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Behind the Curtain: 7 Facts About Contractions During Pregnancy

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Some of the mysteries surrounding pregnancy concern contractions. When they occur, many pregnant women wonder if something is wrong with the baby or if they are going into labor ahead of schedule. Naturally, this causes some anxiety. However, a little knowledge about contractions can help you to know when to call your doctor and when to just relax. Here are seven things you should know about contractions during pregnancy.

  1. They can start earlier than you expect

Women often expect contractions to start towards the end of their pregnancy. However, they can occur earlier. You may even feel them during the first trimester but it doesn’t mean you’re going into labor. Dehydration, gas pains or ligament stretching may be responsible and these contractions are usually nothing to worry about. However, if you notice bleeding, call your doctor.

  1. They may be false

Not all contractions are the same. The ones which indicate you’re going into labor will be regular. However, false contractions have an irregular pattern and they may stop if you change to a different position. These are called Braxton-Hicks contractions and they are mild although they intensify as you get closer to your due date. That’s why you need to find out how to time contractions. This will help you to determine whether your baby is ready to enter the world or not.

  1. Persistent contractions don’t mean you’re going into labor

Frequent regular contractions may mean you have what is known as an irritable uterus. This may be the case if you don’t find relief from rest or hydration. This condition may make you uncomfortable but it isn’t necessarily harmful to you or your baby. A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that 18.7 percent of women with an irritable uterus went into preterm labor compared to 11 percent of women who didn’t have the condition.

  1. Contractions may indicate dehydration

Sometimes your body may be telling you you need more water. If you’re experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, try having a large glass of water. That is often enough to settle things down.

  1. They can be a sign something is wrong

Many contractions are perfectly normal and merely a sign of false labor. However, some can stick around. Regular contractions before you reach 37 weeks are an indication on pre-term labor. If you notice regular contractions early in your pregnancy, arrange to see your doctor.

  1. They can be in your back.

Thought all contractions are felt in your stomach? Think again. The pain can occur in your back. This tends to happen when the baby is facing your stomach. If you’re getting back cramps, it may not be because you slept badly. You may just be experiencing another contraction.

  1. Contractions play an important role

They may be annoying and painful but contractions have a critical role to play in each part of the labor process. Contractions open the cervix, push the baby through the birth canal and free the placenta. These functions all need to take place so both you and your baby are healthy.

Contractions are a normal part of pregnancy. However, if they are excruciating, occurring regularly, getting more painful or accompanied by bleeding, you need to call your doctor. No matter the situation, try to stay as calm as possible when you feel those cramps.

Save Money When Moving and Hire A Cleaning Service Instead

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Moving can be an incredibly expensive, not to mention stressful, process. Expenses that come with packing, hiring people, unpacking, and having everything cleaned can truly add up and make your wallet and your bank account thin out pretty fast. However, never fear, there is a myriad of ways to save money during the moving process and leave you a cushion of your money so at least one stressor is taken off your shoulders. Below are a few ways in which you can save money on the move and use those funds to instead clean up and make your new place sparkle.

One obvious way to save money is by packing everything up by yourself instead of hiring workers to pack your things for you. That alone could save upwards of $200 during the process. You could also find free boxes to pack your things in places like mailrooms, liquor stores, grocery stores, etc. Most moving companies charge roughly $40 for only a few boxes, which when packing an entire house, could add up very quickly. Donating things that you no longer need or want hits two birds with one stone. It cuts down on packing time, keeps you from needing as many packing boxes, and also allows you to claim the donated items as tax deductions.

You can also save money when you move by carefully checking out different moving companies in your area and finding the ones with the company that offers the best deal. Consider Allied Movers for your next move. They can offer suggestions to not only save money, but make the whole moving experience hassle-free. Ask each company you call for a fixed price, and not an estimate, so that you can be fully informed on the decision before choosing a moving company to help you. Often times, if you tell a moving company that you found a better price at a different location, they will compete for your services and either match the price or go slightly below it, so use that to your advantage.

