bek3000, Mum of one

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  bek3000 posted a Video 28/02/2012

  Acupuncture to bring on labour!

  Loads of my friends have successfully undergone acupuncture to bring on labour. At 39 weeks pregnant, I thought I'd give it a shot to try and bring the baby on early because I felt ginormous and I really wanted my little one to arrive in time for Christmas! Unfortunately, two sessions, $190 and a lot of pain later....still no baby. Apparently the acupuncture only works if the baby's ready to be born but just being a little stubborn...the analogy acupuncturists tend to use is that 'if the apple's ready to fall from the tree, acupuncture will give it the necessary shake'. Not all labour-inducing acupuncture treatments cause pain, but mine were horrendous! My practitioner used agressive needle stimulation which involved a great deal of needle wiggling - not particularly fun. So...it's definitely worth a shot if you're keen to try everything to bring the baby on. Just bear in mind it mightn't work for you!

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  bek3000 posted a Photo 9/02/2012

  

  Little munchkin’s first smile

  Well, maybe not the first….but definitely one of the first five! It’s so difficult to capture those fleeting first grins! Four weeks old and I love her to bits!

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  bek3000 posted a Tip 6/02/2012

  Start looking for quality second hand items

  Having a baby can be a pretty expensive undertaking. All of a sudden there are long lists of paraphernalia that supposedly MUST be purchased in order to ensure a happy, contented, healthy bub. While some of these things are clearly unnecessary, there are some big ticket (and smaller ticket) items that are useful and necessary, and, best of all, can be purchased second hand if you start looking early. We bought a lovely good-as-new Boori cot and mattress off eBay for only $300, a brilliant three-tiered wooden change table for $25 from a garage sale, and a new-in-box Fisher Price play mat for $5 from a local op shop. Looking around my nursery, we’ve got loads of items that have been bought at bargain basement prices or borrowed from friends, and best of all, everything is in fantastic condition and looks great. If you’re trying to keep costs down AND ensure you’ve got top quality, start the hunt early to give yourself the best chance. Why not tell your local op shop you’re pregnant and are looking for near new items? Chances are they’ll be more than happy to look out for things for you, and give you a call as soon as they come in. Having a baby won’t be the cheapest thing you ever do, but it needn’t send you bankrupt!

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  bek3000 posted a Tip 6/02/2012

  Kegels - they're important even now

  Kegels, or pelvic floor, exercises are a vital part of preparation for latter stages of pregnancy, the birth, and post-natal recovery. It may seem early to be focussing on this, but health professionals are pretty much in agreement that the earlier you start these, the better. Throughout pregnancy and birth, the pelvic floor comes under an immense amount of strain (not surprising when you think there’s a whole baby weighing in down there!). Kegels can help strengthen the pelvic muscle, which can in turn help prevent or reduce the likelihood of incontinence. Only five minutes a day can make all the difference, and they’re a simple enough activity to undertake. Simply tense your muscles as though you were squeezing a tampon, and hold for 10 seconds. Relax slowly out of it, then do it again. Try to do at least three sets of 10-15 repetitions daily. Don’t put them off! Get started now!

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  bek3000 posted a Comment 5/02/2012

  I have a bugaboo and I love it! I was also pretty daunted by the number of prams on the market, but friends of mine have a bugaboo and raved about the ease of use, reliability and versatility. It's an expensive piece of kit, but we know it'll last us for this bub and beyond, and we're saving money by using the carry cot section of it as our bassinet at night time. It's sooo easy to use and push around - I can easily swivel it with a single finger. The only negative about it is that when it's in carry cot mode (ie. for small infants who need to lie flat), it's hard to access the shopping basket at the bottom. Everything else about it is great and I definitely don't regret the purchase.

  What pram are you buying, and why?

  I never knew there were so many makes and models on the market! The prices vary so dramatically – and of course the features do too. It’s hard to know what I’ll use and what’s unnecessary gadgetry so would love to hear people’s thoughts.

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  bek3000 posted a Tip 5/02/2012

  Organise a hospital tour

  If you haven't already done one, a tour of your hospital's labour rooms and post-natal wards/rooms is definitely something to think about. Hospitals are really supportive of this for mums to be, and it's something I found really useful. It's good knowing about where hubby should park the car when he's rushing you to hopsital, where you'll birth your baby and the features of the room (Will it have a bath? Where's the gas and air? Where are the call buttons? etc), and what the after care will be like. Ask about facilities like microwaves as well - it's good to know if you're able to warm your own heat packs. And of course, if you have a long labour, your birthing partner may need to warm some food up for himself. Check on hospital visiting hours as well so that you're able to let your families know in advance when they'll be able to visit.

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  bek3000 posted a Comment 5/02/2012

  You could organise a high tea with really cute baby-themed cupcakes and gorgeous little sweet/savoury treats. Perhaps either at a nice hotel or tea parlour, or as a picnic in the park. If you go for the picnic option, put down some lovely rugs and string some pastel coloured bunting through the trees. Could be really lovely!

  Baby shower ideas needed

  I have to plan a baby shower for my cousin. She’s definitely not one for games and activities, and I’d be interested to hear if anyone’s been to or organised one that’s been game-free! What can be done to make it baby-centred without playing ‘taste what’s in the nappy’ etc?

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  bek3000 posted a Comment 3/02/2012

  My Carpal Tunnel started in my final weeks of pregnancy. I'd actually thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones to avoid all foot/hand swelling because everything was going so well...sadly, it wasn't to be. My swelling didn't end up being terrible at all, but it was enough to bring on CTS. For me, it's actually worse post-birth. When I'm pushing the pram for extended periods of time, or holding the baby while feeding, my hands get really quite numb and tingly. Thankfully they’re not painful (I know many people experience pain when they have CTS), but it is pretty uncomfortable and annoying.

  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Thought I'd share this because it's something I'm going through right now, have seen my GP about it (and done loads of reading online!), and apparently it's quite common in pregnancy. If you've got pain, tingling or numbness in your hands, chances are there's a name for your affliction - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). I don't have it badly, but it's enough to be really annoying. It's more common if you do repetitive tasks on a daily basis, like typing, but anyone's a potential candidate for CTS. It's caused by tissue in the body that swells during pregnancy and puts pressure on nerves. It's not dangerous (phew!) and it's meant to get better post-birth when your body goes back to normal. In the meantime, you can try and alleviate the symptoms by adopting good posture while typing, taking frequent breaks, and soaking your hands in cold water to help the swelling subside. If things get really bad, make sure you see your GP as you may have a Vitamin B6 deficiency.

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  bek3000 posted a Comment 3/02/2012

  Unfortunately some people seem to be more susceptible to them than others! Try asking your mum to see if she got them – that’ll give you a pretty good idea whether or not you’ll get them too. There are, however, some things you can do to try to at least minimise your chances. Eat in moderation so that you don’t have sudden huge weight gains, eat lots of healthy fruit and veg to keep your skin in top nick, and don’t eat things with a lot of preservatives or salt as that could impact on your fluid retention. You can also try shea/cocoa butters, almond oil or other rich moisturisers. If you do get them, don’t worry! Most women do, and at least they’ll fade eventually post-birth. Good luck!!

  Avoiding stretch marks

  Tips needed please! Starting to get bigger and I really want to avoid stretch marks if possible!

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  bek3000 posted a Photo 2/02/2012

  

  Welcome to the world!

  Brand new little bub, about 30 seconds old! Love her to bits.

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