A - ANTENATAL CLASSES These classes are formed especially to help prepare you for the birth of your baby and early parenthood. Here you will learn what it feels like to be in labour, the process of birth (whether you are having vaginal birth or a caesarean), pain management techniques, muscle strengthening exercises, different birthing positions,breathing techniques and after birth advice on things such as breastfeeding and looking after your newborn baby.Basically, a good antenatal class will guide you and your partner through the entire process with knowledge andpractise, making you more comfortable and confident about this stage of your lives.It is also a greatplace to meet other pregnant ladies to relate to.
B - BALL PLAY WITH PILATES Pilates is a form of exercise thataims to strengthen your core muscles, improve your balance and posture and gives you more flexibility. Ifyou have never done pilates before, you can still do it during your pregnancy - itis actually the best time to start. There are pregnancy specific pilates classes that will focus on the muscles and joints that are most important for your changing body. You may find that your growingtummy throws you off balance a bit,pilates is a great way to stabilise that.
A lot of the exercises are done using the pilates or exercise ball, which for pregnant women helps to support yourbody during the exercise techniques.
C - CUTTING DOWN ONCAFFEINE You may be feeling tired, and your natural instinct may be to grab a cup of coffee. Too much caffeine can cause complications, like your baby havinga low birth weight and health risks.While you don't have to cut it out completely, but if you are having 200mg a day (which translates totwo cups of coffee or tea), you are having too much.Remember it's not only coffee and tea that have caffeine, but also greentea, some energy drinks, chocolate(sorry about that) and most fizzy.
Too much caffeine can cause complications likeyour baby having alow birth weight
D - DOULAS Imagine if your partner knew everything about birth. From what is going on with you medically to the best ways to manage your pain. Picture them knowing what questions to ask the doctor or midwife when you can't, how to help you put together a 'wish list' forhow you want your birth to go, the exact massage technique that will help you get through another contraction. This may be wishful thinking, but it is not impossible.
A doula is someone that is trained todo all of the above. They will be with you before the birth, during and directly after wards. They will not replace your partner, but will help both of you face labour and birth. A doula is not a doctor or a midwife, you will still need one of those, but is someone with advanced knowledge on the process that focuses on you and your wellbeing.
E - ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Having a healthy pregnancy means that you need to make sure the environment that you live and workin is healthy too. You need to look carefully at your home and work and try spot things that might not be best for you or your unborn baby to have around.It is important to insist on being in a smoke-free environment,one that is free of any hazardousodours or chemicals. Also important are things like the comfort of your chair at work,your mattress at home andwork surfaces that are notthe right height that maymake you strain any ofyour muscles.
F - FOLIC ACID Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps protect your unborn baby from certain nervous system defects such as spina bifida.The most crucial time for you to supplement your diet with folic acid is during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, when your baby's nervous system is developing.A lot of food already has folic acid init, such as pulses, some fruit, yeast (yourbreads) and green vegetables. Chat toyour caregiver about how much folicacid you should take, depending on thestage of your pregnancy. They will give you a folic acid measurement in 'meg'. Asa comparison, one medium potato has 80meg, a bowl of bran has 100/meg and anorange has 54/meg.
G - GYNAE NOT GP When it comes to choosing a caregiver during your pregnancy, many women feel that seeingtheir usual family GP is enough. Whilea GP's expertise range to many things, while you are pregnant you need to havea caregiver that specialises in pregnancy and birth.Gynaecologists have specialised in pregnancy and birth, with some additional study to specialise in caesareans as well (obstetricians). While you may see your GP during your pregnancy, they will need to refer you to a gynaecologist for any complications and for certain scans.
H - HUMIDIFIER Humidifiers aren't only useful for a sick newborn, but also for you while you are pregnant. Pregnant women often suffer with dryeyes and the occasional nose bleed, aswell as flu and chest infections. Using a humidifier will help lessen the sesymptoms and illnesses.
