Fertility is no Joking matter (1 of 3 Parts)

Where should I even begin with ttc(trying to conceive)??

If you are reading this you are either curious why people are trying so hard to have
a baby OR you are here to get some info and to understand you are NOT alone!!
Most people still have their fairytale ending when it comes to babies!
No one expects to be ttc for year after year with no end in sight. People are blindsided
because trying to have a baby is such a sensitive topic and you feel so isolated and
alone. No one wants to talk about it, so When it comes to ttc you really realize how
much power you have and how much spirit you have! It takes a real mother to be able to
with stand such heartbreak month after month! There is numerous things you can do to
increase your odds of having a baby! The biggest thing you need to do is NO STRESS!!!
Worst thing to say to a ttc mommy but it is true! Throw out all those apps on your phone
and go about the tracking the old fashion way, the good ol' paper calendar. When you have
your cycle(if regular) write it down on the calendar and start from that day and count till
your next cycle should arrive and put a sticky note with( Period??) Also if you have a perfect
30 day cycle you should start using OPK(Ovulation Prediction Kits) about 12-14cd(cycle day).
You will have to just really figure that out yourself some like starting at cd10 till they know
around the time ovulation hits and than they start testing closer to the day they should ovulate.
It really is different for everyone! Your test will usually come up with two lines any day of the
week. The Goal though is to wait for your test line to get as dark as or Darker than the Control Line!
After you get your positive you will usually ovulate between 12-36 hours later...

Taking prenatal during your TTC journey is so important since it gets your body ready for pregnancy and helps make baby healthier during the very important first couple weeks! When you
are having trouble conceiving there is some options out there that are supposed to help! Fertility Blend, Fertilaid, and so so many more supplements and tea! For men they have everything from a Sperm Check(which I do not think highly of) and Fertilaid through Motility boosts and Sperm count helpers! I will post a link to help you through a lot of these Searches. Male Factor Infertility is important to discuss also! About a Third of Infertile couples is due to female and another Third is
due to men! Leaving the Remaining Third Due to both Partners! It would be wise after One year(Under 35 year old women) or 6 months(over 35 year old women) of ttc to get the man checked out also! A semen Analysis will be presented with lots of fun directions! They might also issue an Ultrasound and blood work to him also!

PERSONAL STORY TIME: We have been ttc for 29 cycles now and one Miscarriage and one Chemical(at least). We have done Fertilaid, BBT, OPK and everything else we could do at home! Finally after about 17 cycles of ttc we went to the doctor and got all my blood work done which turned out perfect!! So excited!! Hubby got his sperm checked and came back with bad results! His sperm levels were good but his Motility was non existent! They told us to come back in two months to see if there was any change! I immediately ran and got Motility Boost to put with his fertilaid! So we hit the two month Waiting period.... Finally after two more cycles we went back(Cycle 19) to get him checked again :) He was perfect!!! My doctor said Cycle 20 is when we start Clomid 50mg (I was diagnosed with annovulatory cycles due to irregular menses) I went through 6 cycles with perfect periods and Perfect ovulation(the first two months were killer! So many symptoms and I was just hurting)  after 6 cycles we have had no luck :( All he could say was lets try the HSG and see what that comes up with! I waited 2 cycles(no Ovulation) and now this month finally got My HSG Done!!


  The HSG helps to tell you if your Fallopian Tubes are open! They will usually have you go to
radiology, Get undressed from the waist down, Sit on a big table where the room is usually kind of cool! (This is the part that is different for everyone) My Doctor Had me lay down scoot my but all the way to the end of the table, He inserted the Opensided speculum(device to see cervix better like during pap smear) which was extremely cold!! After he inserted that he cleaned off my cervix with a Povidone Iodine(reddish stuff). I am not in any pain at this point! He than needed to insert a catheter into my uterus! To me it felt like he was trying to stab my Cervix! It was horrible pain!
Way worse than Period cramps! After he got that inserted he blew up a little balloon to keep it in place which made the pain go from sharp pains to sharp pain and dull achy around! They had me scoot my bottom all the way back up so I could get under the machine so they could take acouple pictures!  He told me that he was inserting the solution up there to flush everything out!  Which made me feel really hot and kind gross!  I watched the screen and saw my uterus fill up and even though the pain was still horrible I couldnt see anything for acouple seconds going through the tubes and all of a sudden the pain got alittle worse and everything came out.. He wasnt really concerned but he did say that he couldnt see my tubes very well in the picture because it all spilt out quite fast when It did finally show up! He also said I have a Beautiful/Gorgeous Uterus and if there was anything
wrong it was gone now and fine!! Hopefully I am one of the 15-20% of women that have found themselves pregnant in the cycle following this test!! He said to wait for 2 more cycles and to come back and we will figure something out for me! So If I do not get pregnant This cycle or cycle 30 and 31 I will go back beginning of cycle 32(July 2015) and hopefully have something else for me to do!!!

