Diabetes Pregnancy

When the doctor told us that I have diabetic, I remember feeling very very scared as I have read about the risks associated with diabetes pragnancy. I'd like to share it with you, though I have to warn that it's a little bit long. But if you do have diabetes or suspect that you may have diabetes and you plan to get pregnant, I recommend that you read this.

Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where sufficient amounts of insulin are either not produced or the body is unable to use the insulin that is produced. Insulin is the hormone that allows glucose to enter the cells of the body to provide fuel. When glucose cannot enter the cells, it builds up in the blood and the body's cells literally starve to death.

What are the different types of diabetes?

There are three basic types of diabetes including:
type 1 diabetes - also called insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system destroys, or attempts to destroy, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in the US. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children or young adults, but can start at any age.

type 2 diabetes - a metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make enough, or to properly use, insulin. It used to be called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and usually develops after age 45.

gestational diabetes - a condition in which the blood glucose level is elevated and other diabetic symptoms appear during pregnancy in a woman who has not previously been diagnosed with diabetes.

Diabetes is a serious disease, which, if not controlled, can be life threatening. It is often associated with long-term complications that can affect every system and part of the body. Diabetes can, among other things, contribute to eye disorders and blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation, and nerve damage.

What happens with diabetes and pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the placenta supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and water, as well as produces a variety of hormones to maintain the pregnancy. In early pregnancy, hormones can cause increased insulin secretion and decreased glucose produced by the liver, which can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels). In later pregnancy, some of these hormones (estrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen) can have a blocking effect on insulin, a condition called insulin resistance.

As the placenta grows, more of these hormones are produced, and insulin resistance becomes greater. Normally, the pancreas is able to make additional insulin to overcome insulin resistance, but when the production of insulin is not enough to overcome the effect of the placental hormones, gestational diabetes results or there may be worsening of pre-existing diabetes.

Why is diabetes a concern in pregnancy?
Diabetes in pregnancy can have serious consequences for the mother and the growing fetus. The severity of problems often depends on the degree of the mother's diabetic disease, especially if she has vascular (blood vessel) complications and poor blood glucose control. Diabetes that occurs in pregnancy is often listed according to White's classification:

Gestational diabetes - when a mother who does not have diabetes develops a resistance to insulin because of the hormones of pregnancy.

Non-insulin dependent - Class A1

Insulin dependent - Class A2

Pre-existing diabetes - women who already have insulin-dependent diabetes and become pregnant.

Class B - diabetes developed after age 20, have had the disease less than 10 years, no vascular complications.

Class C - diabetes developed between age 10 and 19 or have had the disease for 10-19 years, no vascular complications.

Class D - diabetes developed before age 10, have had the disease more than 20 years, vascular complications are present.

Class F - diabetic women with kidney disease called nephropathy.
Class R - diabetic women with retinopathy (retinal damage).
Class T - diabetic women who have undergone kidney transplant.
Class H - diabetic women with coronary artery or other heart disease.

It is very important for a mother to maintain very close control of her diabetes during pregnancy. Generally, the poorer the control of blood glucose and the more severe the disease and complications, the greater the risks for the pregnancy.

Maternal complications of diabetes on a pregnancy:
Complications for the mother depend on the degree of insulin need, the severity of complications associated with diabetes, and control of blood glucose.

Most complications occur in women with pre-existing diabetes and are more likely when there is poor control of blood glucose. Women may require more frequent insulin injections. They may have very low blood glucose levels, which can be life threatening if untreated, or they may have ketoacidosis, a condition that results from high levels of blood glucose. Ketoacidosis may also be life threatening if untreated. It is not clear whether pregnancy worsens diabetic related blood vessel damage and retinal changes, or if it causes changes in kidney function.

