You are 29 Weeks Exactly 77 days to go…
Pregnancy can be a time of information overload, and sometimes it’s difficult to know which sources are reliable.
Your baby today
This is a close-up of how your baby’s foot is looking now. Your
baby will easily put his feet on top of his head one minute only to
bring them down the next, so just because your baby is kicking you at
one end it doesn’t mean the head is at the other.
In today’s society
women are simply overloaded with information about pregnancy, from
newspapers, magazines, books, and the internet. Photographs of glamorous
pregnant celebrities, who look as if they don’t have a care in the
world, abound in the media. Two sources on the same topic can offer
conflicting opinions. Although the internet can be a wonderful source of
useful information, it has drawbacks: you don’t know who has written an
article on a website, it may not have been written by a health
professional, and some recommendations may even contradict standard
medical advice. This means that constantly scouring the internet and
reading everything you find can be confusing and scary.
Articles telling you
that you risk the health and well-being of your baby by doing something
can make you feel inadequate. Keep telling yourself that women have been
having children for centuries without the aid of the internet! If
reading lots of information makes you feel empowered and better able to
make informed choices, then read away, but if it makes you feel confused
then don’t. A sensible course might be to pick just one reliable book
or information source to read instead.
Use the internet to gather information
about your pregnancy, using reputable health sites. However, if too
much information makes you anxious or stressed, get your doctor’s
advice.
… Doctor
| Q: |
I plan to bottle-feed. What do I need to buy in advance?
|
| A: |
You’ll need plastic bottles (nipples are included), a sterilizing unit or kit ,
which often has everything you need, and your preferred formula. Each
comes in a range of options, so you need to decide what works best for
you.
As you get to know
your newborn baby, you may have to change the type of nipple and/or
formula, so it’s not advisable to buy too many before the birth.
|
… Nutrition
Immunity-boosting blueberries
According to a US study,
blueberries topped a list of more than 40 fruits in terms of
antioxidant activity. They are also a source of fiber, which is great
during pregnancy, especially if—like many women—you suffer from
constipation. Blueberries also contain nutrients that can prevent or
repair damage to the body’s cells. This may strengthen the body’s immune
system and your ability to fight infections.
Your 30th Week
The nest-building instinct
often kicks in as a woman approaches her due date. You may be
overwhelmed with the urge to clean and decorate, but although it’s
natural to want a perfect home for your baby don’t wear yourself out.
Work, traveling, and a constant round of prenatal appointments are
probably all much more of an effort these days. If you need to keep
stopping to rest, listen to your body and do just that.
NOTE
You’re getting tired more easily but that probably won’t stop your nesting plans
You are 29 Weeks and 1 Day 76 days to go…
Be prepared to spend more time in waiting rooms from now on, as your care providers ask to see you more often.
Your baby today
The image shows the eyes are open once more for a brief look
around. It’s not completely dark within the uterus and the more advanced
your pregnancy, the more light can penetrate inside. Your baby will
gradually be assimilating this information.
It’s important to remember
that your pregnancy is a natural, healthy process, but with more
regular prenatal appointments, and a lot of time spent sitting in a
waiting room at the doctor’s office, sometimes surrounded by people with
various medical conditions, you may start to feel that you have a
medical problem. Even though you’re visiting the hospital so often, you
are fit and well; you just also happen to be pregnant.
At every prenatal
appointment you will be asked for a urine sample, which is checked for
protein. If you find it’s getting increasingly difficult to catch your
sample in the tiny, difficult to hold bottle you’re given, don’t worry.
Only a small amount of urine is needed, so if you can’t see anything
just start to urinate and then move the bottle underneath the flow to
catch some. Urine is sterile (unless you have a urinary tract infection)
so don’t worry about getting some on your hands—just wash them
thoroughly afterward.
Regular appointments with your doctor take time out of your day, but they offer reassurance that all is well with your baby.
… Doctor
| Q: |
We know our baby has Down syndrome. How can we prepare ourselves?
|
| A: |
Knowing now will give you time to come to terms with the fact
that your baby will have Down syndrome. You won’t need any special
equipment or toys when your baby is born, but you will need emotional
support, so turn to the people now who you think will best give you
this.
Contact the Down Syndrome Association
for information and support, including getting in touch with parents of
children with Down syndrome through your local support group.
|
Freebirthing
Giving birth without
any medical assistance from a midwife or doctor might seem a little
crazy, but a small minority of women believe that so-called freebirthing
is the ultimate way to welcome their baby into the world. Some
moms-to-be plan an unassisted home birth after having a negative
experience during a previous labor; others want their birth to be
“natural,” “private,” and devoid of medical intervention.
Freebirthing is not against the law,
but it is radical. The American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists and the American Medical Association oppose home births
because of the potential for complications, even in low-risk
pregnancies. Complications such as the baby needing oxygen can and do
happen.
Some women have an unplanned DIY delivery—usually
because of a short labor—and in these instances the mothers and babies
are usually fine. But actually choosing to go it alone is definitely not
something that should be considered lightly.