Moving can cause a major mess everywhere which is a stress on the process. It can cause scratches on the floor, dust to come up with things moving in and out, and people tracking things inside as they go in and out of your home. When you use the above tips, you should be able to save enough money to splurge on a cleaning company to come in and clean the house that you moved out of, and clean the house when you finish moving in. For the move out portion, the cleaning company comes in and dusts everything, cleans kitchen appliances, cleans out cabinets, sinks, and cabinets, scrubs all the toilets, showers, and tubs, and wipes down baseboards, finishing up by vacuuming and sweeping all the flooring. They ensure that your house is clean and ready for the next owners to enjoy.

When you move into a new home you want nothing more than a fresh start. Being able to afford a thorough move in clean, thanks to all the money you saved from moving expenses, will give you the peace of mind in knowing that your new home has been cleaned and disinfected from the top to the bottom. When you are in the process of moving and are able to hire a cleaning company, they can come in before all of your personal belongings are unpacked and ensure that every inch of every room gets the cleaning and attention to detail that it needs. Move out and move in cleaning services can be on the pricey side, however. With all the money you save from moving by following the tips above, the price is well worth the investment. You can have peace of mind in knowing that an extensive checklist will be checked off and the homes will be cleaned to the highest expectations. It will definitely take the stress off your shoulders and make moving easier.

Moving is all about a fresh start. By following the advice of moving professionals, you can save yourself money and the headache of having to do the incredibly hard work by yourself. Instead, be smart, relax, and get to know your new home and neighborhood.

Living With Light

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Studies show that ambient lighting can have a direct effect on our mood and productivity. It can impact us at home, at work, at school, and just about anywhere we go. Ever noticed when you go to a restaurant they have specific lighting all around in varying intensity? There’s a reason for that. Have you ever seen those gigantic lights that are used in operating rooms? Precision and accuracy are what comes to mind with those type of lights.

Technology Today

As many of us know, technology has played an essential part in the evolution of light bulbs. Great strides have been made to produce energy-efficient, long-lasting, and economical light bulbs today. Many of us are familiar with halogen bulbs and many of us are also familiar with LED light bulbs. I’m sure there was a time when we were thinking to ourselves, Halogen vs LED Lights and made considerations of various factors to make a decision.

Work

In an article from WebMD, workers are found to have a better quality of life and are more productive when exposed to natural light. The article goes on to further describe the study that included forty-nine day-shift office workers. In it, it states that “the study results confirm that light during the natural daylight hours has powerful effects on health.” So the next time you’re feeling a bit sluggish at work, try moving closer to a window or provide yourself with more light. Having more light will also alleviate headaches from eye strain.

Home

Your bedroom at home is your sanctuary. It’s a place you go to after a hard day’s work. It’s a place where you relax and unwind. Lighting plays a big role in relaxing. You want the right amount of light to settle down comfortably. You also want ample light to get ready in the morning. For instance, if you’re an avid reader before bedtime, you would want lighting that will give you enough light to read your book, but not too overpowering that you won’t be able to fall asleep. Most use dimmers in the bedroom so that you can get a wide range of settings for light intensity. Lowering the light as you fall asleep will aid in getting a better night’s rest.

Bathroom

What better way to relax than with a hot shower or a bubble bath at the end of the day. The lighting in the bathroom can also help with relaxation and rejuvenation. Turning down the lights or even using candlelight will help reduce stress while you soak in the tub. In the morning, natural light or white light can give you an energy boost to prepare for the day ahead and inspire a productive day.

Kitchen

One of the most important areas in your home is the kitchen. The kitchen is associated with appetite and nourishment. Specific colors of lighting to varying intensities of light sets the tone for functionality and appetite. Today, there are many contemporary designs that implement the use of both natural and artificial lighting. During the day, you’d want to take advantage of the natural light outside. Windows and skylights can bring natural light indoors. In the evening, soft yellow hues can invoke the feelings of comfort. Lighting plays a significant role in the types of food you create in your kitchen. Lights can inspire to create chef-like dishes or perhaps a relative’s best kept secret recipe. Like many of us, our kitchen is also a place where we eat. Having the right amount of light can certainly create an enjoyable ambiance while eating, and can aid in promoting healthier eating habits.

TV Room

So you’re pumped to watch a movie or tv show on the television. You want to be focused on what you’re watching. Dimming the lights or turning it off completely can feel like you’re at the movie theatre. The excitement remains as you sit there in the dark, snacks on-hand, waiting with anticipation. Having a dimmed or dark room will ensure minimal distraction.