How To Lose Baby Weight

How to Lose Baby Weight

Now that your doctor has given you the go-ahead for postpartum exercise, here are simple ways to finally lose your baby weight—and hide it until you reach your goal.

No matter how many miles you've walked, how many diets you've tried, or how long it's been since giving birth, that extra bit of flab on your belly, which arrived along with your baby, doesn't seem to want to budge. Sound familiar? That's why we've gathered these simple ways to reclaim your prepregnancy stomach, once and for all!

The stubborn tummy (why crunches don't always work)

During pregnancy the outermost abdominal muscles stretch and separate to make room for the expanding uterus. Even after birth, though, when the uterus shrinks back to its original size, these ab muscles can stay separated (after a vaginal delivery or a c-section). And crunches can do more harm than good when trying to lose baby weight. "Crunches put pressure on the tissue that connects the outermost abdominal muscles, which can further separate them," says Julie Tupler, a nurse and coauthor of Lose Your Mummy Tummy. The key to toning up your tummy: Brace your stomach and focus on engaging the innermost ab muscle, the transverse abdominus, since this is the muscle that really supports the uterus and gut and keeps your belly sucked in. This also helps prevent back pain.

You can engage and tone your transverse ab muscle while you do almost any activity—or when you're just sitting around. How? Sit up straight, shoulders down, and draw your belly button in toward your spine. "Imagine you're wearing a corset and you're pulling its strings tight," says Lisa Druxman, a fitness trainer and author ofLean Mommy. Believe it or not, sitting this way (say, while you're reading to your child) or standing this way (maybe while you're waiting in line at the store or changing a diaper) will make your abs firmer and flatter. It'll instantly elongate your torso and strengthen your abs and back. If you think you'll forget to do this, tie a piece of string around your waist while your ab muscles are drawn in, and leave it there. Every time you expand your stomach, you'll feel the string pull and remember to keep your abs taut.

Posture perfect

Once you know how to engage your abs (see above), you can turn simple activities into toning exercises. For instance, instead of holding your baby on your side (which causes you to jut out your hip and let your stomach go), hold her in front of you with both arms. "Use your baby as a stabilizer," says Brooke Siler, a Pilates expert and author of Your Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge. Keep your shoulders down and back straight while pulling your belly in toward your spine. "It's hard to hold your baby and that posture for very long, but doing it for even two minutes at a time is a great exercise," she says.

Two tummy toners

If you've just given birth, wait until your doctor gives you the green light—usually about six weeks post delivery—before doing these exercises.

Baby Reverse Curl

Lie on your back with your baby on your chest.

Bend your knees, bringing them in to your chest.

Rest your baby on your shins, holding her hands, and then lift them up so that your shins and your baby are parallel to the ground. Your thighs should be at a 90-degree angle to your torso.

Contract and engage your abs and lower your shins (and your baby) so that your feet are slightly off the ground. Hold for a moment, then lift your shins up so that they (and the baby) are parallel to the ground again.

Repeat 10 to 15 times (your baby will like flying through the air while you tone up).

Scissor LiftsLie on your back and extend your arms behind you as far back as you can reach. Hold on to a sturdy table leg or couch leg.Bring your legs straight up into the air so that they're at a 90-degree angle to your torso.Engage your ab muscles (especially your transverse ab muscle) and lower your right leg down so that it's just off the ground. Hold it there for a few seconds while keeping your pelvis stable, your tummy taut, and your back flat.Snap your right leg up, and repeat with your left leg. Try 10 reps on each leg.Bloat busters

Do:

Drink lots of water, to flush excess fluid out of your system and help move high-fiber foods along the intestinal tract.Eat water-rich fruits and vegetables, like oranges, tomatoes, asparagus, and celery, which act as gentle, natural diuretics.Eat potassium-rich foods, like bananas, spinach, and apricots, since this mineral counteracts sodium and helps rid the body of water.Eat slowly; when you eat quickly, you gulp more air, which leads to gas and bloating.

Don't:

Drink lots of carbonated drinks, which cause gas and bloating.Eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli) right before putting on a slim-fit dress, since this causes gas and bloating.Eat foods high in salt, which causes water retention throughout the body and belly. Chew gum, as it makes you swallow air and become—you guessed it—gassy and bloated. - From Lyssie Lakatos, dietitian and cofounder of The Nutrition TwinsLooks to avoid

Tucked-in tops, which accentuate the belly.

Oversize clothes: "You may think you look thinner in clothes three times too big, but this actually makes you look larger, especially in the waist," says Rachel Florio, a celebrity-trend expert in New York City.

Empire-waist tops paired with A-line skirts: The two trends together will make you appear round all over.