You can also get humidifiers that sanitise the air, removing pollutants and harmful odours. Getting a humidifiernow will also stand you in good stead forthe first time your newborn gets sick.
I - IRON A sufficient amount of iron in your blood will ensure that your body will get all the oxygen it needs. In pregnancy, this is very important, as your baby is relying on the iron to get enough oxygen too. You should be getting no more than 14.8mg of iron per day. You can get this by eating iron-rich foods, such as redmeat, fish and poultry as well as dried fruit, wholegrain bread, pulses and greenleafy vegetables. If you are a vegetarianor suffer from anaemia, talk to your caregiver about whether your iron levels are high enough, or if you do need to take a supplement.
J - JABS If you are planning on fallingpregnant, you need to make surethat all your immunisations are up todate. Once you are pregnant, you cannot get immunised, so if you have notgot your shots for certain illnesses, it is important to stay away from people whohave or might have those illnesses. If you have other children, make sure they and your partner are up to date with theirs hots, which will minimise the risk for you and your unborn baby.It is suggested that if you are travelingto a country where you need vaccinations while pregnant, rather don't go. If, however, you have to, get a letter from your doctor stating that you are pregnant and cannot have the vaccinations.
K - KEGEL EXERCISES Kegel exercises should be done to streng then your pelvic floor while you are pregnant. Your pelvic floor is made up of muscles, ligaments and tissues and supports your bladder,bowels and uterus. During pregnancy itstretches to accommodate your growinguterus. It also affects your vaginalmuscles, which is why having a strongpelvic floor will help you in having avaginal birth.
To do these exercises, you need toknow exactly where your pelvic flooris situated and how to use it. It is thesame muscle you would use to stop yoururine mid-stream. You should feel thempull in and up. Try lying down, closingyour eyes, and contracting the muscleswithout using your stomach, legs orbuttocks. Hold for a few seconds andrelease. Repeat this a few times every day(though not when you are on the toilet,as stopping your urine mid-stream cancause bladder infections).
L - LOVE Love isn't just about romanticmovies and flowers, it also involves some pretty strong chemicals that canaffect you in pregnancy. Scientists say that when in love, you give off achemical called oxytocin. This chemicalis associated with mother/infant bondingand the 'let-down reflex' in breastfeeding.
Another hormone that is releasedinto your body when you are in loveis endorphins. They are known as thebody's natural painkiller, and helpsto destress you. So if you spend yourpregnancy loving your baby, partnerand others, it will help you be morerelaxed, and may even help with painmanagement during labour. Who knew?
M - MIDWIFE A midwife is a trained nursethat specialises in pregnancyand giving birth. Many women choose to use a midwife as their care giver notonly because they can be less costly,but because they also offer emotional support and can come to you for home births. They should also stay with you through out your entire labour.If there are any complications, or anemergency c-section is needed, they willhave to call for a gynaecologist.
N - NUTRITION When people talk about eatingfor two when you are pregnant,the don't mean having a second helping of cheesecake, but rather eating enough nutrients for you and your growing baby.It is vital that you stick to a healthy eating plan when you are pregnant.There are many eating plans you cango on, we suggest you discuss them with your caregiver first. But as long asyou are eating five portions of fruit andvegetables each a day, iron-rich foods,and good carbohydrates - you will bedoing you and your baby a service.
O - OMEGA 3 Omega 3 fatty acids are essentialto having a healthy pregnancyThese are found in fish oil, so eating oilyfish such as salmon and sardines willhelp you get them. You should cat thesetypes no more than twice a week thoughas they can contain too much mcrcury.You might want to consider taking fishoil supplements (ones that don't containthe retinol form of VitaminA). Omega3's have are known to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, boost baby's nerve and braindevelopment and increase birth weight.
