3 Kids and Us

4 Things Most Expecting Mothers Don’t Know –– But Should

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Motherhood is many things. It’s a blessing, a burden, a challenge, a joy, and a monumentally life-changing experience. However, because pregnancy, childbirth, and child care are such nuanced and complicated subjects, it’s fairly easy for expecting mothers to miss out on some crucial information along the way. Indeed, there are a number of issues that moms might not be aware of –– but really ought to know about. Thankfully, today we’ll list four of those items so that you can be better prepared for the rigors of motherhood. Check them out here:

You May not Get Pregnancy Cravings

We’ll come back to this theme a lot here, so it’s important to note that no two pregnancies are the same. To wit, one surprising factoid about pregnancy relates to the wacky food cravings that accompany it. Except, not all women have pregnancy cravings. Similarly, not all women experience morning sickness. And those that do, don’t necessarily experience it in the “morning.”

Gestation Periods are Not Exact

Everyone knows that pregnancy lasts nine months. However, that number is really quite unscientific. Sure, nine months is a decent guideline, but the reality is that the “typical” pregnancy length falls within a span of 37 days. That’s over a month of variance. The takeaway here is not to get too nervous or stressed about your delivery date if it’s a little earlier –– or later –– than what you might’ve anticipated.

Exercise During Pregnancy is Beneficial

It’s easy to see why expecting mothers might feel hesitant about exercising during pregnancy. Yet, the reality is that most women can and should exercise during their pregnancy. Light workouts, yoga, swimming, and other forms of exercise can ease joint pain and improve mood. It is worth noting though, that some forms of exercise –– like heavy lifting or particularly strenuous activity –– are not recommended for pregnant women. Lastly, doctors may advise some women to refrain from most or all forms of exercise due to increased risk of complications.

You Need to Get Tested –– Early & Often

Pregnant women need to visit with their doctor a lot. It’s not unreasonable for a pregnant woman to visit her M.D. 6-10 times during her term. Plus, there are a number of tests that doctors may need to perform to ensure that pregnant women and their children are healthy. Medical professionals may use tools like blood collection sets to conduct tests for potentially infectious diseases, for example.

Conclusion

As we’ve mentioned above, it’s very difficult to predict what a “normal” pregnancy will look like. Thankfully, educating yourself now can help you roll with the punches and prepare yourself for the birth of your baby. So keep this page handy moving forward.

Surrogacy in Ukraine. Cost of surrogacy and Law

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IVF (in vitro fertilization) along with surrogacy allows many couples to become happy parents. Those innovative medical techniques are great solutions for many families experiencing problems with conceiving and carrying a baby until birth in the traditional way. Also, some couples prefer to use certain medical methods due to extensive busyness and other reasons unrelated to the health condition.

Currently, American surrogacy in Ukraine is getting more and more popular because it is possible to use high-quality medical services at reasonable prices. More information on this topic is provided in this article.

Is Surrogacy Legal in Ukraine?

All fertility treatments in this country are regulated by a range of Ukrainian laws, such as The Law on Health Fundamentals of Ukraine as well as the Family and Civil Codes. Generally, surrogacy in Ukraine is allowed by law, which means that couples from the USA can find a surrogate mother in this country and use the services of professional medical centers, such as IVF group. This is one of the reasons, which makes this country attractive for international residents. Also, Ukraine is a large country with many women matching the main requirements:

  • being between 25 and 35 years old;
  • being healthy physically and mentally;
  • having at least one child;
  • having no contradictions for pregnancy.

This means that it will not be difficult to find a surrogate mother.

Another serious reason to order IVF and surrogacy in a Ukrainian medical center is relatively low costs. More information on that is provided in the section below.

How Much Does It Cost?

Many international couples find the services of IVF clinics in this country quite cheap. Although the rates depend on the medical center and program you choose, generally, the costs of IVF in Ukraine are 85% less than in the USA or other countries in Western Europe.

Usually, international couples find it much more beneficial to travel to Ukraine and cover all expenses for the procedure and living in the country than ordering the same services in the USA.

How to Find the Best Clinic?

While low prices are one of the reasons why people travel to Ukraine for an IVF procedure and surrogate mother, there are also other factors to consider for ensuring your success, including the following:

  • For how long the clinic has been operating?
  • Will it provide you with different packages to choose from?
  • Are there doctors and other medical staff speaking English?
  • Where is the clinic located?
  • What results have they achieved?
  • Do they provide any guarantees?

