dorling kindersley books

PREGNANCY & BIRTH ADVICE
Dr Miriam says...

I'm now into my third month of pregnancy. Everything's fine, except I'm having morning sickness all through the day. Is this normal, and will it ever stop?

Morning sickness is one of the first signs of pregnancy. It can range from mild nausea to severe vomiting and can occur at any time.

The main cause is low blood sugar, but pregnancy hormones may also irritate the stomach directly.

Although it has passed into the language as 'morning sickness', it may occur at any time of the day or night and throughout the day. It rarely causes actual vomiting and it often experienced as severe nausea with retching. It is most common during the first three months of pregnancy - the first trimester - and it usually stops after that.

Food will help to stave off the nausea by restoring your blood sugar levels, so eat little and often. High-carbohydrate foods are best, such as wholemeal bread, potatoes, rice and cereals. Keep glucose sweets in your car, desk or handbag. Drink extra fluids such as fruit juice or skimmed milk, if you can keep them down. Avoid fried foods and coffee, which can trigger nausea, as can cigarette smoke and other strong smells.

As a delighted soon-to-be Dad, I've heard that I can bond with my baby before it's born. What's the best way to do this, and when should I start?

It's never too early to start bonding with your baby. Babies can hear sounds outside the womb by the age of five or six months and if you talk to you baby he will recognise and remember your voice.

In fact, he can hear your low-pitched voice far more easily than your partner's higher-pitched one.

• Feel your baby move by gently massaging your partner's tummy.
• Kiss and nuzzle your baby through your partner's skin, talking and cooing softly to him all the time.
• Listen to the heartbeat - a cardboard tube such as the inner tube of a toilet roll can work as a good amplifier.
• Discuss names for your baby together - this gives your unborn child a personality and you can start relating to him even more.

What should I take into hospital when I go into labour?

The items you will need with you in hospital fall into three categories: clothes and other personal effects for yourself; clothes and nappies for your baby; and your comfort aids for labour.

For yourself, you'll need two or three maternity bras and front opening cotton nightdresses, a supply of breastpads, a dressing gown and slippers, underpants, and a supply of super-absorbent, sick-on sanitary towels (these may be supplied by the hospital). Pack an overnight bag with your hairbrush and shampoo, a couple of towels and facecloths, a small mirror, some make-up, face cream, hand cream, and tissues. If you have drawn up a birth plan, remember to take it with you.

For your baby, if the hospital does not provide nappies and baby clothing, you will need to do so. You'll also need to take a nightdress, shawl, bonnet or hat, and a blanket in which to wrap your baby when you leave the hospital and go home.