P - PROBIOTICS Probiotics are a friendly sort of bacteria found in some foods. It helps improve digestion and ups ourimmune system. During pregnancy, bothyour gut and immune system can becompromised, so making sure you takea good probiotic is beneficial to you and baby. You can get them in certain foods like natural yoghurt, yoghurt drinks and soya drinks. If you feel you are not getting enough, talk to your caregiverabout taking a probiotic supplement.
Q - QUESTIONS The saying 'there is no suchthing as a stupid question' can never be truer than while you arepregnant. Having knowledge about what your body is going through, whatto expect from the birth of your baby and after, will help you cope more than not knowing. Your caregiver is there for youto ask questions.
Every time you sec them, make a list of questions that you and your partner want to know. No matter how smallor seemingly insignificant, you must ask. Other great places to get advice arcduring your antenatal classes and also online forums where you can chat to other moms on the Internet. Not everyone is atrained professional, so if you get advice over the Internet, first check with your caregiver to see if it is accurate.
R - RELAX Relaxing while you arc pregnantis easier said than done. But it is important that you try to get rest and relaxation. Stress plays havoc with your body, and therefore with your unborn baby too. It may help to take 15 minutesof your day to sit down in a quiet place,put your feet up, close your eyes and concentrate on nothing more than your breathing. Even if your only time to do this is while you arc sitting on the toilet.It's also important to get enough sleep,so if you can take a nap during the daydo so. If not, try getting your eight hours sleep every night. If you find that people are offering you help because you are pregnant, to carry something for you or your partner offering to rub your feet, donot turn them down. Accept all the help you can get.
S - SEATBELT Road safety when you are pregnant should be the same as when youare not pregnant. It may feel strange trying to put a seatbelt on over your very pregnant tummy, but it is important to do so. The bottom strap of the belt should run under neath your bump, and the other strap across your chest as usual. Wearing a seatbelt in this way will notharm your baby if there is a collision, but will protect you and therefore your baby.
T - TESTS When you first find out you arepregnant, there are a number oftests you need to take. They will test for your blood group, whether you are rhnegative or positive, haemoglobin levels,your immunity to German measles, for hepatitis B, and HIV/AIDS. It isimportant to get all of these tests done, as the results will help your caregiver giveyou the healthiest possible pregnancy.Near the end of your first trimester, you will also be tested for the likelihood ofyour baby having Downs Syndrome (This is done along with a NuchalTranslucency scan).
U - ULTRASOUND Some of the most memorable moments in your pregnancy will probably come with the ultrasound scans that you regularly get. You will usually have a scan between 10-14 weeks, 20weeks and if your doctor suspects any complications, at 28 - 40 weeks.A scan is not only there for you to see your baby, but for the doctor tomonitor the baby's growth and vitaldevelopments. Two very importantscans are the anomaly scan at 20 weeksand the Nuchal Translucency scan in thefirst trimester - both scans look for anykind of anomalies and also where your placenta is lying.
V - VITAMINS There are many multivitamins,and a lot of them cater to pregnant women. Some say that as long as you have a healthy diet and are getting your vitamins from a food source, the only supplements you need to take are folicacid and vitamin D.
But it's hard to tell whether you are getting all the vitamins you need in your food, especially as processing and cooking of food often depletes them. To be onthe safe side, you can take a pregnancy multivitamin that will include your recommended allowance of vitamins that you need. Chat to your caregiver about which one you should take.
W - WATER We all know that drinking water is important for your health. When you are pregnant, it isvital. Water helps carry nutrients to yourbaby, reduces water retention that maybe causing your body to swell and keeps you from dehydrating.You should be drinking eight glasses of water a day, with a little more if it is a hotday. If you battle to get this amount in, try carrying a water bottle with you during the day and sipping on it gradually. Soon it will become a habit and you won'twant to leave the house without it.
