The words 'mother' and 'pregnant woman' are used interchangeably as if their meaning is identical, although the Oxford English Dictionary defines mother as a female parent, one who has borne a child. The term therefore does not apply to a pregnant woman. For a lot of people, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Most pregnancy tests will be positive by the time you've missed your period. Other early pregnancy symptoms include feeling tired, feeling bloated, peeing more than usual, mood swings, nausea, and tender or swollen breasts. They can make you go from being happy one minute to feeling like crying the next. Mood swings are very common during pregnancy. They tend to happen more in the first trimester and toward the end of the third trimester. You're most fertile at the time of ovulation, when an egg is released from your ovaries, which usually occurs 12 to 14 days before your next period starts. This is the time of the month when you're most likely to get pregnant. A pregnancy test is the only way to know for sure. But if it's too early to take a test, you may be on the lookout for early signs or maybe you think you're already experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms.  Knowing that you are doing all you can to stay healthy during pregnancy and give your baby a healthy start in life will help you to have peace of mind. Your body makes extra blood and your heart pumps faster to meet the needs of pregnancy. This can cause the blue veins in your belly, breasts, and legs to become more noticeable. You may develop spider veins on your face, neck, or arms. Eat breakfast every day. Eat foods high in fiber, and drink fluids particularly water to avoid constipation. Avoid alcohol, raw or undercooked fish, fish high in mercury, undercooked meat and poultry, and soft cheeses. Do moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 150 minutes a week during your pregnancy. To avoid harmful bacteria or viruses in seafood, avoid raw fish and shellfish. Examples of raw or undercooked foods to avoid include sushi, sashimi, ceviche and raw oysters, scallops or clams. Avoid refrigerated, uncooked seafood. After your baby is born, your body gets rid of the blood and tissue that was inside your uterus. This is called vaginal discharge or lochia. For the first few days, it's heavy, bright red and may contain blood clots. The postpartum period begins after the delivery of your baby and ends when your body has nearly returned to its pre-pregnant state. Symptoms can include insomnia, anxiety, rapid heart rate, fatigue, weight loss and irritability from one to four months after birth or fatigue, weight gain, constipation, dry skin and depression which could be on four to eight months after birth. Drink mostly water, milk, and fruit juice. Eat foods that have protein such as milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish and beans. Protein rich foods are important to help you recover from childbirth and keep your body strong. If you are under 18, or were underweight prior to pregnancy, you need to eat more protein. Someone's baby is something that they have a special interest in and responsibility for. Both of these mean parenthood is imminent. Read related articles: Preparing For A Baby 101 and Top Five Baby Care Tips For Every New Parents

Baby purées can be pricey — it's far cheaper to make your own versions of those same food combinations at home. You know where the ingredients come from. Jarred baby foods will list their ingredients on the label, but you may prefer to buy locally or even prepare vegetables from your own garden. Homemade baby foods will keep for 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator and for 1 to 2 months in the freezer. For the first 4 to 6 months, breast milk or formula is the only food your baby needs. After that, you can start solid foods when your baby show signs of readiness. At first your little one will keep it simple with just a few teaspoons of a one-ingredient food (like a pureed fruit, veggie, or meat) every day. Babies do not need baby rice to help them move to solid foods or sleep better. When using a bottle, do not put anything (such as sugar or cereals) in it other than breast milk or infant formula.   Once you have proven your child's tolerance to individual foods, you can try combinations to enhance flavor and likeability. Pea purée Banana purée. Often called a “perfect” food, bananas are rich in potassium and fiber Baby brown rice cereal Avocado purée Baked sweet potato purée First carrots purée   Preparing Food:  Wash and peel produce and remove any seeds or pits Cook food until it's very tender Puree or mash fresh fruit or fruit canned in its own juice Make sure the texture and temperature are appropriate Cook eggs, meats and poultry until well done For convenience, freeze prepared baby food for later use   Banana puree can be introduced as solid food anywhere between the age of 4-6 months. As banana doesn't need cooking, you can carry it while travelling and whenever the baby is hungry, just peel mash and feed the baby right away. Bananas are an excellent source of nutrition and make great first foods to babies. “Bananas