Anemia During Pregnancy

Because of my HB drop to 10.8 this month.. this info is a quick reminder to me.. Come on inCHa.. eat healty food for your baby.. 

Anemia During Pregnancy

Anemia occurs when the number or size of a person’s red blood cells are too low. Red blood cells are important because they carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. Without enough oxygen, your body cannot work as well as it should, and you feel tired and run down. 

Anemia is common in pregnancy because a woman needs to have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around her body and to her baby. So it's important for women to prevent anemia before, during and after pregnancy. Women will probably be tested for anemia at least twice during pregnancy: during the first prenatal visit and then again between 24 and 28 weeks.

Causes of Anemia

Iron Deficiency

Usually, a woman becomes anemic (has anemia) because her body isn’t getting enough iron. Iron is a mineral that helps to create red blood cells. About half of all pregnant women don’t have enough iron in their body (iron deficiency). In pregnancy, iron deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.  

Illness or Disease

Some women may have an illness that causes anemia. Diseases such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia affect the quality and number of red blood cells the body produces. If you have a disease that causes anemia, talk with your health provider about how to treat anemia.

Signs of Anemia

Anemia takes some time to develop. In the beginning, you may not have any signs or they may be mild. But as it gets worse, you may have these symptoms:

• Fatigue (very common)

• Weakness (very common) 
  

• Dizziness 

• Headache 

• Numbness or coldness in your hands and feet 

• Low body temperature 
  

• Pale skin 

• Rapid or irregular heartbeat 

• Shortness of breath 

• Chest pain 

• Irritability 

*Because your heart has to work harder to pump more oxygen-rich blood through the body, all of these signs and symptoms can occur.

Prevention of anemia

Good food sources of iron include the following:

• Meats - beef, lamb, liver, and other organ meats
  

• Poultry - chicken, duck, turkey, liver (especially dark meat)

• Fish - shellfish, including clams, mussels, oysters, sardines, and anchovies

• Leafy greens of the cabbage family, such as broccoli, kale, turnip greens, and collards

• Legumes, such as lima beans and green peas; dry beans and peas, such as pinto beans, black-eyed peas, and canned baked beans

• Yeast-leavened whole-wheat bread and rolls

• Iron-enriched white bread, pasta, rice, and cereals 
  

My source from : March of Dimes

Placenta Previa

Hi all…
This is what I’m facing right now.. I keep on praying to Allah everything going to be ok.. 
Kindly do pray the same for both of my baby and I.

Hope all of you gain more info by reading this. 

My source from here.

What is placenta previa?

If you have placenta previa, it means that your placenta is lying unusually low in your uterus, next to or covering your cervix. The placenta is the pancake-shaped organ — normally located near the top of the uterus — that supplies your baby with nutrients through the umbilical cord.

Placenta previa is not usually a problem early in pregnancy. But if it persists into later pregnancy, it can cause bleeding, which may require you to deliver early and can lead to other complications. If you have placenta previa when it's time to deliver your baby, you'll need to have a c-section.

If the placenta covers the cervix completely, it's called a complete or total previa. If it's right on the border of the cervix, it's called a marginal previa. (You may also hear the term "partial previa," which refers to a placenta that covers part of the cervical opening once the cervix starts to dilate.) If the edge of the placenta is within 2 centimeters of the cervix but not bordering it, it's called a low-lying placenta. The location of your placenta will be checked during your midpregnancy ultrasound exam.


What happens if I'm diagnosed with placenta previa?

It depends on how far along you are in pregnancy. Don't panic if your second trimester ultrasound shows that you have placenta previa. As your pregnancy progresses, your placenta is likely to "migrate" farther from your cervix and no longer be a problem. (Since the placenta is implanted in the uterus, it doesn't actually move, but it can end up farther from your cervix as your uterus expands. Also, as the placenta itself grows, it's likely to grow toward the richer blood supply in the upper part of the uterus.)

Only about 10 percent of women who have placenta previa noted on ultrasound at midpregnancy still have it when they deliver their baby. A placenta that completely covers the cervix is more likely to stay that way than one that's bordering it (marginal) or nearby (low-lying).

Even if previa is discovered later in pregnancy, the placenta may still move away from the cervix (although the later it's found, the less likely this is to happen). You'll have a follow-up ultrasound early in your third trimester to check on the location of your placenta. If you have any vaginal bleeding in the meantime, an ultrasound will be done then to find out what's going on.

Leg Cramps During Pregnancy..

Why do I get leg cramps?

Leg cramps are a common discomfort during pregnancy. It's unclear exactly what causes these bothersome muscle spasms, though a number of different factors may play a role. It could be a simple case of overwork: The added weight of pregnancy means your leg muscles have more to support.

Your growing baby and expanding abdomen also put extra pressure on your circulatory system, including the blood vessels that go to your legs. This can mean your leg muscles aren't getting enough blood -- a common cause of cramping. It's also possible for the baby's head to press on nerves that trigger leg cramps. Although the cause of leg cramps during pregnancy remains unclear, experts no longer believe calcium deficiency is the culprit. 

Leg cramps tend to get worse as your pregnancy progresses, especially at night. A charley horse in your calf can even wake you from a deep sleep. The good news is that a few simple steps can help you treat -- and prevent -- leg cramps.

