Take a pregnant pause
Latest 7 looks at health & wellbeing for mother & baby, from conception to birth
When you’re expecting, it’s only natural to experience countless worries. What are these pains? How much will labour hurt? And the big one: will my baby be healthy? The surest way of having a healthy baby is to be healthy yourself; stick to the rule that if it’s bad for you, then it’s bad for your baby.
During the early stages of pregnancy it’s important to give your child the best and healthiest start in life. Eat a well balanced diet and incorporate a vitamin supplement that contains folic acid in your diet, which is great for growing systems. Food safety is also extremely important as what you eat directly affects your baby. Avoid undercooked meat and eggs, swordfish, marlin and shark. These fish can contain potentially unsafe levels of mercury which can be harmful to your baby’s developing nervous system. Even moderate alcohol consumption is a big no-no during pregnancy as it can be linked with foetal problems and can affect the development of the baby’s brain.
To check the health of your unborn child, Clinic Nine in Hove offers ultrasound scans including sexing from 17 weeks plus 4D scans, an increasingly popular option for mums-to-be, providing a DVD and CD of images of the foetus. During pregnancy, regular gentle exercise can increase your energy levels, reduce discomforts such as constipation, cramps and backache; make you feel stronger; help to fend off any pregnancy blues; and keep you looking and feeling good.
“Give your child the best start in life”
Try gentle exercise like Pilates and yoga as this will relax the body and reduce stress. Classes are held specifically for women during pregnancy, meaning the exercises are beneficial without being over exerting. Check out Purely Pilates or Yoga Mamas for local classes. Body Rehab Studios in Hove is also great, offering physiotherapy and pilates. Be careful not to strain your body during exercise; avoid any positions that make your feel dizzy, short of breath or give you abdominal pains. In addition, swimming, cycling and walking/light jogging are not too strenuous but still get the blood pumping around your body.
During pregnancy, take time out too. It can be extremely stressful planning for your baby’s arrival. Regular walks will help clear your mind if it all gets a bit too much. If you can, indulge in a relaxing pregnancy massage – these can be extremely beneficial to mother and baby! The Muma Baby Sanctuary offers therapies and support to expecting mums and new mums with massage, acupuncture and more.
Once your little bundle of joy is born, it’s just as important to maintain your own health as well as your newborn’s. If you choose to breast feed, avoid alcohol consumption and eat a well balanced diet. The weight gained in pregnancy helps build stores for your recovery and for breastfeeding. In order to be healthy and active after delivery, you need to continue good nutrition to be able to affectively care for your newborn.
Being conscious of what goes into your body and your baby’s is just the beginning; be aware of products that are applied to the body too. Seek out Pure Potions, a natural skin care range with specially formulated products for mother and baby. Give your newborn child the best start in life: from nutrition to skincare and exercise, and remember that it all starts way before your bundle of joy arrives.
Words: Emily Usher
Whole nine yards
Specialist care and piece of mind, all under one roof at Clinic Nine
At Clinic Nine you’ll be able to choose the very best treatment that modern medicine, dentistry and cosmetics can provide. The experienced team consists of specialist physicians, dentists, consultants and nurses in the fields of cosmetic dentistry, plastic surgery, sports injuries, obstetrics and gynaecology. Their depth of knowledge and experience enables them to tailor make individual packages to your personal requirements. As a valued client you will be looked after every step of the way in their purpose built centre of cosmetic excellence.
Clinic Nine’s state of the art and purpose-built facilities in the heart of Brighton enable clients to choose, at their leisure and comfort, the packages most suited to them. The theatre suite is specialist designed using only the highest quality equipment to ensure your treatment is in a comfortable and immaculately clean environment.
For mums-to-be, Clinic Nine offers ultrasound scans including the increasingly popular 4D baby scans. This scan is carried out between week 22 and 32 of pregnancy. The images will be transferred to a DVD for you to keep. Other scans performed by Clinic Nine include Reassurance and Anomaly, Sexing scans and Combined Screening scans for Downs Syndrome. Clinic Nine is also able to offer 0 per cent finance. Contact them for details.
Clinic Nine, 212 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2DJ, 08452 416912, www.clinicnine.com
Services & procedures at Clinic Nine
• Pregnancy ultrasound
• Gynaecology ultrasound
• Ultrasound guided injections
• General dental work
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Dental implant centre
• Dental phobia consultation
• Plastic surgery
• Vascular surgery
• Orthopeadic surgery
• Centre for minimal bunion surgery
• Conference facilities and much more
Body Rehab Studios
During the Olympic season you will see many athletes wearing brightly coloured tape. They use it to relieve injuries and improve performance.The tape offers support without restricting movement, it’s comfortable on the skin and can be worn for up to five days before you need to take it off. Crucially it helps your muscles to work better and fatigue less. These properties also make it perfect to use to support your bump and pelvis during pregnancy.
