Hints & Tips
Tips for Mums to be
Tips for Mums to be
1.In your last trimester try to relax as much as possible. Put your feet up and enjoy the peace and quiet.
2.To avoid or lighten stretch marks use cocoa butter every night from around 10 weeks.
3.In labour stay on your feet as much as possible, and move about lots. This can often make labour easier and faster.
4.Watch out for the “show”. The cervix – the neck of the uterus – dilates to allow the baby through during labour. This is sealed with a mucus plug, which is designed to keep out any infection. When labour is imminent, the cervix begins to dilate and the mucus plug comes away. This is called the show. Don’t worry. This can happen up to two weeks before labour actually starts.
Tips for Dads to be
Tips for Dads to be
1.If you are going to be the birthing partner, chat through some ideas with your partner for a birth plan. Then, if she’s screaming certain words out during labour, you can help the midwife by telling her what they mean. Of course some words might be understood by everyone!
2.So what’s a birth plan? A birth plan is the writing down of ideas and preferences that you and your partner have about the birth of your baby. You can use it to help people who come into contact with you during the birth. It can be as detailed or as basic as you want, but importantly, it will really help the birthing staff to help you get what you want from the birth. It’s best to write it down in advance, but be careful not to write in such a way as the midwife feels she must follow it all costs, as she may need to recommend changes to it. For example it might cover some of the following:
Does your partner want to be able to move around or be confined to a bed? Or perhaps use a birthing pool.
Does your partner want pain relief medication, use her own system, such as TENS, or want to see how she feels on the day.
Is there a certain position in which she’d prefer to give birth?
Does your partner want to listen to music during labour? If so, any particular music?
These are just a few examples – you can learn more about birth plans during your antenatal classes.
3 If you’re at all unsure about what to expect at the birth, ask the midwife at antenatal class to see a video of a birth to get an idea.
4. Even though you’ve been shown how to do it, get some practice at fitting the car seat into your car a few weeks before your due date. Don’t leave it until there’s a real baby in it and you’re standing outside the hospital, waving goodbye to the staff!
5. In those last months of pregnancy stay in the good books by offering to run a nice warm bath, make the meals and buying her some magazines and wee presents. Cosy up on the couch and watch a nice film. You might want to help her indulge in some of those cravings. Now might be a good time to offer to rub her back too.
Things you wish you'd known before you went to hospital
You need a car seat to get your baby home from hospital. Most hospitals won’t let you leave until they have seen you with one.
Make up a hospital bag to take with you. Most mums will be able to advise you what you might want to include. One thing you might want to consider is a couple of magazines or books because the hours between visiting times can be quite long. Check the HINTS section for more things to pack into your bag.
Things you wish you'd known before you went to hospital.
Your feet can get cold during labour – take a pair of cosy socks.
Paper pants and breast pads can come in really handy for the first couple of days.
You need a car seat to get your baby home from hospital. Most hospitals won’t let you leave until they have seen you with one.
Make up a hospital bag to take with you. Most mums will be able to advise you what you might want to include. One thing you might want to consider is a couple of magazines or books because the hours between visiting times can be quite long.
You'll soon forget your labour pains once you’ve had a well-earned cup of tea and some toast.
A few pointers about coping with the first few weeks of new baby
During the first weeks after baby is born do try to get as much rest as you can. It's easiest when baby is asleep. Leave the washing and the ironing for another day .....or for someone else!
In the first few weeks after baby is born try to eat well and eat regularly. This keeps your strength up (it really is easy to forget to look after yourself when you're concentrating so hard to look after a brand new baby 24 hours a day).
Going through labour and having a baby can be very emotional. Make sure dad understands that its very common for new mums to experience extreme highs and lows in the first few days.
A few pointers about coping with the first few weeks of new baby
Rest when baby is asleep (no, not a joke – leave the washing and the ironing for another day – or someone else!)
Eat well to keep your strength up (it really is easy to forget to look after yourself)
Don’t be too proud to take help if it is offered. You know you could probably do it all yourself, but it makes it a whole lot nicer if someone does offer to help out. If you get visitors don’t rush around making sure they are all catered for. Perhaps they’ll be able to make you a cup of tea while they’re making their own!
Going through labour and having a baby is very emotional. Make sure dad understands that its very common for new mums to experience extreme highs and lows in the first few days.
