Tired of eating like an expectant hawk? Then you’ll be happy to hear that your breastfeeding diet is in many ways similar to your pregnancy diet — with much more relaxed rules. That’s because although you are often what you eat, your breast milk isn’t, so much. The basic fat-protein-carb combo of human milk isn’t directly dependent on what foods and drinks you put into your body. Even women who aren’t well-fed can feed their babies well, since if a mom doesn’t consume enough nutrients to produce milk, her body will tap into its own stores to fuel milk production. That said, you'll still be aiming for plenty of nutrient-dense foods and steering clear of less healthy ones. The good news: Lots of your favorites are back on the menu. How many calories do you need when you're breastfeeding? Just because you can make milk on a less-than-adequate diet doesn’t mean you should. The goal when you’re nursing should never be to deplete your body’s store of nutrients. That’s too risky for your short- and long-term health, and it will short-change you on much-needed energy as well as potentially interfere with your milk supply. Your body generally burns around 300 to 500 extra calories a day while you're breastfeeding depending on whether you're nursing exclusively or not (if you are, it's typically up to 450 to 500). So while you don't need to be hyper-vigilant about counting calories and consuming more, definitely keep your extra nutritional needs while nursing in mind. As long as you stayed within your doctor's recommended weight gain during pregnancy and your postpartum weight is within normal ranges, you shouldn't have to take in any more or less than that, but check with your pracitioner if you're not sure. What to eat when you’re breastfeeding Eating well when you’re nursing means getting a variety of nutritious foods. And since a varied diet changes the taste and smell of your milk, it will expose your baby to many different flavors (so the carrots, Thai or salsa you’re eating today may have your baby reaching for those foods in the future). In fact, expanding your little one’s culinary horizons well before she starts solids might even minimize the potential for pickiness. Here’s what to aim to consume each day to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need and offering your baby a taste for the healthy stuff early on: Protein: 3 servings Calcium: 5 servings (or between 1,000 and 1,500 mg — especially important since breastfeeding draws from your calcium reserves) Iron-rich foods: 1 or more servings Vitamin C: 2 servings Leafy green and yellow vegetables/fruits: 3 to 4 servings Other fruits and veggies: 1 or more servings Whole grains and complex carbohydrates: 3 or more servings High-fat foods: Small amounts (you don't need as much as you did during pregnancy) Omega 3s: 2 to 3 servings a week to promote baby's brain growth (that’s at least 8 ounces a week of low-mercury fish like wild salmon and sardines; you can also get omega 3s in DHA-enriched eggs) Prenatal vitamin: Daily How much water to drink Aim to drink more water than usual a day, so at least 8 cups along with fluids from fruits, vegetables and other sources — especially in the weeks after birth, since it will help your body recover. To ensure you’re getting enough, a good rule of thumb is to drink a cup of water at every nursing session. In all, you'll need about 128 ounces of fluids a day from all sources (so don't worry, you don't have to down 16 glasses of water daily while you're breastfeeding). Keep in mind that your milk supply won’t be affected unless you’re seriously dehydrated, but your urine will become darker and scanter. Not drinking enough can also set you up for health issues including urinary tract infections (UTIs), constipation and fatigue. So just be sure to drink whenever you're thirsty, which will likely be often when you're breastfeeding!

