What are cigarettes made of?

Tobacco in a cigarette is blended from two types of tobacco leaves. Nicotine is found in tobacco leaves and the amount of nicotine is usually 2.5% to 4%. A smoker enjoys a steady dose of nicotine as the cigarette is designed to deliver nicotine in such manner.

Other parts of a tobacca plant is used to make fillers in a cigarette. Fillers are mixed with additives and flavours. Additives are added in a cigarette to make it more addictive and flavors such as mint makes it more appealing to smokers. Although individual ingredients are usually harmless, but when combined to make up a cigarette, these substances may be harmful to your health.

The cigarette filter is made from cellulose and its main purpose is to filter tar from inhaled smoke. Despite claims that filtered cigarettes deliver less nicotine to the smoker and is therefore safer to smoke, it is advisable to read these claims with reservations. Especially reports published by tobacco companies which more often than not are poorly substantiated. It is best to refer to independent studies and research to verify such claims. Regardless, a safer cigarette is an oxymoron.

Smoking cigarettes lower fertility

One of the main causes of infertility, or decreased fertility, is cigarette smoking. If you and your partner, or either one of you smokes, there is a likelihood of lower fertility.

For the male counterpart, cigarette smoking is linked to lower sperm quality and sperm count. Sperm from a male smoker is at a risk of abnormalities and lower mobility. The risk of erectile disfunction is higher for male smokers which in turn affects normal conception.

For female smokers, studies indicate smoking lowers female fertility by affecting the ovaries, the fallopian tube and the eggs produced. Exposure to the harmful toxins from cigarette smoke affects the female sex hormone estrogen production which is responsible for regulating reproductive functions in a female’s body. Smoking also distrupts the function of fallopian tube cells. When an egg is fertilized in the fallopian tube, it is transported to the uterus by fallopian tube cells where the egg continues to grow normally. Failure to place the egg in the uterus cause miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies (an occurance where the egg grows outside of the uterus).

Dangers to your baby if you smoke during pregnancy

Smoking is the main cause of illness and death in mothers and babies. It is also the single most preventable cause but obviously not the easiest habit to quit due to the very nature of nicotine which makes smoking cigarettes so addictive. That is why I commend you in what could be your first step to quit smoking for the sake of you and your baby’s health.

So what are the risks of smoking pose to you and your baby when you’re pregnant? Generally, studies have shown that women who smoke are prone to miscarriage, placenta complications, low birth weight, stillbirth and neonatal death (where newborn dies in the first month of life).

The placenta is responsible for delivering nutrients and oxygen to the foetus. Nutrients and oxygen gets contaminated with cigarette smoke toxins when pregnant women smoke. Carbon monoxide level in the foetal blood increases while oxygen level drops. The foetus’ heart beats faster and is stressed to compensate for the lower than normal oxygen level. Tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy may lead to abnormal low placenta placement or placenta abruption. All of which add up to the risk of premature labor, low birth weight and in severe cases, still born babies.

Premature babies due to exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy have birth weight lower than 2.5kg and internal organs that are smaller and less fully developed than full term healthy babies. Therefore, they are likely to have weaker lungs, prone to middle ear infections and asthmatic bronchitis during infancy stage. The risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) or cot death increases up to 3 fold compared to newborns of non-smoker mothers.

Never too late to quit smoking

It is not fair to expose an unborn baby to the hazards of tobacco smoke. Secondhand smokers can move out of the way when a smoker lights up but your foetus has no choice. Do not place your baby’s health at risk and it is never too late to quit. Your baby’s health will benefit even if you quit in the middle of pregnancy.

Prior to my appointment with my OB this morning, I took a blood glucose level lab test. I was given a big cup of ultra sweet glucose drink at 8.30am. My urine and blood was taken at the same time. Two more samples of urine and blood were taken within the next 2 hours, at 9.30am and 10.30am.

My results came back at 11.45am showing my glucose level was a bit higher than average. In short, I’m considered diabetic in my pregnancy. I was instructed to change my diet and limit my intake of sugary stuff and carbs.

The good news today is the baby’s umbilical cord which started to wrap around his neck at around 4 months is finally out. Eventhough the cord was loose and the blood flow was fine, I’m happy to know it’s not around his neck anymore. In some cases, when the cord is too tight and blood flow restricted, babies growth can be hindered and had to be delivered early. So it had me quite worried throughout the past few months.

