Tag: Preparing for birth : Your body

As part of our labour and birth series we explore all non medicinal pain relief options. As midwives we know that most pregnant women are aware of medical options of pain relief available to them in labour such as gas & air or epidural but are less aware of the range of other non-medicalised options. Knowledge is power and preparation is key.

Colostrum is the first breast milk that your body makes. Its colour can range from almost see-through to yellow. Your breasts will start to produce colostrum from about 20 weeks pregnant. As colostrum is made during pregnancy, it is possible to begin to hand express, collect and freeze colostrum before the baby is born. This is often called colostrum harvesting.

Yoga in pregnancy is a great way to stay active and is healthy for you and your baby. It’s not too strenuous and can help you to relax as well as staying fit and building core strength.  Read on for how Yoga in pregnancy can help you!

Whilst there are many websites, forums, Instagram posts, YouTube videos, Facebook pages, books and magazines all sharing advice on labour and birth, it can all feel a little over-whelming to try and find the information and advice that works for you. And this is where antenatal classes can really help – by having that one qualified, experienced midwife on hand who you can talk to and ask questions to help prepare for your baby’s arrival.

When you think of giving birth, most people tend to imagine a bed of some kind involved – with the birthing person lying on their back or maybe sitting up.....In reality, labour and birth involves a lot of moving around, dancing, swaying, squatting – and very little lying on a bed!

Keeping fit and healthy in pregnancy will make it easier for you to adapt to your changing shape and weight gain. It also helps with preparing you for labour and your recovery after you have had your baby. 

Have you been thinking about where to have your baby? At home, in a birth centre or the delivery suite?  It can feel daunting to make a choice about what kind of birth environment suits you best and what kind of birth you would like to prepare and plan for. In our series of blogs on birth choices – which we cover in detail in our antenatal course and advise and support you in making the best choice for you, we are going to start with waterbirths.

It doesn’t matter the amount of love you feel for your child, postpartum depression can affect you. The baby blues have no time of arrival but it all happens after you give birth. A lot of new mums find themselves feeling weepy and irritable and not knowing why. But if it happens to you, don’t worry, most new mums go through it.

Most babies arrive between 37 weeks and 41 weeks of pregnancy, usually within a week on either side of their expected due date. According to research, only about one in 25 (four per cent) of babies are born on their exact due date. Just under one in five babies are born at 41 weeks or after. Our midwife Amina advises ‘instead of a due date, think of it as a ‘due time’ of 5 weeks.

Finding out you are pregnant can be such an exciting and exhilarating time – but can also be quite confusing too.  All parents-to-be want the best for their baby and often wonder if they need to take any extra vitamins or supplements to help their growing baby.

During your first visit with your midwife – often called the booking appointment, you will have a discussion about your health, your medical history and any family medical history that is relevant, alongside information about yourself and your well-being... It may feel like a lot of blood tests and the number of vials can feel daunting – don’t worry, it will only involve one needle being inserted into your arm once to fill them all.

Pregnancy or planning a pregnancy can naturally bring with a whole a range of questions and worries.  Being pregnant during a pandemic that is affecting so many can understandably cause even more anxiety and worries during such an unprecedented time.