Proper nutrition is always important, but eating right is absolutely vital for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or even just trying to get pregnant.

Eating right prior to a planned pregnancy is essential, since most women will not know their pregnancy status until many weeks after conception.  Proper levels of certain vitamins like folic acid can prevent many common birth defects, so the best pregnancy diet is one that starts even before conception.

Eating right during pregnancy means eating more, but it is important to make each of those extra calories count. Women who are currently pregnant should plan on consuming approximately 300 extra calories per day, but it is important that those extra calories come with extra nutrition and not just empty calories.

It is also important for pregnant women to take the prenatal vitamins prescribed by their doctors – these vitamins will provide important extra nutrients for the growing baby.

Pregnant women should be sure to eat a wide variety of foods in order to ensure proper nutrition.  Both mother and child will need to consume a variety of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in order to ensure proper nutrition.  And since that growing fetus is dependent on mom for nutrition, it is essential for her to eat plenty of nutritionally dense foods.

A good rule of thumb for pregnant women is to consume from 7 to 11 servings of grains and breads, four to five servings of fruits, another four to five servings of vegetables, three or four servings of dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt and three servings of protein, including meats, fish, eggs and poultry.  Fats and sweets should both be consumed sparingly, since they can add many additional calories with little nutritional value.

When selecting foods it is a good idea to choose foods that are high in fiber.  Not only will this help to improve overall health but it will also help women deal with the constipation that often accompanies pregnancy.

The healthy diet established at the start of a pregnancy should of course continue throughout the entire nine months.  It is important for mom to eat right for the entire pregnancy, as this will help the baby grow and develop properly.  Many common birth defects can be caused by nutritional deficiencies, and that is why proper nutrition is so important for all stages of pregnancy.  By eating a healthy diet and taking the prescribed prenatal vitamins mothers to be can get their babies off to a great start and avoid many problems down the road.

Few mothering habits, it seems, are guaranteed to provoke quite such a reaction as breastfeeding beyond babyhood.

When I told anyone who happened to be interested that I was interviewing Ann Sinnott, a mother who had breastfed her daughter for over six years and has now written a book on the subject, reactions ranged from discreet grimaces to outright revulsion.

If I’d said I was about to meet someone who believed swearing at children was to be encouraged along with smacking them daily, the disapproval could not have been greater. Read the rest of this entry »

Can’t find your keys … again? Whether your momentary memory loss is linked to doing too many things at once or just a bad case of menopausal brain fog, you don’t have to put up with it.

In fact, experts say you can instantly boost your chances of remembering where you put your keys—and everything else you keep forgetting—if you start treating your brain right (no matter your age). Our simple lifestyle changes will help you stay sharp as the years go by. Read the rest of this entry »

A pedicure is the ultimate pampering experience: Whether you go to a day spa or DIY, your feet will be better for it.

Our everyday shoes can cause havoc with callouses, corns and blisters becoming second nature to keeping up with the addiction that many of us have to shoes!

You don’t need to rush off to a salon before donning those open-toed shoes. Get your feet in tip-top shape at home. Read the rest of this entry »

Things when done with a routine always tends to give proper and predictable results. One drop of water each day can fill the pitcher soon.

Similarly, skin care routine can give you the skin texture, look and feel you desire. Very often after the day’s work you feel quite tired.

Especially in summer when you go out, you sweat a lot, which causes a deficiency of essential salts in your body. This results in a feeling of tiredness and weariness in you. Follow these steps according to your skin type and you will feel quite fresh. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the biggest obstacles in a woman’s life is losing the dreaded baby weight. Deciding which exercises to do can be difficult, not to mention finding the time away from motherly duties to actually exercise!

Studies show that exercising soon after the birth of your baby will improve your overall health, and lower your risk of developing postpartum depression. However, before starting a new exercise program make sure you seek the professional advice of your doctor. Every delivery is different and may put limitations on what you can and can’t do in the way of exercise. Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone worries about sex. Are you doing it right? What if your body’s not supermodel-standard? Why doesn’t sex feel as good as it should? We go under the covers to try and solve the top ten sex worries for women.

1. What if he doesn’t like my body?

With often unattainable superbods gracing mags and media, body image has a lot to answer for and can affect your ability to enjoy sex. Read the rest of this entry »