Tips and Products » Pregnancy, Childbirth And Motherhood.

Here is some information on the importnant vitamins needed during pregnancy. This also includes daily needs and where they are found.

Vitamin A – 1 mg

For growth, healthy eyes, healthy skin and to fight infection.

Found: Carrots, peppers, melon, liver, fish liver oil, watercress, apricots, dairy produce, green leafy vegetables.

Thiamin (Vitamin H) – 1 mg

For metabolising carbohydrates, alcohol and some proteins.

Found: Yeast extracts, pulses, nuts, rice, bran, flour, whole wheat, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, meat.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) – 1.5 mg

For metabolism of protein, fat and carbohydrate. For healthy tissues.

Found: Liver, kidney, milk, yoghurt, cheese, yeast extract, eggs, wheat, mushrooms.

Niacin (Vitamin B3) – 15-20 mg

For energy production. For healthy skin.

Found: Liver, kidney, meat, fish, yeast, peanuts, bran, pulses, whole wheat, coffee.

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) – 5 mg

For Production of energy. Formation of antibodies. For a healthy nervous system.

Found: Widely distributed in all foods.

Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) – 3 mg

For protein metabolism. Production of red blood cells.

Found: Liver, wholegrain, meat, fish, nuts, bananas, avocados, potatoes, beans

Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) – 3 mcg

For Cell division. Red blood cell production. For healthy nervous system.

Found: Liver, kidney, eggs, cheese, milk, yeast extract, yoghurt, fish, meat.

Folic Acid – 200 mcg

For protein synthesis. Formation of blood. Metabolism of DNA and transmission of genetic code.

Found: Liver, kidney, dark green leafy vegetables, yeast, nuts, bran, oranges, eggs and some fish.

Vitamin C – 30-60 mcg

For healthy skin, teeth, bones and tissues. Aids iron absorption. For fighting disease and for a healthy immune system.

Found: Citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, potatoes, blackcurrants, strawberries, rosehip syrup.

Vitamin D – 3 mcg

For absorption of calcium and phosphate.

Found: Fish liver oil, oily fish, eggs, milk, margarine, liver.

Vitamin E – 10 mg

As an antioxidant to protect substances in the body from breaking down.

Found: vegetable oils, eggs, wheat germ, nuts, wholemeal cereals, broccoli, avocados.

Vitamin K – 100 mcg

For healthy clotting of blood

Found: Liver, dark leafy green vegetables.

Please note: It is important to avoid liver and liver products during pre-pregnancy care and pregnancy. Please consult a doctor for more advice.

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What are the pelvic floor muscles?
Pelvic floor muscles are part of a broad sling that goes between your legs from your pubic bone in the front all the way to the base of your spine at the back. Pelvic floor muscles help to hold your bladder, womb and bowel in place and help to control the muscles that close the anus, vagina and urethra. When your pelvic floor muscles are damaged or weakened, through childbirth, they cannot do this effectively. This can result in stress incontinence and decreased satisfaction during intercourse. Stress incontinence means that you may leak a small amount of urine while sneezing, coughing, exercising or laughing. It is reported up to 25 per cent of new mothers suffer from stress incontinance.

How do pelvic floor exercises help me?
Pelvic floor exercises will help to strengthen these muscles. This will help the muscles to function effectively again. The more you use your pelvic floor muscles, the stronger they will be.

If you have strong pelvic floor muscles, they can help support the extra weight of pregnancy, be helpful in the second stage of labour and can assist in healing the perineum between the anus and vagina after birth. When pelvic floor muscles are done regularly, they can help to prevent stress incontinence later life. A benefit of pelvic floor exercises is that women with strengthened pelvic floor muscles are more likely to have a more satisfying sex life!

How do I find my pelvic floor muscles?
The best way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to Imagine that you are trying to stop yourself from passing wind and trying to stop your flow of urine mid-stream, at the same time. The feeling should be described as one of “squeeze and lift”, closing and drawing up the front and back passages. When you have been practicing this exercise for a while, you can also do this during love-making, ask your partner whether he can feel the effect.

That sounds easy right? But there is a catch that you have to squeeze and lift without:

• pulling in your tummy

• squeezing your legs together

• tightening your buttocks

• holding your breath

Only your pelvic floor muscles should be working.

It does get easier with practice. You might find it easier to place your hand on your abdomen while you are practising, this will make sure it stays relaxed.

