Pregnancy Tips and Tricks

We’veputtogethertheanswerstothemostcommonquestionswegetaskedbypregnantwomen.Wehopeyoufindthisinformationuseful!

WhatvitaminsdoIneed?

Folate(0.5mg/day)shouldbetakenfrombeforeconception,until12weeksofpregnancy.Thisistoreducetheriskofneuraltubedefects.SomewomenneedtotakeMegaFol(5mgoffolate).ThesewomenhaveapersonalorfamilyhistoryofNeuralTubeDefects(NTD),havehadapreviouspregnancyaffectedbyNTD,haveType1Diabetes,orareonmedicationforepilepsy.

Iodine(150mcg/day)isrecommendedfrombeforeconceptionandthroughoutpregnancy.Iodineisimportantforthyroidfunction.

Omega3(500mgofDHA)from12weeksofpregnancyhasbeenshowntoreducetheriskofpretermdelivery.Werecommendthateveryoneconsidersthis.

Aspirin150mgtakenatnight,startedinthefirsttrimesterorearlysecondtrimester,isrecommendedinsomecases.Examplesinclude:previouspre-eclampsia,pre-existinghypertension,alowPapp-Aatfirsttrimesterscreening,Type1or2diabetes,twinsorhigher-orderpregnancies,pre-existingkidneydisease,orautoimmunediseasessuchaslupusandantiphospholipidsyndrome.Ifmultipleofthefollowingmoderate-levelriskfactorsarepresent,aspirinisalsorecommended.TheseincludeaBMIover30,ageover35,firstbaby,orafamilyhistoryofpre-eclampsia.

WhatdietarychangesdoIneedtomake?

Pregnantwomenneedtobeawareoffoodsthatarehighriskforlisteria,salmonella,mercuryandvitaminA,andavoidthesefoodsduringtheirpregnancy.Examplesinclude:softcheeses,delimeats,unwashedfruits/vegetables,smokedsalmon,sushi,uncookedegg(includingrealmayonnaise),fishhighinmercurysuchasswordfish,softserveice-cream,patéandoffal.TheNSWFoodAuthorityhasgoodinformationonthis.Seewww.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au.

Anincreaseinnutrientsisidealinpregnancy.Thismeanseatingawell-balanceddietwithplentyofdifferentcolouredvegetables;foodrichiniron;calcium;proteinandwholegrains.Youdonotneedtoeatfortwo,norincreaseyourdailycalorieintake.Justfocusoneatingavarietyofnutritiousfoods.

Alcoholandsmokingshouldbeavoidedatallstagesinpregnancy.Pleasediscusswithusifyouarestrugglingtoreduceorquit.Wecansupportyou.

Caffeine:smallamountsarefine(1-2caffeinateddrinksperday),butexcessiveamountscanriskmiscarriageandprematuredelivery.

Pregnancy Tips and Tricks

CanIexerciseduringpregnancy?

Exerciseisgenerallysafeduringpregnancy,particularlyifyouhavebeendoingthesameactivitybeforeyouwerepregnant.Alwayslistentoyourbodyandstoporrestifyouexperienceanypain.Itisimportanttonotoverheat,soexerciseinawell-ventilatedareaandkeephydrated.

Pregnancypilatesoryogaclassesareafirmfavouritewithmanywomen.Theyhelpimprovecoreandpelvicfloorstrengthandcanhelpwithmanymusculoskeletalissuesinpregnancy.

Ihavecats–I’veheardthisisanissue?

Theproblemwithcatsandpregnancyisduetotheriskofgettingtoxoplasmosisfromtheirfaeces.Ifyou’regoingtochangetheirkittylitter,weargloves,washhands,orbetterstill,delegatetosomeoneelse!

Toxoplasmosisisalsopresentinsoil,sobecarefulwhengardeningtoo.Thesymptomsoftoxoplasmosisareverysimilartotheflu.

CanIhavesex?

Generally,thereisnoissuewithhavingsexwhilepregnant.Towardsthelaterstagesofpregnancyyoumayhavetobecreativewithpositionsthatarecomfortable.

Thereareafewobstetricconditionswheresexisbestavoided.Thisisinthecaseofplacentapraevia(wheretheplacentaislowlyingandcoversthecervix);withrecurrentthreatenedpretermlabour;ashortcervix;orrupturedmembranes/amnioticfluidleak.

WhatmedicationsshouldIavoid?

Yourdoctorshouldinformyouifanyprescribedmedicationsyouareonareunsafeinpregnancy.Thevastmajorityareacceptabletocontinue.

Themainover-the-countermedicationthatisbestavoidedwhilepregnantisibuprofenandotheranti-inflammatories.

TheWomen’sandChildren’sPharmacistsarethebestresourceforwhatissafetotakeduringpregnancyandbreastfeeding.YoucancontactthemMondaytoFriday9am-5pmon(08)81617555.

HowdoImanagethecommonpregnancysymptoms?

Reflux

Thisisaverycommonprobleminpregnancy.Youcantryeatingsmallmeals,avoidingcaffeineandchocolate,ortryingover-the-counteroptionslikeMylanta,GavisconandQuick-eze.Zantac(or

Pregnancy Tips and Tricks

ranitidine)isatabletthatisalsoveryeffectiveandisavailablewithoutprescription.Strongeracid-suppressiontabletsareavailableonscriptandaresafeinpregnancy.

