Secrets for Pregnancy, Childbirth and Newborn Care

Secrets on Pregnancy:

1. Add ten days to your estimated due date to get a more correct date for first-time mothers. Tell family and friends an estimate of when the baby will be born, like after Thanksgiving or before Christmas, instead of an exact day. Every day you give your baby in the womb is a gift only you can give. Plan on allowing your labor to start naturally, when your baby signals to your body that it is time, for an easier and more gentle labor and delivery.

2. Morning sickness can be caused by dehydration, make sure you are drinking plenty of water during the day, as increasing your water intake throughout the day and evening is one of the best natural secrets for relieving morning sickness.

3. To prevent many of the health challenges during pregnancy make sure you are taking a high quality prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement and increase your protein intake with small meals throughout the day and early evening.

4. If premature contractions occur during your pregnancy, drink two glasses of water and lay down on your left side. This is also a good way to tell if you are experiencing “real” or “false” labor at the end of your pregnancy.

5. If you are sitting for long periods of time during the day and evening make sure your knees are lower than your pelvis and that you are sitting up straight as this will help with optimal fetal positioning. If this is your second baby, make sure you carry your older child on your hip not your belly. Walking every evening also helps with optimal positioning.

6. Pamper yourself with pregnancy massage, pregnancy yoga, pregnancy acupuncture or pregnancy chiropractic. Look for schools that train these professionals for a discount on the service. Rest, relax and eat. You deserve it!

Secrets on Childbirth

1. Hire a professional labor coach to support you, your husband and your new baby throughout pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Look into the benefits offered by childbirth professionals like midwives and doulas to help you create a safe and gentle birth.

2. To ease pain naturally, eat and drink fluids throughout labor.

3. Changing your position often throughout labor and delivery, by rocking, standing, walking or leaning over something will help your baby to turn and rotate into a good position for birth.

4. You can ask for nitrous oxide (laughing gas) instead of an epidural. You will be able to move about during labor and you will be able to control the exact amount of pain relief needed by increasing or decreasing the amount used. Asking for an epidural too early into labor can cause problems for both mother and baby.

5. Decline the option of an induced birth. Induced births are twice as painful as normal labor with twice as many potential medical challenges. Wait until your labor naturally begins for a safe and gentle labor.

6. When you are fully dialated, supported standing, supported squatting or a hands and knees position will get your baby out without pushing as it will trigger your natural fetal ejection urge. Have your partner cut the umbilical cord only after it stops beating to make sure your baby gets every bit of the vital cord blood supply that has been stored in your placenta.

Secrets on Life with Your Newborn

1. Begin to breastfeed your baby within moments of birth. This will help you to take advantage of the strong instinctual urge your baby has to breastfeed during the first three hours and three days after childbirth.

2. Always choose the room-in option with your new baby to further assist your natural parenting hormones to be released within your body after childbirth. Make sure your partner has plenty of contact with the new baby in order to assist your partner’s natural parenting hormones to be released as well.

3. Suggest friends and relatives send you a baby gift of postnatal doula care. This is a wonderful gift for a new mother, and one that you, your partner and your baby will most certainly appreciate. A postpartum or postnatal doula helps the new family work together as a team, keeps an eye on breastfeeding challenges and the health of the new mother and baby. Ask your caregivers to help with the many tasks that need to be done so you can focus on bonding and attaching to your new baby.

4. Make sure you continue to take your prenatal vitamins and minerals to help restore your body for at least six months after the birth of your new baby or longer if you need to. This will help to prevent prenatal depression. Good nutrition also helps to prevent postpartum depression.

5. Nap at every opportunity you can. The laundry, dishes, errands will wait. Watch out for the “super mom” syndrome. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when you are tired.

6. You should find your bleeding beginning to taper off and change from bright red, to brown to a light clear discharge after a few weeks. If you find yourself with a bright red discharge all of a sudden, slow down your activities and bring your baby back to bed with you for two or three days and rest.

Secrets E-Newsletter 2008. Gail J. Dahl, “Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets”. This article may be reprinted or posted without prior permission for the purpose of childbirth education if references are included. The information contained in or provided through this publication is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your midwife, physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. “Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets is a valuable gift for any new parent and is available across North America at all major bookstores. For more great secrets newsletters go to the Pregnancy Secrets web-site.