What can I do to ease leg cramps?

During a leg cramp flex your toes towards your head and gently massage the affected muscle. An ice pack may also help relax a tense muscle. If pain or tenderness persists, a heating pad or a warm bath may bring relief. As the tension eases, try to straighten your leg as you flex your toes upwards. When you're able, stand up and walk around.

How can I prevent muscle spasms?

To stop leg cramps -- usually in your calf muscles -- from stealing your sleep at night, do a few gentle leg stretches before you turn in. Try this simple calf stretch:

1. Stand about arm's length from a wall; place your hands on the wall for support.

2. Keep your left knee slightly bent and move your right foot back a foot or two, keeping it flat on the floor.

3. Feel the stretch in your right calf as you lean forward. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, then switch legs to stretch your other calf.

Regular exercise -- including walking and swimming -- may also help keep cramps at bay. Remember to stretch your legs before and after any aerobic activity. Resist the urge to point your toes when you stretch or lie in bed -- doing so can trigger a cramp. Instead, flex your feet and lift your toes towards your knees. And avoid lying on your back, as this may decrease the circulation in your legs.

Drink plenty of water during the day; staying well-hydrated help muscles contract and relax properly. Resting with your legs elevated (up on a wall or propped on pillows), wearing support stockings, and keeping your legs warm (try a bath right before bedtime) may all help ward off muscle spasms.

Sometimes cramps can occur at night because a heavy comforter or blankets weigh down on a woman's upturned feet. To prevent this, lighten up on the blankets or lie on your side. It's something most pregnant women end up doing, anyway. 

An adequate supply of calcium is necessary to support your bones and muscles, along with those of your developing baby. It's smart to take a calcium supplement and include plenty of calcium-rich food in your diet. You need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. Dairy products are a good source -- three to four glasses of nonfat or low-fat milk do the trick. Nondairy sources of calcium include tofu, salmon, dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, or bok choy, and blackstrap molasses. Again, calcium in pregnancy is a good idea to supply calcium for the baby's growing bones.

There is some evidence that another mineral -- magnesium -- may help reduce leg muscle spasms. However, check with your doctor before taking any supplement during your pregnancy.

**Hope this info is usefull for everyone. My source from this link.

Nyum2.. Part 2..

And.. as I wish.. dapat gak mkn benda manis, menggoda & sedap smlm.. tp bongkos je la.. sbb smp2 tmpt kejadian lain pulak yg aku nampak dlm menu..
Ha.. apa aku mkn.. ni lahh..

For me :

Frosty Lemon tea

Grilled Black Pepper Chicken

For Cik Bby :

Choclate Ice Blended

Chicken Lasagne

And take away a slice of Caramel Cream Cheese.. Sbb dah tersgtlah full.. Kalo ikutkn tekak aku ni.. Mau 2,3 slice gak la aku rembatzz lg.. Muahahaha..

(Tang gambo tu sori lah, aku mmg xpandai snap.. Xdok seni.. Huhuhu..)

Sgt riang aku mkn skrg.. Bdn pn sgt riang mengembang.. Huhu.. Haruslah aku p jln2 ukur kebesaran mall smbl rembat beberapa helai bj baru.. Tp ujung bln nilah.. Panjang skit cuti.. Byk skit money.. Leh bli brg Cik Bby Jr. sama.. Kehkehkeh.. Semoga niat murni aku ni dimudahkan lg dgn kesihatan yg ok.. Maklum la kaki dah xlarat nk bwk bdn.. 

Takat ni jelah.. Aku wrap entri kali ni ngan senyuman lebor.. 

Nyum2..

Thinking of eating sumting that sweet, tempting & delicious after balik kija today.. 

I’ll ask cik bby to accompany merangkap blanja me.. hehe..
Shall update tomorrow for the result.. huhu..
Wait ar..

naK teNgoK waYanG..

dh masuk 5 bulan mengandung..

dan dh masuk 5 bulan la jugak aku x p tgk wayang ngan cik bie.. 

asik bli DVD har** jer.. 

jum cik bie jum.. nk tgk cita ni.. ada lg kat panggung tu.. 

PeNat otaK..

Bersawang balik blog aku ni.. Maaf la pd sesapa yg follow.. Xcukup tangan.. Banyak yg harus aku hadap setiap hari.. Tidak berkurang.. Kian bertambah..

Huh.. Bebanan aku ni xtertanggung lg.. Pd sapa harus aku punggah bebanan ni.. Kian menggunung setiap hari.. OTAK KIAN PENAT.. Fully utilized.. Mungkin ini yg namanya KERJA.. Tu lah nk jd orang yg BERKERJAYA sangat.. Hadap la padahnya..

Maaf skali lg.. Kalian terpaksa membaca keluh aku lately.. Janji yg biasa dari aku.. Aku akan update blog ni.. Dengan info, dengan cerita yg menarik dan pasti xboring cem entri ni.. JUJUR banyak yg ingin aku kongsi.. Tapi tertangguh dulu la nampaknya.. Aku hutang dulu yer..

Hehe.. Masih mampu tersenyum ni.. Jangan risau.. Aku cuba tuk OK..

Salam..