Prenatal
care
You want to do as much as
you can to give your baby the best possible start. The earlier
you start prenatal care the better because fetal development
begins even before most women realise they are pregnant.
It is important that you
call your health care practitioner or midwife to set up
an appointment. Proper prenatal care will ensure that you
optimise your chances of having a healthy baby. Start taking
a prenatal vitamin right away. - like pregnant care, sprilina.
Ask your care giver if they can recommended one.
Make sure you are getting
the right kind of nutrients so your baby will have all
the building blocks she/he needs to develop. Fat and the
components that makes up fat, called fatty acids - are
very important for babies healthy development. Fatty acids
compose 60% of the human brain. And two fatty acids in
particular play a critical party in supporting baby's
brain and eye development. These essential fatty acids
can be found in the foods you eat. Like DHA (docosahexaenoic
acid) is concentrated in the oils of cold water ocean
fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel. If you don't
really know how to cook fish look for the recepi on the
net. ARA (arachidonic acid) is found in dairy products,
such as meat and eggs. If you choose to breast feed, your
baby will continue to receive DHA and ARA from your breast
milk. As when you were pregnant, these nutrients will
come to you from the foods you eat, as well as what you
make in your body.
The rapid development of
your baby’s brain will continue for about 18 months
after your baby’s birth. Vision will also rapidly
progress, from the capability to see objects about a foot
or so away at birth to closer to adult vision at eight months.
To support this ongoing development, DHA and ARA are still
important.
It is also important that
you find practitioner or midwife whom you can trust and
feel really comfortable with. If you are not happy with
your care giver's service do not hesitate to change them
as soon as possible.
Stretch
marks
Stretch marks are pretty
common during pregnancy. It occur when expanding skin is
stretched to its limit and tiny tears appear in the supporting
layers of skin.
There are many options available.
- Use a cream, like cocoa butter cream. A lot of women find
this really help reduce stretch marks. It usually happens
on the last trimester. Use generous amount and do it regularly.
- Always keep yourself hydrated
as this will help your skin stretch.
Breast
feeding and sore nipples
Did you know that breast
feeding has proven, significant health benefits over infant
formula for both infants and mothers?
Breastfeeding is the best
choice for infant feeding because:
- It is the perfect first
food for babies' growth and brain development.
- It protects your baby against diarrhea, constipation, allergies,
asthma, cancer, diabetes, ear infections, tooth decay and
sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs)
- It requires no preparation, no heating, no bottles or
dishes you have to wash.
- It's free
- It never runs out and you never have to deal with leftovers.
Breastfeeding is not an easy
job. It can take a while to learn and become really good
at it. It is common to feel a slight tenderness when your
baby latches on in the first three to five days after birth.
If you experience nipple soreness beyond this, try different
nursing positions. Ask your midwife or plunket nurse to
show you to do it differently. It is usually a good idea
to contact La Leche League before you have your baby. - they
usually have a course you can attend. Positioning of baby
on the breast - Proper positioning and 'latch on' of the baby
is very important. It can prevent you from getting sore
nipples and other breastfeeding problems. When your baby
is positioned well and has latched on properly, breastfeeding
shouldn't hurt.
When one of our customers had her second son, she got really
sore nipples after just 2 days, and asked her midwife to show her the best method. She thought "Oh come on, this is my second child - its not like I do not know what I am doing, its just something
I have to suffer for a few days and it will slowly get better..." but it didn't.
After the midwife showed her some simple techniques her nipple
got better within a day ! It is really worth it to ask for help
if you have a sore nipple. Don't be embarrassed - they will be
very happy to help you.
Sore nipples
Sore nipples are generally
caused when
- your baby is not in the correct position for feeding
- you have a sensitive skin
- you have a inverted nipples
- you and your baby may have thrush.
Things you can do
- If your breast is overfull the nipple may flatten and
it will make it difficult for the baby to latch on to the
breast correctly. Make sure that your breasts are not overly
full at the start of the feed. If need be try to expressing a bit
before you latch your baby on.
- Start nursing before your baby is upset or too hungry.
- Begining to nurse on the least sore side until let
down occurs, then gently switch your baby to your other
breast.
- Express a little milk or colostrum onto your nipple after
nursing, and gently pat them dry.
- There are some relief creams available. Check if it is
baby safe, and would not dry or cause irritation to your
skin if you have a sensitive skin.
- Try to relax as much as you can.
- Use cold packs or hot wheat bags to relieve pain.
- Seek advice form your midwife about inverted nipples.
