Loading...
Pregnancy Information2022-05-13T10:03:46+10:00

pregnancy informationPregnancy Information

Pregnancy is a special experience whether this is your first baby or you’ve been pregnant before. The feelings you experience can, however, be a little overwhelming. You may experience anything from joy to ambivalence, or even fear. Suddenly, you’re faced with the reality that your body is about to undergo profound changes. A baby is going to take shape inside you, and you’re going to be their parent. You can take positive steps to help prepare yourself for what lies ahead by reading our pregnancy information section.

You’ll want to know all about the changes happening to your body and the growing life inside you. Our pregnancy information section aims to help you understand and enjoy your pregnancy. Here you’ll find lots of information, support and advice.

  • How can I get answers to common questions about pregnancy?
  • What should I bring to the hospital with me?
  • What can I do if I am overdue?

These are just a few questions to which you may want to know answers. We’ve answered these and many more.

Pregnancy Information Articles

Ask the Expert: Bashi Hazard, about your legal rights during pregnancy and birth

Do you know your legal rights during pregnancy and birth? Let's learn from the expert. After two caesarean births, Sydney lawyer Bashi found private midwifery and had a normal vaginal birth. She combines her legal expertise with her passion for informing other birthing mothers about their rights. Bashi shed some light at a Better Births workshop on human rights in pregnancy and birth. Our writer attended to bring some of her key messages to you. Informed decisions need both

0 Comments

Say what?! The best comebacks to five rude comments during pregnancy

Ooh, you’ve put on a bit of weight! Chief among rude comments during pregnancy is an opinion on how ‘fat’ you’re getting. In addition, nearly two-thirds of pregnant women and new mothers experience stigma about their weight, which comes from family, strangers and society. Women in a 2020 study reported many examples of weight-related remarks: ‘I got comments like, “You’re HUGE! Are you sure you’re only having one?”’ ‘Coworkers point out how I am getting big and to be

0 Comments

The Power of Positive Birth Affirmations

In pregnancy, we spend a lot of time taking care of ourselves. We watch what we eat, stay away from soft cheese and mercury-heavy fish, and avoid the cat litter box and wine. We also take our prenatal multi-vitamins, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly. After all, we are creating a new life here! Let’s face it, for many of us, the months before and during pregnancy are the one time in our lives when we diligently take

0 Comments

Ten tips to keep the magic in Christmas

Christmas is about family and celebrating new beginnings, just like a new baby. Being pregnant at Christmas time, when the world is celebrating the birth of a baby, can be a lovely experience. Then again, it can be a busy time, with shopping, eating and drinking consuming your life, just when you are trying to avoid alcohol and take care with what you eat. Not to mention the embarrassment of nodding off to sleep just as the work Christmas

0 Comments

Holo Lilo is Available Nationwide from PBB

For many women, pregnancy can mean an end to regular treatments such as physiotherapy appointments.  Being propped up on pillows or lying sideways is not as comfortable or effective, and many women choose to put their treatment sessions on hold until after the birth.  However there is no medical reason why women shouldn’t continue to receive these treatments lying on their tummies. Only the physical constraints of pregnancy prevent this. Enter the Holo Lilo. Salvation has arrived The Holo

0 Comments

Older Mothers: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!

As an older mother myself, having just given birth to a baby girl eight weeks before I turned forty, I find myself sensitive to all the expert opinions on the subject. During my pregnancy some of the comments I received made me wonder if I should just book into a retirement home at the same time I booked in for my antenatal care. I even considered the ultimate defence, lying about my age but this was made difficult when

1 Comment

Hair Dye in Pregnancy

Is it safe to have hair dye during pregnancy? When a woman discovers she is pregnant, in most cases her natural instinct is to do everything she can to ensure her baby’s safety. As a result, pregnancy raises many questions. Is this safe to eat? Will doing that harm my baby? Among the myriad of questions pregnant woman ask, many ask about the safety of beauty treatments. And perhaps the beauty treatment that raises the most questions and controversy

0 Comments

Babies Second time Around

Having babies second time around is not easy for everyone. “When are you going to have ‘number two’? You’re not going to let her be an only child? Don’t you think she needs a brother or sister?”. Not only people eventually asked us these questions publicly by well-meaning friends and relatives, but also at some point we begin to ask these same questions of ourselves privately as parents. The decision to have more than one child is not an

13 Comments

Overdue

Overdue? When you first see your midwife or doctor they give you a date that your baby is due. Sometimes this date changes during the course of your pregnancy, but mostly it stays the same and women look forward to it with great anticipation. The reality is however that only five per cent of babies arrive on the expected day. Ideally you should allow two weeks either side of your due date. Giving birth anywhere between 37 to 42

0 Comments

Smoking in Pregnancy

By Jane Palmer We know more and more these days about the effects of cigarette smoking on pregnancy. For instance did you know that cigarette smoke contains 2000 components. Some of the most harmful for pregnant women and their babies is thought to be nicotine, carbon monoxide and cyanide. These substances have been found to cross the placenta and reach the baby. One of the most concerning effects of smoking during pregnancy is that the baby’s growth is restricted.

0 Comments

What do I take to Hospital?