X - X-RATED FUN If you are worried about having sex while you are pregnant,don't be. Sex is perfectly safe for you and the baby while you are pregnant,as long as you make sure,like with any exercise,you get the go-ahead from your caregiver and don't over-exertyourself. You may need to be a bit creative with positions as your bump grows. Sex isn't just safe,it is good for you. That oxytocin chemical that was mentioned earlier is released in abundance during sex, leaving you happier, more relaxed and healthier. Near the end of your pregnancy, your caregiver maysuggest you do not have sex, as it has been know to release a hormone that caninduce labour, if your cervix has begun to soften, so chat to your caregiver about it.
Y - Yoga during pregnancy is a great way to help your body weather the changes and prepare you for birth. It doesn't matter whether you have done yoga before or not, when you join apregnancy yoga class, all the movementsare created especially with you in mind.The slow stretches will increase your flexibility, streng then core muscles,improve balance and posture and prepare you for different birthing positions.It not only helps you physically, but is also a way to learn breathing and relaxation techniques and put you in amore meditative frame of mind.
Z - zzz...Getting sufficient sleep while you are pregnant is important for you and baby's health. You may be having trouble sleeping for a variety of reasons including: being uncomfortable, not being able to sleep on your stomach, night time trips to the toilet, night sweats, andbackache. Try getting used to sleeping onyour left side early on in your pregnancy, as this promotes good blood flow. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees and one supporting your back will ease yourback pain too. Try not drink any liquid half an hour before you go to bed, and empty your bladder before sleeping.Night sweats and strange dreams may be waking you up too, so keep a glass of water next to the bed to sip on, and knowthat any strange dreamsthat you are having aremore than likely hormoneinduced. YP
A doula is someone that is trained todo all of the above. They will be with you before the birth, during and directly after wards. They will not replace your partner, but will help both of you face labour and birth. A doula is not a doctor or a midwife, you will still need one of those, but is someone with advanced knowledge on the process that focuses on you and your wellbeing.
E - ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Having a healthy pregnancy means that you need to make sure the environment that you live and workin is healthy too. You need to look carefully at your home and work and try spot things that might not be best for you or your unborn baby to have around.It is important to insist on being in a smoke-free environment,one that is free of any hazardousodours or chemicals. Also important are things like the comfort of your chair at work,your mattress at home andwork surfaces that are notthe right height that maymake you strain any ofyour muscles.
F - FOLIC ACID Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps protect your unborn baby from certain nervous system defects such as spina bifida.The most crucial time for you to supplement your diet with folic acid is during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, when your baby's nervous system is developing.A lot of food already has folic acid init, such as pulses, some fruit, yeast (yourbreads) and green vegetables. Chat toyour caregiver about how much folicacid you should take, depending on thestage of your pregnancy. They will give you a folic acid measurement in 'meg'. Asa comparison, one medium potato has 80meg, a bowl of bran has 100/meg and anorange has 54/meg.
G - GYNAE NOT GP When it comes to choosing a caregiver during your pregnancy, many women feel that seeingtheir usual family GP is enough. Whilea GP's expertise range to many things, while you are pregnant you need to havea caregiver that specialises in pregnancy and birth.Gynaecologists have specialised in pregnancy and birth, with some additional study to specialise in caesareans as well (obstetricians). While you may see your GP during your pregnancy, they will need to refer you to a gynaecologist for any complications and for certain scans.
H - HUMIDIFIER Humidifiers aren't only useful for a sick newborn, but also for you while you are pregnant. Pregnant women often suffer with dryeyes and the occasional nose bleed, aswell as flu and chest infections. Using a humidifier will help lessen the sesymptoms and illnesses.
You can also get humidifiers that sanitise the air, removing pollutants and harmful odours. Getting a humidifiernow will also stand you in good stead forthe first time your newborn gets sick.
I - IRON A sufficient amount of iron in your blood will ensure that your body will get all the oxygen it needs. In pregnancy, this is very important, as your baby is relying on the iron to get enough oxygen too. You should be getting no more than 14.8mg of iron per day. You can get this by eating iron-rich foods, such as redmeat, fish and poultry as well as dried fruit, wholegrain bread, pulses and greenleafy vegetables. If you are a vegetarianor suffer from anaemia, talk to your caregiver about whether your iron levels are high enough, or if you do need to take a supplement.
