Can a pregnant female travel by air?

Sure, she can. There are many myths surrounding air travel during pregnancy. These myths have been around for decades and mostly born out of ignorance. Air travel is safe. Female flight attendants have been known to get pregnant and still manage to do their job and there are no reports that female flight attendants suffer from an extraordinary amount of miscarriages or other pregnancy related problems. Most flight attendants appear to have stress-related problems because of their work. Today's flying consumers are not easy to please and many can be a pain in the rear.

The only complication that affects pregnant women more is risk of blood clots. However, this applies to all people. Being confined to a small cramped seat for long time increases the risk of blood clots. Therefore, the best way to avoid blood clots is to walk around the plane and wear compression stockings.

Women who are pregnant should not fly routinely but this is not because of any ill health but the business of flying today can be a real hassle with regular delays and all the Bull Crap screening that one has to go through. The only reason flying is not recommend after the 36 week of pregnancy is because pilots do not want you to deliver in the middle of a flight to nowhere- that can be a real hassle, especially if there is no doctor on board. Moreover, if you are flying to some exotic place for a vacation, the maternal health care available may suck big time.

Can a pregnant female dye her hair?

Over the past 2 decades, there have been a lot of questions regarding the safety of hair dyes. This is of more concern in pregnant women. One study sponsored by the National Institute of Health revealed that there does appear to be a link between use of hair dye during pregnancy and development of a childhood cancer, neuroblastoma. The study showed that use of hair dye anytime in the month before or during pregnancy is not good for the fetus.

It is still not known how hair dyes cause cancer but these products contain many synthetic chemicals which all have the potential to do harm when the conditions are right. Moreover, it has been shown that use of temporary dye is more harmful than permanent dye, possibly because of multiple applications of the former.

So what should a pregnant mother do?

Well, the American Pregnancy Association says that hair dyes are not much of a worry because the amount of dye that comes into contact with the skin is little and unlikely to harm the fetus. On the other hand a report in the American Family Physician  suggests avoiding hair dyes in early pregnancy.  Common sense would indicate that the least amount of junk the pregnant mother is exposed to, the better it would be for the fetus.

Are hot baths/saunas bad for a pregnant female?

 For centuries there has been a myth propagated that pregnant women should avoid hot baths and saunas. The reason is that the high temperature may affect the fetus.

It has been known that when the pregnant mother has a persistently high temperature it can lead to drop in heart rate and thus this could result in decreased oxygen supply to the fetus. There are also anecdotal case reports that high body temperature from fever or any external causes may increase risk of miscarriage especially if it occurs during the first trimester. However, this high temperature must be long lasting.

So what should a pregnant female do?

The main thing a female should do is avoid a prolonged increase in core body temperature. A hot bath or shower is perfectly fine but one should avoid prolonged stays in the sauna or hot tubs.

Women who live in hot humid climates should try to stay cool. However, again these are just speculations. Women who live in the Sahara and in the Middle East are exposed to year round hot temperatures and give birth to babies born without any major problems- so it is time to debunk the temperature myth. However, remember that too much of one thing is never good.

Should I buy breast milk online?

Recently there has been a trend for mothers who are not able to breast feed to obtain milk from mothers who have a surplus of breast milk. While the giving of breast milk to another female is a nobel act, there are some concerns the recipient should be aware of.

The FDA does not recommend the sharing of breast milk primarily because it can lead to transmission of infections. Moreover the manner in how the milk may be stored or collected may also not be safe and pose a risk to the newborn baby.

Currently the FDA recommends that women who want to obtain breast milk use the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, where donors have been screened and certain precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of the milk. So far this agency has done a great job and no infections or any adverse reactions have been reported

Unfortunately, milk sharing has now become a profitable business venture and many websites have cropped up. Sites like  onlythebreast.com and eatsonfeets.org, offer breast milk but it does not come cheap. An ounce can cost as much as $5. So if you want to feed your baby breast milk, that can cost anywhere from $40-$50 a day.

These breast sharing websites have no quality control, except trust on part of the donating mum. Some mothers who donate do heat pasteurize the milk  to inactive any possible HIV.

Milk sharing is nothing new and has been practiced in developing and third world countries for centuries. However, all mothers hold be aware that this is not an innocuous practice. The FDA says, "Risks for the baby include exposure to infectious diseases, to chemical contaminants such as some illegal drugs, and to a limited number of prescription drugs that might be in the human milk, if the donor has not been adequately screened."

