Pregnancy Calendar

Commonly called 'heart burn', acid reflux disease is a condition in which the liquid content of the stomach regurgitates (backs up, or refluxes) into the esophagus. It's annoying and painful. But you want to know the truth, the reflux of the stomach's liquid contents into the esophagus occurs in most normal individuals. However, when heartburn becomes acid reflux disease or Gastro esophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD, it is s real problem. That is because with GERD, the acid is stronger and stays in the esophagus longer causing more discomfort. Most often, you will experience this during the daytime when you are upright, sitting straight, or standing. You body handles this reflux by the fluid flowing back down into your stomach. You swallow more during the daytime therefore draining the acid back to where it belongs. Your salivary glands produce saliva that also contains bicarbonate that acts to neutralize the acid your stomach has kicked up. At night though, you may have a greater problem when acid reflux disease occurs that is because while sleeping, gravity does not work as well lying down, your constant swallowing stops, and the production of saliva is reduced. Certain conditions make a person more prone to acid reflux disease, this GERD. For example, while you are pregnant, this can be a serious problem. Elevated hormone levels of pregnancy probably cause reflux by lowering the pressure in that part of your body known as the lower esophageal sphincter. Also, the growing baby puts more pressure on the abdomen. Both of these effects of pregnancy tend to increase the risk of GERD. If your acid reflux disease is a minor condition, then you should only experience minor symptoms. These would include primarily heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. However, if the condition is complicated, then watch out for the following symptoms. The liquid that comes back into the esophagus damages the lining of the esophagus. The body tries to protect itself from the acid reflux disease by 'inflaming' the esophagus. Trying to speed the healing process through the inflammation, the wall of the esophagus may form an ulcer. The ulcer is a break in the lining of the esophagus wall. Then what happens is that there may be bleeding. If the bleeding is very severe, patients might need a blood transfusion or even surgical treatment. If your heartburn is severe or acute, happening very frequently, you need to see a doctor. What can you do for yourself to help the condition? Try sleeping a pillow a night that raises your chest up slightly so that gravity can bring the acid back down more easily. Since this condition usually occurs on a full stomach, eat earlier and eat less to keep the stomach from being too full. Ease off on the chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks. Reduce fatty foods and of course, cut down or quit smoking. Other foods may aggravate the conditions. Avoid spicy or acid-containing foods, like citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and tomato juice.

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Zoloft Side Effects

Don't use Zoloft During Pregnancy! Zoloft, also known as sertraline, is an antidepressant that is in the group of antidepressants known selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. Zoloft is used to treat a variety of psychological disorders including, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual disphoric disorder (PMDD). These disorders are caused by chemical imbalances within the brain, and Zoloft as well as other antidepressants in this class work to regulate the imbalance to alleviate symptoms. As with other antidepressants, side effects of Zoloft cannot be ruled out and are different in each individual patient. Patients are encouraged to consult their prescribing physician or psychiatrist if new symptoms appear, if they become worse, or if suicidal thoughts occur at any time during treatment, which occur more often in patients under the age of 18. Since the signs and symptoms of many psychological disorders overlap, patients may be diagnosed with more than one mental illness, therefore the same precautions should be observed whether the patient has major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or any other psychological disorder. For most antidepressants in this class, the patient will not start experiencing relief from symptoms until after at least one week of therapy at the earliest. The average length of time varies, but is usually two to three weeks, and in some patients may take longer. Of course, if symptoms do not subside, possibly a dose adjustment may be in order. According to various online references, some patients have experienced various Zoloft side effects during treatment including insomnia, agitation, panic attacks, restlessness, fatigue, impulsivity, and mania. Other symptoms may include dizziness, dry mouth, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or urinary retention. Zoloft should not be taken if alcoholic beverages have been consumed either. The patient should wait and take the next dose the following morning. This medication should always be taken with food or milk as well, not on an empty stomach. Patients should also avoid driving or other activities requiring alertness until they have taken it long enough to know how they react to the drug. Another possible side effect of Zoloft is weight gain, which is common in some patients, as is decreased appetite in others. Zoloft should also not be taken if you are pregnant, lactating, have liver or kidney disease, or have a history of seizures or heart attack. Patients should also not abruptly stop taking this medication without being instructed by their physician or psychiatrist. Debilitating symptoms may return or become worse, which could put the patient back to square one in their treatment.

