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We at Organictrak want to not only make your hospital stay more pleasurable but also aim to offer you useful tidbits of advice and information to make the job of being a parent that much easier.
The following suggestions, ideas and  facts have been collected from mums and dads and so have been tried and tested by real parents, obviously each baby is different but you might want to give one of our ideas a try.
baby in hands


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Pregnancy
Diet
Your diet in pregnancy is obviously very important as what you eat directly affects your baby.
You should never begin a new diet when pregnant unless advised to do so by a health professional but there are certain changes that it is a good idea to start:
  • Make sure that all poultry is well cooked and be careful not to allow raw poultry to infect any other food.
  • Avoid all non-pasturised cheese, especially blue cheeses,  rind ripened cheese and goat's cheese.
  • Avoid sea-food and only eat oily fish once a week.
  • Avoid large meals which may cause indigestion, try eating more frequent small meals.
  • Try to avoid processed food and eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • Avoid eating raw egg in any form, make sure egg is fully cooked.
  • Avoid peanuts if you have a history of allergies or asthma in your family.
  • If vegetarian, try to increase your intake of pulses and nuts to help provide protein.
  • Take folic acid before and at the start of your pregnancy to help protect against neural defects.
 tombaby Lifestyle
Pregnancy can often be a massive upheaval in your life.  There are certain lifestyle changes that you may have to make:
  • Stop smoking and if possible stop those close to you smoking.
  • Try to continue exercising, listen to your body to decide when you have had enough.
  • Do not begin a brand new strenuous exercise regime.
  • Try yoga, it can help with the aches and pains as well as teaching useful breathing techniques.
  • Cut down or cut out alcohol.  Alcohol affects your baby most in the first trimester so limit your alcohol intake to an occasional treat.
  • Tell your work  as soon as you can about your pregnancy; they have a responsibility to protect you.

Glossary
Sometimes however helpful the professionals are it can feel like they are talking a different language.  Hopefully our glossary will help you decode some of the terms.
  • ARM- Artificial Rupture of Membranes -a woman’s waters are broken artificially to speed up or trigger labour.
  • Caesarean Section- a surgical incision into the womb to deliver the baby.
  • Doppler – hand held monitor for baby’s heartbeat.
  • EFM – Electronic Foetal Monitoring- monitors attached around mother’s waist to monitor baby’s heartbeat, limits mother’s movements.
  • Entenox/Gas – a self administered gas used for pain relief during labour; does not affect the baby.
  • Epidural- analgesic injected into base of spine that blocks pain messages to brain; does not affect baby.
  • Episiotomy- the cutting of the perineal (the skin between vagina and anus) to assist delivery.
  • Foetal Scalp Electrode – an electrode is fastened to the baby’s head by a small hook to measure baby’s heart rate.
  • Forceps-  Forceps placed around babies head to aide delivery.
  • Induction – labour contractions are artificially stimulated to start labour process.
  • Pethadine- an injected drug which aides pain relief by mimicking natural endorphins; may make baby drowsy.
  • Pinard- stethoscope for listening to baby’s heart.
  • Prostaglandins- a gel or pessary is administered into the vagina to encourage labour
  • Stretch and Sweep – a midwife stretches the cervix to stimulate contractions.
  • Sytocinon- it is artificial oxytocin the labour hormone which is administered intravenously to speed up labour.
  • TENS- a machine that gives small electric shocks which can help with pain during labour; does not affect the baby.
  • Ventouse- a suction cup is placed on the babies head to assist in delivery.

LABOUR
Foetal Positioning
If your baby is in a favourable position at the start of your labour, than it is more likely  that you will have a smoother and shorter labour.  The following  can be helpful in ensuring that your baby is as ready as you are for the big day but remember that these are to complement your antenatal care, and may not always be suitable for all pregnancies:
Do
»Use upright & forward leaning positions, it creates more room in your pelvis.
»Sit with your knees lower than your hips and your back as straight as possible.
»Sit  with elbows resting on a dining table, knees apart and leaning slightly forward.
»Sit facing the back of the chair with your arms resting along the back of the chair.
»Kneel on the floor leaning over a beanbag or floor cushion.
»Put a wedge cushion under your bottom when driving.
»When resting/sleeping lie on your side with a pillow between your legs.
Don't
»Relax in a position where your knees are higher than your hips.
»Take long trips in cars with bucket seats.
»Sit with legs crossed.
It may seem like a small thing but in my first pregnancy I did a lot of driving and ignored this advice and my baby was in the wrong position which eventually resulted in a caesarean,  with my second child I took this advice and the baby was born quickly and naturally; it maybe just a coincidence but you never know.
 		sleepingbaby
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Labour Tips
Every labour experience is different and every woman is different but we have included some ideas that may make things easier:
  • Remember to take your hand held notes with you into hospital, or give them to your midwife.
  • Write a birth plan and share it with your birth partner and midwife.
  • Remember to eat and drink, you need to keep up your strength.
  • Hot water bottles and baths can help ease contractions.
  • Take your own music,  candles and luxuries to make the environment less clinical.
  • Ask questions and always know what is happening to you.
  • Move around and stay as upright as possible- gravity can be a big help.
  • A good scream can relieve the tension of  a contraction.
  • Cold flannels on your face can cool you down and help the discomfort.
  • Your personal thermostat may go haywire so have warm cardies & socks on hand as well as cooling flannels & cold drinks.
  • Be flexible, every labour experience is unique & remarkable, listen to your own body, it knows what it is doing.
Labour Companion
Your's is a vital job; you need to support the mother as well as ask the right questions and maybe even  help make important decisions.  Organictrak offers some suggestions to help:
  • Plan the route to hospital, know any trouble spots and pre-plan detours.  You never know for my second child I got a police escort.
  • Ask all the questions before agreeing to anything.    You need to be able to make decisions too.
  • Have  a list of the numbers of everyone who needs to be informed about your happy event.  You do not want to miss someone.
  • Take a flask of tea, drink & sandwiches, hospitals tend to only provide sustenance for the one in labour.
  • Get the mother a present before the big day, she may feel a bit low and need cheering up and spoiling.
  • Know the different positions for labour, you may be able to offer suggestions to help.
  • Know the jargon, you can then offer informed opinions.