Complications for fetus and baby:
Infants of mothers with diabetes are at greater risk for several problems, especially if blood glucose levels are not carefully controlled, including the following:

birth defects

Birth defects are more likely in infants of diabetic mothers, especially insulin-dependent women who may have two to six times greater the risk of major birth defects. Some birth defects are serious enough to cause fetal death. Birth defects usually originate sometime during the first trimester of pregnancy. They are more likely in women with pre-existing diabetes, who may have changes in blood glucose during that time. Overall, major birth defects may occur in about 5 to 10 percent of insulin-dependent women. Major birth defects that may occur in infants of diabetic mothers include the following:

Heart and connecting blood vessels
brain and spine abnormalities
urinary and kidney
digestive tract

stillbirth (fetal death)

Stillbirth is more likely in pregnant women with diabetes. The fetus may grow slowly in the uterus due to poor circulation or other conditions, such as high blood pressure, that can complicate diabetic pregnancy. The exact reason stillbirths occur with diabetes is unknown. The risk of stillbirth increases in women with poor blood glucose control and with blood vessel changes.

macrosomia

Macrosomia refers to a baby that is considerably larger than normal. All of the nutrients the fetus receives come directly from the mother's blood. If the maternal blood has too much glucose, the pancreas of the fetus senses the high glucose levels and produces more insulin in an attempt to use this glucose. The fetus converts the extra glucose to fat. Even when the mother has gestational diabetes, the fetus is able to produce all the insulin it needs. The combination of high blood glucose levels from the mother and high insulin levels in the fetus results in large deposits of fat that causes the fetus to grow excessively large.

birth injury

Birth injury may occur due to the baby's large size and difficulty being born.

hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemiais low levels of blood sugar in the baby immediately after delivery. This problem occurs if the mother's blood sugar levels have been consistently high causing the fetus to have a high level of insulin in its circulation. After delivery, the baby continues to have a high insulin level, but no longer has the high level of sugar from the mother, resulting in the newborn's blood sugar level becoming very low. The baby's blood sugar level is checked after birth, and if the level is too low, it may be necessary to give the baby glucose intravenously.

respiratory distress (difficulty breathing)

Too much insulin or too much glucose in a baby's system may delay lung maturation and cause respiratory difficulties in babies. This is more likely if they are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

How is diabetes diagnosed?
Women with diabetes before pregnancy have already been diagnosed. Depending on the severity of their disease, they may need continued care by their medical physician along with their obstetrician.

Nearly all non-diabetic pregnant women are screened for diabetes at the end of the second trimester of pregnancy. In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diabetes is diagnosed with a glucose screening test, which involves drinking a glucose drink followed by measurement of glucose levels after a one-hour interval.

If this test shows a blood sugar level of greater than 140 mg/dl, another test will be performed after a few days of following a special diet. The second test also involves drinking a glucose drink, and results are measured at three-hour intervals.

If results of the second test are in the abnormal range, diabetes is diagnosed.

Treatment for diabetes:
Specific treatment for diabetes will be determined by your physician based on:
your age, overall health, and medical history
extent of the disease
your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
expectations for the course of the disease
your opinion or preference
Treatment for diabetes focuses on keeping blood glucose levels in the normal range. Treatment may include:
special diet with controlled amounts of carbohydrate
exercise
blood glucose monitoring
insulin injections

Managing diabetes during the pregnancy:
Special fetal testing and monitoring may be needed for pregnant diabetics, especially those who are taking insulin (because of the increased risks for stillbirth). These tests can include the following:

fetal movement counting - counting the number of movements or kicks in a certain period of time, and watching for a change in activity.

ultrasound - a diagnostic imaging technique which uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of blood vessels, tissues, and organs. Ultrasounds are used to view internal organs as they function, and to assess blood flow through various vessels.

nonstress testing - a measurement of the fetal heart rate in response to the fetus' movements.

biophysical profile - a test that uses the nonstress test and ultrasound to examine fetal movements, heart rate, and amniotic fluid amounts.

