The problem of excessive weight gain has nothing to do with the aesthetic issue, but is rather a health issue. During their pregnancy, a women will naturally gain more weight, which is an normal part of being pregnant. Your body has to adapt to the new baby and the baby weight itself add up to your own weight. However, many women tend to gain excessive weight, which can be difficult to lose after pregnancy, and which can also cause them health problems. Those health problems are usually mild, such as increased fatigue or more paints in the joints, but can also be linked to other more severe health problems like diabetes.

To control your gain in weight, it is important to live a healthy lifestyle, which means eat healthy and exercise. Here are 3 great exercise programs for working out while pregnant you can opt for.

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First, try prenatal aqua-aerobics classes.
Gone are the days when we believed that a pregnant mother was best suited to lying in bed or to sitting on the couch. Aqua-fitness classes are a water aerobics and strengthening program that was specially designed for pregnant women to enjoy a fun and safe work out experience. Water aerobics have the advantage of giving you a good work out but giving you low impacts on the lower back and the joints. With prenatal water aerobics, pregnant mom can build their strength, their flexibility and their cardiovascular endurance using the buoyancy of the water and without the joints pains.

Second, try yoga.
If you are looking for a slow pace exercise, try yoga. Yoga means no running and no jumping. Choose prenatal yoga as is was adapted for pregnant women. On DVD or in class, yoga will not only give a great work out, but will also relax every bits of you. Before purchasing a yoga DVD, make sure to choose one that is labeled yoga, to ensure that the poses will suit your new body limitations. If you are going to a class, simply mention (and remind regularly) to the yoga teacher that you are pregnant so they can give you the modified versions of the poses.

Third, try prenatal aerobics
If you are looking for a more challenging work out, try prenatal aerobics. Prenatal aerobics is an efficient way to control weight gain and will allow you to burn more energy using muscles all over the entire body. The work out will improve your overall cardiovascular endurance and overall conditioning.

There are many more ways to remain active. No matter what you choose for working out while pregnant, make sure that it is suitable for you during your pregnancy, and that you like it enough so you will stick to your program. Moreover, a balanced diet is also necessary to help you control your weight gain.

For more information about working out while pregnant, visit Baby Heartbeat Monitor.

During the development of the foetus during pregnancy, the mom-to-be has to increase her consumption in food and nutrients in order to help the normal development of their little one. The question of many women is what to eat when pregnant. The healthy diet of a pregnant women has to allow enough nutrients for the development of their baby, therefore be at least 2500 to 2700 calories per day. This equals 300-400 calories (American Dietetic Association) more than what a non pregnant women should normally eat.

However, these calories also have to bring some essential nutrients, and not only fat and sugars. A healthy and balanced diet should include lots of vitamins, fibers, calcium, proteins and other important nutrients. Find out what to eat while pregnant in this non-exhaustive list of what pregnant women should consume.

Calcium
Calcium if mostly found in dairies. This is why dairies are an essential part of what to eat when pregnant. In order to have enough calcium for both her and her baby, the mom-to-be needs to consume the equivalent of at least 1000 milligrams of calcium. This equals approximately to 4 servings or more of dairies everyday. 1 cup of lowfat milk or yogurt are examples of one dairy portion. To reduce the chances of weight gain, choose lowfat or nonfat products. Spinach or other enriched-calcium beverages are also great sources of calcium. They are an excellent alternative for women who do not like dairies or are known to be lactose intolerant.

Vitamins A, B, D
Dairy products contain more than just calcium. They also provide vitamin A, B, D and are a good source of proteins. Vitamin A helps baby’s growth while the acid folic (vitamin B), will help prevent serious birth defects (Kid’s Health). Liver and carrots also contain lots of vitamin A, the acid folic can be found in large quantities in leafy green veggies, whole-wheat and nuts while vitamin D can be found in large amounts in oily fish and eggs.

Proteins
Proteins are used in the development of muscles, and several tissues. They are necessary for the growth of baby. Non-pregnant women should eat the equivalent of 60 grams of proteins per day, which equals to 10 grams more the number of calories pregnant women need to eat every day, and about 2-3 times a portion of proteins. Remember that each portion of protein is much smaller than the steak you eat at the restaurant. Indeed, one portion equals approximately to 2 or 3oz of cooked lean meat, poultry of fish, or in other words, the size and thickness of a deck of playing cards. You can also substitute meat for dried beans (1 portion=1/2 cup), eggs (1 portion=1 egg), tofu (1/2 cup), nuts (1/3) or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Those substitutes also contains other great nutrients, such as omega fatty acids in nuts or vitamin A in red kidney beans.

Iron
Iron is important for the blood : they carry the oxygen you and your baby need. A good source of iron is red meat. When pregnant, women should double their iron consumption form 15mg/day to 30mg/day (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Sometimes, your doctor may even recommended you to take low-dose of iron supplements or multivitamins that contain iron.

Water
Water water water… Pregnant or not, most people drink too little water. Water is essential to life, and during pregnancy, you should make sure to keep yourself hydrated all the time. Drink at least 6 cups of water every day and one more for every hour of physical activity. The reason is that water plays a key role by carrying all the nutrients to the your foetus and by reducing many pregnancy problems, such as constipation. Dehydration can lead to pregnancy problems, including premature or early labor.

