Some do not believe they are really an addict or alcoholic. They may convince themselves that they don’t drink or use very much or that often. The truth, if you are not capable of quitting during a time in your life when it is most essential that you do not drink or use, you are an addict. If you were not addicted quitting during pregnancy would not be difficult.

Many women falsely believe that an occasional drink or drug use is not really harmful. They may minimize their problem and rationalize what they are doing. They may say things like well when my mother was pregnant she drank/smoke and I turned out fine.

Sometimes a woman may convince herself that she is done and it won’t happen again. Perhaps she has used during the first month but she will tell herself, I will get help if I do this again. With the next time it happening repeating the same rational in her mind, each time thinking it is the last.

Addiction is a shameful disease. Addicts come in all forms. People with addiction can hide their disease very well. Their friends and family may not even realize that they have a problem. Talking to a health professional about this may be something they are too afraid to do.

They may be afraid to talk to a professional for fear of having an investigation by Child Protective services.

Marijuana supporters put out a lot of false information about the risks to an unborn child. Minimizing the dangers, even going as far as to say babies born to marijuana users are less fussy and more content. They may choose to believe this misinformation in order to avoid facing their addiction.

Risks of using drugs and alcohol during pregnancy

Smoking:

Babies are more likely to be born preterm and with low birth weight.

Alcohol:

Can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Babies born with FAS may have symptoms of alcohol withdrawal shortly after birth. They often have a small head, small eyes, a wide flat nose, and a small jaw. Children with FAS may have growth problems, diminished mental capacity, and emotional problems.

Marijuana:

Can cause preterm birth, low birth weight and some studies say it can cause attention problems in children.

Coccaine:

Babies born to cocaine users often go through withdrawal symptoms after birth. Fetal growth may be retarded, there is a greater risk of premature labor and abruption of the placenta. Babies often have low birth weight, may have feeding problems, and are at greater risk of sids. Children of cocaine addicted mothers may have emotional problems, short attention span, and learning disabilities.

Heroin and other narcotics:

Mother is at a greater risk of having preterm labor and having a baby with low birth weight. Babies of heroin addicted moms may have breathing difficulties, hypoglycemia, and intracranial hemorrhage. They also will go through withdrawal after birth.

If you need help

If you think that you have a problem there are places to get help. Please do not wait.

One of the best places to get help is at

Acoholic Anonymous
www.aa.org

Or you can look in your phone book under alcoholic anonymous. Someone there will gladly help you find meeting locations and someone to talk to.

Resources

NIDA

March of Dimes

American Council for Drug Education

About The Author

Patty Hone is a wife and mommy to three kids. She is also the owner of Justmommies.com. Justmommies is an online community for mommies to make friends and find support. Please visit Justmommies at http://www.justmommies.com.

email@justmommies.com

It is important however that you take a common sense approach when you are attempting to lose weight after your pregnancy. Remember, the weight will not come off overnight, but it will come off if you go about it in the right way.

It is very important that you don’t try to fit back into your pre-pregnancy clothes right after birth. For one you will still be bloated and swollen from the delivery. You will also still be carrying around most of the fat you gained to help keep your baby safe and sound during pregnancy.

Usually the majority of women can safely lose between one and two pounds a week after the birth of their baby. This rate will help ensure a safe, healthy and steady weight loss without compromising mom’s health or the health of the new baby.

Article by Beverley Brooke, author of “Ensure a healthy safe pregnancy for you and your baby”, visit http://www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com for more on pregnancy weight loss

Most women want to know what the ideal weight is during pregnancy. Honestly, there is no one answer. Weight gain will vary from woman to woman. There is no one ‘ideal’ weight during pregnancy, just like there is no one ‘ideal’ weight that is just right for al women.

That said there are certain guidelines that you can follow to ensure that the weight you gain during pregnancy is healthy.

Most physicians will recommend the following weight gain:

If you are normal weight before getting pregnant you should expect to gain between 25 and 35 pounds throughout your pregnancy.

If you are underweight prior to pregnancy you will need to gain more weight, typically between 28 and 40 pounds during your pregnancy. Your healthcare provider will be able to provide you with more specific guidelines.

If you are overweight when you become pregnant you will only need to gain between 15 and 25 pounds during your pregnancy.

Keep in mind that if you are carrying multiples (twins or more) you will typically be asked to gain even more weight, 45 pounds or more, depending on how many babies you are carrying.

When you become pregnant it is important that you avoid dieting. So, for purposes of this book we want to emphasize that it is vital that you eat healthily during your pregnancy, not diet. A healthy diet that is composed of food from each of the four food groups will help ensure that you gain the right amount of weight during your pregnancy, making it easier to shed pounds after you give birth.

Article by Beverley Brooke, author of “Ensure a healthy safe pregnancy for you and your baby”, visit http://www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com for more on pregnancy weight gain

Really, the best thing you can do to combat swelling is to drink far more fluid. It may seem counter intuitive, but the more juice and water you drink the less water your body will hold onto and the less puffy you will be. You should be working to drink at least 10 eight ounce glasses of water per day. Also try to avoid diuretic beverages such as tea and coffee, which contain caffeine. These are more likely to dehydrate you than invigorate you during your pregnancy.

You might also consider wearing some support stockings during your pregnancy. These will not only help combat swelling, but may help prevent or minimize the effects of varicose veins later in pregnancy. Most medical care suppliers carry support hosiery that works well for women during pregnancy.

You should look for support hose with a medium grading minimum, meaning they provide firm support. Compression hose can often be purchased online. You can also ask your healthcare provider where you might purchase a pair or two.

Article by Beverley Brooke, author of “Ensure a healthy safe pregnancy for you and your baby”, visit http://www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com for more on pregnancy swelling

Women who regularly engage in some form of exercise before and during pregnancy are more likely to experience quicker and less problematic labors. That is a good enough reason in and of itself to start exercising as soon as you can.

The other important thing you need to do during your pregnancy is make an appointment to see your healthcare provider. Good prenatal care throughout your pregnancy is essential for maintaining a happy and healthy pregnancy. If you are not yet pregnant but thinking about becoming pregnant, many practitioners recommend scheduling a visit so they can review your health history for you and help overcome any potential barriers to your fertility.

Your healthcare provider can also set you up on a regimen of prenatal vitamins, and help you understand your cycle better so you know the times of the month you are most likely to get pregnant.

Most practitioners will schedule your first visit between 8-11 weeks if you are having a normal, low risk pregnancy. If you aren’t sure when you became pregnant, you should consider scheduling an appointment with your provider right away to ensure that everything is going along as it should and that you have no risk factors for possible complications.

Article by Beverley Brooke, author of “Ensure a healthy safe pregnancy for you and your baby”, visit http://www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com for more on pregnancy exercise