About to pop?
Watch what you do
During these last few weeks of pregnancy
you need to realize that, as healthy as you may feel, there are some things
that are beyond the orbit of safety when your baby is nearly due.
there
are some things that are beyond the orbit of safety when your baby is nearly
due
1. You’re going to tire easily at this stage, so plan your day
carefully. Avoid extensive shopping trips and decline cocktail evenings and
exhibitions where you have to stand for hours in high-heel shoes.
2.
Don’t have extensive dental treatment just
before your baby is due. Sitting in the dental chair with the weight of the
heavy womb can diminish blood-return to the heart can make you feel nauseous,
faint and dizzy.
3.
Wear comfortable and supportive bras at this
stage, but don’t buy new or breastfeeding bras because your breast size will
change once you’ve established breastfeeding. There is no need to “toughen” nipples
in preparation for breastfeeding either. Don’t start dieting before your baby
is born – his developing brain needs all the nutrition you can give. Don’t
avoid the sunshine either.
4.
Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine daily will give
you enough vitamin D for your body to synthesize calcium from your diet.
5. Don’t have sex if your waters have broken – you should go to the
hospital instead. Don’t bath either – it’s better to take a shower.
Wear
comfortable and supportive bras at this stage, but don’t buy new or breastfeeding
bras because your breast size will change once you’ve established
breastfeeding.
6. Don’t depend on public transport to get you to the hospital when
labor begins.
7.
Don’t ignore warning signs: seeing flashing
lights, swollen fingers and feet, blinding headaches, vaginal bleeding or green
amniotic fluid leaking from the vagina. Should these occur, go to the hospital
as soon as you can.
8.
Avoid travelling long distances so that you
won’t be far from home should labor begin.
9.
Throughout your whole pregnancy, you should skip
raw food on the menu. Eggs, fish, raw meat and soft cheeses can harbor
salmonella food poisoning. It is important not to eat these things, now more
than ever, as the last thing you need right now gastritis.
10. There are many old wives’ tales that are supposed to help induce
labor naturally. However, following them can be dangerous. You may have heard
that drinking castor oil when you are overdue will bring on the contractions.
As will eating as much pineapple as possible – this is not true. Eating a lot
of pineapple and drinking castor oil will only give you diarrhea, which comes
with the risk of you dehydrating.
11. During the last few weeks of your pregnancy, and if you are overdue,
it is vital that you attend all your check-ups and scans. They may be needed
every week, and making sure that these are done will allow you and your
caregiver to know exactly what is going on with your baby, and make it easier
to meet any problems that may come up, head on.
12. This is a no-fly time! Not only can flying wreak havoc on any
swelling you may have, at his late stage it could mean going to labor
mid-flight.
During
the last few weeks of your pregnancy, and if you are overdue, it is vital that
you attend all your check-ups and scans.
13. If possible, avoid people-busy places for the sake of avoiding
viruses that range from flu to chicken pox. You don’t want to be sick when
you’re in labor.
14. If you’re planning to work until the first contraction, negotiate
flextime or at least some time during the day to put your feet up.
15. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet, Twitter or
Facebook. If you’re unsure about anything, ask your healthcare provider who
knows your medical background, health and pregnancy circumstances.
