I’m 18 weeks pregnant this week and, if I’m being totally honest with myself, I didn’t think this day would come. My last baby was born at 18 weeks and passed away in my arms 10 minutes after birth. With my previous pregnancies, despite the complications I’ve had, I was never really a nervous mom. I knew this time things would be a bit different but I wasn’t prepared for how emotionally draining this pregnancy would be and how much each tiny milestone would mean to me.

Weekly appointments with the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor have kept most of my panic at bay, although my visits seem to alternate between being reassuring and discovering new potential complications. I’ve realized that the best I can do is take things one day at a time and celebrate each day I’m still pregnant.

I’m fighting the tendency to avoid getting attached to this pregnancy and celebrating each milestone as a small victory. These are the milestones that have meant the most:

A Positive Pregnancy Test

After a loss, the possibility of another pregnancy often seems so far off in the distant future that it’s a bit of a shock when you realize you have come full circle. For me, denial hit big time. I took 2 home pregnancies tests and requested 3 blood tests. Even after all of those came back positive, I wasn’t convinced until I’d seen the baby on several ultrasounds. Early pregnancy is when many miscarriages happen so it’s normal to feel cautious after a loss. If you’ve announced your previous pregnancies right away, you may be more hesitant to do so now. I decided that I felt okay about spreading the news only to friends and family members that I would tell if I did experience a loss.

Doubling HCG Levels

After a loss, your OBGYN will likely order a 48 hour HCG test. This is a simple blood test but it can give you a good initial idea of how strong the pregnancy is. Your HCG levels should double every 48 hours. If they do, it’s a good indication that the pregnancy is progressing the way it should. My HCG levels quadrupled at the beginning of this pregnancy and it was a huge relief to know that we were at least starting off smoothly.

Finding a Heartbeat

Once you see a heartbeat on an ultrasound (or hear it on a doppler if you are further along in your pregnancy) the risk of miscarriage goes down drastically. This can be very reassuring, as is seeing real proof of your little bean. For me, this milestone was less reassuring than it could have been since I experienced a loss later on in my previous pregnancy, but it was still comforting. I’ve never had a desire to rent or buy a doppler in any of my previous pregnancies, but I have to admit, I was very tempted this time. If my perinatologist hadn’t started bringing me in for weekly appointments, I probably would have caved.

If you do buy a doppler, be sure you avoid anything that says “listening device”. A listening device is much cheaper than a doppler but it’s is only useful in the second and third trimesters when the baby is larger.

Hitting Double Digits

This pregnancy milestone has absolutely no medical significance but for some reason I felt better when I moved into the double digits. Making the transition from 9 weeks to 10 just felt huge to me because those early weeks of pregnancy seemed to be dragging by so slowly that I just felt stuck. There was also the added perk that 10 weeks was just a bit closer to that magic 2nd trimester point when miscarriage rates go down and supposedly morning sickness goes away. I would have been very discouraged at that point if you had told me I’d still be dealing with morning sickness at 18 weeks. Some things are definitely better if we’re kept in the dark.

Moving into the Second Trimester

Depending on who you talk to, the second trimester of pregnancy starts sometime between the 12th-14th weeks of pregnancy. Once you hit that point your risk of early miscarriage goes down and in theory you start to feel a bit better. I’m still waiting for all that extra energy that the pregnancy books promise but it does feel better to see those weeks adding up.

Passing the Point of your Previous Loss

The most comforting milestone many expectant moms hit in a pregnancy after a loss is passing the point where you lost your last baby. This obviously varies depending on your last experience (and if you went full term before experiencing a loss you’ll likely be nervous until that baby is in your arms). For me, 18 weeks was that key week and until I got this far, I was absolutely convinced that I was waiting to repeat history.

20 Weeks

20 weeks is not much different than 19 weeks except that anything before 20 weeks is technically considered a miscarriage. I delivered an 18 week baby who was born alive and fought for 10 minutes to try and breath and I can tell you that nothing about that felt like a miscarriage. My son died in my arms with his tiny hand wrapped around one of my fingers. If you have a loss at 20 weeks or beyond, you don’t have to deal with insensitive family members trying to convince you that you only had a miscarriage.

Hospital policy varies but at many hospitals, 20 weeks is also the point where you can go straight to labor and delivery verses stopping by in the ER if you have any problems. I’ve found most ER staff to be clueless when it comes to pregnancy so I’m anxiously counting down the days until I hit 20 weeks this time.

