There could be reasons related to the potential health of the newborn, depending on the sex, or maybe they wish to have a small family and want just one boy and girl.
Possibly, as in my case, you may already have a tribe of boys only and would love to have a little girl to complete your family. Whatever the reason, it is very important to be sure that you will be extremely happen with your newborn, regardless of whether you get the gender you are after.
There are many different techniques and various theories to choosing the sex of your baby, and one is the effect of caffeine regarding conceiving a baby boy.
Now I must stress first that the theory of caffeine when trying to choose the sex of your baby is aimed at the father – it is not recommended that a woman drinks coffee or other high caffeine drinks, as this impedes over all female fertility.
Even just one – two cups a day is reported to lower the chances of conception by 10 percent.
To conceive a baby boy, the egg must be fertilised by the ‘Y’ chromosome, which are faster and more active than the ‘X’ or girl chromosome. Even though both types will be sped up by the father having caffeine prior to intercourse, it will give the boy sperms a boast and better chance to reach the egg as they normally tire quickly and don’t make the distance.
Studies have also shown that caffeine will in fact increase the speed of the male producing sperm more than it does the female producing sperm.
To apply this theory, the father should drink a couple of strong cups of coffee 15-30 mins before having intercourse. If you don’t like drinking coffee then other forms of caffeine are fine, for example strong black tea.
Keep in mind, a high caffeine food or drink is not recommended for long term use.
This is just one small theory regarding how to choose the sex of your baby, and although no natural techniques can guarantee you the gender of your choice, it is possible to increase your chances of planning the gender of your baby naturally and having up to a 90% chance of having the sex of your choice.
Finding out that she is pregnant is a wonderful occasion in a woman’s life. However, finding out the gender of her unborn child can be even more momentous. Some women prefer to have a little girl, while others prefer to have a boy, and many women don’t really mind one way or the other just as long as their baby is healthy and happy.
There are many ways to try to plan and/or predict the gender of your choice. Some are rather scientific, others just plain fun!
The Shettles Method
Dr. Landrum B. Shettles developed this method in which he believes that if you were to have sex 2 to 3 days before you ovulate, you would conceive a girl. Since the boy-sperm die off quickly, only the girl sperm would still be around when you ovulated. Conversely, if you were to have sex a day before, or on the day of, ovulation, you would conceive a boy according to the Shettles method.
pH Levels
It is also believed that the pH level of a woman’s reproductive tract can influence the gender of the baby. If your reproductive tract is more alkaline then you will likely conceive a son. However, if your tract is more acidic then you will likely conceive a daughter. In order to create an alkaline environment, it is suggested that you use a douche of water and baking soda prior to sex; for a more acidic environment, use a douche of water and vinegar.
The Whelan Method
Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, Sc.D., believes that a woman’s biochemical changes that occur in her body prior to ovulation can help in planning a baby’s gender. For couples who wish to have a daughter, Dr. Whelan suggests that sex be avoided until 2 or 3 days before ovulation occurs; to conceive a son, couples should have sex 4 to 6 days before the woman’s basal body temperature rises.
The Bump
It has long been believed that the way in which a woman carries her unborn child can predict its sex. If you are carrying low and more in the front, then it is believed to be a boy. However, if you are carrying higher and slightly wider, then you have a little girl.
The Baby Beat
The next time you go in for an ultrasound, listen to your baby’s heartbeat. If their heart rate is over 140 beats per minute, then you are having a girl. If the baby’s heart rate is under 140 beats per minute, then you are having a boy.
The Wedding Ring Test
This is a fun test to try – tie your wedding ring onto a piece of string and then dangle it over your belly. If your wedding ring swings in robust circles, then you are carrying a girl. If the wedding ring moves back and forth determinately, then you are carrying a boy.
No matter what your gender preference is, trying some of these techniques can be quite entertaining and fun to try!
Baby sign language isn’t just a cute fad. It’s actually a proven way to improve your infant’s communication skills.
You may have heard about baby sign language, but you might be in the unsure as to what is involved, or why it would be appropriate for your baby.
For starters, it’s important to understand that signing for babies is not simply for the deaf, or for “super parents” who want their children to be ahead of everyone else’s - and we all know a few of those!.
And using sign language with your baby will not experience some form of speech delay.
Still, it could be quite beneficial for your baby — in more ways than one.
Names are important. You’ve pretty much got it forever. They give a person an identity, an image and a sence of confidence. So make sure you take the time, in the months before the birth, to enjoy the pleasure of finding the right name for your very special baby.
Remember the name you choose for your child should harmonise with your surname. Often a short given name goes well with a long surname and vice versa. A given name with an ending similar to the beginning of the surname – for example, Joshua Alexander – can sound awkward, as can names, such as Sally O’Malley, that are too alike.
Remember, too, that at school children are often given nicknames and abbreviations based on their names: you may love Alice but hate the shortended version Al. Richard Head may live to regret his parent’s vagueness or naivety, and David Alex Graham and his sister Pheobe Isabella may find their initials the butt of many jokes!
A name that is the height of fashion today can quickly be outdated or inappropriate tomorrow. An unusal name can be charming to possess; an eccentric one will be a burden to bear. Remember, above all, that a name lasts a lifetime – and that a name choosen wisely is one of the most precious gifts you can give your child.
Or corse, none of this applies if you’re a celebrity
Newborns also exhibit many reflex responses to external stimulation and these patterns and reflexes help the baby to manage their energy resources as well as their responses to what is around them.
Just after birth, there is often a short spell where the baby is attentive, looking at and responding to people.
Sleep patterns of a newborn vary. Research has identified six different states of infant awareness:
Quiet or deep sleep: Baby will have eyes closed with no eye movements and no activity apart from occasional jerky movements; regular breathing.
Active or light sleep: Baby’s eyes are closed but rapid eye movements can be observed; breathing may be irregular, activity level is low.
Drowsiness: Baby’s eyes may open and close but appear dull when open; there is delayed response to stimulation and activity level varies.
Alert inactivity: Baby’s eyes are open and bright; his/her attention will focus on outside stimuli such as a ceiling light or something bright.
Alert activity: Baby’s eyes are open; activity level is high. Baby will react to stimulation and show increased startles and motor activity.
Crying: Intense crying that is hard to stop; high levels of motor activity.
A newborn will exhibit several reflexive responses. Some will last for life. The presence or absence of reflexes and their developmental course will give information about the baby’s neural responses. For instance when the doctor runs a thumb along the left side of baby’s spinal column, the baby should reflexively bent to the left. If this reflex occurs on one side but not the other it is possible the nerves are damaged on the side that shows no reflexive reaction.
Other reflexes a newborn will show include:
Rooting Reflex: Stroke a newborn’s cheek next to the side of his mouth and baby will turn his head to that side and search with his mouth.
Moro Reflex: Baby will thrust arms outward, open hands, arch back and stretch legs outward before clenching fists across chest in reaction to a sudden sound or the loss of head support.
Palmar or hand grasp: Baby will grasp a finger or rod with his finger.
Stepping Reflex: Support baby in upright position with bare feet on flat surface and baby will make rhythmic stepping movements. This reflex disappears in two to three months.
Swimming Reflex: Hold baby horizontally on stomach in water and baby will alternate arm and leg movements, exhaling through mouth. This reflex disappears at six months.
Plantar or toe grasp: Press finger against ball of baby’s foot and he will curl all toes under. This reflex disappears between eight and twelve months.
Although reflexes are usually automatic, it has been found that environmental factors do affect their appearance for instance a satiated baby may not show a rooting response.
Development in Baby’s First Month – ilestones in Infant’s Development
All babies will develop differently however research helps give a general indication of the different stages of development in infants and approximately when these stages might be seen.
As well as the different stages of development, research also helps suggest when these stages might be seen.
Just after birth baby’s birth weight will drop and this is regained when baby is approximately ten days old.
Newborns will sleep and eat whenever they need it. Some babies sleep as much as twenty hours a day, waking randomly, others might need less sleep and may spend time crying instead.
During the first month the baby will begin to recognise mother’s voice and smell.
Sight and Hearing during the First Few Months of Life
A newborn will turn his head from side to side when lying on his stomach; he will exhibit poor head control when lifted and display alternating movements of his legs when on stomach as if trying to crawl. At this stage too, baby will automatically grasp and hold onto a finger.
