Antenatal Class 5/5

About bringing the newborn home...

- heel prick test - screens for metabolic absorption diseases;

First 6 weeks:
- cotton wool and water (to top-and-tail);
- organic olive oil OR grape seed oil (avoiding nappy rash);
- do not bath the baby too much, allow the vernix (vernix caseosa, waxy coating)
to be absorbed;
- cord falls of about a week;
- first soiled nappies: brown (meconium), green, then yellow;
- babies are back to birth-weight after 2 weeks;
- vitamin K helps to build blood-clotting factors (orally?);
- public health nurse visit - around day 5;

To ease tender breast and sore nipples - keep a savoy cabbage in the fridge and
use the cooled leaves as breast pads;

Breastfeeding support:
• Friends of Breastfeeding;
• La Leche League;

Antenatal Class 4/5

About breastfeeding and bottle feeding...

• breastfeeding

- learned skill!!
- skin-to-skin and eye-to-eye contact!
- tummy-to-tummy + nipple-to-nose;

12-14 times fed

Prolactin (protein) level peaks in the early morning;

If you do not put the baby to the breast, you will not produce milk;

Mastitis - breast infection - milk overproduction, not taken out;

Baby born with a hazelnut size tummy,
at 3 days - a small walnut,
at 10 days - a golf ball;

For the baby:
- antibodies/immunoglobulins;
- less ear infection (middle-ear);
- can't be overfed;
- not constipated;
- less tummy upset;
- hypoallergenic;
- easy to digest;

For the mummy:
- quickens recovery;
- reduces the bleeding postpartum;
- helps uterus to shrink back;
- lowers the rate of breast cancer (pre-menopaused);
- good for your bones;

• bottle feeding
- sterilization is crucial;
- shop (bottles, formula), clean, mix, warm;

Antenatal Class 3/5

About Caesarean section...

• emergency section

Who is going to be present at an emergency section:
- 2 midwives
- 2 surgeons
- 1 anaesthetist
- 1 porter
- 3 nurses
- 1 paediatrician

• elective section
- current hospital rate is at 22%;

Instrumental delivery (9-10 cm):
- vacuum
- forceps

Induction
- 12 days after due date;

Antenatal Class 2/5

About pain-relieving options during labour and birth...

• Gas and air (entonox) - dizzy, nausea;

• Tens machine (electric impulses) - for early labour - intersepts the pathway and releases endorphins;

• Pethidine injection - when labour is established but not over 4-5 cm dilation - sleepy, drowsy, crosses the placenta;

• Epidural (regional analgesia, injection through a catheter placed into the epidural space) - in established labour (3-4 cm) - immobility, prolongs labour, lowers blood pressure, and could bring severe headaches, laying flat 24-48 hours after;

Active labour: 4 cm
Transition: 8 cm
Fully dilated: 9-10 cm

Antenatal Class 1/5

General information about the hospital, about what to expect around labour, about giving birth, and taking care of a newborn baby...

There is a 'hospital tour' once a week, whick I think is a great idea, and I would like to take a peek and see it. The labour ward is on the 2nd floor...

Only 5% of babies come on their due date, so pack your hospital bag at 36 weeks!

Not to cut baby's soft nails in the first 2 weeks! After that use a round-edged scissors not the nail clipper.

Antenatal Introductory Class

16+6 today and I attended on an Introductory Class in the hospital for information on the early stages of pregnancy...

The first part was about the importance of an infant car seat and how to choose (not all car seats fit to all car!) and install properly. It was good to know though I think it is nothing to do with pregnancy but with child safety and that is somewhat further away.

The second part was much more relevant. The dietitian from the hospital's Nutrition & Dietetics Department took the floor. She spoke (briefly, not so deep) about the importance of a proper diet and nutrition during pregnancy, about dietary needs during this time.

The third person was a midwife from the Parent Education Department who gave us information about further classes available regarding pregnancy, birth and caring for a new baby. Certainly it is a good idea to attend antenatal classes to inform ourselves of all available choices and prepare for labour, birth and for the new role as parents, so I booked evening classes once a week over a period of five weeks, starting in end of March.