Prenatal vitamins are the best way to make sure both you and your baby are getting all of the essential nutrients you need. Your doctor or midwife has likely recommended them from your first prenatal visit.

Can I skip the vitamins?

Experts recommend that all pregnant women should take a daily prenatal vitamin. While it may be possible to eat a diet containing all of the essential vitamins and minerals, the prenatal vitamin is a foolproof way to be certain you’re not missing out. By taking prenatal vitamins and eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, you sleep soundly knowing your baby should be getting all the goodness he needs.

Folic acid

Folic acid is an essential B vitamin that can reduce your baby’s risk of developing neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Pregnant women are advised to take 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Check the label of your prenatal vitamins to make sure you are getting enough of this vital vitamin.

Iron

Your body will require more iron during pregnancy. Though you have iron stores in your body, these will be running low by the second half of the pregnancy. After week 20, you may like to start taking an iron supplement. Some prenatal vitamins will already contain iron, so to see whether yours do before adding another supplement.

If you have been diagnosed with anaemia or an iron deficiency, speak to your doctor about your require iron dosage. Iron supplements can cause digestion problems, so please speak to your healthcare provider if you suffer any side effects.

When should I start taking prenatal vitamins?

You should start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Ideally, you should take them when trying to conceive, too. You should continue to take the vitamins until the end of your pregnancy. Some prenatal vitamins are also suitable for consumption during breastfeeding, and can continue to ensure you are best equipped to nurture your baby. Speak to your healthcare provider about which vitamins are suitable to take during breastfeeding.

A safety net

Prenatal vitamins are not an alternative to a healthy diet. Ideally you should be including both in your pregnancy lifestyle. Include plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, nuts, seeds and milk or soya products in your diet. Avoid empty calories, and focus on getting the most nutrition in every bite you eat.

How do you make sure you don’t forget to take your prenatal vitamins?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Iron is an essential mineral needed by the body to help make red blood cells to transport oxygen around the body. During pregnancy, you need to ensure you are getting enough iron for your baby’s needs as well as your own. Your iron intake becomes increasingly important after week 20 of the pregnancy.

Iron is stored in the body, but by week 20 these stores will be running low. From week 20 onwards, your baby requires more iron than before. If you aren’t getting enough iron during the second half of the pregnancy, you may find yourself lacking in energy.

Eating enough iron during pregnancy

It is possible to get all of the iron you need during pregnancy through your diet. Be sure to eat lots of iron-rich foods every day as part of a healthy balanced diet. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, seeds, pulses and lean meat are all foods naturally high in iron. Breakfast cereals fortified with iron, black molasses, seaweeds, parsley and watercress are also good sources of dietary iron. Cooking food in ironware also adds a small amount of iron into your diet.

Liver is a good source of iron, but should not be consumed during pregnancy. Liver is rich in vitamin A which can harm the baby if consumed in large quantities during pregnancy, so pregnant women are advised to avoid liver.

Consuming vitamin C with iron aids iron absorption. Try to have a glass of orange juice, or eat an orange, with your iron-rich lunch. If you’re taking iron supplements, take them with a glass of orange juice to help your body get the most out of them.

Iron supplements during pregnancy

In the UK, women are not advised to routinely take iron supplements during pregnancy because of the risk of side effects. Possible side effects include constipation, diarrhoea and nausea. If you are suffering from low iron levels or anaemia, however, your healthcare provider may recommend that you take supplements for the remainder of the pregnancy.

In the US, it is more common for pregnant women to take iron supplements during the second half of pregnancy, and many prenatal vitamins contain added iron. Speak to your healthcare provider about the possible need for iron supplements during pregnancy.

