Can I continue exercising safely while pregnant?

Exercising during pregnancy can make you feel great and help you develop the stamina needed for giving birth. Yoga, swimming, and walking are all great options, but avoid high-impact exercises that involve jumping, bouncing, lifting, or sit-ups.

Preparing For Fatherhood

Baby Efosa and dada

About to become a young father? If you're in a relationship, and facing parenthood together, here's how to play your part in your partner's pregnancy.

During the pregnancy,
Your input doesn’t stop when the test comes back positive. You’re facing nine months of expectation and preparation, after all. You may not be carrying the baby, but there’s a great deal you can do to lighten the load.

Checklist: Packing Your Diaper Bag.

Going out with your baby is more like taking a vacation - there is so much stuff that you MIGHT need, even if you're just going out for a few hours.

I refused to buy a diaper bag before my baby arrived, thinking I was that organised I didn't need one.   After being caught "empty handed on a number of occasions" I quickly gave in. My choice was for something that didn't look too baby-ish, but there are so many to choose from. Make sure it is large enough to be used for even a day out.

What you'll need in your diaper bag:

CONTESTANTS, 9ja Baby Photo Contest.

Please comment with the name of the baby you are voting.

Baby Annabel Eyotor Ojomo

Keeping Your Sex Life Alive After The Baby

Parenthood is said to be the happiest phase of a couple's life. We agree totally. But babies come with their own share of problems which can in turn wreck havoc with quite a few of your set schedules, most importantly your sex routine.
As most experts warn, if one doesn't pay enough attention to their partner post the baby's birth (and this applies to both the partners equally), it could cause them to drift apart from each other resulting in a significantly huge rift in their physical proximity.

Babies are hard work — a cart load of additional duties and unending late nights. And though they may bring infinite joy and happiness with their arrival, a baby also heralds the start of a totally new phase in a couple's life, one where routines go for a toss and the schedule that both of you had perfected so well, is now governed by the sleep time of your little bundle of joy. This often leaves the couple, especially the mother in a constant state of fatigue and tiredness. In this state, the pressure of performing in bed could probably be the last thing she wants to add to her list of duties.

Help needed, How Else Do I Signal To Her That I'm In The Mood?

Dear 9jababy Readers, 

 My wife and I have been together for almost 4 years now and in the beginning of our relationship we were having sex very very very often. But now I have to see a blue moon before getting some. Let's get this straight, 1. I'm not a dog
2. I'm not a pig 

I can throw any line at her and she still wont understand what I'm trying to hint at. 
I can be very blunt "babe, lets have sex!" and for some reason she must think I am messing around!  how do I get her to understand?!?! 

She is kind of a softy. If I even give off a vibe that I am going to confront her she puts up a guard because she thinks she is going to be yelled at.. (I'm not sure why she does this..)  I have sat down with her before to discuss that we need to be more sexually active..she agrees but then nothing changes!  AHhhh please help!

Teething Wahala In Babies

baby Efosa

To ease your child's teething pain and relieve tender, puffy gums and other teething symptoms, consider these remedies.

Cold things
In the same way that ice works on a sprained ankle to numb pain and decrease swelling, cold compresses and foods soothe sore gums.
Place a wet washcloth in a plastic bag and chill it in the freezer for an hour. (For an added soothing touch, soak it in chamomile tea, which has been shown to calm fussy babies and help them sleep.) When you remove the washcloth from the bag, your child will enjoy munching on it, since the fabric massages ridges in the gums and the cold numbs the pain.

Try a refrigerated pacifier or teether. (Don't store the teether in the freezer, because it can get so hard when frozen that it might damage a baby's gums.) There are a variety of refrigerated teethers on the market, including some that have plastic handles so your baby's hands won't get cold.

Early Labor Signs

It's important to know the early signs of labor so that you can alert the Health Care Professional you have chosen. Be in touch with them as soon as you recognize the signs and they will advise you on what to do.

Common early signs of labor:

• Backache

• A "show" or mucous plug which is brown or pink in color.   This mucous plug has been blocking the entrance to the womb and as the cervix starts to open so that baby can deliver - the mucus plug comes away.

How To Say No To A Toddler Or Young Child

Does your child’s behavior leave you perplexed sometimes; when you ask them to do something and they don’t but end up doing the exact things you tell them not to?

Most parents worry when their children don’t listen to them; they think they have failed and start to wonder if the children care about how they (the parents) feel.
These situations with children leave most parents mentally and physically exhausted and sometimes, regretful of their reactions to their children in the instances where they felt defied.