Doppler flow studies - a type of ultrasound which uses sound waves to measure blood flow.
Infants of diabetic mothers may be delivered vaginally or by cesarean, depending on the estimated fetal weight and the mother's health. Because infants of diabetic mothers tend to be large compared to fetuses of the same gestational period, they may need to be delivered a few weeks early. This can often help prevent difficulties in labor and birth that can happen when a baby is very large. An amniocentesis may be performed in the last few weeks of pregnancy to check the amniotic fluid for fetal lung maturity. If the lungs are mature, some mothers may have labor induced or a cesarean delivery.

I am diabetic Type 2 which means that I have to inject insulin 4 times a day :(.

I am currently on Actrapid 3 times a day and Insulatard one time a day before bed.

It's no fun believe me.

Well I guess I have to be extra careful with my food intake from now on.

Wish me luck people.

We Are Pregnant :)

After many many boxes of fertility tests...

After many many hours on the bed (ehem! ;) I'm not complaining really)

After many many positions ( ehem! ehem! again, not complaining)

After many many hours waiting and counting and charting..

We are happy to announce that we are 16 weeks pregnant!

Hurraaaaay!

We are so very happy and we can't wait for the arrival of out little one :)


16 Weeks Pregnant

At this point of your pregnancy, your baby is approximately 4.3 to 4.6 inches long and weighs 2.8 ounces. Not only is your baby growing, your uterus and placenta continue to grow to accomodate the growing baby inside of you! Just six weeks ago, your uterus weighed about 5 ounces. This week it now weighs 8.75 ounces!

The amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby is increasing and there is about 7.5 ounces of fluid. You will easily be able to feel your uterus approximately three inches below your navel. This is an important week for testing and you will most likely ahve an AFP test done.

This is a harmless blood test that is done to detect abnormalities such as Down's syndrome or spina bifida. This is a non-invasive test and it carries no risk to your developing baby. Most doctors will offer the test, but in most cases it is completely optional.

Your milk glands start production at this time and this causes some tenderness and swelling in early pregnancy. Your veins will become more visible because there is an increaed amount of blood flowing to the breasts.

Since this is our first pregnancy, we are thrilled and scared at the same time. So every little twitch or pain we'll be calling the doctor just to make sure that everything's fine.

We also found out that we were actually pregnant and had a miscarriage the first month we got married! But since we were not aware of the pregnancy, that was why I didn't know I had a miscarriage though I did wonder why my period flow was very heavy and clumpy.

Anyway, we are just glad that we've passed the first trimester and now we are wee into our second trimester. Had to say I was very worried when I had some bleeding in my 5th week all the way to my 6th week but it seems that the baby is strong.

I have a little pouch that is quite noticeable so I guess people can tell that I'm pregnant :) Been getting some baby stuffs (I know it's way too early but we just couldn't resist!)

I'm so happy :)

LG Viewty

I need a new handphone.

The LG Viewty looks sleek and trendy with 5.0 megapixel camera phone. And for someone who likes to snap away like me, this is just perfect!

But it looks expensive yes?

And handphone is easily obsolete. New designs will come almost instantly.

I'm still using my old Motorola which works well and I never really have any problem with it.

Hmmmph....

Dear Santa, I have been a very very good girl this year, Can I have this LG Viewty? ;)

This phone is definitely in my Christmas wish list.

What's your wish list for this coming Christmas?

Are You A Thumb Sucker?

Does your baby or child suck their thumb? Some children suck their thumbs while others do not. Why? What are the consequences of thumb sucking, healthwise? How can you help your child stop sucking their thumb?

I was a thumb-sucker when I was a child and as a result to that I needed to get braces when I grew up because my teeth were a lil crooked.

Some infants begin sucking their thumb while in their mother’s womb. Many babies are born with calluses from sucking their finger, thumb or wrist. Other babies discover finger or thumb sucking after birth. This non-nutritive sucking is done for comfort. The sucking instinct in newborns is for survival. Babies that are born in countries where they have constant access to their mother’s breast have very little incidence of thumb sucking. The infant’s sucking urge is completely satisfied and they do not need to suck their thumbs.