Anatomy Ultrasound

Typically you’ll have an anatomy ultrasound between 18-20 weeks of pregnancy. This ultrasound can give you a good idea if your baby is developing properly and has any markers for chromosomal problems. If you want to know the gender, you should be able to determine that at this point too. I’ve found that knowing the gender helps you bond a bit more with the baby before birth.

Until I found out this baby was a girl, I had trouble separating her in my mind from the previous baby that I lost. I know that doesn’t make much logical sense but it was a trick that my brain played on me. Apparently I wasn’t the only one. My 6 year old son asked me several times if this baby was his lost brother coming back to our family.

The Point of Viability

A baby is viable between 23 and 24 weeks. Before that point, no measures will be taken to save the baby’s life if she is born prematurely. Survival rates go up drastically at 24 weeks and even though it’s best to keep babies cooking much longer than that, it is a huge comfort once you hit the point where you know your baby has a shot. I may have a party when I hit 24 weeks. Seriously.

Every Week Counts

Once the baby is viable, each week is something to celebrate. Survival rates go up each week and the chance of serious complications and lifelong health issue go down. The good news is, the days go by slowly but the weeks often go by quickly. . . or at least that’s what we tell ourselves after the fact.

37 Weeks

37 weeks is considered full term and the likelihood of the baby needing to spend time in the NICU is much lower. This is also my official pregnancy deadline because I’m not allowed to get further than 37 weeks since I have a history of abruptions and growth restriction.

Due Date

I may be a total dork, but I get really excited when I buy food with an expiration date past my due date. In previous pregnancies I would get all excited when yogurt expired after my due date and then when milk expired after my due date. I’m a long way off from that still but I’m already smiling at the dates on my milk carton.

What milestones meant something to you in a pregnancy after a loss?

There is one aspect of housework that many people overlook and that’s the cleanliness of your air. Every few seconds you take in a lung full of air, but do you consider the quality of it – probably yes, when you are outside in the city, but probably no when you are sitting on your couch. Having clean air can actually decrease your chances of illness and  reduce allergic reactions to pet dander or pollen.

Indoor Air Quality

While many people have switched out their windows for energy efficient ones, put in appropriate insulation and sealed all entrances, they may have created a different problem for themselves – stale air. If the only time fresh air enters your home is when you open and close the door to exit and enter, you may have stagnant air that keeps germs, pollents, vapors and allergens circulating around your home. You may want to open up your windows or back doors for a few hours each week. If you environment, doesn’t allow this, you should have fully functioning exhaust fans that can work to “exchange” the air in your home for the fresher air outside.

What About Air Purifiers

This is one of those uncertain topics as of late. When they were first on the market they were thought to be the greatest thing around. Then as children grew up from infancy into their teens in homes that were always purifying the air, it was discovered that they had a higher risk for airborne allergies as well as a higher tendency to get sick. The basic idea is that they simply had not been exposed as frequently as people without purifiers and thus hadn’t built the immunities. More simply put – the air is TOO clean.  Conversely, persons that have developed allergies can benefit from air cleaners that reduce the number of allergens in the indoor air.

Other Ways to Clean the Air

One of the easiest ways to clean the air is to use a damp rag to wipe surfaces as well as dust instead of dry rag. When you are wiping down your coffee table – even if it isn’t “dusty” it still probably has pet dander, pollen and other particles that can contribute to “dirty air” inside your home. By using a damp rag, you are collecting this mess instead of sending it into the air. Another tip is to change your vacuum bag frequently. When your vacuum bag or canister is full, many of the particles get pushed out into the air instead of staying in the machine. And lastly, invest in a good door mat and clean it often. You might be shocked to find out how much muck is on your door mat, but what’s worse is that when you rub your wet feet on it you are making it worse. Whatever you rub off, eventually dries and then gets tracked in by the next person and will eventually end up in your air.

{guest post from Gina Lay}

Losing weight and getting into shape are a few popular resolutions made each New Year. But let’s face it, time is valuable, especially when you’re a mom. If you are like me, the last thing you feel like doing after a hard day is leaving the house to go work out.

Thankfully, there are easy at home fitness tips we can practice in order to lose weight and get into shape.

