  Thiamin: Also known as Vitamin B1, thiamin helps develop your baby’s organs and central nervous system.

 

Pregnant women and nursing mothers should consume at least 1.4 mg of Thiamin a day. Nursing mothers who are Thiamin deficient are at risk for having babies with beriberi, a disease which may affect the baby’s cardiovascular system (lungs and heart) or the nervous system.

 

Thiamin can be found in whole grain foods, pork, fortified cereals, wheat germ and eggs.

 

14.  Zinc: Zinc is vital for the growth of your fetus because it aids in cell division, the primary process in the growth of baby’s tiny tissues and organs. It also helps Mom and baby to produce insulin and other enzymes.

 

Pregnant women should have an intake of at least 11-12 mg of Zinc per day.

 

Zinc can be found naturally in red meats, poultry, beans, nuts, grains, oysters and dairy products, as well as fortified cereals and supplements.

 

            Bear in mind that the Recommended Daily Allowances are just that-recommended. None of those number has been formulated on a case-by-case basis, so if your doctor recommends something else for you listen to what they have to say. After all, they managed to run up that student loan somehow!

For more Pregnancy info please visit the pregnancy guides wiki

When Can You Get Pregnant?

When Can You Get Pregnant?
By Milos Pesic

If you are planning on becoming pregnant in the near future, you may be wondering when exactly it is that you can get pregnant. If you are asking these types of questions, you are definitely on the right track to pregnancy! Let’s discuss the biology of the female body in more detail in order to understand when you can get pregnant.

After puberty hits, a woman typically has a month-long menstrual cycle. The main outwardly visible sign of this monthly cycle is the presence of menstruation, but this is not the only thing that is going on inside of your body. You can get pregnant as soon as you begin to have this pattern of monthly cycles inside of your body.

During each monthly cycle when you can get pregnant, your body will carefully build a lining of blood vessels and nutrients in your uterus. This is careful preparation for the time when you actually do get pregnant. Your body does not know when that will be, so it prepares thoroughly each month.

You can get pregnant when the lining of the uterus is ready. At this point, your ovaries will release an egg into your uterus. This is the perfect time for you to get pregnant; everything is aligned just right. If you should have intercourse at this time in your monthly cycle, then you stand a good chance of getting pregnant. This stage when you can get pregnant is calling “ovulation.” Ovulation just means that the egg is released during this time period.

If you do not become pregnant during your ovulation time, the egg will die and the lining of your uterus will become too old. At this point, your body sheds the lining and the egg in order to start all over again. This is the stage known as menstruation, when you will notice blood coming to the outside. At this point in your monthly cycle, you typically cannot get pregnant. You will have to wait to get pregnant when the next ovulation period begins in the next month.

This pattern continues over and over during a woman’s childbearing years until she either becomes pregnant, or goes through menopause. When you get pregnant, the lining in you uterus won’t be lost, but rather will grow with the baby and becomes the placenta, which nourishes the baby for nine months. When women go through menopause, they can no longer get pregnant. This is because they stop sending eggs (ovulating), and their bodies quit preparing the monthly lining.

The best way to know when you can become pregnant is to pay attention to your monthly cycle. If you know when you are ovulating, you have all of the information that you need to know about when you can get pregnant!

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Pregnancy and Fertility and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Pregnancy web site. For more articles and resources on Pregnancy and Fertility related topics, early Pregnancy Symptoms, Infertility Treatments and much visit his site at:

=>http://pregnancy.need-to-know.net/

How Long Does It Take To Get Pregnant?

How Long Does It Take To Get Pregnant?
By Jamie McMillan

How long does it take to get pregnant?" I always get asked this from couples trying to conceive. Unfortunately, my answer every time is...It depends.

Couples usually don't like to hear this and would like to hear within a month or two. Many couples wonder if there is something wrong after a month or two and they aren't pregnant. Actually if you look at the averages about 50% of HEALTHY couples get pregnant within 4 or 5 months, and nearly 86% will get pregnant after one year of trying.

There are MANY factors that can affect you getting prefers...here are a couple.

1. Timing of Sex - I can't stress how important this one is, if you are "baby dancing" at all the wrong times you may never get pregnant. There are really only 3-5 days of fertile times and you need to be having intercourse during these times.

2. Mom's Age - The older the woman is, the longer it will take to get pregnant.

3. Health - Healthy people tend to get pregnant MUCH faster than unhealthy people. This includes drug, alcohol, tobacco, use as well as caffeine intake for the mother AND the father.

So here are a few things to look out for when you're wondering "How long does it take to get pregnant?" Like I said in general it takes around 4-5 months, but it really just depends.

There are other factors as well, and they are discussed in great detail in "The Pregnancy Plan", it's a free online e-Course that can help you get pregnant naturally.

Baby Dust To All!

For more information about how long it takes to get pregnant, please visit the Pregnancy Plan.

http://www.thepregnancyplan.com