Caught the flu virus? Some people may tell you exactly what to drink or eat to get rid of it without any medication. Thank them for their good intentions but keep in mind it is important to consult a doctor before trying to take something you’ve never take before.

During the nine months course of pregnancy, the most fun (funny?) stuff I’ve heard is wives tales, also known as myths. Here’s a few that revolves around whether you’re carrying a baby boy or girl.

Most people will not care what sex the baby is, all you care is a smooth sailing pregnancy. In the first trimester, you’d be really bothered by morning sickness you can’t wait until the first trimester is over. One of them wives tales is that serious morning sickness means a baby girl is more likely.

Here’s a wives tale that I come across during my first pregnancy which is a lot of fun. You can try it out on everyone in your family. Use a thin piece of string or your hair, slide your ring down it, hold it above your tummy and let the ring swing above it. If the rings twirls in a circle it is a boy, but if it moves from one side to the other, it is a girl. Once you’ve tried it out on your belly, get somebody in your house and do it above their hand. Does the ring twirl in a circle above your husband’s hand? Well, is it really an old wives tale or is there really something to it?

During first trimester, many women claim to suffer heartburn and according to the old wives tell this would mean your baby will be born with a head full of hair. I don’t know how about other people but for me, I suffered terrible heartburn in my second pregnancy, but baby Clarisse does not have much hair when she was born.

Toward the end of your first trimester your doctor will listen to your baby’s heart rate, this is to ensure the baby is doing well. The wives tale goes, if the heart rate is high it is a girl and a low one is a boy.

Have anyone tell you that you are carrying high or low and wonder what that really means? Basically if you are carrying your baby low it is closer to your abdomen, a high baby is closer to your chest. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. How is your baby sitting? The old tale says that if you are carrying high it is a girl, carrying low is a boy.

Wives tales can be a lot of fun but keep in mind these are not fact. Do not go setting up your baby’s room just because one of these told you that you are carrying a baby girl.

Kind of unfair to single out sushi as the main cuisine to have raw meat and fish I admit. Sickness contracted from uncooked food can be especially harmful to pregnant women. Food poisoning can cause diarrhoea which reduces your body’s ability to absorb nutrient. On the other end, it can cause severe complications and lead to foetal abnormalities.

Cold cuts

Make sure to put pre-packed lunch meat in the microwave before eating them. Pre-packed lunch meat usually sold at supermarket deli counter are known to carry the risk of containing listeria. Listeria can survive despite being heated before you buy them.

Cured Meat

Sausages and bacon are full of nirates and preservatives. Something pregnant women should try to avoid as these substances may be linked to foetal abnormalities. Like pre-packed meat, they should be consumed when steaming hot to ensure no risks of possible listeria contamination.

Soft cheeses

Brie and soft cheese such as blanco, queso and Camembert are considered high-risk food group for listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne bacteria which is known to cause serious health problems for pregnant women.

Energy bars

Energy bars are great as they are powerhouse when it comes to multivitamin contents. So much so that it could be detrimental and potentially toxic to pregnant women who are on regular prescription of pre-natal vitamins. Pregnant women already consuming pre-natal vitamins are adviced against taking extra supplements to prevent overdosage.

When you’re pregnant, your hormones relaxes your bowel muscles. Slowing down your bowel muscles also hampers intestinal movements. Hence, limiting your muscles’ ability to push food and waste down your intestines.

Here are some tips to keep your bowel movement moving along:

• Fluids, and lots of them. Drink more water regularly.
• Keep your feet up in an elevated position whenever possible. Preferrably when you’re lying down because sitting down too much is unadvisable.
• Supplement your daily cup of hot cereal with a dash of molasses or grounded flaxseed. Adding them to hot drinks if much preferrable to drinking it straight with a warm cup of plain water.
• Being pregnant doesn’t mean you are banned from exercising. Regular, gentle exercise like walking, swimming, stationary cycling, yog a or pilates (watched by a professional trainer of course) improves bowel stimulation. You’ll find your body able to digest food better. Kegels (floor exercises for pelvic) also benefit bowel movements by improving blood flow to the bowel area.
• Go whenever you feel the urge to pass motion. Don’t wait or you’ll risk having your stool become dry and hard.
• Certain fruits and nuts contain natural laxatives. Go with olive oil, watercress, soybeans, apricots, almonds, mangos and perhaps best of all: prunes.

