Safe Pregnancy Exercise - How to Warm Up and Cool Down

Safe pregnancy exercise of any kind - cardiovascular or strength training - requires extra circulation of blood throughout your body.

As you move, your muscles require more oxygen and nutrients to keep them going. Your blood carries these essentials throughout the entire body. As your muscles begin to work harder, your heart needs to pump faster to keep up.

If you jump right into a workout with out warming up, your heart is not pumping fast enough to the oxygen and nutrients around in an efficient manner. This is especially important for expectant mothers because you need blood not only for your hard working muscles, but for your baby as well.

A good warm up ensures that your body is prepared well enough for both in advance, keeping you and your baby safe during your exercise session.

So, before you do anything - even before you stretch - get a light sweat going with 5-10 minutes of light to moderate activity. Walking, jogging, rowing and biking are just a few examples of activities that will start you off on the right foot.

At the other end of the workout, cooling down is just as important as warming up.

Your body required extra circulation in order to keep up with the demands of your workout, so you'll want to give yourself some time to return to normal before going back to your daily routine.

Using the same light activities as your warm up, take 10 minutes after your workout to let your heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature drop before sitting in your car to head home, hopping in the shower, etc.

Complete your safe pregnancy exercise session with these simple tips - your body and your baby will thank you!

Michelle Ladd is a Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Expert Pre-Natal Personal Trainer. She is the Co-Author of The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide. Visit www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for Free Special Reports on how to look and feel your best - before, during and after - AND have a healthy and happy baby.

Sexual Positions For Gender Selection

If you want to try to increase the chances of having a boy or a girl, sometimes it all comes down to how you do it – literally. While there is no 100% method that will guarantee that you can select the gender of your child, there are specific positions that you can try that will increase the likelihood of selecting the gender.

This works for a variety of different reasons, but is based in the fact that the two kinds of chromosomes that are responsible for gender selection are carried by sperm that are very different. The Y chromosome is responsible for conceiving a boy. The sperm that carry this chromosome are small, quick and able to cover the distance to the egg very rapidly. The downside is they don't live very long and if they have to swim too far, they won't be able to complete their journey successfully.

The X chromosome sperm are responsible for conceiving a girl. These sperm are much larger, and move quite a bit slower. However, they live a lot longer and have more endurance when it comes to reaching the egg.

Here's what you need to know when it comes to picking positions to pick gender.

How to Have a Boy

Because the Y sperm need a little extra help in reaching their destination before they expire, positions that allow deep penetration are essential. The goal is to have the man orgasm as closely as possible to the neck of the cervix. This reduces the amount of time that the sperm will need to spend getting to the egg.

Positions that allow for this to occur include woman dominant, or woman on top as well as its other variation, commonly called Reverse Cowgirl. In these positions, the woman is astride the man and can control how deeply he penetrates her. At the moment of orgasm, the woman should allow the man inside as deeply as possible.
There are a few other positions as well, but the important thing to remember is that the deeper the penetration at the moment of orgasm, the more likely you are to have a boy.

How to Have a Girl

If you would prefer to have a girl, the proper positions involve much shallower penetration. The X sperm are much more durable and need a little more time to reach the egg, allowing the Y sperm to die off before they get there. This means that the man should orgasm as far away from the neck of the cervix as possible.
Positions for shallow penetration include missionary, spooning and the lotus position where the couple wrap their legs around each other while sitting. The positions do not allow for deep penetration and the desired result of increasing the likelihood of having a girl can be achieved.

Don't Forget

There is one more thing to remember when choosing a position for choosing gender. If you do want to have a boy, it is important that the woman orgasm before the man. This changes the PH near the cervix, making it more hospitable to the Y sperm. The opposite is true if you want to have a girl.

Learn more by visiting www.PlanMyBaby.com

Dietary Choices May Impact the Gender of Your Child

While there are many different things that can decide the gender of your future child, the dietary choices you make may have a big impact. Natural gender selection relies on a few different techniques to help increase the odds of having either a boy or a girl. While these methods are not 100% reliable, most couples find that they do end up with the gender they wanted. At the end of the day, it is a 50/50 chance, but there are a few things you can do to swing the percentage in your favor.

The foods that you eat can affect the future gender of your child for a variety of different reasons. The main one is that your body's PH needs to be at a certain level for each type of gender. The sperm that carry the chromosomes that decide gender require a different PH for a successful trip towards fertilization.

Let's take a look at the differences in these sperm to gain a better understanding of why PH levels are so important. First, the sperm responsible for conceiving a boy carry the Y chromosome. They are small, agile and must reach their destination quickly before they expire. They need an alkaline environment to reach the egg properly.

The sperm responsible for conceiving a girl carry the X chromosome. They are much larger, more durable and though they may take longer to reach an egg, they have a greater chance of living long enough to do so. They prosper in an acidic environment.

Choosing the right foods to balance your PH levels appropriately may indeed have an impact on the gender of your child. Let's take a look at what foods are important to include in your diet for either sex.

Eating for a Boy

If you want to have a boy, foods that contain potassium and sodium are very important. They are non acidic by nature and will boost your alkalinity. The recommended foods include bananas, sweet corn, red meats, and even sausages. It is important however that you eat these foods in moderation and include a healthy and balanced diet for proper health. Having too much sodium is never recommended. Stay within proper dietary guidelines at all times.

