Pregnancy: in a nutshell

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• Staying healthy
• Folic acid: preventing spinal abnormality
• Pregnancy hormones
• Prenatal classes
• Preparing for breastfeeding
• You and your partner
• Preparing your family
• When to get help

Staying healthy

Regular, moderate exercise, such as walking, has many positive benefits. It helps you keep strong for the birth, lifts your mood and helps maintain a healthy weight.

Healthy eating keeps you feeling good and gives your baby the essential nutrients he needs in utero. Overall, aim for a balanced diet, with an appropriate blend of all the five food groups. Foods containing protein help the baby grow. Meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, cheeses, nuts, beans and peas are all good sources of protein. Aim to drink 6-8 glasses of water every day – water contains fluoride, which helps your growing baby’s teeth develop strong enamel.

For your baby’s health and safety, it’s best to avoid certain foods, such as soft cheeses and raw fish. It is also best to limit caffeine, found in coffee, tea and cola drinks.

If you are taking prescribed drugs, check with your doctor that they are safe to take during pregnancy. Your doctor will advise you against smoking, recreational drugs and alcohol.

Some airborne chemicals can pass to your baby if inhaled. Stay away from people who are smoking, go easy on chemical household cleaners and avoid spraying pesticides. Ask someone else to fill up your petrol tank and don’t do any household painting while pregnant.

Folic acid: preventing spinal abnormality

Research shows that getting enough folic acid before pregnancy and for the first three months of pregnancy can reduce your chances of having a baby with spina bifida by up to 70%. Spina bifida is when the spinal cord, bones, muscle and skin that cover it do not form normally. Folic acid tablets are available in most supermarkets, chemists and health food shops.

Pregnancy hormones

Between the first 6-12 weeks of pregnancy, your body makes lots of extra hormones in preparation for birth and to help your baby grow. These hormones can cause nausea and vomiting, often called morning sickness. Some women sail through pregnancy without a hint of nausea. Others feel wretched for the whole nine months. Many find the sick feeling lifts after the first three or four months.

The extra hormones can also make you feel very emotional. Often mothers-to-be feel more vulnerable and tired than usual and may need extra support. Some women feel unattractive and less interested in sex than before (although some find pregnancy increases their sex drive). If you can be open and honest about your changing feelings with your partner, it can avoid hurt and misunderstanding.

Read more about dealing with your emotions and your changing body.

Prenatal classes

Prenatal classes, also called birthing or pregnancy classes, can be very helpful for first-time parents. You generally attend classes with your partner or birthing partner when you are around 26 weeks pregnant. Classes cover every possible question, including techniques and positions for giving birth. If you are booked into a hospital for your delivery, ask for information about prenatal classes.

Preparing for breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a skill, so it takes time to learn and it doesn’t always come easily. Here are some tips for preparing to breastfeed:

• Attend prenatal breastfeeding classes (ask at your hospital or local branch of the Australian Breastfeeding Association).
• Read up on breastfeeding techniques and positions.
• Be prepared to hear different advice about breastfeeding from different professionals. Pick the professional and the advice that works for you.
• Talk to other new mothers who are breastfeeding.
• Don’t expect too much of yourself – breastfeeding just doesn’t work for everyone.

You and your partner

Communication is essential to ensure you understand each other’s feelings and expectations for the future:

• Discuss how you both feel about the pregnancy and what’s to come – talk about the positives and the challenges.
• Remember that in the first months of pregnancy, your partner may not share your strong connection with your unborn baby. But as you get to know your baby from ultrasounds and as your baby makes its presence felt with kicks and wriggles, your partner will be better able to share your excitement. 
• Talk about how you would like your relationship to be when the baby is born. Things such as how you will look after the baby, how you will share housework, what your hopes are for your new family, and what family rituals you want to create.
• Consider financial counselling if you’re worried about how you will be able to afford a new baby.

Read our guide to preparing your relationship for the arrival of your baby.

Preparing your family

If you have other children you may want to prepare them for the new baby. Give them plenty of time to get used to the idea, perhaps a few months before the due date. What and how much you tell them will probably depend on their ages.

Before the birth you could help your children prepare for the change by perhaps arranging for them to spend time with a relative or friend or go on special outings with family friends.

You may want to involve your own parents. Talking to all members of your family will help them know what to expect – and what you expect of them – when your baby comes home.

When to get help

There may be times when you need extra help and support to cope with some of the overwhelming changes happening during your pregnancy. You may find it helpful to speak to a doctor or relationship counsellor if you are experiencing any of the following:

• feeling that you are not coping with the pregnancy
• worrying about how to cope after the baby is born
• feeling that the pregnancy is having a major impact on you and your partner or your family
• feeling like some of the changes in your relationships are making your life worse.

Prenatal anxiety and depression are common (and a predictor of postnatal depression) so getting help and support before the baby is born may help you manage better after the birth.

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  Newsletter snippet: Pregnancy: in a nutshell
  

   

  By Raising Children Network

  Pregnancy brings new physical and emotional experiences. While it can be exciting, it can also be a time of uncertainty about the changes to come.
  
  Be aware that you might experience some morning sickness or feel more emotional than usual. Ask for help if you need it, from your partner or other support sources, such as family and friends. You can prepare for your baby’s arrival by attending prenatal and breastfeeding classes.
  
  Tips for staying healthy

  • Take regular, moderate exercise.
  • Eat a healthy, balanced diet, making sure you eat enough protein and drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.
  • Avoid soft cheeses and raw fish, and limit caffeine.
  • Check with your doctor if you are taking any prescribed drugs.
  • Avoid smokers, go easy on chemical cleaners, refrain from using pesticide sprays, don’t do any household painting and ask someone else to fill up your petrol tank.
  • Take folic acid.

  This article is an extract only. For more information visit raisingchildren.net.au/pregnancy/pregnancy.html

  Sourced from the Raising Children Network's comprehensive and quality-assured Australian parenting website www.raisingchildren.net.au.