As you almost get to the end of your pregnancy term, Here are things to do to get ready for your little one. 1. PACK YOUR LABOUR BAG: By 36 weeks you should have your hospital bag packed. The bag must contain all what you will need for labour such as; toiletries, baby clothing, maternity clothing, etc. Also, include your personal medical records as well as your antenatal record booklets. 2. WASH YOUR BABY'S CLOTHS AND BED: Because a new born baby skin is still very sensitive and can easily be irritated, it is important to wash all the new clothes and bedding materials. This is to get rid of harsh chemicals used in the production and manufacturing of the clothes. After washing, air dry, fold neatly and store in a cool and clean place. 3. PREPARE THE NURSERY: A nursery might be a little demarcated part of your bedroom, or a separate room close to yours where your baby crib, and nursery closet will be placed. The nursery will be like the baby's personal space, it should airy, neat and well ventilated. 4. COOK AND STOCK UP YOUR PANTRY: You bet when your little one arrival, you will have your hands full, there will be little or no time for cooking or running to the store. It is better you fill up your freezer with your favorite dishes and soups. Stock up on foodstuffs, beverages. This is important because you need good food to revive your energy, you must avoid going out of the house till few weeks after having a baby. 5. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR BABY'S MOVEMENT: Towards the end of your pregnancy term it is important you are observant, monitor your baby movement and connect with your baby frequently. You can do this by just simply rubbing your tummy, listening to rhythmic music, and meditating. You just have to pay attention! When you notice a less movement than usual, call your doctor for a check. 6. LEARN A THING OR TWO ABOUT DELIVERY: It is important to read a bit and know even if it just a little about the birthing process. When you are in labor room, it is not everytime the doctor or medical attendants will be with you. They may be too busy to pay full attention to you. Meanwhile, things can go wrong in a split of seconds. When you are informed about the process, you will be able to call on the medical attendants to act in time. Don't forget, it is your body, it is your baby and it is your responsibility. 7. PREPARE YOUR OWN BODY AND MIND: There is no need to be anxious or afraid of the D-day. Get your body and mind ready by exercising, sleeping and taking lots of water. As you get to the end of your third trimester, exercising becomes essential, it strengthens the muscle, opens the hips and pelvis, as well as giving you a good feeling. Walking, Swimming and Kegel exercise are good examples of exercise in the third trimester. In addition, don't forget to groom yourself down there by waxing and shaving. Finally, brace yourself with positive thinking and expectation of your delivery. What else do you think should be done to get ready for the LO? leave a comment..
Photo Credits: Google Images.
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Photo Credits: Google Images.
One of the things I enjoyed during my pregnancy journey was packing my hospital bag. It was one activity I did not get over till my DD. I kept packing and unpacking over and over again especially my babys clothings, just out of sheer joy and excitement. I got my hospital bag ready when I was about 35 weeks gone or thereabout. I think I packed more than necessary because I ended up bringing a lot of stuffs back without touching them, so in this post i will concentrate on the essentials. The first thing I packed in my bag was the PAPER WORKS, my medical records and that of my little one. Now if you are not residing in your birth country you also want to include your international passports, and other necessary documents for your babys birth certificate. The next things I tossed into my bag was my TOILETRIES-bathing lotion, bathing sponge, floss, toothpaste, toothbrush, cotton wool, towels (both face and body),bio oil, hand sanitizers and my lip balm(cant do without it). Basically, take the things you use on a daily basis for your personal cleaning. In my hospital bag I had another small bag I put my BABY THINGS into. It included 3 pcs of socks, 3 pcs of mittens, a boot, 3 onesies, 2 pacifiers, 3 pajamas, some new born diapers, baby wipes, a hat/head warmer, a going home outfit, a swaddle cloth, a blanket, baby towel, a special outfit for the newborn pictures. Unfortunately, all this clothing I couldn't use for the baby because the hospital provided clothing throughout our stay, which was just a night (I had my baby in the evening and was discharged the next day). Only the going home outfit, swaddle cloth, head warmer, diapers, socks and mittens proved useful at the hospital. however, situations may differ. Lastly, in my bag I had MY CLOTHING and OTHER PERSONAL RANDOM STUFFS I felt might be needed. My clothing included 2 maternity gowns, socks and sweater(it is very very important because you dont wanna catch cold), a go home outfit, disposable maternity pants, a pair of tights, nursing bra, breast pads, maternity pads, postpartum belly wrap (it is very important to start the snap back process as early as possible), a slippers, a novel (I am a novel addict), your phone and charger, laptop and charger, your earpiece and lastly a hot water flask. Postpartum Mood Disorders(PPMD) is a topic we rarely talk about. Majority do not know what it is, meanwhile the few that know shy away from discussing it because of mockery and the fear of being tagged as "unwell" or "in crisis". PPMD is a depressive state a mother relapses in after childbirth. This in most cases arises due to hormonal