Our first ultrasound

In my 11th week of pregnancy I was booked for my first ultrasound scan. We both were really eager but also little bit worried, hoping everything goes well.

The purpose of this scan is to confirm the number of babies that you are having and your due date, and to perform the combined nuchal (measurement of space at the back of the baby’s neck) test for Down’s syndrome. On our way to the hospital I drank gallons of water (as per the instructions) in order to have a full bladder before scan. This was my first scan with a baby in my stomach; we were totally clueless of what we are about to see.

A lovely lady welcomed us in the ultrasound room, while laying on the bed I was curiously starring at the monitor. Within few seconds an image started to appear & I saw two tiny little hand, legs, head and some part of rest of the body. Our tiny little angel was already looking a lot like a baby.

I saw jai starring at the screen surprised; he was stunned to see a baby shape and not a blob. On our way to the hospital I had told him that our baby is as big as a plum now (maybe he was expecting to see a plum sized blob..hehe!) 

The sonographer took pictures of the baby from different angles, she was telling us in detail about the parts we could see on screen. Then she measured baby’s heart beat & height from head to toe. She was trying to take measurement of the neck but due to my full bladder the our little one was getting too comfortable and was not ready to move. So I had to get up and empty my bladder and see if that makes any difference. Luckily the baby started moving after that and she could take the measurements peacefully. 

Seeing our child growing inside my stomach, moving around so comfortably, this was the most magical moment for both of us. Now it really started to feel like we are entering into something completely new and exciting.

My Pregnancy Dos and Don’ts

• No drinking or smoking.
• Do not take any drugs without proper medical advice.
• Follow your baby's development
• Make sure you have been offered all your screening tests
• Be careful while handling raw meat in the kitchen. Use separate knife, chopping board and utensils while dealing with raw meats.
• Do not eat raw meat, fish or eggs.
• Do not eat liver and liver products.
• Avoid all sorts of junk food.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
• Avoid unpasteurized milk products or soft cheeses.
• Avoid salad dressings, artificial flavorings and foods that contain MSG (Monosodium glutamate)
• Avoid using microwave as it emits harmful electromagnetic radiation.
• Stay away from mobile phones as much as possible.
• Carry a bottle of sanitizer and keep your hands clean all the time.
• Beware of the beauty products that are used directly on the body.
• Don’t clean cat litter.
• Exercise everyday.
• Avoid intense workout or lifting heavy objects.
• Stay away from gardening and soil.
• Take short, frequent breaks.
• Avoid beauty treatments like bleach, hair straitening, hair dye etc.
• Prenatal Vitamins along with a healthy balanced diet is a must.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get enough sleep.
• Control the stress in your life.
• Book your antenatal classes.
• Get a flu shot
• Avoid exposure to toxic substances like household cleaners
• Don’t eat swordfish, king mackerel, shark, and tilefish, which are high in mercury
• Stay away from hot temperatures like Hot tubs, saunas and too much sun
• Don’t douche
• Avoid X-rays
• Cut down on caffeine
• Start a daily ritual to connect with your baby
• Keep talking to your partner about parenting
• Track your weight gain
• Keep doing nice things for yourself
• Take belly photos
• Buy maternity cloths
• Get ready to see your baby
• Start buying the things you will need for your baby
• Pack your hospital bags after 7th month and be ready for the birth
• When in labour, phone the maternity unit before leaving home to let them know you are on your way.

Safe Body

I’ve never been much of a beauty or health conscious freak and when it comes to my beauty regime I end up procrastinating things. But in my daily routine I enjoy experimenting with different beauty products like shower gels, moisturizers, beauty enhancing creams etc.

But after getting pregnant I came to know it is not only important what we put ‘inside’ our body but also what we put ‘on’ our body. Our body absorbs 60 percent of what we apply to our skin. So whatever I am putting on my skin, my body is absorbing it into my blood stream. That doesn’t sound good when you have another life growing inside you. Yes, some of these products may contain harmful, toxic ingredients. So it was a time to roll off some products after scanning the list of ingredients in it.

Most of the beauty products that I was using before pregnancy had handful of ingredients considered potentially harmful to fetus like Retinyl Palmitate (vitamin A), sodium lauryl sulfate etc. So this big switch was necessary.

Very informative articles about

Safe skin care during pregnancy

What Toxic Chemicals Is Your Body Absorbing

So after doing my research I have decided to settle on the following green products as a part of my daily life for next 1-2 years

Forever Bright Aloe Vera Toothgel Perfect for mom-to-be, heals irritated and bleeding gums and doesn’t contain harmful fluoride. For bright sparkling teeth and fresher breath

Mum & me Bump stretch mark cream boosts the elasticity of skin & helps to prevent stretch mark formation. It absorbs easily, never felt dryness or itchiness on my belly, this product really leaves my skin feeling soft and supple

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Tummy Butter/ Lotion After I was finished with my mom&me stretch mark cream I decided to switch to this one in my 6th month. The tummy butter is actually like using a block of butter as its really very thick and starts melting after you apply it, it makes my skin greasy but its totally worth it as I was completely satisfied with the results. I am using the massage lotion all over my body and follow it up with the tummy butter at night. The lotion gets absorbed quickly and skin really feels hydrated all the time. Both these products smell amazing.

 Avacado Soap and bath gel This is a pure gentle soap bar that leaves face and body feeling wonderfully fresh and clean, whereas the shower gel helps soothe away fatigue while providing the skin with soft and smooth feel  

Burt'sBees Lip Gloss is my absolute favorite, its 100% natural lip gloss with soothing sunflower oil and nourishing beeswax to moisturize lips. Without any phthalates, parabens, petrolatum or SLS. My shade is Rosy Dawn.

Earth Mama HerbalLip Balm is 100% Natural, vegan, smooth and yummy, and safe for pregnant mamas!

doTerra Anti Aging Moisturizer my age is 29 and my face definitely needs something more  than just moisturization, this targets visible signs of aging and improves skins elasticity, tone and smells fantastic. But I had to stop using this product in my third trimester, as it doesn’t deal with the hormonal changes your skin suffers with in pregnancy.

Jai Kajal The only herbal kajal that I trust now for my eyes. In ancient India, it was very common to use this on infants as both a cosmetic and as a medicine to ensure healthy eyes.

Dr. Bronner'sOrganic Pure Castile Liquid Soap with this one product you can replace almost all the harmful cleaners you have in your house. It is made with organic oils with No foaming agents, guaranteed pure potassium castile soap & 100% vegetarian (Contain no synthetic surfactants, no petrochemicals, and no floral water fluff). Using it as a body wash along with my exfoliating gloves. Also using it as a face wash, hand wash, shaving gel and shampoo. Just love it!

Dr. Bronner’s Organic Shikakai Conditioning Hair Rinse hair scalp is the most porous area on our skin, so its not a good idea to use synthetic hair products on it during pregnancy. I have been washing my hair with dr bronner soap and then I follow up with this hair rinse. It makes my hair feel healthy, shiny and tangle free. 

During the third trimester skin on my forehead, shoulders and back started breaking out so I had to switch to the following products which really work well in dealing with hormonal skin changes.

Beaute de Maman facial scrub it’s a nice gentle scrub for everyday use and it’s especially made for pregnant women. I just use it every day before cleansing my face to get rid of the dead skin cells.

Beaute de Maman face & body cream this is another product especially made for pregnant women, it deal with oily and blemished skin. Hopefully it will help me get rid of all the blemishes that I have developed on my face and body during pregnancy.