Category: Health & Fitness
Info from antenatal class – Part V
| June 27, 2009 | Posted by Mabel under Health & Fitness, Info, Pregnant Already |
The final class!!!
We talked mostly about post-partum things like diet, changes to lifestyle, baby-related care and finally breastfeeding.
Here are some tips/advice/new stuff:
- It is perfectly normal for babies to lose some weight in the first two weeks due to things like bowel movement, small quantities of breast milk and so forth. Nothing worrisome as baby would have spent the last trimester putting on enough fat to survive the first weeks. Mummies and caregivers like the in-laws should NOT take this as a sign that they are not feeding the baby enough. As long as babies go through a number of diaper changes each day, there is no need to worry.
- Breast milk can take a few days to come in and until it does, colostrum is all the baby needs. Remember that newborns have small tummies and don’t need to eat a lot in one sitting. Instead, they feed frequently but in small quantities. DO NOT rush out and start supplementing baby’s diet with formula or feed via the bottle as this may result in nipple confusion.
- Breast milk production depends on two things – demand and diet. The more frequently the baby feeds, the better it is as well as water intake is crucial. Mummies who intend on breastfeeding need to consume heaps of water throughout the day. One tip we got was to place a large glass of water (500ml) next to you and consume it after every feed.
- Babies need Vit K for blood clotting purposes and Vit D to bind calcium in the first few days/months. These two vitamins cannot be produced in breast milk and thus need to be provided as supplements. In Northern Hemisphere countries especially during winter, it can be difficult to obtain Vit D via sunlight. If you’re in “sun-filled” countries like the tropics, babies can be sun (by the window) for a few minutes each day but take care to apply some form of sunscreen as to not burn baby’s delicate skin.
- It is normal for baby to feed every two hours or so. Sometimes it’s for food, sometimes it’s for comfort sucking. It’s important for mums to NOT skip feeding or create their own schedule because it can lead to engorgement, blocked milk ducts, breast infection and also lower breast milk production. Breast milk is created upon demand and the more often the baby feeds, especially at night, the more milk the body will produce.
- No blankets, pillows and all that when baby sleeps at night to avoid SIDS and baby needs to be kept cool. A too-warm baby increases the risk of SIDS because the baby may go into deep sleep, get SIDS and not wake up. Ideal ambient temp for babies is anywhere from 20 to 24° so just a long sleeved top and pants with booties will do for nights.
- To avoid diaper rash, babies should be dried and bums sunned frequently plus no powders. Bums should be aired naked as often as possible in between diaper changes. For baby girls, the use of powders increases the risks of vagina infections. Diaper rash creams are better.
- Babies up to six months do not need to be feed water – it’s dangerous and besides, breast milk is already made up of 88% water. Also, babies should be feed breast milk exclusively for the first six months for health reasons. Breast milk contains the mother’s natural antibodies and these are passed onto the baby during breastfeeding.
- Mummy’s diet is important – mummies need to take in a lot of water, avoid alcohol and any other types of food that may cause allergies or colic in babies or worsen things like jaundice. If the baby is colicky from eating things like ginger, turmeric or whatever herbs, then mummy may have to stop or find an alternative strategy. Those preparing confinement dishes need to be aware that less salt and less oil is better. Also, mummies need to take in plenty of fruits and vegetables to help with bowel movement (constipation is not good because it further strains the perineum muscles).
Info from antenatal class – Part IV
| June 16, 2009 | Posted by Mabel under Health & Fitness, Info, Pregnant Already |
Today, we talked mostly about preparation for birth (what to buy and such), why the existence of labour pains during birth and breathing techniques as well as tips for partners to help with the labour.
Here are some tips/advice/new stuff:
- Newborns have very sensitive skin so there is no need for soap and shampoo when bathing babies. In fact, bathing should only be done once the cord is dried and has fallen off. Just water will do fine for the first month or so as babies can develop allergies easily.
- At the hospital, the practice is to clean the cord with solution containing alcohol three to four times a day before covering with cotton wool and such. When baby leaves the hospital, the practice is to clean at least once or twice a day with the same solution (no creams and etc) until the cord dries up and falls off. Do not pull, tug or dig around the cord when cleaning – you could risk causing injuries or introducing bacteria and such.
- There is no need to buy breast pumps now IF you’re planning on BFing full-time. If you need to, then base your purchase on what you need – electric for those mums who will be off to work and still want to BF; manual for those who just want to express the extra to keep for reserve. Baby is still the best pump around especially in the first few weeks.
- Exhale and breath deeply during contractions but STOP when the contractions stop, otherwise you risk hyperventilating or getting all tired out before the second stage of labour or the birth itself. When contractions have stop, breath as per normal and start the exhaling & breathing deeply when contractions come again.
- Get your HB or birth partner to push down on the low back (at the tailbone) during contractions to help ease the pain and pressure. Also, when the contractions subside, get him/her to massage your back/shoulders/neck or even face (if you have been grimacing or your face is tensed). This is to help with relaxation, distract and offer you some relief from the pain.
