The 7 pregnancy conditions you need to know about – HELLP syndrome

Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome is another complication of pre-eclampsia. It can cause kidney problems and affect liver function and the ability of your blood to clot.

Between 4-12% of women wno have pre-eclampsia will also develop signs of HELLP, and usually starts in the third trimester.

Symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, nausea and abdominal pain, often specifically around your liver. You may have high blood pressure and protein in your urine and a blood test may show a low platelet count.

You may need to have a blood tranfusion before giving birth, but the only effective treatment is the delivery of your baby.

How can stimulating my nipples help in labour?

If you’re desperate to get your baby out, try twiddling your nipples. It releases the hormone oxytocin, encouraging your cervix to ripen and your uterus to contract. For this reason don’t do it before 37 weeks – and not at all if you have had complications, including a previous fast labour or a planned caesarean. Stimulate one nipple for two or three minutes, and then the other, but don’t do more than 5 minutes per breast per day. This can also help to get things going if your contractions slow down during labour

How do I use a birth pool?

Being in warm water eases labour pains by releasing painkilling and relaxing hormones so you need less pain relief and fewer interventions. It’s most comfortable if the water covers your breasts, but you can try different positions – leaning on the side, kneeling on all fours, squatting or even using floats

10 ways to bloom in pregnancy

1. Indulge yourself - treat yourself to a therapy to feel rested and refreshed.
2. Pick out brights - brightly coloured fruits and veg are rich in anti-ageing antioxidants and can help look good from within.
3. Go for penetration - if your hair has become drier, a penetrating conditioning treatment can help restore it.
4. Be a bit fishy - give your skin structure a lift by eating two portions of oily fish (salmon, trout, mackerel) per week
5. Go suck - sucking on a sweet containing ginger or sour fruit flavours can help relieve morning sickness.
6. Get horizontal - if you’re getting dark rings under your eyes, put your feet up, it can help the collected blood that causes dark lines to drain away
7. …and breathless – take gentle exercise that raises the heartbeat – walking and swimming are both great for mums-to-be.
8. Feed dry skin - use a suitable moisturiser if your skin gets dry.
9. Walk tall – correcting your posture will make you look and feel better. Don’t arch your back as your bump grows, it will give you backache.
10. Turn flirty - invest in some flirty frills to make you feel feminine

Post-birth healing Q & A

How about my caesarean scar?
Healing time is generally 4-6 weeks. Wash the incision with mild, unscented soap and dry the area thoroughly. Wear loose clothing to allow the scar to breathe, and make sure your knicker elastic is not rubbing against it – this is the moment for your Bridget Jones ‘big pants’.

I’ve got dreadful trapped wind..
This is common after any abdominal operation, as the digestive system is disturbed. Try drinking peppermint tea which aids digestion and helps to dispel trapped wind.

Why can’t I drive?
Because driving often requires sudden movements which can pressure on the incision area and abdominal and pelvic muscles, the general advice is not to drive for six weeks. Check your insurance cover before getting back behind the wheel.

I feel really tearful, and don’t know why.
It is estimated that the baby blues affect up to 80% of women. Thought to be linked to exhausion and hormonal changes after the birth, they kick in 3-5 days after delivery, making you feel moody and tearful.

When will I be able to have sex again?
It is recommended that you wait 4-6 weeks after the birth – the six-week check-up can provide reassurance that all is well. After that, it depends on you – take things slowly and use extra lubrication, as low oestrogen levels can make the vagina more dry.

How do I massage my perineum?

Your perineum is the area between your vagina and anus, so why on earth would you want to massage it? Because massage can make it stretchier, reducing the chance of tearing or needing an episiotomy.
Perineal massage is best done from about 35 weeks, and to keep the threat of stiches at bay, put some jojoba oil (or similar) over your hand, then put your thumb just inside your vagina, and your forefinger and middle finger on the outside. Gently circle your fingers and thumb, massaging upwards and outwards for 5 minutes every day.

10 more ways to an easier labour

1. Think about hiring a doula – doulas, experienced mothers who offer emotional and practical support during pregnancy and labour, may be a great help. Research shows that benefits can include a shorter labour and fewer painkillers

2. Get support – women with good support often cope much better in labour and feel their experience of birth was a positive one.