When can I do these exercises?
You can do your pelvic floor muscle exercises standing up, lying down or sitting, or while you are carrying out your daily activities such as working, boiling a kettle, watching television or talking on the telephone. Here’s how:

• Hold the muscles of your back passage in and those around your vagina as if trying not to go to the loo.

• Tighten these muscles once, twice, three times.

• Hold, but keep on breathing all the time!

• Let go.

• When you return to your normal position, push the muscles out. With this last move it may help you in pushing your baby out and avoiding a tear. Then tighten up the pelvic floor again.

• Repeat this several times a day while doing everyday tasks.

Now try to do slow pull-ups and fast pull-ups. First: lie, stand or sit with your knees slightly apart. Then follow these instructions:

• Slow pull ups: Slowly tighten and pull up your pelvic floor muscles as hard as you can. Hold for as long as possible, then relax slowly.

• Fast pull ups: Pull up the muscles and relax immediately.

Repeat both of these exercises five times or until you are tired.

When your muscles get stronger, you can hold the contraction and more pull-ups can be achieved. After a few weeks of doing your pelvic floor exercises, improvements should be very noticeable. It is ideal that you exercise these muscles regularly for 6-8 months before they will gain their full strength.

How often do I need to exercise my pelvic floor muscles?
Depending on how weak the muscles are to begin with aim for 50 a day and then increase this over a few weeks to 120 a day.

To check and see how strong your pelvic floor muscles are becoming, try holding the flow of urine in mid-stream.

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Tips To Conceive a Girl!

* After menstration, participate in frequent intercourse until 24 hours before you ovulate. After this avoid intercourse until 1 week after ovulation.

* The women should try to avoid having an orgasim as this will increase the alkalinity of the vagina.

* Wash the vagina with a mildly acidic solution just before intercourse. Disolve 5mls of white vinegar in a glass of sterile, distilled water.

* When the man ejaculates try and do it towards the opening of the vagina rather then higher up. The closer to the opening the more acidic.

Tips To Conceive a Boy!

* Wash the vagina with an alkaline solution before intercourse. Disolve 5mls of Sodium Bicarbonate in a glass of sterile, distilled water.

* The women should try and orgasim during intercourse.

* Ejaculate deep inside the vagina

* Avoid intercourse 4 days before ovulation. Plan to have sex during or just after ovulation.

Good Luck!

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Here is a list of possible pregnancy signs and symptoms. We have gathered a lot of information from pregnant ladies and have listed the most common pregnancy signs and symptons.

Pregnancy signs and symptons: 

* Feeling Nauseous
* Headache
* Slight Cramping but no sign of menstration
* Sore Breasts
* Food smells making you feel ill or nauseous
* Exhaustion/feeling tired very easily
* Weight gain
* Urinating more then normal

These are only a few pregnancy symptoms or signs and pregnancies should always be confirmed with your doctor. Some people may experience no pregnancy symptons or signs while others may experience all of the pregnancy symptoms.

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Here are a list of frequently asked questions during pregnancy. I have reasearched the most common questions after talking to many of my pregnant friends and clients and then researched the answer!

Can I drink coffee during pregnancy?

No evidence has been found to suggest less then 3 cups of coffee per day during pregnancy is harmful to your baby. However to be safe it is advised that you avoid coffee and caffine beverages example: Coffee, tea and cola. If you cannot cut out caffine beverages completely during pregnancy then it is suggested you drink no more then 300mls of cola or more then 3 cups of coffee or tea per day.

Is yoghurt and cheeses safe during pregnancy?

Yoghurts and cheeses made from pasteurised cows milk are very safe during pregnancy. However avoid dairy products made from goats or sheeps milk and avoid anything unpasteurised. It is also highly advised that you avoid all soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and Blue Vein. Cream cheese and cottage cheese are safe during pregnancy.

Is eating eggs dangerous during pregnancy?

Eggs are perfectly safe during pregnancy, however you should make sure the egg is fully cooked through and have no runny yolk. Also be careful of homemade mayonnaise during pregnancy as this is often made with raw egg. Manufactured mayonnaise is fine. It is also good to avoid eating the yolk part of the egg during pregnancy as this part is high in cholesterol and have little nutritional value.

Is it safe to eat raw or undercooked meat during pregnancy?

It is very important during pregnancy that you ensure all of your meat is cooked through to the centre. If you are at a resturant during your pregnancy always ask them to cook your meat well done, especially with poultry (chicken). It is also importnant when you are pregnant to make sure you use a seperate cutting board for meat and vegetables and wipe your preparation area well after cutting meat products.

