My dilemma with becoming a mother {Women Stuff}

Hey, Nidhi. I am Punam and read your comment on becoming mother dilemma so thought of sharing my experience. To be a mother is always a huge responsibility and even I had loads of confusion when I was about to be a mother.

In my situation, it was all our decision to have a baby and others saying its too early because we had been married for only a year and half!! I was afraid of the responsibilities and wanted to learn how to run and take care of home before I became a mom.

Those days, even though ours was a love marriage, we used to have enough heated discussions to make me reluctant to go for a baby. I always used to think that excess of arguments between me and my husband means there is less understanding and that's not good for the baby.

In a nut shell, I wanted to have a few years for ourselves to understand each other before we expanded the family. But, then, the question came to whether the disagreements would ever end? I mean howsoever much you might love or understand a person, everyone has their own opinion.

Me and my mom also fight till date even though we have a 27 year old relationship not considering her being my mom fact!! First Advantage: Our relationship and understanding improved with the baby. Second Advantage: Kids become THE ultimate excuse

I always used to have this complaint that I will have no time for myself after having a baby. But, the truth is I have more time myself now as I have everybody to help me and they give me my own space. I have more servants now to help me because they think I have more work.

If you tend to be a little on the late side for social events and really hate having to iron, guess what? You have a built-in excuse for tardiness, slovenly dressing, and a whole host of other things. "Sorry, but with the baby and all, it's practically impossible to [fill in the blank]." Hell, you'll even get to leave boring parties early! :D 

So, these are a few things which I found changed after having my little angel :) Hope, this helps you. I do have few other things to mention in another post. So, watch out for that. And, in the meanwhile, you can always visit my own blog. I recently did an EOTD and a post on bumps after waxing!!

Other posts from Punam:

Hair Care during and after Pregnancy
Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Capsules Treatment

Pomegranate Health Drink for Pregnant Women {Pregnancy}

As I have mentioned earlier that I had severe nausea during my pregnancy so I could never eat properly. Consequently, I became very weak. Looking at my condition, my doctor husband suggested this extremely healthy, even if it sounds nauseating, juice.

Ingredients

• 1 medium size pomegranate
• Few black grapes
• Half beetroot

Method

Grind all of them in a juicer. Add pinch of black pepper and black salt and bit of sugar, if you like.

Nutritional Information

Pomegranate is a rich source of iron and folic acid (remember my post on Importance of Folic Acid) which are really important for baby.

Beetroot is a great source of iron, folic acid, anti-oxidants, calcium (again very important for pregnant women) and other nutrients including potassium, magnesium, sodium, Vitamin C among others. 

Contradiction : Important

Black Grapes 

I had somewhere read that this fruit should be avoided during pregnancy coz it produces heat in the body which is harmful for the mother and the baby. But, in my experience, I had this juice for whole 9 months of my pregnancy and even after delivery and it did not harm me at all, instead it improved my health. 

If it causes constipation to pregnant women, one can use it after peeling the skin of the grapes (which is quite a bit of a work). Black grapes are also used as medicines to treat many diseases like cardiovascular, diabetic complications, constipation and chronic fatigue symptoms. 

They help in suppressing the growth of breast cancer cells due to the anti-oxidants. They are also rich source of flavonoids and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and Vitamin C. 

Results

This juice gave a lovely pink glow to my skin. This is a low calorie, low cholesterol and low fat juice. And, extremely beneficial for both mom and baby.

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Punam is a mom to one and half old baby girl who is very naughty which I can make out while just talking to Punam on phone. And, she really sounds adorable too. And, another advantage Punam has is having a orthopaedics doctor as a husband. And, she has recently put up an amazing post on homemade mosquito repellant on her blog. Do check it out.

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Other posts by Punam:
How to deal with nausea?
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell
Importance Of Folic Acid
Using laptop and mobiles during Pregnancy
Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Capsules Treatment

Using laptop and mobiles during Pregnancy {Pregnancy}

What are we pregnant women not warned against - drinking, smoking, eating, stress? And now, add to the list, its mobile and laptops. All electronic devices and gadgets produce heat and radiation which are harmful for us but, imagining a life without mobiles and laptops is kind of difficult today. But, unfortunately, laptops produce intense heat that is harmful for all of us and especially for pregnant women. 