J - JABS If you are planning on fallingpregnant, you need to make surethat all your immunisations are up todate. Once you are pregnant, you cannot get immunised, so if you have notgot your shots for certain illnesses, it is important to stay away from people whohave or might have those illnesses. If you have other children, make sure they and your partner are up to date with theirs hots, which will minimise the risk for you and your unborn baby.It is suggested that if you are travelingto a country where you need vaccinations while pregnant, rather don't go. If, however, you have to, get a letter from your doctor stating that you are pregnant and cannot have the vaccinations.
K - KEGEL EXERCISES Kegel exercises should be done to streng then your pelvic floor while you are pregnant. Your pelvic floor is made up of muscles, ligaments and tissues and supports your bladder,bowels and uterus. During pregnancy itstretches to accommodate your growinguterus. It also affects your vaginalmuscles, which is why having a strongpelvic floor will help you in having avaginal birth.
To do these exercises, you need toknow exactly where your pelvic flooris situated and how to use it. It is thesame muscle you would use to stop yoururine mid-stream. You should feel thempull in and up. Try lying down, closingyour eyes, and contracting the muscleswithout using your stomach, legs orbuttocks. Hold for a few seconds andrelease. Repeat this a few times every day(though not when you are on the toilet,as stopping your urine mid-stream cancause bladder infections).
L - LOVE Love isn't just about romanticmovies and flowers, it also involves some pretty strong chemicals that canaffect you in pregnancy. Scientists say that when in love, you give off achemical called oxytocin. This chemicalis associated with mother/infant bondingand the 'let-down reflex' in breastfeeding.
Another hormone that is releasedinto your body when you are in loveis endorphins. They are known as thebody's natural painkiller, and helpsto destress you. So if you spend yourpregnancy loving your baby, partnerand others, it will help you be morerelaxed, and may even help with painmanagement during labour. Who knew?
M - MIDWIFE A midwife is a trained nursethat specialises in pregnancyand giving birth. Many women choose to use a midwife as their care giver notonly because they can be less costly,but because they also offer emotional support and can come to you for home births. They should also stay with you through out your entire labour.If there are any complications, or anemergency c-section is needed, they willhave to call for a gynaecologist.
N - NUTRITION When people talk about eatingfor two when you are pregnant,the don't mean having a second helping of cheesecake, but rather eating enough nutrients for you and your growing baby.It is vital that you stick to a healthy eating plan when you are pregnant.There are many eating plans you cango on, we suggest you discuss them with your caregiver first. But as long asyou are eating five portions of fruit andvegetables each a day, iron-rich foods,and good carbohydrates - you will bedoing you and your baby a service.O - OMEGA 3 Omega 3 fatty acids are essentialto having a healthy pregnancyThese are found in fish oil, so eating oilyfish such as salmon and sardines willhelp you get them. You should cat thesetypes no more than twice a week thoughas they can contain too much mcrcury.You might want to consider taking fishoil supplements (ones that don't containthe retinol form of VitaminA). Omega3's have are known to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, boost baby's nerve and braindevelopment and increase birth weight.
P - PROBIOTICS Probiotics are a friendly sort of bacteria found in some foods. It helps improve digestion and ups ourimmune system. During pregnancy, bothyour gut and immune system can becompromised, so making sure you takea good probiotic is beneficial to you and baby. You can get them in certain foods like natural yoghurt, yoghurt drinks and soya drinks. If you feel you are not getting enough, talk to your caregiverabout taking a probiotic supplement.
Q - QUESTIONS The saying 'there is no suchthing as a stupid question' can never be truer than while you arepregnant. Having knowledge about what your body is going through, whatto expect from the birth of your baby and after, will help you cope more than not knowing. Your caregiver is there for youto ask questions.