Most children stop sucking their thumb or fingers on their own without parental intervention somewhere around age one. But, some children continue sucking their thumb long after. Hereafter we will refer to finger, hand or thumb sucking as just thumb sucking to simplify the article.

As most infants develop independence they become more mobile and too busy to bother with thumb sucking and therefore quit. When a child continues to suck their thumb many parents start to use punishment, negativity, yelling and frustration to try to stop them. This only makes the habit more entrenched.

A child who sucks her thumb will have dental and speech problems. The top jaw begins to form a gap in the front where the thumb is always placed causing an open bite. Other problems include a cross bite,crooked teeth, malocclusions, lisps, or a tongue thrust.

Prevention of prolonged sucking into childhood is probably the best defense that parents can take. First of all, a parent must meet their infant and toddler's emotional needs. Give your baby and toddler a structured day. Respond to their crying to soothe them. They are either tired, hungry, cold, bored or wet. Find out what it is and meet their needs. Give your child a feeling that they are safe with you at home or in a daycare they will feel safe at.

If your child is still sucking their thumb after age five intervention is necessary. The timing of this intervention is important. Do not try any intervention when they are starting on a new endeavor in their life. This means a new school, home, sibling, parent etc.

The first step is to validate your child’s feelings when you begin to talk to them about their thumb sucking habit.

Make sure you tell them that you know it is hard for them but you are confident they can be successful at quitting.

Rarely does another bad habit replace the thumb sucking habit: your child can be successful with your support, love and encouragement.

Sugar For My Sweet

Hubby is away for work and he left me a message,

"Left you something in the closet"

To my horror/surprise I found this...

With a little post-it that says "I'll eat it off you when I come back ;)"

Now, how on earth am I going to fit into that??

Lets hope I don't get bitten by ants before I get bitten by Hubby first.

Hahahaha!

Love Making During Pregnancy

Sarah has been complaining to me that ever since she entered her 3rd trimester she has become more...ummm h.o.r.n.y but her husband refuse to have s.e.x with her until the baby is born. Feeling all frustrated she e-mailed me this piece of information that she found on the net. I'm not too sure how this piece of information will benefit me, but I though I'll post it on this blog just in case you might need the info ;)

If you're pregnant, or just found out you were, you're probably wondering what the best pregnant s.e.x positions are. Because your body doesn't change that much in the first trimester, s.e.x can pretty much continue as it has in the past so there really isn't a need to be concerned about pregnant positions for s.e.x. Later, however, as the uterus grows, some natural positions may become more difficult to perform and will require you to choose better s.e.x positions while pregnant. S.e.x expert Pepper Schwartz, PhD, offers these suggestions on the best pregnant s.e.x positions:

Spoon: The spoon position can be very cozy and intimate. In this case you should lie on your side curled in a C, with your partner facing your back and curled around you. He then enters your v@gina from behind while both of you are lying on your sides.

Side by side: Another good choice for late pregnancy, this position will control thrust and keep weight off your belly. You and your husband lie side by side, facing each other. He slips his leg over yours (your leg can be either straight and to the side or bent at the knee) and enters you from an angle. In a variation of this, you lie on your back and he on his side. Put your leg that's closest to him over his legs. He can enter you from the back and side, and still have his face next to yours.

Woman on top: This can be a satisfying position during late pregnancy, allowing you to control pacing and be more comfortable. Make sure, however, that he doesn't enter you too deeply.

Edge of the bed: Try lying down face-up on the edge of the bed, with your legs spread and the soles of your feet on the floor. Your partner can stand or bend over you. This position, however, does allow him to thrust more deeply, so you'll have to tell him how gentle and slow you want him to be.

Content courtesy of American Baby.