Do's & Dont's Pregnant women should not keep laptops on their laps or stomach. If you are working on laptop or desktops, take more breaks and relax your body more often. Blink your eyes more often to stay away from strain. Try to use the best comfortable position for your body and neck. Minimize your use of cell phone and get shifted to old tring tring :) Don’t keep your cell phones near your bed.

If you have a bad habit of keeping your laptop on your lap (yes, I know its meant to be that), then avoid it. Doing it a lot can lead to toasted skin syndrome, an unusual-looking mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure. You can also see some dark skin coloration on your thighs. I know its difficult to do but if you are pregnant, try to use laptops and mobiles a little less. You will be troubled not only from the heat produced but also, hunching on laptops can lead to muscular pain, back and neck ache. 

Similarly, mobile phones are even more harmful than laptops for pregnant women. My hubby hated when I used to talk on phone during my pregnancy. He always asked me to use the landline instead. Well, when I googled about the harms of mobile for pregnant women then I was shocked!! Research says women using mobile phone often are more at risk of giving birth to a baby with behavioural problems. Using a mobile two to three times a day is also enough to raise emotional and hyperactive problems.

And, this advise can as well be taken by everyone coz laptops and mobile phones are equally harmful for one and all. How long do you stay glued to your laptops and mobiles? I, for one, am not a mobile person but I do stay glued to my laptop :(

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Thanks for such a great post Punam :) And, hope you all find this helpful. Btw, I would like to tell you all about Punam's blog as well - be beautiful with Punam.

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Related Posts on Pregnancy: 
How to deal with nausea?
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell
Importance Of Folic Acid

Exercising and Pregnancy {Pregnancy} [Part - II]

Read the previous part of this series here.

Guest Post by Punam

Changes associated with pregnancy

There are many changes that take place during pregnancy. Some will affect your ability to exercise.

• Hormones such as relaxin loosen ligaments which could increase your risk of joint injuries (for example, sprains).

• As pregnancy progresses, weight increase combines with changes in weight distribution and body shape. This results in the body’s centre of gravity moving forward, which can alter balance and coordination.

• Pregnancy increases your resting heart rate, so it is not recommended to use target heart rate to work out the intensity of your exercise. In healthy pregnant women, exercise intensity can be monitored using a method known as Borg’s Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE). This measures how hard you feel (perceive) your body is working.

• Your blood pressure drops in the second trimester, so it is important to avoid rapid changes of position – from lying to standing, and vice versa – so as not to experience dizzy spells.

 

General exercise suggestions during pregnancy

It is important to discuss your exercise plan with your doctor, as each pregnancy is different. In general, healthy women who have uncomplicated pregnancies can continue their previous exercise program after consultation with a doctor. It is also now considered safe to start a new exercise program during pregnancy if given the all-clear by your doctor.

If you have been cleared to exercise, it is recommended that you:

• Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (according to the Perceived Exertion Scale) on most, if not all, days of the week.

• Do no more than three sessions per week of vigorous exercise by the third trimester.

• Let your body be your guide. You know you’re at a good intensity when you can talk normally and not become exhausted too quickly.

• Be guided by your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional.

Suggested exercise activities during pregnancy

Activities that are generally safe during pregnancy, even for beginners, include:

• Walking
• Swimming
• Cycling – outdoors or on a stationary bicycle
• Exercise in water (aquarobics)
• Yoga
• Stretching
• Dancing (this was my favorite activity)
• Pilates
• Pregnancy exercise classes (they help the most because you get expert advise and exchange experience with other pregnant women)

Some activities like running and strength training are safe when done in moderation by pregnant women, especially if they had been actively participating in these activities prior to pregnancy.

What do you say about pregnancy and exercising? 

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Punam is currently busy with her second baby and I wish she will soon come on board with more articles like these. She blogs at be beautiful with Punam. 

