Fancy flying to sunnier climates?Timing is the key. Airlines restrict travel beyond 36 weeks of pregnancy, many airlines also require a doctor’s permission between 28-35 weeks. Airline policies do vary so it is always a good idea to check before booking on what your airline’s policy is regarding flying during pregnancy. Why not plan it early and well within the times stipulated by the airline to avoid any added stress.

Which destination?Everyone has their own idea of what makes a perfect holiday so the destination should be your choice. There are however, a few things to consider when you are pregnant!

·         Try to avoid countries where malaria is endemic. If you need to go to a country where malaria is a threat then seek out your G.P’s advice on what medication is safe for pregnant women to take.

·         Discuss with your mid-wife or doctor for their advice on which countries they advise you avoid during pregnancy due to the inoculations not being safe for you or your unborn baby.

What to pack

·         Don’t forget to buy lots of high factor sun cream. Pregnancy will make your skin much more sensitive which will be more likely to burn in the sun. Pregnant woman can also develop chloasma which has the nick-name ‘pregnancy mask’, this is due to the body having higher levels of melanocyte. If you develop this the sun can make it worse but luckily it does fade after pregnancy. Use lots of high factor cream and stay in the shade during the hottest parts of the day.

·         Take your pregnancy medical notes with you, if you did find yourself needing medical help this will have lots of information for the doctor treating you. Top Tips for flying

·         On arrival at check –in let the check-in staff know you are pregnant. Ask for a seat near the toilet if you find yourself frequently needing a wee.

·         Remember to keep moving and stretch your legs to avoid DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and swollen ankles. Check out the exercises in your in-flight magazine which are specially designed to help people avoid DVT.

·         Keep hydrated by drinking lots of water, flying can dehydrate your body and skin so remember to keep sipping plenty of bottled water.

Bon voyage!

The time has come for you to return to work. It may not be easy decision for you to make, you may be feeling a mixture of emotions regarding leaving your baby or child.  

There are a few things you can to do to prepare yourself for returning to work and make it easier for everyone involved. 

Childcare arrangements 

·         Whatever childcare arrangements you have decided on for your child, whether it is grand-parents, a nursery, a child-minder or your partner, you need to make it the arrangements as simple as possible.

·         You don’t want added stress of having miles to travel to get to your child carer or the worry that they will not work overtime if needed.

·         If you chose a nursery or child-minder, let your child get to know them and their new environment. Leave them for an hour a day to get them used to it before you drop them off for long periods.

·         Childcare needs to be right for you and your baby or child.   

Feeding 

·         If you are still breastfeeding then you will have to express your milk and get your baby used to taking their feed from a bottle or cup.

·         Will you have time to express your milk?

·         Could you give your baby formula in the day and leave the breastfeeding for your special times together when you get home?·         Make sure any special food requirements are met by your child carer. Many grand-parents love spoiling their children, so if they will be looking after your baby or child then firm boundaries for what you expect need to be set from the beginning. 

·         Spend time with them doing fun things and you will all benefit.

·         Some parents enjoy the time they have with their children more when they are not with them constantly and therefore feel they become better parents when they return to work. 

Remember even if your child loves their child carer there is no substitute for a parent!

You may be excited and wanting to share your pregnancy news with your colleagues, however, keeping quiet about it until you are past the first twelve weeks and the risk of miscarriage had reduced is a good idea. It may not be easy if you are suffering from nausea and needing to make frequent visits to the ladies room, it could have your colleagues guessing, therefore be careful not to wait too long Your employer should hear the news from you and not from others.

• Once you have informed your employer of your pregnancy you will then be protected by the law, therefore you should not be penalised for being pregnant.

• By law you don’t have to tell your employer that you are pregnant until you reach fifteen weeks.

• You will be then be entitled to paid time off for all your ante-natal care.

How easy is it to carry on working throughout your pregnancy?Many women choose to work right up until the moment they give birth and make it seem so easy. For others who suffer from nausea in the early months may find this too difficult to even contemplate. You need to decide what’s best for you, both emotionally and financially. Pregnancy complications could also dictate when you need to finish working.

• Don’t think that you will be able to work in exactly the same way you did before you became pregnant especially if your job is strenuous or high pressured.

• Don’t be too hard on yourself if you are finding it hard to cope with growing a baby and holding down your job - ask if you could be transferred to an easier work position.

• If you want to carry on doing the same job but finding it difficult - ask if you could reduce your hours or if possible work some hours from home.

• Enquire about flexible working hours - you could work longer hours on the days when you’re feeling good and shorter on the days where you feel you need to rest your swollen ankles!

Find out what your companies maternity leave’s policies are and try to work out what will suit you and your baby. Some mum’s enjoyed putting their feet up for their third trimester others wanted to save that time for when their baby arrived.