Story of Twenty Toes

If my calculation is correct, I should be ovulating by now. So we have been doing a lot of this...

Hahahahahahahaha!

Splishing & Splashing

I'm off for a swim!

I'm dragging the Hubby.

Splish Splash!

The "C" Word

I stumbled upon this article in http://runningmom-haza.blogspot.com/ and I feel the urgent need to share the information.

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body.These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due togenetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar, is a cancer-feeder.By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. ( THE WEST MADE US 2 CHANGE FROM SEA 2 WHITE IODISED SALT )

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus .By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment.A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful,especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine.Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water- best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor ssence,Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins,minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind,body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.Anger, un forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Fertility Diet

I have been reading a lot about fertility. I know there are a lot of reasons why women are having difficulty conceiving, and one of the main reason is food.

A simple swap in your diet can increase your fertility as well as helping you avoid in consistent or absent ovulation, which is a cause of infertility in 25% of couples.

Here's an outline on how you can increase your odds of getting pregnant.

1. Trade your chicken for a veggie burger as food rich in iron raises a woman's chances of conceiving. You don't have o give up meat or poultry entirely. Just swap one serving daily for another iron source like veggie, raisins or nuts.

2. Trade your doughnuts for waffles for doughnuts are packed with calories and being overweight can interrupt normal menstrual cycles, throw off ovulation or stop it altogether

3. Trade white beans for lentils because lentils pack twice as much folate, a B vitamin that may stimulate ovulation and, once you're pregnant, reduce the risk of birth defects.

4. Trade your lowfat yougurt with ice cream for full-fat dairy products contain fertility-boosting estrogen and progesterone. But don't make this change until youre trying to conceive sice the saturated fat in whole-milk dairy foods can raise cholesterol level.

I was delighted to know that I can keep on eating my Rocky Road (in moderation of course) :)

Miss World 2007

SANYA, Hainan, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese beauty Zhang Zilin took the crown in the final round of contest of the Miss World Pageant 2007, which concluded Saturday in Sanya, a tourist resort of south China's island province Hainan.

Miss Micaela from Angola and Miss Carolina from Mexico came in the second and the third place in the Pageant, respectively.

As one of the three most prestigious world beauty contests, the57th Miss World Pageant came to China for the fourth time. Beauties from 106 countries and regions took part in this year's contest.

This event was judged by a penal chaired by Miss World chairwoman Julia Morley.

Miss World pageant is an international beauty pageant founded in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. After Morley died in2000, his widow, Julia, succeeded him and is now executive chairwoman of the organizing agency.

Errr......wonder what was he trying to do there?

The Secret Language of Babies

Watched Oprah Winfrey Show the other day and found out that babies all around the world has a secret language of their own.

Do you know that?

After testing her baby language theory on more than 1,000 infants around the world, Priscilla says there are five words that all babies 0–3 months old say—regardless of race and culture.

Those "words" are actually sound reflexes, Priscilla says.

"Babies all around the world have the same reflexes, and they therefore make the same sounds," she says. If parents don't respond to those reflexes, Priscilla says the baby will eventually stop using them.Priscilla recommends that parents listen for those words in a baby's pre-cry before they start crying hysterically. She says there is no one sound that's harder to hear than others because it varies by individual. She also says some babies use some words more than others.

"The constant crying creates a lot of stress and frustration for these moms. "You just feel absolutely helpless. You want so much to be the one to comfort them and to kind of shelter them from whatever they're feeling," says new mom Danielle.

After Priscilla explains the cries, the moms are shocked to learn their babies are actually talking to them! After two hours with Priscilla, all nine babies are comfortable, happy and quiet."Who would have thought that all of our babies are trying to tell us something and we just didn't know it the whole time," says Erica, another new mom.

"So it's amazing."

For more info & video, please go to:-http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200611/tows_past_20061113.jhtml

Visit www.dunstanbaby.com to order your copy.