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Related Posts:

How to deal with insecurities during Pregnancy?
Home Remedies for Hair Fall
Infertility and Emotional Health

Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Capsules Treatment {Product Review}

This is my first ever try of Lakme’s skin care range. I have always loved their makeup products but this time I am madly in love with these capsules from their skin care range.

Price: 1250 for 28 capsules (very expensive, I must say!!)

 

My Experience

These capsules contain pale yellow serum which is very light in texture. When I apply it on my skin, it feels so soft!! Its absolutely non greasy and gets absorbed instantly into the skin. My skin is oily and I am, generally, afraid of creams and serums but this one rocks for my skin as it provides perfect moisture to my skin without making it oily. And, the best part is it never broke me out!!

Though the product says "twist the capsule to open it", I prefer scissors. The quantity of each capsule is 0.33gms and its enough for the entire face (I am wondering what about neck?? they could have given a bit more for the neck!!). Currently, I am on my second purchase and I am totally loving it. I can see wonderful glow on my face. (Thanks to my sister who forced me to use it and see the magic).

My uneven skin tone is more even and clearer. And the best part is my dark spots and post-pimple marks are lightened to some extent. It also keeps oil at bay for at leats 7-8 hours (when used at night). I don’t know why they called it a whitening treatment. It’s a great brightening treatment. I am absolutely in love with this serum though it’s little expensive for 28 capsules but its worth it.

Now, my friends are asking me what have I done on my face :D Lakme’s claim of freedom from 6 fairness blocks - dark spots, acne marks, uneven skin tone, oiliness, tanning and dullness is true. I think I have 5 of these problems and the product helped me reduce all of them. I am not tanned (you are so lucky!!). For me, it worked really great so I am going to buy it again.

Editor's Note: I was attracted to the product right form the start and now, your review is literally making me run to the shop and get one for myself but damn the expense!!! :(

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Great review, Punam!! Don't forget to check out her blog here.

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Other product I loved/hated from Lakme: 
Lakme Vital Indulgence
Lakme Perfect Radiance Fairness Facewash
Lakme Fruit Blast Berrylicious Fruit Revitalizing Scrub Mask

Importance Of Folic Acid {Pregnancy}

During pregnancy, the doctors advise and prescribe few supplements like folic acid, iron and calcium. As I said, I had severe nausea so I could barely eat anything. Because of this, I never cared about taking any of these supplements. When my husband shared the importance of these supplements, I felt really guilty. These supplements are really very important during pregnancy. Today I shall be sharing the importance of Folic acid for the baby.

So why is folic acid so important? 

Folic acid plays a huge part in the development of a baby's neural tube. Insufficient folic acid has been shown to increase the chances of a neural tube defect in the unborn baby. A baby's neural tube is the first part of the central nervous system that grows. By the time this part is fully developed, and baby is born, it has become the baby's brain and spinal cord.

My husband suggested me to also get this supplement from food sources apart from taking the tablets. Some excellent food sources of folic acid include green leafy vegetables - dark lettuces, spinach, greens of all types, broccoli, beet root, lentils and beans and even calf's liver, fruits sources - oranges, grape fruit, raspberries. If you find these foods too unpalatable for you, then it's an excellent idea to take a folic acid supplement. Folic acid is also found in copious amounts in non-vegetarian sources such as turkey and chicken livers.

For a pregnant woman, per day intake of folic acid should be 400-600mcg. These are the things I am sharing with my own experience and a bit of knowledge but it is always advisable to consult your doctor before blindly taking anything.

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Thanks for such a great post Punam :) And, hope you all find this helpful. Btw, I would like to tell you all about Punam's blog as well - be beautiful with Punam.

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Related Posts:

How to deal with nausea?
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell

Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell {Pregnancy}

My sense of smell isn't strong at all. Even when the food burns when left on the gas for long, I can barely smell it from the next room. But during pregnancy, my nose all of sudden started working and was out of my control. Yes, one of the biggest disadvantages is heightened sense of smell. 

ts not always same with everyone. The strength varies from person to person but for me, it used to result in nausea and vomiting. Doctors say estrogen is responsible for this. When your estrogen rises, your smell sense also rises. So, I followed some things to manage this issue:

• Well I tried to stay away from cooking and ate those foods I can stand to smell. Even if I used to cook at times, I made sure that I kept the chimney on and the windows open to banish musty odours.

