Child Development

The big news from the latest report on births from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is that American women are having more babies! The U.S. birth rate jumped 3 percent from 2002 to 2004, to more than 4.1 million births — the highest number since 1962 (except for a brief spike in 1990). The United States is now boasting climbing birth rates again, following the baby decline of the 1990s.
It is very interesting for me what is going on in the world? Why demographic situation is so different all over the world? I know it depends on religion and wealth of nation.
For example in some countries of Africa and the Muslim countries the religion encourages a plenty of children in family. Abortions can be forbidden in general. China has the other problem. The government forbids having more than one child in family even if parents wish to have more children. Except for that many Chinese people wish to have the son because he continues the dynasty. Most of them when they find out that they will have a girl do the abortion. So there’s gonna be a huge problem very soon. Quantity of boys is growing too fast. It is really bad.
About wealth. Unites States is a rich country and it’s population is growing now. But there are a lots of rich countries in Europe. And I know that demographic situation is not very good there. Why it is so different? Why it is going on this way?

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) there are some interdictions for pregnant women. They say that some fish are dangerous to eat during pregnancy. Pregnant woman should avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tile fish. These fish can contain potentially risky levels of mercury. Mercury can be transferred to the growing fetus and cause serious health problems. A pregnant woman can safely eat up to 12 ounces (two average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are low in mercury. These include shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish. But pregnant woman can eat no more than 6 ounces of canned albacore (white) tuna per week. Canned white tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. They also say to eat no more than 6 ounces of tuna steak per week, to avoid game fish. A game fish is any fish caught for sport, such as trout, salmon or bass. Pregnant woman should avoid raw fish, especially shellfish such as oysters and clams. If she eats raw fish, she could get an infection that could hurt her baby.
They also say to avoid soft cheeses such as Brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort and Mexican-style, unless they are labeled as made with pasteurized milk.

Duh……….. I’m even afraid. So many interdictions. Don’t do this……. Don’t go there………. Don’t eat this…..At least I’m happy I have never tried some kinds of these fish, but It is still a really hard work to be pregnant……….

I got information from Internet, that by new study woman’s perspective on life can affect her pregnancy. Researchers at the State University of New York in Stony Brook followed the pregnancies of 129 women who were considered to be at high risk for early delivery or low birth weight babies due to chronic conditions, such as hypertension, or problems in previous pregnancies, such as miscarriages. The study finding: Negative types who view their lives as stressful are more likely than positive types to have low birth weight infants.
Optimists tend to lead healthier lifestyles, which contribute to healthier, full-term births They are also thought to have stronger immune systems, which may help ward off infections that can lead to preterm births.
I’m trying to do everything for my future little baby. I’m not smoking, not drinking alcohol, not using any drugs. I’m trying to have a rest when I can, trying to eat healthy food (no any kinds of fast food), listen to nice music. Is it a healthy lifestyle? Yes! But sometimes I can’t eat regularly, I can’t stay away from stress, cause life is crazy. I have a job, I study at University and I should pass the exams very soon. Does it mean I’ m gonna have low birth weight infant? No! I don’t want even think about it. My baby is gonna be just fine!!! Am I right?

I am afraid of doctors. I am afraid of blood and I am afraid to give birth to my baby alone. I have read a lot of literature on this theme. And I understood, that on the one hand, I want my husband to be with me, to calm me down, to support, to massage me, to help me breathe correctly. But on the other hand, the statistics shows, that number of divorces among pairs which gave birth together is higher than among pairs where the husband did not participate. According to statistics quarter of all American men who took part in childbirth needed sexological help after that.
Each woman wants her husband to know how hard and painfully it was. But I think, that I will better tell him about it.
Childbirth is a difficult process. And the woman not always looks attractively. I know, that if my husband will be there I will be worried about how do I look.

I think it is better for me to calm down and to think only about my little baby. I’ll see him so soon!!!

After 16 weeks of pregnancy the child starts to hear. He hears sounds of mommy’s body: heartbeat, noise of blood, sounds of a stomach.
He can already hear a voice of mother and even recognizes it!
He hears music and even can react to it. He calms down if it is pleasant. But if he doesn’t like he can even push and kick you! Scientists consider that babies are capable to distinguish the native language from foreign. They like those songs and fairy tales which they heard before the birth.
I already have picked up some fairy tales for my future child. I know that when he will be born, he will calm down and fall asleep quicker after reading (singing) his favorite ones! And I hope it will help me too!!!