Eating for a Girl

In order to have a girl, you need to focus on foods that will boost acidity in your body. They include foods that are rich in magnesium and calcium. Broccoli is the perfect example of a food that contains high levels of both. Other foods you can eat include grapefruit, apples, dairy products, some fish (farm raised to avoid high levels of mercury) and leafy green vegetables.

What to Remember

Everything in moderation is key as well as proper nutrition. While there are other methods of selecting your child's gender naturally, combining them with a proper diet will increase your chances for success. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about the foods that you should be eating.

Learn more by visiting www.PlanMyBaby.com

Ways to Get Pregnant

The decision to get pregnant and to expand your family is an exciting moment of your life. Once you have decided to have a child enter your life, the next steps are to make sure we do everything possible to get pregnant by natural means if possible. There are a variety of ways to get pregnant easily by changing your lifestyle today. To live a healthier life, you are more likely to enjoy these ways to get pregnant and have a healthy body for your baby’s future!

Look for changes in lifestyle that can help you get pregnant more easily in the future. If you have recently discovered that you are already pregnant, it is possible to adopt these changes and reap success. It is never too late to be healthy for your child! Most of these recommendations are based on traditional wisdom coupled with the statistics. Some mothers and babies do not follow all these tips of a great lifestyle, but it is always better to be safe when you are responsible for the life of another human being. Some of the best ways to get pregnant through a healthy lifestyle are the following:

What to Eat? Whatever goes into your body will go into the body of your child as well. This fact alone should make you rethink some of your choices. Prefer to eat "junk food" rather than a balanced diet? You need to reconsider some of your food choices every day so that your child is getting all the nutrients and vitamins that he or she needs now. There are a number of foods to avoid during pregnancy. Some of these foods are considered at risk even if you were not pregnant, but with the increased risk of carrying a child, some of these foods should be avoided at the risk of complications or problems. Some examples are fish high in mercury, soft cheeses and sushi.

Are you in shape? Carrying a baby takes a lot of work. It is logical therefore that the more normal your body weight and strength were prior to pregnancy, the better you will be while carrying your child. It takes a lot of strength to make your job easier. Furthermore, strong abdominal muscles and good fitness will help you throughout the nine months and when the work begins at last during childbirth. Try to maintain a level of physical activity throughout pregnancy if you have consistently worked out before you conceived. Never push yourself and always follow your doctors orders

Taking drugs, alcohol or smoking? You know that excessive drinking of alcohol is not healthy for you, so participating in these activities, while your baby is sharing your blood does not make much sense. Both legal and recreational drugs can also affect the growth of your child. Consult your doctor to ensure that medicines that are prescribed may not affect your baby. Avoid smoking and alcohol to give your child the best chance of being born healthy and strong.

Heard of folic acid? Even before pregnancy, doctors prescribe folic acid as one of the ways to get pregnant safely. Most doctors recommend folic acid supplements for pregnant women, because women do not get enough in their daily diet. Folic acid is important to take well before you actually get pregnant, so you should start taking at least a month before trying. What it does is help prevent certain neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.

By following a smart and healthy lifestyle, you will be doing your best to contribute to a healthy conception and pregnancy. For much more comprehensive guidance to maximize the odds of getting pregnant, check out Personal Path to Pregnancy, the International best-selling fertility guide here

IVF - Price Should Not Hold Back Your Dream of Parenthood

If you and your partner have been struggling to conceive a child for a while, you may be feeling the need to press on by using ART techniques like IVF to get pregnant. In this day, this is becoming increasingly common since more and more couples are waiting until their thirties to get pregnant. In fact, infertility rates around the world have skyrocketed over the past several years. Rather than making you feel depressed, though, this fact should give you hope. With the increase in infertility came better infertility treatments, of which IVF remains the most popular. If, however, you can’t afford the typical IVF price, you still shouldn’t give up; there are plenty of tricks to saving money on IVF and other ART treatments.

Adding Alternative Therapies

When you first look at alternative therapies – such as acupuncture or massage – to add to your IVF treatment, you may think that they simply add to the overall cost of IVF. These treatments, however, may mean that you pay less in the long run by making IVF more successful in fewer rounds. Acupuncture, for example, has proven quite effective in raising a couple’s chances of becoming pregnant through IVF; one study showed that couples who used acupuncture with IVF were about 24% more likely to become pregnant, and a few studies have shown that couples who use acupuncture with IVF are less likely to have miscarriages. Because alternative therapies increase the success rates of IVF, they drop the potential overall cost.

Minimal Stimulation IVF

Traditional IVF was created to help women with blocked tubes become pregnant, and the whole process usually involves injecting a woman with some pretty heavy drugs to help her ovulate. The goal during standard IVF is to harvest as many eggs as possible, and usually more than one egg is implanted, which gives couple’s a higher chance of pregnancy but also a higher chance of a risky pregnancy with twins or triplets.

This new MS IVF procedure, which is really only new in the United States since it’s been practiced in Europe and Japan for several years now, refrains from the heavy injected drugs, which cuts down the cost significantly. Instead, women undergoing MS IVF will be given an oral drug that only slightly stimulates ovulation, and the physician will only harvest one to two eggs. The rest of the process is the same as IVF, and its success rates are fairly close to those of traditional IVF.

Because the injected drugs make up a huge chunk of standard IVF costs, MS IVF is a whole lot cheaper. The average cost of a single round of IVF is about $12,000, but the average cost for a round of MS IVF is about $4,500. Both procedures usually take more than one round to show results, but even if couples must undergo several rounds of MS IVF, the total cost is probably cheaper, and women are much less negatively affected by the less potent MS IVF drugs.

