Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy

What you eat in pre pregnant state, during your pregnancy and after the birth can deffinatelyaffect your baby. Eating the right foods, knowing what food and drink to avoid, regular exercise and quitting smoking and alcohol are all important if you are to increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy.

Healthy Diet During Pregnancy

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any time, but especially vital if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Healthy eating keeps you feeling good and gives your baby the essential nutrients they need in the womb.

Exercising During Pregnancy

Doing regular physical activity has health benefits during pregnancy and also helps to prepare the body for childbirth. However, it is important to modify or choose a suitable exercise program because pregnancy affects the body's response to exercise

Exercises for a fitter pregnancy

Try to fit the exercises listed below into your daily routine. They will strengthen your muscles so that you can carry the extra weight of pregnancy. They'll also make joints stronger, improve circulation, ease backache and generally help you feel well.

Stomach-Strengthening Exercises, Pelvic Tilt Exercises, Pelvic Floor Exercises

By performing pelvic floor exercises, you can strengthen the muscles. Pelvic floor muscle training will help the body cope with the growing weight of the baby. Healthy, fit muscles before the baby is born will mend more easily after the birth and helps to reduce or avoid stress incontinence after pregnancy

Playing Sport During Pregnancy

If you are already active, healthy and have an uncomplicated pregnancy, you can continue to play sport unless it is one that should be avoided during pregnancy.

When will I have my first scan in pregnancy?

Usually, two scans are done during the first trimester.

	A dating and viability scan, (TVS) between six and nine weeks of pregnancy.
	An early morphology scan or nuchal translucency (NT) scan (abdominal scan) between 11 weeks and two days, and 13 weeks and six days of pregnancy. Your first scan helps to
	Confirm your pregnancy
	see if the embryo sac is embedded inside the uterus to rule out an ectopic pregnancy
	detect your baby's heartbeat
	see if you are pregnant with one baby or more
	rule out a molar pregnancy
	check your uterus, ovaries and surrounding organs
	find your accurate due date

Baby Birth

First minutes after baby is born

The moment your baby is born can be very special, but there’s usually a lot going on too. What happens straight after birth will depend on your labour, how your baby is born, and how quickly your baby adapts to life outside the womb.

(1) Uncomplicated vaginal birth

Most babies breathe and cry within a few seconds of being born.

Skin-to-skin contact keeps your baby warm, helps to steady your baby’s breathing and heart rate, and lets you and baby bond physically straight away. It’s also a trigger for breastfeeding.

(2) Forceps or vacuum birth

Most babies born with the help of forceps or a vacuum will breathe and cry at birth. But some babies might be a little stunned or slow to breathe, especially if they’re distressed during labour.

(3) Elective caesarean section

Most babies born via elective caesarean section breathe and cry vigorously at birth.

If baby is breathing well, you might be able to have skin-to-skin contact before baby goes to a special warming station to be dried and checked.

(4) Unplanned (emergency) caesarean section

Babies born via unplanned caesarean section are more likely to need help to breathe at birth. The midwife or paediatrician will take your baby to a special warming station for drying. They’ll also check what type of help your baby needs.

When your baby is breathing well and your health is stable, you can hold your baby. Even if you’re still on the operating table, it’s OK to ask for skin-to-skin contact or cuddles.

Cutting the cord

After the birth of your baby, the umbilical cord needs to be clamped and cut. This can happen straight after birth, or you might be able to cuddle your baby for a minute or two before the cord is cut.

Your birth partner can usually cut the umbilical cord if that’s what you and your partner want.

How your baby will look and behave after birth

It’s normal for your baby to look blue or purple in the initial few minutes after birth. If your baby is breathing well, your baby’s skin colour will gradually become pink within 7-10 minutes after birth.

If your baby seems ready, you can try breastfeeding within a few minutes of birth. The midwife will help you attach baby to your breast.

The Apgar score

The Apgar score is a rating of your baby’s heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, response to stimuli and skin colour. A score of 0, 1 or 2 is given for each of these five criteria, and the total is the Apgar score.

