Pregnancy survival guide
WILGEHEUWEL – Hospital uses pregnancy awareness week to help pregnant women in the area.
The Life Wilgeheuwel Hospital announced that it will host a Pregnancy Awareness Week from 10 to 16 February.
Marketing manager at the hospital Glynis Krebser said, “The Department of Health uses pregnancy awareness week to strengthen pregnancy education and stress important issues that promote healthy pregnancy and safe motherhood.
“Life Healthcare created a pregnancy survival guide for mothers that dispenses some tips that will make motherhood a bit easier,” added Krebser.
One of the first signs that you are pregnant is morning sickness and the following tips will help you deal with nausea and vomiting:
- Eat small frequent meals every four hours.
- Stick to simple carbohydrates like unbuttered toast and crackers.
- Avoid spicy and fatty foods.
- Take your multivitamins after meals.
- Avoid vigorous activity and wearing tight clothes as this increases gastric pressure.
- Try ginger between one or two grams daily.
Medication during pregnancy:
Anxiety about birth defects is a major parental concern during pregnancy and that is why consideration must be given to any harmful effects on the foetus before prescribing drugs. “Because no drug is entirely without side-effects great caution should be taken when prescribing during pregnancy. Equally no harm must come to mother or child because of disease being inadequately treated. To minimise the risks the lowest possible dose should always be used,” said Dr Navashree Dhaver who is a gynaecologist and obstetrician at the Life Crompton Hospital in Pinetown.
According to a senior dietician at Life Rosepark Hospital in Bloemfontein, Tristi van der Spuy, the first trimester is the most crucial stage of your baby’s development as it’s the time when all the internal organs are formed. Van der Spuy added that your vital food for this stage is folic acid and vitamin B that is essential for a healthy brain and spinal growth.
Stress is also prevalent during pregnancy and the following stress-reducing tips could help a mother:
- Eat healthy
- Stick to a strict antenatal plan and obstetric visits.
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid alcohol, drugs and other prescription medication that may be harmful during pregnancy.
- Get a good night’s sleep.
“Pregnant members of the community are invited to visit the maternity unit from 9 February to 13 February from 8am to 4pm,” concluded Krebser.