If you like juice, take it in moderation. Juices contain water, but also lots of sugar, that can play a role in excessive weight gain during pregnancy. And if you were an avid coffee drinker before your pregnancy, remember that coffee does not count towards your consumption of water as caffeine decreases the amount of fluid in your body.

It is important that you know what to eat when pregnant. A healthy and balanced diet will ensure the good development of your baby and keep you healthy. However, knowing what to eat when pregnant is not all, you also need to exercise and to keep yourself active for an easier pregnancy and labor.

For more information, visit Baby Heartbeat Monitor.

How to become pregnant? In today’s society, we are more used with “How to not become pregnant”… This is the pill paradox. This contraception society makes us believe that becoming pregnant is just as easy as breathing. But sometimes, when we really want it, it doesn’t happen right away. So, how can you boost your fertility in order to conceive this mini you? Here are some natural ways to increase fertility.

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1. Patience is a virtue

It is not because you stop using the pill that you will become pregnant. As a matter of fact, as many as 66% of couples have to wait a minimum of 6 months before it happens. In reality, women only have about 20% chances to become pregnant at each cycle. This is why, even if you think that you are having trouble getting pregnant, wait at least a year before consulting with a doctor. Meanwhile, try our discussed natural ways to increase fertility.

2. Learn about cycles and ovulation

Most women have very little knowledge about what ovulation is and when it happens. And remember that of all the natural ways to increase fertility, this is one of the most important. And if you are part of the women who don’t know very much about ovulation, then you need to learn about it, read about it. First, you need to determine the duration of your own cycle, which means the time between the 1st day of your period and the 1st day of the next period. The cycle time varies between each women, from 25 to 35 days usually. Then, you can find the ovulation day, which is 12 to 14 days before the end of the cycle. Your ovulation period will be between [(#of days in a cycle) – 14] and [(#of days in a cycle) -14].

Have you determined your ovulation date? To increase your chances of becoming pregnant, you should ideally start having intercourse (unprotected of course!) about 2 days before the ovulation date. Why? Because it takes about 24 hours to 48 hours to Mr. spermatozoid to reach the egg.

But the calendar method is not everything. There are other ways to find out whether you are ovulation as well, such as the basal body temperature. Ask your family doctor to learn more about these methods.

3. Do it, often!

This is probably not news to you, but it is always good to be reminded. Remember that women’s fertility period is fairly short. So to do it often is to increase your chances of getting pregnant!

To help spermatozoids travel to the egg, make it easy for them. Use gravity and opt for more “classic” positions. After you’re done, lie down for about 30 minutes. You can even put a pillow underneath your hips to raise them, to give the spermatozoids an extra help.

4. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes

Cigarettes is not good anyway for your health. Unfortunately, you will also have to cut on your daily glass(es) of wine. Cigarettes and alcohol may give you trouble getting pregnant! Studies have shown tobacco lower estrogen levels (see this report from the American Society For Reproductive Medicine). Therefore, a 35 year old smoker would have the same fertility as a 40 year old non smoker.

The consumption of alcohol, even mild, have been shown to have numerous negative consequences for female reproductive function (NIAAA).

Therefore, if you are thinking of conceiving, stop early. Try to stop smoking and drinking at least 3 months before trying to getting conceive. And this applies to dad-to-be as well since alcohol and tobacco also affect the quality of their sperm. And remember that it takes two to make a baby!

5. Gain or lose some weight

One of the natural ways to increase fertility is to get to your ideal fertility weight. It is a well known fact, being overweight will reduce you chances of conceiving. But too often we forget to talk about being underweight. To work at its best, your body needs to have an adequate level of fat. So lose or gain weight, accordingly to your needs. Calculate your BMI here (BMI calculator). Aim for the higher end rather than the lower. The idea fertility weight is slightly higher than the healthy weight. Just eat healthy and follow the nutrition guide! Which brings us to the next point.

6. Live a healthy lifestyle

By healthy lifestyle, we don’t mean you need to become a olympic champion or start buying everything organic. You don’t have to go nuts, but be more aware of your health. Healthy food and exercising are simply well known natural ways to increase fertility. Exercise on a regular basis, such as swimming or even walking. Sports, anyway, is good for you and will give you a boost to your physical but also mental health, which is also very important when you are trying to conceive.

Similarly, a few months before you start having unprotected intercourse, be more aware of what you are eating. You don’t have to follow a strict diet, but eat well, with the right balance of fruits, veggies, meats, dairies and cereals, and make sure to put some variety and colors in your plate. This will assure that you have all the necessary nutrients for your fertility (and make sure to do the same for your men!) such as vitamin A, B6, B12, C, E, essential fatty acids, zinc, iron, etc. You can take supplements, but if you eat well, you should find all the necessary nutrients in your food.

Moreover, if you are healthy, you will live through your pregnancy a lot easier.

7. Reduce your stress levels

There are many ways of reducing your stress level. From acupuncture to yoga, and everything in between, the choice is yours.

Stress and fertility are not good friends. According to a German study done on 2000 couples unable to conceive, 25% were infertile because of emotional problems. Infertility is a normal response of our body (irregular cycles for women, bad spermatozoids quality for men, lower libido levels) to stress.

Moral of the story : don’t stress too much over the fact that your are not pregnant yet! Laugh, work out, live, cuddle… don’t focus on the above advices about these natural ways to increase fertility 24 hours a day, this will only stress you even more!

For more information about natural ways to increase fertility and pregnancy issues, visit Baby Heartbeat Monitor.