Medical Tourism

When it comes right down to it, most medical treatment is simply more expensive in the United States than it is in other countries. This is why many couples are turning to medical tourism to lessen the costs of IVF. While this may seem strange and far-fetched to you, if can actually save you a ton of money. Remember that $12,000 price tag on a round of IVF? Well, that cost drops dramatically, and one round of IVF in someplace like South Africa can drop to about $5,000. In fact, most couples even save money after buying plane tickets and hotel rooms and such, and they get to go somewhere new, which can be a fun way to relieve some of the infertility-related stress.

What You can Do

Before deciding to forego your dreams of having a child simply due to the cost, be sure that you look at all of your options. You can also find infertility insurance or buy an IVF package from a clinic. At any rate, there is no reason to let cost deter you from having a baby if you do all the research first.

This article is based on the book "The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program" by Diana Farrell, M.A. Diana’s books on enhancing IVF success have been sold all over the world, and she has helped many couples overcome their infertility with IVF and realize their dream of parenthood.

Find out more by visiting her website: www.IVRSuccessProgram.com

Pregnancy Diet Plan - Discover Lacto-Fermented Foods

A pregnancy diet plan must include a regular intake of lacto-fermented foods. These are foods preserved the old fashioned way (before refrigerators or freezers). Eating these foods provides a natural food form of a probiotic.

Lacto-fermented foods to include in a pregnancy diet plan are:

• Live sauerkraut, pickles, salsa and chutneys (fruit or vegetable)
• kimichi
• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Grass-fed cheese
• Crème fraiche

*Live means they are not shelf stable and must be refrigerated. This is because they were not heated (pasteurized) or made with vinegar, but with whey and/or salt.

There are many health reasons why these foods are an important part of a pregnancy diet plan.

1. Help reduce constipation
2. They are a great natural vitamin C source
3. Increase B vitamins
4. Increase intestinal good bacteria
5. Help neutralize anti-nutrients (those substances in food that make it hard on your body to absorb the good stuff).
6. Strengthen the immune system
7. Post-baby benefits-encourages lactation and helps baby build their good gut bacteria

They should be used as a condiment in a pregnancy diet plan. When looking for pre-made lacto-fermented foods-remember they have to be refrigerated (cannot be stored on the shelf), made with whey and/or salt (not vinegar). You also have the option of making your own which is worth the time to reap their benefits.

Below is a recipe for a lacto-fermented food to get you started on your way to having a healthy pregnancy diet.

Pickled cucumbers
4-5 pickling cucumbers 1 Tbsp mustard seeds
2 Tbsp fresh dill, snipped 2 Tbsp Celtic sea salt
1c filtered water

Wash cucumbers well and place in a quart-sized wide mouth mason jar. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over cucumbers, adding more water if necessary to cover the cucumbers. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to the refrigerator.
(Note: recipe from Nourishing Traditions)

Laura Flynn, Registered Dietician, is Co-Author of The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide - your source for holistic coaching on pregnancy nutrition and exercise. Visit www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for Free Special Reports and articles.

Selecting the Gender of Your Future Child

While there are many debates over how ethical it is to choose the gender of your child before they are born, the fact remains that there are some natural methods you can use that will increase the likelihood of having a child of a specific gender. The ethics of it are up to you and while no method is 100% accurate, there are a few things that you can try that will help you increase your chances for having either a boy or a girl.

These methods are centered around the fact that the sperm who carry Y chromosomes (which are necessary for a boy) are very different from the sperm that carry the X chromosome (which are necessary for a girl). By understanding these differences, and choosing the right methods, you are creating an environment where one type of sperm can outshine the other and reach the main destination first. Let's take a look at what you can do.

The Right Diet

Y sperm require an enivornment that is alkalai in nature, while X sperm need more acid. The PH levels of your body determine how thick the cervical discharge is and whether or not the desired sperm will be able to get through successfully. In order to have a girl, you need to eat a diet that is rich in calcium and magnesium. In order to have a boy, a diet rich in potassium and sodium is required.

The Right Time

The timing of when you have intercourse can greatly affect the gender of your child. Because the Y sperm need to reach the egg as quickly as possible, it is necessary to time intercourse to the day that you ovulate to increase your chances of having a boy. They will be able to reach the egg while it and they are still viable.

But in order to have a girl, you need to give the Y sperm time to die off, leaving the more durable X sperm behind. This means that you will need to time intercourse to approximately two to three days before ovulation. This gives the X sperm more than enough time to reach the egg.

The Right Position

The position you choose for intercourse can also determine the sex of your child. Once again, we fall back to the differences between sperm. The Y sperm need to reach their destination in as little time as possible. This means that they need to be released as close to the cervix as possible, shortening the trip they must take to the egg. Positions that allow for deep penetration are ideal.

In order to have a girl, you need to make it more difficult for the Y sperm to reach their target on time. This means that positions where shallow penetration is achieved are necessary. The sperm will be deposited further away from the cervix, giving the X sperm the chance they need to reach the egg, and allowing the Y sperm to die off.

Learn more by visiting www.PlanMyBaby.com

Folic Acid and Pregnancy

One of the first things your doctor will tell you if you are trying to conceive or if you have recently discovered that you’re pregnant is you should take more folic acid. Folic acid can be found in a number of foods, including cereals and dark leafy greens. It’s very difficult to get adequate folic acid from food, so it’s important to take a good multivitamin containing folic acid to prevent serious birth defects such as spina bifida.