Patio

You breathe in the fresh air outside. It’s evening and you’re not ready to go inside just yet. As darkness falls, a sense of calm comes over you. The moonlight shines bright and casts silhouettes around your patio floor. Moonlight not only calms but energizes the mind. Having minimal to medium lighting on your patio should be used to maintain the ambiance.

Hospitals

Precision and accuracy are what we normally associate the lighting of hospitals with. Well-lit and bright overhead lights are used in hospitals to help healthcare professionals in caring for their patients. That is why it is important that hospitals have bright lights throughout the hospital. Bright white light also encourages and promotes patient recovery.

In conclusion, light effects us in many ways and in different places. The color, the intensity, and the type of light used vary in many combinations. In today’s technology, there are LED lights that come with a remote control and are as thin as sheets of paper. They light up in various colors and can be attached anywhere. Smart lighting is trending as well. You can automate or control your lights with your smartphone or it can automate itself by adjusting to the time of day. There are many technological advances today for lighting.

Amniocentesis and CVS – What’s the Difference?

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As our understanding of genetic disorders and the technology necessary to detect them early progresses, the care offered to pregnant women is also changing. Today women undergo much more testing during pregnancy than ever before. This commonly includes non-invasive prenatal testing, which only requires a blood sample from the mother and informs parents of the likelihood that their child could be born with certain genetic disorders.

If you have received an inconclusive or positive result from an initial prenatal blood test, you may be scared and confused. It’s important to remember that a prenatal blood test does not indicate a certainty. Your doctor will likely recommend additional tests to confirm and diagnose your unborn child’s condition. Two of the most commonly recommended prenatal diagnostic tests are amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). What is the difference between the two?

Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a prenatal diagnostic test that is usually performed between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. This procedure involves using an ultrasound to guide a thin, hollow needle through the abdomen of the mother and into the amniotic sac. The needle will then remove just enough amniotic fluid necessary to test for abnormalities.

Discomfort during and after amniocentesis is minimal. Some women elect for a local anesthetic, but many do not. After the procedure, you may experience very mild pains that can be treated with over-the-counter pain medication, as recommended by your doctor. Plan to rest and avoid any strenuous physical activity for at least 48 hours after the test. If you experience any severe abdominal pain, bleeding, fever or other serious symptoms following the procedure, you should alert your doctor as soon as possible. There is a very slight risk of miscarriage associated with an amniocentesis (less than 1%), but the results can have a significant impact on planning for future healthcare for your baby if they have a diagnosis requiring special medical attention.

The results of amniocentesis should be available within four weeks of the procedure. This test is usually around 99.4% accurate in detecting chromosomal abnormalities in utero. You will likely be required to meet with a genetic counselor to go over the results. They will be able to give you a better idea of how likely it is that your child will be born with a particular disorder, how the results will impact your care during the remainder of the pregnancy, and if the result is positive, what you can do to prepare for the future medical care of your baby.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)

Chorionic villus sampling is a test that is usually performed between the 10th and 14th weeks of pregnancy. This procedure involves taking cells from a pregnant woman’s placenta (chorionic villus) to test for potential genetic abnormalities in the fetus. There are two ways that this sample can be taken: transcervically (through the cervix), or transabdominally (through the vagina). Before the procedure, the mother will undergo an ultrasound to verify the age of the fetus and the positioning of the placenta for the procedure. During the procedure, a hollow needle will be inserted into the uterus (via the abdomen or through the cervix, via the vagina) to remove chorionic villus cells from the placenta to send for testing.

Your doctor may use a local anesthetic to numb the area prior to sampling. Following the procedure, you may experience light vaginal bleeding and cramping, but any other more serious side effects should be reported immediately to your doctor. Chorionic villus sampling has a slightly higher risk of miscarriage, but it’s still quite low (around 0.22% chance of miscarriage). The results of the test should be available within a week of the study, and are generally 98-99% accurate. There is a possibility that you receive a false positive or need additional testing after CVS. Your doctor or genetic counselor will be able to better advise what course of action to take following testing.