Constipation

Thiscanhitearlyandit’sbecauseofthehighprogesteroneinpregnancyslowingdownguttransittime.Laterinpregnancy,itisbecauseofthelargeuterusfurtherslowingthingsdown.Itisimportanttodrinklotsofwater,tryandstayactive,andincreasefibreinthediet.Ifthisdoesn’twork,tryadding2Coloxyltabletsatnightandincreasingtotwiceaday.Coloxylisasoftenerandwon’tmakethebowellazy.ThenextstepisaddingMovicolsachets.Ifthisisn’tworking,touchbasewithyourdoctortodiscussotheroptions.

NauseaandVomiting

Experiencedbythevastmajorityofwomeninearlypregnancy,luckilymostcasesaremildandtransient.Forthosethataresufferingyoucantrythingslike:eatingsmallamountsoften;eatingbeforegettingoutofbed;drinkingsemi-flatfizzydrinks;gingerale/biscuits/tablets;eatplainandeasytopreparemeals;andB6tablets.ThenextstepisRestavit(asedatingantihistamine,availableoverthecounter).Try¼-½tabatnightinitially.Beyondthis,prescriptionsareneeded.OptionsincludeMaxolon,StemetilandOndansetron,oracombinationofthese.Ondansetroncancauseconstipationsoyoumayneedtostartagentlelaxative.

Fatigue

Thisisusuallyworseinthefirsttrimesterandabatesovertime.Ifitispersistent,gettingyourironlevelscheckedisamust.Unfortunatelyitisalsocommontoexperienceinsomniawhilepregnant,whichdoesn’thelpthesituation!

LegCramps

Theseseemtobemorecommoninpregnancyandthecauseispoorlyunderstood.Lowironlevelscansometimesbetoblame–somakesureyoursarechecked.Magnesiumtabletscanbehelpful.Ascankeepinghydrated,stretchingbeforebed,andEpsomsaltbaths.

AnkleSwelling

Aslongasitismild,thisisusuallyjustacommonpregnancycomplaint.Trykeepingyourlegsmoving,notstandingforlongperiodsandwearingcompressionsocks/tights.Ifyourswellingsuddenlyincreases,involvesyourfingersorface,itisimportantyouseeyourdoctorormidwifeASAPtogetyourbloodpressureandurineproteinlevelschecked.Thiscanbeasignofpre-eclampsia.

Fainting

Forsomewomen,thephysiologicaldropinbloodpressurecancauseallsortsoftroublewithfaintingordizzyspells.Simplemeasuresinclude:stayinghydrated,eatingplentyofsnacks,standingupslowly,notstandingforprolongedperiods,wearingTEDsstockingsorothercompressiontights,andlyingonyoursideratherthanyourback.

Pregnancy Tips and Tricks

BackPain

Averycommonpregnancycomplaint!Somewilljustgettheoddnigglewhileotherswillbeplaguedwithcontinuousdiscomfortand/orsymptomsofpelvicinstabilityorpubicsymphysispain(SPD).Aphysioisthebestpersontomanagethisforyou.Supportingyourbellywithatubi-gripcanbeuseful,aswellasmaintainingfitnessandflexibility.PelvicinstabilityandSPDcanbemanagedwithabraceifneeded.

Sleepingpositions

From20weeksofpregnancy,youruterusisusuallyuptoyourbellybutton.Thisiswheretheinferiorvenacava(themainveinbringingbloodbacktoyourheart)starts.Ifyoulieonyourbackwhenyouareover20weeks,thereisachancethisveinwillgetcompressed,causingadecreaseincardiacoutput.Thiscanresultinfeelingfaint,breathless,andalsoreducebloodflowtotheplacentawhichcanstressyourbaby.Itisadvisedtosleeponyourleftside.Ataminimum,placingapilloworwedgeunderyourrighthipshoulddisplacetheuterusoffyourvenacava.

Stretchmarks

Despitewhatisoftenclaimed,notmuchcanbedonetopreventstretchmarks.Itisusuallyuptoyourgeneticpredispositionastohowyourskinwilltoleratethestretchduringpregnancy.Keepingtheskinwellmoisturisedisyourbestdefence,aswellasnotgainingexcessiveweight.

Isitsafetotravelinpregnancy?

Mostairlineswillletyoutravelupto,andevenbeyond,36weekswithinAustraliaifyouhaveasingletonpregnancy.Internationaltravelhasearlierrestrictions.Theairlineswillneedaletterfromyourdoctoronceyouarepast28weeksconfirmingyouhaveanuncomplicatedpregnancy.Lettersgenerallyneedtobecompletednomorethan10daysbeforetravel.Allairlinespublishtheirrequirementsfortravellingwhenpregnantontheirwebsite.Itisbesttocheckwithyourspecificairlinebeforebooking.

Thesafesttimetotravelisinyoursecondtrimester.Itisbesttoavoiddevelopingcountriesduringyourpregnancyduetotheincreasedriskofinfectionsandpoorfoodandwaterquality.Themostimportantaspectoftravellingwhilepregnantistravelinsurance.Itcanbeveryhardtofindinsuranceforyourself,andevenharderforababyifithappenstocomeearlywhileoverseas.ThecostsofahospitalstayandNICUbedforyourbabycanbeenormouslyexpensive,especiallyintheUSAwherebillsoverAUD$500,000arenotunheardof.

PreventionofDVT(deepveinthrombosis)isimportantwhentravellinglongdistancesbyplaneorcar.Makesureyoumoveyouranklesandpumpyourcalfmusclesoftenduringthejourney.Keepinghydratedisalsoimportant(althoughmayincreasetheswellinginyourankles).Avoidalcoholandcaffeine.YoucanconsiderusingtravelsocksorTEDstockings.Andmostimportantly–takeyourPregnancyHandHeldRecordwithyou!