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YOUR DOCTOR SAYS YOUR UNBORN BABY IS TOO BIG. SHOULD YOU START EATING LESS?

A pregnant mother once asked me this question:

“Doc, I’m in my last trimester and my doctor says my baby is big. I’ve decided to start taking tea every day. Is it safe?”

My concern wasn’t really the tea. It was the possibility that she was trying to stop her baby from growing by changing what she ate or drank.

First, let’s understand what your doctor means when they say your baby is big.

An ultrasound scan can estimate your baby’s weight, but it cannot weigh the baby. These estimates aren’t always accurate, especially towards the end of pregnancy.

Some babies are naturally bigger than others. But there are factors that increase the likelihood of having a large baby, including gestational diabetes, diabetes that existed before pregnancy, excessive pregnancy weight gain, maternal obesity and having previously delivered a large baby.

So, should you start eating less?

No! Skipping meals, starving yourself or drinking slimming teas will not safely make your baby smaller. Your baby still needs nutrients to grow and develop.

What you need is a discussion with your doctor about why your baby may be large.

If you have gestational diabetes, controlling your blood sugar through appropriate nutrition, physical activity and medication when necessary can help reduce complications.

Does a big baby automatically mean a Caesarean section?

Not necessarily! Many women with suspected large babies can still deliver vaginally. Your obstetrician will consider the estimated weight, whether you have diabetes, your previous deliveries and other relevant factors before recommending the safest delivery plan.

A very large baby can increase the risk of a difficult delivery, including shoulder dystocia, where the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck after the head is delivered. Some babies, especially those born to mothers with diabetes, may also develop low blood sugar after birth.

Here’s what I want you to remember: If your doctor says your baby is too big, don’t respond by eating less. Ask about your blood sugar results, how the baby’s weight was estimated and what this means for your delivery.

Have you ever been told during pregnancy that your baby was too big? Was the baby actually that big at birth?

#HealthyLivingWithDrKetch

She goes to bed exhausted.

The moment she lies down, the burning climbs from her stomach into her chest.

Now she is sitting upright at 2 a.m., pregnant and desperate to sleep.

Pregnancy hormones relax the muscle that normally keeps stomach acid down. As the baby grows, pressure on the stomach makes it easier for acid to travel upwards.

Relief at night often starts with dinner.

Eat smaller portions and finish your last meal about three hours before bed. Sit upright while eating and remain upright afterwards.

Raise your head and shoulders when you sleep. Lying on your left side may also reduce the reflux.

Your trigger may be different from someone else’s. Keep a short food diary and look for a pattern. Fatty meals, spicy foods and caffeine are common culprits. Chocolate, tomatoes and citrus can also trigger symptoms.

If these changes are not enough, speak to a doctor or pharmacist about an antacid or alginate that is suitable during pregnancy. Some products are unsuitable, so mention that you are pregnant.

Keep antacids at least two hours away from iron or folic acid supplements because they can reduce absorption.

Please contact your maternity team if the heartburn continues despite these changes or you have difficulty swallowing.

After 20 weeks, severe pain under the ribs or “heartburn” that refuses to settle needs urgent assessment. A severe headache or changes in vision make that call even more important.

She thought she had peed on herself.

She changed her underwear.

It became wet again.

She was only 27 weeks pregnant.

When a pregnant woman’s water breaks, it does not always pour out in the dramatic gush we see in films. Sometimes it is a persistent trickle that repeatedly wets her underwear.

Urine often has its familiar smell and may escape when you cough or sneeze. Normal pregnancy discharge is commonly clear or milky and may feel creamy.

Amniotic fluid is often clear or pale. It may continue leaking even after you have emptied your bladder. These clues can help, but they cannot confirm what the fluid is.

If you think your water may be leaking, put on a clean maternity pad and contact your maternity unit or the nearest hospital with maternity services. Do not insert a tampon.

Before 37 weeks, a leak may mean that the sac surrounding the baby has opened too early. This can expose the baby to infection and may lead to premature birth.

Go urgently if the fluid is green, brown, bloody or has a bad smell. Seek help if you develop fever or abdominal pain, or your baby’s movements reduce.

She knows her baby’s routine. By this time, the kicks usually begin.

Today, her hand rests on her belly and…..nothing.

Call your maternity unit or the hospital where you receive antenatal care now. If you cannot reach them, go to the nearest hospital with maternity services. Do not wait until morning.

There is no movement number that fits every pregnancy. What’s important is your baby’s usual pattern and the strength of those movements.

Call for assessment when your baby moves less than usual. Call when the movements feel weaker. Call when you can no longer feel movement. Call, if you’re not sure.

Do not delay assessment while trying food or cold drinks at home. A home Doppler cannot tell you whether your baby is well. Hearing a heartbeat does not replace a proper check.

At the hospital, the maternity team will check your baby’s heartbeat and assess the pregnancy. They may arrange further monitoring or a scan.

Your baby should continue moving right up to labour. The movements may feel different as pregnancy advances, but they should still be present.

If reduced movement happens again after a reassuring assessment, please return for another check

Her feet swelled overnight, and everyone told her it was normal.

Before she waits for it to pass, she should measure her blood pressure.

Pregnancy often causes gradual swelling in both feet. It may become more noticeable after standing for a long time or towards the end of the day. Resting with the feet raised usually brings some relief.