Anaemia during pregnancy

Anaemia is a common complaint during pregnancy. You require extra iron during pregnancy to ensure your baby is getting enough oxygen and nutrients in the womb. You have an increased risk of developing anaemia during pregnancy if you suffer from severe morning sickness, are carrying multiple pregnancies or have recently had a baby. Symptoms of anaemia include feeling tired and weak, as well as dizziness, headaches and heart palpitations. Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may be suffering from anaemia.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Your waistline isn’t the only thing to grow during pregnancy, you may find that your bra size increases too. During pregnancy, your breasts are going through changes to prepare them for breastfeeding, so you may notice a number of changes occur, including:

Increased cup size
As early as week six, you may notice your breasts getting bigger. By the end of the pregnancy, you are likely to be at least a cup size bigger than you were before the pregnancy. Your breasts will continue to grow throughout the pregnancy, and you are likely to need to buy a number of new bras in this time.

Stretch marks
As your breasts increase in size, you may notice stretch marks appearing on the skin. Though there are plenty of products available all claiming to reduce stretch marks, there is little scientific evidence to back up these claims. While the stretch marks may be dark at first, rest assured that they will fade and become less noticeable over time.

Breast tenderness
Sore breasts is a common complaint of pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. Hormonal changes cause breast tenderness, and even accidental brushes can be painful during the early weeks of pregnancy. Many women find that the discomfort eases in the second trimester, but until then:

• wear a supportive and well-fitting maternity bra
• wear a cotton bra to bed
• be extra careful to avoid knocking your breasts

Nipple changes
The areolas darken and become larger during pregnancy. Small bumps begin to appear on the areola. These bumps are known as Montgomery’s tubercles, and secrete oil to help protect the nipple from bacteria.

Veins
Many women report that their veins become more noticeable during pregnancy, and this is true for the veins on the breasts too. Increased blood flow is responsible for this change, and the veins will become less noticeable once you stop breastfeeding (or after the birth, if you do not breastfeed).

Milk production
Some women lactate during pregnancy. Your breasts are able to produce milk during the second trimester. At this stage, your breasts will produce colostrum and you may notice occasional leakage from your nipples. If the colostrum leaks through to your clothes, you may find it useful to wear breast pads.

The good news is that these common breast changes during pregnancy signal everything is going right – your body is preparing to continue nourishing your baby after birth.

Have you noticed any breast changes during pregnancy? Were breast changes the giveaway that you were expecting a child?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy. You may be feeling excited, terrified or in shock – or perhaps even a mixture of all three. As you try to process this life-changing news, you may feel desperate to share it with friends and family, but should you hold off until after week 12? There are mixed opinions on this, and while many choose to wait, some couples tell friends and family straight away.

Why wait?

Some women choose to keep their pregnancies quiet until after the first twelve weeks. The risk of miscarriage is highest during the first trimester, and some people choose to hold off on sharing the news until this risk has passed. Some couples choose to wait until they have had the ultrasound scan. This gives them peace of mind that the baby is developing ok, and also allows them to give friends and family a more accurate estimated due date.

There’s a lot to think about when you discover you’re pregnant, and even if the baby was long-awaited, it can take a few weeks to get your head around the news. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you may find it easier to keep the news to yourself until you have processed all of your emotions.

Why spill the beans

Some women find it virtually impossible to keep quiet about the pregnancy. Whether you’re over the moon and want to shout it from the rooftops, or feeling confused and need to talk it through with a close friend, you may prefer to share your news early.

Just because you’ve told a couple of close friends and family, it doesn’t mean everyone needs to know. You can ask your trusted few to keep your secret until you make it public. Not everybody needs to know at once, so you could always tell just a few specially selected people.

A personal decision

Pregnancy and parenthood are filled with personal decisions, and this is one of the first ones you need to make. Talk to your partner about the pros and cons of announcing early, and discuss what feels right to you. Together you can reach a decision that works for you as a couple. You don’t need to keep it a secret simply because other people do, but you also shouldn’t feel pressured to announce before you’re ready.

When did you share the good news, and who did you tell first?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

You may have heard people refer to the ‘glow’ of pregnancy, and be wondering when you’re going to get it. The glow generally describes the blemish-free skin and shiny hair some pregnant women experience, however there’s no guarantee that you will be one of the lucky ones. Not all women report the same changes, in fact some women complain that hormones have had the opposite effect on their skin, hair and teeth during pregnancy.

