Your pregnancy worries solved

Are you worrying about your pregnancy? If so, never fear, we have some of the most common pregnancy questions answered, to set your mind at rest.

Girl or boy?

I’m three months’ pregnant and I’d like to find out the sex of my baby. Is it possible to discover this with an ultrasound scan or are invasive tests the only way to know for sure?

Answered by Anne Deans, obstetrician

Anne says:

Modern ultrasound equipment produces such detailed pictures that by around 14 weeks of pregnancy it is usually possible to identify the sex of a baby on a scan. However, absolute accuracy can never be guaranteed – even the best units get it wrong in around two per cent of babies.

If you can wait until 17 weeks onwards, the chances of being told the correct sex improve as the baby grows, but even so you have to accept a small degree of uncertainty. It can be harder if your baby is lying in an unfavourable position or in mums who are very overweight.

Recent scientific advances mean that it is now possible to tell a baby’s sex from fetal cells that can be found in the mother’s blood at this stage. However, isolating these cells takes a lot of time and expertise, so at present it is only recommended if there is a chance your baby may have inherited a gender-linked disease.

In a few years’ time doctors hope this test will be more widespread and that all mums-to-be will be offered a blood test to screen their babies for a number of conditions as well as determining the sex.

An invasive test (amniocentesis or CVS) is still the only absolute way to know for sure but this carries a one per cent risk of miscarriage. You may have to wait until the birth to find out – and around half of all mums-to-be prefer to keep it a surprise until their baby is born.

Sleepyheads

Since I’ve been pregnant with my second baby, my three-year-old has started getting into my bed every night. She’s tired and ratty during the day and so am I, and my husband’s been sleeping on the sofa! How can we sort this out before the baby comes?

Answered by Andrea Grace, sleep counsellor

Andrea says:

You’re all very tired, so it’s probably been easier for you to settle your daughter with you than to take her back to her own bed. Unfortunately it only takes a couple of nights of this for the habit to stick.

It’s important to teach your daughter to sleep all night in her own bed now, not least so she doesn’t feel pushed out by the new baby’s arrival. Enlist the support of your husband and try this three-point plan:

1 Make sure she always falls asleep in her own bed at the start of the night. Falling asleep in your bed and waking up in her own will lead to her feeling unsettled, disorientated and needing to find you in the night.

2 When she comes into your room at night, calmly take her straight back to her own bed. Praise her when she gets in, then leave her to settle alone. If she keeps getting up, keep putting her back – no matter how many times this takes. This is not so much an emotional call for help as her reluctance to break a habit and while it will take at least a couple of very disrupted nights, if you persevere it will work.

3 In the morning reward her with lots of cuddles and praise.
Once your daughter is back in her own bed, it’s important to address your own sleep needs, and these tips may help:

• Establish a good bedtime routine of your own – familiar sleep triggers work for adults as well as for babies.

• Avoid caffeinated and fizzy drinks during the later part of the day.

• Have a light supper rather than a heavy or spicy evening meal.

• Use pillows to keep you in a comfortable position in bed: either lying on your side with a pillow between your legs or propped slightly upright to avoid heartburn.

• Include calcium-rich foods in your diet to reduce the likelihood of being woken by leg cramps.

• Try yoga-based relaxation techniques if you’re finding it hard to sleep – ask your midwife about local classes.

Is my baby OK?

I’m four months’ pregnant and I’m just recovering from a nasty bug with vomiting and a high temperature. I’m very worried that this could have harmed my baby and can’t stop thinking about it. Am I being silly?

Answered by Philippa Ridley, GP

Philippa says It is only natural to worry about your unborn baby’s health, and however much you aim for a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, it is unfortunately very hard to avoid infectious illnesses.

The good news is that studies have shown that high maternal fever alone does not significantly increase the risk of miscarriage and the germ that caused what was probably a viral gastroenteritis would be harmless to an unborn baby.

Some research indicates that prolonged high fever in the very early weeks, when the embryo’s nervous system is developing, can cause a higher rate of congenital malformations, but there is conflicting evidence on this. Be reassured, though, that at four months, your baby is well clear of that stage so try not to worry.

95%

of babies don’t arrive on their due date. And the vast majority are late!

Vitamin vitality

Upping your vitamin E intake could reduce your unborn baby’s chances of developing asthma, says Scottish research. They found that toddlers whose mums ate a lot of vitamin D during pregnancy were half as likely to have asthma as children whose mums took smaller amounts.  Good sources of vitamin E include almonds and avocados,  so dig in!

All drugged up

More than 80% of pregnant women take some form of over-the-counter remedy in pregnancy – despite the fact that it is potentially dangerous, says a recent survey.

