First of all, be aware that each situation will be unique, and each age group will more often than not be handled differently. For obvious reasons, answering the questions of a three year old will likely be different than answering the questions of a child that is six. The older the child gets, the more they are able to comprehend. For this reason, you may want to start by questioning your child, which has a two-fold agenda. It will help you to determine their level of understanding and keep you in control of the discussion, ultimately determining its direction.

In the case of a younger child, what they want to know is generally very straightforward. In this case, provide the simplest answer possible and if your child is happy with it, leave it at that. Should they ask more questions, keep providing simple answers until they’re satisfied. There is no reason to avoid answering your child at any age.

If the child is older, chances are they will be more interested specifics, such as what makes a baby and how the baby actually gets into your uterus. Since they will typically be able to comprehend that when daddy’s sperm and mommy egg meet it makes a baby, there’s no good reason to keep that information from your child. Likewise, if they’re curious as to where daddy’s sperm and mommy’s eggs are kept, or how they actually get together to make the baby, it’s perfectly acceptable to tell them.

Providing clear, concise responses will likely have your child accepting your answers without further questioning. As with most things, avoidance will only generates further curiosity, especially where children are concerned. Keep in mind that all they’re doing is seeking more knowledge, which is a normal part of growing up. On a final note, don’t be surprised if the subject comes up on more than one occasion. Just because your child asks the same questions more than once doesn’t mean you gave the wrong answer. Children continually try to satisfy their curiosity, and repetition aids in comprehension.

Pregnancy Without Pounds

Once you’ve considered all your antenatal care and birth options, it’s worth preparing a simple birth plan in consultation with your doctor and midwife. This should be kept with your hospital notes. Wait until about 32-36 weeks pregnant, as by that time you’ll probably have discovered whether there are any special factors in your pregnancy that might affect some of your requests. You also need to be prepared to be flexible because thing may not go according to plan on the day. Your sample birthing plan might include things like:

- Who you want to be present at the birth with you.

- Your views in interventions, such as induction, the artificial speeding up of labour and fetal monitoring.

- Your views on active labour, and whether you would like the possibility of using a birthing pool.

- Your preferences for pain relief and the use of breathing and relaxation techniques.

- Whether you mind student doctors or midwives being present during your labour and birth.

- What position you might adopt to deliver your baby.

- Whether you would prefer not to have an episiotomy.

- Whether you mind if the delivery of your placenta is speeded up with syntometrine or whether you’d prefer it to be delivered naturally.

ANTENATAL CLASSES

Antenatal classes are helpful and supportive for you both.

They will help explain a lot of the choices available before, during and after the birth and will tell you about labour, birth and baby care. You’ll also meet other expectant parents with due dates near to yours.

If you’re planning a hospital delivery, hospital-based classes can be useful as they’ll help familiarise you with procedures and will include a tour of the labour ward. Community classes may be run by community midwives, providing ‘shared’ care in your local health or community centre or at your doctor’s surgery. Parent education networks or active birth groups are usually run in teachers’ own homes and are much more likely to focus on natural childbirth and alternative birth options than classes that are run by hospitals and midwives.

Nature does well in maintaining a balance of about 103 boys to 100 girls. With ultrasound and fetal cell investigations, you may be able to find out the sex of your baby during pregnancy – if you want to.

Men produce sperm with 22 chromosomes plus either one X (female) or one Y (male) sex chromosome. Woman’s eggs also have 22 corresponding chromosomes, but they only produce and X sex chromosome. A zygote fertilised by an X sperm grows up to be a girl; a Y sperm results in a boy.

Although no method with any scientific validity has been developed, by noting the different characteristics of X and Y sperm, it’s possible to suggest a way of increasing your chances of conceiving the gender you want:

- X sperm are larger and slower than Y sperm and X sperm live longer than Y sperm.

- To increase the chances of a girl, intercourse should be 2-3 days before ovulation, as only X sperm survive long enough to meet the egg when it’s finally released.

- There’s a higher chance that a Y sperm will fertilise an egg on the day of ovulation because it will reach the egg more quickly and the baby will be a boy.

- Frequent ejaculation lowers the proportion of Y sperm, so a girl is likely. Infrequent sex increases the proportion of Y sperm and the chances of a boy.

Pick The Gender Of Your Baby

The following tips might help you conceive more quickly:

- Try to have intercourse during your most fertile period. This period is signalled by the texture of your cervical mucus, which becomes clear, thin and slippery, making it easier for the sperm to swim up through your cervix. Ovulation usually occurs 24 hours after this type of mucus is at its most profuse.

- Avoid love making for a couple of days before your fertile period to help build up to an optimum number of sperm.

- The ‘missionary position’ may be most effective for conception, particularly if you lie down for half an hour afterwards.

- Cut down on caffeine. It’s possible that it interferes with the embryo’s ability to implant in the wall of the uterus.

Becoming Pregnant – Overcome Infertility The Natural Way

Pregnancy is an exciting time for you both, but your excitement can also be tinged with apprehension, uncertainty, and – if the pregnancy is a surprise – even dismay. Each person’s reaction to the knowledge that he or she is going to become a parent is different, but luckily nature has made sure that there is plenty of time to get used to the idea during the 40+ weeks from conception to birth. Pregnancy is not an illness, but it does put a lot of strain on a woman’s body. So if you’re planning to become parents it makes sense to think abut fitness well before you conceive and to look after yourself during the pregnancy. Once the pregnancy is confirmed you will both feel happier if you follow its progress by attending antenatal checks and finding out as much as possible about how your baby develops in the womb. It will help you both to understand the minor discomforts and emotional ups and downs that a pregnant woman sometimes feels, and to face up to the slight possibility of something unexpected happening.


YOUR NEW BABY – YOUR NEW LIFE

The birth of your first baby s one of the most amazing moments of your whole life. It’s the sort of event that parents remember in minute detail years later, even when other memories have faded. Although no birth experience is exactly the same, your first is special simply because you have never done it before. But just because you can’t predict exactly what it will feel like either physically or emotionally, doesn’t mean that you can’t be prepared for most eventualities. Knowing how a normal labour progresses, what your pain relief options are, and what can be done if things don’t go according to plan, means that together you ca approach labour and birth positively. The importance of how you experience the birth and the first few precious moments you spend together with your baby cannot be overestimated.

At this time, the bonds of interdependence and love begin to form and tie you together as a family. Don’t be perturbed if it doesn’t happen immediately. Rest assured the bonds will strengthen gradually as your body recovers and your confidence builds during the first few days after the birth.

PARENTHOOD

When you decide to have a baby, you’re also making the decision to become a parent. This is probably the most important step you’ll ever take in your life, because bringing a child into the world isn’t something that you can simply add to your current lifestyle. You’re creating a completely new person, and taking on a responsibility that is lifelong. You’re also creating a new unit – from being 2 individuals, you’re becoming a family – something that both cements and outs strains on your existing relationships with each other, your friends, and your family.

This is equally true if you’re a lone parent and, even if you have children from a previous relationship, your new baby is going to create a new family grouping. So it’s well worth looking at all the implications of parenthood and the different forms that the modern family takes, and to ask yourselves some searching questionss about how you see parenting and how it’s going to affect your everyday needs and your emotions.