Skin during pregnancy
Some women find that the hormonal changes, fluid retention and increased blood flow of pregnancy lead to healthy-looking, smoother skin. If this is the case for you, enjoy it while it lasts.

Others find that the rapidly changing hormone levels cause an outbreak of spots and dry skin. You may find that you need to keep up a rigorous beauty regime during pregnancy to keep spots at bay. Remember that any changes to your skin will disappear once your hormones level return to normal following the pregnancy.

Some women find that their skin darkens during pregnancy. Also known as the ‘mask of pregnancy’, chloasma is the name of the condition that causes dark blotches to appear on the skin. The blotches most frequently appear under the nose, across the cheekbones and forehead. Most women find that the blotches disappear a few months after the birth, but some may never completely fade.

Hair during pregnancy
Increased levels of oestrogen lead to longer growth phases for hair follicles. In short, this means your hair grows longer, and falls out less. Many women report their hair thickening during pregnancy, a welcome change for some. It can take up to a year postpartum to lose all of the extra hair, although it will start to fall out a few months after the birth.

For those enjoying excess hair growth, this may also happen with your body hair. You may find yourself growing excess hair on your face, arms, genitals and legs. If the hair bothers you, you could shave, tweeze or wax to remove it, but avoid bleaching because bleach can be absorbed into the skin.

Nails during pregnancy
Some women find that their fingernails are stronger and healthier during pregnancy, but others report quite the opposite. Weak, brittle nails are a common pregnancy complaint. Your nails should return to normal after the birth, but in the meantime try to take care of your nails by using moisturising hand lotion and rubber gloves when washing up.

Teeth during pregnancy
The hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to swelling of your gums and an increased risk of plaque on your teeth. This can lead to inflammation and bleeding of the gums. Your dentist will be able to help you with any gum problems, and can advise you on how to best look after your teeth during pregnancy. If you require any fillings or x-rays, your dentist may wish to postpone these until after the baby is born.

Have you noticed any changes to your skin, hair and teeth during pregnancy?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

You often hear about couples who are having problems, and then find out that they are suddenly pregnant. ‘Wow,’ you think – they sure settled their problems quickly.  Or did they? Recently, the Wendy Williams Show did an episode interviewing women who admitted that they had ‘tricked’ their significant others, hoping that having a baby together would solidify and improve their relationship. Most of the women on the panel agreed that the baby did not help the relationship, and in actuality, made things much, much harder.

So will pregnancy help your marriage?

This is not something that women talk about openly. If you want a baby and your spouse doesn’t, or you are having relationship issues and feel that a baby might stick you and your partner together like Velcro, you aren’t apt to tell your friends your plans. But, we all know it happens.

The reality is that having a baby does bind two people together for the rest of their lives.  But if the relationship is rocky, unhappy, or unhealthy going in – the baby is not going to act as a fix-all.  In fact it may only complicate issues.

Consider just how expensive, and how time consuming having a baby is. Then multiply that times 10.  Your entire life will likely change in many ways. The added responsibilities and pressures of raising children can often become a point of discontent among happy parents. Having a baby, and raising a child with someone certainly exposes many things about the other person that you may have never known otherwise. And it can take a lot to work through the new parenting woes, to find a happy medium and to agree on what is best for the baby.

Suffice it to say that a baby will not make your relationship easier. And, if you and your partner are already encountering some serious issues, tying yourself to this person on purpose, for the remainder of your life, can set you up for a life long battle of the wills and wits.

Plus, having a baby – in a perfect world – should be a mutual decision. It isn’t fair for a man or for a woman to ‘trick’ their partner into having a baby – or purposely make a ‘mistake’ during sex in the hopes that a pregnancy will result. This can set up deep resentment that will not just hurt you, your partner, your relationship – but ultimately, your child to be, too.

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

The pelvic floor is made up of a collection of muscles and ligaments that stretch from the pubic bone to the end of the backbone. The pelvic floor is a supportive hammock and gets put under a lot of strain during pregnancy as it stretches to accommodate the growing baby.