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Acne Care During Pregnancy

Acne and acne care have long been part of adolescence and the teenage years. We’ve all heard the stories about some poor girl waking up to a horrible blemish on her nose the day before a big date. But acne strikes adults too, and acne care can actually become more difficult in adulthood. Acne is caused by clogged pores, which are often the result of oily skin. Adults are more likely to have combination skin types ranging from dry or normal to oily, and this can make acne care a challenge. Acne can also be caused by irritation to the skin from confining clothing, chafing or even shaving. Hormones are also a contributing factor, which is one of the reasons why acne is so prevalent in adolescence and why pregnant women can find themselves dealing with outbreaks and acne care. While there are many causes of this relatively harmless but nonetheless frustrating and often painful skin condition, the guidelines for acne care are pretty much the same across the board. Cleaning the affected area with a mild soap or cleanser is an important part of acne care. When suffering from acne, there is often a temptation to use astringent cleansers. Such products are generally not recommended for irritated skin. An important component of acne care is to avoid irritations to the skin which might cause new outbreaks. Oily hair should be washed regularly and be kept pulled away from the face and forehead areas when dealing with facial acne. Careful shaving is also an important component of acne care. Women who are dealing with outbreaks are often tempted to hide them with makeup. This can worsen the situation and counteract the positive effects of an acne care regimen, particularly if an oil-based makeup is used. While concealing acne with makeup can temporarily help deal with embarrassment or self-consciousness, it can hinder the healing process, so avoiding putting foundations or other makeup on the irritated area is the best bet. People who are dealing with acne are often tempted to pick at or “pop” pimples or blackheads, either because they have a misconception that this is part of effective acne care or out of a simple desire to get rid of blemishes. This temptation should be avoided at all costs, since doing so only aggravates the situation and can also lead to scarring. Even when these general guidelines are followed, even mild cases of acne can sometimes require a visit to the dermatologist. Professional acne care can include a variety of treatments including topical medications or pills. Acne can take several weeks to heal and ongoing acne care habits are encouraged to minimize future outbreaks.

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Parenting Skills

Parenting skills Honestly, some people's parenting skills truly need some adjustments. I have witnessed so many things in public places that make me think that some people should be tested before they are allowed to reproduce. There are classes out there that teach basic parenting skills but not enough of people enroll in them. It is almost as if when you have a baby, they send you home from the hospital without the faintest clue as to what you are supposed to do with this child. Perhaps a manual should be written and given to parents when they leave the hospital. Anyone can be a parent but not everyone has the parenting skills required to raise a child. Many parents' parenting skills come from their own experiences in growing up. They pass down the same values and traditions that their parents instilled in them. I have had two young clients in my office who were both parents before the age of 18. Neither of these individuals had the first clue as to what kind of parenting skills they should have. Interestingly enough, both of those individuals had been born to young parents as well. Their young parents lacked the values, knowledge and parenting skills to raise their children as properly as they should have. One of those children had been primarily raised on the streets because their young parents could not have cared less what he was doing. It is a miracle he didn't end up in jail or dead. At the age of 16, a girl came to him to announce that she was pregnant. Suddenly, he was the one who was in need of some common sense and parenting skills. My other client gave birth when she was 17. Her mother didn't even know that she was pregnant and had no interest in helping to raise her grandchild when she had barely even cared to raise her own daughter. My client is now struggling to finish school and raise a child. While some parenting skills are merely common sense, some people truly lack that common sense. This holds true especially if they never had parental figures that demonstrated common sense for them. You've heard people say that children are a reflection of their parents and there is a great amount of truth to that. Parenting skills are the same way. A parent will reflect the parenting skills that their parents showed to them. Of course, this does not hold true for everyone. There are people who break out of the cycle and I have nothing but praise for them. What is ever so important is that before becoming a parent, make sure you have the common sense parenting skills that are needed to raise your child. Never be afraid to ask someone for advice or answers. Your child will thank you for it. So will the rest of the world.

