Pregnancy + Birth
Expert Tips for Parents
Pregnancy + Birth
July 08, 2024
Yay, you're pregnant! Congratulations! Are you already excited and looking forward to watching your belly slowly grow and feeling your unborn miracle more and more? Many parents-to-be plan a “babymoon” of some kind during this time. Preferably somewhere warm, on the beach, in the sun. A holiday destination that can only be reached by plane. But do you feel uncomfortable at the thought of getting on a plane pregnant? Should you? Many parents-to-be feel that way. That's why we asked our midwife and baby expert Katrin to answer the question “is flying safe when pregnant?” including when she thinks is the best time for a parent-to-be to fly.
Is flying allowed during pregnancy?
Generally speaking, you can fly during pregnancy as it will not harm you or your unborn child - provided your pregnancy has proceeded without complications and your baby is developing as expected and is healthy. Shorter flights in particular should not be a problem if your pregnancy is ‘normal’. However, if there are
Pregnancy + Birth
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
May 17, 2024
Many parents who embark on a breast/chestfeeding journey come across a pump at some point. Whether your feeding journey doesn’t get off to the start you hoped it would, or you want to try introducing a bottle, or because exclusively pumping is your first choice, whatever the reason, having an efficient tool for expressing milk can be a real help.
In addition to the important first hour after birth, during which your newborn baby goes through the nine stages of adaptation, expressing milk can also play a decisive role in the start of your feeding journey. Before the birth, however, your milk is not pumped, but expressed by hand, to extract valuable colostrum.
So that you feel well prepared and informed about expressing milk, we will be sharing all our knowledge about expressing milk with you together with our midwife and breast/chestfeeding expert Katrin.
What we’ll be covering:
Why you might want to try expressing milk
Finding the right chest / breast pump for you
When to start expressing
Expert Tips for Parents
Pregnancy + Birth
May 14, 2024
Yay and congratulations, you're pregnant! We hope you're doing well and enjoying this exciting new stage of your life without worrying too much about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. There are so many myths about being pregnant but don't let them stress you out. There are a few rules to follow simply to protect yourself and the little miracle in your tummy. For example, the topic ‘What not to eat and drink during pregnancy’, is a topic we’ve discussed on the blog before. Today, together with our expert Katrin, we want to take a closer look at a few more persistent rumours, like, can you dye your hair when pregnant? ect..Which ones are true and which ones can we bust?
Can you dye your hair when pregnant?
For most of you, one thing is certain: don't dye your hair using traditional hair dyes during pregnancy. Especially in the first three months of pregnancy. This is because your child's arms and legs are developing during this time and the nerve cells in the brain are connecting.
Expert Tips for Parents
Pregnancy + Birth
April 18, 2024
Congratulations, you're pregnant! At least that's what we're assuming since you're interested in how to correctly calculate a due date. Or, as they’re more officially known – an estimated date of delivery (EDD). As it is relatively unlikely that the estimated due date will actually be the date of birth, because most babies are born a few days or weeks earlier or later. There are various reasons - apart from pure curiosity - why it is important to know your baby’s due date. Our midwife Katrin Ritter will explain why this is the case and share a due date calculator for whether you’ve conceived naturally or via artificial means and whether you’re having one baby or multiple!
Calculating the due date
Only a few children (around 4-5 per cent) are born on their due date. It is therefore only a guide for you and your midwife / gynaecological practice. To calculate this, you need the exact time of conception. Do you know this? Then the pregnancy lasts an average of 266 days, 38 weeks or 9.5 lunar
Expert Tips for Parents
Pregnancy + Birth
December 19, 2023
As soon as you see that positive pregnancy test your mind starts racing! And soon the questions about food and drink start coming: "Can I still drink my beloved cup (cups!) of coffee in the morning?" "Does my fried egg really need to be cooked all the way through?" "Oh no, I'd better cancel dinner with my friends at the sushi restaurant on Wednesday..." In short, most pregnant people worry about the following from the early days: What can’t I eat and drink during pregnancy? And even if you think you roughly know the rules - no alcohol, no caffeine, no raw fish, no raw meat - doubts suddenly arise again at the moment of purchase or consumption. Isn't mozzarella also raw milk cheese? Can I eat salami or not? And what about parmesan?