One of my friends has admitted to me, that during the pregnancy (now she has two very nice children) she was on the verge of divorce … sixteen times. Fortunately, it did not happen. She has admitted to me what ideas have led her to such condition. So I decided to ask some simple men who have wide experience of home life about it. I think, that to those readers who have same doubts, it will be interesting to learn, that «the opposite party » thinks in this occasion.
IDEA 1. It is necessary to get divorced, yet late. He loved me only when I had a perfect figure. And he doesn’t need me now. He looks at beautiful girls.
Michael, the father of three children:
It is absolutely wrong. The man can look anywhere and it doesn’t mean he lost his interest to his wife. And sexuality of a woman doesn’t depend on whether she is pregnant or not. Everything depends on how she feels herself and how she is acting.
Oleg, the father of two children:
The man (normal) marries the woman not because of a figure, he is involved in her absolutely with other qualities. And these remarkable qualities are shown especially brightly during the pregnancy.
IDEA 2. He is selfish. I am pregnant now. I need his help and care, but he doesn’t understand it. He turns on the TV when I want to sleep. He never washes dishes after himself. I didn’t pay attention to it before, but it is hard for me now to do some housework. My friend’s husband called his wife five times a day, massaged her when she was pregnant and mine ….
Peter, the father of three children:
On the contrary, when the beloved woman is pregnant, man feels the greater responsibility for her than earlier. But sometimes he doesn’t think about household trifles. Women have more flexible mentality, than the man. That’s why I consider, that she should take the initiative and talk to him, but without hysterics and screams. To find out attitudes and to discuss each other’s duties. It is important to choose a right moment for such conversation. For example, it is not necessary to find out attitudes, when both are tired.
IDEA 3. He considers, that it is impossible to communicate with me because I translate any theme on the child. And it, as seems to me,he is interested in our future kid insufficiently: inattentively listens to me when I tell about how he now looks and what he can do now. Besides the husband demands attention and care, but I need it too.
I asked to comment this idea several men of different age and with various life experience. All of them have declared, that it is always interesting to father how his child develops. Therefore it is possible to advise future mum who is overcome with similar ideas to calm down and to be more critical to herself: Probably your husband is tired. You have started talking to him when he was going to have a rest? Remember, it is a hard time for him too now: he works more than usually to provide the worthy future to you and your kid. And your husband really demands attention and care. Therefore do not reproach the husband, try to calm down, and try to be more tender, and you will see, that he will give more attention to you too.

IDEA 4. It seems to me, that when I have become pregnant, the husband began to hesitate of me. We always went together everywhere earlier, but now he doesn’t wish to appear with me in public. Recently he went to his friend’s birthday party and told me that everyone will be there without wives. Perhaps, the love has passed?

Vladimir, the father of the adult daughter:
The love has not passed. Often future fathers (especially if they are very young, and this is his first kid) hesitate of enhanced attention of associates, their questions and jokes. What should woman do in this case? Do not be silent, do not take offence. It is necessary to talk to the husband, to explain. Be patient. When your husband becomes more senior and wiser, he will behave absolutely differently.

What I can say in this occasion? Whether it is necessary to you to get divorced right now? You need an encouragement instead of tears and finding-out of attitudes. Whether it is necessary for you? It is your decision. But the woman should remember that when she is pregnant, she is not absolutely adequately estimates a situation. By the opinion of psychologists there are some changes in mentality of the pregnant woman because of hormonal reorganizations. In such condition the woman can strongly react to trifles which earlier would just pass unnoticed. And after pregnancy she will regret about the decision to divorce, but it will be too late.

There are some theories…

Weight theory
Italian scientist Angelo Gagnacci studied about 10000 women recently confined and found out that women’s weight can influence the sex of baby. If the woman before pregnancy was less than 54 kg (113 lbs) she probably will give birth to a girl. Among women in this weight category every hundred newborn girls is accompanied by 98 newborn boys. Among women that weight more than 54 kg correlation is another: 110 boys and 100 girls. Probability of delivering a boy increases.
Gagnacci thinks that the boys are usually bigger and it’s harder for miniature women to give them birth. The nature took care of them in this way.
Theory of blood renewal
This method is based on terms of blood renewal. Men’s blood renews once in 4 years, women’s once in 3 years. Sex of a baby depends on whose blood is “younger” – mom’s or dad’s. You have to take into consideration big blood losses – operations, childbirth, donating the blood. After that the term begins from 0.
Age theory
They say that the correlation of age of parents can influence child’s sex. In families where husband is older than wife (5-17 years) it is more probable that first baby will be a boy. In families where the situation is reverse a girl has more chances.

To my mind only theory of blood renewal is worth attention. Other theories are not so convincing. I get different results according to them. And what about you?

Many of future dads have a pregnancy syndrome. It realizes in absolutely unexpected actions. For example, non-drinking guy comes home at 3AM almost unconscious. Or another one reads the acquaintance ads in newspaper and even circles the ones he liked. When his mother-in-law found this paper a great scandal took place. But the guy couldn’t explain why did he do that.
About 25% future fathers are exposed to this syndrome. Sometimes it realizes in many-hour walks without any purpose. Guys think of their new life. They’ll have to refuse some things in their life. They think about new great responsibility.
If you leave them alone for like 10-15 days quarter of them are gonna find some one-night girlfriend. And all of them can’t explain their behavior. GIRLS! Men are weak. Your pregnancy is a trial for them too. Don’t leave them, help them and they will help you.