Fat blasters (cardio counts, too)

There's no way around it: Cardiovascular exercise is crucial to getting rid of belly weight. But this doesn't mean you have to devote hours a day to working out. An easy fat-blasting exercise: a power walk, even with the stroller, keeping abs pulled in and spine straight. If you want to burn fat faster and increase metabolism (which enables you to burn more calories even while resting), increase the intensity of your walk for a few minutes at a time, or put your baby in a backpack to add extra weight to your walk, says New York-based fitness expert Ken Mahadeo. Also consider a weight-lifting program, since this builds muscle and boosts metabolism. Shoot for an hour of exercise most days. It doesn't have to be all at once—you can break it up into 10- or 20-minute slots.

Subchronic Hematoma

WHAT IT IS:
A subchorionic hematoma, subchorionic bleeding is the accumulation of blood within the folds of the chorion (the outer fetal membrane, next to the placenta) or within the layers of the placenta itself. These bleeds, or clots, can cause the placenta to separate from the uterine wall if they get too large, if they develop in a bad spot, or if they aren’t eventually reabsorbed.

Subchorionic Bleeding During Pregnancy Sometimes, blood clots form within the layers of the placenta. But more often than not, they heal themselves.

HOW COMMON IS IT?
A good 20 percent of pregnant women will experience some kind of bleeding early in pregnancy, though it’s often hard to tell what’s causing the problem. Subchorionic hematomas are even harder to pick up because they don’t always result in noticeable spotting or bleeding, especially when they’re small.

WHO IS MOST AT RISK?
There don’t seem to be any specific risk factors for developing a subchorionic hematoma in the first place, but if you do wind up with one, there are factors that can make you more — or less — likely to have a positive outcome.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Spotting or bleeding may be a sign, often beginning in the first trimester. But many subchorionic bleeds are detected during a routine ultrasound, without there being any noticeable signs or symptoms.

SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED?
You wouldn’t be normal if you didn’t worry when you see blood, no matter when it occurs in your pregnancy. And that’s actually a good thing, especially if it prompts you to get in touch with your practitioner, who can make sure there’s nothing amiss. While most subchorionic hematomas dissolve on their own, it is possible for the clot to get in between the placenta and the uterine wall, resulting in miscarriage.

Here’s the encouraging news: More than half of women who bleed during their first trimester go on to have perfectly healthy pregnancies. But because subchorionic hematomas have been linked to increased risk of placental abruption and preterm labor, you don’t want to ignore signs of spotting or bleeding.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
Call your practitioner; an ultrasound may be ordered to see whether there is indeed a hematoma, how large it is, and where it’s located. Depending on the findings, as well as on your practitioner’s preferences, he or she may put you on strict bed rest, insist you refrain from lifting heavy objects, and avoid exercise. In most cases, you’ll be asked to avoid sexual intercourse until the hematoma dissolves and disappears.

Major Depression

Major Depression (Clinical Depression)

A constant sense of hopelessness and despair is a sign you may have major depression, also known as clinical depression.

With major depression, it may be difficult to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy friends and activities. Some people have clinical depression only once in their life, while others have it several times in a lifetime.

Major depression seems to occur from one generation to the next in some families, but may affect people with no family history of the illness.

What Is Major or Clinical Depression?

Most people feel sad or low at some point in their lives. But clinical depression is marked by a depressed mood most of the day, particularly in the morning, and a loss of interest in normal activities and relationships -- symptoms that are present every day for at least 2 weeks. In addition, according to the DSM-5 -- a manual used to diagnose mental health conditions -- you may have other symptoms with major depression. Those symptoms might include:

Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day
Impaired concentration, indecisiveness
Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day
Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others)
Restlessness or feeling slowed down
Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month)

Who Is at Risk for Major Depression?

Major depression affects about 6.7% of the U.S. population over age 18, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Overall, between 20% and 25% of adults may suffer an episode of major depression at some point during their lifetime.

Major depression also affects older adults, teens, and children, but frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated in these populations.

Are Women at Higher Risk for Major Depression?

Almost twice as many women as men have major or clinical depression; hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, miscarriage, and menopause, may increase the risk.

Other factors that boost the risk of clinical depression in women who are biologically vulnerable to it include increased stress at home or at work, balancing family life with career, and caring for an aging parent. Raising a child alone will also increase the risk.

What Are the Signs of Major Depression in Men?

Depression in men is significantly underreported. Men who suffer from clinical depression are less likely to seek help or even talk about their experience.

Signs of depression in men may include irritability, anger, or drug and alcohol abuse (substance abuse can also be a cause of depression rather than the result of it). Repressing their feelings can result in violent behavior directed both inwardly and outwardly. It can also result in an increase in illness, suicide, and homicide.

What Triggers Major Depression?

Some common triggers or causes of major depression include:

Grief from losing a loved one through death, divorce, or separation
Social isolation or feelings of being deprived
Major life changes -- moving, graduation, job change, retirement
Personal conflicts in relationships, either with a significant other or a superior
Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse

How Is Major Depression Diagnosed?