Sleeping Beauties

It has been a tough week.

Very early mornings and very late nights.

Hubby had a rough week too and we have been losing sleep over work matters.

But now that things are looking a little better, we'll be doing nothing this weekend but sleep sleep sleep on our new Ikea bed ;)

Baby Blues

When you want a baby so much, it hurts when your period comes...

I guess we just have to keep trying yeah Hubby?

Sarah the Brown Watermelon

"These stretch marks make me look like a brown watermelon," complained Sarah my cousin the other day.

Well I have to say yeah she does look like a brown watermelon! :)

Since Sarah got pregnant, she decide that she'll try her best to use all natural products. So I google for natural homemade stretch mark cream and found this recipe.

Homemade stretch mark creams

Recipe 1

Cocoa butter is probably the best known home remedy cream for stretch marks. It's healthy benefits include keeping the skin soft and pliable. One homemade stretch mark cream recipe which includes cocoa butter is below.

1/2 cup cocoa butter
1 Tablespoon wheat germ oil
1 Teaspoon apricot kernel oil
1 Teaspoon Vitamin E oil
2 Teaspoon grated beeswax

Heat mixture until beeswax is just melted. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Apply this cream to your stretch marks until desired results are achieved.
Shea butter is a relative newcomer to the stretch mark home remedy field. Natural shea butter is an excellent source of Vitamins A and E which are essential for good skin health. Try rubbing shea butter on your stretch marks 2 to 3 times a day to help with the healing process.
Another home remedy for stretch marks is to rub olive oil on the stretch marks until they start to improve.

Recipe 2

Aloe vera gel has long been know for its soothing and healing properties for burns. It has been claimed to do the same for stretch marks since they are essentially an injury to the skin. The following recipe uses aloe vera and other ingredients to create a homemade massage oil for the prevention and treatment of stretch marks.

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
4 capsules Vitamin E (remove liquid from capsule and discard casing)
2 capsules Vitamin A liquid

Blend ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
All of these home remedies for stretch marks are extremely good for overall skin health. Why not try one for a while to see if it can help reduce the appearance of your stretch marks. These home remedies are an inexpensive alternative to costly prescription cream. I sincerely hope you will find one that meets your needs.

I might try'em on me ;)

Good luck ladies

Saggy Issue

I guess gravity has gotten the best of me...or at least the best of my b00bies. Used to be all perky and ummm jiggly but now it seems my b00bies are racing, which one will be touching the ground first.

Hmmmph!

I know that there are a lot of stuff out there that you can use to firm up your b00bies, but I'd like look for any kind of exercise that would help me with this...errr saggy issues.

So I asked a personal trainer friend what is the best exercise for saggy b00bies?

"Push-ups", she answered.

Errr ok. Not a big fan of push ups but I'm willing to try anything.

So do the bench push ups slowly concerntrating on your chest muscle, 20 x, 4 sets every day.

Another reason is that we use the wrong type of bra. There was a programme on wearing the wrong bra in Oprah Show some time back that I watched.

And do use sports bra when exercise.

The Curvy and the Bodacious

A cousin who is getting married this January 2008 at Carcosa Sri Negara (yeah I know!) is surviving only on Aquarius mineral water, cheese cubes, cabbage soup and air.

She is determined to fit into size 4. She is currently size 12.

Impossible it seems but I have witnessed a friend who lost 18 kgs in 3 months. She didn't eat anything. She too survived on mineral water and air too.

I don't quite get the fascination to be stick thin to look beautiful. I mean I know it's your wedding day and you want to look the best but you do want to look best AND not faint walking down the aisle.

Cliche it may seems but if you are genuinely happy and content with your life and have a good heart, it will show on your face.

To all bride-to-be, enjoy it. It's your wedding day :)

Water Babies

I'm not too sure if there's such class in Malaysia. A colleague was searching for a swimming class for babies as she believes that it should benefit the infant.

