What is the ideal weight gain for pregnancy?

On average the ideal weight gain is 12,5kg:

~ Average baby 3,4kg

~ Placenta 0,6kg

~ Amniotic fluid 0,8kg

~ Uterus increase 0,9kg

~ Breast increase 0,4kg

~Blood volume 1,5kg

~ Fat 3,5kg

~ Extracellular fluid 1,4kg

Try to remember that every pregnancy is unique and your ideal weight gain in pregnancy is related to your Body Mass Index (BMI) prior to falling pregnant.

How can I aid in my baby's development in the first 6 months?

There are many ways you can stimulate your baby. The first is by stimulating her senses. Small babies love high contrast so black and white stripes, shapes and checks are interesting to them. They also love to look at pictures of faces and of course real human faces too. You can stimulate her sense of touch by giving her different textures of fabric to play with. By varying your diet you expose your baby to many different flavours through your breastmilk. Babies love music and will particularly enjoy music they may have been exposed to while still in the womb. Try classical music with an upbeat tempo and also a more relaxed tempo to see how baby responds. Be aware that babies can become overstimulated too. Baby will begin to fuss, cry, thrash her legs and arms in what appears to be an uncontrolled fashion, yawn and turn her head away from the stimulus if she becomes tired of it. Also, be aware that baby will not always be in a receptive mood for play and other stimulation. A baby who is calm-alert will respond well to stimulation.

Make eye contact with your baby and have conversations with her. Babies who babble will naturally create pauses for you to respond if you chat to your baby often. Talk all the time. Describe things around you, talk your baby through nappy changes, bath time etc and employ repetition to encourage your baby's development of verbal language.

Take every opportunity to play with your baby and sing to her. Babies love singing and play and it is a perfect opportunity for you to not only stimulate your baby but also to bond with her.

It is unlikely your baby will become spoiled under the age of 6 months. When your baby cries it is important that you respond to her. It will have a positive effect on her self esteem if she feels valued and acknowledged from an early age and can be confident in the fact that, when she is unhappy or uncomfortable her parents will respond to her. Also important for your baby's self esteem is encouragement. You need to be excited about her attempts at doing things so that she is encouraged in her exploits and has the confidence to try new things and develop in many different areas.

Above all, have fun with your baby. She is excited and inquisitive about EVERYTHING around her. We can learn a lot from this child-like wonder and it should be cherished and encouraged as it does not last forever and, sadly, has usually worn off by adulthood.

Kerry

I am expecting twins. Are there resources I can use?

A twin pregnancy is different to a singleton pregnancy is so many ways. There are many resources one can use. Some are South African while others are American or British. All offer information, help and advice as well as support groups and forums. Below is a list.

Books
Twins! Pregnancy, Birth & The First Year of Life
Connie Agnew

The Joy of Twins & Other Multiple Births
Pamela Patrick Novotny

Multiple Blessings
Betty Rothbart

Take 3
Les Aupiais


Web Resources
http://www.mostonline.org/
If you are expecting triplets or other higher order multiples you may be interested in this American site.

http://www.nomtc.org/
This non-profit organization was founded in 1960 for the specific purpose of promoting the special aspects of child development for multiple birth children. They have tons of information pertaining to multiple birth, parenting, as well as research and conventions.

http://www.tttsfoundation.org/
Twin to twin transfusion is a disease of the placenta that affects identical twin pregnancies. This site offers information, help, advice and support related to this condition.

http://www.twinutero.org/
A blog written by a Canadian mother of twins who now lives in Cape Town. Her candid style is easy to read and entertaining.

http://www.twinslist.org/
The Twins List has been around for many years. They have members from all over the world and from all walks of life, brought together by one common bond: multiples. You can join the list and make your own posts and comments on a wide range of topics, from surviving bed rest, potty training twins, to separating them in school.

http://www.twinsdoctor.com/
TwinsDoctor.com is the first physician-authored website with health information exclusively for multiples. Founded in 2007, the site is hosted by Dr. Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin: a pediatrician, mother of twins, and author of "Twins 101: 50 Must-Have Tips for Pregnancy through Early Childhood from Doctor M.O.M.".

http://www.intltwins.org/
This association was organized by and for twins in 1934. They state that they are a non-profit, family-oriented organization to promote the spiritual, intellectual, and social welfare of twins and multiples throughout the world.

http://www.twin-pregnancy-and-beyond.com/
A wonderful resource designed by a mother of twins including what to expect in twin pregnancy and births, video galleries, photo galleries, ask an expert, preparing for twins, parenting twins, fun stuff, newsletter, week by week development guide, helpful information and a lot more.

http://www.twinstuff.com/
Twinstuff.com is a large community of twins and their families. They include a message board and tons of informational links from expecting twins to products for twins.

http://www.talk-about-twins.com/
An easy-to-navigate informative American site.

www.synspectrum.com/multiplicity.html
Lists organizations, print and web resources that may be helpful to parents of multiples.

http://www.twinsfoundation.com/
This is what their Mission Statement states:"The Twins Foundation is an international membership organization and primary research information center on twins and other multiples.It serves twins, their families, the media, medical and social scientists and the general public through its publications, its National Twin Registry and its multi-media resource center…”

http://www.motheroftwins.com/
A site dedicated to parents of twins from conception to beyond.

http://www.twinstalk.com/
Brought to you by Susan Heim, author of It's Twins. Her site offers lots of parent-to-parent advice for raising twins and multiples. Including tips, forum discussions, and articles.

http://missionimpossibleinfertile.wordpress.com/
This blog deals with parenting fraternal twins after IVF. Site contains an honest account of one mom's IVF treatments, a complicated twin pregnancy and parenting of newborn twins. Also includes the odd bit of advice. Her writing is excellent and her sense of humour tops!

http://www.doubleupbooks.com/
Double Up Books is the premier bookstore for twins and multiples. They specialize in books about twins and other multiples for both parents and children. They ship internationally.

SA Multiple Birth Association 0861 432 432
http://www.samultiplebirth.co.za/

Twins, Triplets & Quads
SA online multiple birth shop
http://www.twinstripsandquads.co.za/

What breathing techniques can I use to cope in labour?

Breathing can greatly help you to cope during your labour.

The best possible breathing technique is very simple. It is Abdominal Breathing. It is simply deep, relaxed and slow breathing into the belly as opposed to breathing into the chest area. If you place your hands over or under your bump you will feel your abdomen rising and falling. You can use this breathing technique for as long as you can during labour. It is a good idea to begin breathing through a contraction with a cleansing breath. It is simply a deep breath that signals the start of your contraction and gives a big oxygen boost to both you and your baby. We finish each contraction with a cleansing breath as well. Lots of women actually sigh on this cleansing breath to signify to release of the contraction once it is over.

There will probably come a point where you need a more distracting breathing technique to keep your mind from the discomfort of the contractions. It is then a good idea to begin patterned breathing.

Light Breathing is not suitable for asthmatics as it may trigger an attack but can be helpful for others. It begins with a cleansing breath, then one breath every 1-2 seconds for the duration of the contraction. It is finished with a cleansing breath.

Contraction-tailored breathing combines Light and Abdominal Breathing. Begin with a cleansing breath and then use slow, relaxed abdominal breathing. As the contraction intensifies, accelerate and lighten your breathing over the peak. Return to relaxed abdominal breathing and finish with a cleansing breath.

Slide Breathing is good for asthmatics. It begins with a cleansing breath. Then take a slow, deep breath in and breathe out by puffing lightly 3 or 4 times (IN... out, out ,out. IN... out, out, out). Finish with a cleansing breath.

Variable Breathing (pant, pant, blow) is helpful when you feel short of breath from light breathing, or if you want a structured pattern. You can vocalise the blow. Begin with a cleansing breath. Breathe lightly for 2 breaths then give a longer, slow and relaxed breath. Finish with a cleansing breath.

Any exhale releases tension. Sighing or focusing on the exhaled breath can be relaxing.

ALWAYS KEEP THE RATE AND DEPTH OF YOUR BREATHING BALANCED IN ORDER TO PREVENT HYPERVENTILATION. BREATHING FAST AND DEEP CAUSES HYPERVENTILATION. THEREFORE, WHEN YOUR RATE OF BREATHING INCREASES THE BREATHS MUST BECOME LIGHTER.

Low vocalisations will release the pain-relieving hormone beta-endorphin. Explore the vocalisations that work for you in combination with your chosen breathing techniques.

Think about breathing techniques that you use in your every day life. Runners use breathing, as do swimmers and people who practice yoga. There may be any number of situations in which people use breathing techniques. Take what you know from your day-to-day life and adapt these breathing techniques to combine with what you already know. This is a very effective way of creating a coping style that is unique and useful to you.

Kerry

What are the risks involved in caesarean births?

So many mothers and caregivers are going straight to Caesarean delivery without even considering vaginal birth. I, and many others, firmly believe that vaginal birth is the best option for an uncomplicated pregnancy. I also believe that vaginal birth is not the only way to give birth and that as long as the expectant parents are well-educated on the different birthing options, it is ultimately their decision as to which birthing option to choose.

It is necessary to consider the risks involved in Caesarean births:

• There is a risk of problems related to the anaesthesia used for the surgery and the medication used for pain relief after the birth.
• There is an increased incidence of infection and the need for antibiotics.
• There is more blood loss in a Caesarean birth with an increased risk of hemorrhage, which can lead to anaemia and may even necessitate blood transfusion.
• The hospital stay after a Caesarean birth is longer than the stay after a vaginal birth and the medical costs involved are thereby increased.
• There can be problems with the Caesarean scar tissue and possibly adhesions inside the abdomen.
• Postoperative pain may last weeks or even months and makes taking care of yourself, baby and baby's siblings difficult.
• There is the possibility of injury to other organs (bowel and bladder) within the abdomen during a Caesarean.
• There is a risk of blood clots in the leg and pelvic region.
• There is an increased risk of breathing and temperature regulation problems for the newborn.
• There is a higher rate of infertility than in that of women who have had a vaginal delivery.
• There is an increased risk of placenta praevia (a placenta that covers the cervix and makes vaginal delivery impossible) or retained placenta (the placenta does not come away from the uterine wall following the birth of baby) in future pregnancies.
• There is an increased likelihood of Caesarean in subsequent pregnancies.

It is important to note that there is NO DIFFERENCE in a mother's risk of postnatal depression or pain with intercourse three months postpartum in Caesarean and vaginal births.

Ultimately, educate yourself thoroughly and communicate your wishes and concerns with your caregiver. You will need to come to a decision mutually.

Kerry