A health professional -- such as your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist -- will perform a thorough medical evaluation. The professional will ask about your personal and family psychiatric history. You may also have to complete a depression screening test.

There is no blood test, X-ray, or other laboratory test that can be used to diagnose major depression. However, your doctor may run blood tests to help detect any other medical problems that have symptoms similar to those of depression. For example, hypothyroidism can cause some of the same symptoms as depression, as can alcohol or drug use and abuse, some medications, and stroke.

How Is Major Depression Treated?

Major or clinical depression is a serious but treatable illness. Depending on the severity of symptoms, your doctor may recommend treatment with an antidepressant medication. He or she may also suggest psychotherapy, or talk therapy, in which you address your emotional state.

Sometimes, other medications are added to the antidepressant to boost its effectiveness. Certain medicines work better for some people. It may be necessary for your doctor to try different drugs at different doses to determine which medicine works best for you.

There are other treatment options for clinical depression -- such as electroconvulsive therapy, also called ECT or shock therapy -- that can be used if drugs prove ineffective or symptoms are severe.

Can Major Depression Be Prevented?

Once you have had an episode of major depression, you are at high risk of having another. The best way to prevent another episode of depression is to be aware of the triggers or causes of major depression (see above) and to continue taking the prescribed medication to avoid relapse. It is also important to know what the symptoms of major depression are and to talk with your doctor early if you have any of these symptoms.

Reasons for a missed/Late Period??

At some point in a woman's life she will have a late or missed period! It might make you worry, but for some it might lead to hope for the future! Here are some causes as to why you might have a late/missed period!

PREGNANCY

Sometimes a late period means exactly what you think: There's a little bun in the oven! Because early pregnancy symptoms like abdominal cramping, bloating and breast tenderness are similar to what you may experience in the days before menstruation, it can be difficult to tell if your period is simply off by a few days or you're pregnant. If your period is late and you've had unprotected sex, take a home pregnancy test. A week after the date you expected your period gives the most accurate results, but many home test manufacturers promise to detect Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (better known as hCG, the hormone released during pregnancy) sooner.

HCG levels

STRESS

You already know stress can have a number of unpleasant effects, like headaches, weight gain, acne and other skin issues — and it can also affect your period. When you're under physical or emotional stress, your body produces the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Elevated levels force the brain to decide which bodily functions are essential and which are nonessential until the stressful event is over. Things like blood flow to the muscles and oxygen to the lungs increase (part of the “fight-or-flight” response you've likely heard of), while others, like digestion and the reproductive system, may stop temporarily in extreme cases. When the reproductive cycle is delayed, so is your period.

ILLNESS

Think back to the time you should have ovulated. If you were sick, whether with a simple cold or something more serious, the stress could have put your body into that “which function is most important” phase mentioned above. So ovulation could have been delayed or didn't happen. That means your period will also be late or nonexistent. If illness around the time of ovulation caused your skipped period, Aunt Flo' will likely return once things are back to normal.

WEIGHT

Your weight can affect your hypothalamus, a gland in your brain responsible for regulating various processes in the body — including your menstrual cycle. Extreme weight loss, a low caloric intake or being very underweight stresses the hypothalamus, and your body won't release the estrogen needed to build the lining of the uterus. The same happens with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia, which also cause estrogen levels to dip too low. On the other hand, being overweight or gaining a lot in a short amount of time can cause your body to produce too much estrogen. The overload may cause you to go for months without ovulating or cause the endometrial lining to overgrow and become unstable, resulting in heavy, irregular periods. Usually, gaining weight if you're underweight or losing if you're overweight should help your periods to return to normal.

exercise

EXCESSIVE EXERCISE

Of course working out is good for you. However, when you overdo it (and possibly also restrict meals to lose weight), your body doesn't produce enough estrogen to complete the menstrual cycle. Some women — such as ballet dancers, gymnasts and professional athletes — are at greater risk for Amenorrhea(missing a period for three or more months in a row). But you don't have to be a pro for exercise to mess with your periods. Working out excessively without taking in enough calories can cause disruptions. Some signs that you're overdoing it include extreme or rapid weight loss; decreased physical performance; or forcing yourself to work out through injury, illness or severe weather. Slowing down a bit and, if you need to, gaining a little weight should get things back on track.

CHANGE IN SCHEDULE

Believe it or not, switching things up — for instance, working the night shift instead of the day or vice versa, or travelling across the country — can throw off your body clock, which regulates your hormones (including those responsible for your period). Sometimes this results in a missed or delayed period, but it should return when your body gets used to the change or your schedule goes back to normal.

BREASTFEEDING

If you're breastfeeding you may not see your period for some time, since prolactin — the hormone responsible for breast milk production — also suppresses ovulation. Many moms don't have a period for months (or at all) while breastfeeding. But lack of a period doesn't mean you can't get pregnant. Remember, ovulation occurs before you get your period. It's possible for you to ovulate and then get pregnant before you ever see your period. So if you don't want back-to-back babies, use protection. Your period should return within about six to eight weeks after weaning your child. If you haven't gotten a period three months after you stop breastfeeding, talk to your doctor.