It helps to stabilise the pelvis and support the weight of the baby, it also helps you maintain better posture. During pregnancy many women develop pelvic pain either at the front or back of the pelvis. Wearing pelvic support belts can help but they can cut into the bump when you sit down and are uncomfortable to wear at night; taping can be a brilliant solution to this problem.
Body Rehab Studios in Hove are specialist physiotherapists and Pilates instructors that treat the aches and pains of pregnancy. They offer the ‘baby belt’ taping technique, so don’t struggle on with pelvic pain; come in and get taped. You may not feel like an Olympic athlete during pregnancy but at least you can look like one!
Body Rehab Studios, 30 The Drive, Hove, BN3 3JDF, 01273 746898, dawn@bodyrehabstudios.com, www.bodyrehabstudios.com
From The Seed
From the Seed offers you bespoke holistic care during pregnancy. Enjoy an aromatherapy massage designed to reduce discomfort and ease common pregnancy complaints. Attend an aromatherapy workshop where you can learn the safe and effective use of essential oils for your pregnancy and labour. And once your baby arrives experience baby massage. This is a wonderful way to enhance the bonding process, bringing a sense of calm and relaxation to you and your baby.
From the Seed is run by Jo Kellett, a Tisserand graduate with over 14 years experience of treating pregnant women. She is a contributing author to Aromatherapy For Health Professionals, 4th Ed, Essential Oil Therapeutics Tutor for Neal’s Yard Remedies, Massage Tutor at the Institute of Traditional Herbal Medicine and Aromatherapy and has spoken at conferences on the benefits of aromatherapy in pregnancy. All classes, workshops and treatments can be found right here in Brighton.
07970 773 030, www.fromtheseed.co.uk
Purely Pilates
It’s well known that exercising during pregnancy has huge benefits for both you and your baby. But which exercise should you choose? Pilates is fast becoming the exercise programme for expectant mums, due to its many benefits in terms of strength, flexibility and relaxation. Pilates entails a series of stretching and resistance exercises with a focus on breathing and body awareness. At Purely Pilates the small group pregnancy classes are designed to focus on the specific needs of new mums. There’s a focus on strengthening the pelvic floor, core and lower back. Deep breathing techniques help to improve breathing capacity, which improves circulation, decreases the risk of blood clots, varicose veins, and leg cramping and swelling. It regulates fatigue levels, and improves sleep. And on top of all of that there are the ultimate benefits of an easier birth and quicker postnatal recovery.
Purely Pilates, 35 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2BE, 01273 770900, www.purelypilatesstudio.co.uk, info@purelypilatesstudio.co.uk
Muma Baby Sanctuary
Muma Baby Sanctuary is a family wellbeing centre in the heart of Lewes, creating a haven for women and families so they can share the challenges and joys of pregnancy, mothering and parenting from birth to the early years. The centre offers an abundance of complementary therapies, yoga, pilates, antenatal groups, and breast feeding support. The Muma Baby shop sells beautiful natural organic and bamboo products and gifts, along with inspiring books and DVDs. You will be warmly welcomed by Samsara, a doula and childbirth educator, who has a wealth of experience and knowledge, and her partner Sharon who ran the successful Sanctuary Café in Hove for many years.
Muma Baby Sanctuary, 32 Cliffe High Street, Lewes, BN7 2AN, 01273 958403 or 07838 136 715, mumababysanctuary@gmail.com, www.mumababysanctuary.co.uk
Yoga Mamas
Yoga Mamas – Brighton’s specialists studio for all things mama and baby. Whether you’re preparing to conceive, pregnant or with your newborn, toddler or child, Yoga Mamas offers fun classes for health and wellbeing for all the family. Specialists in pregnancy yoga since 2006, Yoga Mamas has worked with over 1,000 women in Brighton, teaching yoga movements, breathwork and mindfulness to help through the changes pregnancy brings, to prepare for birth and beyond. Wonderful classes and workshops in their large, sunny studio in the heart of North Laine help with preparation for conception. Pregnancy yoga classes are on nearly everyday – morning, noon and evening – complemented by Preparing For Birth and Hypnobirthing courses. Postnatal Yoga, that you can bring babies to, helps strengthen and energise new mums. Followed by the more active Yoga Fit classes progressing to get back in shape post baby. Chilled out support groups for new mums, baby massage, song-time and play, creative dance and kids’ karate are also all on offer.
Yoga Mamas, Upstairs at Little Dippers, 40-42 Upper Gardner Street, Brighton, 07908 949 419, info@yogamamas.co.uk, www.yogamamas.co.uk
