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The journey begins with the day you conceive and touch the end (to the new start) when you deliver. But it just doesn’t starts and ends; the best thing is to pass through the journey as it is full of excitement, surprises, pain and pleasure. It will bring lots of changes to your life, body and mind. And when you successfully handle all these changes you will be ready to get new surprise (baby) with totally new challenges.

Today we will talk about changes in life during pregnancy and due to pregnancy. Pregnancy is 9 months journey and we divide it in 3 set of 3 months period. First three months are known as first trimester, second three months are second trimester and the last three months called third trimester.

First Trimester:  First three months of the pregnancy is known as first trimester. Its starts with the day you conceive. The best thing about this trimester is you won’t even come to know about your pregnancy for first one and half months. Even though now you need to deal with just one and half months from the first trimester it’s a biggest challenge as something new for your body at its initial phase so your body will react. Lots of hormonal changes will be there and so lots of mental and physical changes will be there for you at every rise of the day.

I would like to say whatever changes you feel in your body, whatever changes you feel mentally, both are perfectly normal. Morning sickness, lower abdominal pain, back pain, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, sore breast, craving for certain food, mood swing, dry or darken skin, hair growth or mole on body, sleepless nights, midnight hunger etc are very common here. This trimester can be little more painful than rest two.

For more read Signs that says you are pregnant

This is really very crucial time as chances of miscarriage are at its highest during first three months so you need to take extra care of you and limit yourself from your favorites like high heels, biking or some sort of sports and exercises.

You may lose your weight due to morning sickness but do not worry you will cover it in next two trimester.

Second trimester:  Next three months are known as second trimester. This is known as honeymoon trimester too as now your body has accepted all the changes and behaves normally. No morning sickness, you can eat properly, you can work properly and the best is you can travel for certain distance too. Not much mood swings so once again your body is in your control. The only thing you need to take care is your diet and nutrition as you may need to gain a lot.

Third trimester: Good news is journey is about to end but bad thing is you may get some of your first trimester problems and pain again like morning sickness, abdominal pain but yes this won’t be every day like in first trimester. It will come and go like visitors.

Stretch marks, swollen hands and legs, varicose veins, back pain or full body pain, sleepless nights are very common for this trimester. You may have gestational diabetes. You may feel contraction sometimes. And how can we forget the best part; you will feel your baby (when you touch your tummy) like her legs or her head and most exciting is her timely kicks.

Yes you may feel little bit heavy because now you need to carry yours as well as your baby’s weight. Your breast can be little bit uncomfortable for you as they are ready for the new phase. Long travelling is painful for you.

You may feel so much energetic sometimes and some days will be very tiresome. But try to manage it. Even if you are so much energetic don’t try to complete lots of work, stick to routine only as you need to save this energy for your delivery day. You may be very excited about birth and baby and sometimes tense too. Don’t worry much and prepare yourself for the delivery by relaxation techniques, you will need it at the time of contraction. Think as much pain as you can as delivery pain will be highest. Don’t be scared as it will be just for a day, will come and go by giving you a reward of your patience and stamina.

You will go through very emotional phase once again so don’t get upset with your mood swing and be ready for post pregnancy melt down.

Happy journey would be mummy

Well the word is “Early Readers” and meaning is readers (kids) who start reading in early age. Early means really early you can say even before their first birthday!!!! I remember when my little one has started reading books; she was just 8 months old. You might think “why do we need to introduce books so soon, any how they will learn a lot from school by the age of 4 or max 5” ………then here are the answer of WHY And HOW.