Before conception, it can be extremely easy to take folic acid for the health of your baby and a better pregnancy. So what is folic acid? Often called folate, it is a B vitamin that can be found in green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach and orange juice. If you receive 400 micrograms of folic acid, or 4 milligrams of folic acid before conception, it can significantly reduce the risk of some types of neural tube defects.

One of the most common birth defect is spina bifida, which is an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and column. Taking folic acid can help reduce this problem significantly. In addition, anencephaly, which is a serious underdevelopment of the brain, and encephalocele, which is when brain tissue protrudes through an opening in the skin abnormally, can both be reduced through the intake of folic acid. And all these anomalies occur in the first month of pregnancy, which is usually well before a woman knows she is pregnant. Therefore, intake of folic acid before the woman is pregnant is of utmost importance.

Only about 50% of pregnancies are planned, so intake of folic acid is important for anyone who wants or is considering conception in the future. Although the reasons why folic acid is so great at reducing the risk of these birth defects has not been explained, we know that it plays an important role in cell growth and development.

Learn more about folic acid and pregnancy plus all the other important vitamins necessary when trying to conceive by reading Personal Path to Pregnancy, the International best-selling fertility guide.

How To Get Pregnant Naturally

Infertility may be broadly defined as the inability to get pregnant after trying for at least one year without using any birth control. In Western countries, infertility affects an estimated 15% of the population. While a part of them are trying to conceive using alternative methods like IVF, others prefer to optimize the chances of getting pregnant naturally. Trying to get pregnant naturally may be very important, since many couples and individuals who are diagnosed with infertility may be able to get pregnant without treatment (and hence should be defined as "subfertile" rather than "infertile").

When trying to get pregnant naturally, the most important factor is to understand the menstrual cycle and the timing of ovulation, which leads to the optimum chances of getting impregnated. Usually, ovulation occurs around the fourteenth day, and hence, to get pregnant naturally, a couple should have as much sexual intercourse as possible between the twelfth and the fifteenth day. Different women have slightly varying menstrual cycles.Hence, to improve the chances of becoming pregnant, it is imperative to study one's periods, and calculate exactly when one ovulates.

Determining the signs of ovulation.

To check for the right timings of ovulation, a woman can do one, or many, of the following things:

* Keep a calendar. Keeping a calendar to chart the days is an easy and effective method to determine the right time to have sexual intercourse.

* Keep a check on vaginal fluids. Mucus discharge from the vagina usually becomes heavier, thinner, clearer and stretchy during ovulation when compared to the usual times.

* Feel the inside of the vagina. During ovulation, the cervix is softer and slightly more open than usual.

* Keep tabs on any sharp pain in the abdomen. Sharp pains in the abdomen, or some slight spotting, may be indicative of ovulation.

* Other physical conditions. Headaches, bloating, breast tenderness and pain may be signs of ovulation.

Having checked for ovulation, there are some other things that an individual can do to increase the chances of getting pregnant naturally. These include lying still for a while after having sexual intercourse, avoiding the bathroom for about thirty minutes after having sexual intercourse, and most importantly, figuring out how many times one should have sexual intercourse.

Men often neglect their own part to play in this whole scenario. The sperms need to be of the correct constitution, correct shape and correct motility too, or else, however fertile the women may be, impregnation does not occur naturally. A way of ensuring that the sperms are undamaged is by wearing boxers instead of briefs. Boxers help in keeping the testicles from overheating and damaging sperms.

For both women and men, the anatomical and hormonal factors are not the only ones to be monitored and corrected. In most cases, failure to conceive may result from an improper diet, undue stress, the use of drugs like alcohol and nicotine, and even environmental factors such as proximity to harmful doses of pesticides. Abstinence from such factors goes a long way in ensuring a pregnancy.

One should always keep in mind that the holistic approach to solving a problem is the optimal way to tackle infertility. Getting regular health checkups, taking supplements to combat existing problem, exercising and stress reduction techniques are only part of the holistic solution to infertility which considers the problem as part of a whole unlike the conventional approach which tackles a specific body organ in its attempt to heal. The holistic approach is not only a surefire way to increase your chances of conception it also guarantees a safe and healthy pregnancy.

This article is based on the book, "Pregnancy Miracle" by Lisa Olson. Lisa is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root of infertility, help you get pregnant quickly and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life, without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures.

Learn more by visiting her website: www.PregnancyMiracle.com

The Best Pregnancy Diet

This is one of the most important questions every woman who is pregnant or trying to become pregnant should be asking. It is so important because they are solely responsible for feeding and nourishing their growing baby.

The best pregnancy diet is one that will supply all the nutrients needed to support optimal fetal development (such as brain, nervous and skeletal system) while also giving the mother's body its needed nutrients. It's also the one that will curb food cravings and prevent an unhealthy weight gain, which could put both the baby and mother at risk for many health complications.

Specifically, it will consist of the foods listed below:

• High quality protein (grass-fed meats, eggs from cage free grass-fed chickens) High quality dairy (raw grass-fed: cheese, cream, milk and butter)
• Soaked grains and nuts
• Stocks (bone broths)
• Organic or locally grown fruits and veggies
• High quality fat
• Lacto-fermented foods
• High potency fish oil
• Filtered water

Eating the foods above will provide all the necessary nutrients a mother and developing baby needs such as:

• B vitamins
• Calcium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Copper
• Magnesium
• Vitamin D
• Healthy omega 3 to omega 6 ratio
• Conjugated Linolenic Acid
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Folate
• Cholesterol

This means that you will gain a healthy weight and have less to lose after pregnancy. Why? Because by giving your body and baby what is needed, you won't be tempted to overeat or be a victim to food cravings! And that's just another reason why it is the best pregnancy diet.

