Congratulations on your pregnancy
This is a maternity information website provided for women of Porirua and surrounding areas.
Early Pregnancy Advice
For optimal health and wellbeing of you and your baby these are 5 key recommendations:
-
begin supplements. Start with the subsidised 800mcg Folic Acid (or the 400mcg tablet from health stores) once a day. Continue until you are 12 weeks pregnant. Additionally, 150mcg Iodine daily in pregnancy promotes healthy brain development in your baby.
-
be smokefree
-
be alcohol free
-
eat healthy nutritious foods
-
undertake regular light exercise
Folic Acid
Folic Acid is the synthetic form of folate - an essential B vitamin. Folate occurs naturally in leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and wholemeal breads and legumes. In pregnancy your need for folate increases but It is difficult to get enough from diet as it is not absorbed easily. Research shows that taking at least 400mcg of the supplement folic acid will improve your body's levels of this vitamin to reduce the chance of your baby forming a serious neural tube defect such as Spina Bifida (1). Your baby's brain and spinal cord have primarily formed by 6 weeks post-conception so it is good to begin folic acid before conception to increase your base levels (2). If you have just discovered you are pregnant, it is recommended you begin taking folic acid now.
Being Smokefree
Smokefree pregnancies are safer. Babies who have been exposed to smoking regularly throughout pregnancy have an increased risk of Sudden Unexpected Death of an Infant (SUDI) (3). This is because nicotine binds to red blood cells easier than oxygen, reducing oxygen flow through the placenta. For those babies exposed to regular smoking in pregnancy, periods of low oxygen becomes the norm. Once born, if the baby becomes low in oxygen during sleep they may be less likely to respond (4). If you smoke and would like help I can provide you with Nicotine Replacement Therapy and community support. I am a registered quitcard provider and can also prescribe therapy for family members if they would like help to stop too.
Being alcohol free
Alcohol free pregnancies are recommended as there is no known safe level of alcohol for consumption. If you have consumed alcohol without realising you were pregnant at the time thats okay, but it is recommended that you cease drinking alcohol from now on (5). Babies that have been exposed to alcohol in utero can be at risk of developing Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, which can affect behaviour and learning.
Nutritious food
Healthy nutritious food is essential to optimise your health in pregnancy. As your body is making a lot more oganic tissue from the beginning, a good diet will help fuel the extra demands of pregnancy and facilitate you to feel well and healthy. A nutritious diet should contain a range of foods from the four main food groups (6): - vegetables and fruit - breads and cereals (wholegrain is best) - milk and milk products (reduced- or low-fat milk is best) - lean meat, chicken, seafood, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds. ​It is natural to have some cravings, be tired, and gravitate towards salty or carb loaded foods when you don't feel well. These are okay in moderation. To manage this, try lighter, easy options, such as a rich cup of soup and crackers, or wholegrain toast with avocado, tomato, or cheese.
Download a full guide on Safe and Healthy Eating in Pregnancy here.
Light exercise
Regular light exercise can help you to feel more energised throughout pregnancy. It may also increase your energy levels for labour and birth. If you currently undertake regular exercise, you can keep this up for as long as you are able, if your pregnancy remains low risk. Pregnancy is not the time to take on a new fitness regime though. If you do not normally exercise regularly or vigorously, starting some regular walks will help your fitness immensely. Just be aware of your limits, as the hormones invovled in pregnancy also make women more prone to sports injuries. Contact sports might be best avoided.  As pregnancy progresses, floating and swimming can be a great form of weightless exercise and relaxation. Long term, this will help you to be more comfortable and mobile during pregnancy, develop energy reserves for labour, and help position your baby for birth.
Download A Guide to Exercise in Pregnancy here.
Quick Reference List
(1) http://www.moh.govt.nz/notebook/nbbooks.nsf/0/19C76A786D58C8D6CC256DA4008038A6?opendocument
(2) http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/spina_bifida/detail_spina_bifida.htm#262013258
(3) http://www.whakawhetu.co.nz/what-sudi
(5) http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/alcohol-and-pregnancy-practical-guide-health-professionals