Breastfeeding

MEDICATION

Probably the most common medication to cause menstrual changes is birth control. Hormonal Contraceptives such as the pill or patch work by stopping the body from ovulating — and no ovulation means no period. But what about that monthly bleeding you have while using one of these methods? What you're really experiencing is withdrawal bleeding, a “fake” period caused by the drop in hormones when you take the placebo pills in your pack or go patch-free during the fourth week of your cycle. Sometimes, though, the birth control suppresses the hormones so much that you have very light bleeding or no period at all during that week off. And some pills are even designed to stop your period for a longer amount of time (three months or more). Other hormonal birth controls, such as the Depo-Provera shot or the Mirena IUD, thin the lining of the uterus to such a degree that there may be no lining to shed monthly as a period.

Emergency contraception, or the “morning after pill,” can also affect when you ovulate (or stop it altogether), so if you've taken it recently you may experience a late or skipped period (bring this up with your doctor).

Some other medications that can cause a delayed or missed period are antidepressants, some antipsychotics, corticosteroids and chemotherapy drugs.

If you've recently gone off the pill in the hopes of getting pregnant, you you may notice that it might take a month or so for your cycle to regulate itself — in which case a skipped period might just be your system is getting back on track. If you're not sure whether a missed period means you're expecting, visit your doctor.

HORMONAL IMBALANCE

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition where the female sex hormones are out of balance. It can cause cysts on the ovaries and prevent ovulation from occurring regularly. In addition to missed or irregular periods, PCOS can also cause excess hair growth, acne, weight gain and possibly infertility. Your doctor can do a blood test to check your hormone levels if you think PCOS may be the reason for your menstrual problems. If PCOS is the cause, your doctor may recommend birth control to regulate your periods.

THYROID DISORDER

When the thyroid, the gland responsible for your body's metabolism, doesn't function properly, it can cause abnormal menstrual changes. An overactive thyroid (called Hyperthyroidism) can cause periods to be lighter and less frequent; additional symptoms include weight loss, rapid heartbeat, increased sweating and trouble sleeping. An underactive thyroid (called Hypothyroidism) may also cause periods to be less frequent but heavier; it may also cause weight gain, fatigue, dry skin and hair loss. A blood test can help your doctor determine if you have a thyroid disorder.

PERIMENOPAUSE

The average age of menopause is 51. Anywhere from two to eight years before menopause, a woman experiences what's known as Perimenopause , the period when the body gradually makes less estrogen and moves toward menopause. During this time, it's not uncommon to have changes in the menstrual cycle — periods may come more or less frequently, be shorter or longer, or be lighter or heavier. But you'll also likely experience hot flashes and night sweats, sleeping difficulties, vaginal dryness and mood swings. If you're concerned about your symptoms, your doctor can check your hormone levels with a blood test.

Though a missed period can be emotional, try not to jump to conclusions until you find out what's really going on. A visit to your doctor can help pinpoint the cause of your missed period, and if you're not pregnant, help get things back on track.

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7 Mommy & Baby Exercises

• • • • • • • 

              Multitasking Move

              
              

              Lying on your left side, prop your upper body up on your left forearm, making sure your elbow stays under your shoulder. Left leg should be on the floor, with your right leg stacked on top of it and right arm resting straight out over hip. Then, placing your weight on your left arm and shoulder, lift your hips off the ground so that you come into a side plank position. If you can, hold the position while you extend your right arm over your head, palm facing down. Aim for two sets of 10 repetitions on each side.

              
              

              • 

                Lower-Body Toner: Tush Tightener

                
                

                Lying on your stomach with your baby in front of you, bend your legs so that they form a 90-degree angle and rest your chin on your hands in front of you. Then, keeping your feet flexed, slowly lift your knees off the floor, squeezing your legs together as you push your feet up toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 20 seconds (you can sing to your little one to help the time pass) and return to start. Repeat three to five times.

                
                

                • 

                  Lower-Body Toner: Front-Carrier Squats

                  
                  

                  Stand with your baby in a front carrier (if he's heavy, sit him on the ground), feet just past your shoulders, toes turned out slightly. Inhale and lower your body down to sit in an imaginary chair, weight over heels, navel pulled in, tailbone pointed to floor. Exhale and return to start. Aim for three sets of 12.

                  
                  

                  • 

                    Lower-Body Toner: High-Chair Lunges

                    
                    

                    Put your baby in a high chair or stroller and face him, with your left foot back about three feet and your hands on your waist. Then bend both legs until your right thigh is parallel to the ceiling, making sure your right knee stays in line with your ankle. Blow a kiss (or give a treat like a piece of O-shaped cereal) to your baby, then slowly return to standing, pushing through your right heel. Aim for three sets of 12 on each side.