- If you have a sensitive skin, avoid using soap or alcohol
on your breast.
- When you have finished nursing your baby, insert your
finger in the corner of baby's mouth to break the suction.
Do not pull baby away, it will hurt your nipple like hell.
- When you and your baby have thrush, it can affect your
baby as a red nappy rash or white spots may appear inside
your baby's mouth. You can treat it easily with medication
from your midwife.
For
Papa Bears
Special relationship with
your baby takes really important part of your baby's life
from early age. Spend plenty of private time with your baby.
There are a lot of things you can do like changing diapers,
cuddling, bathing together and going for a walk, which will
also give mum a much needed break. They will give you and
your baby a chance to be alone together, and the more it
happens, the more confident you will feel about your own
abilities to be a great dad.
Be supportive and
helpful.
Feeding your baby every 2-3 hours is a hard work. It takes
a lot of energy from your partner. Take on chores around
the house like putting laundry on, hanging them, folding
them, and vacuum before she ask you to do it. You can
try to cook dinner as well. It is actually a great fun
thing to do.
Be patient
She will let you know when she is interested in sex. Your
partner is going through a lot of changes at the moment
and sex might be the last thing she will be thinking of.
Regular
exercise
It is good idea to stay active
as a way to ensure a smoother, healthier pregnancy and delivery,
while possibly reducing the risk of gestational diabetes.
Exercise can help reduce
some of the typical pregnancy discomforts, such as backache,
constipation, and swelling. It also help you feel good and
have the energy levels and endurance to maintain strength
during the changes in the baby due to pregnancy.
Exercise has to be tailored
to you while you are pregnant. You will have to think about
how much extra weight you are carrying, and will have to be really
careful when putting stress on those joints or not to over
stretch because during pregnancy, a hormone called relaxin
is released into the body to relax the uterus to make room
for the growing fetus. But this hormone also relaxes all
the other connective tissue in the body, like the ligaments
and tendons that surround the joints. Start slowly and change
your level every few months. Try to avoid exercise at extreme
altitude. And drink plenty of water.
Recommended exercise during
pregnancy are swimming and walking but it will be good idea
to avoid contact sports or activities that carry a risk
of falling such as touch rugby, netball, skiing, or horseback
riding.
You will have to be extra
careful if you have high risk pregnancies. Talk to your
caregiver for guidance before you start your Exercise
Last but not least important
exercise is your pelvic muscles. It will allow the vagina
to widen more easily during delivery. It may also help prevent
urinary problems after delivery. Do not forget to do pelvic
muscles exercise after the birth.
What
to take to the hospital
You will find that you will
probably be in a rush and may forget the most simplest items.
So plan ahead. Make sure that you have everything you want
to have or need.
Mama Bear's Checklist
- waterproof pads for the car journey
- unscented oil/cream for back massage
- heat pad or ice pad to relive pains
- slippers or socks
- toiletries
- hair clips or ties
- pillow from home
- change of clothes and underwear (lots of underwear!)
- favourite music (A mixture is a good idea. One of my friends
had a sudden urge for Heavy Metal during her labour!)
After birth
- nursing bras and pads
- reading and writing pads
- favourite food and snacks
- going home clothes
- loose gowns or shirts for breast feeding.
- hand cream
- small quiet clock (the tick-tock of an analogue clock
can drive you insane. Go digital)
Papa Bear's Checklist
- watch with a second hand or digital watch with a stopwatch
- comfortable clothes (and shoes) you will be on your feet for anywhere up to 12 hours or more
- telephone number of family and friends
- change of clothes
- paper and pen
- snack food
- camera or video camera
Baby Bear
Most hospitals provide everything baby needs for the first
few days. But you will still need -
- car seat
- warm blanket for baby
- safe and warm jacket
- going home outfit like set of knitted woolen jacket, booties,
and bonnet.
What
you need list
We have asked a lot of mothers
what they thought was really necessary and useful and came
up with this suggested list. You can print it out and use
it as your check list. Please click
here to find out more
Other
tips
- Leaky disposable
nappies
- With boys some mothers found that they
have leaky disposable nappies. Make sure that you tuck baby's
penis downwards when changing nappies, if you are using
newborn nappies try one size bigger nappies. - even if he
is still in the weight recommendations.
- Constipation
- Try to go for a gentle walk, or take metamucil as directed
by the manufacturer.
- Can't relax
- When you find yourself not being able to relax or sleep
take a few drops of rescue remedy and take a long bath.
Try to get some quiet time to yourself. Even as little as
10-15 minutes can make a big difference.
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