Laura Flynn, Registered Dietician, is Co-Author of The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide - your source for holistic coaching on pregnancy nutrition and exercise. Visit www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for Free Special Reports and articles.

Childbirth Preparation Handbook Review

There is nothing more miraculous and life changing in this world like having a child. Carrying your child in your womb for nine months is nothing short of spectacular. Isn't a woman considers bearing and giving birth to a baby one of her most important roles in this world? The moment that you realize that you're with child is one of the most shocking and glorious news that you can receive and feel. It does not matter if the pregnancy is planned or not. Whatever you feel at that moment is the purest of all emotions for your unborn child.

Pregnancy is a joy. But it doesn’t mean that it is a walk in the park. Even multiparas can not say that nothing discomforts them after bearing a number of babies. Pregnancy is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, of pains and of endless trips to the bathroom to empty the bladder. Pregnancy is a celebration, not only of womanhood and motherhood, but of love and miracles. Having a baby out of love and passion is the greatest gift of all.

And when the realities of being pregnant sink in, you may feel a number of things, joy and fear are probably head-to-head to the top list. It is not unusual to feel scared, especially if this is your first pregnancy. This is the reason why there are a lot of tools that you can use to educate yourself with pregnancy, with what is happening with your body and baby and the likes. One of the newest and most promising tools is called "Childhood Preparation Handbook", penned by Lena Einstain. She is a mother of four and definitely knows what is going through a pregnant body and mind.

Childhood Preparation Handbook is an eBook that talks about all the aspects of pregnancy; what happens while you're carrying your baby, what you can expect during and after childbirth, and how you deal with stress from childbirth finances to worries on how to become a great parent to your kid. This eBook is wonderfully written and easy to understand. Because the author is also a mom, you can feel the pride and the love of motherhood in each tip and advice about pregnancy. These give the feeling of warmth and peace to pregnant readers. In fact, even if you are not pregnant, you can purchase and read this eBook. The pieces of information written in Childhood Preparation Handbook can educate everyone.

This eBook by Lena Einstain is easy enough to understand and follow. There are numerous and simple tips on how to ease discomforts that are caused by pregnancy. Aside from the physical pain, the eBook talks about how to turn your worries about your unborn child and childbirth positively. Remember that knowledge is power and the more you know about pregnancy, the more at ease you will become and the more time you will enjoy being pregnant. With proper prenatal cares that are discussed in the book, you won't have to worry about your pregnancy. In fact, even your sex life during pregnancy is tackled.

Sure, there are numerous eBooks about pregnancy that you can find nowadays. But what Lena Einstain can offer in Childhood Preparedness Handbook is different. Read the book and you’ll find out why.

Want to Have a Girl? Try These Techniques

Choosing the gender of your child may seem impossible, especially if you are not engaging in genetic manipulation. However, there are several techniques that can increase the likelihood of your conceiving the gender of your choice. While there is no 100% accurate way to naturally select the gender of your future child, you can increase the likelihood of having a boy or a girl by following some very easy steps.

The sperm that are responsible for having a girl carry the X chromosome. These sperm are slower than their Y counterparts and require a few different techniques if you want to ensure that they successfully reach the egg to result in a girl.

Eating the Right Foods

In order to have the right PH balance in your body to ensure that the X sperm can reach the egg successfully, you need to give them an environment that is acidic. This is considered to be ideal. Recommended foods include broccoli, apples, fish (as long as it is farm raised and contains no mercury), and dairy products. Focus on foods that are high in calcium and magnesium for the ultimate balance.

Picking the Right Time

In order to give the X sperm the chance to reach the egg, you need to time intercourse so that by the time you ovulate, the Y sperm have already died off. This means that it is ideal to have intercourse two to three days before you ovulate. Sperm can remain viable within the body for up to five days and X sperm are the longest lived. By the time the egg drops from your ovary, the only ones left will most likely be the sperm that carry the X chromosome.

Choosing the Perfect Position

In order to give the X sperm the edge they need to outlast the faster Y sperm, sexual positions that offer shallow penetration are ideal. Positions such as missionary are perfect for this, but any position where the man does not orgasm deep within the vagina will work. Once again, you are stacking the deck so that the longer lived X sperm can outlast the Y sperm before they reach their destination.

Other Factors to Consider

Whether or not a woman orgasms before a man does have some determination in the gender of the child that they will conceive. This is due to the fact that once you orgasm, the PH inside the vagina changes due to secretions. Before an orgasm, the environment within the vagina and around the cervix is acidic, which is perfect for sperm carrying the X chromosome. Once you do orgasm, the secretions change the PH to more alkalai in nature, allowing the Y sperm the chance to get through. It is recommended that a woman not orgasm first when trying for a girl.

What to Remember

Although these techniques can increase the chances of conceiving a girl, as mentioned earlier, there is no foolproof method and there are no guarantees. However, you can have a lot of fun trying and no matter what gender you end up with, the result is the same – a happy and healthy baby and a brand new addition to your family.