Conclusion

If you are looking for high-quality and affordable medical services for IVF procedures as well as surrogacy, you should definitely consider going to Ukraine. It is absolutely legal to use such services in this country, and there are reliable fertility specialists and clinics that you can choose from.

Peak Fertility and Pregnancy

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Source: Unsplash | Alexander Krivitskiy

Getting pregnant isn’t necessarily as easy as you would hope and for some people it can be a challenge that makes the efforts you go to to avoid pregnancy when it’s not wanted into a cruel irony. We also tend to see fertility as a black and white issue: either you are fertile or not. In reality, there are many graduations of fertility and even if you stand a low chance of conceiving, you can improve your odds by identifying when you’re at peak fertility in each menstrual cycle and concentrating your attempts to conceive on that period.

What is Peak Fertility?

For women, their effective fertility rises and falls over the length of their menstrual cycle. During their ‘fertile days’ or ‘fertile window’, the average lifespan of an egg after ovulation can overlap with the average lifespan of sperm after ejaculation. During this time you are at peak fertility: you stand the best chance of conceiving. If you don’t know when your fertile window is, your chances of conceiving drop dramatically.

Finding Ovulation

If you want to find your fertile day you need to find out when it’s likely you’re going to ovulate – your ‘ovulation window’.

There are two primary ways of doing this: using test strips that react with your urine in the presence of the hormone that stimulates ovulation, LH (or Luteinising Hormone). You can also chart your basal body temperature: this is the low level your body drops to overnight, during an extended rest. Minute changes at this base level can reveal when you’re going to ovulate.

Modern technology can make BBT tracking more accurate and less difficult. Automated sensors can take temperature readings overnight for more accurate data, and apps can process those into results and predictions, to reduce the risk of error.

Finding Your Fertile Window

With this information in hand, you simply need to plot it on a calendar, along with the dates your period begins. While cycles may vary between women, if yours is regular you can expect to ovulate at the same point in your cycle from month to month. Noting how long ovulation falls after your period begins in one month gives you a good indicator for when it will fall in the next and the next. This can give you the vital insight you need to improve your chances of conceiving when you want to.

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.

4 Pieces of Good Advice for All Expecting Mothers

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There’s nothing quite like motherhood. It’s challenging, stimulating, exciting, draining, and wonderful –– but it’s not something that everyone adapts to quickly. As such, it can be difficult to make the transition into parenthood, no matter your personal situation. And even if you’ve already experienced the joy of raising a child, there are still ways you can work to become a better, more adjusted parent. So, in order to take a little stress away from moms-to-be everywhere, we’ve compiled four short pieces of good advice that can provide a big lift just when you need it:

Know When to Freak Out

When you first become a parent, everything is likely to make you nervous. After all, ensuring that your baby is healthy and happy will be your number one priority (as it should be). And while you should definitely maintain your focus on your child’s well-being, part of becoming a parent is knowing when to freak out and when to relax. Otherwise, every little moment in your child’s life will present an opportunity to fall into anxious fits and panic attacks. Take the little things in stride and recognize that not all problems are earth-shattering. It’ll help you focus on what you really need to worry about.

Ask for Help

Raising a child without any help at all is a difficult task. Indeed, it’s about as daunting as it gets, really. That’s why it’s important to seek out reliable help from time to time. Calling on friends, family members, and trusted professionals isn’t a cop-out or a sign of weakness; rather, it’ll broaden your little one’s horizons to spend time to with other people, and provide you with a much-needed break at the same time.

Live in the Moment

Too often parents have difficulty adjusting to the way their children react to new technology or concepts. Just because things were different when you were a kid it doesn’t mean you should dismiss your child’s interests or stifle their creativity. Don’t close the door on something your kid wants to do just because you don’t understand or appreciate it. Instead, take the time out to empathize with them and support them in any way you can.

Consult Medical Professionals

This should be a given, but a bit of practical advice here: visit a trusted M.D. early and often during your pregnancy –– and schedule plenty of appointments afterward as well. This includes a wider array of tests, procedures, and practices than what you might first imagine. For instance: every expecting mother should get tested for STDs, since certain infections can cause complications during pregnancy. (In some cases, you could even inadvertently pass on an STD to your newborn!) So if you have any questions regarding your health, or what steps you should take to lower the risk of complications during gestation, speak to your doctor ASAP. They’ll be willing to offer insight and assistance as needed.

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We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!