Ab Squeeze

One of the biggest things I worry about on my body is my abs. My favorite easy at home way to exercise my abs is by just sitting on the couch and squeezing my abdominal muscles. Start by breathing in and holding in your stomach muscles. It should feel like your belly button is touching your back. Squeeze at least 30 times and rest. Practice this every day and you should feel results in weeks.

Lunges

An easy fitness tip to work out the thighs at home are lunges. Allow enough room to stand with your feet shoulder length apart. Place your hands on your hip and take a step forward with your right foot all the way down until your other leg makes a right angle. Concentrate and use your leg muscles to pull yourself up. Start doing lunges at a steady pace and make your ultimate goal up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions to help get your legs into shape at home.

Wall Squats

Wall squats are a great way to build up endurance in the body. Find an empty wall in your home free of obstacles. Press your back and butt firmly into the wall. Slowly start to move into a sitting position. It should look as you are sitting in an invisible chair. Your knees and thighs should be lined up creating a 90-degree angle by the hips. Your shoulders and arms should be relaxed, and all your focus should be on maintaining a sitting position. If you are doing the fitness move correctly, your thighs should start to burn.

{photo credit}

What I like best about home fitness is the convenience; I can exercise during naps or after bed time. You can incorporate as little as ten minutes or as much time as you want – it’s your choice! You do not need to purchase expensive equipment to have a successful home workout.

Do you have east home fitness tips that you would like to share?

Gina Lay is a married work at home mother of four children. She enjoys baking, cooking, and sewing. Her family is her everything and she hopes to create and pass memories and traditions. Her website is www.themomwriter.com

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

The New Year is a great time for evaluating what changes you need to make in your life. If you are like most busy moms, taking the time to care for yourself is probably not at the top of your list. Fortunately, there are plenty of really simple things that you can do to revamp your beauty routine that will make a big difference in the way that you feel, especially during the cold winter months.

1. Wear sunscreen. Many moms forget that the sun’s rays can be just as damaging during the winter months as they can during the summer, especially if you are involved in any winter sports that keep you outside for extended periods of time. You can simplify this step by finding a face moisturizer that includes sunscreen. If you are going to be outside for longer than usual, use full blown sunscreen anywhere your skin is uncovered.

2. Take the time to moisturize your skin. Cold weather can really do a number on your skin. We’ve spent the last few winters living in San Diego so winter is really doing a number on my skin. Keep a small container of moisturizing lotion in your purse so it’s on hand when you need it. When your hands or feet get especially dry, slather them in Vaseline before you go to bed then cover your hands or feet in a large sock. By morning your skin will be feeling brand new.

3. Stop sleeping in your makeup. Don’t lie. We know you do it too. Sleeping in your makeup is not only hard on your skin but it can lead to dry eyes or eye infections if your prone to that sort of thing. Make a really simple change and invest in some makeup removing towelettes. I love the makeup removing towelettes made by Neutrogena and it’s one of the beauty products that I refuse to run out of.

4. Try something new with your makeup. I tend to do my makeup the same way every day. As the seasons change (or just when you are feeling the winter blahs) it can be refreshing to change things up a bit. Try a new color of eye shadow or give yourself a more dramatic look by changing up your eye liner. If you need some ideas, many makeup brands have color combination ideas right on the package.

5. Ask a friend for a beauty product suggestion. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to read beauty magazines or hunt down the latest and greatest beauty product. When I want to try something new, I typically turn to my friends for ideas. Knowing what products they’ve already tried and loved helps me to avoid the trial and error of finding something new to add to my beauty routine.

What are you changing up in your beauty routine for the new year? 

It may sound strange but lots of people forget their body is a living, breathing, growing and changing entity that really does function independently from our minds. No matter how hard you try, you cannot convince your body to burn more fat or convert your food into energy more quickly. True certain actions and decisions our minds make will have a “default” effect on our body but for the most part our body works they it was designed give the environment it is in. And because of that, you need to learn how to “listen” when you body is trying to tell you something. And I mean really listen – for the whispers and not just the “screaming at the top of its lungs” screams for your attention.

How Does Your Body Communicate With You?

Our body has regular routines – from our bowels and menstruations to how our body changes with the seasons. When something is not quite right without our cells, you probably got a notice when those cells noticed, but overlooked it. If you have lived your life with your period being “like clockwork” – or maybe you have a morning BM everyday – and then one day it’s all wrong, your body is talking! This also goes for the twinges of pain that you sporadically experience. If one day you decide it’s a great idea to help your neighbor offload a washing machine from his truck and your back screams in pain, this means you body is telling you that you need to be more careful. Either you are lifting more than your body can manage, or you need to be taking better care of the body you have.

