Pregnancy on a whole lot brings plenty of changes which knock on every woman’s mind. Contraction pain can be with the feeling of making your stomach harder and tight. Contractions are felt by the expectant mother from the initial first trimester of the pregnancy. Contractions are of the following types which have some meaning connected to it.

1. Early contractions
In the early days of the pregnancy since the body copes up with the changes in accordance with the growth of the baby, so the stretching of the ligaments causes contractions which can be followed with some bleeding, spotting, and abdominal pain. In this case, an immediate visit to the doctor is compulsory since to rule out if have placenta prevail or low lying placenta and ectopic pregnancy. The hardness of the uterus can detect the simple contraction or the movement of the baby.

2. Preterm Contractions
Contractions after 34 weeks of the gestation are irregular. Braxton Hicks contractions have an irregular start and stop times, and they usually don't get more intense over time. Braxton Hicks contractions typically resolve with rest and hydration. These hicks can be noticed after every 10-15 minutes, if not then it makes a point towards preterm contractions.

3. Contractions due to Sex
It is not safe if you're bleeding or have a placenta that's in front of the baby's head--placenta prevail. With placenta prevail, if the penis comes in contact with the cervix or you have contractions as a result of an orgasm, it can traumatize the placenta and cause significant enough bleeding that you lose the pregnancy. Also, you shouldn't have sex if your membranes are ruptured (water breaks) because then the baby is no longer protected against any possible infection. It's also risky to have sex if it's early in your third trimester and you're having premature labor or you have a short cervix because an orgasm can stimulate contractions. But if you're having a healthy normal pregnancy there's no risk, though as you get larger, it may be uncomfortable.

4. Back Pain Contractions
Cramping in the lower back pain are also the causes of the contractions which can be the back labor. Back labor is typically a result of the baby's position as it moves into the birth canal. Babies that present with their heads facing up (called occipital posterior) often place more pressure on the nerves in the mother's back, causing a heightened sensation of pain.

We need an average of only 300 extra calories daily during pregnancy (one bagel or ½ a deli sandwich). “Eating for two” will result in excessive weight gain. Most women will lose only 15-20 pounds in the first few weeks postpartum, with the rest stored as fat, so weight gain of 20-30 pounds is ideal (0-5 pounds in the first 12 weeks, and ½pound-1 pound a week after that). Eat small frequent meals to avoid heartburn and hypoglycemia. Eat what you enjoy, but make healthy choices and go easy on sugars and starches to prevent excessive weight gain and gestational diabetes. Certain fish accumulate high levels of mercury from swimming in polluted waters. The FDA recommends avoiding those fish that are highest in mercury, including shark, tilefish, swordfish and king mackerel. Shellfish, shrimp and smaller fish such as snapper, catfish, and salmon are lower in mercury, and up to 12 ounces a week is recommended. Canned tuna is low in mercury and can be included in a total of 12 ounces a week. Tuna steak is higher in mercury than canned tuna and should be limited to 6 ounces a week.

Unpasteurized cheeses and deli meats can carry Listeria, a bacterium that can cause miscarriage and fetal infection. While this is extremely uncommon in the USA, it is wise to avoid regular intake of unpasteurized dairy products or deli meats for this reason. Listeria is killed by high temperatures so deli meats heated in the microwave until steaming are certainly safe. Highly processed meats such as hotdogs contain chemicals that are not healthy for any humans, pregnant or not. While there is no evidence of direct fetal harm caused by eating hotdogs or other highly-processed meats, we recommend making healthier choices except on rare occasions. Raw fish and meat can carry parasites and other microbes that could cause potential harm to the mother and fetus. While these infections are extremely rare, it is wise to avoid raw meat and fish for this reason. There is no safe limit of alcohol in pregnancy. Complete avoidance is the best policy. Caffeine is safe in small quantities (1-2 caffeinated beverages daily). There is no scientific evidence that NutraSweet (aspartame) or other sugar substitutes are harmful in pregnancy.