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Conception Chart

A conception chart is a bit more useful for having a child than for avoiding having one, though they can be used for both. The western conception chart only claims to be able to predict cycles of ovulation and tell you when you will be the most fertile so that you can be sure to have sex on those days, while the chines conception chart claims much greater powers. The chines conception chart claims to actually be able to predict the child's gender based on the phase of the moon, the mothers age, and a variety of other factors, but most people are skeptical to say the least. The only people who use a conception chart to try to avoid birth are devout Catholics, and members of other faiths which forbid the use of birth control. This is called the rhythm method, and is unfortunately far less reliable than the use of plain old birth control. My sister married a Catholic, and subsequently converted and became an extremely devout Catholic herself. She would carefully mark her conception chart with symbols indicating the days when she was and when she wasn't fertile, but unfortunately, the whole thing failed spectacularly. Within 6 months, she was pregnant with her first child. Within another four months of giving birth, she was pregnant with her second. It is plain to see that there are some things which a conception chart was not meant to do. Unfortunately, conception charts aren't always that useful even for encouraging pregnancy. For most people, having enough unprotected sex virtually guarantees that they will have a kid. For those with serious fertility problems, however, making sure to have intercourse at the appropriate time is simply not enough to do the trick. A conception chart is one of the tools used by fertility experts to try to encourage pregnancy, but often more drastic methods like artificial insemination are required to do the trick, so to speak. One way or another, there will be results eventually if both people are persistent, and if there aren't those results, there are always other options available. For example, the couple can adopt, or even hire a surrogate mother. Personally, I am a big fan of adoption, instead of bringing another child into the world. With the number of unwanted kids, it really is a wonderful thing to ensure that one of them grows up in a loving family, who might otherwise have not.

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Nanny Positions

A look through the local job ads will uncover many jobs that are geared towards enriching the lives of children. Some of these ads are nanny positions. A nanny is someone who provides care services for children in either a child care center or a private home. There are many different areas where these jobs exist. Nannies that work in private homes can be hired as either daily or live in nannies. Nanny positions that require daily work will expect the nanny to take care of the children, household chores and maybe some errands. Nanny positions can also involve being live-ins and they are usually expected to run the entire household. Some of their responsibilities include setting appointments, taking care of all the children’s needs like meals, bathing and recreation, running errands, cleaning the house, and the like. Historically, someone who held this position was expected to be a fulltime caregiver to the children in the absence of the parent. Many affluent families exist where the parent conducts business from home, but is unable to provide the children with adequate attention and care. This is where the nanny comes in. These types of nanny positions require the nanny to get the children to and from school, prepare and serve all meals, help with homework, accompany the children to doctor and dentist appointments, as well as chaperoning for the children’s extra curricular activities. There are many over seas families who are looking for people to fill these positions residing in the United States. This is a wonderful opportunity for those nannies that wish to travel and be exposed to a foreign country. These nanny positions are known to pay quite well, and offer a variety of perks. On the other hand, there are families living within the United States who prefer to hire nannies from outside the U.S. as they believe this affords their children the opportunity for exposure to another culture, as well as a foreign language. They will normally contact an agency in another country to fill these types of nanny positions. Some families only need someone on a seasonal basis, when they require the services of a nanny to go on month’s long vacations. Others hire nannies for a lifetime; often choosing them while the mother is still pregnant. These nanny positions last until the children are grown and set out to make lives on their own. When choosing a nanny it is important to conduct background checks, reference checks, as well as in depth interviews with the candidates. Entrusting the care of your children to someone is a matter that should not be taken lightly. By choosing wisely, you will be able to hire a nanny that will have your children’s best interest at heart.