                    
                    

                    • 

                      Lower-Body Toner: Tick-Tocks

                      
                      

                      Hips expand during pregnancy, which is why you may have lost the baby weight but still can't button your jeans. This side leg-lift can help. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on your waist. Putting your weight on your left foot, lift your right leg out to the side, keeping it straight and parallel to the left leg. Slowly return to start. Try two sets of 10 on each side.

                      
                      

                      • 

                        Upper-Body Shaper: Power Push-Ups

                        
                        

                        Place your palms chest-high on a wall in front of you. Step back about two feet away from the wall. Slowly lean into the wall, bending your elbows and inhaling for a count of five. Slowly return to start, exhaling for a count of five. Aim for three sets of 10.

                        
                        

                        • 

                          Upper-Body Shaper: Triceps Tightener

                          
                          

                          Sitting on the floor with your knees bent, place your hands just behind your hips, fingers facing forward, arms straight and your behind lifted a few inches off the ground. As you inhale, keep your shoulders back and bend your elbows, lowering your upper body down to the floor (your bottom should just graze the floor) in a "reverse push-up." Exhale as you slowly return to start. Aim to do two sets of 10.

                          
                          

hCG Levels – Everything You Need To Know About

During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone called human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). hCG is produced by the cells that will form the placenta. hCG starts being produced once the embryo implants in the uterine wall. Pregnancy tests work by detecting hCG levels in the blood or urine sample provided.

hCG levels can usually be detected in the blood around 11 days after conception, though it takes 12-14 days for hcg levels to be detected in a urine sample. hCG levels increase rapidly at the start of the pregnancy, but will then decline slightly until around week 16 and remain steady.

If you get a positive pregnancy test result, you are most likely pregnant. False positives are very rare. A very early miscarriage could also cause a false positive if your hCG levels haven’t yet dropped, allowing the test to pick up this hormone in your body.

What Does hCG Do?

hCG is responsible for maintaining a thick uterine lining, without this hormone the lining would begin to shred putting the pregnancy at risk. hCG is the hormone responsible for preventing periods. hCG is produced by cells that form the placenta, and this means it is not usually present in the body unless you are pregnant.

In most, but not all, healthy pregnancies, hCG levels double every two or three days at the start of the pregnancy. As the pregnancy progresses, this rate may slow to every four days, but the levels are expected to continue to rise until sometime between weeks eight and 11.

It’s important to remember that all pregnancies are different. Some women may have low hCG levels throughout the pregnancy, whereas others may have very high levels, and yet both can go on to have healthy babies.

An hCG level of less than 5mlU/ml (milli-international units per millilitre) will give you a negative pregnancy test result. If your level of hCG is found to be 25mlU/ml or over, then you will get a positive pregnancy test result. Fertility drugs containing hCG can affect your hCG levels, so you should discuss this with your practitioner before having your levels checked.

Some pregnancy tests use hCG levels to date the pregnancy, but this can be wildly inaccurate due to the differing levels between women. A single hCG reading is not usually enough to give an accurate diagnoses of any potential conditions. Instead, practitioners will usually take two readings a couple of days apart to allow them to draw a comparison from the levels.

hCG Levels During Pregnancy

It’s not routine for hCG levels to be checked throughout pregnancy. This will only be done if you are showing symptoms of a possible problem.

Firstly, it’s important to remember that there is no such thing as ‘normal’. What is normal for you, may not be normal to the woman sat next to you in the midwife’s waiting room. And what’s normal for your first pregnancy, may not be normal for your second. The following levels are given as a rough guide, the important bit is the change in levels each week, not the individual result itself. The following chart shows an average level range for each week dated since the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP).

Women who are not pregnant: <5.0 mIU/ml

3 weeks LMP: 5 – 50 mIU/ml

4 weeks LMP: 5 – 426 mIU/ml

5 weeks LMP: 18 – 7,340 mIU/ml

6 weeks LMP: 1,080 – 56,500 mIU/ml

7-8 weeks LMP: 7, 650 – 229,000 mIU/ml

9-12 weeks LMP: 25,700 – 288,000 mIU/ml

13-16 weeks LMP: 13,300 – 254,000 mIU/ml

17-24 weeks LMP: 4,060 – 165,400 mIU/ml

25-40 weeks LMP: 3,640 – 117,000 mIU/ml

Women after menopause: 9.5 mIU/ml

What Does It Mean If You Have Low or High hCG Levels?

