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!