There’s no doubt pregnancy is a wonderful time; filled with excitement, but it can also can be confusing. At every turn there is conflicting advice and it can be a worrying time trying to make sure you’re getting everything right. I remember almost wearing out Google as I used it that much!
To help alleviate this confusion and overwhelm Sea-Band have launched a Pregnancy Toolkit. This resource is full of hints and tips from Gill Perks, who’s an experienced practicing midwife. There’s video content and a fun personality quiz, which will tell you what your pregnancy superpower is! I don’t know about you but I thought I had superpowers if I could get through the day without throwing up! The pregnancy toolkit is sure to help all mothers-to-be along their pregnancy journey but giving straightforward advice and tips you can trust.
Here are some of Gill’s tips
- It’s safe for women to exercise when pregnant and recommended that all try and have about 2.5 hours of moderate intensity activity spread throughout the week. Women who are used to exercise before pregnancy can maintain their level of activity in pregnancy as long as they are comfortable – however, be sure not to try anything new or more strenuous than usual.
- Some foods should be avoided in pregnancy. Always wash fruit and vegetables carefully before consumption. Guidance has recently changed and runny eggs are safe to eat if they have the Lion Mark. Avoid unpasteurised and unripe cheeses, pâté and do not eat more than two tins of tuna fish per week as well as avoiding shark, marlin and swordfish. Caffeine should only be drunk in moderation, beware of caffeine in coca cola too, and alcohol should be avoided altogether.
- Wear gloves when gardening or changing cat litter to protect your baby from toxoplasmosis. Wash your hands before you put anything in your mouth!
- It’s really important that friends and family offer lots of support in pregnancy, especially during the first 12 weeks, when expectant mothers can feel extremely tired and especially if suffer from morning sickness. If possible, having other people do the shopping and cooking can make enjoying foods easier and allows you to rest.
- Avoid tight, restrictive clothing, particularly around the waistline. Pregnancy is a time to make yourself as comfortable as possible! Varicose veins can also appear during pregnancy, so avoid standing around for long periods and consider support stockings. See your GP if the problem persists.
- Write a birth plan, even better call this ‘birth preferences’ and share with everyone who will be involved with the birth. This should ideally be ready by about 36 weeks when a pregnant woman can expect to have an opportunity to discuss her birth preferences with a midwife and perhaps visit their chosen birth setting. The birth preferences should include who you will want with you during labour and birth and the types of comfort measures you would like, for example, massage, labouring in water or gas and air. Of course, it is normal that some of these preferences may change during labour and you are free to change your mind! Some thought and consideration of preferences can be really helpful prior to the labour itself.
- When people offer you help with your new baby say “yes please, bring me a meal!”