Do All The Little “Comments” Add Up to Something Bigger?

Many people will wait a day or two before taking action – which usually is fine. It might be a little germ that your body is working out or something you ate that isn’t agreeing with you. However, if you have minor issues on a regular basis, it might be the sign of something major. If you realize that every time you eat a certain food, you end in the bathroom the next day, you might have a food sensitivity – not quite an allergy, but still no fun. Or maybe if you are getting cramps in your calves in the middle of the night, your body is trying to tell you that you need more potassium. It’s all a judgment call, but if you take the time to consider what your body might be saying to you, you might be able to fix things before they get too far.

One of the top New Year’s Resolutions made by people is to lose weight and/ or eat healthier. Many people give up after the first day of working on this goal. There are so many excuses people give as to why they cannot eat healthier, but one I hear a lot is that it cost too much money to eat healthy. There are a lot of ways you can spend less at the grocery store and still eat healthy. Being a good example of eating healthy will help encourage your children to eat healthier too. Here are a few ideas to help you save money while still buying healthier foods at the grocery.

Plan Meals and Snacks

If you want to succeed at eating healthier, it will be easier if you have a plan to follow. Make a weekly meal plan of what you and your family will eat. Include all meals and snacks you will eat for the week. There are a ton of great websites to help you find healthier recipes. A few of my favorite are Spark People, Weight Watchers, Skinny Taste, Eating Well, Cooking Light, and Skinny Crockpot. Once you have a plan make a grocery list and stick to it.

Buy Fruits and Vegetables in Season

Fruits and Vegetables are really important in the diet if you are trying to eat healthier, but fruits and vegetables can cost more and be a little scary to add to your list. Look for fruits and vegetables that are in season, you will find that these cost less. If you find a really good deal on them buy more and freeze for later use when they are more expensive. I have done this with strawberries, blueberries, and green peppers to name a few. A few fruits and vegetables that are in season in January include broccoli, cabbage, grapefruit, oranges, and lemons.

Buying fresh is best but also check prices for frozen and canned. These can often be better deals when they are not in season. Buying from farmers markets and cooperatives can also save you money. Also consider planting a garden. This will not only save you money on fruits and vegetables, but can also help you get more activity in your day. You can also preserve garden food by canning or freezing to use when they are not in season. Visit the Ball Canning and Preserving website for more information on canning and freezing.

Buy Generic Brands

Generic brand foods have come a long way, so don’t be afraid to add those to your buggy to save money. Many generic brands taste really good, have the same nutrition, and are usually significantly cheaper. Make sure to check the nutrition label on the product to compare nutrition facts between the brand and generic. Recently I was buying low fat cheese singles and decided one day to look at the generic brand to compare. Not only was it the same in fat and calories, but it was also at least $1.00 cheaper and included more slices per package. So don’t be afraid to include generic brand foods in your healthy eating plan.

Shop at Convenience Stores/Pharmacies

Most convenient stores, like gas stations, and pharmacies sell food at a much higher price. However you will find some deals there too. Many of these types of stores will have items they sell for cheaper to get customers in the store to buy other higher priced items. One item you will find this true for is milk. Some of these stores will have milk for the cheapest around as well as other items. So don’t leave these stores out because you think they are more expensive. There can be at least a few good deals in these stores.

Shop Outlet Stores

Outlet stores are a great way to save money at the grocery. My biggest piece of advice when shopping at these types of stores is to look for dates on products. Some of these stores will sell items with really bad sell by dates that might not make it a great deal after all. One of my favorite outlet stores is bread outlets. They have lots of bread choices that are healthy, including whole wheat, which you can often get for as little as one dollar per loaf. Just be sure to stay away from junk food in the bread outlets. There are several outlet stores across the country. The one I have closest to me is United Grocery Outlet.

Every year a majority of us vow to have a healthier existence in the coming year. But this is such a vague notion, that many of us falls short.

Here are ten smaller tasks that you can take on that will result in an overall healthier lifestyle.