It can come as a shock when you suddenly realise that your normal pre-pregnancy clothes no longer fit……it’s the time when you have to go in search of maternity clothes! It can be a little daunting….where do you start looking and what to buy! 

We’ve all seen photos of ladies wearing shapeless tracksuits or skimpy t-shirts with their belly on full show but if this look isn’t for you, there are plenty alternatives. 

• Lots of high street shops have a maternity range, check them out first before the specialist shops, they normally have a good range to choose from and are fairly inexpensive.

• If you only want to buy a couple of items, get some good quality maternity trousers or jeans. They will accommodate your bump as it grows, and you will be able to wear them with lots of different tops.

• Always buy maternity clothes in your normal dress size, they will have made the clothes larger in certain areas without you having to go up a size!

• Really make the most of the fashion at the moment. High street shops are full of flowing smock tops which will have plenty of room to accommodate your bump and you’ll look fashionable too!

• Don’t forget to accessorise with jewellery, ear-rings, scarves and hand-bags!

• Forget your sky scraper heels and get some comfortable shoes. Your pregnancy hormones will loosen your joints, this can make it more difficult to keep your balance. You may not want to have to add to the mix a pair of stilettos!

• Your ankles and calves will expand too, so your lovely snug knee length boots may no longer zip up or if you manage to get them on you could be throwing them away after birth due to them being too stretched!

• If you really want a bargain, check out what people are selling on-line. Some of the items people may never have worn and you could get a whole wardrobe of clothes if they are selling them as a package.

Don’t worry if you feel you are wearing the same clothes all the time. Maternity clothes are not forever, soon you’ll be wearing all your old clothes again. Many of your pre-pregnancy clothes will have been out of circulation for a few months, so it’ll be like getting a brand new wardrobe of clothes and there will probably be a few items you forgot you had.

  Your partner’s emotions could probably be fluctuating just like your hormones when you tell them you are pregnant! They could be experiencing excitement, anxiety and maybe even fear!

Although you may have been trying for a baby when it finally happens it can be a shock, suddenly the realisation of the huge responsibility of having a baby suddenly becomes real.  If your partner has gone off sex and is making all sorts of excuses to avoid any bedroom activity then try talking to him. He may just need some reassurance! 

• If your partner is the main bread winner he may be worrying about money.

• He could be feeling very protective of you and your unborn baby and scared sex will harm the baby.

• Some men find that their partner’s changing shape alters the way he feels about sex and he doesn’t like the thought of having sex whilst you are carrying his child.

Many of his fears may only be fleeting, others may need you both to discuss how he’s feeling and talk him through them 

• If he is worried that he will hurt the baby, take it slowly and no matter how big he thinks his penis is, it won’t be large enough to hurt the baby. The penis only actually enters the vaginal cavity which is not harmful to the baby.

• If he still can’t relax enough to have penetrative sex then why not enjoy a massage and oral sex

• Remind him of your old self and buy some lovely sexy maternity lingerie, they have some really pretty bras, thongs and pants now for pregnant ladies.

Try not to feel rejected, he probably just needs a little time and a bit of support to get used to the idea of the two of you becoming parents!

Sex during pregnancy…..You know that it’s safe to have sex but you just don’t feel sexy!

When you become pregnant your body will experience many changes, not only with your body changing shape but your hormones will be fluctuating too!

During your first trimester you may just be feeling too exhausted to think about anything other than sleep, add to this the fact that you could be suffering from morning sickness and it’s not really surprising if you don’t feel very sexual.

The second trimester could have you feeling your best. Any nausea and vomiting you may have experienced should have disappeared and this is the stage where pregnant ladies are told they look glowing! Your hair should be shining and your nails looking their best!     

 The third trimester may have you feeling a little on the large side and your sexual positions will have to accommodate your growing bump!

• Spooning – you can lay on your side with your man behind you.

• Woman on top- if you are feeling up to it?

• On all fours- with your man entering from behind

As your baby bump grows avoid lying on your back during sex, your uterus could compress the veins in your abdomen causing you to feel sick or dizzy!Whatever position you try you must both feel comfortable, just experiment and enjoy each other’s bodies. If you are feeling unattractive, then talk to your partner. Tell you partner that you need more foreplay, or get him to indulge you in a relaxing bath followed by a gentle massage.Remember, although you may not be feeling very sexy, many men find that when their partner becomes pregnant it only enhances their sexual attraction towards them.

Can we still enjoy a normal sex life?   The answer is yes. However, due to a number of factors, you may find that your sexual relationship will change throughout the different stages of your pregnancy.Your fluctuating hormones and your changing body shape can really affect your sex life. The good news is, it can be even better than normal….. 

• Your vagina will be more sensitive due to an increase in blood flow.

• You can make the most of your fuller and more sensitive breasts.

• You will probably find there will be no need for any added lubrication.