Finally, if the chinese can add dry-wall to their milk products, there is no reason why someone in north america can't add regular milk bought from a grocery store, mix it with a little breast milk and sell it at an enormous profit!

Can I drink coffee during pregnancy?

Coffee is the most popular social beverage used by many people, but it also generates a lot of controversy when it comes to pregnancy. 

It is widely known that caffeine can cross the placenta. In the growing fetus, caffeine can causes an increase in heart beat and also increase the breathing rate. However, beyond this no one really knows if caffeine is bad for the growing fetus. So far, all the studies on coffee have been in people who either use excessive amounts of caffeine (usually 8-10 cups a day) or no coffee at all.

In some studies it has been shown that caffeine can lead to a decreased absorption of iron in the mother and this could theoretically lead to anemia. This may present as fatigue, dizziness or an irregular heart rate.  Another study has shown that high levels of caffeine can lead to a higher incidence of miscarriages. Many other small studies have reached different conclusions and none of the studies have reliably produced consistent results.

So what should a pregnant mother do?

Most experts think  mild to moderate coffee drinking (1-2 cups/day) is safe during pregnancy. Women who are paranoid, high strung, anal retentive and never trust any medical advice are better off not drinking any coffee.

Breast feeding advice-101

Breast feeding advice is readily available on cyberspace and there really is no need for anyone to buy a book. All mothers should understand that breast-feeding has many benefits. Breast milk is composed of precisely the correct balance of nutrients that a newborn requires. 

Some of the other advantages of breast milk include 1) it is a lot easier for newborns to digest than any formula product 2) Breast milk contains a variety of antibodies that can help enhance the baby’s immune system 3) breast feeding also helps the mother lose weight and 4) it creates a strong bond between the baby and the mother. However, breast-feeding is not for all mothers and it does require a lot of patience. For mums to be, here is some breast feeding advice that will hopefully make you better prepared for the task.

Always ask for advice if you are struggling with breast-feeding. While you can read all about breast feeding, speaking to someone with experience is the best way to solve problems. Speak to a nurse in the maternity ward or consult with your doctor. Better still; speak to a family member or friend. Breast-feeding is time consuming and thus the first task is to be comfortable. Get yourself in a comfortable position and then cradle the baby to your breast. Other details that may help make breast-feeding easier is resting the baby on the bed and resting its head with your hand. Learn how to tickle the baby’s lips with your nipple and ensure that the baby has a good grip on the areola surface. To remove the baby, gently insert your finger into the corner of the baby‘s mouth and discontinue the suction.

During the first several weeks, newborns like to be fed every 2-3 hours around the clock and this can be exhausting for the mother. Breast-feeding should not be hurried and the baby should pace the feedings. Allow the baby to feed on one breast for 20-30 minutes and then burp the baby before you start feeding on the other breast. If your baby is not hungry after the first breast-feeding, pump the other breast to relieve engorgement/discomfort and save the milk. While pacifiers are a great invention in calming the baby, breast-feeding mothers should wait at least 4-6 weeks before introducing this device. The reason is that babies may get attached to the pacifier and breast feeding may be become erratic.

Breast-feeding should not be painful. If you feel pain than there is something not right. When breast-feeding is successful, you should only feel a pulling-sensation on the breast. If you are doing things well, then your breast may feel soft and empty after each feeding. In addition, the baby will be gaining weight. Moreover, a successfully breast fed baby will also require at least 6-8 diaper changes a day. The stools will be soft; yellowish will not smell a lot (as compared to formula fed babies).

After each feeding, take care of your nipples. Change your bra pads often and keep the nipples dry. If the nipple show signs of cracking, apply a moisturizing ointment after each feeding. If you breast feed, then you also need to eat healthy. Drink lots of fluids and limit intake of caffeine and cola beverages. If you do imbibe a wee bit of alcohol, avoid breast-feeding for a few hours. 

Finally, breast-feeding can be tiring, so rest whenever time permits. Moreover, do not smoke and get an okay from your doctor before you take any medications while breast-feeding.

Cheap Pregnancy Tests

Cheap pregnancy tests are readily available without a prescription from many pharmacies and grocery stores. For most women, a home pregnancy test does cause anxiety especially if one is not sure if the results can be relied upon.  To relieve the anxiety it is important to know when to take the pregnancy test and understand some of the limitations of cheap pregnancy tests. 