When your baby needs medical help after birth

If your baby isn’t breathing properly after birth and needs help to breathe, has a low heart rate (below 100 beats per minute) or is floppy, baby will be moved to the warming station. Staff will decide what sort of extra medical help your baby needs.

Checks and medications in the first 24 hours

Within the first hour of birth, the midwife will put two name tags on your baby.

Your baby will also be weighed at some time in the first few hours. When weighing your baby, the midwife will do a quick physical check.

The midwife will record when your baby first poos and wees. This is usually within the first 24 hours.

You’ll be asked to give your permission for your baby to have one or two injections. These injections are given into the thigh muscles after birth, either immediately or within a few hours. The injections are:

	vitamin K – this can help prevent a bleeding disorder caused by a vitamin K deficiency (haemorrhagic disease of the newborn)
	hepatitis B immunisation – this is the only immunisation required at birth.

Guide for First-Time Parents

Even though you may feel anxious about handling a newborn, in a few short weeks you'll develop a routine and be parenting like a pro!

Getting Help After the Birth

Consider getting help during this time, which can be very hectic and overwhelming. While in the hospital, talk to the experts around you.

Handling a Newborn

If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating.

Bonding and Soothing

Bonding, probably one of the most pleasurable parts of infant care, happens during the sensitive time in the first hours and days after birth when parents make a deep connection with their infant. Physical closeness can promote an emotional connection.

For infants, the attachment contributes to their emotional growth, which also affects their development in other areas, such as physical growth. Another way to think of bonding is "falling in love" with your baby.

Infant Massage

Certain types of massage may enhance bonding and help with infant growth and development.

Swaddling

which works well for some babies during their first few weeks, is another soothing technique first-time parents should learn. Proper swaddling keeps a baby's arms close to the body while allowing for some movement of the legs. Not only does swaddling keep a baby warm, but it seems to give most newborns a sense of security and comfort.

All About Diapering

You'll probably decide before you bring your baby home whether you'll use cloth or disposable diapers. Change your baby's diaper often, and as soon as possible after bowel movements.

Bathing Basics

You should give your baby a sponge bath until:
(1) The umbilical cord falls off and the navel heals completely (1–4 weeks)
(2) The circumcision heals (1–2 weeks)

Tub Baths

When your baby is ready for tub baths, the first baths should be gentle and brief. If he or she becomes upset, go back to sponge baths for a week or two, then try the bath again.
While bathing your infant, never leave the baby alone. If you need to leave the bathroom, wrap the baby in a towel and take him or her with you.

Circumcision and Umbilical Cord Care

Immediately after circumcision, the tip of the penis is usually covered with gauze coated with petroleum jelly to keep the wound from sticking to the diaper.
Umbilical cord care in newborns is also important..

Feeding and Burping Your Baby

Whether feeding your newborn by breast or a bottle, you may be stumped as to how often to do so. Generally, it's recommended that babies be fed on demand — whenever they seem hungry.

If your baby tends to be gassy, has gastroesophageal reflux, or seems fussy during feeding, try burping your little one after every ounce during bottle-feeding or every 5 minutes during breastfeeding.

Sleeping Basics

As a new parent, you may be surprised to learn that your newborn, who seems to need you every minute of the day, actually sleeps about 16 hours or more!Newborns typically sleep for periods of 2–4 hours. Many newborns have their days and nights "mixed up." They tend to be more awake and alert at night, and more sleepy during the day. When your baby wakes up during the day, try to keep him or her awake a little longer by talking and playing.

Feeding

Feeding a baby is among the top concerns new parents have.From the first hour of life, through to 6 months old, your baby can receive all of the nutrition she needs to grow and develop from your milk. She doesn’t need anything else – no water, tea, juice, porridge or any other foods or fluids during this period.

Feeding your baby: When to start with solid foods

As your baby grows, her nutritional needs grow with her. During the first two years, up to 75 per cent of each meal goes to building your baby’s brain.Your baby’s body needs the extra energy and nutrients to help him to keep growing. Waiting too long may cause your baby to stop gaining weight at a healthy rate, and put him at risk of becoming thin and weak