Learn more by visiting www.PlanMyBaby.com

IVF Fertilization: Understanding that Stage of The Cycle

The egg retrieval stage may be one of the last stages of the cycle for you, but the real work is only about to begin. IVF fertilization and embryo culture is the stage where the egg and sperm will be combined in a culture medium to form an embryo. If you opted to include intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with your cycle, the sperm will be injected into the egg with a micro-sized needle. The resulting embryos will then be left to incubate for several days before they are graded for their quality. You won’t be at the lab to see all of this happen, but hopefully this article will help you visualize how your future child will be formed.

Understanding the fertilization stage

As soon as the eggs have been retrieved, they will be washed in a solution to get rid of the sticky cumulus cells that surround them. These cumulus cells are from the follicular fluid, and they make it difficult for the embryologist to determine the quality or even the presence of an egg. The mature eggs are moved to an incubator for several hours to prepare them for fertilization. While all of this is happening, your partner’s sperm is also undergoing certain preparations. The obtained sperm sample will be washed in a solution and divided into 100,000 sperm per millimeter.

As soon as both sperm and egg are ready, the two will be combined in a manmade culture medium designed to simulate the environment of the fallopian tube. The culture medium will also protect the embryos as they slowly develop. The petri dish containing the sperm and egg will be returned to the incubator and left alone for several days so the embryo can develop undisturbed.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

Some fertility clinics recommend a procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to increase fertilization success among couples suffering from male factor infertility. ICSI makes use of a microscope and a hollow, microsized needle to obtain a single, healthy sperm cell from a sample. The sperm is injected into the cytoplasm or center of the egg using the hollow needle. Some couples worry that ICSI babies might be at risk for genetic diseases, delayed development, or health problems because it makes use of sperm that was incapable of fertilizing naturally. However, the vast majority of ICSI babies are born healthy and experience normal childhood development. Research also show that the percentage of ICSI babies with genetic problems do not exceed that of babies conceived normally.

Embryo culture

No matter how excellent your eggs are, only 70% of them will become embryos. This is due to the stringent monitoring system of fertility clinics; your embryologist will only transfer the healthiest ones into your uterus. The first examination happens several hours after insemination, to confirm that each egg got fertilized.

Those that did not fertilize will be discarded. The remaining embryos will be left alone for over 24 hours and inspected once again to check their cell division. At this point, the embryos should have divided into two or four cells. You may choose to have your embryos transferred at this time, but most doctors recommend transfer during the blastocyst stage, when the embryos have divided into at least 12 cells.

This article is based on the book "The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program" by Diana Farrell, M.A. Diana’s books on enhancing IVF success have been sold all over the world, and she has helped many couples overcome their infertility with IVF and realize their dream of parenthood.

Find out more by visiting her website: www.IVRSuccessProgram.com

Smoking Before or During Pregnancy

If you are a smoker and are thinking of becoming pregnant, the first step you must take is to stop smoking. If you're like most smokers, you may have thought of or tried to quit before. However, if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, it is now necessary not only to think about your health but the health of your unborn child. Smoke can effect both child development and future growth.

About 13% of women in the United States smoke during pregnancy. This is a shocking number when you consider that there would be an estimated reduction of 10% in infant mortality, if these women had quit.

Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals - some 2,500 chemicals have entered your baby’s bloodstream with every puff of a cigarette. Nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide are the most dangerous and toxic to the fetus, affecting the most critical stages of development, while inside the womb.

Even if you do not smoke, the child may be affected by a mother who is often exposed to cigarette smoke. Passive smoking can be just as harmful to both mother and baby. A woman who smokes or is exposed to frequent second-hand smoke is more likely to have a baby born with low birth weight and stunted growth. The sooner a woman quits or stays away from passive smoking, the greater the chances of good health for her and her baby.

Smoking has been associated with a higher risk of ectopic pregnancy, which is when the embryo is implanted in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. When this happens, medication must be taken to remove the embryo or in the worst case, the tube is removed surgically. Smoking can also increase the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage and vaginal bleeding, which is sometimes severe enough to harm the child.

Smoking during pregnancy can make the child develop more slowly, increasing the risk of low birth weight and the risk of preterm birth (the baby is delivered before 37 weeks of gestation) by 30%. You may also see an abnormalitiy such as cleft lip, cleft palate or other congenital defects. Also, infants born to smoking mothers are more likely to die from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), and can have a higher probability of developing asthma, behavioral problems and learning disabilities due to the slowdown in growth development.

It is clear that smoking during pregnancy - or being exposed to second-hand smoke,while pregnant can seriously affect you and your baby during pregnancy and early years of his life.

To learn of other important factors that can affect your pregnancy and ability to get pregnant, read the international best selling ebook, Personal Path to Pregnancy.

Pregnancy Exercise - Why You Must Stretch While You Are Pregnant

When you think of a typical pregnancy exercise program, stretching and warming up are easily forgotten. But they are a MUST for any safe and effective workout.

Aside from just feeling good, stretching helps to keep your pregnant body healthy in a number of ways:

1. Prevents injuries by pulling your body gently back into balance.
2. Increases circulation - more blood flow to the muscles means a healthier muscle.
3. Gives you more energy! Along with greater blood flow comes more oxygen which keeps us from feeling sleepy during the day.
4. Eases the aches and pains of pregnancy by loosening the tight muscles that cause low back pain, headaches and other common complaints.
5. Enhances your workout by increasing your range of motion.
6. Improves your posture which helps you look and feel better as your body continues to change.

Keep in mind that being gumby is not the goal - being too flexible can be just as dangerous as not being flexible enough. So, it's important to stretch only those muscles that are tight and to combine your stretching with a good pregnancy strength training program.

