Baby Care and Parenting Tips

Expectant mothers are being bombarded with new prenatal fish oil supplements. Are they effective? Are they safe? Should you take DHA during pregnancy at all? The answers are maybe, maybe and yes – if you know what you are doing.

First, there seems to be some confusion about the relationship between DHA and omega 3 fish oil. DHA is an omega 3. What this means is that if you are trying to take DHA during pregnancy, you do not need a “prenatal” formula. A quality omega 3 fish oil supplement will not only suffice but in most cases be preferable.

There are really two omega 3s that mother and child need. The second one is EPA. In, other words if you plan on taking DHA during pregnancy you need EPA also, but not as much.

Why should I take omega 3s in the first place?

The two found in fish oil are part of every cell in our body. DHA is particularly prevalent in the brain and eyes, EPA in cell membranes. The research on this has not gone unnoticed, even in Washington.

Omega 3s have been shown to benefit four of the top five ailments or conditions for which troops receive hospital treatment. Those includes pregnancy and depression. The U.S. Department of defense is looking into adding these essential fats to soldiers diets.

It is not just combat performance that could be improved by omega-3s. Some military dietitians believe they could help to cut medical bills running into millions of dollars. The DOD is looking at doing this for their pregnant female soldiers because the research is pretty overwhelming.

What scientists have found is this.

Ninety-nine% of people in the West are estimated to have an omega 3 deficiency. Unless an expectant mother takes EPA and DHA during pregnancy that figure is going to include her and her child. What this means is that after the child is born she or he will be more likely to have:

1] Increased risk of depression, ADD, mood swings and emotional volatility.

2] Lower IQ scores – 8-10 points or more.

3] Visual problems.

4] Coordination development issues.

Mom is also more likely to have early labor and postpartum depression of her own.

The growing fetus is almost literally an omega 3 sponge. Since our bodies can not make these essential fats, the fetus is going to grab them from mom. If mom is not taking EPA and DHA during pregnancy then they both will likely have shortages.

What about supplements?

The only way to get these fats is by supplement or eating a lot of fish. The FDA is okay with purified supplements but not with too much fish. Heavy metals from the ocean are bad for everyone but downright deadly to young children.

As I mentioned earlier there are no special omega 3s for prenatal, postnatal or senior citizens. In fact, many of the prenatal supplements I have seen are inefficient at the least and contaminated at the worst. Do your research. Stick with quality. For more information in this area, please visit my website.

Remember, your unborn child is getting nutrients from you. Talk to your doctor about taking EPA and DHA during pregnancy. You need enough for at least two of you.

For a woman making a baby, trying to get pregnant quickly is of utmost importance and should happen as soon as possible, although patience is usually required. So if you are a man and woman making a baby and you want to increase your chances of conceiving sooner rather than later, here are some tips that will help you maximize your odds of ending up having a healthy and bouncing baby:

1. If you are a woman making a baby, “now” is the perfect time to start taking folic acid. When a woman possesses a neural tube defect, the chances of getting pregnant and giving birth is reduced by 50 to 70 percent. If you want to get pregnant it is recommended that you start taking at least 0.4 mg of folic acid every day for 2 to 3 months prior to starting with trying to get pregnant.

2. Make sexual intercourse a fun experience for both you and your partner when trying to get pregnant quickly. Use rooms other than the bedroom or schedule your baby making escapades for an unusual time of the day. The reason behind this is that you will tend to lose the drive to try to get pregnant quickly and will not remain motivated for very long if having sexual intercourse becomes like a chore.

3. Right after your baby making escapade, it is best not to run to the bathroom. It is recommended that you remain lying down for at least a few minutes after sexual intercourse. According to some experts, lying down for 5 minutes after a sexual intercourse will increase the chances that the sperm will be able to keep their date with the egg cell that awaits.

4. Time your sexual intercourse with your partner during your most fertile period. This period is usually five days leading up to ovulation. To further ensure that there is always a fresh supply of sperm cell waiting in the fallopian tube of a woman making a baby at any given time, it is advised that you have sexual intercourse at least once every 48 hours if you have the stamina for it. Of course, you would want to make sure that you are receiving good quality sperms that would be able to fertilize the egg cell. So if you are aware of any pre-existing fertility problem, you may want to discuss this issue with an expert specializing in fertility issues.

5. If you are a coffee drinker and at the same time a woman making a baby, then it is about time to give up that cup of coffee or switch to decaf. Coffee contains a substance called caffeine which is said to inhibit the growth of a developing baby by tightening the blood vessels and lessening the flow of blood to the uterus. Furthermore, there are also a number of studies which reveal that consuming excessive amounts of caffeine may cause fertility problems.

For more information and ideas, please visit us on the web at woman making a baby.

Catherine Ho is blessed with three wonderful children and it pains her to see so many of her friends and relatives suffer infertility and not being able to have children and thus may feel unfulfilled or their family seems to be incomplete. Thus she began searching for the world’s best how to get pregnant solutions. If you need help to get pregnant take a look at her website now to get information and ideas to help you receive the wonderful gift of motherhood which she wants to share with you at http://www.besthowtogetpregnant.com