By sleeping on your left side, you’re allowing the highest amount of blood flow to your baby. At the same time, you’re helping your kidney to function more efficiently which in turn helps to reduce swelling. One of the more important organs at the right side of your body is the liver which regulates many important functions while you’re pregnant. Sleeping on your left would alleviate putting unnecessary pressure on your liver.

Why does sleeping on your left ensure better blood flow to you and your baby? Because you’re avoiding the most unadvisable sleeping position during pregnancy: sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your back puts pressure on a major vein that transport blood from the lower body back to your heart, the inferior vena cava.

What about sleeping on your tummy? I gather you’re still in your first trimester and your baby bump has yet to protude noticeably if you’re wondering about this fairly silly question. You’ll be putting pressure on your foetus when sleeping on your stomach, period.

Develop the habit of side sleeping early during your pregnancy with your knees bent and pillow between your legs for maximum comfort. Place priority on sleeping on your left side and avoid sleeping on your back as much as possible.

FOLIC ACID

Also referred to as folate, folic acid is one of the very first and widely prescribed supplement to pregnant woman. It is also given to women who intend to conceive and should be taken one month before conception until the end of first trimester of pregnancy. In fact, I was adviced to start taking folic acid when I wanted to start conceiving. A whole six months before I managed to conceive baby Clarisse.

Why the need for folic acid? Sufficient folic acid supplementation is crucial to protect against neural tube defects. The lack of folate could cause neural tube defects in an embryo during early part of pregnancy. It can cause birth defects severe enough to result in foetus fatality. That is why doctors strictly prescribe folic acid to ensure pregnant women get sufficient levels of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. No less than 400mcg every day.

Apart from taking folic acid supplement as prescribed by your doctor, you can also get your daily dietary folate intake from five servings of fruits and vegetables and fortified food every day.

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A can be derived from two sources: plant-based foods and animal products. Plant-based Vitamin A is known as beta-carotene whereas those derived from animal products are retinyl esters.

Vitamin A found in most supplements are derived from animal products which can cause birth defects in the children of pregnant women if consumed in excess, over 10000 IU to be exact. Pregnant women should only consume pre-natal multi-vitamin supplement prescribed by their OB. The daily recommended intake of vitamin A in prenatal vitamins should not exceed 5000IU as many foods contain preformed vitamin A.

Beta-carotene on the other hand, found in fruits and vegetables, is a safe source of vitamin A for pregnant women. There is currently no tolerable upper intake level for beta-carotene because of it’s non-toxicity nature.

Carrots and spinach contains an abundant amount of Vitamin A. Pregnant women should consume a diet rich in vegetables and fruit. In fact, an average carrot provides 15,000 IU of safe beta-carotene form of vitamin A.

CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS

As the foetus grows, calcium plays an important role in fetal bone formation and structure. Phosphorus is needed to form the structure of both DNA and RNA.

Calcium supplements are prescribed by your obstetrician to prevent insufficient calcium level. For pregnant women, if there is not enough calcium in your body, calcium and lead are extracted from the mother’s bones and enters the blood stream. This would pose a risk of damaging the nervous system of the growing foetus. At a later stage of your life, you might experience higher risk of osteoporosis.

Although your pre-natal multi-vitamin supplement may contain calcium, your obstetrician would likely prescribe separate calcium pills for you during your entire pregnancy.

MINERALS: IRON, ZINC AND IODINE

Iron

Pregnant women are prone to iron deficiency. It is a common occurence especially during the last six weeks of pregnancy when you are unlikely to get sufficient iron from even the best iron-clad diet. If you experience severe morning sickness during the earlier stage of pregnancy, carrying twins, conceived again shortly after giving birth and experience heavy menstrual flow before pregnancy, you are at a higher risk of iron deficiency.

Why is your iron requirement considerably higher when you’re pregnant? Simply because iron is crucial in making blood for you, your baby and placenta. When you’re pregnant your body’s blood requirement goes up considerably.

Take adequate vitamin C too as it is needed for absorption of iron into your body. supplementation, however, can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb zinc from food. Therefore, it is common for zinc supplements to be given alongside iron supplements.

Zinc

Pregnant women needs adequate level of zinc to prevent preterm births and to a lesser extent, ensure healthy babies and smoother deliveries. Your pre-natal vitamins will contain sufficient zinc supplementation

It is common for zinc supplements to be given alongside iron supplements because extra iron interferes with your body’s ability to absorb zinc from food.