• Sooth their mind: Books work like medication. Kids will be calm and relax if you will read regularly. Books are good option to divert your kids when they are cranky, what you need to do is just get couple of books, cuddle your kid and start telling story very softly. This will ease their mind and body.
• Brain development: If you know in first six years kids can learn much faster than any other time of their lives. Books develop imagination power in kids they can pretend they can think they can understand and they can implement whatever they feel. It makes them curious and improves their attention span and thus increases their concentration.
• Academic success: Early readers are quick learner. They can study effectively and can extract relevant information by themselves and can relate things very easily. And so it will definitely improve their grades in near future.
• Good story teller: Reading is best way to expand vocabulary as well as it develops oral language skills. Kids can express themselves easily so they need not to mug up anything and as a result you will get a good story teller.
• Boost patience: To complete the book kids need to turn pages turn by turn and so you believe it or not but just in a month your kid will become more patient without any effort. You might think my kid is so naughty and will skip the pages and so on but trust me they won’t as kids can’t skip the things!!!
• Easy way to teach manners: Kids always listen to two things 1.Their teacher and 2.Books. Whatever they read, they will try to copy and so books are so perfect to teach them manners as well as to make them ready for something new like school or dental checkups. If you think your kid is not ready to share, read books on sharing, if you think your kid is not ready to go to school read books on school and many more. The best thing is there are lots of books available on all the types of kid’s behavior and manners so please utilize it as much as you can.
• Perfect toy for your kids when they are sick: Books are good time pass and best companion. When kids can’t get up and play or when they don’t have energy to do anything they can read books and keep themselves busy.

When we talk about pregnancy, everyone will say it is more about mother than father. But if you are a would be father who too willing to feel the same like would be mother and want to be a part of parenting from the early days of  baby (before birth) then here are 6 C’s for you to step into fatherhood.

1. Co- operate : During pregnancy your partner has to cope up with many challenges due to her body and baby like craving for food, can’t sleep at night, can’t eat this and have to eat this and many more…..Help her to settle down in this new life by adopting the same life style.  For example If she is restricted to certain food, you too don’t eat that. Cook nutritious food for her and You too eat the same food so even if she doesn’t like it she can have it for your love and support. Call her to ask whether she had her meal and medicines on time or not.  Little exercise is always good so plan an evening walk with her in your routine. Sleepless nights for your partner is so common so let her sleep in the morning as well as whenever she feels like. Weakness and Tiredness is one of the biggest change for her so don’t blame her if you miss couple of parties or functions due to her. Make sure she is getting enough fluid. Reduce your alcohol intake and try to leave smoking as it is not good for your partner’s as well as your baby’s health.
2. Contribute : Your partner can’t be so much energetic and refreshing all the times so help her in each and every thing. Accept the change and reduce her responsibilities. Divide house hold tasks and help her before she asks for help.
3. Calm down : Bear with your partner’s mood swing as it is not easy for her too. She is as much upset as you are with her unpredictable emotional flows but just can’t control it. So control your temper andhelp her to calm down by some relaxation techniques and your wise words.
4. Combine your love and care : Massage her back or body to comfort your partner in back pain and legs pain. Maintain soothing atmosphere in house especially in the morning. Plan bubble bath for her to ease her body. Indulge her with small surprises like flowers, chocolates, soft toys, dine out or making her favorite dishes. Come home early some times and go for pre birth shopping together. Always come back to home in happy mood. You might aware of that Delivery pain is much more higher than any other pain so shower your love and care to make her mind and heart stronger.
5. Console her :  Admire your partner from your heart and tell her how beautiful she is especially with the bump she has as she might be little bit unhappy with her new shape. She might be worried for her delivery or may be very excited. Listen to her carefully and enjoy conversation about baby and birth. Read about pregnancy and parenting and share with her. Read good books for her.
6. Create memories : Take as many photos as you can of your partner during pregnancy. Plan weekend photo shoot for her (it’s okay if you can’t call professional, take photos by yourself). Surprise clicks are always welcomed. Get baby scrap book and fill it together.

Loving a mother of your baby is equal to loving your baby so shower your love and care as much as you can and welcome your baby in pleasant environment. Together you are parents and together you will be family so get ready to treasure the bliss…..

After reading my articles my lovely readers asked me couple of questions like “You really do all these things?”, “Don’t you lose your temper?” “Don’t you think these things are so tough? “ And many more.

So here I am going to reveal my secret of parenting. I focus on few things really well and few things I like to ignore.  I have set my priorities and I have set limits accordingly. All human beings are same and so I am. I too get upset I too get angry but I believe in quality time with kid rather to have quantity time, and in that quality time I love her enough so she can accept me with my limits and weakness.

For example I am very much focused on routine, I will rarely miss it. At the same time I am okay with food. I believe food is to feed our body it is okay if I can make only one (good and healthy) dish some times.

