Planning to have a kid? Have you considered prenatal care yet? If you want to begin a new chapter of your life as a parent, just wait for a moment and think! Are you completely ready to have a baby, both mentally, and physically? Prenatal care will help you reach there. It should be started at least months before pregnancy. It’s a procedure to make your mind and body perfectly fit for the next nine months. It’s something that would ensure a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child.

Prenatal care before pregnancy may put a woman two steps ahead than those who don’t consider it. Aspiring parents can plan their reproductive life. Future mothers can start taking folic acid (one of the B vitamins) regularly. They can check on their regular immunizations. If they have any medical conditions, they can start taking prescribed medicines. By going with a proper diet, they can attain a healthy weight to have a baby.

Here Are 5 Benefits of Prenatal Care Before Pregnancy

Are You There Yet, Mentally

It’s seen that women, suffering from depression, are twice as likely to face issues with their pregnancy. In this case, doctors suggest to do a mental health check-up before you get pregnant, just to ensure that you are mentally prepared to take responsibilities of yourself as well as the baby’s. Women, who display hopelessness, lost appetite, disinterest in things that they earlier enjoyed, or disturbed sleep patterns, are often recommended to see a psychiatrist first.

Consider Your Health

You sure are mentally ready to have a baby. But is your body ready yet? Becoming a mom requires you to create a healthy environment for you baby. So, just visit a doctor for a preconception checkup to review your health and your family medical history. Your doctor would talk to you about your diet, regular fitness regime, weight, medications and unhealthy habits, so that he/she can show you the right way to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Your Baby’s Health Depends On You

It may sound obvious but the fact remains the way you will treat yourself before and during pregnancy, will show the results on your baby. Regular prenatal visits are helpful to trace out health concerns during the process. Many health problems like anaemia, diabetes can be treated, if it’s detected early.

Your Baby Eats What You Eat

Yes, that’s right! Mother’s diet plays a crucial role in pregnancy. You may need to go through some alterations in your diet to fit the requirements of your baby. A doctor can help you get a proper diet chart to have a healthy baby. So, before you enter the precious nine months, check your diet with a doctor first.

Considering External Factors

These are mostly beyond our control. However, we can try to keep them away as much as possible. For example, some jobs require us to get exposed to chemicals that might be harmful to future mothers. In these cases, you may need to make the necessary adjustments. Also keep an eye on the products you use daily to do your chores. Consult your doctor to find out a way to avoid such products, if you find them harmful.

The benefits of prenatal care before getting pregnant are enormous. And it’s safer to start prenatal care much before pregnancy for you and your child. So, if you are ready to be a proud parent, make sure to book an appointment with a medical practitioner today!

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I still remember those sleepless nights when my six month old was teething. This was my first experience as a mum and when my little girl was cranky and irritated, especially at night, I was completely at a loss of how to soothe her. Thankfully, my trusted paediatrician and the all-time source of information ‘the internet’ came to my rescue. I found out that baby teething is a common affair when a child is between 4 to 6 months old. Just being aware of some of the common indicators of baby teething will help you to act and respond faster to your baby’s needs.

Signs and symptoms

Every kid experiences different symptoms, say many reputed paediatricians.

Drooling

Trust me it’s hard to believe so much fluid can come out from a baby’s mouth unless you see it for yourself. Actually, teething stimulates drooling and it starts when the baby is between 10 weeks to two – three months old, though my daughter started when she was much older. I used to find her clothes always soggy which the paediatrician later on confirmed was due to teething.

Teething rash

Due to the continuous drooling and dripping, my baby started suffering from redness and rashes around her mouth, which according to the paediatrician was another symptom of teething. However, this was cured by applying baby nursing cream and lotion at regular intervals.

Coughing and/or gag

Drooling and dripping all the time can make your baby gag and cough too. Do not worry if your baby does not have any other signs of cold and flu.

Biting

This was the biggest problem when my little baby girl was teething. Pressure from the teeth poking through under the gums caused a lot of discomfort and to get instant relief, she was more inclined towards biting and chewing on just about anything that was in front of her.

Irritability

Don’t know about others, but my daughter used to be extremely fussy throughout the day due to aching. The doctor explained to me that because of the pressure of the little tooth on the gum most children (if not all) are likely to be fussy and irritable, either for a few hours or throughout the day.

Pulling ears and rubbing the chin and cheeks

This was the weirdest symptom of all. My baby girl used to pull her ears a lot or used to rub her chin and cheeks. I was a little surprised by this behaviour, but the paediatrician relieved me by telling me that this behaviour indicates that your baby will soon have little pearly white teeth. According to her, babies usually do this to create counter pressure that eases some of the pain.

But as I said earlier, it is not mandatory for all babies to show the same teething signs. While some will have the symptoms as stated above, others will show other signs or no sign at all.

Other Signs

Swollen gums

Swollen red gums are also a sign of teething, as was indicated by my paediatrician. For quick relief, gently rub your clean finger over the gums.

Refusing food

Often because of pain and irritation while teething, babies refuse to eat much. If it lasts long, then call your paediatrician and ask for a solution.

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