Iodine

As for the role of iodine during pregnancy, according to the WHO, the lack of iodine is the single greatest cause of mental retardation in babies. Growing foetus uses their mother’s iodine to develop thyroid hormones and allows the brain to grow normally. Your pregnancy iodine intake requirement is available in pre-natal supplement.

For yourself :

• Your hospital or health card
• Antenatal Notes – any notes which you might’ve prepared. Never hurts to have something to refer to.
• A few pairs of socks – Thick and comfy ones to provide warmth in the cold delivery ward.
• Table clock – Place one on the table next to your bed. Pretty handy to time your contractions.
• Two pairs of slippers – New non-slip ones preferably for both you and your husband. The hospital I went to does not allow shoes to be warn in labor ward.
• Lip balm or chapstick – To keep your lips moist and prevent chapping. I was reminded to put it in the bag but ended up not needing it. Depends on the air, the season and where you’re living I guess.
• A pack of maxi pads with wings – For after labor postpartum bleeding. Bring two dozens of maxi pads with wings, preferably as thick and absorbent as possible. Expect to change every few hours if heavy bleeding. That should be enough for 2 nights at the hospital.
• Disposable underwear – Heavy after-labor bleeding might leak and stain your underwear. So cheap and disposable panties can be used and thrown away in it happens. I used disposable panties throughout my hospital stay, just for convenience.
• Hand sanitizers – I brought this along for family members and friends to use before holding my new baby. They must be saying I’m obsessing too much about hygiene, ah well … ;P
• Maternity wear – If you’re anything like me, your tummy would still look like 3 to 4 months pregnant after delivery. Throw in a set of nice going-home clothes you intend to wear when you discharge from the hospital.
• Front-buttoned pajama blouse – You’ll be nursing in no time after delivery. Buttons give easy access when it’s time to nurse your baby. Bring your least desirable ones, as you might end up soiling or staining them from heavy bleeding. I did not bring any pyjama pants as I find the hospital gown to be more comfortable. Especially when going to the bathroom with post-natal stitches.
• Nursing bras and breast pads – For breast-feeding mothers of course.
• Jacket, sweater or house coat – Keep you warm in the hospital. Especially important for mothers who practise confinement periods, where you try not to expose yourself to cold and breezy air. Also suitable to wear on your way home.
• Shampoo and condition / Dry shampoo – A good shower and hair wash is what you’ll be looking forward to at the end of your hospital stay. If you practise confinement periods, common for Chinese mothers, where you’re advised not to shower or wash your hair for a month (shudder!) you can get slight relief by using Dry Shampoo and rub it onto your itchy scalp.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste – Unless your hospital provides four-star service, most hospitals does not provide free toothbrush and toothpaste upon admission.
• Towels – I have never used towels in hotel rooms. And I’m sure not going to use towels provided by hospitals. In fact, I didn’t recall if my hospital provided any towels at all because I didn’t ask for any.
• Food and snacks – I had an induced labor and waited nearly 24 hours before delivery. During the final few hours, I told my husband to stay with me at all times. So the crackers, cookies and bread tasted a lot better than usual.
• Your favourite pillow from home – Never underestimate how your humble pillow can make you feel at home in the delivery ward bed. Just sniffing the familiar scent takes my mind away from the cold and dreary hospital room.
• Mobile phone, reload cards and charger – You’ll be making lots of calls. Even more after delivery to share your joy with friends and family. Serves as a walkie-talkie between my husband and I, when he wandered around the hospital out of boredom.
• Tennis ball or rolling pin – Have your husband massage you to ease your back spasms.
• Camera and VideoCam – And make sure they are fully charged and ready for that once-in-a-lifetime moment. My husband wanted to bring his tripod to keep that video camera steady, I told him that’s pushing it.
• PDA or an ultra-portable notebook computer – That’s what I’m gonna bring to my delivery ward if I get pregnant again. Books, magazines or DVDs take up space in my bag. It’s a hassle to bring them to the hospital and you’ll (or your husband) be dreading the extra weight when you discharge. Double up nicely as a multimedia player too for videos and music.

