Information About Breastfeeding
July 27, 2007
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Have you noticed your breasts changing in pregnancy? They are getting ready to feed your baby after he is born. You may not have thought about breastfeeding but it’s the natural thing to do. It carries on what your body has been doing in pregnancy - feeding and protecting your baby and helping him grow. Your placenta has been doing this job but after the birth your breast milk is there to feed and keep your baby healthy.
Ready and waiting
From the moment your baby is born, your breasts have milk ready and waiting for him. This first milk is called colostrum and it’s very important stuff, like liquid gold. Colostrum has antibodies in it which protect your baby from germs and diseases in the outside world.
Planning the Birth of Your Child
July 26, 2007
Imagine you’re planning a big event –say your wedding. When you sort out the arrangements you try to think of everything - the invitations, your dress, the venue, it can be like that when you are planning what kind of birth you want.
You can still think through what you’d like to happen: where to give birth, ways of coping with the pain, and who you want to have with you. It may be, though, that you haven’t thought about how it would be if your baby was born by caesarean section.
Caesarean birth
It can be difficult to believe it might happen to you, yet more than 1 in 5 babies in the UK are born by caesarean. Sometimes women know in advance that their baby is going to be born this way, but often the decision isn’t made until late in pregnancy or during labour. Even though antenatal classes cover caesarean birth, a lot of the information available is about what will happen to the woman and her baby rather than what options may be available. As a result, women often feel very unprepared for a caesarean and may end up feeling they have lost control over their baby’s birth.
Most caesareans are not rushed emergencies, even if they occur while you’re in labour. Only 1 in 20 caesareans are urgent, where the operation needs to be done quickly to prevent damage to the mother or baby.
How a New Baby May Affect Your Relationships
July 18, 2007
There is something you need to know about babies; they may be small but they take up a lot of space! It’s not just the space in your home for the cot, nappies and clothes, but the huge space they occupy in your head and heart. What you will worry about, laugh about and cry about will change enormously once your new baby arrives. No-one has a baby and remains unchanged, and your relationships with family and friends will change forever too,
Many women first notice this change during pregnancy when their thoughts and dreams become increasingly focused on the baby they are carrying.
When the baby arrives nature really takes over and what with the hormones charging through your body and the sheer hard work of caring for a young baby the outside world may even seem to ‘disappear’ for a while. Many mothers have such a strong rush of love for their baby that they feel they have little left for anyone else.
So this little person arrives and everyone else must move over! No wonder some partners and friends feel short-changed. With so much love and attention going to the baby, for a while it can feel like there isn’t much left over for everyone else. Some mothers can feel torn in all directions and exhausted by the prospect of everyone wanting a piece of them when partners, family and friends want their attention.
Pregnancy Food Facts
July 16, 2007
When you’re pregnant, mealtimes can seem a bit of a minefield. You may feel you get lots of advice about what to eat and what to avoid, but not told why, or worse, get given conflicting information. It may seem strange to be told not to eat certain soft cheeses and yet encouraged to eat plenty of dairy products. So how can you give your baby the best start in life and still enjoy your food?
Eating well during pregnancy means you will be providing your baby with all the nutrients he or she needs to grow and develop. You need plenty of starchy carbohydrates (bread, pasta, potatoes and so on) to give you a steady supply of energy. If you have wholemeal bread, pasta etc., you’ll also be getting dietary fibre, which can help prevent constipation. You should also aim to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. These provide essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C to help iron absorption, and folic acid which helps bu’ld healthy red blood cells. To grow healthy new cells such as muscle and skin your baby also needs protein. You can get protein from meat and fish or alternatives such as eggs and pulses. Another important nutrient is calcium, which is found in dairy foods (milk, cheese etc), as it helps build strong teeth and bones.
Even if you are feeling sick it’s still a good idea to try to eat something. Eating will generally help with the nausea. Don’t get too hung up on what you’re eating at this stage; it’s better that you and your baby are getting something than nothing at all.
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