- How long your mum was in labour with you will have an indirect impact on how long your labour (if the women in your family is notorious for long labours, you may have the same thing) is BUT it is not 100% guaranteed and it gradually “lessens” over a few generations (meaning if your great grandma had a short labour, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll have a short labour too).
- For those facing constipation, DRINK DRINK DRINK – even if you have water retention. You need to take over 1 liter of water to help with the constipation and don’t forget to eat lots of fruits like prunes, papaya, figs, etc.
- Buy as your baby grows. This includes furnishings and medical items. It’s okay to have a few things missing – there are not many things a newborn needs (just get the essentials – diapers, some clothes, a place for the baby to sleep (crib, moses basket AND NO BLANKETS, PILLOWS, TOYS, BUMPERS – just a mattress) – and the rest can be bought as you move on like a bathtub – newborns don’t need a bathtub coz your baby won’t be able to bath for the first few days/weeks due to the cord still being attached).
Perineal massage info
| June 16, 2009 | Posted by Mabel under Health & Fitness, Info, Pregnant Already |
At my antenatal class last week, we discussed the various positions for labour, the use of epidural & other forms of pain relief and finally, the issue of episotomy.
Over here, they don’t practice performed episotomy on women for a number of reasons – two of them being 1) they don’t heal fast and 2) they don’t aid in delivery at all. Instead, the midwives here prefer to let the tear occur naturally because it heals faster, etc, etc.
There are ways to minimise the tearing (and even prevent it) and it’s called a perineal massage.
As translated from the info I got from the midwife at my antenatal class:
If you wish to prepare your perineum for birth, we recommend that you start the perineal massage around your 36th week, every day for around 5 minutes.
What you need
You will need to use wheat germ oil or any natural vegetable oil, preferable cold pressed (not for cooking la) and rich in Vit E and F (essential to ensure and improve tissue elasticity). Linseed oil is a good choice.
There is an oil in the market specially made for this massage and manufacted by Weleda (refer to product link here – in French, unfortunately).
The massage
- Wash your hands carefully with soap. Scrub under the nails and up till the wrists.
- Sit yourself down somewhere and make sure that your back is supported with pillows. Lean back.
- Rub your fingers well with oil; put the thumb in the vagina and massaged the region between the opening of the vagina and anus with the forefinger.
- Then, with the thumb, still in the vagina, exert some pressure downward toward the rectum slowly.
- While still exerting pressure, slide your thumb/finger along the vaginal walls, along muscles of the vagina and the perineum. Repeat this a few times.
- You may feel muscle tension in the beginning, but with time and practice, the tissue will loosen gradually.
- Be careful to relax your muscles and breath out when you exert pressure.
- To end, massage the labia minora and majora as well (big and small “lips” – opening of the vagina la).
- As you go on with the massage (after a few times), gradually increase the pressure (widening the vaginal opening) until you start to experience tingling in the perineum. You will recognize this tingling feeling at the time of labour when the perineum extends around the head of your newborn child.
Info from antenatal class – Part III
| June 16, 2009 | Posted by Mabel under Health & Fitness, Info, Pregnant Already |
Yesterday’s class covered mostly the various positions for labour, the use of epidural & other forms of pain relief and finally, the issue of episotomy.
Point of interest for you ladies:
1) The best position for birth is actually squatting or sitting down because gravity will help aid in the delivery. The traditional method of lying back with your legs up is no longer in vogue here because it actually lengthens the labour process plus tires out the mummy (you have to push downwards and then upwards so your baby can crown effectively).
2) Water births are only possible if you’re not taking the epidural because the epidural here involves leaving a catheter/IV line in the spine. (Logical la…otherwise fluid will seep into the spine.)
3) You can eat and drink throughout the labour if you wish but nothing heavy – foods with high fibre or complex carbs are recommended like muesli bars and so forth. You’ll need this especially after labour because of the energy you’ll use up during the labour process itself.
4) Start psycho-ing yourself into thinking that decency is non-existent in the labour room. You will pee and crap yourself during labour even though you’ve had an enema. IT IS NORMAL and the midwives/nurses have seen it all. (This is true – I have had lots of friends tell me that it has happened to them before.) Don’t worry about sanitation because they line the floor and apparatuses with stuff to catch your mess. Concentrate on what’s important – your baby – and not your image.
5) Fathers, do know that during your labour, your partner is capable of being the nastiest woman alive on this planet. Again, don’t begrudge her if she snaps at you and/or throws you out of the room. And don’t feel ashamed about it. Again, the midwives are used to it and well, your partner is in pain – it’s understandable that she’s not behaving rationally. Don’t take it personal. 
6) Contrary to popular belief and previous studies that performed episotomies aid in labour and heal faster, the docs here DO NOT conduct episotomies – they prefer to let the tear occur naturally (of course closely monitored la). In fact, studies in Switzerland have showed that performed episotomies do not help aid in labour and take longer to heal. There are ways to minimise the tearing (and even prevent it). It’s called a perineal massage (post available here). It’s easy, safe and you can start from Week 36 onwards and according to the midwife, it has yielded pretty good results from almost everyone who attended her previous classes.