It is precisely this uncertainty that we want to take away from you here and now. And we’ve created a handy document on "What not to eat and drink during pregnancy" (pdf), with all the details you need. You can carry this list with you and easily check whether
Health & Wellness
Motherhood
Expert Tips for Parents
Pregnancy + Birth
Postpartum
September 25, 2023
If you’ve just had a baby and are feeling sad, anxious or upset despite the happy occasion don’t worry. The first days and weeks after the birth can be a rollercoaster of emotions.
Many women may feel a bit down, tearful, or anxious in the first week. This is often called the "baby blues" and is so common that it's considered normal. The "baby blues" do not last for more than 2 weeks after giving birth. If your symptoms last longer or start later, you could have postnatal depression.
Our midwife Katrin Ritter tells you how you can tell the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression (PPD) and what you can do.
What are the baby blues?
Not just an old wives’ tale, the baby blues are real, affecting up to 80% of women after they give birth according to nct.org. Women who experience the baby blues can expect to feel down for a little while shortly after having their baby. Baby blues are noticeable, for example, through increased emotional sensitivity, mood swings or irritability.
Motherhood
Pregnancy + Birth
September 07, 2023
You’ve probably spent the past several months eagerly awaiting the day you finally get to meet your baby and you’ve spent lots of time planning. You’ve stocked up on all the baby gear you’ll need, decorated the nursery, and figured out how to properly install your newborn car seat. But don’t forget one of the most important remaining third trimester to-dos: Deciding what to pack in your hospital bag, for baby, you, and your birthing partner.
Wondering where to start? While you don’t want to leave out any essentials, there’s also no reason to overdo things. This is where our checklist comes in handy. Read on for when to pack your bag depending on your birth plan and what to put in it.
When should you pack your hospital bag for birth?
Babies do things in their own time, according to the NHS, only 1 in 20 will arrive on their due date.
It might be a good idea to get your bag packed at least 4 weeks ahead of the due date, so that you're all ready to go if your baby decides to make an early
Health & Wellness
Motherhood
Expert Tips for Parents
Pregnancy + Birth
Fitness
September 05, 2023
You don’t need to avoid exercise for nine months, unless you have specific medical advice telling you not to do any exercise during pregnancy or to adjust certain movements.
If you exercised before you became pregnant, you can continue to exercise now. The aim should be to keep your current level of fitness rather than trying to reach peak fitness. If you were not regularly active before pregnancy, start off gently and avoid any exercises where you cannot talk without getting out of breath.
Exercise during pregnancy offers many physical and emotional benefits. Physical activity may also help manage some symptoms of pregnancy and make you feel better, knowing you’re doing something good for yourself and your baby.
Exercise during and after pregnancy: We answer the ten most asked questions.
1. Should I exercise during pregnancy?
The NHS guidelines states that the more active and fit you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be for you to adapt to your changing shape and natural weight
Health & Wellness
Health Professionals
Expert Tips for Parents
Pregnancy + Birth
September 04, 2023
When you fall pregnant, a new organ grows along with your baby, which supplies your little one with all the important nutrients via the umbilical cord. This is called the "placenta". The placenta can nestle in various locations in the uterine wall, for example in the anterior or posterior wall, the left or right-side wall and in the upper part of the uterus (in the fundus). The placenta is not fully formed until the end of the first trimester and then continues to grow until the end of pregnancy. In the first half of pregnancy, the placenta grows faster than the baby, and in the last trimester the reverse. When the placenta attaches low in the uterus, you’ll hear people referring to it as a low-lying placenta. They’re usually spotted on your routine 20-week ultrasound.
As the uterus grows upwards, the placenta is likely to move away from the cervix. Your midwife will check for this during an extra scan at 32 weeks. If that scan finds your placenta is still low lying, you’ll have another
Motherhood
Pregnancy + Birth
Breastfeeding & Nutrition
August 29, 2023
The first few days after birth can be quite exhausting and tiring for most breast/chest feeding mothers.
People often talk about a "breast/chest feeding marathon", as your baby is expected to drink every two to three hours. This is normal and may take a few days for your milk production to adjust to your baby's needs. In the first three days, your baby may need between 2 to 20 ml of colostrum per meal, and then switch to transition milk from day four. Then, from day fifteen, you will be breast/chest feeding mature breast/chest milk.
However, breast/chest feeding does not always go smoothly. In most cases, pain during breast/chest feeding is caused by sore or cracked nipples. Our midwife Katrin Ritter explains how you can prevent sore nipples and milk engorgement and what can help you if it does happen.
How to avoid painful nipples.
According to a US study, breast/chest feeding problems in the first three to seven days after birth are the biggest reason why mothers stop breast/chest feeding.