Every time you sec them, make a list of questions that you and your partner want to know. No matter how smallor seemingly insignificant, you must ask. Other great places to get advice arcduring your antenatal classes and also online forums where you can chat to other moms on the Internet. Not everyone is atrained professional, so if you get advice over the Internet, first check with your caregiver to see if it is accurate.
S - SEATBELT Road safety when you are pregnant should be the same as when youare not pregnant. It may feel strange trying to put a seatbelt on over your very pregnant tummy, but it is important to do so. The bottom strap of the belt should run under neath your bump, and the other strap across your chest as usual. Wearing a seatbelt in this way will notharm your baby if there is a collision, but will protect you and therefore your baby.
T - TESTS When you first find out you arepregnant, there are a number oftests you need to take. They will test for your blood group, whether you are rhnegative or positive, haemoglobin levels,your immunity to German measles, for hepatitis B, and HIV/AIDS. It isimportant to get all of these tests done, as the results will help your caregiver giveyou the healthiest possible pregnancy.Near the end of your first trimester, you will also be tested for the likelihood ofyour baby having Downs Syndrome (This is done along with a NuchalTranslucency scan).
U - ULTRASOUND Some of the most memorable moments in your pregnancy will probably come with the ultrasound scans that you regularly get. You will usually have a scan between 10-14 weeks, 20weeks and if your doctor suspects any complications, at 28 - 40 weeks.A scan is not only there for you to see your baby, but for the doctor tomonitor the baby's growth and vitaldevelopments. Two very importantscans are the anomaly scan at 20 weeksand the Nuchal Translucency scan in thefirst trimester - both scans look for anykind of anomalies and also where your placenta is lying.
V - VITAMINS There are many multivitamins,and a lot of them cater to pregnant women. Some say that as long as you have a healthy diet and are getting your vitamins from a food source, the only supplements you need to take are folicacid and vitamin D.
But it's hard to tell whether you are getting all the vitamins you need in your food, especially as processing and cooking of food often depletes them. To be onthe safe side, you can take a pregnancy multivitamin that will include your recommended allowance of vitamins that you need. Chat to your caregiver about which one you should take.
X - X-RATED FUN If you are worried about having sex while you are pregnant,don't be. Sex is perfectly safe for you and the baby while you are pregnant,as long as you make sure,like with any exercise,you get the go-ahead from your caregiver and don't over-exertyourself. You may need to be a bit creative with positions as your bump grows. Sex isn't just safe,it is good for you. That oxytocin chemical that was mentioned earlier is released in abundance during sex, leaving you happier, more relaxed and healthier. Near the end of your pregnancy, your caregiver maysuggest you do not have sex, as it has been know to release a hormone that caninduce labour, if your cervix has begun to soften, so chat to your caregiver about it.
Y - Yoga during pregnancy is a great way to help your body weather the changes and prepare you for birth. It doesn't matter whether you have done yoga before or not, when you join apregnancy yoga class, all the movementsare created especially with you in mind.The slow stretches will increase your flexibility, streng then core muscles,improve balance and posture and prepare you for different birthing positions.It not only helps you physically, but is also a way to learn breathing and relaxation techniques and put you in amore meditative frame of mind.
Z - zzz...Getting sufficient sleep while you are pregnant is important for you and baby's health. You may be having trouble sleeping for a variety of reasons including: being uncomfortable, not being able to sleep on your stomach, night time trips to the toilet, night sweats, andbackache. Try getting used to sleeping onyour left side early on in your pregnancy, as this promotes good blood flow. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees and one supporting your back will ease yourback pain too. Try not drink any liquid half an hour before you go to bed, and empty your bladder before sleeping.Night sweats and strange dreams may be waking you up too, so keep a glass of water next to the bed to sip on, and knowthat any strange dreamsthat you are having aremore than likely hormoneinduced. YP
Nice post this. hardly tool me 30 min to read. so useful for pregnancy! thanks and appreciate you writeup17 Weeks Pregnant Weight Gain
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