For your baby :

• Baby car seat – Not exactly something that fits in the bag but get one even if you don’t need it when you leave the hospital. It’s the most useful thing ever in the car for the next couple of months. In some countries, you won’t be allowed to leave if your car doesn’t have a baby seat.
• Baby mittens & booties – Baby booties to keep their feet warm and cozy. Baby mittens to keep their fingernails from scratching their own face. And yea, their fingernails can get pretty long and sharp.
• A nice baby outfit – For the picture taking and visits from friends and family. And it’ll be nice to leave the hospital in style. In fact, the hospital took care of clothing my newborn until the moment we discharge. So just one set of baby clothing would do nicely.
• Baby cap – If it’s really cold outside, the cap would keep your baby’s head warm. They just look darn cute in them anyway.
• Baby towel, receiving blankets – Something thick and comfy to wrap your baby in case it’s cold. Newborns love to be swaddled.
• Newborn baby diapers – Although the hospital provided them, I shopped for some of the smallest and tiniest diapers I could find beforehand. My OB told me that my baby would most likely be barely 6 pounds and he was right. She needed the smallest sized diapers on the market.

Poison Arrows afflicting the main door and bed

Look out of your house and check if there’s any ‘poison arrows‘ pointing directly towards your main door. Poison arrows in Feng Shui refers to sharp and pointed structures which inflicts bad chi to the lives of afflicted inhabitants. It can be a sharp angle of a building, edge of a wall, pillars, trees, table corner and such.

Within your bedroom, observe and find poison arrows pointed towards the bed.

If you find any, both external and internal poison arrows must be shielded, reflected or hidden from view.

If you have any doubts with your own ability to recognise or suppress poison arrows, it is best to use a qualified Feng Shui practitioner for peace of mind.

The bedroom and interior decor

Again, take note of poison arrows pointing towards your bed and hide them from view.

If your bedroom is a mess you should probably give it a good spring cleaning now. Clutter weakens the ‘chi‘ in a given area. Since we’re trying to apply Feng Shui to bring about positive ‘chi’ into the bedroom, clean it up until your bedroom feels comfortable and relaxing to be in. Some feng shui practitioners suggest anything under the bed must not be disturb when couples are trying to conceive until the baby is born.

This is important: Position the bed so that your husband’s head is pointed towards his ‘Nien Yen’ direction, which activates his descendant’s luck. To find out your husband’s ‘Nien Yen‘ direction, you should first find out his KUA number. There are a number of feng shui related websites out there that calculates it for you – Smilingbamboo.com for instance, also has a chart of favourite directions for every individual’s KUA number.

Enhance fertility luck by having a painting or symbol of pomegranate in your bedroom to bring many healthy offsprings. One of the traits of pomegranate that signifies fertility luck in feng shui is that when peeled open, it reveals a lot of red seeds. In feng shui, the pomegranate symbolizes fertility and suggests descendants’ luck.

Feng shui experts suggest you place five pomegranates on your bed every morning when you get out of bed. 4 of them should be placed on each corners of the bed and the last one, in the middle of the bed. Remove and keep the pomegranates aside when retiring to the bed every night. Repeat daily.

To enhance positive yang energy in the bedroom, hang red paper lanterns on either side of the bed. A dragon symbol on the man’s side on of the bed helps too. Be aware though, do not place figurines of deities or gods in your bedroom. It is regarded as a disrespectful act to the gods.

It is advisable to display animal ornaments, symbols or subjects in a painting in pairs. Pairing symbolizes marital union. A pair of fish or mandarin ducks is a potent symbolization of marital union.

Place a painting of children in the bedroom. The more children in the painting, the merrier. A great example of such symbolic Feng Shui element is the famous ‘100 children‘ embroided screens found in the emperor’s room of the imperial palace of China, the Forbidden City. It symbolizes a great number of descendants for the emperor.

Placing prominent elephant ornaments as part of your bedroom decor or anywhere in the house will help, particularly if you want baby boys.

As for the rest of your house, the sector that governs the luck of descendants and children is the WEST sector. Energise this area with symbols and artifacts mentioned above. One of the best and most favourable item to occupy this area is the ‘Laughing Buddha with Children‘ figurine.

Miscellaneous tips

Planting a couple of fruit trees, the types that bear lots of fruits, are known in fengshui to symbolize fertility and children. Perhaps planting a pomegranate tree? And eat it too? It is also believed that women who eats a serving of pomegranate fruit during the Chinese New Year will be blessed with sons in that particular year. Admittedly, I’m somewhat amused by this

If you won’t mind buying something weird for your wife, how does an egg sound? Not a real one of course. Perhaps one made from crystals or stone. It is said to bring fertility luck to couples.

Research shows how evolution has taken place over time where the lower vertebrae in human females have become reinforced to allow the exaggerated curved position of the spine assumed by pregnant women when they are standing upright. This position allows the trunk’s center mass to remain above the hips. Video clip shows a detailed illustration.