An Art of Parenting

Archive for July, 2011

Facing Up To Your Changing Skin During Pregnancy: Pregnancy is the most beautiful time in your life. It is a time when you feel extra special and the knowledge of a life growing within you makes you beam with joy. You bloom like never before. And as you edge towards the sixteenth week of pregnancy you observe yourself getting bigger each day. It’s something you can’t very well help exciting. And it’s terribly exciting. But excitement apart, you also tend to observe a lot of skin changes and that make you feel a little low.

Pigmentation: If you stand naked in front of the mirror and examine yourself carefully, you’ll find that certain parts of your body have become darker; the area surrounding the nipples known as the areola, the vulva, the perianal region, and the line down the middle of your abdomen. This strip is normally a little paler than the rest of your skin and is known as the linea alba or white line. During pregnancy however, it darkens and becomes known as the linea nigra, or dark line. This darkening or pigmentation, of the skin occurs in varying degrees in almost all women who become pregnant. A few women develop a patch, café au lait, and pigmentation across the forehead, cheeks and upper lip. This is known as the mask of pregnancy. Of course you can always disguise it with cosmetics, but that shouldn’t often be necessary.

This method is resorted to when all other efforts to affect a normal delivery get exhausted. Moreover, it is necessary to facilitate delivery, save the child from suffocation and the mother from labor pain and other complications.

Pregnancy Process & Progress: Suspension of monthly period is an initial sign of conception when a lady does not menstruate. The situation should be watched for some days; and if no bleeding occurs, it is sure sign of conception. It may be pointed out the glandular secretions play a major role in fertilization of eggs, regulation of menstrual periods, and quantity of blood passed and general health of the lady. Pregnancy period is a trying period for the lady who has conceived. During pregnancy response does not remain intense and frequent-rather she starts to take care of the child. Her attention is focused on her offspring and not her husband.

Development of foetus in the uterus is a gradual development process which occurs in a phased manner as is explained below. During the first 8 weeks of pregnancy a child is called Embryo, after which it is called a child.

Due to malnutrition and neglect of the mother, the child may be born earlier or even later but if the child-birth does not take place even upto 41^st week, doctor’s advice and help must be availed of. Normally a new born child’s average body length should be 50 cms and weight 3.2 kgs but either of the parameters, there is a cause for concern and medical help must be sought. Ladies, whose children weight more than pounds and who are diabetic also, their children may be exposed to danger of diabetes due to genetic risk factor involved.