Diabetes is a condition in which the sugar in your blood is more than what is normal. If you didn’t have diabetes before conceiving and developed it during your pregnancy due to various hormonal changes during your gestation, it is called gestational diabetics or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). If your testing confirms gestational diabetes, our first approach is conservative. Nutritional adjustments and adding a comfortable exercise regimen like daily walking may be all that some women require. Home monitoring of your blood sugar with a glucose monitor is also often provided. If necessary, medication is recommended. The food you consume passes through your digestive system and undergoes many processes and reactions and gets broken down into glucose, which is a type of sugar.

This glucose that enters your blood is converted into energy with the help of a hormone called Insulin. The cells in our body use this energy to function. The normal blood sugar ranges will be- Fasting- 70-100mg/dl 1 hour after meals- less than 140mg/dl When you are pregnant, due to various hormonal changes, the production of insulin by the pancreas is disturbed. For some pregnant ladies insulin produced is not sufficient enough to turn the glucose into energy. The unused glucose builds up resulting in high sugar levels in the blood. A high sugar level in blood is nothing but diabetes. Usually, gestational diabetes doesn’t show any symptoms. But sometimes you may feel thirstier, your trips to pee may increase, your mouth may be dry and you may get infections like thrush more often.

Sometimes blurred vision too. But often such physical changes like more wee and thirst are common when you are pregnant and so it is difficult to find out if you have diabetes just by looking at the symptoms. If you have high blood pressure your chance of getting diabetes during pregnancy is high. If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, don’t worry much because the majority of ladies deliver healthy babies and have normal gestation if the diabetes is controlled with dietary changes and medications as per your doctor’s advice. But if not treated properly some problems (doctors will tell you) can occur to your pregnancy/delivery and your baby.

Pregnancy is a fabulous thing women can ever feel in her life. Every day is a new day and new hopes for her excitement and urge to meet her baby. While early days of pregnancy needs extra care as the other ones and regarded as one of the crucial parts of the pregnancy where your baby gets heartbeats, get organs, moves which can be seen in ultrasounds. Some essentials things which the expected mother should always take care of during the early days are:
1. Keep happy no matter what the situation you are in. As happy you will be in pregnancy happier your baby will be not only in the womb but after the delivery
2. Although some women have a higher impact on the symptoms while some merely feel their Pregnancy. Some have more food aversions while some women's appetite diminishes. Always make sure you eat nutritious food all the way through your pregnancy which directly feeds your baby to add up to his growth.
3. Always go for brisk walking, static cyclic or light exercises if you have a normal pregnancy, but if said for bed rest avoid doing same.
4. There are very clear guidelines on what over the counter medications and prescription medications are safe and unsafe to take in pregnancy. (pregnancy weight gain calculator) Your prenatal provider should have a list available for you and there are many reputable resources online that also provide detailed lists. Always ask your doctor or midwife first before taking any medication.
5. Drink plenty of water and always hydrate your body to the best all through your pregnancy.
6. If you are working and into sitting jobs take a break after every 3–4 hours and walk so that you should prevent back pain.
7. Caffeine is safe in small quantities (1–2 caffeinated beverages daily). There is no scientific evidence that NutraSweet (aspartame) or other sugar substitutes are harmful in pregnancy.
8. Avoid papaya and Pineapple completely as they can cause uterine contractions and create complications and can lead to abnormal bleeding.
Avoid anxiety and stress. Always keep in mind that you are directly connected to your baby so you think and feel same is your baby going through. So stay calm and subside negativity.

In the 18^th week, the baby continues to grow and your body is adapting to the changes due to this growth.  Your uterus is increasing in size and this is pulling down the lower back and pushing your belly out.  If you lie down on your back, the growing uterus presses against the veins at the back of your abdomen which in turn hinders the free flow of blood.  This could cause problems like low blood pressure.