I believe in hygiene but of course I allow my daughter to play with mud, sand and water as I believe if you don’t know what is mess how can you know what is cleanliness.

I always invite my daughter to help me even for the smallest thing and I too prefer to help her in all the things as I believe family should share everything.

When we have differences rather to argue I prefer to listen to her first and if she is right I will say sorry and change my decision and if she is wrong I will briefly explain it (as kids don’t need to know every thing in so much depth , detail description abstract their innocence) and tell her to do that. if then also she doesn’t agree I will say ”mother knows best” I set that dialogue as she has to follow it doesn’t matter she agrees or not. When I say mother knows best that means we are done talking.

No matter how much tired I am I will definitely read a bedtime story for her and sooth her for sleep as well as pamper her when she wakes up at least for 10 mins.

For me discipline comes first no matter what happened once I said I will start timer I will for sure.

I give much more importance to mummy and baby time. And during that time I share my likes dislikes even small problems (of course in simple and short way) and hobbies with my little one and she does the same that strengthen our bonding.

I don’t hesitate to share my weakness with my little one. For example “when I am hungry I am angry” so even if I scold her for a wrong reason she understands that and forgive me when I say sorry after that. At the same time I too understand and accept her weakness like when she is hungry or sleepy she won’t listen anything so I don’t try at that time.

Knowing is everything and as I know shouting on kids won’t work I try to avoid that but after all I am human being. I too lose my temper somedaybut as I mentioned in my article I know I am not alone.  I don’t feel guilty for that yes of course I feel sorry for that and I always apologize for that to my daughter and thus you won’t believe but when I will be on peak she will tell me mama “calm down it’s ok” and that really helps me I know you will feel it’s so rubbish your kid do something wrong and when you shout how can you listen calm down but trust me as we know shouting and scolding is not a solution you just need a reminder, As inside you don’t want to do that but it’s your sudden reaction.

Doesn’t matter how busy I am “ I will steal my time” at least an hour for a day as I believe when I am happy inside I can enjoy more with my daughter and handle her more humbly. My time means only me without any disturbance that really helps me to rejoice and reinforce myself. During that my time I can chill out I can understand myself and I can enjoy with me that makes me happy.

I prefer to play baby n mama dress up game at least once in a week in which she dress up like mummy and treat me and her dolls as kids So I can get idea where I went wrong and how it affected to my daughter,

It’s all about understanding and help them to understand. My articles are reflection of my life and so whatever I write I believe it and whatever I believe I write. I keep reading books and articles on kids to keep myself updated as well as to remind myself what not to do.

Hope this article will help you to set your priorities and limits for you and your kid so both of you can enjoy together and freely.

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I believe that anything can be right if we can express that in a right way! Then how can we neglect to express our feelings to say “I Am going to have a Baby”. I remember when I was expecting, I wanted to climb up “Eiffel Tower” and scream “I am expecting” well couldn’t do that of course!! But yes there was something that I could do and that too was enough to express my emotions. Are you confused how to reveal your pregnancy to your partner?  Then here I am sharing my favorite way to announce “I Am Pregnant”:

Whenever I think to surprise my husband, I prefer to start with food as I believe men are food lover. So here you go with a magical dinner date:

1.  Most of the time I prefer to cook, not because I like to cook but because I feel compare to restaurant we can have better ambiance (of our choice) at home. If cooking is not your cup of tea you can order food from outside.
2. Cook or order the dishes start with baby like baby corn, baby potato, baby tomato etc. Don’t forget to use baby plates (small plates) to serve it.
3. Choose table cover which has prints of baby or baby items, easily available in any party store or online and economic too.
4. Stick a collage of baby photos on the wall of your dining room. Even a big photo can work and if you will ask my choice I will say stick kids plates (which are really available in pretty much good design).
5. Decorate your chair and table border with kid’s clothes or kid’s items.
6. Find baby names using a combination of both parent name (For example if parents name are “RUshi” and “megHA” you can get “RUHA”). Write down couple of them on decorative paper and use it to wrap chocolates. Make it as an attraction of table.
7. Don’t forget to wear baby pink clothes with baby pink nail police and lipstick. Trust me you will look like a baby doll in this get up.