Speak with Your Doctor

If you have additional questions about prenatal testing, or are looking for guidance after receiving your results, speak with your doctor or make an appointment with a genetic counselor. They will be able to answer your questions, make recommendations, and help you to coordinate the necessary future care for your child.

SOURCES:

  1. http://americanpregnancy.org/prenatal-testing/chorionic-villus-sampling/
  2. https://www.webmd.com/baby/cvs-chorionic-villus-sampling
  3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/chorionic-villus-sampling/about/pac-20393533
  4. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/gynecology/chorionic_villus_sampling_cvs_92,p07769
  5. https://www.webmd.com/baby/pregnancy-amniocentesis#1
  6. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/amniocentesis/about/pac-20392914

Yummy Fall Foods

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The appearance of fall brings about more than just cooler weather and foliage. With fall come seasonal foods that we all enjoy. Here are a few of the foods that make great fall dishes.

Apples

It is true that apples are available all year round, but they are more connected to the fall season. On a chilly day, a great way to warm yourself is with a serving of warm apple cider. One sip of this yummy beverage and you will instantly warm up. In addition to being the main ingredient of a tasty beverage, apples can also be turned into a topping for homemade biscuits. Apple butter is a delicious spread that can be applied to toast or warm, homemade biscuits.

Apples not only help to make tasteful treats, they also can be used in Halloween games. Bobbing for apples is a game that is played by filling a large tub with water and adding apples to it. The apples will float in the water and allow players to catch them with the teeth. The person that catches the most apples with their teeth wins the game.

Pears

Apples are not the only fruit associated with fall; pears are also considered to be autumn’s fruit. These delicious fruits can be eaten raw or prepared with other ingredients. Pears are great for making preserves and canning them for the colder months.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are deeply connected to the fall weather thanks to Halloween and Thanksgiving. During Halloween, pumpkins are gutted and carved into Jack-O-lanterns. Creating Jack-O-Lanterns are a great way to release your creativity and to spend time with the family. Once the Jack-O-Lantern is created, a light is placed in the inside and the world will be able to see your creation.

Some people throw away the pulp and seeds inside of pumpkins while making a jack-o-lantern, while others save the pulp and seeds in order to create delish treats. The seeds of the pumpkins can be roasted and turned into on-the-go snacks. In addition to roasted pumpkin seeds being a favorite treat, these snacks are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins which also allow them to be a healthy snack.

The pulp of the pumpkin can be used to make pumpkin pies. Just add a couple of ingredients such as all-purpose flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and you will have created a tasty treat.

The meat of the pumpkin can also be used to create fall drinks. A pumpkin spice latte is a tasty drink that can help to wake you up in the morning. You can also get Spiced pumpkin puree to make a delicious fall beverage.

Sweet Potatoes

Pumpkin pie is not a Thanksgiving favorite for everyone. Some people enjoy the taste of sweet potatoes over pumpkins. Sweet potato pies are also a tradition for Thanksgiving and the fall season. Sweet potatoes have their own sweetness so you can bake them and enjoy them as a healthy snack. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A and C, calcium, and potassium. Other items can be added to the sweet potato in order add more flavor to them. Nutmeg can add a more distinct taste to your sweet potato, just sprinkle some on the baked snack and enjoy.

Cauliflower

The season of fall is not just associated with fruits, but vegetables as well. Cauliflower is a vegetable that is mostly associated with the fall season. These white vegetables are usually looked over because people view them as being plain and lacking taste. Cauliflower can be a healthy alternative to mashed potatoes. You can mash cauliflower until it reaches almost the same consistency of mashed potatoes. Mashed cauliflowers are healthier than mashed potatoes because they have fewer calories and they are a great source of vitamin C.

Brussel sprouts

Another vegetable that is connected to the fall season is Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts have gotten a horrible reputation in the past. Brussels sprouts are often given the description of a distasteful vegetable. You can steam or roast them and add salt, pepper, or other spices to the vegetable. If you prefer a sweeter taste from the Brussels sprouts, try roasting them and adding olive oil, salt, and pepper to them. This method of preparing Brussels sprouts can help to release the natural sweetness of the vegetable. Brussels sprouts are not only a tasty dish, but they also help to protect your body against vitamin A and iron deficiency.