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Pregnancy Symptoms Advice: Infections

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It is thought that the immune system is less effective in pregnancy, to prevent the mother rejecting her baby. This may make women more vulnerable to infection.

Urine infections are more common because tissue relaxation may prevent the bladder emptying completely, and the you’re left behind can become infected. You may be more susceptible to cystitis or sometimes infections can back-track to the kidneys, causing pain and nausea.

Gum infection is more likely, as the gums tend to swell during pregnancy so that tooth brushing causes bleeding more readily. Use a soft brush, and speak to your dentist if you are concerned.

It is well known that some infections can cause problems with the development of the baby, particularly in early pregnancy. If you are worried about exposure to German measles (rubella) or chickenpox, discuss your immunity with your midwife. If you have any symptoms of chickenpox, seek medical help immediately, as an antiviral drug can be given.

If you have a cold or flu, get plenty of rest and fluids. Lower your temperature with cold flannels and paracetamol, as long as you don’t exceed the stated dose over 24 hours. Some cold and flu preparations contain other drugs, so check with the pharmacist as to their suitability for use in pregnancy.

If in doubt about pregnancy symptoms or infections, always consult your midwife or doctor.

Consider Your Family’s Needs When Choosing Child Care

Location

Where should you look? That depends on where you live and work and where child care is available. Some parents feel better knowing that their children are close to their workplace; others find that transporting children back and forth can be difficult and look for child care closer to home.Your decision about location will depend on what’s available and what you think will work for your family. If there’s a lack of child care for young children in your neighborhood, for instance, you may want to search along your way to work.

As children get older, their friendships with other children become more important, so if you have a schoolage child, you may want to look for a location in your home neighborhood or closer to school.

If you have more than one child, it may affect your choice of child care. Some parents wish to have their children in the same child care arrangement because it’s more convenient and it gives their children a chance to spend more time together.

A parent of a toddler, for instance, might look for family child care near an older child’s school, where both children can be together in the late afternoon.

Unless you have a caregiver who comes to your home, you’ll have to think about who will take your child to and from child care. If two adults share this responsibility, the location of your child’s care will need to be convenient to both commuting routes.

And if you have more than one child in care, you’ll have to think about coordinating those locations and hours as well.

Hours

Your work hours and the location you select will probably have an effect on the hours when you’ll need child care. If you choose child care near work, your child will arrive later and leave earlier than if you choose child care near home. If you select child care near home, you’ll have to allow for travel time back to your neighborhood to pick up your child. And if you work at night, rotate shifts, stay late at work, or travel out of town, you may have additional child care needs to consider.

Most child care centers accommodate only standard workdays and many have fairly expensive late fees. Family child care may be more flexible in meeting the needs of those who work in the evening or at night, or whose work hours change frequently, but some may also charge additional fees for this coverage.

Fees and other costs

The cost of child care can vary greatly depending on where you live, the age of your child, and the type of child care you choose. Child care research indicates that most families spend up to 20 percent of their gross income on child care.

Before you begin your search, think about how much you’re prepared to pay.

Pregnancy Symptoms Advice: Sensitive Skin

Stretching of the skin, particularly your breasts, belly and thighs can cause itching. Moisturising the skin can help. Some women find that exposure to the sun in pregnancy causes skin irritation and have to cover up and stay in the shade.

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