 And now be ready to surprise your hubby with a sparkling smile and wait your hubby to guess the occasion.

 Life is to Live lively and so I feel “we should capture as much fun and memory as we can from every single moment” And pregnancy gives us all the reasons to enjoy and celebrate our days………..

Have a wonderful beginning would be mummy!!!

Permanent solutions:

Set the example: Discipline comes with understanding and understanding comes from observation. Kids love to observe you, family, friends and surrounding environment. And when they find something comfortable they absorb it and try to implement it. And so if you want to teach your kids discipline (why they should not scream or manners), first thing you should do is show them how good you are; how good people are; how nicely we talk to people and how nicely we talk to them. Encourage good behavior by adopting good things.

For examples – When there is a time to wait, Be patient. Don’t break queue. Or when you don’t get something be sad but don’t over react. When they will see “How you deal with these things”, they will learn how to cope up with their own dislikes.

Know your kids: All the kids are different and all the kids have their own likes and dislikes, once you know what your kids like and what not it will be easy to get idea of why and when your kids scream and how can you stop it. Many kids are quite in car but show tantrums in mall; many are quite in movie but scream while walk; many are quite at home but scream when it’s time to school. Many are quite alone but scream when surrounded by people and vice versa. What I mean to say is observe your kids and find out their comfort and discomfort zone. Make a list of it. This doesn’t mean you should not do dislike or discomforting things, after all kids have to learn to deal with dislikes also but try to understand and make them little bit comfortable in it. This will help you in: 1.When you know why and when your kids will cry, you can be prepared with solutions. 2. When you are ready with the solutions, you can be calm. 3. When you are under control, they think you understand them so they calm down easily. 4. When you can pretend the situation before it really happens, you can prepare them for little discomfort. 5. When your kids are aware of little discomfort, it would be easy for them to find their interest in those situations too.

Help them to find comfort in discomfort: When you know it is not going to happening for your kids, give them idea of where are you going and what is the interesting part of it. For example: my little daughter is not much comfortable with travelling, so if we need to go for long drive, I will talk to her like “hey how about garden – a big new garden full of roses and butterflies?” (I always like to get pre-idea of places from internet) And when she will say yes, I will say “but it’s really far away. We need to seat in a car for 100 mins but you can take your doll with you and books too. You know we may get time to read 3 stories!!! Isn’t it fun? So are you ready to visit beautiful garden?

Reserve mummy & baby time : Reserve time for you and your kids once in a day for at least 10 to 15 mins (must not exceed than 30 mins). Talk about what do you like and what not in this fresh time. As well as ask their likes and dislikes. This is the time when you and your kids can talk and enjoy without any disturbance. When you two are there, your kids can talk freely about everything and so you can get idea of their views. At the same time they know this is the time when you will listen to them so they too will listen to you and try to understand you.

Rehearse game at home: Try calm down games at home not too often or else they will lose their interest and not rarely or else they will forget it.

Praise for good: Don’t forget to admire your kids even for small things. Like wow you colored this nicely next time show me even better. Reward them for good behavior with good complement or star or cookies. For example:  If your kid has waited for her turn, tell her you have been so patient so let’s have a treat for you now.

Introduce Take – Away Technique: Reward is always good but when kids are above 3 years its good time to introduce take-away. Use reward for really good thing and take away for discipline. It’s like when your kid understands that they should not hit anyone and if they do, use take away. Take away means they won’t get their favorite thing for sometimes (15 to 30 mins). It can be their favorite doll or most favorite thing of that time. It’s kind of soft punishment.

Motivate with story: Story is the best way to teach them everything. Believe me or not Kids listen to two things: 1. Their Teacher and 2. Books so utilize it as much as you can.

Never change your mind: Once you say no that means no only in all the condition. Because when you change your decision depends on situations, they get confused and can’t understand you. So be consistent.

Perfect age to teach discipline is 2 to 4 years as at this age they can easily accept and learn new things and it will last for long time may be life time (if you are consistent).  But if you couldn’t do at that time then no need to worry. Best thing with the kids is there is never late. Start understanding your kids today and make them understand you by tomorrow!