Info from antenatal class – Part II
| June 16, 2009 | Posted by Mabel under Health & Fitness, Info, Pregnant Already |
This time, the class covered mostly labour and stages of labour as well as relaxation exercises and labour positions. A few interesting things I learnt:
1) It can take up to one hour for each cm of dilation of the cervix (maximum). This varies from woman to woman – so from the time of true labour (cervix more than 2 cm dilation) until actual birth, it can take up to 10 hours.
2) Best positions for labour (if there are no problems and such) is squatting or standing (whereby gravity does most of the work) or sideways (which frees the base of the pelvic bone). If there are problems, then the standard position for labour has to be employed – it is not the best position because you have to push downwards and then upwards.
3) Only push when you are instructed to push – this is important especially when it comes to pushing before the cervix is dilated (it does absolutely nothing, is a waste of energy and can hurt your body more than help).
4) Epidural removes the pain but not the feeling.
5) True labour pains and contractions ARE painful – in most cases, you will not be able to speak or walk when you go through a contraction.
6) If you have checked into the hospital and have not gone to the stage where you’re in labour (pre-labour contractions and stuff), walking or moving around plus getting some fresh air and such helps with the pain.
7) If possible, do some exercises to ensure that baby ends up facing your back instead of facing forward – this makes it easier for crowning and the birth itself. See my previous post on what exercises you can do (basically leaning forward all the time or going on all fours).
True labour differs from false labour or Braxton Hicks in this sense:
a) True labour contraction pains increase gradually where as Braxton Hicks contractions remain the same in terms of pain threshold.
b) True labour contraction timing is quick and increases as time goes on (one every few minutes and the nearer you are to birth, the smaller the time gap) where as Braxton Hicks is constant or spaced out over long periods of time (once in one hour then there are no contractions for a few hours and then another).
c) True labour contractions do not disappear when you rest or change positions whereas Braxton Hicks does.
d) In most cases, true labour contractions are painful (see point 5 above) whereas Braxton Hicks is just uncomfortable.
Also, here’s what we learnt in terms of weight and such – you put on at least 2 kg for blood, 0.9 for breast tissue, 0.7 for placenta, 1 kg for amniotic fluid and 3.5 for increase in tissue. If you have water retention, it adds to the weight as well. The average weight for a baby here is 3.5 kg. So in total, your average weight gain should be 12 kg.
Oh, if you have very very bad water retention around the late 2nd trimester, do ask for a BP check to see if you have hypertension because water retention is one of the few early signs of pre-eclampsia.
Stretch marks are NORMAL and occur in almost all pregnancies – if you don’t see it during your pregnancy, it doesn’t mean you won’t get it. Oils help keep the skin moisturised and all but it doesn’t prevent stretch marks from occurring. The only consolation is that it will lighten and become white or silverish after some time.
Info from antenatal class – Part I
| June 16, 2009 | Posted by Mabel under Health & Fitness, Info, Pregnant Already |
Thought I’d share some of the tips I received from each of my antenatal classes…
For the first class, we covered things like how to cope with water retention, varicose veins, back pain, pubic bone pain and etc…
For sitting, we were told that the general way people sit – the bum slightly forward, top of the back resting on the chair – is bad for the back because it compresses the lower spine and the cochineal area. One good way of helping to relieve lower back pain is to sit like in this pic – this will help stretch the lower back, take off some pressure and even makes things easier for a massage. This position is convenient for doing things like reading the newspaper and such.
If you have exercise balls or a big cushion, you can try this position which helps to take off the pain from the lower back as well as the pubic bone (like me la).
When sitting on the floor, try to sit with one leg folded in and one leg straightened out while resting on your butt bone (your back should be slightly forward). She got the hubbies to put their hands under our butts and tug a bit so we ended up resting while learning slightly forward.
Squatting is also encouraged because it helps strengthened the perineum and is one of the best positions for labour.
For sleeping, we were told that if you are comfy with your current position (on the back and such), don’t change. Just don’t sleep on your belly and if you sleep on your side, get a pillow or roll up a thick blanket/towel and use it as a bolster like in this pic. The bottom leg should be straight while the top leg should be angled so your back is more comfy and if you can, rest your belly fully on the mattress.
Urm…what else? Oh yeah, since a lot of us were in our third trimester, she gave us a tip to help relieve pressure on the bladder. Before you pee, grab the belly and lift slightly upwards while you exhale (don’t worry, baby is perfectly fine and can move around) and then you pee. You’ll find that it will help relieve the pressure but of course, don’t la do for an hour and etc. smile.gif I tried this a few times yesterday and found it to be really helpful.
For those with pain on the pubic bone, she suggested that once a day or before you go tidur, just go on all fours and relax for a few minutes…going on all fours (macam doggy style – HAHA) allows some pressure to be taken off the pubic bone.
As with water retention, the tips she gave were basically put your legs up when you sleep – about one to two inches higher (the height of a firm pillow), and when you’re in the shower, massage your legs from feet to belly and not the other way around. I think those familiar with lymph drain massage they do at beauty salons will know that you never massage from body to hands/body to feet coz the body’s drainage system works the other way around (external limbs to body). Walking also helps with drainage and water retention so good reason to move your butt more often.