• Smells tend to cling to the body and nose sometimes. So, I used to carry a perfume or any scent with me all the time. This was helpful especially at some public places. Even the body odours of other people affect me a lot so I tend to stay away from closed spaces like lifts.  

• Mint and lemon fragrance used to be my favourite, explore yours :)

• Similarly, if you are going to gym, prefer timings when there are less people otherwise you will have to bear that sweaty odour.

• Wash your clothes regularly with good fragrant detergents but always use light soothing scented products and toiletries. There are so many options available in the market these days.

• Keep your home open and airy so that it feels fresh all round. Even good room freshener of your choice will help (make sure its not very strong).  Fragrant Candles or diffusers are also very helpful.

• I always loved to sit in my garden and smell the flowers. It helped reduce nausea as well.

• Cigarette smoking is injurious to health. Passive Smoking also affects pregnant women. I used to feel puckish if I smell its smoke.

• Don’t keep your veggies and fruits or any other food in plastic bags. The smell of plastic can make the products also very smelly.

• Clean your refrigerator frequently so that food kept in it doesn’t smell. My maid used to clean it with baking soda. She said this will banish the odour. Thanks to you, Shanta (no its not Shanta Bai from Kal Ho Na Ho, its actually her name :D). [Editor's Note: Vinegar helps as well :)]

And, most important thing during pregnancy is to be happy and calm. Hope the post was helpful. Do let me know your views on the post :) 

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As I notified a few days back, Punam is on board as an occasional contributor to Perfect Skin Care for you. Hope you enjoy her posts. And, I also hope she becomes a regular contributor :)

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How to deal with nausea? {Pregnancy}

Motherhood is a divine emotion. It’s obviously a good news to know that you are going to be a mother but one has to be more responsible and caring coz your body is going to face drastic changes and you have a new life inside. Pregnancy starts with the feeling of nausea and morning sickness for almost all the pregnant women. Today I am sharing my own experience of the first trimester and how I managed them.

What is nausea? 

It’s feeling of uneasiness that makes you urge to vomit. It’s not always necessary that one vomits.

In pregnancy this feeling is stronger in morning. The reasons given are hormonal changes. As I am not a doctor (I am just a doctor's wife), so I am not going to go into the details. I had severe nausea and vomits till the 5^thmonth and then it reduced gradually. But, the degree of nausea differs from body to body.

Few things that can help you deal with this problem - Do’s

• As soon as you wake up in the morning, eat something. Don’t keep yourself starving. 
• If you have a habit to start your day with tea, change it now. Either skip it or add some toast or biscuits with it and even ginger tea can help you but my mom used to say take ginger tea only in colder climate so I avoid it in the summers. 
• It’ll be great if you take an apple early morning and even before going to bed coz this will help clean your stomach and keeps you energetic.
• Citrus fruits are a great help in feeling of nausea. I always used to eat or chew lemon or orange slices whenever I felt nausea.
• Place potato chips or crackers near your bed so that whenever u feel hungry, you can eat them. This can suppress vomit but remember excess of anything is harmful, so just take few bites.
• Try to get up during night to eat something so that u may not feel too sick and weak in the morning.

Dont's:

• Stay way from strong smells.
• Don’t starve at all.
• Stay away from spicy food, colas and caffeine.
• Don’t get over-tired.
• Stay away from stress.

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About the Author: This post has been written by Punam. Thank you so much Punam for sharing your experience and I am looking forward to more posts from you :) What say, guys sorry, gals?

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Exercising and Pregnancy {Pregnancy} [Part - I]

Guest Post by Punam

We have a beautiful lake in Bhopal and I am lucky to see that every morning from my balcony. Every evening, when I used to go there for walk even unknown people used to tell me to not come here and why am I walking, doing yoga and exercise *frowns*. 