Sudden swelling needs urgent assessment, especially when the face or hands also swell.

A severe headache should raise concern. Blurred vision or flashing lights also need attention. Pain below the ribs or difficulty breathing makes the situation more urgent.

A blood-pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher during pregnancy requires medical assessment.

Swelling in only one leg tells a different story. When that leg also hurts or feels hot, a clinician should check urgently for a blood clot.

Clinicians use blood-pressure readings and urine tests to assess pre-eclampsia. These checks matter because pre-eclampsia can develop before a woman feels ill. It can also occur after childbirth.

For gradual pregnancy swelling, raise your feet when resting. Avoid standing for long periods. Comfortable shoes and gentle movement can also help.

The next pregnancy can have a different outcome.After two miscarriages, a positive test can feel like bad news.

The joy may come later. But it is understandable if you feel fear first.

About half of early miscarriages happen because the pregnancy developed with the wrong number of chromosomes. This usually occurs by chance. You did not cause it by anything you did – working, dancing, exercising or having sex.

After two losses, ask an obstetrician or gynaecologist for a proper review. Your doctor may examine your pregnancy history and check the shape of your womb. They may also request relevant blood tests including tests for thyroid problems, diabetes and antiphospholipid syndrome – a blood-clotting condition linked to repeated miscarriage.

Before trying again, start folic acid. When the pregnancy test becomes positive, contact your medical team and ask when you should have an early scan.

Please do not start medications such as aspirin or progesterone on your own. These treatments help in specific situations and should follow a medical assessment.

When doctors find no cause for repeated pregnancy loss, about 65 in every 100 women have a successful next pregnancy.

The bleeding came on the exact day her period was due.

The pregnancy test was positive, but she assumed she must still be menstruating.

She was not.

Pregnant women do not have menstrual periods.

A period happens when pregnancy has not occurred and the womb sheds the lining it prepared for a pregnancy. Once pregnancy begins, that monthly shedding stops.

Bleeding can still happen during pregnancy. The cervix becomes more delicate and may bleed after sex or a pelvic examination. An infection or a small area of bleeding inside the womb may also be responsible. Sometimes no cause is found.

Light bleeding does not automatically mean miscarriage. Many women who bleed in early pregnancy go on to have healthy babies.

However, you cannot identify the cause from the timing or colour of the blood alone. Bleeding may also occur with a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy, where the pregnancy is growing outside the womb. Later in pregnancy, bleeding may be connected to labour or a problem with the placenta.

Get emergency help if the bleeding is heavy or comes with severe stomach pain. Pain mainly on one side also needs urgent attention.

Do not wait if you develop shoulder-tip pain, dizziness or fainting. These can be signs of internal bleeding from an ectopic pregnancy.

Even if the bleeding is light and you feel well, contact your maternity clinician for advice.

The fact that it arrived “on schedule” does not make it your period.

Save this post. Someone may be using the calendar to reassure herself when she needs to be checked.

Original post:
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/10/12/daily-health-tips-can-i-menstruate-when-im-pregnant/

The pregnancy test was positive.

She had barely allowed herself to feel happy before the stomach pain began.

Now every cramp feels like a warning that the pregnancy may be slipping away.

Stomach pain can happen during a healthy pregnancy. The reasons for this include the growing womb, stretching of the tissues supporting it, constipation and trapped wind.

Mild pain is usually less worrying when it eases after you rest, change your position, pass stool or fart.

Please get medical help urgently if the pain is severe or does not ease. Do not wait at home if it comes with bleeding, leaking fluid, fever or pain when urinating.

Pain mainly on one side needs attention, especially early in pregnancy. If you also develop shoulder-tip pain, dizziness or fainting, go to the hospital immediately. An ectopic pregnancy can cause these symptoms and may lead to dangerous internal bleeding.

Later in pregnancy, pain that comes in regular waves may be contractions and should be assessed.

You are not expected to work out the cause by yourself. If the pain feels wrong or frightens you, please see your doctor.

Save this post. Someone staring at two lines tonight may need

If someone you love collapses tonight, the emergency will not wait while your family searches for a phone number or argues about which hospital to use.

Make the plan now.

In Nigeria, save 112 as the national emergency number. Also save the direct number of a reliable local ambulance service or nearby hospital because response arrangements may differ by location.

Choose the hospital your family would use for a suspected heart attack or stroke. Know how you would get there if an ambulance is delayed.

Keep an updated medication list where another family member can find it. Write down any allergies and important medical conditions.

If someone becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, call for help and begin chest compressions. Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest.

If an automated external defibrillator, usually shortened to AED, is available, turn it on and follow its instructions. An AED is a portable device that checks the person’s heart rhythm. It will tell you whether an electric shock is needed and guide you through what to do next. You do not have to make that decision yourself.

If the person suddenly develops a drooping face, weakness in one arm or a change in speech, suspect a stroke. Note the time the symptoms began and get urgent medical help. Do not wait for the symptoms to disappear.

Do not give food, water or herbal mixtures. Do not give aspirin unless an emergency professional specifically advises it. A collapse may have several causes, and some strokes are caused by bleeding.

Before today ends, complete the emergency card on this poster. Let everyone in your household know where the information is kept.

The best time to make an emergency plan is before your family needs it.