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
Self feeding is an important step to your baby’s independence, so be patient with them.
Use shaped plastic bibs that catch spilled food, and put a plastic sheet under the high chair.
Give your baby their own spoon and offer food that is of stiff consistency, such as mashed potatoes or other pureed vegetables, in a non-spill bowl. Never mind that they get very little at first, they’ll have a lot of fun. Have a spare spoon handy so that you can feed them, if needed.
Even if they find a spoon difficult, they’ll love feeding themselves with finger foods. Finger foods can also keep them busy if the meal isn’t quite ready.
Above all be flexible; if one food doesn’t suit, try another – no single food is essential.
Introduce trainer cup with a spout for drinks as soon as your baby can manage it. Some breastfed babies never accept a bottle and go straight to a cup for water. Others prefer a bottle for water and may take time to get used to a cup.
Vary your baby’s diet so that they learn to like different tastes and textures, avoid giving the same type of foods all the time as this is boring for the child and may also encourage “fussy” eating in later months.
FOODS TO GIVE
- Fruit and vegetables: wash them thoroughly in cold running water and peel potatoes, carrots, apples and peaches to avoid the risk of pesticide residues. Aim to give some vitamin C at each meal, whether as fruit, vegetables or juice, as it helps your bay’s body to absorb iron.
- Milk: from 7 months use full-fat cow’s milk in cooking. From one year, give as a drink.
- Meat and fish: try to offer at least one serving every day of lean meat or boneless fish.
- Protein in the form of low fibre foods such as cheese or tofu, if your baby has a vegetarian diet.
Don’t worry too much, but do take some sensible precautions.
FOODS TO AVOID
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