• A combination of the increase in blood flow and your hormones could mean you will enjoy more orgasms.

But is having sex safe for the baby?  Yes, it is safe if you have no complications such as bleeding, placenta praevia or have had previous miscarriages. If you have any complications then talk to your G.P who will advise you. However with a normal pregnancy you can enjoy sex right up until your waters break. You may feel your baby moving about a lot after sex which will be caused by the increase in your heart rate not because they know you have just had sex! Having sex will not harm your baby. You have a plug that seals your cervix and protects your baby from infection. Your baby is also safe in their amniotic sac so you can make love even with your partner on top!

Why is Caffeine bad for us?

Caffeine is legally a drug, which stimulates your central nervous system. If drunk in large quantities it can cause your heart rate to speed up and can raise your blood pressure. We all know that it’s not a good idea to drink coffee before bed as it can stop you from getting a good night’s sleep and many of us have experienced the jitter’s after drinking a few too many cups of coffee.

What affects does it have on your unborn child?

Unborn children are not fully developed therefore when the caffeine passes from the mother to her unborn child through the placenta, they cannot break down the chemicals.There are reports that for pregnant ladies who drank excessive amounts of coffee or tea their unborn children had faster heart rates and their breathing rates were increased. If that doesn’t put you off enjoying your daily cups of coffee, this might…….babies born to mums who drank more than 500mg a day spent more time awake after birth and took longer to settle into a good sleeping regime!

How many cups of tea or coffee are too much?

Experts are saying that more than one cup a day is too much!

• Try switching to decaffeinated drinks

• Try to cut down on fizzy drinks and chocolate, many of these also contain caffeine.

Doctors also say though that the human race wouldn’t have succeeded if early pregnancies are so vulnerable, moderation is the ideal. Smoking, Chlamidal infections and choosing to have a baby later in life were still higher risk factors for miscarriage.   

You may think what better excuse than to put your feet up and watch television with a nice big slab of chocolate and no guilt!Although this sounds great but actually staying fit throughout pregnancy will help you cope with the physical demands of labour and of course becoming a mum!

Need some motivation to get off the sofa? During pregnancy you will put on an average of two stones in weight, however

·         Exercise will help your body to cope with this weight gain by maintaining or building your muscle tone.

·         Exercise will also help you cope with constipation which most pregnant women suffer with at some stage of their pregnancy.

·         Women who are physically fit are also known to have shorter labours without as much medical intervention.

·      Exercise will also help with fatigue, stress and insomnia.

What exercise is best? Classes specially designed for pregnancy are always a good choice and a great way to meet other mums-to-be.

·         Pre-natal yoga classes, breathing techniques will help you during labour.

·         Swimming, some leisure centres have swimming classes such as mums and tums!

·         Walking, a brisk mile walk will get your heart pumping without putting too much strain on your body.

What to avoid?

·         If you are not already fit then it’s not a good idea to take up running, or any really strenuous activity that will put strain on joints and ligaments due to your body producing the hormone Relaxin. (This is a hormone that loosens your joints ready for childbirth but can make injury more likely)

·         Avoid any contact sports, such as hockey or netball.

·         Horse riding, jumping on a trampoline and gymnastics are also best avoided!

·         Don’t do any exercises which involve you lying flat on your back as this can restrict the flow of blood to the uterus.

·         Avoid getting over heated and drink lots of water to stop dehydration.

Are you pregnant and feeling sick? Don’t worry this is quite common. The degree of nausea you feel varies from person to person and if you suffer from morning sickness with one pregnancy it doesn’t necessarily mean all future pregnancies will have you reaching for the sick bucket. The good news is that normally the nausea stops after the first three months, however if you are one of the unlucky ones it can however go on until five months.Why do you feel sick?  The actual causes are still not actually known, however,

• It is thought however that morning sickness is caused by the hormonal changes taking place in your body.

• Or possibly by an imbalance of your blood sugar levels.

• Some doctors have the theory that women carrying twins or triplets are more susceptible to feeling nausea. 

What can I do to feel better? There are many theories, old wives tales and well meaning friends ready to give advice…..here are a few of our own!

• Eating little and often may help and will stop your blood sugar levels dropping.

• Drink lots of liquids to avoid dehydration, especially if you are being physically sick. Preferably water and fruit juice rather than tea or coffee.

• Try to avoid heavy meals or meals with a high fat content.

• Some people say the magic cure is ginger….try some ginger biscuits or ginger tea.

• Get plenty of rest, and try to sit down to eat your meals slowly to aid digestion.

• Finally avoid anything that triggers your nausea ( could be a good excuse of getting out of  filling the car up with petrol. A bit naughty but being pregnant has to have some advantages!)

If you do find that you are vomiting excessively, loosing weight or feeling dehydrated, then don’t hesitate to consult your doctor.