3. Drink raspberry leaf tea – this can help prepare your womb for labour when taken four times a day after 36 weeks of pregnancy.

4. Get your breathing right – breathing slowly and deeply really does help you relax,causing less tension in your muscles and allowing your cdervix to dilate.

5. Know your stuff – if you are well informed and have plenty of information, you are much more likely to make decisions about your care and to feel in control of your labour.

6. Have a snooze – often when you’re fully dilated the contractions stop. So if your baby’s happy, don’t be persuaded to ‘hurry things along’ with a hormone drip, ask to dim the lights and have a catnap. It will give you the energy needed for the final furlong.

7. Make a splash – consider using a birthing pool, many women who do often experience an easier, more relaxed labour

8. Go at your own pace – labour can last a long time, so don’t rush about, take your time and conserve your energy for when it’s needed.

9. Don’t push – think of ‘breathing’ your baby out.

10. Climb the stairs – going up and down stairs can help your baby to move through the pelvis.

5 common pregnancy ailments & how to ease them

Morning Sickness - affects 70% of pregnant women and generally begins at around week 6 and disappears by week 16.
Try to eat little and often, and sip ginger tea. Eating toast or crackers before getting up can help.

Water retention or oedema – occurs when fluid accumulates in the tissues, making feet, ankles, legs and hands swell. Take gentle exercise, put your feet up when you can, cut down on caffeine and sodium and drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day.

Constipation - progesterone relaxes the muscles of the small intestine, slowing down the bowel movements. Drink plenty of fluids, exercise regularly and eat fibre-rich foods.

Heartburn – in pregnancy, progesterone causes the valve between the stomach and the oesophagus to relax, allowing stomach acids to leak through. Eat smaller and more frequent meals and avoid spicy or greasy foods.

Varicose veins - increased blood volume, he weight of the uterus and relaxed blood vessel walls can lead to varicose veins on the legs, vulva nd rectum. Wear support stockings, exercise daily and avoid sitting with your legs crossed or being on your feet too much.

What you need to know about ovulation prediction.

1. You’re at your most fertile in the period 72 hours before ovulation to about 24 hours after, so predicting when you’re going to ovulate will help you know the best time to have sex.

2. Ovulation usually occurs 12-16 days before your next period, depending on the length of your cycle. If your cycle is regular, this can help predict ovulation.

3. The physical signs you’re about to ovulate (and therefore at your most fertile), include clear, slippery cervical mucus and a rise in body temperature by 0.5-1.6C.

4. Keep a daily chart of your mucus and temperature chnages to keep track of your cycle and make ovulation prediction easier.

5. If all that sounds a bit fiddly, ovulation prediction kits detect the surge in luteinising hormone (LH) before ovulation.

Pre-eclampsia – what you need to know

1. Pre-eclampsia affects around 1 in 10 pregnant women, and is a condition where the placenta has a shortage of blood, either because the demands on it are particularly high (for example if you’re having twins) or the arteries in the womb didn’t enlarge as much as they should have when the placenta was formed.

2. There are often no outward signs of pre-eclampsia – the most common indicators are raised blood pressure and protein in the urine.

3. Every woman is potentially at risk from pre-eclampsia, although the risk increases if there is a family history of pre-eclampsia, you are obese, are under 20 or over 35, or have have diabetes, kidney disease or existing high blood pressure.

4. Pre-eclampsia may mean your baby grows slower than normal, and can starve him of oxygen. It can also lead to complications such as convulsions, stroke and organ failure in the mother and, in extreme cases, can be fatal. There are no known long-term health problems for babies, unless they suffer from extreme oxygen deprivation in the womb or are born very prematurely.

5. If you have severe pre-eclamsia, you’ll probably be admitted to hospital until your baby is born. You may be given anti-hypertensive drugs to control your blood pressure and anti-convulsants to ward off fits, and your baby will be monitored closely.

6. There’s no cure for pre-eclampsia. The longer your baby stays inside you, the greater the risks to both him and you.

7. If you have pre-eclampsia in your first pregnancy, you have a 5% chance of getting it again. If you didn’t have pre-eclampsia in your first pregnancy, it’s unlikely you’ll develop it in the future.

8. Pre-eclampsia can develop any time after 20 weeks, and trhe majority of women who develop pre-eclampsia are diagnosed after 36 weeks.