Doctors and pharmacists advise that medication of any kind should be avoided whenever possible, especially in the first three months of pregnancy, and you should always consult a doctor or phamaistbeore taking any medicines because they can pass to your baby via the placenta.

‘The golden rule is to avoid taking any medication if at all possible,’ says M&B GP Dr Philippa Ridley.

Should I take….

Paracetomol? Only if really necessary – and in moderation. Normal adult dose is believed to be safe as long as it is only used occasionally

Asprin? No. This is not recommended (unless it’s prescribed for a specific condition – occasionally it may be prescribed to control pre-eclampsia, for example)
Ibuprofen No. Ibuprofetn is not recommended because it can affect your unborn baby.

Indigestion remedies? Only if necessary – but in moderation. Occasional use of antacids is believed to be safe, but avoid those containing sodium bicarbonate.

Gaviscon is believed to be safe.

Cough medicines? No. These are normally recommended because ingredients like antihistimine coedine are particularly not recommended.

Always seek advice from your doctor before taking any drugs while you are pregnant.

Did you know?

Doing pelvic floor exercises regularly during pregnancy can reduce the amount of time you’ll spend pushing in labour by up to an hour, say researchers from Norway.

Girls rule!

Want a natural birth? Then ask your mum or sister to be there with you. Researchers for the NHS reviewed the births of more than 13,000 women and found that those who had female birth partners were less likely to need intervention or pain relief.

But what if your mum or best mate don’t fancy the idea of being in the delivery room? You can always consider booking a doula, a trained birth partner who will support you through your pregnancy and labour.

Visit britishdoulas.co.uk or call 0207 244 6053 for more information.

3 weird side effects of pregnancy

Your feet grow

It’s not just your waistline that expands when you’re pregnant. Thanks to fluid retention, your feet and ankles can swell  --so don’t be surprised if  your shoes feel too tight. It’s a great great excuse for a brand new pair, though…

You make more saliva

Don’t be too concerned if you wake up and find a pool of dribble on your pillow.  Excess saliva production – known as pytalism – is relatively common, particularly in early pregnancy and especially if you’re nauseous.

You develop a brown line down your middle

This is your linea  nigra, caused by higher levels of the hormone melatonin during pregnancy. It usually starts to appear during the second trimester and should fade and eventually disappear after you’ve had your baby.

Three great pregnancy back pain relievers for under a tenner

More than half of us suffer from back pain when we’re pregnant. Try these and feel better fast

Emma-Jane Maternity support belt (£9.99, emma-jane.co.uk)

This adjusts at the front and back to gibe you great support and minimise pain in the lower back (emma-jane.com)

Natalia Prenatal Massage oil (£8.75, 100percentnature.co.uk)

Relieve tired aching muscles with this blend of essential oils.  Price includes a booklet on how to massage your lower back and other problem areas.

Babies R Us Wedge Support Pregnancy Cushion (£9.99,  toysrus.co.uk)

The wedge shape of this cushion is designed to ease backache by supporting your bump perfectly.

Should you bank your baby’s cord blood?

For

Professor Stephen Proctor, professor of haematological oncology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

‘Cord blood stem cells can offer some major benefits to a wide range of patients. There are children with rare deficiencies, who have undergone transplants in Newcastle, and are living proof of that. The speed of medical development is getting faster.’

Against

Peter Bowen-Simkins, consultant gynaecologist and spokesperson for WellBeing of Women, an UK charity

‘The chances of a child needing to use the cells are extremely slim, and some doctors worry parents will feel pressurised into spending a lot of money on something that is probably never going to be used.

The chances of a child needing to use the cells at some point in the future are less than one in 1000.’

Hot off the press

Drinking moderate amounts of coffee while pregnant does not pose a threat to your baby, says a new Danish study.

Earlier studies have linked caffeine intake with prematurity, but the new research, has found no difference between women who drank moderate amounts of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.

UK pregnant women are advised to drink no more than three cups of coffee, or six cups of tea, a day.

Trying for a baby?

Tell your partner to take a cool shower. Recent US research has found that men who have long hot soaks are more likely to have lower sperm counts because of the effects on overheating.

Having an epidural during labour could increase the likelihood of breastfeeding problems, says a study from the University of Sydney in Australia.

The researchers believe that a chemical in the anaesthetic could be to blame  for making babies sleepy, affecting their ability to feed.

The researchers believe that women who have epidurals should be given extra help in establishing breastfeeding.

Eating seafood in pregnancy could give your baby long lasting benefits. A UK study says that children whose mothers ate a lot of fish and seafood during pregnancy had children who had better communication and social skills at school.

However,  some fish, such as shark and marlin, have high levels of mercury and should be avoided. For more information on guidelines, visit food.gov.uk