are mild, mashable and easy to chew. They're loaded with vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium, making them a perfect first fruit for baby,” says Jill Castle, M.S., R.D., childhood nutrition expert and co-author of Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School. Avocado is suitable to start serving your little one from 4-6 months. It can be served pureed, smashed, sliced, or whipped up with banana. We've whipped up some deliciously simple ways to serve avocado for baby. In terms of green veggies, peas are one of the best first baby purees to start with, as they provide interesting texture and taste but aren't bitter. Peas are also high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and protein, making them a great source of many important nutrients for your baby's early development. Meat is a great first food for babies and it can be made into a baby food puree, mashed into a chunky puree, served on the bone, shredded, or served in strips as a finger food or for baby-led weaning. Oatmeal's strong nutritional profile will aid in baby's growth and development. It is recommended for babies to start solid foods when they reach six months of age. Oats are a single grain food that are easy on your baby's digestive system. They help promote fullness and a healthy appetite while preventing gas. You can use a blender in making baby food. A blender will work just fine for this making baby food. Other options can make your job easier or faster, but if you are tight on money and already have a basic blender, that will do just fine.  Here's the quick lowdown on what to feed baby and when: Stage 1: Purees (4 to 6 months). Stage 2: Thicker consistency (6 to 9 months). Stage 3: Soft, chewable chunks (10 to 12 months).

Infant swimming is the phenomenon of human babies and toddlers reflexively moving themselves through water and changing their rate of respiration. Swim time helps promote important muscle development and control in babies at a young age. Up until the age of three years old, your baby has a reflex that we use for submerging. The reflex we use to condition the babies is a falling reflex, when your baby shuts their eyes their epiglottis (throat) will close over as well. The first reflex is the diving reflex, which means if your baby goes underwater they will naturally hold their breath. You won't see this reflex after six months of age, and that is why it looks so remarkable in babies who are just a few months old. The second reflex is the swimming reflex. Babies can also pick up an infection from water. You can take your baby swimming at any age, both before and after they have been vaccinated. It does not matter if they have not yet completed their course of vaccinations. Babies sometimes experience side effects after a vaccination. These are generally quite mild and should not stop you taking your baby swimming. Therefore, it's generally best to wait until your baby is around 2 months old before you take them swimming. You don't have to wait until your baby is immunised to take them swimming. If your baby is younger than 6 months, make sure the pool is heated to about 32° C. Don't dunk a baby underwater. Although infants may naturally hold their breath, they're just as likely to swallow water. That's why babies are more susceptible to the bacteria and viruses in pool water and lakes that can cause stomach flu and diarrhea. Your baby's ear canal and middle ear are separated by the ear drum, so water cannot enter his middle ear while you are bathing him. Therefore, it won't be harmful if your baby gets water into his ear; however, it can be uncomfortable so it's safer to avoid getting water inside his ears. Most parents do a good job cleaning baby bottoms during diaper changes. And most babies and toddlers only stool a few times a day. So, unless they poop in their swim diaper, they're not bringing too much poop into the pool. Babies urinate in their swim diapers, too, but their volume of urine is quite low. Keep your pool or water sessions short to start with 10 or 15 minutes at most before popping them out and drying them off with a hooded towel so they stay cozy and warm. Having more than one swim diaper ensures that you can stay at the seaside all day and keep baby warm and dry too. Having fun with toys, gently splashing water over his body and lying him on his back and moving him slowly through the water, will help him feel more comfortable and happy. When you first visit a public pool, pick a time when it's not too busy. Let your baby splash and play with his bath toys. Throw one a few feet across the pool and "zoom" him through the water to retrieve it. Put your mouth under water and show your baby how to blow bubbles. This is an important lesson for him, as he can't inhale water if he is blowing. Although breath-holding can be scary for parents, it's usually harmless and your child should grow out of it by the age of 4 or 5. Breath-holding episodes: usually last for less than 1 minute (if the child faints, they'll usually regain consciousness within 1 or 2 minutes).  They have to learn, just like they learn to walk. And most babies enjoy being in water .