Why do I need to do pelvic floor exercises?

The pelvic floor comes under a great amount of strain during pregnancy and childbirth. By exercising the muscles, you can strengthen your pelvic floor. This reduces your risk of suffering from stress incontinence after the pregnancy. With weak pelvic floor muscles, you may find that you leak urine when you laugh, cough or sneeze.

How to do pelvic floor exercises

1. Tense your anus as if you’re holding in a bowel movement.
2. At the same time, tense your pelvic muscles as if you are holding in a wee or gripping a tampon.
3. Release.

The pelvic floor workout routine:

• Repeat the above steps quickly, eight times.
• Then repeat the above steps again, but this time hold step two for 10 seconds before releasing. Repeat this eight times.
• Tighten the muscles (in steps one and two) in stages. So tighten a little bit, hold for 10 seconds, then tighten a bit more, hold for 10 seconds, then tighten fully and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this staggered process as you relax the muscles too. This exercise is the hardest of the three, so be warned! Repeat this eight times (you might want to build up to this number slowly if you’re a beginner).

Try to repeat your pelvic floor workout three times a day for the full length of your pregnancy. Many women find they forget to do the pelvic floor workout, so try to incorporate it into your daily routine. You do your workout while you sit down to enjoy your three meals of the day, or you could do them each time a particular advert comes on the TV. Find a routine that works for you, and stick with it.

When should I stop?

You can continue these exercises right up until the very end of your pregnancy, unless told not to by your healthcare provider.

Don’t give up your pelvic floor routine at the end of the pregnancy, you should continue these exercises for the rest of your life. Not only could they help to heal and strengthen the muscles after the birth, but they could reduce your risk of suffering incontinence in the future. Pelvic floor exercises can also help to reduce your risk of suffering from a prolapsed uterus or bladder.

Over the last few years, whether or not to practice pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy has become controversial. Pelvic floor exercises, however, do seem to be the most useful when they are part of an overall fitness routine and when they are done correctly. So be sure you are getting the recommended amount of exercise each day (most experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day for pregnancy) and learn more about the best methods to exercise your pelvic floor muscles.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Early pregnancy can be an overwhelming time, and your head may feel busy with a mix of emotions, questions and worries. One of the first things you’re probably desperate to know is your due date. So, while I can’t help you with the morning sickness, or the sleepless nights worrying about whether you’re ready to be a mum, or the almost obsessive urge to blurt out the news to everyone you meet, I can help with your due date.

How to calculate your due date – if you want to calculate it yourself, other than using our Application.

It is important to note that this method is more effective for women with regular 28 day cycles. If you have an irregular cycle, the date given by this method will be less reliable.

1. Determine the first date of your last menstrual period. If you keep note of your cycle, or use a smartphone app to keep track of it, this will be easy enough. If you don’t keep records of your periods, try to remember events around your last cycle. For example, did you stay at a friends, or go swimming? Information like this may help to remind you of the timing of your last cycle.
2. Add 40 weeks to the date above (280 days). This is your calculated due date.

Don’t permanent marker that date into your diary just yet though, remember this is just an educated guess. The calculated due date is used as a rough estimate to ensure the dating scan is scheduled in the correct window. Dating scans are most reliable when they occur between the eleventh and thirteenth week of pregnancy, which is why your date scan usually happens around week 12. By calculating your due date using the above method, your doctor can book your dating scan correctly and give you the best chance at an accurate due date.

You should bear in mind, however, that only five percent of babies are born on their due dates. Unfortunately, without access to your diary, Junior won’t know when he’s expected to make his grand entrance. Try not to get fixated on your due date, because you may end up disappointed when the day passes without incident.

You may even like to keep your due date relatively private, only telling close friends and family. The due date is bad enough when you spend it grumpily bouncing on a birthing ball while eating a vindaloo and staring at the clock. It’s made a whole lot worse when you start getting text message from colleagues, old friends and people you barely know asking if the baby is here yet.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.