By Jane Palmer Often I receive emails from people asking what they should pack to to go to the hospital, so I thought it would be helpful to provide a suggested list here on my website. Your hospital should provide you with further information. Ideally start gathering items together from about 34 weeks of pregnancy. It makes your trip to hospital when you are in labour much more relaxing if you are prepared ahead of time. For Labour and

0 Comments

Common Questions Pregnant Women Ask

Why are you getting stretch marks during pregnancy? Women ask questions all through their pregnancy but there are some that do seem to come up repeatedly. Here are the three I am asked most often. How big do you think my baby is? It is very common for women to ask how big they think their baby is. This is particularly towards the end of pregnancy. People seem to consider pregnant women’s bodies as public property. They make comments

0 Comments

Driving During Pregnancy

A recent study conducted in Japan on the effect of driving a car during pregnancy on the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s uterus found no adverse influences on either the baby or the mother. Some women worry that the increased uterine activity they may feel while driving during pregnancy could cause preterm labour. The researchers found, however, that women actually had fewer contractions when sitting in a car than they did when walking. While you would expect driving

0 Comments

My Pregnancy: A Woman’s Story

By Jane Palmer I’ve always adored Anne Geddes photographs of newborn babies. The photographs are innovative, compelling and unusual. Anne has now turned her wonderful talent to photographing pregnant women and the results are amazing. These pregnancy photographs go alongside women’s stories of pregnancy, birth and parenting in “My Pregnancy, A Woman’s Story”. This is a heart-warming and compelling quarterly magazine. The magazine is high quality, beautifully presented and makes the perfect gift. I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the

0 Comments

Healthy Teeth, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

During pregnancy, women need to take extra care to maintain healthy teeth and gums. The changes in the hormones can make women’s gums more susceptible to disease. These hormones can cause gums to become inflamed and bleed. A good routine of dental care that involves brushing and flossing every day can help to keep your gums healthy. If you have bleeding gums or inflammation make sure you see your dentist early. There is increasing evidence that dental disease not

0 Comments

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are an almost inevitable part of pregnancy, though some women do avoid them. The skin stretching to accommodate the enlarging uterus and increased weight causes stretchmarks. Some women probably have some genetic predisposition for stretch marks, and they’re also more common in younger women. The marks typically appear as pinkish-red streaks along the abdomen and breasts. Several months after birth, they fade to silvery grey or white. Their exact colour depends on your skin tone — they

0 Comments

Flying During Pregnancy

A common question asked of midwives and doctors by pregnant women is whether flying during pregnancy is safe. For pregnant women, concerns usually centre around the possible effects of flight on the health and well being of their unborn baby, the possibility that the flight may cause preterm labour, and fears of what would happen if an obstetric emergency did occur in flight. The good news is that there is no conclusive research which suggests there is a risk

0 Comments

Celebrity Pregnancy Mythbusters

By Hannah Dahlen Will she have a caesarean or a home birth? Will her parents be there? Is she too old to be doing this at 40? Has she got a baby bump … and then that wicked, unspoken thought — will she get stretch marks like the rest of us mere mortals? Why do we love to know these details? What fascinates us about celebrity births? Is it because we're curious about the potential genetic perfection that could

0 Comments

Pregnancy, Birth and the New Sibling

By Catherine Bell When we are pregnant with No. 2 (plus) it is normal to feel worried: will I have enough love? How will my older children cope? Do I want them present at the birth? How can I prepare them for the changes that will inevitably happen? Ten Tips for parenting beyond the only child: From early on in your pregnancy, change your sleeping arrangements to mirror the post-birth arrangement. This might mean having your partner do the

0 Comments

Testing Times: Facing the Odds of a Less than Perfect Outcome

When faced with the news of my seventh pregnancy and eighth child, I was surprised but excited. I knew our workload would increase, but I was still happy. I also knew many around me would not feel the same, so, despite being very at ease with the prospect of having another child, I decided to conceal the pregnancy. Quite frankly, I did not want the inevitable snide comments. I spoke to my trusted midwife, and when I saw her

0 Comments

Pregnancy After 35

Generally speaking, you probably don’t have to go very far to find a woman who has given birth to a child after 35 - pregnancy after 35. The age at which women in Australia will have their first baby is increasing as many couples choose to achieve other goals first. Many celebrities have made headlines achieving a successful pregnancy after 40 - Halle Berry (at 41), Nicole Kidman (at 41), Geena Davis (twins at 48) and Kelly Preston (at

0 Comments

Pregnancy Changes Women’s Feet

A new study published in the March 2013 edition of the American Journal of Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine shows that pregnancy may permanently change a woman’s feet. Professor Neil Segal a researcher at the University of Iowa, heard women discussing changes in their shoe size with pregnancy. But he found nothing about the topic in medical journals or textbooks on the subject. So he set out and collected foot posture measurements of 49 women. Starting in the first trimester

0 Comments

Online Conversations about Smoking in Pregnancy

By Britta Wigginton What was the purpose of our research? We were interested in understanding whether or not women used online pregnancy forums to discuss questions, issues or concerns about smoking during their pregnancy. What did we do? Fifty women completed a survey about using online pregnancy forums while pregnant and smoking. What did we find? This report provides a summary of the survey findings. The results will be of interest to the women who kindly participated, women using

0 Comments

How to Use the Holo Lilo in Pregnancy

The 'holo' is a lilo with a hole. Alternatively, the holo can be described as a inflatable airbed with a hole in the middle. Devloped for pregnant tummies for all trimesters for use on land and water. The perfect product if you want to relax lying on your tummy. In addition, the holo is idealy for health professionals such as midwives, massage therapies, physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, obstetricians or anyone else who cares for pregnant women. How to Use the

0 Comments

Adrian Baker – Pregnancy and Birth Artist

By Jane Palmer Nothing is more beautiful than a pregnant woman, and nothing is more awe inspiring than a woman giving birth. Painting is an ideal way to capture and portray this very special time in a woman’s life. When exploring pregnancy and birth artists I found Adrian Baker featured in Homebirth Access Sydney’s magazine. Adrian is a homebirth mother of three. Here is a bit more about Adrian and some of her work. Artist Statement – Labours of

0 Comments
Loading...
Go to Top