1. Cut out the processed foods. Many busy moms tend to rely on pre-cooked, pre-portioned food items to make life easier. But what you usually get along with the convenience is a lot of preservatives, salt and other unneeded and unhealthy additives that your family just doesn’t need. This can even be true of items that you think are healthy – like pre-sliced fruits or pre-packaged salad mixes. These items are often “treated” with something to help them from browning.

2. Lower the amount of chemicals in your home. This can be done by using all-natural cleaners (dish soaps, laundry soaps, body soaps, etc.).

3. Start your new calendar with a block of exercise written in at least three days a week. This will force you to schedule around it and thus leaving time to actually exercise. Probably the most common reason moms give for not getting enough exercise is not having the time.

4. Do not say “I am going to lose 50 pounds this year” say “I am going to lose 5 pounds a month this year”. This is a much more attainable goal and also easier to maintain. If you lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time you are much more likely to gain it back. By spreading it out, you are more likely to have a lasting effect.

5. Drink a glass of water before every meal. This not only helps you to “fill up” faster, it helps you to keep your body working like a well lubricated machine. Water also quenches your thirst much better than soda or juice and has zero calories.

6. Start a food diary on January 1^st (or 2^nd if you have a large meal on New Year’s Day . When you write down everything that you eat in a day, you will really start to see where all your calories are coming from. Also the idea of having to write down that handful of gummy bears can be a great deterrent in deciding not to eat them.

7. Make it a goal for the whole family to get into better shape! While it’s important not to stress the number on the scale to children (especially teens) you can focus on just having a healthier lifestyle by staying active and eating better.

8. Get everyone into get a full physical in January. This is the perfect time to get a baseline for your body’s workings while you are “healthy”. We often only visit the doctor when we are sick and so they never have an idea of your norms. This is also a chance to catch any underlying issues that might be what is preventing you from losing those pounds – like a thyroid issue – or other decreased efficiency issues. By full physical I mean blood work, and stress tests as well as dental and vision checks.

9. Sit down and consider your goals for the year. Are you planning to get out of debt? Are you planning to try to have a baby? Will you be sending a child off to college? All of these things can result in added stress, which can have a negative effect on your body. You will want to plan ahead and think of ways to reduce those stress levels.

10. Remember that Life is to be lived not survived. While you are trying to have a healthier lifestyle remember to keep doing the things that makes your family a unit and happy. You don’t just throw away family pizza night, but rather change it to salad and pizza or pizza with whole wheat crust and more veggies. Making drastic changes will send you on the fast track to failure.

Not everyone can afford a gym membership. And not everyone can use a gym membership to its fullest, even if they can afford it. Moms, usually, fall into one of these groups because most of us are on a budget and strapped for time. The home workout program is usually our best bet for being effective. You can do it at any hour of the day without having to follow some schedule they offer, or limited hours of operation. You can also work out in the privacy of your own home and not have to feel self conscious about people looking at you. But the one way to make sure that you are sticking to your commitment of working out at home is to create an area in your home that is devoted to working out, as best you can. This will encourage you to workout, and not allow you to use the excuse of having to “set up” each time. Here are four  things every home gym needs:

1. A DVD player – DVD workouts are a great way to get cardio in without having super expensive workout equipment in your home. You want one that has the ability to rewind and fast forward easily while still keeping a clear image. Check out this one by Panasonic.
2. Wrist and Ankle weights. Weight that strap around your ankles and wrists are a great way to increase the intensity of a workout with taking up a ton of space in your home with a weight set. What you want to look for a set that is padded for comfort and has easily adjustable straps. Try these from Valeo.
3. A Quality Yoga Mat. Even if you are not going to be doing yoga, having a nice mat to workout on will really come in handy. You will want to look for one that absorbs sweat, and is both wide and long enough for you to comfortably workout on it. The mats are great for ab routines, pilates, and a number of other common home exercises. Take a look at this one by Da Vinci Yoga Mats.
4. A Water Dispensing System. When you are working out at home, you want to have plenty of water close at hand – and unless you are working out in your kitchen or bathroom the tap doesn’t count. As a busy mom, you can risk being easily distracted by stepping away from your workout area to go get a drink by something like doing the dishes. One like this from New Wave would be just perfect.

Treadmills, stationary bikes and Elliptical machines are nice piece to have, but very costly not to mention that they take up tons of space. If you have the cash and the space, I would suggest going for the elliptical machine, as it provides the lowest impact and most complete cardio workout.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, however I was in no way compensated by the companies listed to include them in this post. All items were chosen by me directly.