Sore boobs can be — well, a pain. But if you’ve been trying to get pregnant, you may be thinking that the ache in your bra is the sign you’ve been waiting for. Could this be it? Am I pregnant?! Already gotten those two pink or blue lines on a home pregnancy test? Alas, this sore feeling could last a while. But try not to worry — most of the changes your girls are going through are totally normal. We’ll talk about this more in a minute. Wondering if you’re pregnant? Well, what’s frustrating is that sore boobs can occur for so many different reasons. Some relate to hormones that ebb and flow not just during pregnancy, but also during your regular cycle. Before you let your disappointment settle in at another inconclusive sign, though, let’s look a little closer — there are some distinguishing features that often make sore boobs a little different in pregnancy. What it feels like during pregnancy Like breasts themselves, breast pain comes in many varieties. It can happen in one or both breasts. You may feel it all over, in a specific spot, or moving outward into your armpits. The soreness can be constant, or it can come and go. During the earliest weeks of pregnancy, breast pain tends to be dull and achy. Your boobs may feel heavy and swollen. They can be super sensitive to the touch, making exercise and sex play very uncomfortable. (Pro tip: Wear a reliable sports bra and also communicate with your partner to explore other areas during this time.) If you’re a stomach sleeper, the pain can keep you up at night. For many women, the nipples are particularly sensitive in these early weeks. They can be so tender to the touch that it hurts to dry off after a shower or put on a bra (go braless with confidence!). But extreme nipple sensitivity typically passes within a few weeks. As the first trimester progresses, you may notice fullness and heaviness rather than tenderness. Some women also experience a tingling sensation in the nipples and areolas during the first trimester. Sharp breast pain — which can feel like a knife being stabbed into a specific area of one breast — isn’t common during pregnancy. While it can happen, this type of pain is less common with pregnancy. Why breast pain occurs in early pregnancy Breast pain is often the first symptom of pregnancy, occurring as early as one to two weeks after conception — technically, weeks three and four of pregnancy. That sore boob sensation peaks in the first trimester because your body is flooding with hormones. These hormones have an important job, preparing your body to grow a tiny human — a hungry little human. To feed that hunger, hormones work quickly to prepare your breasts for breastfeeding. Blood flow to the area increases and your boobs grow larger. The cleavage may be pretty great — but this growth can also be painful, even causing skin irritation and itching. Ouch! The milk ducts in your breasts also grow to prepare for breastfeeding. And hormones stimulate the growth of milk-producing glands. Basically, your boobs go through a massive growth spurt. Other breast changes in pregnancy Pain is not the only breast-related symptom you can expect during your pregnancy. During your first trimester, you may also notice blue veins pumping extra blood into your breasts and changes to the size or shape of your nipples. During your second trimester (weeks 13–26), you may notice that your areolas — the pigmented areas around your nipples — have grown darker. And they’ll continue darkening throughout the second and third trimesters , too. You may also notice tiny bumps on the areolas and wonder what is going on — but again, this is completely normal. These are called Montgomery’s tubercles. They’re oil-producing glands that lubricate the breasts during breastfeeding and make the process a little more comfortable for you and your little one! During the second and third trimesters you may also begin leaking a yellowish fluid called colostrum. This can be a little disconcerting, but don’t worry! This is the good stuff. Colostrum is an immune-boosting fluid that your baby will drink in the days following delivery, before your milk comes in. This super nutritious fluid is sometimes called “liquid gold” because it’s so good for your baby! Nipple discharge can happen anytime, but it’s particularly common during nipple stimulation. Nipple discharge can vary in color from creamy white to, yellow, green, or brown (might want to warn your partner about that one). Bloody nipple discharge can also happen during pregnancy. Usually, it is the result of growing milk ducts, but sometimes it can be a sign of a blocked duct. Although all this may sound horrifying — and potentially pretty embarrassing if it happens at the wrong time — leaked fluid and discharge actually happen in really small amounts. Concerned about discharge or a leak interrupting your day? Breast pads (inserted into your bra), designed to soak up any leaks during breastfeeding, also work like a charm during pregnancy. In the final weeks of your pregnancy, you may notice that your breasts have become even larger and heavier than before. Nipple discharge may become more frequent. And you may notice red streaks known as — you guessed it — stretch marks. You’re about to meet your little one!

It’s understandable for you to be reluctant to wake your slumbering son. Afterall, it’s not easy trying to disturb a sleeping baby while they are looking so peaceful. Some parents consider it a crime to wake up their own baby who sleeps soundly after a considerable amount of time they spent awake and crying. However, there are things which were considered important that could justify why you should wake him up. Why do we need to wake them up One word, feeding.  Feeding is an important element of development and growth. The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends waking your sleeping baby if they have slept for more than 4 hours during the first two weeks. There are a few reasons why it’s important for you to disturb your child while they were slumbering in order to feed them. #1 Their tummy empties easily One of the most crucial facts you need to know about baby’s feeding is breast milk can be digested more easily and quickly compared to formula milks. As your child’s tummy is only slightly bigger than a ping pong ball when they are younger than 2 weeks, they need to be attended once every two to three hours. If they are formula-fed babies, then it can go three to four hours before they need to be fed during the first month of life. #2 They tend to snooze through hunger When they are awake, your baby would be able to send signals indicating they are hungry or need to be fed at a certain point of time. They can send out a few hunger cues such as rooting, smacking and sucking their own fingers.  The most obvious of all is to cry as hard they can to garner some attention. However, when they are asleep, there are no cues and your baby tends to snooze through their feeding alarm. #3 They need to gain weight Depriving your child from a proper caloric intake can hinder their weight gain. Depending on their delivery method, newborns can lose between 5 to 10 percent of their birth weight in the days after birth. That’s why, it’s so important to feed them frequently for the first few weeks to sustain their own body weight. Depriving your child from their own feeding schedule can lead to complications related to jaundice and low blood sugar. #4 Frequent feeding can help you boost your own milk supply Your breast milk supply varies according to how frequent you feed your child. Those who rarely breastfeed their child would have some problems in establishing an adequate amount of breast milk. It’s important to note that your breast milk would be established upon the demand and supply concept. If you breastfeed your child at a frequent interval, your body would keep pumping out the perfect amount of milk to meet your baby’s requirement for growth. How should you wake your baby for a feed There are a few tricks you can practise to wake your baby up during their feeding hours. If your baby is sleepy, you can try feeding them when they are in an active sleep period. You can recognise this phase as your baby will change their facial expressions, flutter their eyelids and mover their arms. Slowly, unswaddle or undress them. Change their diapers, stroke their hands and feet and don’t forget to sing a song so they would feel relaxed. Hold your baby in an upright position. Sometimes, this can cause them to open their eyes wide open. Try to dim the lights but not to the point they are more motivated to sleep than chugging your breast. Talk and sing to your baby. Make eye contact if their eyes are wide open. Massage their hands, arms, shoulders or feet.

The first time your baby smiles at you, all the sleepless nights, morning sickness and newborn stress will suddenly seem worth it, a million times over. There's just nothing sweeter than an infant's face lighting up with happy recognition or delight. Smiling is also a welcome sign of baby's growing social skills, now that your newborn is making the transition from sweet sleepy lump to a sociable, irresistible little person.   When will my baby smile for the first time? You've probably already heard — from your mother-in-law, your pediatrician and all your friends with kids — that a newborn infant's smiles are most likely "just gas" until baby is at least 1 month old. The unfortunate truth is, they're right. (But if you prefer not to believe it or care, that's just fine!) But newborn babies do actually smile for reasons other than gas: Some smile because they're falling asleep, are feeling comfy and content, or are peeing. Feel free to revel in those sweet first smiles, no matter what their cause. Who could blame you? Before she launches her first full-fledged social smile, you may see your baby doing lots of smile trial runs, practicing and exploring how her mouth moves. Her first "true" social smile is most likely to occur sometime between weeks 6 and 8 (and usually not before weeks 4 to 6), and it will most likely be in response to recognizing someone very special: Mom or Dad. For a social smile, she'll use her whole face, not just her mouth — you'll notice the difference when you see it! How can I encourage my baby to smile? To help your baby along, smile to her, cuddle her, play with her and talk to her often. You can't spoil a newborn, and numerous studies have shown that babies who get lots of parental care and affection early on develop faster, have larger brains and are more sociable. So if you can't wait to see those first real smiles, snuggle away, and smile at her like she's the best thing since sliced bread (which, really, she is).  What if my baby isn't smiling yet? Just as some adults are quicker to smile than others, some babies are, too. If your 1-month-old still isn't smiling, don't be alarmed. That first "real" smile can seem frustratingly elusive, because for even some of the happiest babies, it can happen any time between 4 weeks and 4 months of age.  You may have heard that a delay in smiling is considered an early indicator for autism spectrum disorder. And while this is true, a delay in smiling is very rarely the only symptom that a child on the autism spectrum will exhibit. If your child hasn't smiled by 4 months but vocalizes, makes eye contact and responds to verbal and visual cues from you, she just might not be a naturally smiley personality — at least, not at this early stage in her development. Discuss any concerns you have with your pediatrician. What’s the next baby milestone to look forward to after the first smile? At around the same time your baby first smiles, she’ll likely also be practicing her first coos — putting her well on her way to another thrilling social development: baby's first laugh. Enjoy it all!

