Female Care

Although the choice to take childbirth classes is a personal decision you will have to make for yourself, childbirth classes can be very beneficial especially for first time parents. Besides teaching breathing and relaxation techniques, these classes are very informative and educational. It is a great way for expectant parents to have their questions answered, their concerns addressed and to learn about available resources to assist them even after the baby is born.

My husband and I attended childbirth classes since it was a prerequisite for admitting the father into the delivery room. It was an enjoyable and information filled experience. The instructor was both pleasant and knowledgeable and it was a pleasure getting to know the other couples in the class. The instructor made the exercises fun to learn and encouraged us to ask questions. The basic focus of the class was on vaginal birth, breathing and relaxation techniques to lessen pain and anxiety. The instructor did touch on related topics such as false labor, premature birth and c-section delivery. I remember vividly how the instructor stated that at least one woman in the class would probably end up having a delivery by c-section as she talked about the possible causes requiring such a delivery. At that time I did not think that I would be that woman. My husband never did get to accompany me to the delivery room since I ended up in the operating room instead. Even so, the knowledge I gained by attending the classes was time well spent.
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Yoga is not mysterious.  It is made up of different poses and postures that almost anyone can complete safely and effectively.   The benefits of yoga include improved posture, more flexibility, and relaxation overall.

To ease into yoga, beginners can use the following instructions as a springboard to jump into practice.  Intermediate and advanced yoga participants can use the following to brush up on the foundation of practice.

Mountain Pose

Breathing: Inhale arms up, palms touch, and exhale hands down over the chest.

Alignment: The toes and ankles should touch gently.  Engage the abs, left the chest, leave shoulders down and back away from the ears, and keep the hands in prayer over the heart. Continue reading »

Choosing a name for your baby is a very important task as you await your new arrival. The name will serve as your child’s identification for life and he will use it in everything he does. But, the process does not have to be stressful. With all of the preparations involved in getting ready for the new member of your family, keep the following suggestions in mind to help make naming the baby a fun, joyous experience.

You will probably have many suggestions from friends and family of names for your baby. Let everyone give their input, but remember that the decision remains with you and your mate. Make a list early on of some possible choices. Set the list aside for a while and come back to it. Usually some names will stand out above the others. When considering a name, say it out loud several times. Say it in combination with the middle and last names. Consider what types of nicknames might be generated from it. Be careful to avoid a name that might subject the child to ridicule from other children. Also, be mindful of the child’s initials and make sure they do not spell or stand for anything undesirable. Continue reading »

NCT Pregnancy: For Parents, By Parents
Edited by Daphne Metland
Collins
Expect to pay £12.99

This comprehensive National Childbirth Trust book offers an in-depth look at pregnancy, from the conception through to birth and the early days with your newborn baby. The authors recognise that every woman experiences pregnancy in their own unique way and that women have a variety of concerns, with the main issue on everyone’s mind being, “Is this normal?” Continue reading »

In 2003, legendary Texas cowgirl Connie Reeves died several days after a fall from her horse. She was 102 and had never stopped riding or running her ranch. She’d been teaching girls to ride for 70 years without pause.

“Bill”, nearing 90, is the opposite side of the coin. His attitude has always been that exercise for its own sake isn’t worth a hill of beans. As a result he has become increasingly sedentary. Even his atrophied leg muscles giving out to send him tumbling when he tried to step down from his physician’s examination table wasn’t a big enough wake-up call to get him moving.

The call finally became loud enough when he found himself on the floor in his bathroom, running a high fever and unable to get up. The trip to the hospital could well have been his last. When he arrived, doctors scrambled to test for everything they could think of that might have caused his collapse. His electrolytes were far out of balance. His Type II Diabetes was out of control. He showed signs of a massive infection and was put on IV antibiotics immediately.
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With all the current media news about Black Cohosh for use in menopause, the herb Blue Cohosh has been almost overlooked. The properties of Blue Cohosh, caulophylum thalictroides, make it the perfect herb to use during the childbearing years.

