Your pregnancy
Helpful advice for you during your pregnancy
Healthy eating
- How much?
Do not eat for two and do not diet without medical guidance.
Your own appetite will generally tell you how much you need to eat and drink.
Nausea and vomitting in early pregnancy may affect your appetite but do not be overly concerned. This will not affect your baby's wellbeing.
- What should you eat?
A balanced diet to include the following food groups:
Vitamin supplements are not necessary if you eat a healthy balanced diet.
- What should you avoid?
Iron (to prevent anaemia)
Iron is necessary for your red blood cells which get oxygen to your organs and to your growing baby.
It is found in: cornflakes, green vegetables, dried fruits, red meat and corned beef, pulses (beans etc.), eggs, wholemeal products, Bovril/Marmite, liquorice, drinking chocolate and dark chocolate.
The absorption of iron can be increased if taken with orange juice and fruits. Iron absorption will be reduced if food is taken with tea.
Alcohol
Latest research recommends no alcohol in pregnancy, so avoid if possible. If you require further advice, speak to your midwife.
Smoking
Everytime you smoke it harms your baby.
Most mums know smoking in pregnancy isn't good for them or their baby, but that doesn't make it any easier to kick the habit.
You may not be fully aware of the harm cigarettes are doing to your baby.
When you smoke you inhale over 4,000 chemicals from the cigarette.
One of these is carbon monoxide, which gets into your bloodstream.
This restricts the oxygen that is essential for your baby's healthy growth and development.
Babies born to mothers that smoke during pregnancy are more likely to be born prematurely and with a low birth weight.
Low birth weight is one of the leading causes of infant illness, disability and death.
EVERY CIGARETTE SMOKED REDUCES THE OXYGEN SUPPLY TO THE BABY FOR 20 MINUTES - so even three a day means the baby has had a reduction of oxygen for 1 hour that day alone.
Stopping smoking in the first half of pregnancy greatly reduces the risk of a low birth weight baby.
The NHS offers a wide range of free pregnancy-specific support services to help you and your family members to stop smoking:
http://www.westsussexpct.nhs.uk/healthy-living/go-smoke-free
NHS Smoking Helpline 0800 169169
Crawley
Stop Smoking Coordinator, Helen Hamilton: 01293 600300 ext 4138
Stop Smoking Advisor, Linda McCann: 01293 600300 ext 3964
Horsham
Stop Smoking Advisor Specialist,
Leigh Robins, Midwife Stop Smoking Coordinator for Crawley & Horsham: 07785 540357
Medications
Check with your doctor, midwife or a pharmacist before taking any medicines.
Paracetamol is the only recommended over-the-counter painkiller.
Only take the stated dose.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is caused by an organism found in raw meat and cat faeces.
Always wear rubber gloves when gardening, and cook all meat thoroughly.
If you have a cat try to avoid contact with cat litter. Wash hands after handling pets and prior to preparing food.
Domestic Abuse
- On average 2 women per week are killed as
the result of domestic violence. - About 30% of abuse starts in pregnancy
- 1 in 4 women suffer domestic abuse at some stage in
their life. - Men also suffer domestic abuse
Domestic abuse is rarely a one-off incident and tends to escalate in frequency and seriousness.
The abuse can take
The perpetrator is using bullying and controlling behaviour to gain power over their partner or o
It can destroy relationships and have a damaging affect on your self-esteem and confidence.
If you feel you need to change the way you behave because of fear of your partner's reaction, it is likely you are being abused.
There is help and support for both
Support Services:
National Helpline (24 hours) 0808 2000 247 (www.womensaid.org.uk)
Men's Advice Line (for male victims) 0808 801 0327 (www.mensadviceline.org.uk)
Respect (for perpetrators) - 0845 122 8609 (www.respectphoneline.org.uk)
(Reproduced by permission of www.askamum.co.uk)
Make your birth plan come true
D-day is unpredictable but preparation can help you get the birth you want
When the sight of your feet has become a fading memory, it might be a good time to think about what sort of birth you're hoping for - and what you can do to achieve it. Because while what actually happens on delivery day is down to a combination of nature, luck and your baby, having a thorough plan outlining how you'd like your labour to progress is really useful, both for you and your midwife. After all, the last thing you want in the middle of a contraction is a lecture on pain-relief options.
'The best time to write your birth plan is around 32 weeks,' says Mother & Baby midwife Maureen Royds-Jones. 'Hopefully you'll have finished antenatal classes and will have some knowledge of what to expect when labour starts.' But don't make your plan too rigid - it should read more like a wish list. 'The best plans are those that provide your birth partner and medical team with guidance, but also leave your options open,' says Maureen. Here are some key areas to think about.
