If you’re expecting a baby, no doubt you’re excited to find out what the gender of your little one to-be is. While there’s no telling for sure until the Big Day, there are fun myths out there that many people swear by. Remember, these myths are just for fun!

Carrying High/Low – Gender myths say if you’re carrying low, you have a little boy on your hands. Carrying high? A girl is on the way!

Ring Test – Take your wedding ring and tie a string to it. Hang the ring over your belly and if it goes back and forth, you have a girl! If the ring goes around in a circle, it’s a boy!

Drano Test - For this test (and make sure you do it in a well ventilated area and don’t inhale the fumes) is done by urinating in a cup and mixing in a tablespoon of Drano. If it turns green, it’s a girl. Blue – it’s a boy!

Heart Rate – When you head to the doctor’s to listen to your baby’s heart rate, ask how many heartbeats per minute your baby is having. If it’s over 140, there may be a little girl in there!

Sweet vs. Sour – Love the sweet stuff? Expect to bring on the pink! Love sour or salty foods instead? Then it must be a little boy!

Morning Sickness – Many believe that since girl hormones mix with their mom’s, stronger feelings of morning sickness come about. If you have no morning sickness, you can expect a boy instead.

Even and Odd Numbers – This creative way of determining a baby’s gender comes from the Mayans. Consider the mother’s age at conception and the year of conception. If both numbers are even or odd, it’s a girl. If one is even and one is odd, expect a baby boy!

Chinese Birth Chart – This handy chart has been used for centuries to determine the sex of unborn babies. All you need is your age at conception and the month of conception. Try a Chinese Gender Predictor here.

Pimples - They say boys take your brains and girls take your beauty! If you’ve been blessed with plenty of red bumps on your face, it’s probably a girl to blame! Glowing instead? Enjoy a little boy on his way!

Keyed In - If you have a friend who is expecting, lay a key down in front of her and ask her to pick it up. If she picks it up by the round part, she can expect a little boy to be on his way. If she picks the key up by narrow part, she can plan on a little girl!

Image: genderpredictions.blinkweb.com

After nearly 40 weeks of being pregnant, it’s not uncommon for women to want to try to induce labor on their own. While most of these fun tactics are simply that, it can’t hurt to put them to the test! Remember that you should only try to naturally induce labor after 38 weeks when your baby is considered full term. So get to work and see if one of these will work for you!

Balsamic Vinegar. Add a splash to your evening salad!

Acupressure. Pressure points in your back and shoulder well can be stimulated using your thumb and forefinger.

Massage. Work only with someone who is trained in pregnancy massages. He or she will know the right pressure points that can induce labor.

Nipple Stimulation. This really does work, as the hormones produced can cause contractions! However, it needs to be done for an hour at a time, which may lead little time for other things.

Spices. Licorice, basil, oregano and motherwort are all spices that have been linked to inducing labor.

Foods. Juicy pineapple, eggplant, spicy foods and Chinese foods have all been said to induce labor. Fortunately, these foods will be tasty during your final weeks of pregnancy whether they induce labor or not!

Sex. The sperm help to soften the cervix and also have prostaglandins, which induce contractions. And, orgasms cause contractions, which may set you off into labor after having a bit of fun.

Castor Oil. There is some debate over this, so be sure to use with caution. While castor oil is known to stimulate contractions, it can also cause diarrhea and vomiting. However, it is these cramps in the bowels that often set off contractions.

Exercise. Whether it’s swimming, taking a long stroll or swinging on a swing, all of these exercises have been known to stimulate contractions.

Bouncing on an Exercise Ball. Consider it great practice for the real thing. This bouncing causes the baby to move up and down, hopefully getting him or her ready to make the grand exit.  Luna Lullaby offers a great Bounce-a-Bye Baby Ball that is helpful before birth during your pregnancy, during birth to ease any pressure or discomfort and after you give birth as a workout for mommy and a great way to soothe a fussy baby.

Tea. Raspberry leaf or thyme tea are great ones to try. With raspberry leaf, it should be incorporated into the diet around 34 weeks. Not only can it lead to a natural induction, but it can shorten labor, a real win-win situation.

While the medical community is mixed on whether or not these natural induction methods actually work, they are safe to try after 38 weeks. Has one of them worked for you? Share your story with us!

Image c/o squidoo.com

Stress is a part of life. We all endure it, most on an everyday basis. For pregnant women, stress is typically increased due to hormone levels associated with pregnancy. You may find yourself in a state of depression or worry – this is perfectly normal. However, if the depression becomes overwhelming, you should seek professional help immediately.