When should I take a pregnancy test?

The majority of pregnancy tests manufacturers make exaggerated claims that their tests are accurate on the first day after a missed period. In fact, for most accurate results one should wait at least 5-7 days after a missed period to take the test.

The physiology of pregnancy involves attachment of a fertilized egg on to the lining of your uterus. The body than starts to produce a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin or HCG. During early pregnancy, levels of HCG double every 2 days. Therefore, by the 5-7 day there is adequate HCG, which can be detected in the urine. If you take the test earlier, it may not be accurate because levels of HCG may be low. All women who have a positive pregnancy test at home should make sure that they confirm the pregnancy with their health care provider. This means having to undergo a blood test, which is far more reliable than any urine test.

There are numerous cheap pregnancy tests available for home use. The majority of tests are relatively easy to use; you simply dip the end of a dipstick into your urine for about 5-10 seconds. A few minutes later, you examine the dipstick. Some strips will reveal a color change, others will have a negative (-) or positive (+) sign and yet others may say “pregnant” or “not pregnant” on the strip.

These instructions do vary with and one should always read the instructions before using the kit. Most cheap pregnancy kits also have a toll free number you can call if you have a question(s) about the result.

The majority of pregnancy tests have fairly good sensitivity. However, most kits do vary on the degree of accuracy when used within the first three days after a missed period. These kits usually are more consistent with their reporting of a positive pregnancy 5-7 days after a missed period. Most pregnancy kits are not affected by antibiotics or prescription medications.

It is very rare to get a positive test when you are in fact not pregnant. False positive tests can occur especially if you have just been pregnant or you took a test right after taking a fertility drug containing HCG. In rare situations, other causes that may confuse the pregnancy test include menopause, ovarian cysts and an ectopic pregnancy. It is also possible to get a falsely negative pregnancy test and this may occur if you take the test too early, time the test wrong or use diluted urine.

If your pregnancy test is positive, then you need to be seen by your doctor. This is important because the sooner the test is confirmed, the earlier you can start to get ready for prenatal care.

Early home pregnancy Test

There are numerous early home pregnancy test kits on the market. For the consumer, the great number of pregnancy kits and varied prices does become very confusing. Does it mean that if a pregnancy kit is cheap that it will not work, and likewise, is an expensive pregnancy kit more reliable?

First the facts- all available pregnancy tests work in the same way. They all measure human chorionic gondaotropic hormone (HCG) in the urine. HCG is hormone which is produced by the body when a pregnancy results. The level of this hormone double every few days. The majority of kits are very sensitive at detecting HCG in the urine at around 5-7 days after a pregnancy has occurred. The only difference is that some kits can identify the HCG in the urine a few days early. Most available kits are not very sensitive in identifying HCG in urine at day 1 or 2 and those that are sensitive are also expensive.

The early home pregnancy test kits, which measure HCG within 1-2 days after a pregnancy has occurred, work in exactly the same way as all other kits. You only pay extra for the convenience of knowing if you are pregnant a few days earlier. If you are in no hurry to know if you are pregnant and can wait a few more days, then you have lot more options and can save a lot of money. In the last few years, many generic early pregnancy test kits have become available and are a lot cheaper than brand name products.

In terms of prenatal care, there is absolutely no difference if a pregnancy is detected on the first or the seventh day. The only reason women buy the expensive kits is to get rid of the anxiety of knowing if they are pregnant or not, right after sexual intercourse. Irrespective of the kit you buy to check for pregnancy at home, this test must be confirmed at a doctor’s office by measuring HCG levels in blood. This is by far more sensitive than any urine test. 

Sometimes the home pregnancy tests can also give you a “false negative” reading- meaning that the result is negative when in fact you are pregnant. The most common reasons for this are 1) use of dilute urine, 2) checking for pregnancy very early after intercourse or 3) using the kit inappropriately. The instructions on all pregnancy kits are easy to understand and must be read before using the strips. The strips will either  denote a “positive” or “negative” sign, others say “pregnant” or “not pregnant” and some change colors.

If it makes no difference in knowing whether you are pregnant on day 1 or 7, then consumers should go buy generic pregnancy home test kits that cost significantly less than the brand names. The cost of pregnancy kits range in price from $3-$25.