Yes, of course it's perfectly safe... unless your pregnancy is classified as high risk.

The Nemours Foundation says sex may not be safe for pregnant women with any of the following risk factors:

* A history or risk of miscarriage.
* Having had a previous birth that was pre-term (earlier than 37 weeks), or having warning signs of pre-term labor.
* Vaginal bleeding, discharge or cramping that cannot be diagnosed.
* Leaking amniotic fluid.
* Conditions such as placenta previa and incompetent cervix.
* Carrying multiple fetuses.

If you're considering banking your baby's cord blood, there's a considerable amount of research and studying you need to do way before your EDD. Here's one of the more comprehensive and impartial websites on cord blood banking I've come across: the Parents' Guide to Cord Blood Foundation.

The site focuses on helping you evaluate cord blood banks and ultimately find a reputable one for you. There is a wealth of information in there, so before you drown from information overload, here are some of must-read articles to get you started:

• Medical Motivations for Banking Cord Blood first, followed by
• Diseases treated by blood stem cells
• Research on Umbilical Cord Blood, which is in a FAQ format
• News Reports, which is in the format of a timeline

If you are not from the US, be sure to read their article on cord blood banking regulations by nationality. Lastly, you may want to see how the banks compare according to the fees they charge for storage.

During my second pregnancy, I had the chance to chat with other pregnant friends about cord blood banking. Most of us were ambivalent about it, knowing the value of cord blood in providing stem cells that could possibly be used in treating illnesses years down the line, not just of our babies' but possibly that of others in the family. Afterall, stem cells are currently being used to treat damaged heart muscle, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Leukemia, Parkinson's, partial spinal cord injuries, cancer and lower limb ischemia.

Of course, the other side of the coin to be considered is whether the fees are worth it. The price for freezing cord blood for decades is not insignificant, and possibly one of the biggest factors why people, especially those who are not considered to be high-risk for certain chronic illnesses, opt out. One other angle to consider is the value of cord blood, given that scientists are also now using stem cells from non-embryonic organs, such as the bone marrow.

How about you? Have you decided to save your baby's cord blood?

If you're considering an elective cesarian section to deliver your child, here's something to consider: a new study indicates that the mother-baby bonding is stronger among those who went through natural childbirth, compared to those who went through a CS.

The team found that compared to mothers who delivered by cesarean section, those who delivered vaginally had greater activity in certain brain regions in response to their own baby's cry as measured by fMRI. These brain areas included cortical regions that regulate emotions and empathy, as well as deeper brain structures that contribute to motivation, and habitual thoughts and behaviors. The responses to their own baby's cry in some of these regions varied according to mood and anxiety.

Swain said that no parent in the small study developed clinical depression, making it hard to assess the significance of the findings without replication and follow-up studies. "I suspect that the parental brain is 'primed' by vaginal delivery and affected by neurohormonal factors such as oxytocin, a hormone linked to emotional connections and feelings of love," said Swain. "C-sections may alter these neurohormonal factors and increase the risk of problematic bonding and postpartum depression."

If you think of the biology of childbirth and parenting, of course it makes sense. This is what nature meant the body to do and it is plausible that a natural childbirth sets off a series of bodily changes that may be important in the success of parenting, particularly in the initial period. Of course, this does not mean, though, that those who gave birth via cesarian section will never be able to connect with their baby and nurture them equally well as those who gave birth vaginally. After all, it's a continuous effort to build true, meaningful bonds between parents and their children.

Now that it's clear why Kegel exercises are important during and after pregnancy, here are some guidelines on how to get you started.

First, you need to identify which muscles you need to work out. This is the most difficult part to explain and a lot of women cannot perform Kegels properly because of the difficulty to determine which muscles should be contracted. One way to identify the right muscles is to try to hold your pee midstream. The muscles that contract are the ones you need to squeeze during Kegel exercises. If still in doubt, you can consult a therapist of your OB-Gyn, who will have devices to check whether you are contracting the right muscles.

Once you've identified which muscles needs work out, you're ready to do perform the pelvic floor exercises. Empty your bladder, uncross your legs and tighten the pelvic floor muscles and hold for a count of 10 (or you can start slow, holding for 3 seconds in the first tries and work it up to longer periods). Then, relax the muscle completely for a count of 10. Repeat the cycle 10 times or more, 3 times a day (morning, afternoon, and night). Make sure you do not hold your breath while squeezing your pelvic muscles.

There are many variations to this, but hey, let's start with the basics!

Having well-toned and strong pelvic floor muscles is very important not only for pregnancy and childbirth, but also beyond. These are the muscles that support the weight of your growing belly, and keeps your pelvic organs - including your uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum- in place. During the last trimester, a lot of pregnant women experience urine leakage due to weak muscles. Kegel exercises can prevent this. During childbirth, they play a very crucial role during labor to open your cervix and push the baby out. After childbirth, you may experience urine leakage especially when you sneeze or cough, until your pelvic floor muscles regain its form and strength. Conditioned pelvic muscles also can also prevent pelvic organ prolapse, in which the pelvic organs fall otu of place due to weakened musculature. Thus, especially from the last trimester until after giving brith, you should strive to do your Kegels regularly!