The 9ja Baby Photo Contest

The 9ja Baby Blog is about a month old now and we'd like to appreciate all of you who have been reading, commenting and sharing our posts regularly. To get even more of you, your friends and family engaged, we are kicking off the 1st 9ja Baby Photo Contest.

What Processed Foods Can Do To Your Health.

70 percent of our calories now come from processed food.
It’s a sad fact that 7 out of every 10 foods that touch your mouth are altered with chemical ingredients, according to reports by Melanie Warner, a former New York Times reporter who authored the book Pandora’s Lunchbox: How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal.

Processed food is addictive.

Who Says You Can't Be Sexy While Pregnant?

There are plenty of ways to feel and look sexy while keeping the spark alight with your partner during your pregnancy. Why not try out these 6 tips to staying sexy throughout your pregnancy.

I’m sure most moms will agree with me when I say that pregnancy doesn’t feel like the sexiest time of our lives! Don’t get me wrong, there are some lucky ladies out there who feel sexy, glowing and have a high sex drive throughout their pregnancy but for the majority of moms, it’s more of a time of sweats, swollen ankles and big knickers.
This doesn’t have to be the case! Check out these 6 tips to staying sexy throughout your pregnancy.

Games a lot of Nigerian kids grew up playing. Which did you enjoy the most?

Going to school was totally fun for most of us, although we must confess, many of us detested the getting out of bed part. However, the pure glee of endless games we were going to engage in at break time at school was one unarguable factor which inspired us beyond comprehension. 
It will be recalled how as children we got very excited and carefree when playing our favorite games. In Nigeria for example, we have street games which have been passed on from generation to generation with her sweet memory forever lingering in our hearts. 
Guess you are recalling some of them right now- Nice huh? Okay let’s help revive your memory a bit.

Tinko Tinko 

Bet that brought a smile to your lips. Many of us remember playing this game; it involves two partners facing each other, while the theme song is sang by both as the game proceeds. With hands held half way up, they begin the game which involves interchanging of hands front and back and slamming of hands by both partners. In this game, a lot of clapping is involved which produces corresponding sounds, adding a new energy which makes it interesting.

Sex Positions That Aid Pregnancy

Some women are fortunate enough to get pregnant on their first try, but for others, the process is a long, long road! To increase your odds, put these positions to the test now.

Try missionary with a twist

While there's no single sex position that can ensure pregnancy 100 percent, making love missionary style with a pillow underneath your hips for the best shot at conceiving a child. "Stay put for 45-60 minutes afterward, when his semen has become more liquid like you can then get up,”. "In this position, your uterus is generally well-situated to aid in the sperm reaching the egg.” Yay!

Hilarious experiences only parents will understand

Our babies are the best things to ever happen to us, we love them anyways but sometimes they can drive you crazy in a fun way.

They can 'surprise' you, when you least expect it

Tips for a flat tummy after a c-section.

Don’t forget you have just had a major surgery and your body needs to heal and recover. Taking into consideration also the changes you have been through during pregnancy; give yourself some time to recover. Doctors’ recommendation is to wait at least 8 weeks postpartum before exercising again. Before attempting any exercises, obtain clearance from a doctor. Avoid lifting of anything other than the baby during the first 2 months.

Here are the most important tips to get your tummy back:

Be honest, how many of us really know what this sign means?

I know a lot of parents have this in their cars as it is meant to create awareness to other road drivers but the question is, do people even respect this sign when they see it in your car? I doubt it, cos in my country (9ja lol) some people are blind to things like this.

Mood swing while pregnant.

Premenstrual syndrome and pregnancy are alike in many ways. Your breasts swell and become tender, your hormones fluctuate, and you may feel moody. If you suffer from premenstrual syndrome, you're likely to have more severe mood swings during pregnancy. They can make you go from feeling happy one minute to feeling like crying the next. You may be irrationally angry with your partner one day, then a coworker may inexplicably irritate you the next.

Plan ahead for baby's first week

I'm sure most of you remember the feeling of anxiety, you couldn't sleep cos you were afraid you'd do something wrong? During your first weeks together you and your baby may feel just as dazed and confused, good news is, soon you will both begin to relax and enjoy each other.

Here are some tips to make it a little easier on you:

Hello 9jababy readers, Please how do I deal with her mood swings?

I'm excited to see that we have male readers too.

Here is a question from a male 9jababy reader.

 Please I need urgent advice from men who have experienced mood swings from their pregnant partners. My wife is carrying our 1st baby and she has horrible mood swings. What can I do to deal with it? She can switch from sudden excitement to crying, then I wonder what I have done wrong. Don't know what to do again. Please help me.
Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks