02.19. APPENDIX 01 - SOME ADVICE FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS

APPENDIX 01 - SOME ADVICE FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS PREPARING FOR BABYS ARRIVAL As soon as the newly wed wife feels that she is expecting a baby, she should visit the doctor. The first signs of pregnancy are: Missing of period, nausea and vomiting, increased frequency of urination, changes in the breast. The expected date of delivery is 9 months and 7 days from the beginning of the last menstrual period.

There may be things in the mother’s or father’s constitution which may need treatment. Some ailments may not be evident in the parent but might affect the child. Some of these can be corrected. So it is good to have a medical check-up, if you are in doubt.

Pregnancy is not an illness - obviously! But if you happen to be on the borderline between health and ill-health, then pregnancy can make you unwell. Good nutritious food and healthy habits are most essential. And, by the way, the mind needs to be fed too. Meditation on God’s Word can relieve your mind of tensions and improve your health and thereby the health of your unborn baby too. Some mornings you may find yourself too tired or sick to concentrate on reading the Bible. Then try meditating on just one verse, or read a good book of daily devotions or a book of hymns . You could also ask your husband to share the time of devotion and prayer with you.

Diet The baby in your womb gets its food through what you eat. So your daily diet should ordinarily consist of the following :

 Rice, wheat or other cereal  2 to 4 glasses of milk  Eggs, meat or fish  Grams and dhal (lentils) - sprouted lentils are very good  Curds (yogurt)  Vegetables - leafy and non-leafy  Fats and oils  Fresh or dried fruits

Vegetarians should substitute more curds (yogurt) and dhal (lentils) in lieu of meat and fish. Rice, wheat and fats are fattening and should not be taken excessively. Your diet should be supplemented with multi-vitamins, iron tablets and calcium for building up the baby’s bones and teeth. Avoid excessive salt and eating too much of fried food from wayside vendors.

You must also take the iron, calcium and magnesium tablets prescribed by your doctor regularly during the early months of pregnancy, and immunisation against tetanus after the sixth month.

Fresh air Do take time occasionally to get out of your stuffy kitchen (or office) and breathe a few breaths of God’s fresh air. This can be most invigorating. Take a walk in the evening with your husband. This will relax and refresh you and your husband too! Try to maintain an upright posture when walking.

Exercise

Physical exercise can help digestion, promote sleep, prevent constipation and keep your muscles in good working condition. This will make it easier for you to deliver your baby when the time comes. So don’t give up your house-work - taking care of course, against over-exerting yourself. Deep breathing exercises, expanding the chest and abdomen are helpful. Sitting on the floor with legs crossed, once in a while, is good for your pelvic muscles. Avoid straining the back. Avoid lifting heavy things. Bend your knees when you have to stoop and try to keep the back straight.

Cleanliness And Rest You should have a bath daily, taking care to wash yourself thoroughly.

You should have a good sleep at night, and if possible, for an hour after lunch as well. Pause from your daily work, now and then, to relax for a few minutes with some fruit or a cup of curds. You should cut down activities that tire you too much. Your Husband’s Part

Pregnancy is a time of emotional stress for a woman. An understanding and sympathetic husband can make life easier for his wife. You should therefore share your problems with your husband. Remember that the two of you are "joint-heirs of the grace of life" (1 Peter 3:7) Many men may not be aware of the medical and physiological aspects of pregnancy. Try and make your visits to the doctor together so that your husband can understand the role he has to play at such a time.

Some "Don’ts"

1. Don’t allow fatigue and mental strain.

2. Don’t allow situations where there could be sudden strains or falls or your having to lift heavy items.

3. Don’t take long, bumpy rides, particularly during the first three months and last three months of pregnancy. It is best to travel as little as possible. Try to keep your legs elevated from time to time.

4. Don’t allow constipation. Take plenty of fruit and water.

5. Don’t take laxatives, sedatives or other drugs without consulting a doctor.

6. Don’t wear uncomfortable footwear and tight clothing.

7. Don’t try to slim during pregnancy.

8. Don’t allow yourself to be exposed to anyone having German measles and other viral infections. Avoid taking any X-rays. If an X-ray is essential for any reason, then make sure your abdomen is protected with a lead screen.

Ante-Natal Checkups You must visit your doctor regularly.

Here are some things that should be reported to your doctor at once:

 Any brownish or blood discharge at any time.

 After the sixth month: Severe headaches, visual disturbances, swelling of feet, decreased output of urine, excessive weight-gain (normal weight-gain is about 1.5 to 2 kilos per month after the third month of pregnancy), lack of movement of the baby, abdominal pain and vomiting, swelling of the feet or puffiness of the face.

Some Simple Remedies For morning-sickness: Get up half an hour later than usual. Rinse your mouth with 1/4 teaspoon of soda-bicarbonate in a cup of water and drink a glass of lime-juice. Avoid fatty meals. For pain in the legs: Avoid stooping and bending down, as far as possible, and don’t stand when you can sit. It may also help to soak your feet in warm water for about half-an-hour before you retire at night. For varicose veins: These will usually disappear after delivery. A simple exercise is to lie on your back, raise your legs and rest the heel against a wall for a few minutes. This can be done several times a day. Avoid standing for a long time. Elastocrepe bandages are also beneficial at times.

Onset Of Delivery The symptoms of the onset of delivery are usually as follows: Regular contractions of the uterus that will come at first as a pain in the low back that will travel to the front of the abdomen. A pink vaginal discharge will also appear. Sometimes there will be a sudden gush of water. If there is bleeding, you should rush to the hospital.

Finally

Look forward confidently to the birth of a healthy baby, and have faith in God, for the Bible says, "Women will come safely through child-birth if they maintain a life of faith, love, holiness and gravity" (1 Timothy 2:15 -J.B.Philips)