change, fatigue and psychological adjustment in the system of a new mother. There are different types of PPMD including; Baby Blues, Postpartum Depression and Postpartum Psychosis. I experienced a very mild form of baby blues when I was about 11 days post partum. It was the most overwhelming feeling I have ever felt. Perhaps, it was due to raging hormones and the excitement, joy and anxiety of giving birth altogether. I had crying spells and low morale. Thanks to my husband I overcame it in less than no time. He was the greatest support system I had, with family and friends of course! Unfortunately, lots of other women go through more severe forms of PPMD but do not know or want to talk about. As such, I will explain the three different types of PPMD. BABY BLUES (BB) is the mildest type of PPMD. In simple terms, it is a feeling caused by sudden change of hormones which leaves one in an emotional state where you have crying spells, mood swings, anxiety, self doubt, and insomnia. The exact cause of baby blues is unknown, however studies have shown that baby blues affect up to 80% of all new mothers. Out of this 80%, 20% further degenerate into postpartum depression. For some people, BB starts immediately after childbirth and last between 3-14 days after childbirth. The duration of baby blues often depends on circumstances surrounding the new mother. For example, the type of childbirth experience, changes in body shape resulting from pregnancy, changes in work and social relationship, disruption of routine, and sleep disturbance caused by the newborn, etc. POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION (PPD) occurs when baby blues refuse to fade away. It affects almost 25% of new mothers and it can last for a year. Hormonal changes and non-hormonal factors come can be the cause of PPD. Women who have PPD feel like they can’t handle being a mother and often feel they are not caring for their baby enough. In most cases, they don’t feel any bond with their baby. They often have alternating days of happiness and sadness. If you know anyone going through this stage of PPMD it is important they seek medical help. It is also important to note that, PPD is common among young mothers especially those below the age of 20, or those who have unplanned pregnancy. Women who drink alcohol, smoke or take illegal substances commonly experienced PPD after childbirth. Also women who had stressful pregnancy or bad birth experience may have postpartum depression as well. Poor relationship with important persons in a new mother's life can also can also cause severe depression after delivery. POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS (PPP) is the most severe and the rarest form of postpartum mood disorders. According to research, it occurs in 1 to 2 out of every 1000 pregnancies. PPP strikes normally between the second or third week after childbirth and the most severe ones may last up to 12 weeks while recovery takes between 6 months and a year. Women with PPP exhibit symptoms that include; rapid mood swing, hallucinations, thoughts of harming self or their baby, bizarre behavior, hyperactivity, extreme fatigue, losing touch with reality and some even commit infanticide. Medically, PPP is seen as emergency and treated immediately. If you know anyone experiencing any of this, please dont get too hard on them. Encourage them to SPEAK OUT. Help them and ask for help from medical and psychiatric personnel. You can also give them a break from chores and let them have a time out. Pamper them, take them to a spa or a treat. Have you experienced or seen anyone experiencing any form of PPMD? What was it like and how is it solved? Please feel free to leave a comment down below and subscribe! Thank you. Photo Credits: Google Images
Baby bump photo shoot has become a tradition in recent times. What used to be a private personal experience has now become introduced to the camera. One of the most common attributes of the pregnancy bump is the dark or sometimes brown vertical line. This line is known as the “LINEA NIGRA” (LN), it’s a Latin term which means black line. My linea nigra experience was somewhat funny. I think I saw it sometime in my second trimester. it was funny in the sense that I wasn’t expecting any black line or whatnot. Infact, I didn’t know what it was, I only woke up in the morning and there it was. I was literally shaken by the mere sight of it. Lol like I was taken aback and I had to calm my nerves and take another look at it and then I was like oh!!! I do see this line on pregnant women tummy. And then I read to know more about it. So the question is when and why LN appears on the body? for majority it appears in the second trimester just like in my case. According to science it appears because there is a hyper pigmentation of the skin due to raging hormones, estrogen in particular is responsible for this. This pregnancy hormone increases melanin production which brings about the darkness. Apparently everybody has this line on the stomach but it is not visible. This pregnancy tattoo (that’s what I chose to call it) will fade away, usually within a year after childbirth. When next you see a bump, take a time out to appreciate the vertical black/brown line . What else do you know about LINEA NIGRA, lets me know in the comment section. Photos Credit: Google Images |
AuthorI am a proud wife and loving mum to my awesome little boy. I am a goal setter and a goalgetter. I love having happy people around me because i believe "those around you have a great influence on you". My hobbies are reading, trying out recipes, travelling, and meeting people. I would love to know and hear from you. Lets relate!!! Archives
January 2018
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