If your healthcare provider checks your hCG levels and finds that they are low, they will repeat the test a couple of days later so that the numbers can be compared. Low hCG levels could be indicative of:

• Incorrect pregnancy dating – you may not be as many weeks pregnant as previously assumed
• Possible miscarriage
• Ectopic pregnancy

High hCG levels will also need to be rechecked, but could be indicative of:

• Incorrect pregnancy dating – you may be further along than previously thought
• Multiple pregnancy – you could be carrying twins or more. If carrying twins, your hCG levels could be as much as 30-50% higher.
• Molar pregnancy – if a molar pregnancy occurs, there is a growing mass in the uterus but it will not develop into a baby. The mass is known as a hydatidiform mole and will produce high levels of hCG. The mole will need to be removed.
  

hCG Levels & Pregnancy Loss

After a pregnancy loss, hCG levels should drop down to less than 5mlU/ml within around six weeks. The time it takes to reduce will depend upon the level of the hormone at the end of the pregnancy, and how the loss occurred. If you experience a pregnancy loss, your healthcare provider will recheck your hCG levels a few weeks later to make sure they have reduced.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

The most common gynaecological complaint I see in my clinic is Polycystic Ovaries/Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Some women only have cysts (PCO), while others have no cysts but have the syndrome (PCOS). Some have both. For the sake of this article, I am going to call this complaint PCOS, so people don’t get confused. However, the one thing they all have in common is they all have insulin resistance. If you or someone in your family suffers from irregular cycles, gets hormonal acne and has extra hair, there is a good chance they have PCOS. They also need to get the problem looked at and treated early, before it affects their fertility. What Is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome? Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive disorder characterised by multiple cystic growths on the ovaries. PCOS develops when the ovaries are stimulated to produce excessive amounts of male hormones (androgens), particularly testosterone. This can occur due to the release of excessive luteinising hormone (LH) by the pituitary gland, or through high levels of insulin in the blood (hyperinsulinaemia) in women whose ovaries are sensitive to this stimulus. It can also be caused by oestrogen dominance too. PCOS is characterised by a complex set of symptoms, with research to date suggesting insulin resistance to be a leading cause. The majority of patients with PCOS (some investigators say all) have insulin resistance, and there is likely to be a family history of insulin resistance too – genetics does play a fairly strong role in PCOS. Insulin resistance is a common finding among both normal weight and overweight PCOS patients.     Many years ago, it was thought you had to be overweight to have PCOS, but now we know that many normal and underweight women have it too. Their elevated insulin levels contribute to or cause the abnormalities seen in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis that lead to PCOS. Specifically, hyperinsulinaemia causes a number of endocrinological changes associated with PCOS too. Anyone with polycystic ovaries has more than 50% increased chance of developing diabetes down the track. PCOS is the most common cause of oligomenorrhoea (light or infrequent periods) and amenorrhoea (an absence of periods), although 20-25% of normally menstruating women have PCOS. These women may have reduced fertility and an increased risk of miscarriage. Risk Factors For Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Major causative factors and risk factors that can contribute to the incidence of PCOS include: Insulin resistance Obesity Family history of PCOS Family history of diabetes Family history of insulin resistance Family history of cardiovascular disease Stress Nutritional deficiencies High glycaemic load diet Sedentary lifestyle Symptoms & Signs of PCOS Common signs and symptoms of PCOS include: Irregular menstrual cycles i.e., oligomenorrhoea or amenorrhoea Infertility, generally resulting from chronic anovulation (lack of ovulation) Elevated serum (blood) levels of androgens (male hormones), specifically testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) Central obesity (apple-shaped), centred around the lower half of the torso Androgenic alopecia (male-pattern baldness) Acne, oily skin, seborrhoea Hirsutism (excess hair growth) Acanthosis nigricans Prolonged periods of PMS-like symptoms Sleep apnoea Multiple cysts on the ovaries Enlarged ovaries, generally 2-3 times larger than normal, resulting from multiple cysts Chronic pelvic pain BGL dysregulation — e.g., hypoglycaemic episodes, diabetes, etc Hypothyroidism The Importance of Diet and Lifestyle Dietary and lifestyle changes are an absolute must in the management of PCOS. The World Health Organisation recommends that dietary and lifestyle changes are the number one treatment for PCOS, along with other therapies. By consuming a reduced amount of low glycaemic index carbohydrates, keeping protein levels up to maintain muscle mass and eating ‘good’ fats (e.g. avocado, egg, coconut oil, uncooked olive oil, chia seeds, fish), insulin levels are reduced and fat stores can be accessed as fuel for energy production (thermogenesis). The Wellness/Zone/Paleo style diets that I promote in my clinic help women with PCOS to maintain steady blood sugar and insulin levels, and will assist in weight loss – and maintain body mass for those underweight. A diet composed of mainly low-GI foods combined with regular exercise will help to combat the effects of insulin resistance. This is why the Paleo style diets are the best diets to follow. Ideally, people with PCOS should get rid of grains altogether. Women with PCO and PCOS do not process sugars and refined carbs properly, which leads to making the PCOS and PCO worse. Refined carbohydrates including sugar, sweets, fruit juices, white breads and pasta should be avoided. These foods have a high glycaemic index and are damaging in any amount for PCOS sufferers. A diet high in vegetables (non-starchy), small amounts of low-GI fruits, essential fatty acids and lean protein sources provides essential phytonutrients, antioxidants, magnesium and helps to control inflammation and hormonal dysregulation. Regular resistance training, or high interval exercise, is a must too (starting slowly and increasing as your fitness level improves). Smoking and PCOS Smoking cessation needs to be the highest priority for patients who smoke. Allan Carr’s Easy Way To Quit Smoking is a fantastic book based on a program with a very high success rate. According to two studies (as published by the Journal of Addictive Behaviours), Allan Carr’s Easyway has an astonishing 53.3% success rate and has helped over 14 million people stop smoking. You’ll find the best-selling, US version here or the version written especially for women here. If you’re in Australia, you might like to source the book from Book Depository (free shipping). Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can also support smoking cessation – it’s entirely possible to quit smoking, easier and sooner than you think. Other Treatments For PCOS Acupuncture, Chinese medicine and nutritional supplements are another big part of treating PCOS – complementary medicine can help dramatically. In my clinic at Shen Therapies, we have our own specially designed formulas to treat PCOS. What About Metformin and Other Medications? Insulin-regulating medications (Metformin), hormone treatments (the pill, HRT) are used to regulate the menstrual cycle, control insulin resistance and to prevent further cysts developing. You can even get a procedure called “ovarian drilling”, which lasers the cysts and helps with the healing of the ovaries in severe cases. Just remember: going on the pill does not fix this problem, it just masks it. This is why anyone with irregular cycles should see a women’s health specialist like myself, or a gynaecologist. Not just your GP, as they do not have specialised training such conditions. Whatever you do, don’t leave your fertility in the hands of someone who wont help you to fix the root cause of the problem. - See more at: http://www.bellybelly.com.au/conception/poly-cystic-ovarian-syndrome-pcos/

Colic – What Is Colic? 5 Common Questions Answered

Having a new baby can be a very challenging time.

Having a colicky baby can be even more challenging!

Many new parents have questions and concerns about their baby’s behaviour.

Is he or she behaving ‘normally?’, or could there be a medical issue that needs addressing?

One issue that some new parents worry about when their baby is having long crying spells is whether their baby has colic.

If so, what might that mean? And how can parents help their baby to be healthy and happy?

Here are 5 answers to common questions about colic, starting with the question on many new parents lips – does my baby have colic?

#1: Does My Baby Have Colic?

Do you have a baby who is under the age of about 3 months and has episodes where he:

• Cries a lot, sometimes inconsolably
• Doesn’t settle easily to sleep (if at all)
• Cluster feeds (i.e. has many feeds close together – such as 3 or 4 within a couple of hour)
• Appears very ‘windy’ or ‘gassy’
• Goes red in the face
• Makes facial grimaces
• Brings his knees up to his chest
• Arches his back

If so, it’s likely your baby has colic. Colic tends to begin around the late afternoon/early evening and can last for a few hours or more. Amongst parents with young babies, this time of the day is often referred to as the ‘arsenic’ or ‘witching’ hours.

However, please don’t worry! Your baby is likely perfectly healthy. Read on to find out more.

#2: Is Colic Normal?

To a degree, colic is normal, as well as transient (as in, it comes as goes). Colic tends to appear in many otherwise normal, healthy, young babies. Colic is often the ‘diagnosis’ for a baby who is otherwise growing and developing normally but has periods where he is unsettled (colic episodes) and shows the signs listed above.

#3: How Long Does Colic Last?

Colic tends to start at around 3 weeks, just as babies are becoming more wakeful and active. It’s common for up to one or two colic episodes to occur every 24 hours in a young baby.

Colic tends to peak around 6 weeks, before starting to reduce from around 2 months. For most babies, colic ceases around 3 months.

#4: What Is Colic and What Causes It?

No one knows exactly why many young babies have colic, but there are a few theories:

1. An Immature Digestive System

During colic episodes, many parents indicate that their baby seems very ‘gassy’ or ‘windy’ and seems to have ‘tummy pain’. This would lend to the presumption that perhaps a young baby’s immature digestive system may be implicated.

2. Brain Overstimulation

Since colic episodes tend to start late in the day, another theory is that they may have to do with a baby’s brain being overstimulated, after having taken in a lot of stimuli during the day.

3. Tanking Up

Since a baby tends to cluster feed during colic episodes, it may be that he is tanking up on higher fat/calorie rich milk in preparation for a longer stretch of sleep that often follows colic episodes.

#5: How Can I Help My Baby During Colic Episodes?

During a colic episode, a baby seeks comfort to help regulate himself. So when your baby wants to cluster feed during this time, it’s not just about the actual feeding, it’s also about the close contact between you and him.

To help settle your baby during a colic episode, you may find it helpful to:

• Carry him around in a sling or baby carrier
• Stay close (e.g. skin-to-skin) to him
• Take him for a walk in the pram

There are other reasons why your baby might be unsettled. If you are concerned about your baby for any reason, see your doctor.