Is it safe to eat shellfish during pregnancy?

It is best to avoid all shellfish during pregnancy as there is a high risk of salmonella poisoning. Shellfish can also contain tropical diseases and high metal content.

If you have any questions you would like me to research drop me a line!

Jen xx

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So many people ask me when should they start brushing their childs teeth.

The answer is AS SOON AS THEY GET THEM!!

As soon as your child cuts their first tooth, it is importnant to start brushing them after every meal or breastfeed. To start with it is not necessary to use toothpaste. Use a small baby toothbrush and use a little water. Brush the teeth front and back a few times.

When the child is around 9-12 months old you can start using a small amount of toothpaste on the brush. Use an amount the size of a small pea. Ensure you brush all surfaces of the teeth and make sure the child does not swallow any toothpaste.

When the child is 3 years old you can change the toothpaste to an adult toothpaste. When you do this it is necessary to ensure the child does not swallow any toothpaste. Swallowing toothpaste as a child can create Flourosis spots on the adult teeth (bright white spots). These are caused by too much flouride.

How you look after their baby teeth will have an affect on their adult teeth. If you care for their teeth and keep them cavity free, their adult teeth should come through with no problems. In some cases of children with many cavities from poor brushing, the decay has affected the adult teeth and has caused them to come through with cavities or infection.

Parents should be brushing their childs teeth for them until they are 6 years old, to ensure they are brushing all of the teeth.

Try and make brushing teeth fun and get a 2 minute egg timer and create some games or rewards for good brushing. We always find that creating a star chart will encourage children to brush better. If they brush their teeth without question or fights and they do a perfect job they get a star on the chart. When they have 10 stars they get a reward!

Brushing should be fun, but also serious for the parents. Teaching correct brushing can save you a lot of money in the long run, as your child will be cavity free and will not require expensive fillings.

Seeing a dentist every 6 months from the age of 2 is also important, it will also teach your child not to be scared of the dentist!

Have fun!!!

Jen xx

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As a Practice Manager of a busy city dental office, I get asked all the time by expectant mum’s what they should and should not do during pregnancy when it comes to dental Hygeine.

During pregnancy you are more prone to gum infections and will find your teeth will have more calculus (plaque) build up then normal. Due to a rise in hormone levels. It is very importnant to see a dentist every 3 months during your pregnancy to ensure your teeth and gums remain healthy.

Teeth cleaning while you are pregnant is very safe, and will cause no harm to you or your unborn baby. Always inform the dentist you are pregnant and ask the assistant not to put mouthwash in your water.

Tips for great oral hygeine during pregnancy:

1. Visit your dentist every 3 months during your pregnancy for a routine scale and polish.

2. Brush teeth twice per day - Be sure to brush your gums as well as the tooth surface.

3. Floss twice per day

4. Eat foods low in sugar and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Things to avoid during pregnancy:

1. Avoid dental xrays - They are small xrays and are generally not harmful to your baby, however you can never be to safe. Only allow a dentist to take xrays in an emergency situation and make sure he/she uses an xray apron to protect your stomach area.

2. Avoid all mouthwashes. Clinical studies have proven that women who use a mouthwash during pregnancy have lower birth weight and more complications then women who don’t.

3. Avoid all whitening treatments. Most whitening gels are made of Hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. These chemicals are naturally found in the body, however research has show that an unborn child does not have the capacity to break down excess amounts of these chemicals. Whitening should also be avoided during breastfeeding as well.

Dental fillings should be avoided during the first trimester of your pregnancy, as this is the main development stage of your baby and any medication or medical procedures should be kept to a minimum. Anesthetics used during the second trimester will have no harmful effects on you or your unborn child. However is advised that all major non-essential dental work be left until after delivery.

In my next post I will talk about proper brushing techniques for babies and children to ensure a cavity-free mouth.

Jen xx

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Our Recommended Pregnancy Help Book

OK so I have written all about it in my post (The two things i needed…) You can see the post here. So you already know that I am all for this product!! Its only $29 and comes with a money back guarantee if after you have read it think that it isnt for you which i think speaks for how wonderful the information is.

All I can say it, IT WORKS!! That should be all that you need to know and convincing enough to make you realise that its worth the small price tag. I dont need to sugar coat it because the truth is, you wont need anything else.

Rach xx

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This will be our tips and products section. We will keep this updated with any tips and products we come across and will road test them ourselves so you know you’re getting the best information!

Jen and Rach xx

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