The most common fear for pregnant women is that something is, or will be, wrong with the baby. Most babies are born without complications. Doctors have very advanced method of testing for birth defects or disorders before the baby is even born. Also, when it comes down to the big day you need to remember – you are surrounded by professionals. If you are worried about labor pains, do some research. Read books and articles on different relaxation techniques. Talk to your physician or midwife about different pain management alternatives. Another common fear in expectant mothers is losing your dignity while in labor. This is because you are imagining yourself spread wide open in front of a room full of strangers — relax. They are not new to this. Many doctors and midwives have delivered thousands of babies, you aren’t any different from the rest.

There are several things you can do to take the stress off of your back. The main thing is to speak up. Talk to other mothers and listen to their embarrassing stories. This will likely make you feel more comfortable. Listen to their impressions, fears, sensations, pains – anything you have a question about, just ask.

There has been much written on how to have a healthy pregnancy, and there are many opinions about what to eat and what not to eat while you are a pregnant. Here is a quick overview about nutrition during these nine months.

1.      Do eat lots of spinach, as it is rich in folate

2.      Do eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables daily. These foods contain fiber to aid digestion and the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.

3.      Do drink lots of water. It will help with constipation and provide fluid as your blood volume increases and your body creates amniotic fluid for the baby.

4.      Do take a prenatal vitamin.

5.      Do drink milk for calcium and vitamin needs.

6.      Do eat a varied diet. This is the best way to ensure that you are getting a variety of nutrients and not too much of anything that may be harmful.

7.      Don’t eat unpasteurized dairy products such as soft cheeses as they may contain listeria, a bacteria that can cause illness in the baby and possibly lead to miscarriage

8.      Don’t eat raw smoked fish, as they can also contain listeria

9.      Don’t eat deli meats that contain listeria

10.  Don’t take a Vitamin A supplement or consume more than the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin A

11.  Don’t eat fish high in mercury, including shark and swordfish

12.  Don’t consume too much caffeine or artificial sweeteners. Limit yourself to 300mg a day and remember that caffeine is in coffee, tea, some soft drinks, and chocolate.

How much water should I drink while I’m pregnant?

Most adults know that they should be drinking a certain amount of water each day to promote better health, but many women are confused as to how or even if this requirement changes when they are pregnant. Getting enough water each day is as important, if not more important, while pregnant as it is for everyone else.

Pregnant women should get at least 64 ounces of water a day, more if they are moderately active, live in warm clients, notice they are thirsty after that much water, or are sweating more than they do when not pregnant.

Water is important during pregnancy for many reasons, including the following:

-         It is an essential component of blood, which is the way that your body transports nutrients to the baby while he or she is in the womb

-         Water helps to prevent bladder infections which are more common during pregnancy

-         It can alleviate constipation and hemorrhoids, both of which are also common problems during pregnancy

-         It prevents dehydration which is particularly important during the third trimester as dehydration can trigger premature labor during this period of your pregnancy

-         Fluids are necessary to support the increased volume of blood during pregnancy. By the seventh month, your blood volume will be double what it normally is.

-         It may reduce stretch marks and minimize dry skin.

-         Sufficient water allows the kidneys to function properly, and they are under a great deal of stress while you are pregnant.

Learn more

Make sure that you are getting enough water each day, it’s important for you and for the baby!  Read more tips for having a healthy pregnancy by visiting our website.

Many women notice that they experience severe hiccups during pregnancy, often during the first trimester. There are two explanations for noticing these hiccups during this time.

Reason #1 – Taking in more air

First, the pregnancy puts greater demands on your body, and one of the ways that your body accommodates these increased demands is by increasing the amount of air taken in with each breath. On average, a woman inhales 30 to 40% more air with each breath while she is pregnant as compared to the way she breathes the rest of the time. This brings more oxygen into your body and allows your body to function more efficiently, but it also may result in hiccups as you adjust to new breathing patterns.

Reason #2 – You are paying closer attention

The second explanation for these hiccups during the first trimester is that women often start paying more attention to their bodies and feelings when they realize they are pregnant. The concern they feel for their growing child and having a healthy pregnancy leads women to notice things they may have overlooked otherwise, such as hiccups. You may have had hiccups before, but you worry that these are different or more severe than usual because you are hyper-aware of everything that is happening to your body.

Don’t worry, be happy

The good news is that whichever cause is at the heart of your hiccups, or even if both causes can be blamed, hiccups are harmless. They are certainly annoying but they do not indicate anything is wrong with you or with your baby, and they will go away on their own.