You have probably heard that you should try to cut back on your fat and carb intake when trying to lose weight. While this is true, it is more important to have balance. You actually need some fat and carbs in your diet to get all of the nutrients that you need stay healthy and strong. The trick is to get all the RIGHT forms of those things and then have it all in moderation.

The Right Carbs

The diets that tell you to say no to carbs are just plain ludicrous. Your body needs carbohydrates to produce the fuel your body uses for physical activity. The carbs are also needed to support proper body functions. So by removing them from your diet entirely, you are setting yourself up to be unhealthy in other ways by getting sick more easily as well as being tired more often. There are lots of unhealthy carbs out there – processed and sugary treats for the most part. Your best bet when it comes to carbohydrates is to choose whole grain. The shear process of turning grains into white bread or pasta removes all the good stuff in the grain. You can also get your healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables and especially beans. You just have to remember to keep track of what you are adding. Don’t fall into the unhealthy salad habit, always choose whole fruits instead of juices and don’t add tons of cheese to your beans.

The Right Fats

Just like with carbs, fats are also absolutely necessary for proper mental and physical functions. And just like with carbs, it’s all about choosing the right ones. In fact, good fats improve your heart and brain health, while bad fats put both in danger of disease. The good fats are the omega-3s, the polyunsaturated and the monounsaturated fats. You can find these in fatty fishes, nuts, soy, avocados, and olives. The bad fats are the trans and saturated fats. You can find these in whole-fat dairy products, chicken skin, butter, pre-baked goods, cheese, and fried foods. You simply need to select the right types of fats, not completely avoid them.

A truly balanced diet has proper amounts of all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to properly function. This includes your physical, mental and even emotional well-being. You need plenty of goof fats and healthy carbs to make sure your body can even utilitze all those vitamins and minerals you get from your diet. The true key to gaining and maintaining a healthy weight is MODERATION!

Stomach aches can mean all sorts of things, and they are pretty hard to diagnosis – especially in a three year old that has no idea of how to express their pain. However, a stomach issue can very quickly become a major problem that needs medical intervention if left untreated. Stomach issues might just be the result of food poisoning or a stomach bug (also called Gastroenteritis), but sometimes it is something more intense like appendicitis or a malfunctioning gall bladder. Here are some ways to determine if home care will suffice, or if a trip to the emergency room is warranted.

Look at What’s Coming Out

No one likes to look in the toilet after someone has clearly “exploded” their bowels or thrown up the entire contents of their stomach into it. But if you or anyone in your family seems to be having a violent evacuation of their stomach, you need to inspect things. If you see any sign of blood, go to the emergency room immediately. This can be an indicator of tears or perforations in the lining of the digestive system. Remember that it will not always be bright red blood but may be very dark – almost black – matter, sometimes taking on the look of tar or coffee grounds. If the stool is very green not slightly but almost neon – and the person did not eat something that would account for this – you might be seeing a gall bladder issue which also means a visit to the ER.

How Much Is Coming Out?

You have probably had the thought “How much can one little girl have in her?”, but truly it’s a lot more than you might think. So instead of just thinking that it’s too much, you need to consider if she is able to take any more in and how long has it been since she had a substantial meal. If it’s been more than 24 hours since she was able to eat what would be a normal meal for her and/or she cannot even keep water down, you need to start to consider the need for rehydration via IV. One thing your body cannot survive without is adequate water, and if you cannot ingest enough to maintain your basic functions, you certainly will not get better.

Is There Considerable Pain Too?

When touch sensitively or sever cramping comes into pain, it starts to become other issue besides a virus or food poisoning. If the pain is centered in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen, just above the hip bone, you need to consider appendicitis. If the pain is in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, just below the bottom rib, you need to consider appendicitis. If the pain the a sever cramping that comes and goes but is severe enough to stop the person “in their tracks”, it could be a bowel obstruction. Essentially if the person cannot stand to have clothes even resting on them, and certainly can’t handle any sort of touching on the area, a trip to the ER is necessary. These are the “better safe than sorry” instances. While a majority of perceived appendicitis are false, it is far more risking to wait and allow the appendix to burst and because life threatening.

Another red flag is if the stomach issues are accompanied by high fever and/or chills. This is a sign that there is some sort of systemic infection that needs to be addressed.