Blue Cohosh in an American herb, found growing in the eastern United States along streams and swampy area. The root, or rhizome, of the plant is key to the wonderful properties of this herb.

Before pregnancy, Blue Cohosh is an excellent tonic to use to tone the uterus. It can also be used in larger doses to jump start a delayed period or one that is abnormally light, although it will not trigger a spontaneous abortion. Blue Cohosh is also said to relieve cramps and some PMS symptoms.

During pregnancy, Blue Cohosh is used as an anti-spasmodic to ease the threat of premature labor, false labor and miscarriage during early pregnancy. Blue Cohosh should not be taken during mid-pregnancy, unless miscarriage or premature labor is threatened. Native Americans used the herb to help ease delivery when the fetus had reached full term by using Blue Cohosh as a tonic when the mother reached within a few weeks of the expected birth. Continue reading »

Would you rather ride your favourite Holler-coaster once or get an all-night pass? Since you’re likely an up-for-anything chick, we know you’d pick option two. So why settle for just one go-around when it comes to your sex life—especially when doubling up on the deed could increase your orgasmic potential? ‘When your body is still turned on from a previous round, it’s easier to climax,” explains Joan Elizabeth Lloyd, author of If It Peek Good. Plus, since your man won’t come as quickly the second time, he’ll have more erotic energy to spend pleasing you (and he’ll feel like one helluva stud for going the distance). But you can’t just expect sex after sex, and it’s certainly not smart to demand it. Just follow this strategies for successful sequel sex. Continue reading »

Remember your mother telling you to eat oranges in order to supply your body with much needed Vitamin C? Well, researchers in California have discovered that oranges provide our bodies with other vitamins that help us fight off a variety of health problems.

Oranges are rich in a compound called citrus limonoids, which help to prevent cancers of the breast, colon, lung, mouth, skin and stomach. In laboratory tests animals and human cells both benefited from citrus limonoids in the fight against these cancers.

Chemist Gary D. Manners and a team of scientists at the Agricultural Research Service in northern California are now doing extensive research into the benefits of citrus limonoids to human health. Manners and his team reported findings from research that they have conducted over a number of years. It seems that each time we bite into a slice of orange or drink a glass of orange juice our bodies recognize a limonoid called limonin. It is believed that limonin also reduces cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease and other health problems. Continue reading »

The responsibility of being a single parent can be frightening and is certainly challenging. However, raising a child whether alone or with a spouse or partner can be the most rewarding aspect of your life. Some parents fear that raising their child alone will have a negative impact on their children. However, most children who grow up in single parent homes are happy, healthy and well adjusted children.

Your family dynamics is not what is most important to your child. The important focus is on raising your children in a safe and loving environment. Even if your child does not get to spend any or much time with their other parent, they have numerous opportunities to find supportive and loving role models. Continue reading »

For as long as I can remember I have been overweight. Throughout my school years I never felt like the boys accepted me for what I looked like and many of them even missed out on a great friend by focusing on the wrong thing. I did have a lot of boys who were friends because they liked my personality, but few boyfriends. Once I was close to the end of my senior in high school it didn’t bother me because I had a steady boyfriend who I ended up dating for the next two years. Then, I met the real love of my life.

I met Richard at a karaoke bar. I knew the instant we met that he was mine because of the look in his eyes. Two weeks later, we became an official couple. Although I do not condone pre-marital sex, I wasn’t a virgin and it wasn’t too long after Rich and I began dating that we had our first intimate encounter. He told me I was beautiful — I melted. Well, not too long after that he told me he really liked the underwear I always wore. Imagine that! And a few months later he asked me if I would be interested in buying some sexy lingerie. I went nuts! Would I?! Of course I would! Here was a guy who just told me he thought my body was beautiful when my whole life I had been hating it. Continue reading »