I have seen many people believing that exercising is not good during pregnancy but this is not true. So, I will be talking about this topic in few parts like  benefits of physical activity during pregnancy, changes associated with pregnancy, general exercise suggestions during pregnancy, how to exercise safely during pregnancy and exercises to be avoided during pregnancy.

Regular physical activity can provide health and social benefits for many pregnant women. Suggestions for exercise during pregnancy include walking, swimming and supervised classes such as yoga or Tai chi. Pelvic floor exercises are also important before, during and after pregnancy.

Unless you have complications, it should be possible to enjoy some level of physical activity throughout most of your pregnancy. The first step is to consult your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional to make sure your exercise routine won’t harm you or your unborn baby. You may need to modify your existing exercise program or choose a suitable new one if you were sedentary before conceiving.

While exercise during pregnancy is usually encouraged, under some circumstances exercise can be detrimental to both the expecting mother and the growing fetus.

Benefits of physical activity during pregnancy
Exercise during pregnancy offers many physical and emotional benefits. Physical activity may also help manage some symptoms of pregnancy and you’ll feel better knowing you’re doing something good for yourself and your baby. Some of these benefits include:

• More energy
• Stronger back muscles which can help manage back pain and strain as your belly grows
• Improved posture
• Weight control
• Stress relief
• Improved sleep and management of insomnia
• Preparation for the physical demands of labour
• Faster recuperation after labour
• Faster return to pre-pregnancy fitness and healthy weight
• Increased ability to cope with the physical demands of motherhood.

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So, welcome back Punam with this series of posts on exercising during Pregnancy. She blogs at be beautiful with Punam and I always keep on insisting her to provide me material for my blog :D This was a one huge article which I am breaking down for the benefit of you. So, see ya next week with the second part in the series. I guess it will come to four posts.

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What do you think about exercising during pregnancy? 

Related Posts:
Home Remedies for Hair Fall
Pomegranate Health Drink for Pregnant Women
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell

Home Remedies for Hair Fall {Pregnancy}

Hair Fall is one of the very common issues. When I googled about this topic, I found one common suggestion which was to use a shampoo that contains biotin and silica.

Honestly, I don’t have any idea of such shampoo but you might ask a dermatologist or a trichologist. If you can find such a shampoo, do let me also know :) And, coming on to the regular mom's remedies, let's check out what my mom suggests.

Warm Ghee
My mom suggests me to apply warm ghee (Indian butter) to reduce hair fall during pregnancy. I think this remedy can also be used when not pregnant. But, remember to use only the pure ghee. And, eat lots of sunflower seeds, walnut and almonds. I never tried this as I can’t bear that stickiness of ghee but my sister had good results using both the things.

Oils and Derivatives
Applying mixture of castor and almond oil does help a lot. Also, coconut milk hair mask was very useful during my pregnancy.

Regular Tips

• Avoid or minimize the use of hot styling instruments on your hair, such as blow dryers or flat irons.
• Be calm and happy during pregnancy, its really important coz stress can be the reason for your entire problem during pregnancy.
• Massage your scalp with warm oil and relax your self.
• Brush your hair regularly. 

Thanks a lot, Punam, for this helpful post. Co check out her blog here :) 

Related Posts: 

Hair Care during and after Pregnancy
Pomegranate Health Drink for Pregnant Women
Using laptop and mobiles during Pregnancy

Tip of the Day

I love winters probably coz it gives me more reasons to cuddle :) Well, in winters the only thing irritates me is dry skin. So my mommy gave me a tip, which she read in some newspaper. So, here is the tip.

Take half banana add 2spoon of olive oil & blend/mash it. Add some drops of lemon.

This will reduce dryness & gives a glowing skin as well. Instead of lemon you can also use some other citrus fruits which might be less acidic in nature like oranges. [Check out this post in which I discuss the pH levels of all citrus fruits]

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Thanks Punam for such a wonderful tip :) Btw, you might also want to check this amazing product reviewed by Punam.

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