Desert Storks

WHEN TO COME TO HOSPITAL

If you have any of the following symptoms contact your doctor or the Maternity Ward as soon as possible!

- BLEEDING
- CONTRACTIONS when LESS THAN 37 WEEKS
- RUPTURE of MEMBRANES
- SEVERE HEADACHE
- INCREASING OEDEMA or SWELLING of ANKLES which doesn’t go away with rest
- VISUAL DISTURBANCES
- LESS THAN 10 BABY MOVEMENTS in a day

INDUCTION OF LABOUR

Is for pregnant women, their partners and their families

• Gives information to help you make choices about induction of labour
• Provides information on the main reasons for induction of labour
• Provides information on the best methods for induction of labour
• Is based on a national evidence based clinical guideline on induction of labour

About clinical guidelines

Clinical guidelines are recommendations for good practice and exist to help patients and their healthcare team make the right decisions about health care. The guidelines are developed by teams of healthcare professionals, patients and scientists who look at the best evidence about care for a particular condition.

Everyone has the right to be fully informed and to share in decision-making about health care. Health care staff should respect and take into account the wishes of the people in their care. Guidelines are recommendations for good practice. There may be good reasons why your treatment differs from the recommendations in this booklet, depending on your individual circumstances and wishes. Read more »

PAIN RELIEF DURING LABOUR AND CHILDBIRTH

Each woman’s labour is unique. The amount of pain that women experience is dependent on many different factors, which include:
• the size of the baby
• the position of the baby
• the dimensions of the pelvis
• the strength of the contractions
• fatigue, fear and anxiety
• previous labouring/birth experience and expectations
• many issues not yet understood
 Therefore, it is hard to predict how much pain a woman will have until she goes through labour. Some women have tolerable, controllable levels of pain, while others may benefit from some form of pain relief. Many non-medical techniques exist that can help the pain during labour, including breathing and relaxation techniques, warm showers, massage, supportive nursing care, position changes (standing, sitting, walking, rocking), and using a labour ball to name a few. However, for some women, these measures may not be enough. These women may seek a medicated form of pain relief. Read more »

Back Pain in Pregnancy

Unfortunately back pain during pregnancy is a common problem. There are a number of physical reasons for back pain in pregnancy, some of which include:

Pregnancy hormones soften ligaments causing joints to move more than usual. In some cases the ligaments can be strained.
 
 Postural problems caused by the growing uterus.
 
 Position of baby (particularly towards the end of pregnancy) can compress nerves and cause back pain.
 

You need not put up with back pain. There are a number of positive steps you can do to help reduce and sometimes eliminate the problem. Firstly it’s important to understand your body’s changes during pregnancy. Then you can implement some simple strategies to manage the problem. Read more »

Vitamin K for Newborn Babies

Vitamin K helps blood to clot. It is essential to prevent serious bleeding. Babies do not get enough vitamin K from their mothers during pregnancy, or when they are breast feeding. Without vitamin K, they are at risk of getting a rare disorder called Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding, or VKDB. It can cause bleeding into the brain, and may result in brain damage or even death. VKDB can be prevented by giving new babies extra vitamin K. By the age of about six months, they have built up their own supply. Read more »

GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS AND PREGNANCY

Group B streptococcus (group B strep or GBS) is a common bacterium that is found in the body. It is usually harmless in adults. Up to 30 per cent of pregnant women carry the bacterium in their vagina or rectum. Sometimes, a woman who has group B strep can infect her baby during birth. This can cause serious illness in the newborn. The mother may also become very ill from the infection after the birth.

Even if you have group B strep, your baby will not necessarily be infected or develop serious illness. Read more »

Breastfeeding

Your breast milk provides perfect nutrition to match your baby’s changing needs. Colostrum is the fluid your breasts produce in the first few days after birth. It helps protect your baby from infection. Breastfed babies also enjoy some protection against:

Common infections
Middle-ear infections
Some childhood cancers
Diarrhoeal diseases
Respiratory infections and asthma
Juvenile diabetes
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Childhood obesity. Read more »

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding twins and more.

Because breastmilk supply increases with extra demands, most women can breastfeed twins well. This can mean much less work compared to preparing and giving formula.

Twins can be fed together, but you may prefer to feed them separately while they are very young, either when they wake and demand or one after the other.

Once feeding is established, it is usually best to feed them at the same time and keep them in much the same routine.

Each twin may have her own breast, or it may help your supply to alternate them.

Make sure you eat well to have energy to cope with caring for two babies.

If you have three or four babies you may like to breastfeed two each time and have someone bottle feed the others – then swap next time.

However the babies are fed, parents of twins (or more) need plenty of help and support. You may like to contact your local Multiple Birth Association. Read more »

Breastfeeding-Dealing with Nipple Problems

Your nipples may be sensitive in the first few days after birth. However, nipple pain is not normal. If there is a small amount of blood in your breast milk because of nipple trauma, it will not harm your baby. You can continue to breastfeed unless the pain becomes unbearable. Read more »

Breastfeeding-Dealing with Mastitis

Mastitis means inflammation of the breast. It can be caused by blocked milk ducts (non-infective mastitis) or a bacterial infection (infective mastitis). If a blocked milk duct is not cleared, flu-like symptoms such as fever, aches and pains will probably develop. Milk duct blockages cause milk to pool in the breast. This forms an ideal environment for bacteria growth and can lead to an infection. Read more »