Familiar sounds may elicit some response in baby for instance he might respond to music or a TV program his mother watched regularly while he was in her womb. He will be comforted by familiar voices and should be left to sleep with a background of general household sounds. Baby will turn head towards voices, from birth.
Baby can see from birth but a newborn has difficulty focusing beyond nine inches (22 cm). Adults should make regular eye contact with baby. Over the first few weeks baby’s sight will sharpen until at about six to eight months, he will see the world almost as well as an adult does.
Baby’s hearing is fully mature at the end of the first month. By two months baby will be able to focus both eyes and track a moving object. (Some do this earlier). Also at two months baby will see colour differences more clearly.
How Adults Can Help Baby’s Development
Studies have shown babies prefer human faces to patterns; keep your face close to the newborn so he or she can study your features. When baby is one month old, almost anything passed in front of his face will transfix him. Hold shiny, colourful objects in front of baby and move them up and down. This should attract his attention and encourage his interest in colours. Hang eye-catching mobiles where baby can see them.
Always be sure to support baby’s neck when he is being lifted. Talk to baby continuously while he is awake during the first weeks and months. He will love the different tones in voices. During his first month baby may also try to mimic the faces you make and lip movements. Vocal interactions are crucial in the development of baby so even if you feel silly talking to him in public, just do it.
Sources:
Bee, Helen L. The Developing Child. 7th ed. New York: HarperCollins College Publishers, 1995.
Gemelli, Ralph J. Normal Child and Adolescent Development. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1996.
Kagan, Jerome. The Nature of the Child. New York: Basic Books, 1994.
Piaget J. The Psychology of the Child. New York Basic Books 1972.
Neisser U. Cognitive Psychology. New York: Appleton-Century Crofts 1977.
So, you’ve gotten over the elation of being pregnant. Now, despite the joy of having a little one growing in your belly, you (and your husband or boyfriend) need to deal with the nagging symptoms of pregnancy. Here are just a few tips to help you to survive:
1. Get plenty of rest: Most likely, you will be more tired than ever before during the first trimester. Listen to your body and go to bed or take naps when you are feeling tired. This may also mean cutting back on obligations, or going out with friends. Do not let yourself worry about housework, errands, or getting ready for the baby, which needs to be done. You will have more energy in the 2nd trimester, so let the things that can wait, wait. Also, ask your husband, boyfriend, or family to help you when you are tired.
2. Ask (or beg) your significant other to do the grocery shopping, cooking, and some of the cleaning: You may have aversions to foods in the first trimester or simply just do not have the desire to cook. Prepare a list of food items that you enjoy and ask your husband to prepare the meals each night or a few nights per week. Alleviating the stress of having to deal with food aversions at the grocery store and over the stove will help alleviate some of the nausea you may be feeling. Not only that, but if you are like me and working full time, you are tired in the evenings and will not feel like cooking or cleaning.
3. Make large meals on the weekends to last throughout the week: You will find that you have a little more energy for a few hours on the weekends. Snatch up those moments of energy to make a one-dish meal for the week (soups, casseroles, lasagnas, stews) so that you have something on the nights you lack the desire and energy to cook.
4. If you are experiencing nausea, try different avenues to alleviate it: There are many tips out there to ease the nausea, such as eating crackers in the morning before you get up, eating crackers all day, drinking ginger tea, and drinking ginger ale. I did not find these things to help with my nausea. One of the things that helped me was eating black licorice, eating grilled cheese sandwiches all day, and drinking lemonade. So, what works for one, does not work for all. Try different things.
5. Don’t read all of the pregnancy books: Ask your doctor for one book that their practice recommends and stick with that book. If you feel the need to buy several books on the market, do not let yourself get worried about all of the things they discuss in these books. For example, I thought there was a chance that my baby was going to have neural tube defects (due to lack of folic acid) since I did not take prenatal vitamins prior to conception and in the first month of pregnancy. My doctor assured me that you do not even need to take the prenatal vitamins until the 20th week.
6. Call your doctor if you have concerns about anything! Your doctor will assure you more than the books or anyone else for that matter.
Lastly, have fun during your first trimester! Cherish all of the changes and experiences your body goes through during pregnancy as it forms a little miracle inside.
