5 no-no’s for a birthing partner

* Don’t fall asleep

* Don’t flirt with the midwife

* Don’t nick the gas and air

* Don’t text your mates for the latest football scores

* Don’t time her contractions with a stopwatch and type the results into a spreadsheet on your laptop.

Time to unwind – 5 ways to reduce stress levels

Pre-natal massage – as well as soothing pregnancy aches and pains and reducing muscular tension, massage can also lift your spirits, and regular sessions can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.
Breathing - breathing often speeds up and becomes shallow in times of stress, depriving the body and brain of oxygen. Learning to breathe more slowly will lower your heart rate and help lessen the feelings of anxiety.

Meditation - taking time out to meditate can benefit both the mind an body, lowering blood pressure, reducing anxiety and stress levels and creating a state of deep relaxation.

Music - listening to music with a meditative tempo can alleviate stress and slow down the heart rate and breathing. According to researchers, classical and baroque music with about one beat per second is the most effective.

Aromatherapy - used correctly, essential oils can be incredibly beneficial during pregnancy, balancing and soothing the mind and body. For example, lavandula angustifolia, can ease stress and lower the blood pressure.

Did you know?

According to a study by the Child Trust Fund, as many as half of all babies’ due dates are wrong. The report claims that 46% are out by up to 10 days, and a further 28% by two weeks or more.

How to be the perfect birth partrner

Be honest. Whilst most fathers are present at the birth, if it is not for you, then say so. Equally some women would prefer to get on with labour on their own or with a female birhing partner – and that’s fine too.

Be prepared. The labour suite is not the place to start consulting a birth manual. Make sure you are clued up, in advance, of what is going to happen and that you understand what the midwife is saying.

Be focused. Make sure that you know what sort of birth your partner wants, and that you do your best to ensure that she gets it.

Be realistic. Babies don’t do birth to order, and labour may not go exactly how you have planned it. So be flexible and accept that the birth plan may have to be rewritten as labour progreses.

Be ready to leave. Many midwives believe that if a birth partner is panicking, it can actually slow a labour down. So if it is all getting too much for you, make an excuse to leave the room and sit down outside for a couple of minutes. Take a few deep breaths, restore your balance and then come back in feeling much calmer.

Be up for the long haul. Most labours last between 2 and 12 hours, and it can be quite a challlenge to stay positive and encouraging all that time.

Be in the right place. Make sure you get your priorities right during labour, especially towards the end. When the time comes for your baby to be born, your place is not down at the end of the bed with a camcorder, but up by your partner’s head, holding her hand and encouraging her.

Be super-sensitive. Your main job is to do whatever it takes to make your partner feel more calm and comfortable. Until she is in the middle of labour, she won’t know if she wants you to run round after her or sit doing nothing. But whatever the role she allocates – just do it.

The A-Z of what’s safe during pregnancy

E is for Exercise
Gentle exercise is essential during pregnancy, not only will it keep your pregnancy weight gain to a minimum, but it will keep your joints supple in preparation for the birth and ease niggles such as heartburn and oedema.

F is for Folic Acid
Extra folic acid is essential to help your baby’s developing brain and spinal chord. Take a recognised supplement and fill up on green vegetables and wholegrain cereals.

G is for German Measles
This virus, (also known as rubella), can cross the placenta and cause a variety of birth defects. Vaccination isn’t safe during pregnancy, but you should have been vaccinated at school.

H is for Hair Dye
There’s no evidence that dying your hair can harm your unborn baby, but there is a risk that the chemicals used could seep through your scalp and into your blood stream. So choose non-chemical treatments such as henna or highlight your hair instead.

3 ways to beat birth nerves

1. Go to all your antenatal classes which usually include a tour of your labour ward to familiarise you

2. Go to relaxation classes. These can give you coping strategies, like deep breathing, to help you manage the pain.

3. Don’t listen to those birth horror stories. Seek out friends who have had positive experiences and remember, every labour is different.

Did You Know…..

During the first few weeks, baby girls smile nearly twice as often as baby boys – apparently they’re genetically programmed to be more sociable!

Fashion Tips for Autumn 2007

A new coat will instantly update your summer wardrobe and prove the perfect solution to the unpredictable weather of the fading season. On the cusp of autumn it should be first on your “must have” list!

Neutral tones including grey, charcoal, chocolate, taupe and cream are all strong in autumn. Jewel tones and bold brights such as teal, fire and gold add rich interest to the colour palette.
(source:www.cravematernity.com)

Putting on the pounds

In a textbook pregnancy, most women gain 25-34lbs (11-15kg), but where does it all go?
Baby: 7lbs
Placenta: 1.5lb
Amniotic fluid: 2lb
Uterus enlargement: 2lb
Extra breat tissue: 2lb
Increased blood volume: 4lb
Extra tissue fluids: 4lb
Fat stores: 7lb

Seven caesarean myths busted

Caesareans are easier than giving birth naturally
The scar may be neater nowadays – it’s made along the bikini line rather than vertically, but it’s still a serious operation. You’ll be in hospital for 2-4 days, taking heavy-duty pain relief, plus there’s the risk of complications for you and your baby.

You can’t have more than two c-sections
Not necessarily, but they can be trickier to perform and it can take an hour or more to perform compared to 30-45 minutes for first and second-timers

You shouldn’t get pregnant within a year of a caesarean
There’s achance that the wall of your womb may tear along your old caesarean scar during labour and this risk is slightly higher if you fall pregnant again within six months, but the danger is very slim and there are lots of other factors to consider so talk to your doctor.

If you want an elective c-section, you have to go private
You cannot demand a c-section on the NHS, but they will offer them for valid medical reasons such as your baby is breach, or you have pre-eclampsia.

Having a c-section can ’save’ your pelvic floor
While damage to the perineum may be avoided, the pelvic floor will still experience the effects of pregnancy, due to the weight of your womb and the effect of any labour you might have experienced before your c-section. So keep up the pelvic floor exercises

You can’t have a natural birth if you’ve had a c-section
A complete myth, vaginal birth after a c-section (VBAC) is a safe option

You can’t drive for 6 weeks after a caesarean
Initially, driving is out of the question because you must be able to slam on the brakes in an emergency without worrying about your scar, but six weeks is an artificial time limit. Check with your GP on the progress of youir recovery.