Week 18: Time to think about recording your pregnancy dreams to remember later.
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Experts now recommend that right after birth, a healthy newborn should be placed skin-to-skin on the mother's abdomen or chest and should be dried and covered with warm blankets. Any care that needs to be done immediately after birth can be done with your baby skin-to-skin on your chest. As midwife Ina May Gaskin says, you're entitled to "keep your prize."
Lamaze International
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Try changing your shoes several times a day if you find your feet hurting and consider wearing support hose if you need to stand for long periods of the day.
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Many women have more vivid dreams during pregnancy, due partly to the heightened emotions and hormones of pregnancy.
BabyCenter.com
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Are you experiencing pregnancy as an obese woman? You may be very interested in "The Well-Rounded Mama" blog dedicated to providing women of size pregnancy information without judgment or scare tactics.
The Well-Rounded Mama
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Start a baby name list by researching all the names in your and your partner's families. You might find a family name that is perfect for your baby.
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While lying on your back, either for sleep or exercise, keep a small folded towel under your right hip to displace the weight of your uterus off the vein that returns blood to your heart. If you ever feel dizzy, light-headed or nauseous while lying on your back, just roll over on your side until the sensation passes.
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Social support during pregnancy and especially early parenthood is vitally important to your mental health and emotional well-being. During pregnancy, it's a good idea to widen your social network with women who understand what you're going through and what you'll need during the postpartum period.
BirthWatch Recommends:
Deliver This!: Make the Childbirth Choice That's Right for You..No Matter What Everyone Else Thinks
I'm a huge fan of this book. By using story telling and offering women's viewpoints from across the spectrum of choices and experiences, Marisa Cohen helps women understand WHY women make the choices they do. If you find yourself flat-out confused by why some women intend on birthing in a certain way, give this book a read and take a walk in someone else's shoes to understand their choices.