POSTNATAL DEPRESSION
Mothers are expected to love their babies straight away, and although most mothers find these feelings grow and become more intense, they may not be there at the start of motherhood. Instead, there’s a guilty feeling and sadness at feeling that way. Some experts say that there may be a hormonal cause to PND, and that women who suffer from it can be helped with hormone treatment. Mothers sometimes try to hide how they feel.
If you think that you may need help, speak to your health visitor, midwife or doctor.
It may be that the most important part of treatment for PND involves friendship and social support. However, not all experts agree about the implications of this. This involves talking to a therapist about the experience of being a mother and what went on in your own childhood and afterwards. Sometimes, motherhood touches parts of us that we had forgotten about, or hidden away.
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Relief of pain during pregnancy, back pain, pain relief and options
Pain during pregnancy – It’s sensible to consider options for pain relief before labour starts; discuss what is available a few weeks in advance with your midwife and out your wishes in a birth plan. Many women like the idea of a birth without the need for drugs, but it’s good to be prepared, as you can’t predict how you’ll react when you’re in labour.
GAS AND AIR (ENTONOX)
A mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide is breathed in through a mask or mouthpiece during a contraction so that is deadens the pain at its height. You start using it as soon as you feel a contraction starting as it takes about 20 seconds to work. The baby is not affected.
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Birthing plan options
Once you’ve considered all your antenatal care and birth options, it’s worth preparing a simple birth plan in consultation with your doctor and midwife. This should be kept with your hospital notes. Wait until about 32-36 weeks pregnant, as by that time you’ll probably have discovered whether there are any special factors in your pregnancy that might affect some of your requests. You also need to be prepared to be flexible because thing may not go according to plan on the day. Your sample birthing plan might include things like:
- Who you want to be present at the birth with you.
- Your views in interventions, such as induction, the artificial speeding up of labour and fetal monitoring.
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BOY OR GIRL?
Nature does well in maintaining a balance of about 103 boys to 100 girls. With ultrasound and fetal cell investigations, you may be able to find out the sex of your baby during pregnancy – if you want to.
Men produce sperm with 22 chromosomes plus either one X (female) or one Y (male) sex chromosome. Woman’s eggs also have 22 corresponding chromosomes, but they only produce and X sex chromosome. A zygote fertilised by an X sperm grows up to be a girl; a Y sperm results in a boy.
Although no method with any scientific validity has been developed, by noting the different characteristics of X and Y sperm, it’s possible to suggest a way of increasing your chances of conceiving the gender you want:
- X sperm are larger and slower than Y sperm and X sperm live longer than Y sperm.
- To increase the chances of a girl, intercourse should be 2-3 days before ovulation, as only X sperm survive long enough to meet the egg when it’s finally released.
- There’s a higher chance that a Y sperm will fertilise an egg on the day of ovulation because it will reach the egg more quickly and the baby will be a boy.
- Frequent ejaculation lowers the proportion of Y sperm, so a girl is likely. Infrequent sex increases the proportion of Y sperm and the chances of a boy.
Pick The Gender Of Your Baby
INCREASING CHANCES OF CONCEPTION
The following tips might help you conceive more quickly:
- Try to have intercourse during your most fertile period. This period is signalled by the texture of your cervical mucus, which becomes clear, thin and slippery, making it easier for the sperm to swim up through your cervix. Ovulation usually occurs 24 hours after this type of mucus is at its most profuse.
- Avoid love making for a couple of days before your fertile period to help build up to an optimum number of sperm.
- The ‘missionary position’ may be most effective for conception, particularly if you lie down for half an hour afterwards.
- Cut down on caffeine. It’s possible that it interferes with the embryo’s ability to implant in the wall of the uterus.
Becoming Pregnant – Overcome Infertility The Natural Way