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When something new happens to your body, your body reacts and that is known as signs or symptoms. Sometimes your body reacts so early and sometimes your body doesn’t react much, this depends on individuals. Lots of hormonal changes occur during Pregnancy and so when you conceive, your body tells you that by one way or another. The reminder could be as early as a week or as late as 3 to 4 months (especially when your periods are not regular). Here I will discuss most common signs / symptoms where your chances of pregnancy are high or in simple words I can say these are the signs that say “You Are Pregnant.”

1.  Lower abdominal pain: You may feel little pain in your lower abdominal while working, cooking or cleaning. And if you will lay down for 10-15 mins it will go. This is on and off pain. If you will continue your work it will increase and if you will take rest it will go. Solution is take rest whenever you feel pain is going to start. Don’t wait to reach it at its highest. As soon as you will take rest as soon as it will go.
2. Tender or darker breast: Most common and initial sign is sore breast. You may feel little tenderness and if you check your breast, their color seems darker. This is the sign that your breast are getting ready for the new phase.
3.  Dizziness or fainting : This may sounds little bit filmy but trust me this happens too. The reason is low blood pressure or low sugar level which is very common during pregnancy. Nothing much to do just eat well and take rest. This won’t persist longer.
4. Weakness: If you think nothing has changed in your routine and you are perfectly healthy and still feeling tired or weak then it’s an initial stage of your pregnancy. No need to worry, what you need to do is just “Slow Down” and things will be settled soon.
5.  Morning sickness : You may feel nausea or vomits in the morning or in afternoon or in the evening. Bad thing is “its called morning sickness but can be at any time of the day!” You may feel strong smell of food even if you are not cooking and few things you just can’t cook or you just can’t eat. This is very common issue for all the would be mummy and the solution is time. Avoid cooking or eating those dishes for some times. Don’t worry this won’t last more than 2 to 3 months.
6.  Frequent urination: If you notice, your frequency of urination is increased especially after evening. You may wake up at night for pee which is unlike you and there may be little difficulty in controlling, you want to go means you have to go. You may feel how suddenly my bladder becomes so small!!! Well nothing to worry just take a deep breath and accept the change.
7.  Mood swing: This is the most difficult thing to handle. You may be very happy and somehow you hear a word from your husband (which of course not new for you) but you blast!!! A simple small mistake of your husband (or friends or colleagues or relatives) is enough to make you hurt or even cry and at the same time a normal gesture of your husband (or friends or colleagues or relatives) can make you happy really very very happy…..Everything  for you is extreme like very happy very excited very bored very sad………I know difficult to handle but you have to deal with this. You are very emotional at this stage and any one anywhere can hurt you or heal you. What you need to do is 1. Accept it. 2. Don’t regret it’s normal. 3. Read books or articles on pregnancy. 4. Talk to your partner and friends about it. 5. Try some meditation or relaxing techniques. 
8.  Craving for specific food: you may have a dream of eating chocolate cake at 1 AM in the morning and you wake up by feeling like I want to eat chocolate cake right now!!! Well little childish but that happens. During day time also your taste is changed. You may like to eat the things which you never had before just because that’s not your choice or you may leave to eat your favorite dishes. Well that’s what your body demands. Feed your body whatever and whenever it asks and slowly it will go. Very common especially in first 3 months of pregnancy after that it will settle down slowly. Will come again in last month of pregnancy. Enjoy this as this is the time to treat yourself.
9. You may miss your Period: This is very important part of pregnancy but pregnancy is not the only reason of delay or miss in cycle. As well as even though you are pregnant there may be case that you are getting your period (minimum discharge or may be normal one) don’t forget to visit your gynecologist in this case.
10. Positive pregnancy test: This is the test which confirms your pregnancy. Easily available in any medical stores as well as very comfortable. Most of the times accurate too. If it shows “you are pregnant” Don’t forget to visit a doctor.

It seems you are having really bad time, humm but trust me these are just timely (on and off) things. Most of the things will be in place after your first trimester. Accept the change and enjoy it. Every change has its own pros and cons once you will learn how to deal with these small things (and I am sure you will ) you will be ready for something exciting  really really exciting!!!!!!!!!!

Well these are just symptoms; nothing is confirmed without medical checkups.

Congratulations would be mummy!!!!!!