It looks scary to me. I mean they are so small and all but looking at these pics I think they are better swimmer than me :)

Benefits of Baby Swimming
The benefits of baby swimming are numerous, proven by extensive research into this area. This section outlines a few reasons why it is a good idea to start swimming at an early age.

Reflexes

Newborn babies have a number of inbuilt reflexes which can be utilised to aid early movement in the water and learn safety skills.

The 'gag' reflex is an natural involuntary response that causes the windpipe to be sealed so that water does not enter the lungs. This reflex is thought to disappear sometime in a child's first year, but means babies can naturally hold their breath underwater before learning to control it through the exercises in our classes.

The swimming or 'amphibian' reflex causes a baby's arms and legs to move and propel them through the water and this reflex is thought to disappear between 6 and 12 months. This makes it look like a newborn can swim under the water. Introducing a baby to water whilst this reflex is still present helps them to develop their own voluntary movements in water rather than sinking motionless when the reflex disappears.

The righting reflex is present in a baby over 4-5 months old and is demonstrated when a baby tries to lift its head upright when lying on their back or front, which can cause frustration. Floating exercises used in our classes avoid the stimulation of this reflex so that the baby remains relaxed and will enjoy swimming and floating on their backs.

By understanding these reflexes and working with them, we can lead babies from their first splashes through to swimming, with a lot of fun along the way !

For more information about this approach to baby swimming and research, you can visit the Birthlight web site.

Development
Babies are at their most receptive in the period immediately following birth. The pool is a multi-sensory environment, opening babies minds up to whole new experiences and is a great opportunity for parent baby bonding as it involves lots of eye and physical contact.

Swimming allows babies and toddlers to move independently through the water long before they can crawl or walk, aiding development of muscles, coordination, balance, lung capacity, stamina and the brain - to mention just a few !

Personalities are further developed as the child tries out new skills in the water - the more cautious children learn to take risks as they attain new skills and the more boisterous children can become more prudent! Older children enjoy achieving new goals, making new friends and becoming independent, so increasing their self-confidence.

Social Benefits
Parents and children often find new friends through our classes, sharing a common interest and it's a great souce of information about everything related to parenthood.

Families can enjoy time together in the water if everyone enjoys splashing in the pool, providing an opportunity for escaping the pressures of everyday life.

Holidays provide a great opportunity for trying out new water skills, copying older siblings (or younger ones!) and ultimately, just having fun in the sea or pool. Practising water safety skills for these situations through baby swimming classes is a great asset.

Claim Your Hans Solo

Hahahah got this in my e-mail this morning

Wouldn't want to be the one paying for the excess baggage.

Cool ad nonetheless.

I forgot the name of the bounty hunter in Star Wars.....alamak

Appointment With Death (well that's how I feel ok?)

I'm scheduled for a root canal!

Root canal according to Wikipedia

"Root canals is the commonly used term for the main canals within the dentin of a tooth. These are part of the natural cavity within a tooth that consists of the dental pulp chamber, the main canals and more intricated anatomical branches, that may connect the root canals to each other or to the root surface of the tooth. Root canals are filled with a highly vascularized, dense connective tissue, the dental pulp. Inflammation or infection of the pulp tissue may occur. The most common reasons are caries and tooth fractures that allow microorganisms, mostly bacteria from the oral flora or their byproducts access to the pulp chamber or the root canals. If this process is irreversible, an endodontic treatment is advised in most of the cases and a general dentist or specialist (endodontist) should be seen for advice and treatment.

Endodontic treatment, coupled with internal tooth bleaching, is also used to fix teeth that have blackened because of infiltration of decayed soft tissue into the dentin in the teeth, most often seen in incisors that have been injured through a sudden impact."

What? What? What?

The Hubby had a root canal before.

He's not helping when he keeps making the drilling sound before he screamed, demonstrating how painful it was for him.

God, pls pls pls let me have the ability to be invisible.