5 Weeks Pregnant: You Can See A Tiny, Orange-seed Like Figure If you haven’t pee on a stick yet, do it now. When you are 5 weeks pregnant, the level of your human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG) is high enough for the stick to show positive results.  If you are curious about your child’s look, ever see an orange seed? Good, now add up a rudimentary head and a tail. Sure, they have a tail but fortunately, they would lose them a few weeks later. They wouldn’t have the right look yet, but slowly and surely, you would see them the way they will be. There’s too much to do up to this point.  Which system or organ would function first when you are 5 weeks pregnant? We have a few systems to cover and everything (circulatory, digestive, nervous, urinary system etc.) have to be made from scratch. There is no template for it. Your child is as unique as they will be. Try to guess which system would work first when you are 5 weeks pregnant?  The answer is the heart. It will be at as early as this week but unfortunately for you, it’s usually visible by the 6th or 7th week onwards. No worries though. It’s unusual for anyone to meet their doctors for an examination during the fifth week. Right about now, their heart is composed of two tiny channels. It hasn’t fused to a full functioning, 4 chambers heart yet but it sure will. It needs to go ahead and activate first so that all cells would have their share of nutrients and oxygen from the maternal circulation.  Apart from that system, their neural tube, which is the precursor of their spinal cord and brain will start to work as well, although right now, it still hasn’t sealed itself. It will be next week but not now, when you are only 5 weeks pregnant. Their placenta is still under construction One of the most important organs for your child is the placenta. Though it’s still under construction when you are 5 weeks pregnant, it’s a vital organ which allows a proper connection between the developing foetus and the uterine wall, or else, your child would be struggling in search of adequate nutrients and oxygen. Regardless, the connection between a foetus and the uterine wall is an important factor which determines your state of health for the rest of the pregnancy. Those who failed at this physiological necessity would develop a condition called preeclampsia. How does your child look in an ultrasound scan? If you look at the ultrasound screen, you will see a tadpole. No kidding. That’s creepy right but as most people, especially those who are not at a high risk of complicated pregnancy, get dated at 8th to 9th weeks of pregnancy, few people actually have seen those tadpoles.  You have to understand when you are 5 weeks pregnant, every single thing is in their early phase. The rudimentary tail which you have been freaked about is an important component of sperms to mobilise through your reproductive system, in search for the ovum. Without that vital part, you wouldn’t have a shot at pregnancy. Wait for your turn patiently. When you know you are 5 weeks pregnant, everything seems like a dream. It’s a few weeks more before you will be asked to pee in the cup or they will take some blood to make sure you and your baby are doing fine. Try to start a pregnancy journal, plan a new diet or discuss financial planning with your partner to ease up your anxiousness. 

4 Weeks Pregnant: Small, Like A Poppy Seed You’re 4 weeks pregnant. Incredible! However, your baby now is practically still microscopic. Their size can be as big as the size of a poppy seed but no more. It’s called the blastocyst and currently, it has completed its long and arduous journey from the fallopian tube into the heart of your uterus.  Occasionally, you would have slight bleeding (spotting) but that just means your baby is trying hard enough to get through you to live. He is a fighter. Better make a super strong connection now that would be at least unbreakable for the next 36 weeks or so. Three layers of embryo, the tale of a 4 weeks pregnant Instead of just being a clump of cells, when you are 4 weeks pregnant, your embryo already has three distinct layers. The outermost layer (ectoderm) would form the nervous system, outer layer of skin, hair and eyes. By this moment, your baby’s neural tube which is the building block for the formation of the brain, spine and backbone has already been formed.  It seems healthy but  I hope you are still taking your folic acid frequently though. I mean, it's easy, right? Don’t chug the whole bottle though. The second layer or the middle is the mesoderm. Soon, this layer would develop into a variety of important organs that your baby can’t live without.  Sex organs, bones, heart, muscles and kidneys; all of these came from the mesoderm of your embryo. Better hope it would develop properly then. How about the inner layer? It's called the endoderm. This particular layer would form your baby’s liver, digestive system and sure, the lungs. It's vital for them right after their birth. Yeah, not now. Soon. 40 weeks but you can expect 38 to be exact There is a slightly confusing part when it comes to count your expected date of delivery (EDD). Practically, it can be calculated quite easily. Your EDD should be 40 weeks after your first day of your last period. However, what you should know is that figure is just an estimation. The actual moment when your baby clocked in can be very difficult to be determined. That’s because their clock starts about two weeks before conception. We have been using the date of women’s last period to count when the development actually started about two weeks later from the date given. It doesn’t matter which counting technique you use but it will be convenient to stick to the usual last menstrual period method. You are currently 4 weeks pregnant which means you would have another 36 weeks to reach full term. As this is an estimation, we can expect you to deliver in between 37 to 40 weeks. Some might stretch even further and deliver at the 41 or 42 weeks of pregnancy. A tiny dot, that’s what you can get so far If you are eager to do an ultrasound scan, just so you know, the thing that you can see on that machine up to this point (4 weeks pregnant), is just a tiny dot which we called the gestational sac. However, it's unlikely for you to have the first ultrasound scan as early as the first month. Usually, when you call your doctor to set up an appointment for prenatal screening, they would see you in a month's time.  So the earliest scan you would have could be done as early as 6 to 8 weeks of gestation. There is no need to see a doctor early if you are healthy as a horse when you are 4 weeks pregnant. Just remember to eat well, avoid drinking alcohol and smoking, enjoy your bits of freedom and stay hydrated. It’s certainly a big day for you but you better get some rest. We will see you next week.