mum&baby
Labour is often seen as  a mysterious and worrying experience, in reality it is a natural
process with reasonably defined stages, although everyone is different:
  • • Pre-labour – You may experience period cramps, back pain, a show of blood, diarrhoea  (hours/days)
  • Early labour- Contractions will be every 5-30 mins. You may feel tightening, pelvic pressure, tired and be frustrated or talkative.   (7-12 hours)
  • Active labour – Contractions will be at 2-5 mins intervals. You may have a flushed face dry mouth, leg discomfort, be tired and slightly fearful. Your waters may break. (2-5 hours)
  • Transition- Contractions will be every 1- 3 mins. You may feel rectal pressure, leg cramps, disorientation, intense back ache. Also you may find yourself grunting,unable to answer questions, irritable, feeling nauseas and discouraged. (15 – 60 mins)
  • Delivery – Contractions will be at 3-5 mins intervals.  You should have a desire to push, be more aware of surroundings and you could feel drowsy and more relaxed.(30-60mins)
  •  Afterbirth – Contractions will be every 3-5mins and you will feel an urge to push. (5-30mins)

POSTNATAL
Breastfeeding
We all know that the best start you can give your baby is breast milk, although this is not for everyone, even if you only manage the first few days you will be providing your baby with vital antibodies and disease fighting goodness.  Try some of the following tips, they may help:
  • Make sure you are ready to breastfeed, go to the loo, sit/lie comfortably, have something to do (reading, watching TV), get a drink, you wont want to have to stop once you have started.
  •  To help your baby fasten on to your breast, try making a sausage or biscuit shape with your breast to help your baby take it into her mouth.  Try to aim the tip of your nipple towards your baby's nose to ensure the bottom of the jaw latches first.  You can tell a good fix because the baby will be swallowing happily and will not be fidgeting, you should also feel comfortable.
  • Try not to get flustered or fiddle around too much, this can hinder success.
  • All the experts tell you that breast feeding should not hurt, I have breast fed both my children and for the first week  it was painful for both, I don't think this was because I did things wrong but because your nipple is not used to the sort of punishment your baby will inflict on it and it does take time to harden up.  Don't give up, it will get better.
  • Allow your baby to feed for as long as it wishes, a baby will stop when it is full.
  • Watch out that your baby doesn't fall asleep, tickle his toes to wake him up.
  • Breastfed babies need less winding than bottle fed, but look for a little blueness around your baby's mouth which my mean that she needs winding.
  • Talk to your baby, it will calm and relax both of you.
 Sleeping
One of the most notorious aspects of having a new baby is the sleeping, both yours and the baby's.  There are somethings you can do to make things easier:
  • Establish a nighttime routine, maybe a bath, a feed and then bed, baby then always knows when it is bed-time.
  • Babies are rocked to sleep in the womb so they have to learn to sleep independently so give them time to learn and don't fuss them.
  • Invest in a good baby alarm, you may then feel that your baby will be happy in it's own room.
  • Don't create a sleeping environment you can't maintain, your baby will expect the same from then on, so if you don't want to have to tiptoe around upstairs for the next few years don't start that way.
  • Try to make up for lost sleep when the baby is napping.
  • Share night-time responsibility as far as possible so that nobody gets too tired.
  • Use friends and relatives to give yourself a rest, they will love to have the baby and love to help.


Your Body
Pregnancy and childbirth does drastic things to your body and you may find you barely recognise the body you are left with. However there are things you can do to help you spring back into shape:
  • You do not have to stop exercising just because you are pregnant.  Don't begin a new regime but listen to your body and try to keep active.
  • Do pelvic exercises, tightening your pelvic girdle, by squeezing the muscles you use when you stop your pee flowing; start these before your baby is born and it will help prevent urinary incontinence.
  • Your breasts will swell, try to avoid engorgement by giving regular feeds and wear a well fitting bra.
  • If you have to have an episiotomy try bathing in a hot bath with tea tree oil and then cooling with a cold flannel, arnica will also help with the bruising but is better taken orally.
  • Your gums soften whilst pregnant and breast feeding, so make sure you see your dentist and clean your teeth with a soft tooth brush.
  • Whilst you are pregnant your hair stops falling out, after your baby is born your hair will resume its normal cycle but for some women their hair loss is more extreme, unfortunately there is nothing that can be done about this but grin and bare it, however it is only temporary.
 computerbaby

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Organictrak and it's employees cannot be held responsible for the effectiveness or suitability of any of the advice listed - if you are at all unsure you should check with your own doctor or midwife.

                     
© Kath Kenney@organictrak.com2007