Nearing the halfway mark of pregnancy

To those who have not been pregnant, twenty weeks might seem like an arbitrary marker. However, to those who have been pregnant or close to someone during her pregnancy, twenty weeks is an important marker – at this point, your pregnancy is halfway done.

You are halfway to the day that you will be able to hold your baby in your arms, and you will notice significant changes in your body and the baby. At this point, you can expect any or all of the following:

-         Weight loss will continue at a steady rate, usually one to two pounds each week

-         Sleeping may become more difficult as your weight gain becomes more pronounced

-         You will be more aware of the baby and his or her movements because they have reached a point in their development where they are bigger and in motion more often

-         Your skin may become dry and itchy as it stretches to accommodate the weight gain, especially in your abdominal region. Lotions and drinking more water can help.

-         Your nails are probably stronger and your hair may be longer and thicker.

-         You may see some swelling of your ankles and feet. This is normal and probably due to retaining more water.

-         Heartburn and indigestion will continue to be an issue, but morning sickness should have stopped by this point.

-         You may sweat more than usual as a result of both the weight gain and a more active thyroid gland.

A few things you can expect early on

Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it is also one that is full of uncertainty. No two women are alike, and no two pregnancies are the same, so you may be worried about what you should expect early in your pregnancy.

No one can tell you exactly what will happen over the next nine months, but some of the things you may experience in the first few months of pregnancy include:

-         Morning sickness. Nausea at this time in your pregnancy is caused by the release of hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin. This nausea is commonly referred to as morning sickness, but you may experience it at any time of the day. The good news is that it usually subsides by the end of the first trimester as hCG production slows.

-         Cravings and aversions. You may desire certain foods that you normally don’t care for, or you may find yourself avoiding old favorites. Your senses are heightened at this time, so these changes in appetite are normal and should not be a source of concern.

-         Mood swings. The hormonal changes that occur during your pregnancy can cause you to feel happy one moment and anxious the next or suddenly weepy. This, too, is completely normal.

-         Fatigue. Many women feel very tired during these first few months. Try to get as much rest as your body needs to stay healthy, even if you need to start napping or going to bed earlier than usual.

Packing for your big day

As you enter your third trimester, it is time to prepare for labor and delivery. One part of the preparations is to do pack what you will need for yourself and the new baby in a bag ready for the hospital so that your things are ready to go if you have to leave suddenly or if you are too flustered to pack when labor begins.  If you want until the last minute, you’re bound to forget something.  So take a cue from the scouts and be prepared!

Our suggestions for packing for the hospital on the big day:

-         Insurance information, hospital forms, and a signed birth plan if you have one

-         Toiletries for yourself and your significant other or birth coach, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, face wash, deodorant, and anything else you consider essential

-         Camera, cell phone, and chargers for both

-         Snacks and/or change for the vending machine (the hospital cafeteria may close or you may be craving something specific that they do not stock)

-         Something soft to pull your hair back such as a ponytail holder or headband

-         A going home outfit and receiving blanket for your infant

-         A bathrobe, sweater, nightgown, and/or blankets from home, as hospitals are often chilly

-         A pillow, sheets, or other things from home that will make you feel more comfortable during your stay at the hospital

-         Maternity underpants and nursing bras, even if you do not intend to nurse because they have pads that will help with any leakage and be more comfortable to your tender breasts

You never know when you’ll need it

Pack your bag by the time you have reached 35 weeks so that you are all ready to go. If you are worried about bringing too much, don’t be – better safe than sorry, and your comfort is the most important concern!

If you are looking for signs that you are pregnant, look no further! In our second look at this topic, we’ll go through the symptoms that, once you have them, just about always point to being pregnant:

Can’t miss sings of pregnancy include:

-         Morning sickness, or nausea. One common sign that women are pregnant is experiencing morning sickness. However, morning sickness is not limited to the morning – some women feel this nausea at other points in the day instead of the morning or as well as during the mornings.

-         Pelvic cramping. As the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining and the uterus begins to grow, many women experience cramps. This can be an indication that you are pregnant, but it may also be a normal pre-menstrual symptom.

-         Missed period. Although not a perfect indicator, a missed period is generally a clear sign that it is time to take a pregnancy test. Of course, some women are irregular and others do not track their cycle, so you may not realize you have missed a period right away.

-         Cravings for certain foods. Not all women have these during their period, but some experience a strong desire for foods they don’t usually want to eat or an aversion to ones they normally love. Sensitivity to smells is also a common sign of pregnancy.

-         A “gut instinct.” Finally, many women say that they simply knew that they were pregnant. They cannot point to a single, certain symptom or experience, but rather indicate an inherent knowledge and certainty that they were carrying a child.