Top Ten Tips for Stretching Success

Stretching is essential to any pregnancy exercise program. But, most people don't realize HOW to stretch.

Just going through the motions can be more dangerous than not doing it at all. Follow these ten tips to round out your workout.

1. Warm up with 5-8 minutes of cardiovascular exercise - that is, an activity like jogging, biking or walking that will get your heart rate up and your blood pumping. Then begin your stretching routine.
2. Stretch only those muscles that are tight.
3. Don't stretch muscles that are already loose - if you don't "feel the stretch", you may not need to do it.
4. Avoid over-stretching. During pregnancy your joints are especially loose and prone to injury.
5. Stretching should NOT hurt. Stretching a tight muscle should feel good, back off if there is any pain.
6. Hold stretches for 20-30 seconds each.
7. Never bounce while you stretch.
8. Stay relaxed and breathe deeply to help lengthen your muscles.
9. Do not lock out your joints, keep elbows and knees slightly bent to reduce stress on them.
10. Stretch after your exercise session too, to help your body cool down and prevent injury.

There you have it, the basics of stretching! Follow these simple guidelines and reap the benefits of stretching during pregnancy.

Michelle Ladd is a Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Expert Pre-Natal Personal Trainer. She is the Co-Author of The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide. Visit www.FitAndHealthyPregnancy.com for Free Special Reports on how to look and feel your best - before, during and after - AND have a healthy and happy baby.

Infertility Treatments

Infertility is a global public health concern and affects approximately 10% - 15% of couples worldwide. This condition may stem from numerous anomalies in the body, ranging from infections and cysts in the ovaries and reproductive tract, to the disproportionate secretion of hormones by the glands. Infertility treatments are many, and are of various kinds. The best way to tackle it is to identify the exact cause of this condition and then alleviate it.

Available infertility treatments include:

* Treating APA's. APA's cause blood clots and prevent implantation. A low dose aspirin therapy works wonders when treating APA's in the blood. For graver cases, anticoagulants are used to thin out the blood and improve blood circulation in the uterus.

* Removing natural killer cells. Natural killer cells present in excess begin to attack the embryo. An intravenous treatment of gamma globulin, intralipid infusions and steroids are often used in this case.

* Treating Antinuclear Antibodies (AA's). Abundance of antinuclear antibodies in the body is treated with steroids, intake of herbs that increase circulation, intake of antioxidants, zinc supplements, alkaline generating food and reducing the levels of stress. Balancing the responses of the immune system is the key to treating AA's.

* Treating antisperm antibodies. To suppress the reactions in the body caused by antisperm antibodies interacting with the sperm, low doses of steroids are often made use of.

* Treating age related infertility. Since age is a possible threat to female fertility, infertility treatments involving care of the kidneys and the spleen will help a woman keep the age related problems of pregnancy at bay.

* Treating infections that hinder pregnancy. Antibiotic treatments to exterminate the harmful bacteria from the body are recommended by most doctors who conduct IVF's. Nutritious food and immune enhancing supplements are used to prevent harmful bacteria from growing in the body. When detected in one partner, antibiotic treatments for harmful bacteria must be carried out in both partners since they are likely to have infected each other during intercourse.

* Treating the high prolactin levels in the body. Normally, to treat the elevated levels of prolactin in the body, natural remedies are suggested. These natural remedies include the intake of vitamin B, zinc and magnesium supplements, exercising, staying away from alcohol, and lowering the levels of stress. The intake of rebalancing hormones like Chasteberry, etc. is also helpful. Qi moving herbs are also quite helpful in these cases.

* Treating leutal phase defects. In case of dealing with leutal phase defects, fertility drugs like Clomid, etc. are prescribed for boosting the levels of progesterone, which enable pregnancy. However, medicines such as these are bound to have side effects, and to avoid these said side effects, it is always beneficial to opt for natural methods of treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers good help in these cases.

* Treating tubal blockages. Laparoscopy is performed to remove small areas of blockage, however if that fails, In Vitro Fertilization is an option.

* Treating sperm problems. Fertility drugs are available that enhance sperm production, and improve motility. Since sperm motility is one of the major factors affecting pregnancy, treatments in males are incomplete without looking into this.

Infertility treatments are possible with the whole new range of medicines that is available to the public these days, but it must also be kept in mind that these treatments can be painful, often come without harmful side effects and the results are far from guaranteed. On the other hand, following the holistic approach with a healthy diet, regular exercise, abstinence from alcohol, nicotine and other drugs, stress management, acupuncture etc. can almost guarantee positive and fast results.

This article is based on the book, "Pregnancy Miracle" by Lisa Olson. Lisa is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root of infertility, help you get pregnant quickly and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life, without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures.

Learn more by visiting her website: www.PregnancyMiracle.com

Top Nine Tips For Morning Sickness Relief

Many of my pregnant friends would say that it really shouldn't be called "Morning sickness." They said that a more accurate term would be "Day sickness." I was lucky and only had the morning version in a mild form, but it still wasn't fun.

Unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all" approach to dealing with the common pregnancy experience of morning sickness. It's more of a trial and error to find what works for you. Here are a few things to try:

1. Munch on dry crackers by Late July or Newman's Own graham cracker cookies (or look for brands that use butter, palm oil/fruit)-especially first thing in the morning
2. Keep hydrated by sipping on water or warmed stock
3. Drink raw real milk (read more on this in FHP guide)
4. Munch or suck on whole wheat pretzels
5. Try some ginger in the form of tea (can make it iced tea), crystalline, gingersnaps (Mi-Del is a good brand name)
6. Eat small mini meals every three hours (this also helps reduce food cravings)
7. Please be sure to see your OB/GYN if you are not able to eat, hold down food/fluids, not gaining or losing weight
8. Avoid spicy or heavy foods
9. Vitamin B6 may be of help which is found in these foods: raw full fat dairy, raw egg yolk from cage free pastured chicken (heat destroys B6), sprouted grains, onions, sweet potato, lacto- fermented foods (these foods increase the bacteria in your gut which produce vitamin B6).

Try any of these to see if they provide you some relief from your morning sickness. If one doesn't work, maybe another one will. The main idea is not to let your belly be empty and to keep fluids coming in. But, also to trust your instinct and seek medical advice if you are not able to keep fluids or foods down-if in doubt at least ask your OB/GYN.

Laura Flynn, Registered Dietician, is Co-Author of The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide - your source for holistic coaching on pregnancy nutrition and exercise. Visit www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for Free Special Reports and articles.

How to Practice Home Massage Techniques When Pregnant

More and more women are turning to alternative treatments for the aches and pains associated with pregnancy. This is largely thanks to a growing knowledge base, which tells us that alternative treatments are safer, for you and your baby.

Home massage is one of those types of treatment, and if you are interested in practicing home massage while you are pregnant, then there are a few things you should know before hand.

Speak to Your Doctor

There are specific conditions that you may have while pregnant, that make some or all forms of home massage dangerous or unsafe.

If you're considering making home massage a part of your ante natal treatment, make sure that you speak to your doctor first, and rule out all of those conditions first. It is always best to be safe, rather than sorry, and while home massage during pregnancy is usually perfectly safe, you need to be sure before you start!

Learn Proper Techniques

Home massage during pregnancy is not as simple as it is at other times. There are certain areas of your body that should be massaged in certain ways and specific techniques that should, and should not be used.

There are online courses, as well as real world training programs, that can help you to practice home massage during pregnancy safely, and with maximum benefit to you and your baby, and it is always a good idea to make sure that you know what you are doing before you incorporate it into your pregnancy routine.

Equip Yourself

If you are planning to make home massage a part of your pregnancy routine, then there are specific types of equipment and materials that can be useful. Heating and cooling pads, pregnancy safe massage oils and lotions; a firm and stable massage surface and other items are all things that you might like to consider. There are, of course, also many items that you probably already own that can be incorporated into home massage during pregnancy, and it need not be an expensive or difficult process.

Enlist Your Partner

During the early stages of your pregnancy, it may be possible to practice home massage techniques yourself, however, as you progress through your pregnancy, that will become more difficult. Enlist your partner’s help to massage your back, abdomen, and other areas of your body that you cannot reach. Not only does this make home massage during pregnancy easier, and more comfortable, but it allows your partner to become involved in the process of pregnancy, on a physical level.

Home massage is a great form of relaxation and therapy, as well as an effective treatment for many aches and pains, and it is a good idea to include it in your pregnancy routine from early on. Make sure that you do so safely, and that you stop if you notice any adverse or worrying effects and it should be a great way to relax and enjoy your pregnancy more.

Want to Have a Boy? Try These Techniques

Natural gender selection has been practiced for centuries and while there are plenty of Old Wive's Tales, some of them are actually grounded in scientific fact. Naturally, there is no 100% guarantee that following these techniques will result in having a child be the gender you want, they can increase the likelihood that you will.

If you are trying to have a boy, it is important to remember that the sperm that carry the Y chromosome, the one responsible for determining the male gender, are much different than the sperm that carry the X chromosome, or the one that is responsible for determining the female gender.

The Y sperm are smaller and more agile, and they can reach the egg much quicker. However, they don't live as long as the X sperm do and they have some limitations when it comes to dealing with the PH of your body. Let's look at the factors that can assist the Y sperm in reaching the egg first, resulting in a boy.

Your PH Balance and Your Diet

Y sperm require a PH balance that is more alkalai than acidic. This means that you will need to adjust your diet somewhat. Foods that are rich in potassium and sodium are ideal if you are trying to have a boy. This includes foods like red meat, bananas, peaches and sausage.

Getting Your Timing Right

Timing is crucial if you want the Y sperm to reach the egg before the X sperm do. This means that you will need to schedule intercourse as closely as possible to the day that you ovulate. The egg is viable for a period of 24 hours, and this will give the Y sperm enough of a chance to reach the egg while they are still viable as well.

Choosing the Right Position

The position that you choose also affects how quickly the Y sperm will reach the egg. It is important to use a position that will allow for deep penetration and the man must orgasm as closely to the neck of the cervix as possible. Positions that allow for this include woman dominant, or woman on top as well as doggy style or rear entry.

Other Factors

Interestingly enough, if a woman orgasms before a man does, it increases the chances of having a boy. This is due to the fact of the secretions within the vagina that occur during an orgasm. They shift the balance of the PH to more alkaline, allowing the Y sperm the perfect environment they need to make it through the cervix.

What to Remember

Again, there is no 100% guarantee that you will be able to conceive a boy using these methods, but it does increase your chances significantly. No matter what gender your child ends up being, the important thing is that they are healthy. It's fun to try and naturally select the gender of your child, but at the end of the day there are many different factors that will ultimately decide their sex.

Learn more by visiting www.PlanMyBaby.com